Subway Domer: Irish Blogger Gathering: Mr Fushion Is Alive & Well

Nov 11, 2008

Irish Blogger Gathering: Mr Fushion Is Alive & Well

This week, the IBG is brought to you by The Brawling Hibernian. He is looking Through The Past Darkly.

So let's fill that Dolorian up with some High Life and blast back into the future.

1. In the parlance of DJs, a "deep cut" is a song that wasn't released as a single and, generally, is not well-known. Oftentimes, these end up being the best songs on the album. What Notre Dame victory is your favorite "deep-cut" from the Irish catalog? In other words, what is your favorite victory that is not widely celebrated (i.e., not the "Snow Bowl" or the 1988 Miami game, etc.). Explain in much detail.

That is a very big catalog. There are 20+ games that I could think of and put into this category for all sorts of reasons. I'll take one from 1999. Huh? A Bob Davie Team? Yep that 1999 team which had two great comebacks at home that year. The first was the Oklahoma game in which they battled back from a 16 point deficit, and holds a special place in my heart as it was the first game my Father and I attended together. The second and answer to this question? U$C. The Fighting Irish came back from a 21 point deficit to take the lead late in the game. These were two mediocre teams (which is rare for U$C and ND to both be that bad at the same time) that finished 6-6 and 5-7 respectively, but it was still the Trojans of Southern Cal and The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Any victory over Southern Cal is sweet, but a comeback win at home is legendary. (I hate my sisters and brother-in-laws that were at this game while I was in northwest Ohio... I hate you!)

The details? It's better if you just watch the whole game. (Hulu is so much more dominant than Youtube when it comes to picture quality).

2. As much fun as it is rooting for our heroes, it can be just as enjoyable to trash those we consider to be villains. A few years ago, the great Irish blog, Blue Gray Sky, wrote a post discussing the biggest villains in Notre Dame history. That post focused on external villains. Today's question is, of those associated with the program, who is the biggest villain? This individual must have been a player, coach or administrator at ND who, through reckless acts of cowardice, stupidity or malice, damaged the football program. (Note: Ty Willingham is off the board)

Well if I can't go with Ty, who sabotaged the program in ways that Dr. White and Bob Davie could only dream of, then how about Ty's boy from the bay? Pat Dillingham. Forget about the MSU game. My grandmother could have made that throw to Battle, but grandma couldn't take it to the house like Battle did. (Dillingham couldn't make the MSU defender fall like a sack of bricks either- Touchdown Jesus did). I'm talking about the worst green jersey game EVER. Boston College in 2002. The fumbles. Jesus Christ the fumbles! He may not be the biggest villain, but a villain in my book none-the-less.

Pat Dillingham: Minimally skilled at best.

3. Falling in love is a wonderful thing. As Lt. Frank Drebin once observed, "you begin to notice things you never knew were there before; birds sing, dew glistening on a newly formed leaf, stop signs." Describe the moment that you knew that there would be no other; you were in love with Notre Dame.

This is a tough one and it is probably tougher the older you get. I'm pretty sure i was brain-washed at a very early age as my nephew and niece are now and my yet to be born child will be as well. But, there is something that I do recall and it wasn't that long ago.

One of my good friends and Best Man at my wedding was a big Irish fan while we were growing up. It was rare to find another Irish fan in a small town in Ohio and in fact, there are only about 4 families out of 5,000 (rural and urban) people who are. Then after high school (1996 graduation) my buddy, Nick, moved to Columbus Ohio (lived there, not educated there). Next thing you know, he's an Ohio State fan and rags on the Irish and its fanbase as hard as any anti-ND guy. I thought to myself that there was no way in hell that I could ever, EVER, do that. I'm invested for life bitches.

4. Regrets, we've had a few but, then again, too few to ever let go of any of them. What game, or specific play, in Irish history turns your dreams into nightmares and haunts your every waking moment? Describe this moment and why you wish ND could have another crack at it?

The '93 BC game and I'll just say the Eagle field goal. But what really haunts me is the media and their fucking love affair with Bobby Bowden. The Irish were truly robbed of the chance for a National Title because there was no BCS in 1993. If there was, the Irish would have probably played Nebraska for the title. That crying bitch FSU WR actually got the voters to only drop FSU one spot after they lost to the Irish. Bowden was almost gift wrapped that title by the media. No one will change my mind. I even called out former Florida State FB William Floyd about this in a football camp I was in the summer before my junior year in high school. I hate them! (Like Anakin hates sand people).

5. With 79 consensus All-Americans and 48 inductees in the College Football Hall of Fame, it is clear that there have been many great players in the history of Notre Dame football. What was the greatest single season from a player that you ever witnessed during your Irish fandom? Be specific. Use adjectives.

Here's one that no other IBG member will even think of. I guarantee it. Craig Hentrich, 1990... a punter. There's just too many great offensive and defensive players to begin to sort through, but I will say that the Rocket got robbed in 1990 and even 1989 for the Heisman. He was the greatest player in College football to not win the stiff arm trophy- scary good.

Back to Hentrich. He posted an Irish record 44.9 yards per punt average in 1990. That was with a dominant offense that moved the ball very well, and he didn't have to punt as often, but when he did- BOOM! He also has the career record for punt average at ND with 44.1 yards per punt.