Who are you? Why are you here? The commentariat meet & greet thread

1. Subway
2. My grandma is hard core catholic, thus passing the tradition down.
3. Grand Rapids, MI
4.- Inside the irish
   - Irish sports daily
   - Pinstripe Alley (Go Yanks.)
5. Watching the 99 fumble returned for a TV vs Usf…Then coming back for the USC and seing the EXACT SAME THING.
6. 85%. I feel hes completely changing the program. Its gonna take time. A LOT needed to be changed. Keep going BK. Pitchfork is very, very dull.

So the #7 for everyone: tell me an adult beverage of choice that I may not be familiar with could be beer, mixed drink whatever.

For me one of my favorites is this bad boy:

It’s almost 10% ABV if I recall which is an adventure

1. Alum/Legacy.

2. I graduated in 1998, my dad went to ND for graduate school 1977-1980. He still teases me that in his first year at ND, they won the NC in football and went to the Final Four in basketyhooptytravellyball. I’ve been an ND fan since 6th grade, when my English teacher was an MSU fan and my mortal enemy. (CURSE YOU, MR. CORBETT)

3. Grew up in Florida, near Jacksonville. Currently live in Honolulu, HI. “Home” for me is Japan, however. I’m in the military, so I go where the Army tells me—as of next year, it’ll be Fort Polk, LA.

4.
Blue Gray Sky, always and forever.
EDSBS—I spend WAY too much time over there, excepting the last 3 weeks or so when I’ve been too busy.
Her Loyal Sons—great guys who along with BGS got me through a year in Afghanistan without ND football.

5. Wow, that’s tough. 2003 loss to FSU 38-0, when I got up at 3 AM in Korea to watch, might be it. 2007 was rough but somehow I have blocked most of it out.

6. 90%. And only 10% of that is because I don’t want to change my screen name. Given the time, he will make ND a winner. Having been a leader of organizations, trying to change their focus to match my own vision, it doesn’t just happen overnight. ND isn’t able to use a lot of the “quick fix” techniques other places can (JUCO’s, etc.), and that’s why we’re not going to win the NC in year 2 of anyone’s reign. If we’re not making progress in the W/L column come year 4, I’ll start to have more doubts, but as I said in my Fanpost progess isn’t just about wins and losses. Charlie came in and increased the wins right away, but didn’t build a foundation to continue it, and we see where that led. I’d rather Kelly build a solid foundation with a few years of more losses than we like, if it means that we build off of success, improve, and become a serious contender in the future. Stability is what this program needs, and firing Kelly because he doesn’t run the wishbone isn’t going to help us in the short or long term.

7. Deschutes Black Butte Porter is my beer of choice at the moment. Delicious. Also, Kraken Rum is quite tasty as well.

1. Subway. I guess I might be in the pseudo-alum group since I nearly went there for grad school (engineering), but ended up elsewhere.

2. I grew up in NE Indiana (Ft. Wayne area) and have watched the Irish for as long as I remember—one of those time-honored, cherished memories of childhood. I vaguely recall the last NC run in ‘88 (I just turned 10). The first game I can recall with clarity was Rocket’s 2 TD returns vs. Michigan in ’89.

3. I currently reside just outside of Indy (Fishers, if you are familiar). Prior to that, I was in Philly for 3.5 years. Origianlly from NE Indiana (as previously stated).

4. I don’t spend too much time in the blogosphere, but BGS was great. I haven’t been on B/R in a few years now, but that is where I used to read (and contribute) before pledging my allegiance to OFD. Still waiting on the official fan club kit that I sent for in the mail—it only took 3 box tops and 4 UPC codes. Wait, that reference might be a bit old for some…

5. It didn’t get much lower than 2007, but there have been far too many over the past 15 years…

6. I would give BK an 85% right now. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Throughout the history of ND football, the 3rd year has been the make-or-break season. Has the climb been slower than anticipated? Sure, but I think the reward will be worth the wait.

As far as the pitchfork, its buried under a pile of rubbish and is rusting away. This guy has won everywhere and is laying the groundwork for multiple runs at titles.

7. As far as beer goes, I used to live in the craft brew capital of the country (Philadelphia), so there are too many to mention. However, one of my favorites that you basically can’t find outside of the state of Wisconsin is Spotted Cow from New Glarus Brewery. If you get the opportunity to partake, please do enjoy.

1. subway. Was all set to go to ND, had my acceptance letter but life can take some funny turns
2. My father was a die-hard ND fan. It was his dream to go there but WW2 got in the way, so I am a ND fan (and a Cubs’ and Bears’ fan) because he was. I became an A’s fan and a Sharks’ fan all on my own.
3. Lived in the San Jose area most of my life, but both parents are native Chicagoans, southsiders for the record.
4. This is my only ND site. Post on two other SB Nation sites, Bleed Cubbie Blue and Windy City Gridiron.
5. The Faust years edge out the Weis years.
6. 75%, but I expect it to rise. Recruiting alone gives him high marks. Time will tell if he knows what to do with it.
7. Beer choice: Guinness, but it has to be draft. Guinness in a bottle is an abomination before the gods of beer.

1. Alum/Legacy
2. I graduated in 1996, my dad was a ‘69 grad.
3. Originally I am from the East Coast. I spent FR-JR years of High School in London, my senior year (and the 4 years I was at ND) my family was in Hawaii. After ND, the Navy took me places for 10 years.
Currently live in Phoenix, AZ.
4. ND related blogs, BGS, HLS, Keith Arnold’s Inside the Irish. Non-ND, mostly EDSBS, but that has waned since the season started.
5. Navy 2007. I was the sole ND guy at an Canoe U jambalaya cook off hosted by a few former squadron mates…just off the Academy grounds…much drinking was had there.
6. Ditto to all for some frustrating moments and slower growth. I am still pretty high on BK, so I will go 80%. Overall I think BK is a great smaller stage coach(GVU, CM, Cinci-places with lower expectations) and has the potential to grow into a great big stage coach.
The only sharp tine on the pitchfork is the Crist-Rees call at USF. Didn’t like it then, and not much has happened to change my mind. I am not sure where the future of the QB spot lies, but I am far from convinced that Rees is the answer for the next 2 years.
7. No favorite drinkage at the moment. I am currently paying my dues on the wagon until Mrs. Cranked can join me again for a glass of wine, whiskey, or beer. When the drinking lamp is lit, I enjoy Laphroaig Islay Scotch &

1. Subway—-For some reason I thought it was a good idea to apply to Trinity, Middlebury, Colby, Hamilton, Bowdoin, St. Lawrence and Clarkson, but not to Notre Dame. Still regret it to this day.

2. Through blood lines (Irish Catholic) and because of Rocket Ismail.

3. Originally from Fredonia/Brocton, New York. Lived in Tonawanda, NY (ages 12-16), Washington, CT (prep school), Canton, NY (college), and now back in Buffalo, NY.

4. EDSBS, Barking Carnival, & Irish Envy (technically not a blog, but whatever)

5. Navy, 2009. A day in which Clausen broke some school records but it seemed as if we were cursed. The only time in my life that doubt about being a follower of the Irish. I was in a BAD mood after that game.

6. 84.6783510065% to be exact. I think he is the guy to get it done in South Bend. I was late jumping off the Weis-bandwagon and I feel foolish now. If Kelly doesn’t at least win some BCS bowls I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself.

7. I take pride in not being a beer snob. That means I never buy mirco beers and all that stuff, but I’ll try it if it’s offered to me. Don’t drink much liquor and I stay away from mixed drinks except at weddings, or formal parties. Yup, I’m just a regular American guy who likes his beer. Except I’ll give you a Canadian beer that is big here in Western New York..

This football season I’ve been on a steady diet of Guinness and Yuengling though.

burger23

1. Alum, non-legacy

2. 2010

3. Born in Tiffin, OH, raised in Toledo, currently living in Cleveland

4. EDSBS, Smart Football, Solid Verbal/ISD Power Hour (not really blogs, but I love their podcasts)

5. Oh boy. I went to school during the Weis years and missed out on the good year (2005). I could go with Navy in 2007, but I was so beaten down by then I was practically numb. The GT game in 2007 was bad, but there was still hope in one Jimmy Clausen. Syracuse in 2008 was terrible, but almost expected by that point. I think I’ll pick UConn in 2009, my senior day. We get run up and down the field by frickin’ UConn, go to OT, and lose. Then they let the seniors go on the field since it was our last game as students. It was the saddest thing ever. We all kind of walked around in a daze, no one was excited, and we were all just a little happy the season was over. Then the senior players came back out to take pictures with their family and they all had the same hollow look. Maybe I’m being dramatic, but it was bad.

6. I’ll give him a 88%, a solid B+. I was yearning for Brian Kelly when the 2009 season fell apart, so it’s going to take a lot for me to get off the BK bandwagon. This program was in terrible shape when he got here and it’s going to take some time to fix it. I think he needs time, but the juice will be worth the squeeze, so to speak.

My pitchfork got used up on Weis, so I don’t think I’ll be busting that out anytime soon.

7. Anything by Great Lakes Brewing Company. Just last week marked the arrival of Christmas Ale, one of my favorites. If you live in or near Ohio, you definitely need to pick some up. You’ll thank me later.

1. Subway. My sister and a few of my cousins are proud graduates of St. Mary’s.

2. Grew up in a Catholic household. Grandfather was a diehard fan who took me to my first game in 1993 (Vs. Northwestern) when I was 10. I had always followed the team casually prior to that, but then I was hooked.

3. I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago (Lansing, IL). I currently reside on the south suburbs of Indianapolis in Southport.

4. EDSBS, Second City Hockey and Kotaku are daily visits for me (RIP Blue-Gray Sky)

5. 2007 was 4 months of misery. I felt bad for everyone on that team. I even felt bad for the coaches. Special mention to the 2005 USC game that ripped my heart out and left me in a daze for a week until I went up the next weekend for the BYU game and got to sit in the student section for the first time. It didn’t help that people I worked with at the time (who were freaking alums for crying out loud) complained all week NDN-style about how they knew ND would lose since they wore green. Bandwagon-jumping a-holes…

6. 87%. I wish we hadn’t given the Michigan game away and I still wonder how USF would have turned out if Gray doesn’t fumble. But BK (or as I like to refer to him “El Churro” thanks to Stuffing the Passer) is doing a great job of rebuilding this team. I underestimated how much work was still to be done at the start of the season, but have mostly been pleased with the results so far. I got to watch BK led teams for 2 years at Cincy (my now-wife was working there at the time) and I have seen first hand how well his system can run when it has the right players in place. With another strong finish to this season (beating the ACC teams, giving Stanford all it can handle and hopefully winning and a second consecutive bowl victory), and another good showing in recruiting, I believe we can have a 10 win Irish team next season. My pitchfork is in the closet, as I save it for Mark May and those jerkwads at Michigan and USC.

7. I am not a beer snob. But, there is a good restaurant/microbrewery in Greenwood, IN called the Oaken Barrel. My favorite beer there is Razz-Wheat:

1. Alum / Legacy — Dad and sister both graduated from ND, Mom graduated from St. Mary’s.
    *Fun Fact: jpeters6 and I lived next to each other in Keenan Hall, and we both enjoy some clickety clack in Vegas.

2. Graduated 2010, but have been a fan my entire life. The first game I really remember going to and being super excited about was #23 ND vs. #1 Nebraska in 2000. There were SO MANY Nebraska fans, and the game was completely ridiculous. Julius Jones running back the kickoff after we went down 21-7 was AMAZING, and then Joey Getherall housing a punt to tie it up still gives me goosebumps a little bit. That being said, it was also the game I realized Bob Davie smokes crack, when he had 3 timeouts, a minute left, and the ball at half field and took zero of them, and kneeled to go to OT. Sigh. Opportunities missed.

3. Originally born and raised in NW Indiana (Michigan City). Now live in Chicago (Old Town/Lincoln Park area).

4. Favorite blogs:

Smart Football — Seriously, Chris Brown is the MAN. This site is basically my football porn fix. (Honorable mention: fishduck.com — check this out for some drool-inducing breakdowns of what ND could be with Goldrix)

South Side Sox — Also a closet baseball nerd. And please, no Adam Dunn jokes until 2012. Have some decency.

Joe Rogan Experience (Podcast) — Not really a blog, but I’m taking artistic license. I am a huge fan of thinking about crazy shit, and this podcast pretty much nails that right on the head. Definitely not your usual ND fan podcast, but I suggest checking it out if you have an open mind

(BONUS TIME — If you like rugby, check out RuggaMatrix. They put together some good podcasts, both Int’l and US based.)

5. Navy. [SEASON REDACTED]. Student section. Soul… crushed.

6. 99% approval here. He’s building this thing the right way — from the trenches out, on fundamentals (Crawl, Walk, Run – Thanks KG). The 1%? The turnovers in the beginning of the season. Say what you will about players being the ones turning the ball over, but at some point (around 10 turnovers or so), the coaching staff gets some of the blame. That being said, they’ve righted the ship on this one → Dayne Crist derpage notwithstanding.

Pitchfork doesn’t exist. It’s barely a twinkle in the eye of a farm implement manufacturer at the moment. I haven’t even perused pitchfork websites at work.

7. Beer →

Amazing Belgian strong ale. I’m usually an IPA guy, but when I switch it up, I go for Delirium Tremens.

Booze →

1. Subway
2. Grew up in NW Indiana, have been a ND fan since childhood.
3. Have lived in NW and central Indiana, currently near Indianapolis. Recently moved back from living in Albuquerque the past three years.
4. Detroit Bad Boys, South Side Sox, and the now defunct Sox Machine
5. Last year’s Declan Sullivan tragedy. By far.
6. 100%. I didn’t like the hiring at the time and he didn’t win me over last season, to put it lightly. But this year he’s nailed my points of skepticism and I’m fully committed behind him for the long term.
7. I’m going to cheat and do two. Marble is a brewery in Albuquerque, produced some fantastic beers. They distribute a bit regionally, definitely would recommend it to anyone out west who comes across it. The other is of the “Only in New Mexico” variety. Green chile beer, Pancho Verde Chile Cerveza…very odd tasting, but surprisingly good.

Fantastico.

1) Subway I guess… Not really sure what that means

2) I’ve been a die hard ND fan since I was 8 years old, the first football game I ever watched was the opening game of the 89’ season when ND was reigning National Champions. I also went to a Catholic Grade/High School so it seemed natural.

3) I was born in Wyoming, but have spent nearly all of my life in SE Kansas, except for a stint of Study Abroad in Germany.

4) I guess Royals Review, because Im a hardcore Royals fan, Arrowhead Pride, because I like the Chiefs. and Rany on the Royals, because as said before I am a hardcore Royals fan.

5) Probably the first Navy loss 4 years ago.. It was really the first time that I realized that it was going to be a while before the Irish would really be competitive.

6) I really like coach Kelly… I’d say 80% supportive of him.

1.Subway
2. from the womb (67 my first memories)
3.Central Mass. (UMass Amherst)
4.ISD and HLS
5.Miami 85- til Ara pomised we would rise again.
6.90% behind Kelly. There have been moments of doubt but, I do believe the arrow still points up.
7.Really enjoyed a couple Goose Island Autumn Ales while at the SC game 2 weeks ago.

Alright, I’ll give it a try (any blog that encourages Haiku’s for Game Predictions deserves our best efforts folks).

1) Non legacy Alum.
2) Proud Member of the Class of 1974 (resident of Flanner Hall). My senior year was, IMHO, the best year in ND sports history. We won the National Championship in football with a thrilling 24-23 Sugar Bowl win over the Crimson Tide and the Bear. We broke UCLA’s 88 game winning streak in basketball and were (I believe) the first school to be ranked No. 1in both football and basketball at the same time. And, of course, on the way to our NC, we beat USC 23-14, with Eric Penick’s 85 run from scimmage at the start of the 2nd half still the most exciting sports moment I’ve personally witnessed (it’s on Youtube).
3) Growing up in Kankakee, Illinois, and going to Catholic grade school and high school, all I ever wanted to do was go to Notre Dame. The day I found out I was accepted is still one of the best days of my life. I still remember watching the 1966 ND-Michigan State “Game of the Century” live on TV.
     I now live in the Denver area, and have lived in Colorado since 1981 (and have never second guessed my decision to move out here).
4) Bleed Cubbie Blue (look at my username); Blue-Gray Sky (RIP), and all the Chicago sports blogs (except for the White Sox, my apologies to the Sox fans on here).
5) Lowest moment as a fan was the ND/USC game the fall after I graduated. ND led 24-6 at the half, and Pat Haden’s team went crazy in the second half and we lost 55-24. I was inconsolable. Much alcohol and other intoxicants were consumed that night.
      Second lowest moment was ND/Michigan this year. ‘Nuff said.
6) I was a big Weis backer, so I am feeling a little skittish, but my grade for BK right now is right around 85%, like many of you. I love the fact that he is building the team from the ground up, and that he is establishing more than one player at each position (the two-headed monster of Wood/Gray is the clear evidence of that). BK has had some growing pains in the job (e.g., Tulsa was the pain that let him know he needed to grow a little more) but BK is getting us into a position where we will be the SEC-like team that doesn’t play in the SEC. And that’s going to be sweet.
      Our biggest problem is not either Rees or Crist. It’s both of them. We’ve got a great team, but we don’t have a QB. God bless Tommy Rees for trying hard but I was at the USC game and some of his throws were just mystifying. God bless Crist for not quitting on the team, but when the spotlight is on, he doesn’t seem to be able to perform (do they have Viagara for QB’s?).
      My pitchfork wants to be buried in Lane Kiffin’s ass.

Go Irish!

1) Alum, my Dad and Sister as well.

2) Class of 2010. Was a casual fan when young. My first game was the nebraska game in 2000… which didn’t help. I dunno, my dad is an ex-manager and die-hard but was determined not to push a school on us. I remember watching USC 05 but I wasn’t hurt by it, and couldn’t understand my sister’s (a soph that year) abject depression when she came home for fall break.
In 2006 as a frosh my first home game, I was in the band and it was against Penn State. I grew up only a mile or two away from PSU’s campus and all my HS friends went there. We crushed them and I was locked in. I’ve lived and died with the team ever since.

3) State College, PA (See above). Now I live in Indianapolis and do diabetes research at the IU medical school.

4) HLS, I used to be a big Rakes guy but have now embraced its deserving successor, OFD.

5) Always fun to lose both of your home games against Navy as a student, but my worst moment was again PSU, this time 07 in happy valley. It was truly a nightmare. Being in the band for a hostile away game can be awesome, but PSU thinks we are their rival (Shocking i know) from all the way back in the 80s. Anyway, it wasnt exactly the homecoming I’d hoped, though we did play at the ND tailgate in the hotel where my HS prom was and did a pregame concert in the PSU BBall arena where my HS Graduation was. Anyway, at the game, there was no separation between us and the rabid, drunk PSU fans, who constantly screamed at us and flipped us off. That wasnt too bad, but one of my friends, a 100lb GIRL was hit in the head with a water bottle, and another fan grabbed a baritone player, pulled him into the isle and screamed in his ear after he celebrated zibby’s interception in that game. Another fan spat in a guys face.
We then were 0-2 and went to 0-2, we-just-lost-to-app-state-Michigan the next week, who crushed us 38-0. Michigan fans gave us cookies they were so sorry for us. That was the lowest Ive been.

6) 80% LOVE recruiting. LOVE the mentality he is trying to install. I think all the turnovers are somewhat coaching related, but I think that will go away. Also I didn’t like him blaming the players, even though I acknowledge he is right. Just spew the coachspeak about them putting forth a great effort and take the the blame. its what you should do. Otherwise, I’m legitimately excited for the future.

7) a lot of good beers mentioned already so I’ll go with a local Indiana brewery, Upland. Anything of theirs and you’ll be sitting pretty, particularly the Bad Elmer’s Porter.

I suppose that I should jump in here.

1. I am here because I am the founding member of One Foot Down. I started this site on Blogger almost 3 years ago. Every day I am slightly amazed at what it has become.

2. Subway Alum. 3rd generation. The Notre Dame obsession actually started in our family with my grandmother. She was a great Catholic woman that was raising a family in South Texas. She felt it was her duty as a good Catholic to root for the Irish. She knew football too. That resulted in her son “The Coach” becoming a lifetime Notre Dame fan as well. Fast forward about 20 years and The Coach is in West Texas coaching HS Football. My job as a kid was to watch the ND games on Saturday, take notes, and give him a series by series report when he got home. After a few years of that I was hooked. Fast forward another 20 years or so. #1 topic of conversation between The Coach and I remains Notre Dame Football.

3. I grew up there in West Texas. I have been all over the place for the last 15 years or so but I have primarily lived in Southern California & Arizona.

4. Inside the Irish and Barking Carnival. I try to keep an eye on the rest of the ND Blogs too but spend most of my web time tending to things around here.

5. BC 93’. That crushed me.

6. I’m on board. That said my glass tends to be half full in regards to ND Football. But I am a Kelly fan and I especially like the way he approaches the mental aspect of the game. I really think that what he is doing will finally get us over the hump and back into the race.

7. Cold Beer and I’m not particularly picky. If I’m hanging out with you, I’ll let you pick the flavor then I’ll set the pace. I love to hang out and drink beer with the boys.

I do keep a well stocked beer fridge though. I tend to keep a healthy mix of good stuff and what I call Colorado Kool-Aid in a can. There is a time and a place for both. As far as the good stuff goes I’ve been on a bit of a Stone kick lately. I really like their Pale Ale. As an added bonus their brewery isn’t too far from my house. I love Whiskey too but don’t go there that often these days. When I do I prefer Bushmills or Jameson.

1) Why are you here? Alum? Subway? Troll? Other team fan just here for the ’freude / CFB banter?

My answer: Just a die hard NDFB fan.

2) If you answered alum what year? If subway how did you become a fan?

My Answer: Father was a NDFB fan. I grew up watching ND every weekend even though we were in Texas.

3) Where you from originally? Where do you live now?

My answer: Born in Indiana, lived in Texas until junior high, went to high school back in Indiana, lived in Germany for 4 1/2 years while stationed there, now stationed at Fort Gordon, GA

4) Give me your 3 favorite blogs that arent OFD

My answers:

Lonestarball.com (Texas Rangers blog)
BloggingtheBoys.com (Cowboys blog)
Up and In podcast with Kevin Goldstein and Jason Parks (I know it’s not a blog, but it’s a can’t miss for baseball fans)

5) Lowest moment as a fan?

Navy 2009 was a low point. I was almost apathetic towards NDFB after that game. Took a few weeks to recover.

6) Whats you’re Brian Kelly approval rating at? Why? How sharp is your pitchfork?

I thought this question would be easier when I wrote it but lets go with:

85% approval rating for Kelly. I think he has a process that will lead Notre Dame back to be a staple in the Top 25, more often in the Top 15 than out of it. I think if he gets Notre Dame to that point, recruiting will explode and push Notre Dame towards a National Championship.

7) I’ll go with Negro Modelo(Although it doesn’t hold a chill)

1) Why are you here? Alum? Subway? Troll? Other team fan just here for the ’freude / CFB banter?

Grew up a diehard ND fan. Only one in my town. I am a double domer from the Davieham era

2) If you answered alum what year? If subway how did you become a fan? If troll just post your favorite troll picture. If other team fan tell us what school etc.

The general Davieham era

3) Where you from originally? Where do you live now?

From Texas, live in greater DC

4) Give me your 3 favorite blogs that arent OFD

Probably Dr. Saturday, Royals Review and Swing State Blog
, the latter two which I write myself

5) Lowest moment as a fan?

Personally, probably the Fiesta Bowl loss to OSU (I was there) or the last Weis loss to Navy (weirdest game ever)

6) Whats you’re Brian Kelly approval rating at? Why? How sharp is your pitchfork?

I’ve given up trying to evaluate coaches. I was always a pro-Weis guy and many people I’ve thought were idiots appear to win games. I don’t even try anymore.

1) Alum, non-legacy. Unless you count the subway legacy of being a rabid fan for years before the acceptance letter came.

2) Transferred in as a sophomore, graduated Class of 2009.

3) Originally from South Bend! Which…wasn’t that exciting. Since graduating I’ve lived in Kansas, and now Chicago.

4) Blue-Gray Sky. BGS was the first football blog I ever read. My life has never been the same.

Shamrock Head. Okay, so this is my blog, which feels a little like cheating or narcissim or both. But I’m terrible with publicity, so there it is. The blog originally started as series of Facebook notes in 2007, when the only options on Sunday morning seemed to be A) stew over football until I imploded, or B) type angrily for many hours. The ranting seemed to catch on, so I kept going, and eventually I transferred everything over to an actual blog site. I still post the rants on Facebook, though, so I suspect that most people who read them forget the blog even exists.

As for a third…I don’t read too many other blogs. I am addicted to und.com, though. And it occurs to me now that there must be someone out there blogging about Irish hockey…does anyone know of any Irish hockey blogs???

5) Senior Day 2008 vs Syracuse. By the end of the game I was advancing pretty rapidly through the stages of hypothermia, and also it made David Bruton CRY.

6) BK approval rating – 82%. I think he’s a good coach and he knows how to win, but in season two he’s showing a little more gray hair and a little more crack under the pressure, which seems to hold true to the words of Knute Rockne: “One loss is good for the soul. Too many losses is not good for the coach.” There have been times when I’ve been a bit befuddled by his playcalling /clock management (an offensive guru he is not), but he spends time on things I thought Weis never stressed enough, such as weight training and fundamentals. (I know, I know; we’ve had a zillion turnovers this season. But a lot of those were mental errors, and you can’t fix those in the weight room.) Our guys are a lot more tough-as-nails—and dare I say svelte?—than they’ve been in a while, and I think it shows on the line of scrimmage. It shows in the run game. It shows that we haven’t given up a sack for six games.

Pitchfork level: still baling hay. Let’s leave the pitchfork in the barn for a while. Can’t rip too hard on a guy who’s already given us two bowl seasons, the best run game we’ve seen in years, the best defense we’ve seen in years, and a SCHOLARSHIP KICKER who can actually boot one all the way to the end zone.

7) Excellent question. I’ll go with Magners—it’s my favourite kind of cider. It’s harder to find in the U.S. than Woodchuck or Strongbow (also good), but it’s the first cider I ever had, so I’m a bit attached. I tend to order it wherever I can—especially if I can find it on draft, which is rare.

1) Why are you here? Alum? Subway? Troll? Other team fan just here for the ‘freude / CFB banter?
I’m a Subway…

2)If you answered alum what year? If subway how did you become a fan? If troll just post your favorite troll picture. If other team fan tell us what school etc.
I’ve been a fan since the early to mid 1990’s

3) Where you from originally? Where do you live now?
Rochester, NY….I live in Boston, MA now

4) Give me your 3 favorite blogs that arent OFD
River Ave Blues (Yankees baseball blog)
Irish Illustrated
Fangraphs (Also a baseball nerd)

5) Lowest moment as a fan?
Didn’t watch ND football for a few years because I lost interest…

6) Whats you’re Brian Kelly approval rating at? Why? How sharp is your pitchfork?
My approval of BK is at 80%. He’s revamped the attitude of this program and I’m very excited and interested in seeing how this team will look in a few years…

7) Anything I forgot to ask that you think we should all know
My game time beverage:

Don’t think my SAT scores were good enough to get into ND undergrad haha.
1. Grew up in an ND family, just south of South Bend.
2. Refer above. I write for SB Nation Kansas City, mostly about Big 12 stuff.
3. I’m from Culver, Indiana, but now reside in Indy.
4. Got nothin consistent necessarily, I read whatever I can find on ND.
5. I mean all of 2007, but starting 0-2 this year is up there. 3 straight final minute losses to Mich takes its toll. The Bush push. Man I could keep going for a while, haha. BCS blowout to LSU during Weis regime. Etc…
6. My pitchfork isn’t sharp but I’m also not a kool aid drinker. BK isn’t Jesus but he deserves time to get his guys in there. Win a national championship, then I’ll start drinkin’ kool aid!

1. Subway
2. I live 45 minutes from Notre Dame. I’ve grown up with it; 96.4% of the people around here are Irish fans.
3. Goshen, IN (southeast of Elkhart, which is southeast of Mishawaka, which is southeast of South Bend, which is southeast of….well, not much)
4. Not much of a blog guy…I occasionally visit The Crimson Quarry
5. 2005 loss to Ohio State is one of them…my mom’s from “that state to the east of us” and I have a lot of cousins out there. I like my cousins a lot and we get along great…except when it comes to college football…I despise OSU more than any other college, including USC and Michigan…look it up in the dictionary: a buckeye is a worthless nut!
Also, the entire 2009 season was just agonizing, even more so than 2007 (when I knew we would suck)…Michigan, USC, Navy…I have distinct memories of going home after watching UConn at my uncle’s place blaring “Goodbye” by Kristinia DeBarge (sorry to all you Beatles and Zeppelin fans: I simply can’t relate) at the thought of Charlie Weis…in retrospect maybe those losses were for the best: we got rid of our offensive coordinator playing head coach….sorry, too much ranting
6. 91%…mostly same points as everyone else…I would like to see Hendrix play more
7. I’m 18 years old…so, yeah

So tell me some things about you:

1) Why are you here? Alum? Subway? Troll?

My answer: Subway, but enough of a critic to be accused of being a troll, on occasion (but really not one!).

2) If you answered alum what year? If subway how did you become a fan? If troll just post your favorite troll picture. If other team fan tell us what school etc.

My answer: I’m an Irish fan through my father who was one, too. I’ve loved the Irish since I was 8 years old, listening to the games on Mutual Radio and watching Lindsay Nelson’s highlights, early on Sunday mornings. I used to pretend I was Luther Bradley running back interceptions for touchdowns.

3) Where you from originally? Where do you live now?

My answer: Ohio native (hence my intense and reasonable hatred of Ohio State), now in the South.

4) Give me your 3 favorite blogs that arent OFD

My answers: A number of them have good points, but some downsides to those as well. I prefer blogs that do not restrain discussion except as absolutely necessary, and ones that don’t frown on negative comments or comments from newbies. Sunlight is the best antidote for weak arguments, not arrogant rank-pulling and ridicule.

5) Lowest moment as a fan?

Tough to say given recent history: among them — 2011 Michigan, 1993 BC game, 1985 Miami blow out, 1974 USC Anthony Davis game. Probably one of those four games. As an era, I became an advocate of Weis’s firing when his losses began to exceed his arrogance, which took quite a bit. I also favored the firings of Davie and Ty. I loved Holtz.

6) Whats you’re Brian Kelly approval rating at? Why? How sharp is your pitchfork?

60%. In some ways, think Kelly is on the right track, but when I start to really believe, he pulls a Tulsa 2010 or So Fla 2011 or USC 2011 on me.

I think he also needs to grow up a little and learn to control his pride: he finds it difficult to admit the blame is on him. I’m tough on his bonehead-ism, though: I hate his uncontrolled sideline outbursts (So Fla) and his trashing the juniors and seniors (post USC). Childish and counterproductive. I also think he’s too cute for his own good with his play calling, at times.

Still, I think he is serious and talented; I would definitely give him three more years to see what he can do with a set of his own kids. If he could make Cincy a BCS team, with the recruits he could get there, I cannot see why he cannot make ND a consistent top 10-15 team, or even better.

 7) Beverage — I like everything, almost, but decent beer is probably tops. But I don’t turn up my nose at anything except weak coffee and grain alcohol.

Thanks.

1) Non-legacy alum

2) 03 JD. Domerlawya, get it???? lolz

3) Detroit Rock City. Holding it down in Seattle these days

4) A little liquor on the ground for BGS. EDSBS (tho I visit it less frequently these days as the commentariat has taken on quite the life of its own and i find it challenging to stay on top of all the side and inside memes), Dr. Saturday, Smart Football.

5) 2007 was a haze of teary and crushing Saturdays all season long. A little piece of me dies whenever we lose to UM as well.

6) 70%. Like his long track record of success in the college game, like what he’s done so far recruiting wise focusing on D, like the consistent message and program building approach. Still have ?‘s about his O philosophy (winning consistently in college = running the ball, stopping the run; tough to run v. the best D’s out of shotgun. See ore v. aub ncg and ore v. lsu this year). His inability to coach up Rees thru almost 1 1/2 seasons to throw to people not Floyd and Eifert is troubling. Blame him in part for not having the team mentally prepared in weeks 1 and 2 leading to turnoverpalooza in games we should have won.

 7) Total beer snob, this guy. Loved the Delirium Tremens shout out higher up. Keen on most Belgian doubles and triples. Keep it relatively light early in the day, mostly lagers (Kronenbourg 1664, Sapporo, Bitburger, Blue) and some heff (Widmer Bros, Blue Moon). Depending on the early day intake, switch up to the brown ales (Newcastle, Hale’s Nut Brown) and stouts (anything oatmeal and/or imperial) later in the day.