From The Cheap Seats
*I don't like Notre Dame playing Navy, but not for the obvious reasons (or perhaps they are, I will let you decide). I will never root against Notre Dame, of course, but I find no joy in beating Navy. They are too important to our future for any feelings of competition, much less anger or vitriol.
*I am also in the minority in feeling that every single season, no matter what happens in weeks prior or after, the Navy game is a "one-off." The result doesn't impact my feelings about this week's battle with Stanford. If ND blew out the Middies, I would not feel any better or worse about their chances of beating Stanford. Having said that, watching the game this past Saturday was brutal. I am just glad it's over and that the Irish have a 9 in the win column.
*I might also be in the minority hear in thinking that this weekend's game with Stanford is anything short of hugely important. In a vacuum, the Irish need a win over Stanford to stop the bleeding in this series which spills over into recruiting. Beyond that, the Irish need this win to set up a date in a major bowl game. The number of years without a major bowl win is absurd. Next year will be 30 years since the last national championship. This team needs to get those enormous monkeys off its back. A major bowl win could be a catalyst to a great 2018. The players will believe it rather than hope that it is true.
*The Brandon Wimbush situation has grown dire. He was clearly capable of making the simple passes he now misses regularly when he was 14 and either awake or asleep. This is 99% mental/emotional. He needs confidence and I don't think that it can be gained in the off-season. He and this team need to win two more games in 2017 to make 2018 what the schedule begs for it to be, a serious run at a playoff spot. Seriously, look at that schedule! It is made for an 11 or 12 win season. Notre Dame can't settle for anything else.
*The Miami game hurt like you are now reading about. That lost took so much wind out of the sails of this program from players to students to fans. It has taken me longer to get over than I thought it would.
*Now for the absurd. I have a new plan for the Irish going forward when it is playing Navy. I am not even kidding about this. I want the Irish to take 25% of the defensive prep time and devote it to onside kicking. Seriously. Do it every single time. Once or twice, you might get the ball, but at worst, you cut the Navy time of possession in half. Give them the short field. It's honestly okay. If they bog down in the red zone, it will happen in half of the time now.
*I will certainly being pulling hard for Josh Adams over his final two games in an Irish uniform. He is banged up but smart money says with the finish line in sight, he finds a way to have a big game Saturday night.
*Three passes in the first series. Alright.
*Another issue with Brandon Wimbush struggling so much is that he is literally putting people in harm's way. I hope that EQ is okay. That looked scary!
*I want to offer my sincere thanks to the players who will be suiting up for final time in the regular season against Stanford. Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson have done an excellent job during their career and they will be missed. I appreciate the kids who gave their all over four or five years in living their dreams while I live mine vicariously through them to some degree.
*Perspective and context are wonderful things. I swear, if you told me in June that the 9-2 Irish would be traveling to Stanford with a legitimate chance at finishing with a 10-win regular season I would have signed on the dotted line. However, a playoff spot seemed there for the taking, and the lackluster play of late has left me in an Irish Fog, which is a completely fictional state of being, but alas, it is where I am.
*I don't know how, but yours truly, who is not on social media, is going to figure out a way to make September 1st a huge home field advantage for the Irish by using social media. The "sell out" streak off fans selling tickets to the opponents fans needs to stop. We must reclaim the House That Rockne Built. Until then...
*Happy Thanksgiving to everybody on this board. Please keep in mind all of those in our community for which the holidays are a dark, difficult time. I certainly count my blessings and consider everybody on ISD among them!