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11/05/2006 11:26pm by Jim McAteer - Sports Reporter
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Notre Dame
I say it without really thinking too much about the numbers - Brady Quinn on the day Saturday goes 23-for-35, 346 yards, 4 td's and no ints. Quinn hasn't thrown a pick in 204 passing attempts - closing in on an NCAA record.
These are great numbers - but we're used to it - after seeing Quinn do this for four years - we are no longer impressed as much as we used to be. It reminds me of Michael Jordan back in the 90's - Michael lost a couple MVP's for this very same reason - people began to expect greatness - and the novelty seemed to wear off a little. Michael averages 32 pts - hits a couple game-winning shots - no big deal - he's Michael Jordan - what else would he do?
I keep hearing that Quinn needs to light up USC and OSU quarterback Troy Smith has to struggle against Michigan on the final Saturday for Quinn to win the Heisman Trophy. But I continue to hear from Charlie Weis that his quarterback is the guy all the NFL guys are talking about as the first pick in the NFL draft.
If the NFL says they're taking Quinn over Smith - that's good enough for me - I hope it's good enough for the Heisman voters.
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Comments
Larry
at 11/06/2006 08:42am
I can not believe you just compare Michael Jordan to Quinn. You must be smoking something. Wake up! For you to even think that. Is an insult to all Michael Jordan fans. Quinn is good but it was North Carolina people. What was his numbers against Michigan. How about his numbers against Ohio State in the bowl game last year. Oh I forgot Notre Dame fans want to forget about those games. The only reason he is even being consider a first round pick is because of Weis. It not what you know it who you know. Don't believe the hype.
george
at 11/06/2006 10:04am
I agree 100% with Larry. It is articles like that that make people hate ND. Larry was dead on. Quinn's numbers are excellent against the UNC's, Navy's, Purdue's of the world but what about GT, Michigan, UCLA. Against the teams with good defenses he is POOR to AVERAGE. That is why Smith is ahead of Quinn for the Heisman. Smith has been consistent game to game while Quinn has been pretty much hit or miss. Here is a better comparison: Quinn reminds me of Peyton Manning, great regular season stats but in the BIG games they are nothing special. Quinn to Jordan was absolutely the DUMBEST comparison I have ever read. No sportscaster outside of South Bend would have ever said that.
NDFan1965
at 11/06/2006 11:06am
First of all, if it were not for all the hate you have for ND you would have realized the parady of the content - comparing the fact that HIS opinion that Quinn is the better QB than Troy but Troy is on the winning team therefore in the top seat for the Heisman - simply MJ got nitched on a few MVP for the same reason Quinn might be for the Heisman.
Oh by the way Troy looked good against N. Illinois, Cincinnati, Indiana, Minnesota, Bowling Green, and almost lost to Illinois who has only won 2 games all year! Northwestern next than MI. I will give Texas at home a decent win and Iowa, well they were really not as good as everyone thought! So back to the Heisman - Quinn is a better QB and has the stats to prove it. Yes we play some not so good teams as well, but we have played more competitive teams per BCS rankings than OH State and we only lost to MI who is ranked #2 and....yes we almost lost to MI State and UCLA, but the great and mighty Quinn along with the best WR's in the NCAA showed what true good teams can do -win in less than 2 minutes! Grow up and stop being such haters - we all want to win and we all like our teams but being a juvenile on an adult board (what were you smoking - okay dude...)is unacceptable. Go to your corner and sit in the bad chair until you can play nice in the sandbox!
Weis guy
at 11/06/2006 11:19am
Yes, Quinn put up big nubmers against bad teams, that is to be expected. ND would not have beaten GT, MSU, or UCLA without Quinn. Troy Smith has a better supporting cast around him, a great Defense, O-line, and running game. Troy Smith can have a poor game and not lose. If Quinn plays poorly, chances are ND loses. Quinn had one bad game,
Mich, Smith had 2, PSU and ILL. Right now Smith has the award, but if Quinn beats USC,
and Smith loses to Mich, no way should Smith get the trophy, it belongs to Quinn.
Regardless of who wins it, in
3 years Quinn will be half way through his 60 million contract, and Smith will be playing reciever for someone.
Larry
at 11/06/2006 12:21pm
NDfan1965. I can understand why you are so upset. Because it the truth. All you ND fans think everyone against you. Once again the schedule is showing it real colors. In the BCS standing you are still at number 9 while Cal has jump over you in that catagory. Why,BECAUSE OF THE SUB PAR SCHEDULE YOU HAVE! Question for "What will your excuse be if West Virgina jumps over you? Are you going cry foul and say we are all haters. Or, realize the fact that ND is not as strong as you think?
NDFan1965
at 11/06/2006 12:58pm
Larry, Larry, Larry....What NCAA games have you been watching? The BSC is not real - it includes the AP and the Harris, which have voted against ND since the MI loss! If the true BCS alone came out today using stats, strength of schedule and margins ND would be ranked 4th! Look it up kiddo - no crying wolf here. Everyone has a sub par schedule playing 2 to 3 ranked teams - USC barely winning games, Vandy put up a good game against FL, OH State almost lost to Illinois and MI to Ball State. In my opinion Texas and Louisville should replace OH State and MI. Auburn then ND. If it weren't for the haters voting, again, the TRUE BCS has ND ranked 4th! Please do your homework next time for the test:-)
Weis guy
at 11/06/2006 01:44pm
Larry, you are partly correct.
There are a couple of reasons ND has been jumped in the BCS.
ND is ranked 6 in computer polls, but lower in human polls. Some of it is anti ND
bias, some of it is because ND
hasn't beaten anyone good. As
far as their schedule, they have an uneven schedule because big conference teams
don't want to play ND in October or November because they are in the middle of their conference schedule. It
is a fact that ND has tried to get Big 10 teams to move
their games against ND to later in the year, Big 10 teams refused. That would give ND a more ballanced schedule, and better BCS numbers. In the near future ND will either get some teams to move, or eliminate a big 10
team all together, and add
another team in the middle of the schedule.
Larry
at 11/07/2006 01:43pm
NDFan1965 if the BCS(not BSC)was not real then, why are they using it? Again with the excuses. Weis guy will you help him . It all comes down to the fact that Notre Dame needs to be in a conference to get those needed points to be contenders. As for a true BCS . Please explain that one. Since you think everyone is against your team. Please don't get me started about how the NCAA has look the other way when it comes to Notre Dame.
jay
at 11/07/2006 02:15pm
The Big 10 is weak!!!!
OSU barely beat Illinois...who in the heck is Illinois when it comes to football, and Ball State...if they would have thrown a flag on the pass interference call that wasn't called against Michigan, Ball State at the most would have tied them with the momentum going their way....and let me add this.....it was at the Big House.....if Michigan was so good like they say they are, they should have blown them out by at least 30+ points. Wake up haters!!!!
jay
at 11/07/2006 02:34pm
Again I don't know what I am talking about. Especially since ND blew the heck out of a UNC team thats only win was against Div 1-AA Furman. Yup, I am a genius when it comes to college football. Just call me a big hypocrite.
jay
at 11/07/2006 02:44pm
Also since I am talking about "what ifs" and "woulda, coulda, shoulda's"; Does anyone realize if Brady Quinn wouldn't have played so horribly against Michigan and we had some sort of defense that ND would be undefeated and Quinn might still have a chance at the Heisman. I mean just look at the possibilities. Like I just wonder how much I would know about football if I watched just more than ND games. Although I thought ND was the only college football team in the country. Boy I have a lot to learn
NDFan1965
at 11/08/2006 02:01pm
Larry, 1st of all I was only commenting about why were were jumped 3 times now. The "real" BCS is the computer rankings ALONE. Now we are ranked 6th. Plus the fact that how can ND be ranked 8 in 2 polls and Cal 9 in the same 2 polls and still they are above us. We are not the only ones in this off the mark rankings either. SOS in the top 15 is horrible - have always wanted a pool / mix of all top 50 teams. I agree with the schedule etc. we are not getting the rankings like we should, however, most of the top 15 have had their sub-par schedules in the beginning of the season and really shot up there. (i.e. OH State vs. Bowling Green). Sure I agree that ND has had some breaks in the past, but so has USC, Texas, Miami, Gators and especially Florida State among most others in the top 25. Every year teams battle and every year several get the screw. I am simply stating that this should stop! Things are more and more blatant.
By the way: I only watch football on Saturdays, Sundays......(pause) Mondays and oh yes, sometimes on Thursdays! I LOVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL.
