What A Long, Strange Game It Was...

NOTE: I typed this Saturday night in the hotel while watching SportsCenter, which didn't show our game highlights.

Replay took away a TD (looked like a catch to me).

Replay took away a fumble recovery (couldn't tell).

A penalty took away a hook and latteral TD (someone please explain why we got to run another play after that before halftime, please).

It's fun to go to games, but I needed the TV broadcast to figure this one out. And dummy me forgot to tape the game while we were away, so I won't get to review it.

Well, I hope you got to hear some good "Springsteen" on TV during our last stand at the end. We had a small but stout alumni band in the front of the upper deck in the ND section. The new stadium is really nice and our seats were much better than two years ago.

Amy Guarino, some '91 guy named Vince (not a marching band guy but a drummer) and I cadenced our way to victory this afternoon.

I played the pep rally in San Fran Friday night, we played at the alumni association tailgater and then we marched to the stadium--a lot of fun was had by all. It's always fun to watch the cheerleaders and the leprechaun realize the geezer drummers actually know the cheers.

(Pep rally highlight: my daughters Natalie and Katie getting their picture taken with current ND cheerleaders Natalie and Katie!)

Oh yeah, there was a game, too.

We definitely thought the replay official was wearing Cardinal underwear today. When Stanford missed that one FG close in the 4th, we figured they'd review it, decide it was good, AND that it was worth 6 points instead of three!

I don't know if we deserved to win with 4 first half turnovers (2 in the red zone no less), but the defense hung in and kept us right there.

Clausen still hasn't learned to throw the ball away, has he? He either runs out of bounds for a 6-8 yard los or throws it into the hands of a D-lineman as he goes down.

We may have a stud running back in Robert Hughes. Great to see someone hit the line and then make people miss. Some beautiful runs today. And some beautifully ugly runs that still gained 4 and 6 and 8 yards. Something to build on, for sure.

And NO FALSE STARTS! Yay!!!

When the officials decided to review the 3rd down incompletion in the end zone on Stanford's last drive, the band was prepared for the worst. But wonder of wonders, the replay official did not reverse the call.

For fourth down, no cadence would have worked; the 25,000 Irish fans were already in a frenzy in the ND end zone. So we just banged and crashed with the crowd, then held our collective breath. Another INC and the victory was ours. We're now 2-1 in the PAC-10, which gives us an outside shot at the Rose Bowl if UCLA beats USC, I think. Keep your fingers crossed.

Anyone else besides Amy and me 2-0 in attending games this season? I thought not. Start collecting airfare for us for next year. We're available on alternating Saturdays.

There will be time for season post mortems later. I'll leave you with this sunshine thought: this is the first Irish team to win its last two games since 1992. For tonite, 'nuff said.

GO IRISH!!! BEAT AZTECS!!!

The Colonel