(Too) High Expectations at Notre Dame, Yankees/Red Sox clash

One year ago, everybody was wondering if Charlie Weis could recapture a semblance of the magic that used to be Notre Dame football. After all, the last time the Irish won a National Championship, previously considered an Irish birthright every 3-4 years, Steve Spurrier was the head coach at Duke. 12 months and one overachieving season later, the entire country is predicting that the Irish will contend, if not win, this year’s National Championship. Think back to three years ago now. Coming off a season in which rookie coach Ty Willingham won his first 8 games and took Notre Dame to a New Year’s Day bowl, people were predicting similar greatness. Two years later, Willingham was fired, and he never even lied on his resume.

I am not suggesting that Weis is Willingham. I am not suggesting that Weis is not building a perennial strong program (in fact, I think he is). I am merely suggesting that when expectations get ahead of reality, then disappointment is evident which in turn becomes unnecessary pressure on the coaches and players.

Before September is out, the Irish play Michigan, Penn State, Purdue, and at Georgia Tech and Michigan State. While they are immensely talented offensively, they still have holes on defense and lack great depth, so it is hard to imagine them coming through that opening stretch unblemished. It is a long shot that they will win the National Championship this year, and it is unfortunate if Notre Dame fans end up disappointed by this. Charlie Weis is building something special. He will compete for and probably win a title in the next five years. But it is too much too soon to expect it now.

While college football is almost here, baseball is here now and we are in the thick of some great races. This weekend all eyes should be on Fenway as the Yankees and Sawx battle five times in four days to set the script for either a great September race (if Boston wins the series) to one that could be over before it starts. My prediction is that the Yankees take the series, and pull away from Boston ton win the division by 5-6 games. They just have too much offense overall, which Big Papi and Manny cannot match by themselves. But that is why they play the games…..it will great to watch the American league battles as 6-7 teams fight for four spots, all to see who can comepete for the right to face the mighty Philberts in October. Well, maybe not. But you never know....