(posted by jdawgs422 and special contributor Andy)
I know this seems too Sportsguyish, but I'm going to try a live blogcast of the Notre Dame game this afternoon. So while it might be copying, if Scorcese can borrow things from previous movies, I can take a page out of other's people's books. And I promise I won't mention my two dogs, so that puts me one up on him. Game...blouses.
2:20- I'm sitting next to my friend Andy. We're eating Kettle Cooked chips and Andy thinks Kettle chips are underrated. He's confused why Cape Cod seems to be the originator of Kettle Chips. All good questions, and we've determined the best way to enjoy a Kettle chip is wearing Denim on Denim. Chalk it up ladies.
2:22- "Inked" on A&E is a very good show. Lots of drama, but it doesn't seem the people are really forcing the drama. Working in a tattoo shop looks like a goldmine of interesing situations and people. Almost like putting cameras in a hospital. You're just turning the camera on and waiting.
2:25- European waitresses at breakfast joints could be the best way to start a morning. I don't think I've enjoyed a breakfast more than the one we had this morning in a long time. Andy agrees, moreso because coffee and jumbled accents kick the day off right.
2:26- Syracuse's uniforms are only "modeled" after their old ones, according to Andy. Good concept, when your football team isn't necessarily a dynamo, it's good to give the alumni and students something to admire.
2:28- Eric just got fired on "Inked." Eric said, "This wasn't a dream job. This was just a job." Good to see the perspective from a guy who didn't realy care that he got fired. This show keeps getting better, they didn't edit Eric's quotes to make him seem depressed.
2:30- NHL on NBC promos. They better come up with some legit theme music. Everyone I've talked to thinks about the NBA on NBC when they see the NHL on NBC promos. They should hire John Williams to captain that project. I was talking with Andy this morning, is John Williams maybe the most impressive person ever? The guy was conducting film scores when he was a teenager. He wrote Star Wars, Superman music. That's all you need right there. But he keeps coming strong every year.
2:32- Terrible. They're showing highlights of last week's game vs. USC. Tom Hammond just said, "Some great games at Notre Dame. None greater than last week's contest vs. USC." WHAT? Isn't this Notre Dame's home network? I know you want to sound impartial, but I don't think a devastating loss is up there as one of the greatest games for Notre Dame. Call me crazy.
2:34- Rainy day in South Bend. Weis declares this the 1st game of a new season. He split the season in half. I like his approach to this game. I like his approach to everything. Especially dinner.
2:35- BYU scares me. They're just going to throw, and throw, and throw. Ambrose Wooden needs to have a good game, because I've heard he took the USC loss harder than anybody.
2:36- How many Law & Orders are there? Are they just trying to keep up with CSI? Over/under on weeks before Ludacris pops up as a forensics expert in one of the franchises: 4.
2:38- Notre Dame is favored by 17 1/2. I wouldn't have expected that. Texas is favored by 17. Lots of high spreads for the home teams. I say the both cover.
2:39- Kickoff. Great, BYU is already throwing cheapshots. I don't know this for sure, but I want to say BYU started the whole chop-blocking phenomenon. Jim McMahon probably spawned it.
2:41- BYU's O-line is enormous. Granted, they're probably all 33 years old. I'd love to see one of them balding.
2:45- Big stop on 3rd down for ND. One question: BYU already converted on 4th and short, a QB sneak that was aided by a blatant push from the RB. Now, without dwelling too much on last week, I think everyone can agree that Reggie Bush pushed Leinart into the endzone. If refs aren't going to call this, fine. I'll accept it. But then why does the offense get credit for forward progress when defenders push them back after the initial hit? Doesn't this seem like the same principle? If an offensive player is aided by a push, and it's not called, and it's established that it won'd be called, then why is forward progress given to offensive players when defenders help each other and push an offensive player back multiple yards?
2:48- DJ Hord's returning kicks. This was a big frosh ND got, seeing his first action today. Interesting, I figured he was just going to redshirt.
2:49- Andy brings up a great point. Remember the old starting lineup figurines? Why doesn't that company sponsor "starting lineups." Even take away the pictures of the players, and replace them with starting lineup figures. Andy refuses to think inside the box.
2:55- Touchdown Irish. GREAT pocket presence from Brady Quinn. And a good block from Darius Walker, something people just kill Walker on. Overall great play by everyone.
2:56- Best commercial ever. The Coca-Cola commercial where the old guy has a grocery bag and schools the young bucks on the playground. "Your mouth looks dry...have a coke." Andy deems the victim's pull from the Coke, "Best sip ever." Game...blouses.
2:58- And if you don't think we just froze the Coke commercial on the sip and took camera phone pictures of it...you're dead wrong.
3:01- Where is Melissa Stark? Does NBC bring her back for sidelines reporting on Sunday Night NFL?
3:02- BYU's offensive gameplan seem to be alot of throws in the flat. We haven't stopped it yet.
3:03- Another great idea from Andy: The major highlighter companies should sponsor the 1st down line. Scotty's on fire.
3:04- Interception by Mike Richardson. He fumbles on the return, BYU recovers. These plays HAUNT teams. Not good.
3:06- Another 1st down for BYU, inside the 10. You know BYU scores here after that INT/fumble. Damnit.
3:07- Touchdown BYU. Unreal.
3:08- To make matters worse, "Inked" is in commercial break.
3:14- Jeff Samardzija is great to watch. He and Stovall can take any BYU defender, but Stovall is going to give me a heart attack by holding the ball so far away from his body with one hand on every RAC.
3:16- End of 1st quarter, BYU 10, ND 7. That 17 1/2 point cover call is looking about as sexy as Kathy Griffin on heroine.
3:22- I don't know one person who watches "E-Ring." Talk about your All-Time bad TV show titles. It sounds too much like...you know.
3:23- This game is not going well. BYU WR dropped a 45 yard catch. Mike Richardson is having a terrible game so far.
3:28- God. I can't stop thinking about our waitress this morning. She's probably 45, but too damn sexy for words. If she's Czech, Serbian, or whatever...she'd better be married. Women like that should be cherished. I"m officially disturbed.
3:32- Brady Quinn is a very good QB. He stands in the pocket, not much seems to shake him. I like his poise.
3:33- Maybe the worst pass interference I've ever seen. Quinn lobbed it up to the goalline, and the BYU corner literally speared Matt Shelton 2 seconds before the ball arrived. That was hilarious. If you're going to do it, do it right.
3:38- Right on cue. Touchdown Jeff Samardzija. NBC highlighted him right before the touchdown, Andy calls that, "Good production."
3:42- Okay. BYU is running play-action on first downs. ADJUST TO THIS PLEASE!!! ND's secondary looks like their on an ice rink wearing tennis shoes.
3:45- ND sack negated by offsides on 3rd down. BYU follows up with 20-yard pass. Obviously they're scoring a touchdown. Keep letting teams hang around and bail them out, and they will beat you.
3:49- BYU misses a field goal, thanks to a terrible throw by Beck on 3rd down. By the way Dr. Jack Arute could be the least hip, person who's trying to be hip person in the world. Right up there with Jon Norris. I think they should start a restaurant together, and hire Rocco from 'The Restaurant' as head Chef.
3:52- More penalties from ND. But NBC for some reason doesn't show any replays of the penalties. This drives me crazy. Show me so I can know if it was the right call, or it Mountain West refs are costing us field position. At least they're not promoting shows when they could be showing replays. Even though I would love a preview of the upcoming "My Name is Earl."
3:54- If Jeff Samardzija isn't 1st or 2nd team All-American, I defy you to name 4 WR's better than him this year.
3:55- There's nothing worse than a cold. Except for death. But you know what I mean.
3:57- Touchdown Irish. Great call Charlie, pump fake, then fly to Stovall. ND has been running the quick out/hit all day, and Charlie calls the fake and go at the perfect time. I would definitely have Charlie's baby if I could. And if I were mature enough to nurture a child.
3:59- Interception Texas Tech. Close to Pick 6. There's nothing better than yelling "Pick 6!!" when it's going on. Yes...I said it. There's nothing better.
4:00- ND needs a legitimate stop here. BYU has stopped themselves each time they haven't scored.
4:03- Andy deems sack on 1st down as a "Coverage sack." Question: What would a coverage sack in life be?
:04- Andy's answer: Going home with a below average girl, because all the good-looking ones are already tied up in conversation/relationships. Rack it.
4:06- Guest Blog time. Our esteemed blogger John left the room to urinate. He had just finished his second tall glass of coca cola classic. Who can blame him.
4:07- Nascar commercial just aired - with great VO. John finds the prose quite entertaining...could this be foreshadowing? (see: ESPN and Nascar)
4:10- Big sack for ND. Defense looking for a stop as halftime nears. John claps. Commercial time. I hand him the remote...lets see where he goes.
4:12- No channel change. But i think i know why. A Hyatt commercial came on with a spa-like seen, including a man and woman receiving spa-like treatment. John explains: "I want to do that with the breakfast lady. I love her" I love her too.
4:13- Poor Donald Trump impersonation from John. "A" for effort though.
4:15- TV #2 has the Texas - Texas Tech game on. Crowd shot revealed a great pair of Texas-sized titties. God Bless them.
4:17- Texas pounds one in to take a 10-7 lead. The running back crossed the line, got up, and i thought was about to give the OMEGA sign. Instead, he flexed his muscles. Where is that OMEGA TD celebration? It was so prevelant a few years ago. Did this black fraternity go away? Did some National Greek Council do away with it? And if so, wouldnt you think it would still exist in some underground circles??
4:23- Stovall and Samardzija = Duper and Clayton???
4:24- I really think the lob pass is overused. Run a some kind of route...dont just cop out and lob it. Unles there's a rediculous mismatch.
4:25- Just when it looked ND would go in a blow the doors open at halftime, a fumble at the 2 yardline. Halftime is here. 21-10 Irish. Time for Jimmy Roberts and a recap of arguably the most depressing loss in recent ND history. John not too thrilled...he's 'stepping outside' for a smoke.
-----HALFTIME BREAK-----
4:48- John's back. Start of the second half. ND has the ball to start, I'd love a march right here. ND has -1 rushing yards in the first half. And we're up 11. I think Charlie has insituted a pretty good passing attack.
4:49- Just saw a commercial for the new "Freddie" show on ABC. How about a standing O for Brian Austin Green. He's starring opposite Summer Catch in that show, and he's in "Domino." If they don't let him play electric keyboard sometime during the fall season, consider it a national injustice on par with the logic-defying continuance of automatic hand dryers in public bathrooms. Yes, there's that much at stake.
4:52- Andy just ripped up a paper with his SkyMiles. Should I wait until later to initiate the drug test?
4:53- Touchdown Samardzija, 28-10 ND. Wide open across the middle, BYU's linebackers tripped over each other. Brady Quinn: 300+ yards, 4 TDs. Heisman chatter? Hubhub, hubhub, hubhub.
5:00- This Watkins WR for BYU is the Notre Dame defense's MVP today. He's dropped 3 passes that could have led to scores. Right on cue, another dropped pass from BYU. Good lord, this is the most excruciating 18 point lead I can remember.
5:02- BYU's RB Tahi could play in the NFL right now. He is a bruiser, kind of like a Lorenzo Neal back. And then they run a draw play for him. Terrible. He's a powerful back who has driven ND's tacklers back on every initial hit, just run him straight up the gut.
5:04- Touchdown BYU, scramble by QB John Beck. Way to put the clamps on defense. Beck looks like the oldest brother from "Malcolm in the Middle." If he put on a prep school military outfit, I think we'd have a conundrum on our hands.
5:05- Question to Andy: What's your favorite commercial right now?
5:07- Andy needs to realize something; Andie MacDowell is a pretty damn good-looking woman. You could do alot worse.
5:09- ANOTHER PENALTY. False start, now it's 2nd and 15. Come on, this is getting obscene. I've seen more discipline at a Jimmy Buffet concert.
5:12- Similar to the Sage Rosenfels chants at last nights Dolphins-CHiefs game, its time for our own QB change of sorts. Andy replaces John for a few downs...
5:15- Strangest commercial of all time on Texas game. SHot of young black child, helmet on head, sitting on a bicycle. Next shot: scenic view of Texas Medical. Next: Said black child with scar on belly just after being stitched up. Next: Vince Young leaning up against goalposts. WHAT???
5:17- Not sure who's the playcaller for this BYU offense, but the sack must be quite large. 4th and 6 from ND's 10...down by 11...and they went for it. TD BYU. Wow. 2 pt conversion fails. 28-23 ND.
5:19- John turns to me with a serious look. "My roommate still hasnt given me that bed." John has been hoping to get this mattress from Alex for quite some time. Having a girl stay over - then showing her the twin bed you sleep on - is not winning any hearts...
5:20- Another E-Ring commercial. John and I agree: Benjamin Bratt does not exude Pentagon-like prowess.
:22- NBC needs to rethink their ND football budget. If you're going to produce a game in HD...find the money to have all HD cameras. Fox has this problem too. If you're going to consistently use these looks, don't compromise your production.
5:24- At halftime, i noticed a second bag of Kettle Chips in the kitchen. These were BBQ flavored. I wonder what was going through John's mind when he opted for the Original flavored first. Just something to think about...
5:25- Stovall - over the top - TD. The guys having a career game. 3 TDs. 13th reception tying an ND record. "By Jim Seymour, 1966" John proclaims. The guys got some ND knowledge.
5:27- Looks like today's the day. John's on the line with ALex. Mattress is in his truck. If I were John, I'd find ANY broad and take her home tonight. A christening of sorts.
5:29- John's back. Brady Quinn has 409 yards, 5 TDs. That Heisman chatter is starting to turn heads at the bar. 5:30- NBC is really lackadaiscal on the penalty updates. BYU returned the kick to the 30, then they show the play beginning at the 7. Tom Hammond casually says, "BYU penalty knocks them back to the 7." Gee Tom, might want to bring that up when it happens. I'm no Chuck Noll, but a 23 yard difference in starting field position seems noteworthy.
5:32- Good stop by the ND defense. And now the anti-recruit cam: Close-ups of ND cheerleaders. Ewwww.
5:34- Andy hasn't answered my commercial question. But we agree, the Chase bank commercial with all the different credit cards that marks the highpoints of a married couple's life is up there. Andy says, "Take that a step further. Show the wife pulling out the plastic to buy the husband's tombstone." It goes there, like Degrassi.
5:36- Quinn just lobbed a duck downfield, that Samardzija caught. When it's going your way, it's going your way.
5:38- Touchdown Irish, Stovall's 4th. 42-23. Stovall breaks ND record for TD catches and overall receptions in a game. Charlie greets Stovall with a smile on the sidelines. There is 2:16 left in the 3rd quarter. Quinn has 6 TDs. I'd say that Heisman chatter is getting more and more takers.
5:41- John Beck really looks like he should be on Malcolm in the Middle. Does Andy agree with me? Let's ask him...Andy's response: "Ehhhhh,ahhhh,(inaudible)." I take that as a strategic "NO."
5:44- End of 4th quarter, 42-23 Irish.
5:45- Bad Donald Trump impersonation from a Bradley Airport commercial. Andy says, "Wow. This guy is worse than you." Thanks Andy. How about I never gamble again? Is that the life you want, all planned jokes and safe ways of playing your cards? I think not.
5:47- This Tahi from BYU is a crusher. He's hard to bring down. That's all I got.
5:48- Texas up 38-10. Both covers holding up. Which would be good news if I bet on any of these games. Instead, I just like to report that information as if this blog is on the Internet in realtime.
5:50- ND holds on 4th down. And Pay Hayden is talking about a campus tour he took yesterday. I like Hayden, but that's about as valuable to me right now as a surfboard...because I don't surf.
5:54- I love Charlie. He just called timeout on 3rd and 4, up 42-23. Guaranteed he saw something, or just realized a play that will be the best possible chance at getting a first down. I like this, it's not unnecessary, it's having respect for your opponent. You want to take advantage of every possession, and not give away anything. If you see something you can exploit, do it. It hasn't even come back from commercial, but I'd be willing to bet alot of money ND converts here. Stay tuned...that is stay tuned imaginary audience.
5:56- And of course Quinn throws it over the head of an open WR. The play would have worked, just a bad throw. And Weis is incredulous on the sidelines.
6:00- When ND watches the film of this game, lots of defensive players should cringe. The tackling has been atrocious at times. Reminds me of the Preston Jackson days, where you try to tackle straight up and with your forearms.
6:02- ZIBIKOWSKI PICK 6!! PICK 6!! PICK 6!! 83 YARDS. PICK 6!! 49-23 Irish.6:03- Did I mention...PICK 6!!
6:08- I'll reiterate a point made earlier...there is nothing better than yelling Pick 6 when it's happening. Good stuff.
6:10- We're going out on a limb here, with the ND lead apparently safe...our friend Greg is getting mention only because we've decided he doesn't deserve mentioning. How do you respond to text messages while you're at your house, but then duck phone calls that come a minute later? Inexcusable.
6:12- Talk about a BYU bounce. I'd say its too little too late. But still. Good riddance.
6:13- Hyatt commercial again. John longs for his Breakfast beauty.
6:14- Schwaap!! Schwaap!! He's in the game now for ND...and John points out he was the Connecticut Player of the Year last year. Regardless, i like saying his name. SCHWAAP!!
6:15- NBC just throws up a graphic on Asaph Schwaap. Only his name is spelled SCHWAPP - one A, two P's. John lied to me. I hate liars.
6:17- Its worth noting that I've actually rooted for ND a lot this season. Its strange because I'm Jewish, and i was brought up to hate Notre Dame. But having a friend who's an alum has really broadened my mind. I wonder if my dad would be pissed.
6:19- The Texas game is out of hand as well. Vince Young scrambled for another TD. I think this telecast could increase its TSV (time spent viewing - industry jargon) by dedicating the remainder of their telecast to TEXAS TITTIES.
6:20- Greg finally responds. Not that we were anxiously awaiting his response - but all the same, he responded. That S.O.B.
6:21- Apparantly, John is comfortable with this Irish lead. He changed the channel to check on another game. Now that's gaul.
6:22- Did i mention how much i enjoy Texas Titties??
6:23- Just to further my Notre Dame thoughts - i always imagined that school to be just like the school Brendon Frasier attended in School Ties. He was such a good kid. Just surrounded by bigots. Maybe I was wrong.
6:24- John claps with approval. The ND game has come to an end. Brady Quinn went off. His 2 receivers were rediculous (or the BYU secondary has some problems). Probably a little bit of both. Regardless, good win for the Irish.
6:26- That's all she wrote. John must go retrieve his new mattress. I would have thought he'd be more excited. This day has been a long time coming.
-----ND 49-BYU 23 FINAL-----