At Least Some People Like Me...

I guess Subway Domer of sailor mouth fame started up something to pool together some of the Notre Dame blogging sites in a segment (? blogpoll? not sure what to call it) titled 'Irish Blogger Gathering,' and while the IBG may not have a ring to it quite like the KGB, I was intrigued by the idea. That being said, here is the Nasties response to the first set of IBG questions:

1. This is Notre Dame. Notre Dame is the game circled on just about every opposing teams schedule. They hate us and want to destroy us. So, it is safe to say that if ND plays a team every year, that game will become a big game for ND and an even bigger game for the opponent. So, pick any team that ND does not currently play and make that team a rival and create a rivalry trophy to go along with your rival of choice.

Subway listed Penn State for this one, and I think that it is a very legitimate opponent to rival with, especially considering that we are apparently at conflict with some of our student section cheers (my mouth dropped down a good half foot when I saw that an ND student actually wrote this article). However, because of more recent matchups, I'm going to have to go with Pitt. The past decade has been full of some high scoring thrillers and a few good upsets between the Irish and the Panthers, and there will always be some bitterness between the coaches after Weis ruined Wannstedt's homecoming in the ever memorable 2005 matchup. In order to commemorate that win, I think it is only fitting that the mythical trophy for this prospective rivalry should be a flattering bronze bust that combines Wannstedt's awesome mustache with Charlie's underrated flat top. Tell me you wouldn't want to see this on display somewhere in the Gug:

2. What current rival of ND (Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Boston College, Stanford, Southern California- all trophy games) would you take off of the schedule and never play again?

Although I love the MSU game from the standpoint that it is close enough to easily travel to for an away game and there are always plenty of side stories surrounding the game year to year, I would have to eliminate this game because the Irish stand to gain the most from removing the Spartans from their schedule. Every season MSU plays ND at a level that could knock off some top tier teams, but if Notre Dame wins these tough dog fights, they are never really rewarded because MSU always tanks it at the end of the year, leading people to believe that ND plays a ‘weak schedule.' If ND wants a tough game on their schedule, I would suggest booking a team that can play well past October.

3. What entertainment rival (whether it be TV, movies, or celebrity) would you compare to ND and one of its current rivals?

Pulling from the college video game scene, I'd equate USC to Niko Bellic (of GTA4) and Notre Dame to the Liberty City Police. Right now, everyone is drawn to the flashy life of fast cars, faster women, and machine guns. And despite their best efforts, an innumerable mass of the LCPD are unable to stop the havoc wreaking Niko. While I cringe a bit by comparing the Irish to a comically bureaucratic law enforcement agency, the truth is that over the last two season specifically (and the last few years in general), we have looked stiff and incompetent against the Trojans (not to mention anything about the Indiana Excise Police...). But fear not Irish faithful, ND will regain power in this rivalry soon enough. Like turning families against each other in the Mafia, Notre Dame is slowly getting top talent from California to spurn USC for South Bend, and these recruits will help the Irish start showing up to gun fights properly equipped.

4. List your top 5 historical college football rivalries. After that, list your top 5 college football rivalries as of 2008.

1. ND USC (I’m told the games were good a long time ago)
2. OSU Mich (I’m also told these games used to be close)
3. Navy Army
4. ND Mich
5. Bama Auburn

1. ND Mich
2. Florida Georgia
3. Texas Oklahoma
4. OSU vs. the SEC
5. USC vs. the PAC-10

5. There are a lot of rivalry games out there. What is a great rivalry game that may not be as well known as the ones in your top 5 and explain why it so fantastic.

Kansas vs. Kansas State. You have to love interstate rivalries, and seeing as the Jayhawks and the Wildcats are the only respectable teams in their state to begin with adds that much more heat to the fire. While KSU has held the edge most recently, Mangino and a resurgent KU squad has been upping the competitiveness the last few years, and if that wasn’t enough, just watch the glory that is the KSU Wabash Cannonball:

That's it for this week's Irish Blogger Gathering... I hope mine was worth the read. Go Irish!