Are you OK when ND runs its all-time
record to 10-1 vs. the Sooners?
In most of our memories, ND met and defeated Oklahoma in 1995 and 2012. Other big victories occurred in the 1950’s and 1960’s. This included one of the great Irish victories when Terry Brennan’s 1957 squad snapped the Sooners’ 47-game winning streak. Brennan and members of that team were be honored at the Friday Football luncheon.
It was recounted that Brennan was just 26 years old when he was appointed ND Head Coach. All of his Assistants were older, and so were several players who were attending ND on the G.I. Bill.
The Football Luncheon was well-attended. Student-Athlete speakers were DL Tyler Stockton, who had graduated and is earning his MBA, and DL Louis Nix III. The lads are listed at 284 and 357 pounds, respectively. That is a lot of tonnage.
Nix (“Irish Chocolate”) revealed the team’s nickname for Coach Kelly…”Irish Cream”.
Freshest in our minds is ND’s 30-13 victory in Norman last year. It was a season-defining game that clearly cast the national spotlight on ND as team to be reckoned with.
This year’s contest pits undefeated and #14 OU vs. YFI (Your Fighting Irish), who are 3-1 and ranked #22. OU is favored by 3 ½…whatever that really means.
At Home in 1999, ND was unranked and trailed the Sooners 30-14 midway through the 3rd quarter. ND rallied for a great 34-30 win.
Last year was thrilling in Norman. ND fans were bunched in a small corner of the stadium as the Sooners expected victory. Just ask Manti Te’o and Cierre Wood about that…both had outstanding games as YFI won 30-13.
In our 11th meeting now with Oklahoma, both teams have been ranked in the Top 25 in nine of those years.
So far this season, OU’s defense has been stingy by allowing just 9 points per game. Their average margin of victory has been 25 points. Neither of those will hold true this weekend vs. YFI.
The Oklahoma Cheerleaders are on campus. They have a very sturdy “Midwest look”. Corn-fed and muscular, they could surely beat our ND girls in arm-wrestling…which is OK.
Expectations among amateur photographers is higher for USC weekend when the Trojan Song Girls return to campus.
Hearty pioneer Midwest stock
SoCal girls just having some fun…
October 19 in South Bend could be sweater weather. But as for this weekend, the forecast is 81 degrees and sunny. Should be perfect conditions for ND-OU.
As many friends know, we missed the MichiganState game with a commitment to attend a wedding in Cape Cod. Many searched for us, Irish and Sparty friends alike, but alas…there was no tailgater.
Be assured and expect a BIG comeback this weekend in the Joyce lot, as usual.
” Has anyone seen Abe’s tailgater?”
The luck was with the Irish as we prevailed over MSU. There were several highlights, including some solid play from newer faces like Jarrett Grace, who has stepped-in for Manti and has a team-high 28 tackles this season. Freshman Jaylon Smith is a future All-American. Coach Kelly is using a lot of young players and various rotations.
One last item from MSU weekend, Ara Parsegian and his 1973 National Championship team were honored. For those of us who cannot help always harkening back to those great Defenses of the 70’s, so many names loom large (from memory): Ross Browner, Luther Bradley, Willie Fry, Bob Golic, Steve McDaniel, Jeff Weston, Kenny Dike,Doug Becker, Steve Heimkreiter…
And many would agree that Ross was the greatest. Here is a picture a friend sent me from last weekend. The former players are: Al Samuels (HB), Ross Browner, Mike Parker (DB) and Eric Pennick (RB)
Lastly, many people may not be aware of Ross Browner’s health issues. This article is illuminating.
Ross Browner had foot amputated
Updated: September 20, 2013, 7:35 PM ET
By Farrell Evans | ESPN.com
Ross Browner, a star defensive end on Notre Dame‘s 1973 and 1977 national championship teams, had his left foot amputated in March.
The 59-year-old Warren, Ohio, native and 1999 College Football Hall of Fame inductee developed an ulcer in the foot after he says he was bitten by a brown recluse spider in 2000 while on vacation in the Virgin Islands. This led to multiple infections and 22 operations.
Browner was diagnosed with diabetes in 1994. About 10 to 15 percent of people with that disease can develop a foot ulcer at some point in their lives, according to studies.
“After my last infection in March, my doctor gave me two choices,” said Browner, who now resides inNashville, Tenn. “You can keep your foot, be sick all the time and possibly die, or we can do an amputation and you can have a better quality of life.
“I wanted a better quality life and the chance to be around my wife and my sons. I feel better than I have in a very long time. I was tired of being in and out of the hospital.”
Since the operation in March, Browner has been in rehabilitation in Tucson, Ariz., where his son Rylan is a student at Arizona. In late August, the 6-foot-3 Browner was fitted with a size 17 prosthetic foot that he wears without the use of a cane.
On Saturday, Browner, who played 10 years in the NFL, mostly with the Cincinnati Bengals, will be in South Bend for the Notre Dame-Michigan State game to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1973 national championship and undefeated season.
After the 1977 season, Browner won the Lombardi Award for the nation’s best lineman and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting.
His eldest son, Max Starks, was an offensive tackle for nine seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Friday, Starks was signed by the St. Louis Rams, where he will wear No. 79, the same number his father wore during his NFL career.
Browner had three brothers play in the NFL, including Joey Browner, who was a six-time Pro Bowl free safety for the Minnesota Vikings in the 1980s.
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Back to this week and Oklahoma, someone is very focused and upbeat. He says the team has practiced hard and well. The team is getting better every day.
Before a big game like Oklahoma, it is very important to prepare well and to look good. A pre-game haircut from the master is vital. And is my motto:
“LET THE GAME COME TO YOU”
Early Thursday morning with my Martin’s coffee and South Bend and Chicago Tribunes in-hand, I walked over to Armando’s for a haircut.
Armando was horrified to see my mop after our last haircut four weeks ago (Temple). He stared, stuttered, shook his head and exclaimed, “Jeff…trust me. I will fix this.”
Within minutes, Coach Kelly also arrived. His hair was not as bad to start. We both ended with the same great results.
BK says the plans are in place. He expects a hard-fought game and certainly expects YFI to prevail. And Abe believes him.
It is time to make amends for missing last week’s game and tailgating duties. The beverage stock is replenished. We always have plenty of beer, but we plan to bring more water on Saturday. It will be summer-like.
Sadly missing from this week’s tailgate will be Mixologist extraordinaire Dr. Richard Behler. No one…and I mean no one makes a Bloody Mary like Dr. Behler with the wildest array of healthy compliments (celery, olives, onions, shrimp, bacon, beef jerky, pickles…)—brunch in a glass.
Dr. Behler…to be absent for OU and will be on duty for USC 
Georgewa Scanlon is also away, but he will make his 2013 debut with a big crew for USC. George is in Florence, Italy. He actually has located an ND GameWatch location in Florence called “The Red Garter” (that should be interesting. )
And to hedge his bets, George also located a Catholic Church for a few “Good Luck” prayers and candles from afar.
Greetings from Florence
Candles for the Offense, Defense and Special Teams
Friday has been an absolutely beautiful day on campus. In less than 24-hours, The House that Rockne Built will be rocking.
The Oklahoma Sooners equipment truck is parked to unload at the Stadium. Without a doubt, the drivers received a better welcome and will have a cordial farewell from ND fans.
A direct source confirms that the ND Equipment truck needed a police escort when attempting to exit Ann Arbor after the Michigan game due to unruly fans trying to block the truck’s exit.
OU claims 7 National Championships. ND has 11 …BOO-YAH!
As Coach Kelly announced at the Football Luncheon, Saturday is scheduled as a “Green Out”. The Bookstore is going bonkers selling “The Shirt”. ND is an incredible Marketing machine.
M.C. Jack Nolan assured the crowd there is NO plan for the team to break out the green jerseys.
Lastly, devoted ND fan and daughter Katie (Kohler) Dalhoff and new husband John will miss the Oklahoma game for another commitment (wedding). We will represent the family to bring home a winner!
Wishing she could be in two places at once…
Time to head to the Pep Rally.
Feeling good about Saturday.
Let’s GO IRISH!
Beat Sooners!!
Abe