Hi

I knows its been a week, and I'm sorry. I got another assignment at work. I'm cycle counting inventory at a plastic factory. So, I'll be getting familiar with another module of the ubiquitous Peoplesoft software. But it involves running all over the plant looking for stuff. Plus I have to wear steel-toe'd boots which are kind of heavy compared to other shoes. I'm sure the exercise is good for me, but I'm tuckered out at the end of a day. So I've just been chilling in the evening.

I didn't want you to think I was avoiding you because I didn't want to make a prediction on the Notre Dame MSU game. I was nervous about it, however, and would have included some if's and but's. It was important to win because the Spartans are so obnoxious, and because they usually fall apart half way through the season losing four out of their last five games - so they hurt the strength of schedule computation when it comes to bowl selection time.

Besides it's being another stressful game, we had to listen to Boob Davie, the disgraced former Irish coach, now a "color commentator" for ABC, second guess coach Weis all night. He's the guy who planted his blade in Lou Holts's back, to get the head coaching job when Lou was forced out. You may have heard ND lost seven of the last nine games to MSU. Well, you can lay four of those losses at Boob's door. Jerk. Oh and somebody please get Brent Musburger, the ABC play by play guy (and big ten homer) to a twelve step meeting.

By the way, I was a junior the year of the game of the century, and I don't like the spin the Spartans try to put on that game - ie Ara played for a tie, not trying to pass the ball on the last Irish possession. If the Spartans were the tough guys they like to remember that they were, how come they punted the ball away with two minutes left in the game. Hell, Charlie went for it on fourth down at least three times last night, and made two of them. In fact, Samardzjia's touchdown in the 4th quarter was on a fourth and five.

I don't know if we'll be 11 and 1 this year or 10 and 2, but I'm happy for the players that they didn't quit on themselves, and I continue to be really impressed with Coach Weis.

Here's a couple of pictures of the coach, first hugging Terrail Lambert who intercepted for the winning touchdown. Last week Terrail got burned several times in coverage against Michigan, and a lesser guy than Charlie would have thrown the kid under the bus, replacing him in the line-up to show he was "doing something" to address the weaknesses displayed last week. Charlie stayed with his guy, and Lambert came up big.

The second in Charlie hugging his twelve year old son as time ran out for Spartie.