Your weekly dose of Notre Dame news, opinion, and other stuff.
Top News
Pat Fiztgerald was fired at Northwestern after a culture of hazing was uncovered. The school will retain all of its assistant coaches for 2023. There are worries that the $800 million Ryan Field renovation project may be put on hold now, too.
The New York Times is disbanding its sports department and shifting some of its work to The Athletic, which they acquired back in 2022.
The NFL Network will be broadcasting Army at Louisiana-Monroe and James Madison at Troy this football season.
Georgia Tech is looking to sell the naming rights of its field at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Pittsburgh has signed an extension with Nike through the 2025-26 season.
Mark Ingram has joined the Fox Big Noon Kickoff television crew.
Uniform of the Week
My hot take this week is that Georgia’s uniforms are weird and need plenty of changes. Nothing really seems to match all that well. They no longer have the rounded style numbers as seen in the picture below, returning to a more traditional typeface. That’s fine. I don’t like the plain white helmet stripe or the fact that the pants striping is very different. There’s also nothing on the jersey connecting any of those elements.
What I really wanted to talk about are the gray pants. At home with their red jerseys it looks good. I know some Georgia fans wish they were more metallic silver. That would look sharp, although most teams these days are not embracing the shiny pants. The Dawgs have worn white pants (with their red jerseys) once or twice in history that I’ve seen but never with the white jerseys. They have used all white uniforms (including a white helmet) for recruiting photos but never in a game. They should try it out.
Recruiting
Defensive lineman Benedict Umeh (0.9567) has committed to Stanford.
Oregon gained a commit from linebacker Kamar Mothudi (0.9204).
Florida has added offensive tackle Fletcher Westphal (0.9053).
Mater Dei corner Zabien Brown (0.9690) is headed to Alabama.
Athlete Troy Stevenson (0.9094) has committed to Georgia Tech.
Offensive tackle Marques Easley (0.9069) committed to Georgia. The Dawgs also added defensive lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (0.9820) recently, as well.
Interior offensive lineman William Satterwhite (0.9262) committed to Tennessee.
Wide receiver Nick Marsh (0.9513) gave a verbal to Michigan State.
Another wide receiver Aeryn Hampton (0.9349) committed to Texas.
YouTube Channel
I love reading about traveling in basketball and watching video compilations. You wouldn’t believe how many people are in denial about too many steps and the rules of basketball. “Nah, that’s clean!” “That’s just a gather step, it’s allowed!” Sometimes I get baited and sucked into comment sections when people are debating a travel and it’s some of the most intense squabbling you can read on the internet.
The shuffle steps on 3-point shots are one thing. Or a poorly executed Euro step. Those happen naturally these days and are bending the rules at best. My absolute favorite are the fast break, clear as day, travels with very few defenders obstructing the ball carrier. I know this drives a lot of people crazy but for me it’s been hilarious that anyone gets away with it.
Tunes
The debut album for Heart was released initially in Canada and took a while to make an impact in the United States. I blame that on the label releasing the single “How Deep It Goes” first which is a very slow and gentle song, not something that would really turn many heads for a new group. The label got smart and then released “Magic Man” and “Crazy On You” as singles quickly ushering the band into international stardom by 1976 and making them staples of classic rock radio to this day.
Here’s a clip from 1977 with the band performing the 3rd single “Crazy On You” and what an entire vibe they were straight away. This album is very, very good and up there as one of the best debuts in rock music. Their heavier rock music is among my favorite from the 1970’s although I am very partial to the soothing title track “Dreamboat Annie” which I’ve always wished was longer than it’s mere 2 minutes.
Trivia
Which team led FBS in the fewest yards per play allowed in 2022?
The Other Football
The Gold Cup was chaos as the United States gave up a goal and scored a goal late to send their quarterfinal matchup against Canada into penalty kicks. The Americans would win and advance. Unfortunately, the team went through a similar situation in the semi-finals and this time lost to Panama in a penalty shootout. Mexico beat Jamaica in the other semi-finals.
American soccer legend Megan Rapinoe announced this will be her last World Cup and she will retire at the end of 2024. By the way, the World Cup begins on July 20th with the Americans looking for their 3rd straight title.
Another player is leaving Chelsea, this time on a season-long loan as David Fofana is headed to Union-Berlin.
Barcelona have signed 18-year old Vitor Roque from Brazilian side Athletico PR for $44 million.
Leo Messi arrived in Miami on Wednesday ahead of his MLS debut.
TV & Movies
I didn’t know this movie was being made. Ridley Scott is directing a Napoleon biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix in the main role. I only have a surface knowledge of Napoleon and the early write ups for the movie say it centers around his relationship with Empress Josephine. That certainly comes across quite strongly in the trailer. I trust Scott with this movie but this preview doesn’t get me that excited.
Perhaps more importantly, I discovered that Ridley Scott is directing Gladiator 2 which is extremely exciting. The only premise I’ve seen is that Lucius, the young nephew of Commodus, is all grown up and probably going to wreak havoc through vengeance for Maximus? I don’t know! Did you know that Ridley Scott is 85!? He looks shockingly young for his age. Good for him.
A Look Back
Notre Dame posted this highlight package video a few years ago and I was expecting it to be a summary of the best moments from the 2019 season or something. Instead, it’s at a look at some of the best endings for an Irish defense in history. Here’s a quick breakdown of the games featured:
1998 Purdue: Picked off Drew Brees. It went right through a receiver’s hands, ouch.
1995 Washington: Allen Rossum pick six, boy he was quick!
1995 Army: Stopping a 2-point conversion the very next week after the Purdue win. One of the best tackles in school history.
1998 Boston College: Insanely awesome back-to-back tackles.
1979 Michigan: One of the most famous field goal blocks in school history.
1937 Navy: I’m not sure what is happening but it looks like a safety won the game. It finished as a 9-7 victory for the Irish.
2006 Michigan State: Depressing first half and cackling the entire second half.
2012 Stanford: I miss Louis Nix.
1993 Florida State: The night time visuals from this game were so cool.
1988 Miami: Am I too greedy to wish that this ended in a 104-yard pick six?
18S Paddock Club
It was a breakthrough weekend for British outfit McLaren at Silverstone on Saturday and Sunday. The team brought new upgrades to rookie Oscar Piastri’s car a week after giving them to Lando Norris. Thus far, the upgrades are looking awfully good.
During qualifying, Norris even held provisional pole for a brief time before being pipped by Max Verstappen at the very end. All the same, Norris and Piastri finished P2 and P3 after Saturday giving McLaren their best qualifying day in years.
At the start of the race, Norris got away quickly and ended up leading for 5 laps sending the hometown crowd into a frenzy. He’d eventually be passed by Verstappen but the McLaren race pace was excellent all race long. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton ended up passing an unlucky Piastri through the pit stops during a Safety Car but McLaren ended up finishing 2nd and 4th for a massive haul of 30 points.
Other notes from the British Grand Prix:
*Verstappen won his 6th race in a row and Red Bull as a team tied the all-time record (set by 1988 McLaren) with 11 straight wins. The Dutch driver continues to lead the constructors standing all by himself and has a hefty 99-point lead in the driver’s championship.
*Mercedes looked lost during practices but qualified 6th and 7th before finishing 3rd and 5th.
*Sergio Perez didn’t make past Q1 and the heat on his seat is turning up, see below.
*Aston Martin, maybe the 2nd best car on the grid, look to be slipping down the order in recent races. Fernando Alonso could only finish 7th and Lance Stroll, thanks to a penalty, dropped down to P14.
*Alex Albon continues to be one of the most impressive drivers of the season finishing P8 in the Williams. The team already has 3 more points than they scored all of last year.
*Ferrari did Ferrari things and turned P4 and P5 from qualifying into a P9 and P10 finish.
*Alpine had a mechanical DNF for Ocon and Gasly’s car didn’t finish after the contact from Stroll causing the penalty for the Canadian. Now, McLaren have jumped Alpine in the standings by 12 points.
This would’ve been a 2-week break of pure McLaren spotlight in the sport except for the fact that Red Bull decided to fire AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries on Tuesday and bring back Danny Ricciardo.
It was a tough rookie season for de Vries in a car that has been lacking in many areas. He didn’t score any points and was often in last place in many races. At 28 years old maybe it didn’t make sense for Red Bull to keep his development hopes alive for the rest of the season.
Now, Yuki Tsunoda will get a good test from Ricciardo and it’s possible the winner of that battle over the second half of the season will be pressuring to take the Red Bull seat from Sergio Perez. It may seem unlikely as Perez is contracted through 2024 and will still probably finish 2nd in the driver’s standings but you never know how ruthless this team will get in the future.
Trivia Answer:
Iowa, 3.99 yards per play
My pick for one of the best ending by the defense would have been 2014 Michigan game 37-0. Eye of the beholder.
Reviewing the stats for Iowa, they needed that wall (cue Jack Nicholson) because they had the second worst total offense in the nation and third worst offense per play (128th, 4.24 yds pp to New Mexico and UMass).
When I read the answer, I had to scroll up and see if the question was about defense or offense. I feel bad for anyone who watched an Iowa game
last yearever.Their Gold Out game with the gold uniforms from Nike is nauseous.
Despite losing Campbell to the NFL, their front seven should be tough.
Preseason win projections with a favorable schedule is 7.5. Playing in the weak Big Ten West is an advantage.
Other win projections from SI for the B10 teams on their schedule this year are:
Penn State (9.5), Wisconsin (9), Minnesota (6.5), Illinois (6.5), Nebraska (6), Michigan State (5.5), Purdue (5.5), Rutgers (4.5), Northwestern (3.5). All B10 teams play a FCS team. These projected win totals include Iowa losing to Penn State and Wisconsin and winning against the other seven teams.
The Iowa offense did not cross the goal line against South Dakota State and the game would have been a 3-3 tie if not for two safeties by Iowa.
Team Rankings projects Michigan State, Rutgers, Purdue, Northwestern have less than a 50% chance for making a bowl game at six wins. Even if Iowa loses to Iowa State, they should win against Utah State and Western Michigan.
For the trivia, it’s gotta be Very Normal Football Team Iowa, right?
That Michigan State game always makes me laugh. Love the Sparty players standing around midfield so ND wouldn’t plant the flag like they had in South Bend the year before, but the Irish are too busy celebrating with each other to care.
This tweet got me excited for Brendan’s annual over/unders.
(For those who can’t see: it has matching -112 odds on over/under 2950.5 yards, and 26.5 touchdowns (-102 over, -126 under))
You have to hammer the overs on both, no? Hartman threw for 3701 yards last year (even missing one game) and 38 TDs. 4200 yards in 2021. New offense and Freeman is highkey boring ball control old school offense, but I think Hartman sleepwalks easily to 3,000 yards. Injury risk is an equalizer, but I’d take that chance all day long with no hesitation.
Pristers, 6 thoughts on a thursday goes into Sam’s WF production stating he needed to push the ball a lot while there due to the deacons best defense in his tenure being ranked 80th. Short answer, we should definitely see some elevated QB play: elder statesman at QB, better run game, and totally divorced from the kelly who was the opposite of a quarterback whisperer. However, I dont think he’ll HAVE to win as many games this year; my assumption is the irish defense will perform better than any of the wake ones, thereby keeping scores lower, and not requiring a shootout every week.
Like 250yds/game (3000 on the season) pushing north of 30 TDs, does that seem reasonable? So like coan numbers but with a running game over 200yds/game?
Right, I mean I wouldn’t bet Hartman over 3,950 or anything, but 2,950 is way too low. Unless he gets hurt he will crush that, it’s averaging 203 yards per game!
New system and Hartman doesn’t have to win games, but I think he will still be the player he is to push the ball vertically, throw back shoulder and attack. And we saw some of that a little bit in the spring game where all of a sudden you look up and realize he’s passed for like 100 yards in the last two drives. Running game will cut into that more, but I don’t think it’s going to be difficult for him to pile up some stats.
Totally agree. Over/under of 3300 yards and 34.5 TDs what do you think? I want the over, because that seems like 10+ wins.
I like ’em. I’d probably go under on TD’s, figuring Estime will likely be the main red zone weapon. But that’s a good split. As steen said, Coan with 3150 makes me hopeful that Hartman could/should push 3500+ but injury risks ought to factor into what you count on for totals in betting.
Yeah I’m inclined to say that, barring a serious injury, if Hartman can’t pass Coan’s stats in a very big way then I’m worried about the state of the program
Sweet fancy….the NBA YouTube video is egregious. Even more preposterous are the refs standing within 5 feet of all of it and saying “yeah, whatever — it’s all good.”
I think it was decades ago when I last saw a traveling call. Those are just the worst. I see them almost every game I watch.
For years, I’ve been saying that what we really need in a QB is a cursed necklace made of his own bones.
As one does.
Honestly this makes me more excited for the season lol
Absolutely. Bone Necklace is metal as hell.
If he’s the team’s version of Davos Seaworth, does that make CMF Stannis? Or Jon Snow?
Is he the onion quarterback?
what
Game of Thrones-Davos wore a pouch of his bones around his neck.
And too nerdy to probably be worth talking about more.
Eric, I would request your next youtube compilation show the flopping from the Duke/VCU NCAA tournament many years ago.
Your Heart video cut off the best part of that song! I saw them a couple of years ago touring with Joan Jett. Honestly, they both still bring it. And Nancy Wilson is still a stone cold fox at 70
Nancy Wilson had a cameo appearance as the pretty blonde in the Corvette that laughs at “Brad” (Judge Rheinhold) in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnejXxT_JUA