A Day of Coming Together, and a Day of Falling
UHND.com - Sean Craig
09/23/2001
I showed up early this last Saturday to do some tailgating at the Notre Dame/Michigan St game with the hopes that we could regain our feet and march on to a BCS Bowl bid. The sunrise was beautiful, the dome shining in the sun, the fans coming in with grills, footballs, flags and their favorite beverages. This is what is one of the many enjoyable things about being at a game. The atmosphere. Meeting other Die Hard fans from ND and the visiting teams, talking about the game plans, who to watch and etc...
I must say that many of the Michigan St. fans were very pleasant to speak to. They were very well behaved and you could tell that they new that coming to a game in South Bend was something more than just going to Central Michigan. However, when speaking to many of the MSU fans and Alumni the game seemed to be lacking something from the beginning. The events of the last week we on the minds and hearts of everyone in attendance. Most could not believe the sight of seing airplanes flying over the stadium before the stadium gates opened. Many were trying to get back to normal activities, but something had just put a damper on things. The Pep rally seemed to be minus a few more alumni than normal. Perhaps due to the airlines being delayed and everyones general preconception of flying. Regardles, the mood for the game had been set a week and a half before.
So I found my way into the stadium...Section 116 upper section in the south east corner. took my spot on seat 18 (Thank God I finally get an aisle seat!) Perhaps this was a sign of things to come? The bands took the fields...Father Malloy gave his speach and prayer and the band played America The Beautiful...One thing I had never seen before was the sight of the ND/MSU Marching Bands merging together on the field in a sign of unity. Not an eye in the stadium was elsewhere. The star spangled banner took on more meaning than ever for me this week. It truly was a moving experience. 80,000 fans holding up the US Flag. The bands coming together on the field. Shortly after was the coin toss.....and then KICKOFF!
I thought LoVecchio was doing okay for us in the first half. We were moving down field and managed to score. Then the Second Coming of Gerry Faust decided to put in Carlyle Holiday. My general opinion on this entire debacle is that Davie should pick either one of the two, give em the ball, and tell them to make it happen. After LoVecchio got pulled he lost all sense of momentum. Maybe I should even go out on a limb and suggest that Arnaz Battle be moved back to QB, until these underclassmen can gain some much needed playing time and practice.
During the long delay due to a MSU player suffering a seizure in the second half. I witnessed something I never thought I would see in South Bend. First let me say that I hope the MSU player recovers, and that he and his family are doing well. But with Davie in the huddle with the team, the ambulance on the field and the stadium in complete silence, a fan sitting in the Notre Dame side of the Stadium screamed out, "Davie You SUCK". At this point 4 out of 10 perhaps as many as 5 out of 10 all stood up and began clapping and chearing the comment. Aside from the LOVECCHIO TD pass to Hunter...this was the largest cheer heard in the stadium this day.
Kevin White should begin searching for possible replacements. Davie has proven that he can not motivate this team for the big game i.e. Oregon State, Nebraska, and dare I say Michigan St. He has proven that he can not manage the clock i.e. Michigan and Purdue two years ago, Nebraska last year. He has even proven the with under five minutes in a game and trailing by seven that a (begins to laugh) fake fg attempt can be predicted! I think Davie is a good defensive coordinator, but as Head Coach at Notre Dame? I think he has been given a task that he simply can not handle. Remember, this team has the, "Most talent of any team I have coached" says Bob Davie. Hey Bob, "Nice Start!"
All in all, our offense was EXTREMELY predicatable and basic. Who is to be held accountable? Davie first. Why, he chose Kevin Rodgers? That also lands on his shoulders! Did we throw to our tight ends? Did we throw on first down? Did we throw down field? Davie may not, ok, will NOT bring us another National Championship or bowl game, but he will bring many questions to Notre Dame fans and alumni. Mainly along the lines of, "why Bob Davie? Where is Lou? Where is Gerry???
It pains me to say such things about a school that I love dear to my heart, about a team that deserves much better than what they are receiving. I fear that the end to this story is years away. But I can tell you that even time mends all wounds. Let's look at this. I am 28 years old. Which will happen first? The end of social security or Bob Davie doing the right thing and stepping down?
Still, I have not lost all hope for this season. We can prove ourselves this weekend against Texas A and M. Tennessee would be a great game to win. But until drastic changes are made at head coach we must suffer through the "Dark Ages" as we did under Bob Davie, I mean Gerry Faust. Notre Dame our Mother.......PRAY FOR US!