THURSDAY THROWDOWN CHAT TRANSCRIPT (09/10/09)

Peoria Pliers: Let me start this one off...I love Miami's football program these days, but am I the only person who thinks that the claim that "The 'U'" is back is totally premature? A dropped TD pass by an FSU player turning into a Miami victory isn't exactly a ringing endorsement in my opinion
Scoops McCracken: I agree....I think both programs are in the right direction, but that "they're back" is way too premature. But I think Miami's in the right direction and like what Shannon is doing. But it's good having Miami, FSU & apparently Notre Dame being relevant again.
Peoria Pliers: Agreed. I love Randy Shannon, and I'm absolutely smitten with Miami's secondary. Love it.
Scoops McCracken: I wanted to ask you about Mandel's mailbag this week, he covered a big chunk about Notre Dame.
Peoria Pliers : What did Mandel have to say?
Scoops McCracken: Pretty much, he had 6 theories/reasons why there's resentment towards Notre Dame.
(1) The Irish play by their own set of rules (i.e.: BCS treats Notre Dame with special treatment)
(2) Relentless Media Attention
(3) NBC Contract
(4) Their (perceived) arrogance
(5) The BCS bowl losses
(6) Their coach is a (perceived) S.O.B.
I thought a bit about why I'm not a Notre Dame fan. I guess I'm not a Weiss fan, but I liked Bob Davie and Willingham. The NBC thing doesn't bother me much because they're not that above any Big Ten or SEC school in terms of television revenue due to the new contract for the SEC and the Big Ten network. I don't know if their arrogance is much greater than what I've experienced from Michigan fans. The media attention is a bit much, but it is what it is. I think the one thing that bugs me the most is the special attention they get when it comes to the BCS, and that ties into their BCS losses. Why does Notre Dame get a rule saying if they're in the top 8 in the BCS standings they get a bid? Why not Texas? Or Ohio State? Or Florida? Or USC? They get into games they have no business being in, like the 2006 Fiesta Bowl & 2007 Sugar Bowl.
Peoria Pliers: I agree with that special treatment being total B.S. and an indicator of the greed of the NCAA, but what really turns me off of them is the fact that they seem to get over hyped EVERY YEAR, all of their recruiting classes are supposedly top 10, but then they find a way to lose EVERY YEAR. How that translates into BCS berths, I will never understand. It seems to me that if anyone is to blame out there in South Bend for the losses it is the peripheral coaching staff that doesn't take prized recruits to the next level of actually competing against the whos-who of college football. But, since they all have golden helmets on, nobody calls anyone out. It is a sham. And Dr. Lou is absolutely off his rocker, by the way that may be another reason people hate them...the cheerleading from the ESPN peanut gallery/hospice that is Lou Holtz's armchair
Scoops McCracken: I think they drop one in the next two weeks, either to Michigan or Michigan State, and USC is going to do what they always do to them. ESPN's going to do what's in their best interest, and that means ratings, so pimping Notre Dame helps ratings, as will the ridiculous pimping of the SEC over the next 15 years due to the new televison deal. Of course they did it because they were afraid the SEC was going to launch their own network due to the success of the Big Ten network and they would suddenly be without the two biggest ratings conferences in college football, but that's another issue.
Peoria Pliers: The biggest problem with the SEC deal is that I doubt I'm going to get as many shots of toothless rednecks that mortgaged their trans-am to get tickets to Florida/Tennesee anymore. ESPN is too high brow for that type of coverage, but CBS wasn't
Scoops McCracken: I don't get how so many people are Notre Dame fans for a university that doesn't have a large enrollment. CBS had it made: afternoon game sponsored by the Home Depot. Only thing missing was a Nascar promo, but ESPN will help out with that.
Peoria Pliers: Hey, you’re the religious one...Catholics are crazy. True. Who ya got in the "Race for the Chase" this year, anyway? I know I'm a big Brian Vickers Fan. WOOO HOOO!
Scoops McCracken: I ain't catholic though....and I don't exactly live & die with Gustavus football. Uh...is Kasey Kahne still in the chase? I do give nascar one thing though in terms of it being a sport: I've never seen a fat race car driver.
Peoria Pliers: I didn't say you were Catholic. I just thought you might understand the irrational fandom
Scoops McCracken: I suppose you're right; go to catholic school and suddenly you're a Notre Dame alumnus.
Peoria Pliers: I think Tony Stewart is a little paunchy, isn't he? Exactly. Just ask the whackos in the Illinois Catholic High School league. They are like the Blues Brothers with shoulder pads and slightly lighter arrest records
Scoops McCracken: Like the Ruttiger family....punch in & out of the steel mill and tune in to Notre Dame on Westwood One on Saturday's. Anyway, I just hope if they go to a BCS game, they're deserving of it....probably not, but hopefully.
Peoria Pliers: I still like the fact that the last time Notre Dame was relevant, their football team rode the back of a guy named "Raghib" to success
Scoops McCracken: Yeah, you can't really make that up.
Peoria Pliers: How about this question...is it too early to call Jimmy "The Promise" Clausen a bust? While the NBC announcers might have thought he played a great game last week, I saw a bunch of atheletes covering up his horrible throws and happy feet
Scoops McCracken: I don't know...I'd hold judgment until this year. It's others that gave him a label of being better than what he is. If he doesn't lead them to at least 9 wins this year, I think it's a fair label.
Peoria Pliers: Fair enough...he can't stop the hype around himself I guess. I have been wanting to drive his bandwagon for the past three years but after last week I've decided to move my patronage to Tony Pike from Cincy. That guy is good.
Scoops McCracken: I dig Cincy and think they can do what Miami has done, perhaps with a bit less speed but bigger linemen. No reason they can't take the reigns & be a factor with the recruiting base they got. Poor Schiano.
Peoria Pliers: Yeah. Schiano looks defeated. The competition is just too good, and it is strange since there is so much talent around that area. From what I hear, the area is a total ghetto so that may be a problem with his recruiting
Scoops McCracken: I guess to me, New Jersey just doesn't sound like a place I want to spend my college, whether it be Rutgers, Princeton, or Atlantic City Blackjack college. Notre Dame-Michigan?
Peoria Pliers: Boring. Didn't pick it
Scoops McCracken: ah yes....boring, but Western Michigan-Indiana is hot, eh?
Peoria Pliers: Fair enough. I didn't see enough out of either team to know who is going to win
Scoops McCracken: So, what can the Big Ten do to get to the SEC level, other than lower academic standards?
Peoria Pliers: Start recruiting kids from the south. There is just too much talent down there compared to the talent up here in my opinion. Other than that, I've got no answers.
Scoops McCracken: Biggest surprise/disappointment from week 1?
Peoria Pliers: Surprised at how good Miami's secondary is. Dissapointed at Oklahoma's offensive line play. Also, dissapointed that Byron Hout didn't get suspended for at least one game.
Scoops McCracken: Yeah, something public should have been done. I'm sure he ran stadium stairs a few early mornings, but something in public should have been done. To me, the problem with Blount was totally the aftermath & the going after fans. Just punching the player? 1 game, perhaps 2 games max in my eyes.
Peoria Pliers: Agreed on the "going after the fans" tip, that guy was out of control. He lost a few million dollars in guaranteed salary in about 15 minutes. I guess that puts him in some elite company, though...MC Hammer, OJ Simpson, Phil Spector. What game are you looking forward to the most this weekend?
Scoops McCracken: Obviously Minnesota-Air Force...but I want to see how USC does in the Horseshoe. The only place that compares to being as intense as C-Bus is Eugene. I want to see how Barkley is on his first road trip. Almost seems like Scott Frost & Nebraska @ Arizona State in 1996. I also want to see Notre Dame & Michigan to see if one is for real. I also want to hear the USC & OSU bands blasting back & forth at each other....I'm also interested in seeing how the punchclocks react to the Song Girls.