Week 7: Rudy Can't Fail

Oh my God, you can't believe

It's happening again... 

Dateline:  Merzouga, Morocco

Jerrence sat upon his faithful steed, a dromedary named Steve, looked out over the vast Sahara and contemplated his surroundings.  Geographically, he was only a Carnevale 3-wood from the Algerian border and like Lincoln Riley in South Bend, he wasn't sure he'd ever be back this way again.  

And that brought to the fore many existential thoughts for this new Berber warrior.

But also like coach Riley and his feelings toward Notre Dame, he wasn't sure he wanted to be back -- as a mode of transportation goes, Steve was not the most comfortable of rides and Jerrence was beginning to tire of the monochromatic palate of the desert.

Finally, even if Morocco was considered, relatively speaking, 'Muslim Lite', it was still Muslim and he hadn't seen a Gin & Tonic for the past 300 miles.

That wouldn't be a sustainable dynamic.

Still, "Jerrence of Arabia" had a nice ring to it.  And with his screenwriter pal Jerry's help, maybe there could be a reboot of the iconic Peter O'Toole - Alec Guinness film... instead of fighting the Ottoman Empire, they'd have to find a new super villain.

And with the USC game only a day away, the Trojans and Riley would normally be a viable candidate.   Except no one would believe they'd be even remotely threatening outside of the Pacific Time Zone.

Quote of the Month

"Unbelievable..."

        

    Todd Blackledge

Even before Mr. Blackledge uttered that surely spontaneous remark after seeing Lincoln Riley call a pass play on 4th and inches in the 4th quarter, deep in ND territory with a game not entirely out of hand (stranger finishes have happened).. I was thinking how much I liked him as an announcer -- in general and specifically of ND games. 

He's objective, balanced and knowledgeable.  There's a reason why he's a part of NBC's Big 10 announcing 'A' team.

And the aforementioned utterance is a perfect example of that:  he was clearly incredulous about the poor play call -- not Riley's first stupid decision by that point -- yet he didn't belabor the point.  

I think that one word said it all.  Boy, I hope we see him again -- maybe for a playoff game?

Word of the Month

Used in a sentence paragraph:  Jerrence saw the news of the coach's dismissal and wasn't particularly surprised.  

From almost Day 1 of his hire, this seemed an inevitability.

For a program that held itself to a much higher standard, not only were the team's mediocre on-field results worthy of a 'regime change', the reports of the coach's lack of off-the-field commitment surely placed the final nail in his professional coffin.

The rest of the sentient world knew that the
LSU head football coach job was not a 'turn key' sinecure ... certainly not when you're being paid almost $100M to win in the cutthroat SEC where "if you aren't cheatin', you aren't tryin'."  

And if you're not playing for a natty by Year 3, you should calling your agent to understand how ironclad the guarantees are on your contract. 

Did the coach not understand these 'stakes of the game' or did he just not care, Jerrence wondered.  

With the coach being only 64 years old, Jerrence supposed the $50M+ that was still coming to him made that question pretty much moot. 

Game 7 Thoughts

A lot of people won't get no supper tonight

Justice tonight......

With the benefit of hindsight, the outcome to the USC game always seemed pre-ordained.  Practically speaking, the Trojans just do not travel well beyond one time zone.  And then there was the karmic variable, with their coach doing everything to say outwardly 'sure we want to play the Irish' but sending a more subliminal message of 'we can't afford losing to you like we have 6 out of the last 7 times' (soon to be 7 out of 8).

So yeah, it was a case of 'Justice Tonight...'

---------------------------------

Here's also what else came to mind watching the game, with the benefit of a week's distance and some sleep (in no particular order):

1.  CJ  Every game is a new referendum on the first time QB.  Personally, other than the one egregious decision, I thought he was pretty mediocre but not awful (like many have described). 

He still hung tough after that awful mistake.  I didn't hear many people talking how perfect his TD pass to Pauling was.

He was off.  It happens.  He'l probably have other less than perfect games.  He'll play better.

2.  Zone defense   One man's opinion:  we're terrible at it.  Maybe having Leonard Moore cover Makai Lemon everywhere (a seemingly super logical move) screwed everyone else up but I'd be playing man almost exclusively the rest of the way. 

3. Kicking.   Oh boy. Recognizing kickers are a different breed... not our clan's finest moment last Saturday night.  What should've been, minimally, a 38-24 game felt a lot sketchier and frankly demoralizing when the O does its job and gets nothing when you blow easy kicks.

Coach Biagi is gonna earn his salary this week.

4. Jadarian.   Two things:  1) KO returns for TD's don't happen that often so one can forgive USC to be kicking to him and not expecting lightning to strike twice... 

And 2) as unquestionably elite as J-Love is, it's becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate Price's skill set from Jeremiyah's.   

They're both really freaking good.

5.  Christian Gray.   I'm giving up on trying to figure out how I feel about this guy.  The NBC announcer referred to him as Mr. 'Feast or Famine' and that seems spot on.  Alledgedly, the NFL scouting world thinks highly of him and Coach Freeman has suggested he's been playing hurt and it's affected his technique.  Okay, if you say so.

Let's hope the bye week gave him suitable time to heal.  'Cause no one's throwing at Leonard Moore so I guess one can expect those throws still to be coming his way... 

Buddy's Buddy

Prior blogs have already addressed how Buddy often looked beyond the obvious for the less flashy attributes a person might have.

And sure, if you had a treat in your hand, you could be a serial killer and he'd have given you a tour of our house.

But that only underscores the human frailties that he shared with all of us.

Bringing us to this week's Bud.  It's not like there wasn't a plethora of candidates, from the drop dead obvious guys like Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price... to the less obvious, clutch performers like punter James Rendell. Or even Mr. Gray.

But this week, the nod goes the O-lineman who channeled his inner Quenton Nelson, repeatedly mauling USC defensive linemen -- opening holes where Love or Price weren't even touched before hitting the 2nd level of the D.

On top of that, getting hurt, going off and COMING BACK before finally having to call it quits.

Welcome to the club, Billy Schrauth, this week's Bud. 

Warrior. 

You love the thunder and you love the rain

What you see revealed within the anger is worth the pain

RE-PETE (A shameless, illegal lift of Pete Sampson's weekly mail-bag)

Okay, so we survived the October schedule and the USC game...

Now, if one believes the national punditry, we should coast to 10-2 and a playoff bid.

Probably wise to be a little less assumptive.  But with 7 games under our belts, also worth seeing if one could make some intelligent observations about where the team is.

Intelligent?  Certainly not by me.  That's why I plagiarize Mr. Sampson's column each week!

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Is Notre Dame’s run defense for real?

Lost in the tumult of that messy start under first-year defensive coordinator Chris Ash is the fact Notre Dame’s run defense might actually be better than last season. Despite losing the spine of the defense, the run defense is allowing a half-yard less per carry and has cut out explosive plays on the ground to almost nothing. The Irish gave up 17 runs of at least 20 yards last season. This year, they’ve allowed just four.

“Because you’re gap sound. Because you’re in a position to make the play, and we’re making the play,” Freeman said. “We’re tackling better. We’re being more stout at the point of attack by our D-linemen. And we’re really just executing what you’re being asked to do at a higher level.”

The defensive line has been good, but the linebacker play might be better. Rotating five players, relying on Drayk Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa but also getting the best out of Jaylen Sneed, the group rates among Notre Dame’s most improved positions from opening night at Miami.

Boston College might be down leading rusher Turbo Johnson Richard, which could set Notre Dame’s defense up for another strong performance on the ground. And if the Irish defense can’t be cracked in the run game, the odds of Notre Dame winning out go way up.

Credit Ash for building out Notre Dame’s run defense over the past two months, but Freeman believes the success story starts with the roster itself.

“I don’t want to say it’s not tactical,” he said. “We’ve done some things tactically to help us improve, but again, it’s still about the execution of what we’re doing tactically.”

Source: The Athletic

October 31, 2025

Cocktail of the Month

A little backstory:  Before the Corrigans met up in Morocco, we chose a thematic book to read and discuss... call it an 'on the road' book club.

The book we chose was "The Caliph's House: A Year In Casablanca" by Tahir Shah. The story, ostensibly a true one, is about a guy who moves his family to Morocco, harkening back to his youth growing up there, and the hijinx that ensue when he tries to renovate an old palatial estate that's fallen on hard times.  

Why was it in disrepair?  Mostly due to the widespread belief that the house was inhabited by Jinns -- mischievous, occasionally malevolent, spirits -- which the citizenry, especially in the home building industry, take seriously.   The book / cocktail below therefore makes perfect thematic sense.

As an aside, when the family gathered to discuss the book, mine was the highest grade within the group.  Which suggests had I gone into the teaching world -- Professor Jerrence -- I'd have been VERY popular.

I'd like you all to take a minute and consider that particular alternative universe.  You're a sophomore at ND and you need to -- you don't want to -- take an English Lit course and you see "Introduction to Historical Fiction" taught by... me.   The mind reels, oui? 

WET AND WYLDING HALL

(Wylding Hall)

by Elizabeth Hand (2015)

Let's go back to the 1970s with the fictional acid-folk band Windhol-low Faire as they attempt to record their new album at the crumbling country house Wylding Hall. 

Things do not go as planned. 

If you're ready for a slow-creeping dread that crawls up your spine, then settle in with this novella and a delicious drink.      

            

Yield:  1 serving

-- 2 oz. light rum

-- ½ oz. raspberry syrup (store-bought syrup or make your own by combining equal parts sugar, water, and fresh raspberries)

-- ½ oz. curaçao

-- ¾ oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

-- orange slice or twist, for garnish 

-- raspberry or cherry, for garnish

-----------------------------

1.  Add ice cubes to a cocktail shaker to chill the ingredients.

2.  Add the light rum, raspberry syrup, and curaçao into the shaker.

3.  Squeeze lime juice into the shaker.

4.  Shake the ingredients vigorously for about :10 to :15.

5. Strain the contents of the shaker into a rocks glass or a coupe glass filled with ice.

6. Garnish with the orange slice or twist on the rim of the glass with the raspberry or cherry on top of the drink.

Source:  The Turn of the Screwdriver

50 Dark & Twisted Literary Cocktails

By Iphigenia Jones

Schedule 202

August

31                @Miami             L      

September 

                                                  

13                Texas A&M         L                      

20               Purdue                W                   Corrigan brother reunion!                      

27                @Arkansas        W                   Soooiiieeee! 

October  

                                                                                                     

4                 Boise St.              W                    Alumni Hall Reunion weekend, Union Pier MI        

11                NC State              W

18               USC                      W                     "Lincoln, We Hardly Knew Ye" (wussy)                    

November 

 1                 @BC

 9                Navy                  

16               @Pitt                          

23               Syracuse                                               

29              @Stanford                                                              

December

19-20      PLAYOFF GAME!

  

Wager 2025

Now 5-2 with arguably only two tricky games left -- Navy (losing Saturday night, at home, on NBC I don't think so) and at Pitt (maybe but a freshman QB who's good but unlikely to be the Second Coming Of Dan Marino)... 

...and understanding that these are kids, anything is possible, still feeling pretty good about the 10 win possibilities... 

Wins	ND Equivalence	Domer
12 The Joker	"Do I really look like a guy with a plan?" -----  Ledger's Joker is mercurial, charismatic and a complete psychopath. Utterly unforgettable.  Just as a Notre Dame undefeated, on-their-way-to-a-national championship-season would be.	Kevin C. John P John L Brian M  JP  Bryan G   Raz  Dave M Tim B.
11 Otto	"Don't call me stupid!" ----- Ex-CIA operative Otto lives at the intersection of dangerous and moronic. An 'Otto season' for ND would be a rollercoaster -- a lot of fun with youth at some key positions, and likely more than it's fair share of 'that wasn't very clever' moments.	Gutsch , Sloane Daryl Jim S.  Peter  Tim  Ted Bill Jim B Pat B George Alex, Feif Garrett Spit the Elder
10 Hans Landa	"That's a bingo!" ----- Jew hunter Landa -- equal parts chillingly pathological and  pragmatic, this character would probably represent a 10-win regular season that might make you sick to your stomach but ultimately pretty satisfied.	Jerrence,  Mike C,   Tim C.   Mark U.  Jerry P.  Jerry C.   Mike B. Brian W.  Jim T. Mike G, Bose Jerry W Lini, Randy   Greg Kyle W.
9 RP McMurphy	"I'm a goddamn marvel of modern science." ----- What's the residual emotion from Cuckoo's Nest?  Sadness. RP, a guy who sees things clearly but can't get out of his own way. When it doesn't end well, one is left thinking what could've been.  Like a 9-win season.	Matt Alvin
8 Jason Bourne	"I don't know who I am.  Or where I'm going.  None of it." ------ An apt summary of an 8-win ND season.  A lot of difficult questions ultimately unanswered. Still, the Bourne trilogy rocks and JB is The Man.
7 John Wick	"I'm thinking I'm back..." ----- For many, ND winning only 7 games would be akin to someone shooting their dog -- and requiring appropriate payback. And like with John Wick, rationale requiring very few words of explanation.
6 Maximus	"Are you not entertained!" ------ Probably not, if ND only won six games... but that's not the point here:  it probably says a lot about me that the final ranked character is the most moral, selfless one of the bunch.

Sports Imitating Art. 

The Art of Conversation, by René Magritte, 1963

Fun fact:  The Castellini's took the Corrigan's to a private Magritte exhibit at The Art Instiitute* several years ago so don't tell me Our Man Lini is not a Man of Culture.

* Okay, Judy probably invited us. 

Schadenfreude of the Week.

I think it's been well documented -- almost entirely by me -- that I don't know jack sh*t about football and mostly what you get from me is something I read somewhere else, ergo NOT AN ORIGINAL THOUGHT (something I haven't had since 1977 when, as Secretary / Treasurer of Grace Hall I boldly suggested, in order to combat the rampant elevator vandalism problem, that we de-stack the Grace tower and create a ranch style dorm in the green space between the dorm and the library...

Of course I was roundly mocked for such ahead-of-the-curve thinking.  Innovation is almost always misunderstood by the less evolved.  And immature young males can be so cruel. 

Cretins. 

But I digress.

The point is this:  I have no idea any more who to root for that advantages ND's chances of making the 12-team BCS Playoff.  I think if they they just win out they out to be fine but...

...whatever.  Let's talk in mid-November. 

-----------------------------------------------

1.  USC.  First of all, I'm so happy for my SoCal 'friends and family':  my brother Mike and Jay / Dave M., Joe S... I know how much the rivalry matters to each side's alumni / fans -- so f*ck you, Lincoln and Jenn Cohen for wussying out on this.

That said...

"Same as it ever was..."

2.  LSU.   With Kelly's dismissal, consider this an exorcism.  The next time LSU makes this section, hopefully, it's when they lose a meaningful game that actually matters to Notre Dame's fortunes.

3.  Oklahoma & Missouri.  These two, on the other hand, do still have some practical relevance for ND's path to the playoff.   If only for another week or so.

It's beginning to look a lot last last year

Where you just can't close.

Take a look at your games ahead

You're basically walking dead... 

Think what you will of the SEC conference, the guys who create the SEC Shorts content are undeniably REALLY clever.

Terry's Tools.

New and improved (?)

The more the world changes, the more things appear to stay the same.

Technology advances at an exponential rate, pity that human intelligence, decision making, good taste and common sense are not following at an equal pace.

One man's opinion: idiots still abound.

And I think this blog section shows empirical evidence to support that claim.

-------------------------------------------------

1)  Officiating .   It's easy to be generous when one ultimately wins these games but this is, at least, the 4th home game (WTF?!) where there have been some ridiculously egregious calls (or non-calls).  One assumes that Bevacqua sends these into... where?... each week.  

That's not a a hold -- it's a text book tackle!  And how is that not PI -- the DB isn't even looking!

But this gotten beyond concerning... 

2). Louvre Security.  You may have read about the recent robbery of $100M worth of jewels that got lifted last week, from arguably the world's most famous museum.  Embarrassing, no? 

Well, as Kay Corrigan was always fond of saying, "God doesn't close a door that He doesn't open a window..."  Or something like that.

While the museum's officials subsequently announced a $100m update on their security system -- me thinks a little late -- check out this ad from an 'involved' participant.  In America, you'd probably lose your job for this cheekiness but I LOVE it. 

Who says the Germans don't have a sense of humor... lets hope the French do too. 

3)  Jeff Landry.    This week ,Lousiana's governor said, " I can tell you right now, (LSU athletics director) Scott Woodward is not selecting the coach. Hell, I'll let Donald Trump select it before I let him do it."

"I didn't get a harrumph out of you..."

"I can promise you we're going to pick a coach and we're going to make sure that coach is successful," Landry said. "We're going to make sure he's compensated properly and we're going to put metrics on it because I'm tired of rewarding failure in this country and then leaving the taxpayers to foot the bill."

Opined ND beat writer, Tim Prister:  Oh really. How are you going to make sure the coach is successful? You have ability to intuitively perceive and guarantee you're going to pick the right coach? And you're going to make sure you don't get fleeced like Texas A&M and LSU did? Wow. He should then be able to bottle that and sell it to other schools competina for national championships. 

How exactly does that work?

Governor Landry, putting the 'small' in small government.

Name of the Week

Nature or nurture?

Does one make the name or does the name drive a person to live up to their moniker?

This week's candidate challenges that question -- once again coming from the roster of our upcoming opponent, Boston College, and should be a name that one hears called with relative frequency on Saturday.

                                                           

                                                                          Turbo Richard  

The dictionary defines a  "turbo" as a device that uses exhaust gases to force more air into an engine, increasing its power and efficiency. 

Given how awful the Eagle's offense is, he might be the only thing that represents a threat:  431 yds riushing on 88 carries, a near 5 yds/carry average.

Turbo indeed.  Look for #2 on Saturday. 

Trivia

Q. Who wrote a song that was a worldwide ecumenical movement, starting out as a pagan folk tune, then becoming a Christian children's hymn, only to end up as a hit for America's most famous Muslim singer? 

A)  Snoop Dog

B)  Cat Stevens

C)  SZA

D)  Dua Lipa

------

(Last blog's answer:  At a 1968 press conference, John Lennon and McCartney named Harry Nilsson --- friend and drinking buddy -- as their favorite American artist.

Everybody's talkin' at me

I don't hear a word they're sayin'...

Final Thoughts

You leave the country for a couple weeks and come back to find...

-- Dave Marcel on the cover of ND Magazine

-- Kevin Maher featured in a Walgreen's Viagra knockoff article

Uh?

As the philosopher Ferris Bueller once observed, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

True dat. 

Week 5: Cowboy Up, ND!

In the velvet darkness of the blackest night

Burning bright

There's a guiding star

No matter what or who you are...

Dateline:  Union Pier, MI

One might think that connecting attendance at the annual Alumni Hall reunion weekend to the cult film, Rocky Horror Picture Show would be something of a stretch.  

After all, what does a group of longtime college pals from around the country, gathering annually to reconnect, have anything to do with a young honeymooning couple having their car break down in front of the home of a mad, cross dressing alien -- where hi-jinx subsequently result... 

Hello, have you met Brian Ward?  

Great guy.  Fantastic cook.  Maker of possibly the world's best Irish coffee.  A bit unstable.  More Riff Raff than Frank-N-Furter, a man capable of expressing thought that both excites, challenges societal norms and often confuses.

Tell me that's not an alien super power. 

With a bit of mind flip, you're into a time slip... 

But you ask, what after all, does any of it have to do with Notre Dame football?  Well it's said that Rocky Horror is ultimately about finding -- and being comfortable with -- one's identity... something ND football has struggled with through its first few games.  

So with the best RB's in the country, a QB getting more confident every week and a defense that seems to finally be healthy and understanding of the scheme, maybe we now who who we are.  And that would seem to bode well for the next seven games...

So to recap:  Alumni Hall => Rocky Horror => Notre Dame football 2025.

Q.E.D. 

Quote of the Month

"Can't repeat the past? Why, of course you can!"

        

    Jay Gatsby

"The Great Gatsby"

Anybody yet getting feelings of deja vu... seeing Marcus Freeman's program pull a repeat of last year's "let's dig ourselves a really deep hole in September and spend the rest of the season climbing out of it whereby come December, we're actually a legitimate national championship team?"

Asking for a friend.

Word of the Month

Used in a sentence paragraph:  Ever since a wee lad, Jerrence had been big on introspection and self-awareness.  

He knew that the description of him being 'soft' had followed him his whole life -- he couldn't count the number of times he heard his brothers express that opinion to their parents.

"That boy's not right in the head, mom," they'd say.

Hurtful.  

Cowboy Jerrence, intimidating... no one.

And yet, not entirely inaccurate.

Then there was "the kicker in high school" years, an association not exactly linked to being a classic hard guy.  

Lastly, there was the ex son-in-law, suggesting that his daughter's lack of acceptance of his spousal abuse was due to "growing up in a household with weak male figures."  

Ouch.  

Again, the accusation was not without some truth, even if the dipshit failed to recognize that Defarge could kick his boney ass.  

So, it was with some surprise that Jerrence found the intensity of anger welling up inside him at the increasingly egregious calls from the officiating.  

"Irate" would not be an inaccurate description.

Even as he watched Marcus Freeman excoriate the refs (was the coach actually trying to get ejected from the game?), Jerrence's bile only increased.  These guys were hacks and with the offense not being entirely on their game, and Boise State hanging around, the game still had the possibility of swinging in the opponent's favor.  Jerrence had seen that movie before.

Thank you, defense.

Game 5 Thoughts

Always look on the bright side of life...

I'm a "glass half full", making lemonade-out-lemons kind of guy.

-- Where people see rain, I see future rainbows.

-- Where people see sh*t, I see fertilizer.

-- Where people see swine, I see breakfast.

-- Where people see psychopaths, I see future Netflix limited series.

So Saturday's performance might've represented, for some, a bit of a worrisome step back for an offense that has recently looked virtually unstoppable. 

For Jerrence, the defense stepping up, again, was the far more relevant takeaway.

---------------------------------

Here's what else came to mind watching the game, in super random order:

1.  Fun With Numbers!  Notre Dame was called for just three penalties against Purdue, while the Irish were flagged five times against Miami, A&M, and Arkansas.

On Saturday, Boise State accepted 11 penalties on the Irish, while Notre Dame accepted 13 from the Broncos. Including the one penalty late that was not accepted (and maybe there were more turned down), we're talking 25 penalties out of a total of 125 plays run by both sides.  Or 1 out of every 5 plays a flag came out of a ref's pocket.

Yowzer. 

2.  CJ Carr.   If that was Carr’s "off" game, sign me up! He missed a few throws and was late on a couple of others but he didn’t turn the ball over (or flirt with doing it). He threw the ball away when necessary. 

And check out the 19-yard TD to Will Pauling -- the pass was perfect, as was the TD pass to Fields. 

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

3. Jadarian.   For all the hype rightfully being directed at Jeremiyah Love, through five games it's really hard to make a case that he's more than infinitesimally better than Price, at least from a productivity standpoint.  

And this is no criticism of Love.   It's just that one finds oneself barely blinking when Price subs in for Love.  He / they are both that good. 

4.  The DL.   It felt like for the second consecutive week, the defensive line dominated. And if the Boise St. QB wasn't so elusive (a trait I believe he was known for going into the game), their sacks and tackles-for-loss would've been even more impressive.

Let us hope this is who they really are (and what we expected).   

5.  Tackling.   I am of the strongly held belief that tackling in college is a forgotten skill, probably little emphasized in many programs such that if one were to place a wager on getting one of your better athletes in space, one-on-one, with 90% of the college defenders, the subsequent yards after contact would exceed expectation.

So when I see a tackle like this, I just LOVE it!  

Rapid deceleration

Happy tailgaters...

6.  The Tailgate.    Much like our RB's, it has become easy to take excellence for granted.  But the Stayer Lot hosts continue to bring their 'A' game every week. 

And last weekend was no exception. 

Side note that shall never again be repeated:  Jerrence did not have a 'Behrens Bloody.'  Both shocking and disappointing.  

He blames the aforementioned Mr. Ward's evening ending Irish coffee the night before.  So good. 

Thank you, as always, Jay / Jerry / Bob / Tim / Jim / Peter.  

Buddy's Buddy

In a week where the story line rightfully belongs to the defense -- again holding Boise State to only 7 points is not nothing -- one realizes that, only five games in, perhaps we've already gotten numb to the excellence of our running backs..

Jeremiyah Love rushes for 103 yards and no one bats an eye.

Jadarrian Price adds another 83 yards, on half as many carries, and it's 'yep, kinda what we expected...' 

In any other game, maybe, we'd be calling them out as critical pieces when our wunderkind QB had only a B- game and points weren't coming on every drive...

Still, the big question going into the game, for this blogger, was the defense's improvement of late and it's sustainability.  

Welcome back, Leonard Moore, this week's Bud. 

Beyond the sweet statistics of Saturday (2 INT's, 1 forced fumble), when your All American CB takes away a third of the field and allows your #2 and #3 CB's to slide down to cover lesser skilled targets... 

That's gotta be good, right?  

And when those receivers are taking longer to get open, if at all, that's gotta be good for the pass rush, yes?  

And with each game those freshman DB's get a little more experience, a little more knowledgeable... 

Stay healthy, Leonard.

RE-PETE (A shameless, illegal lift of Pete Sampson's weekly mail-bag)

Welcome to October.

Five games in, quantifiably 41% of the season.

One more game and we're at the halfway point -- are we ready to draw some conclusions, or minimally, some hypotheses of future expectations?

I think so.

Here's an easy one to start with...

-----------------------------------

Can we finally give up on the direct snaps to Jeremiyah Love? — Rick D.

I almost thought coach Marcus Freeman was trolling us when he talked about the wildcat this week, just lobbing the thought grenade that maybe Love should pass it to CJ Carr and see how it goes.

Let’s agree on some facts about the wildcat before we go further. It’s a dated offensive formation that went out of fashion about 15 years ago. It’s a gimmick to help an offense make up for a lack of ability in short yardage. And unless you want to play 10-on-11, the quarterback has to be live as part of the package. The quarterback can’t just be a mannequin.

That's more like it.

However, the Irish run a modern offense. Notre Dame has plenty of traditional talent on offense to pick up short yardage (in theory) and absolutely should not expose Carr as a lead blocker or gadget receiver against cornerbacks or linebackers. 

And that’s on top of the fact that the Irish have bombed in making the wildcat actually work.

Whether it’s a false start by Billy Schrauth after the shift against Boise State or Love hitting the wrong hole against Texas A&M, Notre Dame does this poorly. So when Freeman talks about Boise State giving Notre Dame a funky look on that first drive, and that’s why the play didn’t work … uh … when has the play worked?

The bigger issue is that Notre Dame doesn’t know who it is when it’s third-and-2. A couple of years ago, Gi’Bran Payne was excellent in this look. Love and Jadarian Price have not been since. If you were ever going to go back to that RPO stuff Notre Dame used at Miami, short yardage feels like the moment.

But whatever the short-yardage solution is, direct snaps to Love ain’t it.

Source: The Athletic

October 8, 2025

Cocktail of the Month

It's funny, often surprising and probably a little telling (if not disturbing) when one finds out what people associate with you.  

Like when my good friend Jim sends me a text that says "Hey, I thought about you when I saw that there's a new limited series about Ed Gein" -- the prolific 1950's Wisconsin serial killer who inspired such films as Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Silence of the Lambs.

Hmmm.  Why would he say 'I thought about you...'? Never mind the fact that, OF COURSE, I knew about the series and had it on my IMDb Watch List.  

So with that as a bit of context, having spent "quality time" with Thomas Feifar, Esq. over the past weekend, when considering a cocktail for the week... I immediately thought about Tom -- and for the life of me, I don't know why -- The Shining and the film's understated bartender.  

Hair of the dog, Lloyd.  

RED RUM

The Shining

by Stephen King (1977)

Haunted houses are a classic trope in gothic literature, but what if, and this is gonna sound crazy, there was a haunted hotel with all those rooms just brimming with psychic terror? 

Frightening! 

Unluckily for Jack Torrance and his family, who are hired to be the off-season caretakers of the Overlook Hotel in the Rockies, their new home is just that.  

Cabin fever sets in, and ghostly children, forbidden rooms, and animated topiaries topple the Torrance family. 

Sip on this fruity cocktail to warm your soul as you read this frigid tale.

                   

Yield:  1 serving

-- 2 oz. light rum

-- ½ oz. raspberry syrup (store-bought syrup or make your own by combining equal parts sugar, water, and fresh raspberries)

-- ½ oz. curaçao

-- ¾ oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

-- orange slice or twist, for garnish 

-- raspberry or cherry, for garnish

-----------------------------

1.  Add ice cubes to a cocktail shaker to chill the ingredients.

2.  Add the light rum, raspberry syrup, and curaçao into the shaker.

3.  Squeeze lime juice into the shaker.

4.  Shake the ingredients vigorously for about :10 to :15.

5. Strain the contents of the shaker into a rocks glass or a coupe glass filled with ice.

6. Garnish with the orange slice or twist on the rim of the glass with the raspberry or cherry on top of the drink.

Source:  The Turn of the Screwdriver

50 Dark & Twisted Literary Cocktails

By Iphigenia Jones

Schedule 202

August

31                @Miami             L      

September 

                                                  

13                Texas A&M         L                      

20               Purdue                W                   Corrigan brother reunion!                      

27                @Arkansas        W                   Soooiiieeee! 

October  

                                                                                                     

4                 Boise St.              W                    Alumni Hall Reunion weekend, Union Pier MI        

11                NC State             

18               USC                                             "Lincoln, We Hardly Knew Ye" (wussy)                    

November 

 1                 @BC

 9                Navy                  

16               @Pitt                          

23               Syracuse                                               

29              @Stanford                                                              

December

19-20      PLAYOFF GAME!

  

Wager 2025

3-2 and head finally above water, with the next two games seemingly looking like the biggest obstacles to running the table to a 10-2 season and a BCS playoff bid...

All in all, it's just another brick in the wall... 

Wins	ND Equivalence	Domer
12 The Joker	"Do I really look like a guy with a plan?" -----  Ledger's Joker is mercurial, charismatic and a complete psychopath. Utterly unforgettable.  Just as a Notre Dame undefeated, on-their-way-to-a-national championship-season would be.	Kevin C. John P John L Brian M  JP  Bryan G   Raz  Dave M Tim B.
11 Otto	"Don't call me stupid!" ----- Ex-CIA operative Otto lives at the intersection of dangerous and moronic. An 'Otto season' for ND would be a rollercoaster -- a lot of fun with youth at some key positions, and likely more than it's fair share of 'that wasn't very clever' moments.	Gutsch , Sloane Daryl Jim S.  Peter  Tim  Ted Bill Jim B Pat B George Alex, Feif Garrett Spit the Elder
10 Hans Landa	"That's a bingo!" ----- Jew hunter Landa -- equal parts chillingly pathological and  pragmatic, this character would probably represent a 10-win regular season that might make you sick to your stomach but ultimately pretty satisfied.	Jerrence,  Mike C,   Tim C.   Mark U.  Jerry P.  Jerry C.   Mike B. Brian W.  Jim T. Mike G, Bose Jerry W Lini, Randy   Greg Kyle W.
9 RP McMurphy	"I'm a goddamn marvel of modern science." ----- What's the residual emotion from Cuckoo's Nest?  Sadness. RP, a guy who sees things clearly but can't get out of his own way. When it doesn't end well, one is left thinking what could've been.  Like a 9-win season.	Matt Alvin
8 Jason Bourne	"I don't know who I am.  Or where I'm going.  None of it." ------ An apt summary of an 8-win ND season.  A lot of difficult questions ultimately unanswered. Still, the Bourne trilogy rocks and JB is The Man.
7 John Wick	"I'm thinking I'm back..." ----- For many, ND winning only 7 games would be akin to someone shooting their dog -- and requiring appropriate payback. And like with John Wick, rationale requiring very few words of explanation.
6 Maximus	"Are you not entertained!" ------ Probably not, if ND only won six games... but that's not the point here:  it probably says a lot about me that the final ranked character is the most moral, selfless one of the bunch.

Sports Imitating Art. 

Well Hung Lover, by Banksy (2006)

Schadenfreude of the Week.

In advance of this upcoming week's "Why can't a meteorite just wipe them all out" Bowl (Michigan vs. USC)... the football gods decided to throw Jerrence an early bone.

More than just an amuse bouche, this two-fer was more like a couple courses in a full-on Italian meal, both primo and secondo...

Lion AND Longhorn on the menu.  Yum.  But save enough for next week's dessert!

1.  Penn State.  For every ND fan living in southern California -- Jay, Dave, Mike C, you are seen! -- there's an equal number of folks in Pennsylvania who have to endure Nittany Lion yahoos (who still can't seem to process having college football's most notorious sexual predator on their coaching staff)...

So this goes out to Tim C / Graham / Jim T...

Fun fact:  UCLA's upset of PSU also marked the first time in 40 years an 0-4 or worse team beat a Top 10 opponent.

Well done, coach Franklin. 

2.  Texas.   Notre Dame has seen its share of disappointing starts to season -- the last two years being at or near the top of the list... but it'd likely be difficult to top the despair Longhorn Nation is probably feeling right now.  

Their prize recruit, Arch, his 3rd year in the program and not (yet) fulfilling anywhere near the Manning legacy expectations -- already with two losses and a schedule that still includes Oklahoma, Georgia, A&M and Vandy... rut roh.

I happen to like coach Sark but, man, if they go by the wayside, ND could really use that gift.

3.  Florida State.  While rooting for Miami has always been anathema for Jerrence, he realized it was akin to eating one's vegetables as a wee lad -- he didn't like it but also realized (or was told) it was good for him.  

And besides if the Miami win came at the expense of the equally detestable FSU, maybe that's like burying said veggies in his mashed potatoes.

4.  Vandy.  This was difficult for Jerrence to nominate the Commodores.  After all, who doesn't like / respect / be impressed by what Clark Lea has done with a perennially doormat of a program where winning has always gone to die...

But at some point, Team ND needed them to get cut down a notch or two.  Might as well be now.

Terry's Tools.

The few, the proud...

The more the world changes, the more things appear to stay the same.

Technology advances at an exponential rate, pity that human intelligence, decision making, good taste and common sense are not following at an equal pace.

One man's opinion: idiots still abound.

And I think this blog section shows empirical evidence to support that claim.

-------------------------------------------------

1)  Particle6.   I've seen the future and I'm finding it... problematic.  Meet Tilly Norwood, an AI “actor” and British-accented brunette (who has even reenacted Sydney Sweeney’s controversial “great jeans” ad). 

She also has an Instagram page with more than 36,000 followers and a bio that reads: “You’ll either get it or pretend you don’t. I’m a creation. #aiart.” 

Let me repeat:  Tilly is an AI creation who is now seeking talent representation.  That is to say, an agent.

It was there that Norwood announced her “first ever role” in “AI Commissioner,” a comedy sketch from the production company Particle6 that satirizes the future of TV development and can be seen below.

This may be the most terrifying thing you watch all year:

2)  Mark Sanchez.    File this under "That Can't Be Easy To Do..."

Stabbed on Friday.  

Arrested on felony battery charges Saturday.  

For the same incident. 

Apparently, a significantly, um, "impaired" Mr. Sanchez took issue with where a 69 year old delivery driver was parking his truck -- the man thought he could, given he was picking up cooking oil -- and hijinx ensured. 

Which is to say, Sanchez beat the living you-know-what out of the guy before getting stabbed by the fellow in defense (as one does).

Yikes.  

But for Mr. Sanchez who, before last weekend had the Butt Fumble as his most embarrassing public mistake, nothing seems to be impossible.  A true Trojan.

What a difference a day makes... 

3)  Emari Demercadol.   Another week, another idiot -- IN THE NFL -- dropping the ball before they actually get to the goal line.  

And once again, the points taken off the board proved to be the difference in the player's team losing.

Unbelievable.  Even Pee Wee league kids know better.

I would imagine every locker room in America, at any level, is telling their players 'you don't let go of that ball until you get back to the sidelines or the ref takes it from you, which ever comes first.

As an aside. I wonder if you can make a prop bet in Vegas on this happening.  It would seem like easy money...

4)  Notre Dame Hoops.  I really am turning into Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino character with my increasingly dismissive attitude toward the direction where team uniforms are going.  

Why can't the teams maintain their historical familiar look?   

I blame Oregon and Nike / Phil Knight opening up Pandora's Box with all their wacky uni's... 

Kids these days.

In any event, what are we doing here, ND?  

The Bend?!

Name of the Week

This week's nominee also draw from next week's opponent roster pool.

And call it an homage to the TV shows we grew up watching...

-- Hogan's Heroes

-- F Troop

-- Gilligan's Island

-- Green Acres

-- Beverly Hillbillies 

Each of them weirdly ahead of their time which now, but would probably offend someone.  

No less subversive was The Smothers Brothers Show who introduced political satire to the American public -- with the show's anti-establishment stance, particularly on the Vietnam War, and its booking of controversial musical guests leading to frequent conflicts that ultimately ended in the show's cancellation in 1969.

Ah, the good old days. The more things change, the more they stay the same... 

Hollywood Smothers

A running back, NC State's young Mr. Smothers is no comedy act -- six games in, he's averaging over 100 yds/game rushing and has already amassed over 800 yds in total offense.  Expect to hear his name often next Saturday.  

Trivia

Q. When John Lennon and McCartney held a press conference in 1968 to announce the formation of the Apple label, John was asked to name his favorite American artist.  Who did he name?

A)  Bob Dylan

B)  Harry Nilsson

C)  John Prine

D)  Brian Wilson

------

(Last blog's answer:  "Elton John's thinking about his own death inspired 11 minutes of piano fury in the song, "Funeral For A Friend / Loves Lies Bleeding." 

Final Thoughts

40 years of respect-based communication...

Happy 4oth anniversary, Lisa Ann Minnella.

Still can't believe you said 'yes.'

Even if was because you like the ND friends more than me. 

I'll still take the 'W.'