Winning Ugly is more fun than Losing!

As the game was coming to a close yesterday, I had this feeling of impending doom. The defense could not stop MSU and the scenario was playing out in an eerily familiar way to the Michigan game. But we FINALLY got some pressure on the QB, he made a bad throw, and McCarthy (Mr. Everything) picks it off to seal the win. The finish was a relief more than a celebration because I felt we should have lost vs. the Michigan game where I felt we should have won. But that is the way the football bounces.

Now I hope this is a big turning point for the Irish. A close tough win that gets them to a new level as we go forward. I am very concerned about the loss of Floyd; I remember how painful his absence was at the end of last season and at the end of the Michigan game. I hope the other guys step up to fill the void. Armando Allen and Tate certainly did yesterday. Huge strategic mistake by MSU not to double Tate after Floyd left, he burned them big time. And as the Colonel pointed out last week, Allen has become a bull and runs with authority (and can run the Wildcat!).

On the Weis front, I almost feel a little bad for him because yesterday's game does not get him off the hotseat. In fact I feel the next 2 games shape up as must wins for his future as well. The only thing that would give him some breathing room is a victory over USC, which while possible is unlikely. He is the coach of the whole team and despite our offensive prowess, the defense is actually getting worse and the mental errors by the Irish are increasing not decreasing as they should be. Charlie probably should have kept his mouth shut about the Big10 ref bungles at Michigan because there may have been a little payback yesterday. I think they got most of the calls right but could not help feeling that anything in the gray zone was going against the Irish and that really hurts in a close game. I will give Charlie some credit for his strategy early in Q1 and Q3. In both cases he out coached MSU and kept them off balance. Interesting choice to defer until the second half. In his post game comments he demonstrated that he clearly had learned from previous losses to MSU. Overall I give Charlie a C+, he still has to do better.

Also on the grading front. Another A to Jimmy. He made a couple bad throws but I raise his grade for 3 reasons. He played hurt most of the game, won it by noticing and adjusting to a corner blitz on the last touchdown to Tate, and threw several of the best passes I have ever seen. I don't know if the TV broadcast could possibly have shown how pretty some of his long throws were; truly things of beauty. He also made good choices and stepped up in the pocket for some key runs. We have a quarterback! Oline and running game get a B. Stupid mental errors cost us again but we had several nice runs for key gains including my favorite 3rd/short drive extenders. Defense gets an F. Nothing seemed to work and our dbacks were watching plays in front of them all day. I kept begging for someone to make a play and we hardly got any. Quite a few missed tackles as well. One positive note back on offense: Rudolph reappears as a key threat.

Band Notes. The MSU band joined our band for a closing number from West Side Story. Unfortunately this meant that the Irish band did not close with the Victory March which was sorely needed at halftime. I am very proud to note that our daughter Angela was chosen to write the regular band article in the football program AND our son Tony was in the trombone photo on the game ticket! Quite a day in the Ginocchio household.

Now on to Purdue who in typical ND opponent fashion lost in an upset before facing us next week. Bummer. But hey USC pulled a typical letdown by losing to Washington so all is right with the world.

Go Irish! Beat Boilers!