It's Mailbag time at Insights, where we take your comments, criticisms and e-mails and answer them or give them props in this space. Questions about anything Notre Dame athletics is fair game. Send your questions to mrothstein@jg.net or leave them in comment boxes below during the week and we'll snatch them up. If you do ask a question, we ask that you list your name (at least first one) and hometown. And one day, we'll enforce it, too.
On to the questions and comments, which as always come from real readers:
Had dinner with a couple who lived in Fort Wayne for many years and now live in Texas. He still takes the Fort Wayne newspaper. He brought up the subject of Notre Dame and how this reporter for the Fort Wayne paper seems to really love to trash Notre Dame. I knew immediately it was you and he confirmed it. So your negative reports are being read all the way in Texas!
-Bonnie Barbarisi
Tyler, Texas
Bonnie,
Sweet! We've got readers in Texas. And thank your friend for the subscription. However, was this trashing Notre Dame? Or this? But then again, this team is 2-9, so it's not like there are many positive stories to write. Tell your friend thanks for reading!
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Michael,
I truly regret having written a "thank you" e-mail for your coverage of Irish practices. I have been getting more and more irritated with your anti-Irish (stuff) and your predicting Duke to beat ND was the most pathetic of all your pathetic writings. You show a lack of faith and more importantly proof you are not an Irish fan. I hope you will at a minimum acknowledge on your blog that you were way off on this Duke prediction.
I can understand a writer trying to be independent if they are a freelance type writer, but you work for an Irish focused organization, for God's sake. I have added you to the Mark May category of reporters I hate. I hope your Thanksgiving turkey is tough, your heat goes out and your hard drive crashes.
Best of luck to you,
-Mike Parmett
Mike,
Thanksgiving turkey was awesome, actually, because I didn't cook it. Heat's still working. Computer's still up. You're 0 for 3 on your predictions! I was wrong in picking Duke, but where were you after Navy or Air Force or any of the other games this season?
By the way, you're right. I'm not an Irish fan. But I'm not an Irish hater, either. I'm neither. And the Journal Gazette is independent of Notre Dame. Thanks for adding me to the Mark May category, though. Hopefully I can make the kind of money he is.
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You're an idiot. 31-21 Notre Dame
-Gregg Altieri
Thanks! Ask Bonnie. You're not alone.
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its funny. isnt making a win prediction on your own ND site a given? if not, then isnt predicting a loss, placing yourself above the entity? like even if the Irish lose "im smart, look at me, im better than you are. im awesome"
im so impressed you are 9-1 going into this game, with your only loss being our only win... you will be remembered in infamy.
as in mark may, you charleton idiot. my record this year is 1-9 and im damn proud. "enjoy it while you can." rothstien.
-Mike Sheridan
Mike,
I am smart. I am awesome. Just ask Bonnie. Thanks for noticing! And I also know how to use apostrophes when appropriate, like "I'm proud" to be 9-2. Second Mark May reference, too. Join Bonnie and Mark. You guys should get together and start a fan club. By Charleton, do you mean I'm this guy? Or did you mean charlatan? At 9-2, I'm no fraud. Oh, and it's ROTHSTEIN. You wouldn't win a spelling bee.
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ahh, what a surprise, not a single GOOD thing mentioned for ND coming from carr's retirement! rather, as is all too frequent from mr. rothstein, everything is bad in ND-land.
gimme a break...the fact that ANY type of uncertainty hurts any CFB program for at least a year or so and this helps ND recruiting short-term, at the very least!
your near comical desire not to be seen as a "homer" is turning you into a really bad read, mr. rothstein.
-The Genuis
Genuis,
When a team is 2-9, there isn't much positive to write about. And as far as Lloyd Carr's retirement, it depends on their hire, but considering Michigan's recent hiring success (John Beilein for men's hoops), one would think they wouldn't screw it up.
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NUTS! Rothstein has done a splendid job . . . and even shows some affection for the Irish when appropriate. Turning in the Ladz for WNDU promos was a low blow, but he has redeemed himself. He's right about Carr's leaving -- mostly bad news for ND.
-n statler
Statler,
Wow. Someone with something nice to say. Shocked, I tell you.
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So will USC still be able to whine about the grass height?
-Jim Kress
Jim,
No, probably not.
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There is one POSSIBLE advantage to ND with Carr stepping down now: it could keep Corwin Brown at ND a little longer. We won't know for a couple years whether Corwin will demonstrate the same success on the field as he has already done in recruiting. However, assuming he does and had Carr stepped down a few years from now, you can bet that Corwin would have been at the top of the replacement list. He seems very happy at ND (he has stated he would have gone there if offered a scholarship), but you can never underestimate loyalty to your undergrad institution.
-Andrew
Andrew,
Your last point is the most important -- you can't underestimate loyalty to your undergrad institution. Corwin seems very happy at Notre Dame and appears to want to stay for the long term, but who knows what could happen.
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This is Mike Brey of old. Five minutes remaining and three free throws and one field goal to show for it. Play not to lose, and then lose. With the exception of last year, that's his trade mark. This may be equally as shocking a year as was football.
-Michael McAdams
Michael,
The two losses were very similar to 2005-06, but it is early in the season. Brey doesn't seem too concerned about it yet, but it'll be interesting to see what happens. The margin for error is certainly smaller.
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Remind me again, Michael. How many seasons have you coached at the college or professional level? You seem to know a lot more than Coach Weis. You should give him a call..
-Leahy
Leahy,
Huh? The answer, by the way, is zero. But then again, I'm not an anonymous blog poster, either. And I don't know more than Charlie Weis about football. Just wanted to clarify that.
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I see what you're getting at with bringing up that Walker seems to have a decent enough leg to make some of the longer field goals (45+). However, one cannot overlook the fact that those kicks you witnessed in practice were indoors without any external factors like wind or precipitation. Personally, I share your sentiment that we should have at least attempted the field goal against Navy, but we can't discount the environmental factors that can play a significant role in the kicking game - perhaps significant enough to warrant not attempting a kick.
-Brian C.
Brian,
There might have been other factors, but we maintain that in that situation, you still kick the ball. That will never change.
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And today's final comment comes from James F. Dougherty:
CALL FOR WHITE AND WEIS TO RESIGN IMMEDIATELY.
James,
We're not doing that. Not even close. We believe both should be back next season.
Thanks for reading, your questions and hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. Even though the season is over, the Mailbag will live on, so please continue sending in questions.
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette