it was 2006-- i couldnt have been more optimistic--not based on cheerleading and kool-aid but based on 2005--we were so close- michigan state - overtime-- USC- ambrose & the bush push -- ohio state-- brady scores in quarter 3 to take charge and then puff all gone!

 

come 2006 brady to win the heisman-- charlie the offensive guru from the super bowl--a REAL SHOT AT THE NC!

 

then georgia tech and IT wasnt there-- we didnt admit it but we could see it -the team just didnt have IT!--- tenuta exposed us to the blitz--then michigan comes to town -- a pass goes off carlsons hand and HOPES & EXPECTATIONS TURN TO SHOCKS AND NIGHTMARES THAT DINDT END TILL THE SUGAR BOWL FIASCO

 

now its 2009--- if i made my judgements and pinned my hopes on the last years won loss record--i would be as wrong as i was in 2006 -just coming from the opposite pole----evey team is different-- BUT if i look just at the new coaching scheme-- the depth chart after 3 and half years of excellent recruiting-- the schedule, the opponents-- our upgrade in maturity , talent, and coaching--- on our big weakness the oline and dline-- i dont need KOOL_ AID to see --LIKE 2006 this team will not perform to expectations-- BUT UNLIKE 2006 this year it will EXCEED THEM!!!!

 

We got to the BCS in 2006 ( didnt deserve to but did)-- the 2009 IRISH are a better team--- 2006 had no defense- no corners -and no defensive coaching--this one will have a terrific defense -terrific corners -and terrific coaching--

the 2009 offense has the potential to be BETTER then 2006-- the defense WILL be better

 

Expectations are a funny thing-- but i can FEEL it-- like 2005-- we will have a team that exceeds expectations---- charlie has done that in 2005-- only this year we will not only go to a BCS BOWL we will WIN IT !

Right on Hawaii! Just when i was starting to become pessimistic you save the day again. I do think this team will exceed expectations. I see most expecting 8-10 and i think we get 11 regular season games. This year imho should be the year that football historians refer to as the first year of the new Irish dynasty! At least that's what i am praying for. Here's to exceeding expectations.

the 2009 IRISH are a better team

 

Sorry Hawaiiirish....that is a COMPLETELY unproven statement.

 

Like it or not, this group has yet to prove that they can win the games they're supposed to let alone make it to a BCS game. So, with all do respect, to say they are better than the 06 crew is just silly. I know that sounds like I'm just being ants at a picnic, but it's true.

well to PROVE it we would have to play the season which would render the whole topic academic--- so lets look at the evidence we do have-- the players and the coaches-----you would i assume then believe the 2006 team is better based on the performance of that year and the players and coaches--------------------------

 

let me ask some simple questions on your evaluations what secondary would you rather have the 2006 or the 2009--- be honest now!

which linebackers would you rather have the 2006 or the 2009!------

and what coaching you would rather have minter& co. -- or corwin and tenuta---

and even though abriami landri and laws were good ZERO DEPTH AND FROME WAS A BURDEN---- is it silly to see coach hart producing at least equal results with ethan darius tyler brandon ian and the rest of those youngsters?---

BOTTOM LINE which defense would you rather have ND 2006 or ND 2009--- if your answer is ND 2009 then proven or not silly is NOT a fair criticism of this being a better team---it is better or it isnt better-- TIME WILL TELL but look at your answers to those 4 questions----then on offense which recievers would you rather have the great jeff the injured rhema --- or golden and micheal deion et al-----------

which running backs would you rather darius and munir or armando ,robert ,jonas, cierre----

 

can rudolph and ragone produce a better year then carlson did in 2006 in just 7 games??--------------------------

 

if you answer these questions in a fair and honest way-- we all know the answer------ the players position for position ARE BETTER and the coaching is better---- THIS IS A BETTER TEAM---- despite brady and jeff------PROOF WELL AS I SAY THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING --- and in a few months the pudding will be BLUE AND GOLD!!

I truly enjoy your optimism and logic (at times) Hawaii. I have to agree with Dome here as we really don't know what we have yet as we haven't seemed to get over that "hump", if you will. Yes, the Hawaii Bowl was promising but when we can look like that against say,,, Boston College or Michigan (when they're good) then I would absolutely agree with you.

 

I really can understand people comparing this years team with the '05 team. Jimmy's stats, Jimmy's class being Juniors now and that "muscle maturity" that I like to point out should finally be there. I can see why people get stuck on '05 when trying to compare similarities to seasons past with the current one.

 

I have always liked to go with what I would call a "generational feel". A gut instinct when looking at a long project as a whole and trying to see the forest over the trees.

 

MY gut instinct seems to want to compare this next football season to,,,,,(ready for this?),,, the 1988 season.

 

Coming off 2 subpar seasons with a very talented group of young players coming into their Junior season. I can't compare stat for stat, or player to player, but it's just a feeling of pressure in a balloon,,,,it just seems that it's finally going to burst and as we have seen flashes of greatness amid the mistakes of youthfulness and average play, it just seems that there has to come a time that with every breath (flash of greatness) into the balloon it is just inevitable that the balloon bursts. Am I saying we win the NC next season? No. But I won't say with certainty that it's out of the question either.

 

It's like we have the right pieces of the puzzle and they are ready to fit together nicely.

 

Will they? That's what Charlie's job is. It's up to him now. If we don't play and win like a BCS elite team does and looks, I for one, am wiling to place FULL responsibility on his shoulders and his shoulders alone.

 

It truly is time for "No Excuses".

to answer your questions HI:

 

yes i would rather have the talent of 09.. We have a lot to be excited about. But what is to be determined is how the group jells together and what kind of leadership and heart this group has. Talent can be wasted by poor coaching and not having great leadership and having players with no heart(im not saying any of ND players dont have heart).

 

This team should get over the so called HUMP this year, and not lose games they should be winning.

hey speed -- you sound conflicted to me-- maybe i'm right and this is going to be a very good team-- but then again maybe im just an optimist and this is going to be the stinker team that got its lunch at BC--- well i made my arguments but its hard to shake those losses, I GET THAT--- but the original premise was RESOLVED:--- this team is and will be better then the 2006 TEAM----- let me make one more feeble demonstration--- 2006 players vs 2009 players---- and remember the 2009 team got blown out 3 times and almost blew two other games------

 

LINEBACKERS--mithchell thomas- anthony vernaglia- maurice crum- travis thomas- joe brokington---2006---- 2009 well lets just go with manti teo-- brian smith-- steve filer--kerry neal--zeke motta-- i mean COME ON THERE IS NO COMPARISON IMO

 

CORNERBACKS-ambrose wooden- mike richardson-terrail lambert-- i dont need to compare here at all--- NO COMPARISON

 

SAFETY-- zibby- nduke- bruton- herring vs h smith-- s brown-- K mccarthy- d mccarthy--J slaughter-- and still herring---- CLOSE COMPARISON but since zibby had such a bad year--- ill take harrison & gang in a closer call==

 

DE__ talley- frome-justin brown and abriamai---- only one good player there-- again IMO no real comparison to our talent there now-----

 

DT-- laws landri leitko and kuntz----an edge here to 2006 because of laws and landri--- but our depth is so good here now-- by the end of the year even in this position it will be very close----

 

Coaching: MINTER vs CORWIN AND TENUTA--- thats worth two good players right there-- huge upgrade goes to 2009

 

 

OFFENSE WR--- Jeff -Grimes - Rehma and Chase--- vs floyd tate kamara walker goodman and shaq------ jeff was great-- but 2009 is the best group ive ever seen at ND

 

TE Carlson - Freeman-- vs Rudolph, Ragone, Fauria--- carlson is very good but rudolph comes close already to the 2006 carlson and with ragone this may be a better tandem !

 

OLINE--- young morton sullivan turk duncan--- hell duncan and young are still here and have to be better then 2006--- and sullivan and morton were no prize---- only ryan harris at LT makes this a push at best-- remeber that 2006 line was pourous pourous and coached by latina

 

RB-- walker and prince vs armando ,robert, james, jonas. cierre and theo---this is another big edge to 2009

 

QB Clausen vs Brady yes BRADY gets the nod here of course-- but we all have seen what jimmy is capable of and 30 touchdowns isnt going to shock anyone on the board----

 

 

FORGET LAST YEAR--- 2005 was good and 2006 was sorta miserable despite our analysis---2008 was disappointing but 2009 these very talented players will gel into charlies BEST TEAM YET!!!!

Okay, I pulled out the Irish Green flavored cool aid today. Now I'm good and loopey. So I'd like to thank El Senor and my sponsor WEXLER'S IRISH CREAM ALE. SO BACK TO THE PREDICTIONS.......Charlie in the Box. Irish 10-1 playing for dare I say it? The "TITLE"

2010 NC ND Irish

Okay, I pulled out the Irish Green flavored cool aid today. Now I'm good and loopey. So I'd like to thank El Senor and my sponsor WEXLER'S IRISH CREAM ALE. SO BACK TO THE PREDICTIONS.......Charlie in the Box. Irish 10-1 playing for dare I say it? The "TITLE"

2010 NC ND Irish

 

Good Gaaawd! LMAO Chiro!!

 

Even I wasn't THAT loopy on NSD while talking Hawaii down from the ledge.

 

I said it's "possible", not likely but hey, PASS THE KOOL AID!!

 

I'll drink to that! :mrgreen:

WOW-- after reading over that list of players at least i convinced myself -LOL-- geez we had an awful lot of marginal players ( to put it kindly)-- on that 2006 team and we still made it to the BCS-- i dont know about NC-- that takes every break going your way-- but if that 2006 team can go to the BCS-- i have every expectation and so should we all that this ONE WILL TO!

well im a firm believer that we have to beat USC to make to a bcs. so if u guys say we r going to a bcs then that means we will beat them this year....which also mean we will be going undefeated because usc is the only team i see us losing too.....which means we will be going to the NC game this year..........hows that for koolaid!!!!

 

 

GO Irish!

Hawaii... always love your posts, you have to pass me some of that poi you're chewing on so i catch that Hawaiin Ray of Sunshine and Hope.

 

My big concern for 2009 is the Offense. I haven't seen the line with chemistry since... 2005... and Clausen has all the skill, but I am concerned about his confidence and leadership. Brady won games for us that a talented QB would not win (UCLA, MSU in 2006 for instance.

 

We will now against Nevada where we stand for the year... Our Offense (line) has to be able to run, run hard, run often. If we get stuffed more than once, I predict a long year, and a dead-man walking for a coach.

Hawaii... always love your posts, you have to pass me some of that poi you're chewing on so i catch that Hawaiin Ray of Sunshine and Hope.

 

My big concern for 2009 is the Offense. I haven't seen the line with chemistry since... 2005... and Clausen has all the skill, but I am concerned about his confidence and leadership. Brady won games for us that a talented QB would not win (UCLA, MSU in 2006 for instance.

 

We will now against Nevada where we stand for the year... Our Offense (line) has to be able to run, run hard, run often. If we get stuffed more than once, I predict a long year, and a dead-man walking for a coach.

 

While I appreciate Quinn as much as anyone, I don't think he should be the model for confidence and leadership. He couldn't win the big game remember.

brady quinn was a player

when we were down, i could always count on him bringing us back

i never felt that we could not come back with brady at the helm

that is the difference between 2006 and 2009

 

so unless jimmy really lights it up this year, 2006 gets the nod.

2009 may be the better team talent wise, but if 2006 played 2009 i would pick 2006.

i had so much confidence in quinn at all times, it was unnatural.

 

i think the big games were the ones where the rest of the team were lacking talent.

and was it his fault we didnt beat usc? or did he not make an amazing drive at the end of the game to give us the lead and what should have been the

win had it not been for that 4th and 9 pass

brady quinn was a player

when we were down, i could always count on him bringing us back

i never felt that we could not come back with brady at the helm

that is the difference between 2006 and 2009

 

so unless jimmy really lights it up this year, 2006 gets the nod.

2009 may be the better team talent wise, but if 2006 played 2009 i would pick 2006.

i had so much confidence in quinn at all times, it was unnatural.

 

i think the big games were the ones where the rest of the team were lacking talent.

and was it his fault we didnt beat usc? or did he not make an amazing drive at the end of the game to give us the lead and what should have been the

win had it not been for that 4th and 9 pass

 

I guess we'll just have to disagree. When we were down or in a big game I always counted on Brady to overthrow a receiver who was wide open down field and blow opportunities.

coaster8...

 

I agree we never won the big kahuna (HawaiiIrish influence)... but I attribute that less to Brady than the fact that we were lacking certains skills, and depth.

 

In some games... we just got tired or didn't have the speed to match.

 

IMO, Brady won us games we shouldn't have won when we were down.

 

In the big games, I feel our overall talent was simply overmatched.