ND at Michigan State

8:22 PM
Great. Just great. Zibby gets plowed over because he runs into his guy instead of wrapping his guy, and then they score on their first drive. Just effing great. And would Bob Davie shut up about his days at the reins? Cripes.

8:32
"Of course, I never won against Michigan State--I didn't even know there was a trophy."
Okay, that was kind of funny. Perhaps we'll let Bob continue to speak.

8:38
Fumble by Zibby...another gimme for another Michigan. And I can't even really be pissed off about this last TD, because it was beautifully done, at least from the POV of someone whose only knowledge of football was gleaned inside Notre Dame Stadium.

And why get rid of the iPod Mini when you're just going to make the nano its petite twin? same colors and everything. Huh. I may not be in the best mood for product critique. And Zibby needs to cut his damn hair because he has not proven himself badass enough this season to merit a badass haircut.

8:56
Holy crap, that was the longest quarter ever. I'd forgotten how much longer a football game was when a) you're not there physically and b) when your team has so obviously already given up.

As anyone who reads this particular entry will understand in the first two sentences, I am not reacting with any degree of actual knowledge about the game of football. I couldn't tell you what a shotgun pass or zone defense were if you paid me. But holy crap. 20 yards of total offense in the first quarter, as opposed to State's 188 yards. Even I know how freaking miserable that is. I almost want to tell the band to hush, because the team they're trying to support forgot to come to the game. Even when we manage to trip up the runner he stumbles forward for another three yards.

The good thing is that Zbikowski was showing some increased energy in the last couple of plays in the first quarter. That's another thing--when I, of all people, can see that Brady is just wildly out of his groove and that the D looks like the last place it wants to be is on the field, you know it's bad. They need to forget what's at stake, because if they don't step up we've lost anyway.

9:04
Thank goodness, 9 yards from Darius. Let it be a sign or things to come FIRST DOWN! YES! It is sad that I am so excited about a first down.

9:06
Yes! YESYESYESYESYES! I love the no huddle approach, because all this stuff is in Quinn's muscle memory, and he just needs to shut his brain down to get it back. And yes, I terrified the cat when I started shrieking. I'm okay with that. Really. Now I'm going to go apologize.

9:18
I go to the bathroom for two minutes only to return after an apparent scuffle and an interception-->TD. WTF, mate?

9:27
Does anyone else think The Shark should have spent a little less time playing baseball and a little more time on his receiving this summer? He just doesn't have even a semblance of last year's consitency. (Makes him sound like pudding, huh?)

9:29
Beautiful, beautiful play fake (that's what Bob called it). Carlson...this is a name that I have heard a lot lately. I like it. I also like how Darius always freaks the crap out of me by runninig horizontally for ages before turning for the vertical run. He always makes the turn, and I always panic anyway. It must be hell on earth, being in the seats anywhere TD!!!!! near me at the games.

And we back in the game, 14-24 with 6:45 left in the half. Oh, and I love it when they explain things with the yellow pen. I may need to make flashcards. I may also take back what I said about Jeff. Maybe.

9:36
Question: what is a "draw play?" I'm assuming it has something to do with drawing the defense into thinking it's another play, but they forgot to explain that one to me.

And the creepy little SkyCam thing is floating along in the back field.

9:40
And dammit, they just used our own play against us. Poo.

9:51
Half time. Dinner time. Also drug time--I think the cold meds have been wearing off.

10:18
Mmmm. Hot dogs and beans. Classic cold food, because it doesn't taste like much to begin with, so you're not missing anything, what with the whole tastebud atrophy that always accompanies one of my colds. And Carlson is my new hero.
21-31; ten points is definitely doable.

10:23
Nice sack by Trevor Laws. This State crowd is looking downright morose, though, which is odd since they're still ten points up. I hope we don't look like that--oh, wait! We haven't been ten points up in, well...ages.

Oh, and a nice short punt. Come on, offense. time to live up to the D's expectation.

10:29
Well, our 4th and 8 attempt didn't quite work out the way we had planned. And Charlie may or may look like he's going to eat Brady Quinn. New question: would the Irish be, at this point, much worse off if he did? I don't mean that. But it's something to think about. I think we should just play mudball now. Have fun and play loose, but not in the bad way.

Dude, my head is going to freakin' explode. I want to know why the drugs haven't kicked in yet.

10:34
Aaaand another TD for the Spartans.
21-37 Michigan State

10:38
Darius freaks me out again. I hate it when he does that! And bad bad bad with the rain and the slippery ball. And we have some serious biflowing frustration happenening between Brady and Charlie.

I hate Ringer.

10:46
Shit. Shit shit shit. Who held? Shit. But it looks like Zibby's mentally back. Shit. Who is number 8? We CANNOT CANNOT CANNOT CANNOT afford this many penalties. And now Brady's all over the place.

10:55
If you've read this far, and honestly I don't understand why you would have, you have come to the same conclusion that I have: it is dangerous for Katie to watch the game at home alone with the cat. At least when there are other people in the house I pretend to be productive, and am less likely to yammer on like I have been.

That said, tomorrow at 7 Extreme Makeoever is going to be at North Pole, AK. I've been there. That's where the Christmas shop is. Mostly overflow people who work at/near Eilsen AFB. Think I'm going to watch. Sleepy. Flag.

11:05
How the hell was that holding called on the offense? One of our guys practivcally jocked the ball carrier by way of his collar...I thought that was illegal. Maybe? Something called a "horse collar"? *Editorial note: the author has since learned that there is no horse collar penalty in NCAA football, and that it was only declared a penalty, as opposed to a fine, in the 2005 season, much to the dismay of Jerry Jones, all time class act.

11:09
HEADS UP CARLSON! Yes! So lucky.

And Brady, way to neutralize that gain.

11:11
Jeff, way to get cheesed about the no-call! 37-27 Michigan, going for 2.

Shit. Why did we go for the run? They've had Darius's number almost the whole game, so why wouldn't we go with a short pass? (I am actually asking these questions, not being shitty about the call, so if you have answers feel free to respond...)

The TV peoples seem to agree with me, which makes me feel pretty good about my novice assessment of the situation. This is getting to be one ass long entry.

11:18
YEEEEEEEEAH! Ndukwe is awesome! Way to cause the fumble and recover it.

No no no. Too many penalties, boys! Too many penalties.

11:22
Don't even argue with that call, it bounced off your freaking back! How on earth can you think that isn't interference?

11:25
YES! But wtf with the missed FG?! It's okay, it's okay. 5 minutes is enough. We can do this. I don't care if it's ass ugly, as long as it's an ass ugly W.

11:27
Hey, I just saw Shaneyfelt! Oh, but weird take on the band. Strange echo thing.

11:29
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
40-37 NOTRE DAME!!!!! And it was a defensive touchdown. Woooooooooooo!

11:35
Please no OT. I need to sleep.

11:38
This is what my defense should look like every time they're on the field. Wired, in the O's face every single play. Every single game. This is my Notre Dame football team!

11:41
And Lambert is a pinball wizard! How the hell did he get that?!

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Ugly as all get out, but I'll take it.
11:43
40-37 Notre Dame

And holy crap, is our team tone deaf! :)