Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/109499
fan forum miracles still happen. And I cried because I knew family and loved ones unable to get a ticket to the game were, in their own unique way, making my special experience their own. And I cried because before the season started, my friend, the most loyal of all Notre Dame fans, lost his battle with cancer. This season seemed to be destiny honoring his spirit, and inside Sun Life Stadium I could feel his presence beside me. And with a giant smile across my face, filled with enormous pride and happiness, I cried big, beautiful, joyful, stupid tears. The game did not have the ending I wanted. It's obvious more work needs to be done. However I will take away from this moment that sometimes, every once in a while, when you least expect it, anything is possible. "We aren't where we want to be. We aren't where we outta be — but thank goodness we're not where we used to be." — Lou Holtz after his 5-6 debut season in 1986. Go Irish! John Sohel Fort Worth, Texas Predictable Preparation I just read where the Alabama receivers said they watched film where Notre Dame opponents were open on the outside all year long, so it was easy to attack them there. And they did, both running and passing. And All-American center Barrett Jones said our formations on "D" were predictable. So Notre Dame's coaches gave the best team in the nation six weeks to prepare for them with few if any new looks, blitzes and different "D" sets. Alabama was better, but for them it was like shooting fish in a barrel. You get ready for the defending national champs and you show them no new looks, few if any blitzes, as you lay back and let them pound you? Even ESPN game analyst Kirk Herbstreit was shocked at how little Theo Riddick was used as a receiver. Defensive coordinator Bob Diaco and head coach Brian Kelly should have let the team go party and forget the 11 p.m. curfew. If they didn't do much to prepare for Bama but show them the same formations and set their team up for the carnage they received, at least let the guys enjoy South Beach. If this is the best we can get from our coaches after having all that prep time, then let's be more hesitant to blame the players and recognize the shortcomings of their coaches' efforts and game planning. Michael Cannariato '73 Rockford, Ill. Mr. Cannariato, the quote by Barrett Jones was articulated with tact but summarized the story: "Notre Dame is simple on defense. They're good because they [keep it] simple. But they're simple." Per Sports Illustrated, guard Anthony Steen added: "We knew from film study that if we shifted a certain way, Notre Dame was probably going to shift a certain way that would give us some blocking angles. And they did. Every time." We don't disagree with your points. But