See ya, Chuck

There were many different emotions I was expecting to feel when the ax finally dropped on Charlie Weis.

Sadness wasn't one of them.

I'm not sad because I thought Weis should've been retained, or that he didn't get a fair shot to return Notre Dame football to prominence. I'm sad because I remember how hopeful I was during the 2005 season - a season that included an unexpected rise to national prominence.

I remember how the Irish steamrolled their way through Pittsburgh in the opener and out-toughed Michigan in Ann Arbor (a true rarity). I remember when ESPN's Ron Franklin told Holly Rowe, "It's 49-21 sweetheart" (at 2:31) during the blowout of Purdue, the near 45 seconds that I thought Notre Dame had upset then-#1 USC when the clock read 0:00, and the BCS-bowl clinching come-from-behind victory at Stanford in the regular season finale. I also recall the excitement of the summer of 2006 from the cover of Sports Illustrated to Tom Zbikowski's TKO at the Garden.

Unfortunately, it's been all downhill form there.

It sounds silly to equate it to the end of a relationship, but I can't think of an analogy that is more applicable. Even though firing Weis was the right thing to do, and Notre Dame fans should be hopeful for the future, it's tough to see something (and somebody) that you wanted to succeed ultimately fail.

If there is only one thing that Charlie Weis accomplished during his tenure, it's that he proved that blue-chip talent can still be attracted to dreary South Bend. The academic standards and cold weather excuses that were heard during the last days of the Tyrone Willingham era are dead and buried. The talent has and will continue to come to Notre Dame. The main responsibility of the next head coach is to develop that talent - something that unfortunately Weis never did.

So farewell, Charlie. Hopefully that "decided schematic advantage" aids you in your future endeavors.

Was There Any Doubt?

When the Texans jumped out to a 17-0 lead, I was only 85% sure (as opposed to 100%) that the Colts were going to win the game. It was the fifth-straight time the Colts trailed in the fourth quarter and rallied for the win. With this team, there isn't ever any doubt.

The game was a bit different than the past two, because the Colts really outplayed the Texans after falling into the early hole. Indy set the tone for the second-half domination by coming out with a nine-play 80-yard drive aided by an awful 43-yard interference call on a pass that would've been uncatchable for Manute Bol. A quick TD early in the fourth and a Clint Session pick-six iced it for the Colts.

As you saw with Houston (again), teams continue to crumble against this Colts team. Whether it be costly turnovers, conservative play-calling, or ridiculous gambles, opponents seem to find a way to keep the Colts around - and that's never a good idea.

If there's one word I can define this Colts team as, it's confident. They are one of the few teams in the NFL that regardless of the circumstances, their confidence is unwavering. Confident leading. Confident trailing. Confident through rain, sleet, snow, or being chased by Elin Nordegren with a nine-iron after Thanksgiving dinner.

Like I said in August, the Colts' regular season is like sitting in a four-month waiting room. With the #1 seed in the AFC all but assured, the next five weeks are virtually meaningless.

We'll see if the Colts can carry that same confidence when it matters.

Boilers Impress

If college basketball season hadn't officially arrived in my mind going into this week, it certainly has now. Purdue's 73-72 win over Tennessee in a terrific Paradise Jam Final made me realize just how much I missed college hoops.

A couple of thoughts:

- E'Twaun Moore earned MVP honors for the Tournament which was capped by a 22-point performance against the Vols. I really thought Moore regressed last year after a pretty solid freshman season. The most talented player from the heralded 2007 recruiting class is a big key to Purdue's success this season. Hopefully he doesn't pull the disappearing acts he had at times last year.

- When watching Kelsey Barlow at Cathedral, I didn't think he was a BCS-level basketball player. There's no doubt that the kid was athletically gifted, but I didn't give him the benefit of the doubt for his chances of playing at the Big Ten level. It's only been four games, but it's pretty obvious I was really, really wrong.

- Is there a play in Chris Kramer's career that better defines him than the slide-across-the-floor-on-your-chest-for-ten-feet-while-slapping-at-the-ball play that forced a UT turnover in the 2nd half?

- Patrick Bade - by the way future game announcers, it's pronounced Bay-Dee - only scored two points before fouling out, but his importance didn't show up in the stat-line. The former Franklin Central star gave the Boilers meaningful minutes with JaJuan Johnson dealing with foul trouble. As long as he can give them minutes, he'll be valuable, regardless of what the box score says.

- Anyone else feel like Bruce Pearl will someday have a Sampson-like exit? There's something about that guy that seems slimy.

- D.J. Byrd picked up three fouls in four minutes. I thought he was the most polished of Purdue's freshman class but it appears he may be the one that needs the most seasoning.

- It's never too early to start looking at the NCAA Tournament resume and this win over Tennessee was one of Purdue's two opportunities at a marquee non-league win. Their other chance will come against West Virginia in January.

Them's the Breaks?

A funny thing happened to me while running errands on Sunday afternoon. Listening to the radio broadcast of the Colts' 17-15 win over the Ravens, I heard Bob Lamey say that the Colts "just weren't catching any breaks". A 9-0 team not catching any breaks?

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Maybe Bob forgot about Kris Brown's field goal miss from 42 yards (after connecting from 56 earlier in the game) that would've sent the game into overtime. Maybe he forgot about Bill Belichick inexplicably going for it on 4th-and-2 from his own 28-yard line with a six point lead.

Seemingly on cue, Billy Cundiff, who connected on five field goals in the game, missed a 30-yarder that would've given the Ravens an 18-17 lead. Where was the bad luck on that one?

Any Colts' fan that complains about "not catching any breaks" should be slapped in the face. Do yourself a favor and ask a Jets' fan about "not catching any breaks". See what that person says (or does) to you. Even better: ask a Browns' fan.

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This is a team that's 10-0. They've been to the playoffs each of the last in each of the last eight seasons (I already counted this year). They've won the division five of those years and are on-pace to win their sixth. This is also a team that has won a franchise-record 19 regular season games in a row, and 51 of their last 64 dating back to 2005. To put that in prespective, the Browns, Lions, and Buccaneers will all likely lose more games this year than the Colts have in the past half-decade.

"Not catching any breaks". Pfft. The regular season is a four-month vacation for Colts' fans.

Messin' with Drive-Thrus

Apparently the state of Utah doesn't have a sense of humor.



In Salt Lake City, four teens were cited for rapping at a McDonald's drive-thru and then leaving without ordering anything. McDonald's workers got the license plate number off of their vehicle and then called police. Cops then dispatched the SWAT team cited the teens in the parking lot of a high school volleyball game near the restaurant where the incident occurred.

Really, Utah cops and McDonald's employees? How about a sense of humor.

No wonder Utah sucks.

Belichick a Robot?

Could that grungy hooded sweater that Bill Belichick wears be hiding an interior filled with circuit breakers and motor oil? Some are suggesting that's the only reasonable explanation for Belichick's reckless 4th-and-2 gamble which ended up dooming the Patriots in a 35-34 come-from-ahead loss to the rival Colts.

An NFL-decision-making computer designed by an Indiana University professor called Zeus predicted that going for it in that scenario yielded a higher win probability than punting the ball to the Colts. Belichick has been widely criticized for the call, which gave the Colts the football back on the Patriots' 29-yard line with over two minutes left.

I don't care what a computer says. A mathematical formula would see no differentiation in a 4th-and-2 on the opponent's 9-yard line in the second quarter leading 17-0 over the Browns at home, and a 4th-and-2 on your own 28-yard line with a six-point lead against the Colts (#1 scoring defense in the NFL) on the road. There's obviously a difference in those two scenarios.

It was the wrong decision and there's nothing that can convince me otherwise. Peyton Manning may be greatest quarterback in the NFL, but you have to make him and the Colts beat you. By serving it up on a tee and giving Indy the ball back nine yards away from the Red Zone, you've reduced your win probability from about 55% to 3% (that's not an actual calculation, just a guess). For example, if your team is up one on the Lakers with four seconds left, do you foul Kobe Bryant because you're afraid that he's going to make the game-winning shot? Of course not. You make him make a play. If he beats you, you live with it.

By going for it on 4th-and-2, Belichick put the pressure on his team. By punting instead, he would've put the pressure on Peyton and the Colts.

Showdown Saturday

It's not every year that we enter mid-November with a majority of Indiana college teams entering cruical matchups. However, that is certainly the case today. Both IU and Purdue will look to keep their bowl hopes alive, Notre Dame will try to save their season, Butler attempts to stay unbeaten, and the Monon Bell rivalry is renewed in Greencastle.

Purdue (4-6, 3-3) vs. Michigan State (5-5, 3-3)
I,had written off the Boilers' bowl chances after a 1-5 start, but you have to give them credit for what they've been able to do since. Purdue reminds me a lot of the 2001 Indiana team that started 0-5, but finished 5-1 (including a 4-4 in Big Ten mark) on their way to a 5-6 record. They were much better than their record would indicate, and I think the same can be said about Purdue. Historically, the Boilers have been prone to the letdown game after a big win, but this time I think they hold on.
Shots Pick: PURDUE (+3) 28, Michigan State 24

Indiana (4-6, 1-5) at #19 Penn State (8-2, 4-2)
The Hoosiers have to be kicking themselves for blowing that 28-3 lead at Northwestern. If they had held on there, this game would basically be a throw-away with a bowl berth riding on the Old Oaken Bucket Game in the season finale. The Nittany Lions have been underwhelming to say the least this season. They were smacked around at home in their only two big games, including a loss to Iowa and last week's embarrassing performance against Ohio State. IU has been competitive, but it's hard to see them winning at a place they've never won, against a team they've never beaten.
Shots pick: Penn State 42, INDIANA (+25) 20

Notre Dame (6-3) at Pittsburgh (9-1)
What should've been a big showdown and a test of Notre Dame's progress under Charlie Weis, is now nothing more than a spoiler game for the Irish. Thanks to last week's loss to Navy, the best Notre Dame can hope for is the Gator Bowl or potentially the Cotton Bowl, while Pittsburgh - still very much alive for a Big East title - could build some momentum heading into a crucial back-to-back against West Virginia and Cincinnati. After giving up 348 rushing yards to the Midshipmen last week, look for Pitt tailback Dion Lewis to have a big day.
Shots pick: PITTSBRUGH (-7) 31, Notre Dame 21

Butler (9-0, 6-0) at Jacksonvile (5-4, 4-2) - the unbeaten Bulldogs need a win to keep pace with co-leader Drake (6-0) who visits Dayton this afternoon. Two Bulldogs' wins would set up a psuedo Pioneer Football League title game next week when Butler hosts Drake.

Wabash (8-1) at DePauw (7-1) - without question the fiercest football rivalry in the entire state is renewed this afternoon from Greencastle. Wabash (8-1) needs a win to boost their chances for an at-large berth in the Division III playoffs, while DePauw, who has already secured a postseason spot, will look for their third straight victory against their archrival. The all-time series is dead even at 53-53-9.

Rodento Drive

The new Lucas Oil Stadium has wowed fans with big windows, a beautiful brick facade, and several new amenities. However, apparently what's out-of-sight of the patrons is becoming a problem.

Health inspectors cited over 500 food/safety violations including discoveries of mouse mice meese poop feces. Investigators found the droppings in kitchen and storage areas, including an oven, along with many live mice in the area. The Health Department is sending more people out this weekend to determine just how big of a problem they have at Lucas Oil Stadium. Supposedly, they're going to set up mouse traps and see how many they kill. Awesome.

Considering I've eaten media food at Lucas Oil Stadium on at least eight different occasions during various events, I'm not feeling great about this news. I had a chili dog there last week. If there is a food where mouse droppings would hardly be noticeable, wouldn't it be chili? (Pauses to throw up).

There's a hot dog stand for $3 under the bridge on East Street leading into the stadium. It's shady. The last two times I've walked by it, there's been a guy with like three teeth on a rusty bike doing circles around the stand, and another homeless guy sitting on a milk cart singing show tunes five feet away. Sure that's dirty, but at least I know that it's dirty. I'm not misplacing my trust. It's not a mouse crap chili dog on a plate with parsley on the side, and a sparking water to drink.

I won't touch even a potato chip at Lucas Oil anymore.

Colts' Midseason Report Card

We have reached the halfway mark of the 2009 season, and the Colts are 8-0 (yawn). However, even with teams that are undefeated, there are always areas to criticize..

Colts overall ranks: Total Offense 6^th (27.1 ppg), Total Defense 2^nd (13.5 ppg)

RUSH OFFENSE: D+ Rank: 29^th (85.4 ypg)

Say what you want about their paltry overall production, but the rush offense has been an upgrade over the nightmare of 2008. The Colts are averaging 3.7 ypc, which is up from their 3.4 ypc last season. Addai’s yards-per-carry is identical to last season, but it feels like he’s running better. This rush offense only has to be better than terrible, and so far it’s just been bad, not terrible.

PASS OFFENSE: A Rank: 1^st (302 ypg)

Peyton Manning has once again been spectacular and the Colts have gotten great contributions from both Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. Dallas Clark has taken his game to a new level production-wise, and Reggie Wayne is still playing on a Pro Bowl level despite seeing consistent double-teams

RUSH DEFENSE: B- Rank: 14^th (108.1 ypg)

If you take out the 239-yard game in Miami, the Colts are giving up only 89 yards per game on the ground which would rank them third in all of football. I know you can’t take that game out, but it warrants mentioning. Indy has been burned on some big plays and some long runs, but overall, I think the Run D has been pretty solid. It’s by no means great, but it’s leaps and bounds better than what we saw from this unit earlier in the decade.

PASS DEFENSE: A Rank: 9^th (195.3)

While they may rank 9^th in yards given up per game, the Colts have only yielded an NFL-best four touchdown passes through eight games. This is one of the premiere units in the league once again, and has been for years. Considering all the injuries in the secondary, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not they’re able to keep up this pace.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C Rank: 24^th in KR, 27^th in PR (5.1 ypa)

Where have you gone Clarence Verdin? I’d give them an A for kick/punt coverage and an F for kick/punt returns. This return game is a joke (Jamie Silva? Seriously?) and always has been. Matt Stover (6/6 FG, 8/8 XP) has filled in nicely for Adam Vinatieri and Pat McAfee (43.7 avg, 11 TB) has impressed as a rookie.

COACHING: A

What can you say? Jim Caldwell is 8-0 and that’s a better start than I thought he was going to have. Larry Coyer has done a wonderful job with an injury-riddled defense. There’s some improvement in the Special Teams under Ray Rychleski. Howard Mudd, Tom Moore, Clyde Christensen are all doing great jobs as per usual. The Colts are lucky to have such a great staff.

That'll do, Pig

How many words does a thesaurus list for "inexcusable"?

I thought after 24 hours, I'd be better able to gather my thoughts, but I'm going to need an extension. It takes more than a day to properly describe what consecutive home losses to Navy means for the Notre Dame football program.

Hooray Championships!

So the New York Yankees are Champions of baseball again. While I never take any of my favorite teams winning championships for granted, it's tough to get super-excited about a team with a $200 million+ payroll dismantling the rest of baseball.

The real importance and legacy of 2009 is that it put several postseason failures (most notably this one) and many failed free-agent signees officially behind the Yankees.

Normally, a nine-year gap between titles wouldn't be considered a "drought", but so much has happened in my life since the last time the Yankees called themselves champions.

Since October of 2000, I have:

- Graduated high school.

- Watched the Knicks actually win a playoff game.

- Been on-campus for Indiana's 2002 run to the National Title game.

- Believed Tyrone Willingham was a savior.

- Graduated college.

- Screamed for Tyrone Willingham to be fired.

- Lived in six different permanent addresses.

- Held five different jobs.

- Received four speeding tickets coming from or going to South Bend, Indiana.

- Completed three different radio internships.

- Dated two chicks from the state of New Jersey.

- And hosted a radio show.

It feels like a lot longer than nine years.

Fun with Speak & Spell

We mentioned it randomly on today's show, but I wanted to re-live some childhood memories with the Speak & Spell (which I incorrectly referred to as Speak & Say on the show).



How could you not buy something endorsed by Bill Cosby?

Replay Ain't Right

Indisputable adj (comes from the latin word “indisputabilis”)
Incontestable; not open to question; obviously true.

A couple of bad replay overturns involving local teams this year...

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Notre Dame/Michigan

Situation: Armando Allen’s 42-yard TD run on a screen pass ties the score with Michigan at 7.
Play: It looks like Allen’s heel may have touched out-of-bounds, but it is unclear whether it actually hit the line or merely shadowed the sideline.
Result: Notre Dame has to settle for a Nick Tausch field goal and goes on to lose the game by four points – the margin of Allen’s overturned touchdown.

Notre Dame/Washington
Situation: Washington appears to have taken a 31-22 lead with 7 minutes left.
Play: Chris Polk appears to maybe have been down before crossing the goalline. Still shots show that his knee may have been down, but it is unclear where the football was and if it had crossed the plain of the goalline.
Result: Notre Dame goes on a goalline stand to keep UW out of the end zone and rallies for a 37-30 overtime victory.

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This is not indisputable video evidence

Indiana/Iowa
Situation: following an interception return for TD by Iowa, Indiana drives down the field and appears to have extended their lead to 27-14 with the extra point pending.
Play: Terrance Turner appeared to have dragged his foot in-bounds, but in reality it was nearly impossible to tell which hit first, his knee or foot and if either were in or out-of-bounds.
Result: Nick Freeland misses a 28-yard field goal and IU comes away empty-handed.

NCAA rules state: "The replay official may reverse a ruling if and only if the video evidence convinces him beyond all doubt that the ruling was incorrect. Without such indisputable video evidence, the replay official must allow the ruling to stand."

Does that sound like the rule that is practiced by officials?