“Life’s a bitch, especially when your team is Notre Dame” –The Immortal Josh Rynne, one year ago

Just some quick comments on Notre Dame inevitable loss last night in the NIT:


-I don’t know which is more pathetic: The fact I was heartbroken/pissed AGAIN b/c of this team, or the fact I was heartbroken/pissed over an NIT game?


-A loss so predictable, I predicted it with 8 minutes left and ND up 10 pts (The old “Can you feel the heartbreaker coming?”). So what if it took 2 OT’s longer.


-Here is how I will remember Chris Quinn: Throughout his ND career, his role progressed from “Overrated shooter”, to “Decent player”, to “Solid #2 option”, and finally, to “#1 guy on a mediocre team which makes you WILDLY depressed that he’s the best player on the team.” Not that is his fault or anything, but Notre Dame #1 guy throughout the ‘90s (Pat Garrity, Monty Williams, Troy Murphy, Ryan Humphreys, Chris Thomas) has always been at least a borderline NBA prospect, which Quinn definitely is not, and which doomed this year’s team from day one because no one ever stepped up.


-Three year ago, I would have been crushed if Torin “WNBA” Francis had left school early. Now, I can’t wait for him to take his pulse and graduate. You can blame injuries and such at you want, but at the end of the day, he always looked like he didn’t want to be here (with the possible exemption of the BC game last year). Easily the most disappointing player of the last decade at Notre Dame.


-I know he’s a good coach, and you’re really not going to get anyone better right now, but this year has totally had me questioning “Is Mike Brey the right coach for Notre Dame??” I mean, how many close games/game they should have won against an inferior opponent has ND lost under Brey? (My unofficial count is 27, including 10 games this year.) Some of it’s luck, but Brey just seems to have a knack for either a) losing to inferior opponents in big games (The Rutgers game last year to get into the NCAAs) or b) having his team needing to make a game winning shot that always looks rushed (which happened to Chris Quinn numerous times this year). Put it this way: With another coach, could ND have won maybe, oh I don’t know, 3 more of those ridiculous heartbreakers instead of going 3-10 in close games? Probably…

(I’m not going as far as starting the “2007 Mike Brey Farewell Tour,” but the last 2 years have left some bitter tastes. Please Mike, go out and prove something next year. Or at least don’t finish last in the Big East (which may be a good prediction considering the talent base coming back next year.)


-With all that said, Michigan’s team is terrible and didn’t deserve to be in the tournament (but we knew that already).


-And finally, to show you just how jinxed I am, Let me present: “Maydog’s Top Ten List of Heartbreaking Losses involving Notre Dame in the Past 12 months”

10. Villanova 82, ND 80
9. OSU 34, ND 20
8. Michigan 87, ND 84 (2OT)
7. GT 67, ND 63
6. GT 85, ND 82 (2OT)
5. Pitt 100, ND 97 (2OT)
4. Louisville 89, ND 86 (OT)
3. MSU 44, ND 41 (OT)
2. UConn 75, ND 74 (OT)
1. USC 34, ND 31

Labels: College Basketball