ESPN's Bruce Feldman has his top ten--" Teams most likely to WIN the BCS title"--- this isnt his top ten-- its a blend of schedule and talent he thinks give these teams the most likely chances to win it all

 

1)--FLORIDA

2)--TEAXAS

3)-OKLAHOMA

4)-OLE MISS

5)-USC

6)-VA TECH

7)-BOISE STATE

-LSU

9)--OKLAHOMA STATE

10)-- NOTRE DAME

 

 

as you can see i have been shipping my hawaii fresh air packed KOOL-AID-- to everyone

 

expect our pre-season hype to just get better & better as spring practice turns into fall practice

 

also expect both AP and the COACHES POLL-- to reflect this rapidly changing sentiment come august

 

as i have said many many times--- " THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL"-- and its gonna be hard for anyone to igmore the obvious---- we are going to field a TERRIFIC TEAM in 2009!!!!

i guess what i would like to see from the negativists is just a little more specificity---- speaking on behalf of the optimists we have given so many reasons as to why we think we should and will win 10 games----from new coaching, new players, soft schedule, clausens jr year, more speed, darin walls,jon tenutas defense,more experience, and on and on---- easy to see a dozen new conditions that should improve our chances for this year!

 

But from the negativists it does seem to be the same old mantra-- we played badly in the usc game and the syracuse game, and last years team was ineffective in alot of ways.

 

I guess i would like to hear where you think the 09 team, NOT THE 08 TEAM, is difficient----- do you not like the QB? do you expect lots of picks? do you not like the new coaches? don't like the recruits? do you think the oline is soft? do you think tenuta is overrated? --dont like the team chemistry?-- dont like the depth?---dont like the team speed? think the schedule is tougher then its billed?--or what exactly

 

of course,its fine to be a negativist or a realist if you prefer----and its fine to disagree with the optimist view --- but what exactly are the big worries from this 09 squad for the realists? where does the realist view see the big weaknesses on THIS YEARS TEAM------ we all watched last years team-- we all know its problems---we all were disappointed-- so thats really not news---What about the 09 team---what makes you discouraged?

 

i anticipate good things from the coaches ,the players, the running attack, the passing attack,and especially the defense--- i dont think our schedule is scary -- in fact it looks pretty good---even special teams seem to be on an upswing--- i really doubt walker will start next year hitting 3 out of 11!

 

so i guess i wonder where the realists see the biggest weaknesses that will hold the 09 TEAM , NOT THE 08 TEAM back from 10 wins?

I can't see any team that lost 6 only lose 1 the next year, sorry.

 

 

Bama 07 7-6

Bama 08 12-2

It is a good thing....but I'm not sure it leads to a serious epiphany that we are going to win 10-11 games. Look, I know the Hawaii game was a good uplift, but it doesn't make me all giddy. If we beat the crap out of SC like that, well then NOW you have reason for lofty expectations. The pundits and fans didn't think we were going to fair well against Hawaii because we lost to a PATHETIC Syracuse team, gave away at least 3 games with a lead in the 4th quarter, had a QB that was throwing INT's all over the place, and got absolutely dismantled against the only elite team we played all season. I'd say those are all good reasons to doubt. But to then swing all the way around to the view point that we are going to win 10-11 games because we exceeded really low expectations against a mediocre team, in their half full home stadium? I'm not willing to do that just yet because this team certainly has not earned the benefit of the doubt.

 

the schedule is the "epiphany" that leads anyone looking at our roster OBJECTIVELY to conclude that 10 wins in a SERIOUS probability. again, you can claim hawaii and me are full of shite all ya like ( and you may be right!) but what do you say to former haters like SI, ESPN, SN who ALL now saying "BCS for the irish?"

 

again, your desire not to get "burned" is clouding your vision when it comes to looking at this team. it's certainly POSSIBLE that all the pundits are wrong about us this season. won't be the first time; won't be the last. but to pretend like it's "crazzzzyyyy" to predict 10 wins for this team with this level of talent AND depth AND with this kind of schedule is reverse homerism at it's worst, IMO...

Normally i would agree with that progression tdnd---but to be fair last years team was only really BEATEN by USC and BC--- and handled pretty well by MSU----- all three other games Pitt -UNC and Syracuse were the hallmark of a young underachieving team-- that needed some off season changes!!

 

i think the team could have easily been 8 and 4 without even playing any better then they did-- but just not CHOKING!!

 

for a team that should have been 8 and 4-- to add not only all the redshirt freshman from the nations top class-- players like KLM -Hafis williams-- Jamoris Slaughter--Fuaria-- et al---- then the return of our AA candidate Walls at CB-- getting our TEs back--- and adding manti teo - zeke motta-- and the rest of really nice freshman class----PLUS addressing the achilles heal of the last two years-- coaching at the LINE OF SCRIMMAGE--with verducci and hart------- plus the momentum of breaking that bowl streak with a breakout game--- plus taking our hot shot QB into his junior year the traditional breakout year ( AND HE LOOKS REAL GOOD)-----plus a schedule with alot of QB problems for opponents and lots of home games--- plus the experience of going through that LATE SEASON COLLAPSE and not wanting to repeat it------ plus the fact we lost very very little save bruton!!--------------------thats a mixed drink with more KOOL_AID in it then even i could mix up--------------it is the reason why so many prognosticators see this years ND team as potentially very very good----------if it was an average situation of 3-6 then 6-6 and then a fair improvment to 8 or 9 wins--- yes that sounds very CORRECT__ BUT this just is a special situation-- with a lot of special circumstances-- alot of special players--- and most of all A VERY SPECIAL SCHOOL-------------- so for me 10 and 2 with an at large BCS bid and an 11 and 2 finish--- would be just PLAYING TO POTENTIAL UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES!-------------personally i'm hoping they play over there head a bit against USC and BC and then the SKY IS THE LIMIT!

 

Right on Hawaii:p

i guess what i would like to see from the negativists is just a little more specificity---- speaking on behalf of the optimists we have given so many reasons as to why we think we should and will win 10 games----from new coaching, new players, soft schedule, clausens jr year, more speed, darin walls,jon tenutas defense,more experience, and on and on---- easy to see a dozen new conditions that should improve our chances for this year!

 

But from the negativists it does seem to be the same old mantra-- we played badly in the usc game and the syracuse game, and last years team was ineffective in alot of ways.

 

I guess i would like to hear where you think the 09 team, NOT THE 08 TEAM, is difficient----- do you not like the QB? do you expect lots of picks? do you not like the new coaches? don't like the recruits? do you think the oline is soft? do you think tenuta is overrated? --dont like the team chemistry?-- dont like the depth?---dont like the team speed? think the schedule is tougher then its billed?--or what exactly

 

of course,its fine to be a negativist or a realist if you prefer----and its fine to disagree with the optimist view --- but what exactly are the big worries from this 09 squad for the realists? where does the realist view see the big weaknesses on THIS YEARS TEAM------ we all watched last years team-- we all know its problems---we all were disappointed-- so thats really not news---What about the 09 team---what makes you discouraged?

 

i anticipate good things from the coaches ,the players, the running attack, the passing attack,and especially the defense--- i dont think our schedule is scary -- in fact it looks pretty good---even special teams seem to be on an upswing--- i really doubt walker will start next year hitting 3 out of 11!

 

so i guess i wonder where the realists see the biggest weaknesses that will hold the 09 TEAM , NOT THE 08 TEAM back from 10 wins?

 

I would also like to see the realist reasoning!

reverse homerism!!!!! hahahahaha. all right BI, i'm gonna jump in. somewhat reluctantly, but i'm in. we better win you rat bastard!!! :)

I don't understand the need for an argument. Some people enjoy ND football by being optimistic, others need to see the package first. To each his own. I'm sure if Hawaii changed my mind about my perceptions of the 2009 ND team my enjoyment would be diminished and vice versa. We are both as happy as we are going to be at this point.

Rock on Domer Domain.

The 2009 is going to be very, very good. It's only natural. To think otherwise is to ignore everything in the past few years - the first two years of Weis, the lack of talent behind Quinn's class, the number of youngsters in key positions, the advanced system we run, and the upgrade of coaches.

 

It's pretty simple. Those who are skeptical just aren't paying attention to football. They, actually, probably do more with their lives then the rest of us who obsess on this board. My fiance always complains that I check these boards way too much. I'm glad she's in med school and I'm not.

reverse homerism!!!!! hahahahaha. all right BI, i'm gonna jump in. somewhat reluctantly, but i'm in. we better win you rat bastard!!! :)

 

hey, whoa, whoa! i don't need THAT kinda pressure on me!!!

 

(and trust me, when it's all said and done, for all my talk and "rational thought," i'm only "somewhat reluctantly" in too! old habits die hard!) LOL!

Those who are skeptical...probably do more with their lives then the rest of us who obsess on this board.

 

now, that's something i think we can ALL agree on!

the schedule is the "epiphany" that leads anyone looking at our roster OBJECTIVELY to conclude that 10 wins in a SERIOUS probability. again, you can claim hawaii and me are full of shite all ya like ( and you may be right!) but what do you say to former haters like SI, ESPN, SN who ALL now saying "BCS for the irish?"

 

again, your desire not to get "burned" is clouding your vision when it comes to looking at this team. it's certainly POSSIBLE that all the pundits are wrong about us this season. won't be the first time; won't be the last. but to pretend like it's "crazzzzyyyy" to predict 10 wins for this team with this level of talent AND depth AND with this kind of schedule is reverse homerism at it's worst, IMO...

 

Forward looking at the schedule of who we SHOULD beat? Kind of like how we beat up on all the "gimmes" last year right? Looking at the schedule last year we should have won 10 games but we didn't. Did we not believe that the SDSU game was going to be AT LEAST a 3 TD blowout? I'm pretty sure we did. With this group, it has been incorrect to assume natural progression which is why I choose the "show me" first approach.

 

BTW, I never said it was crazy to predict 10 wins. Your crystal ball is as foggy as mine and, the way I see it, there is a 50/50 chance that the both of us have lost our marbles and we win 7 games again. LOL.

 

Let's hope I'm really really wrong because I would like nothing better than to win 10 games and actually WIN a credible bowl game.