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Think the loss is on Brian Kelly. Goofy play calling in red zone after a whole season of red zone ineptitude. Non-reaction to FSU block schemes second half. Overall questionable game management. Frittered away a strong defensive first half. Floyd disappearing after getting popped second half didn't help, but Kelly has to step up and say "I blew it".

Speaks a lot to the 18-point streak by FSU. Champs Sports Bowl could have sold ND some more tickets, because they, like many others, watched the Seminole comeback.

I am not sure the defense did so great. They looked like the Dallas Cowboys Doomsday Defense in the first half, overpowering the freshmen dominated FSU offensive line. Second half, the pass rush disappeared. Did the FSU offensive line come out in barbed wire in the second half? Fisher outfoxed Kelly, as much as anything. Where was the pass rush on Manuel second half?

Brian Kelly should focus less at screaming at his quarterbacks on the sidelines and finding a pass rush that can handle freshmen offensive linemen, and corners who can cover somebody. Sadly for Notre Dame, a very typical 2011 collapse. Finish the deal for once Kelly. You had FSU pinned down late inside their own three, got a gift pernalty to ehance your last time with the ball, and gagged again. Red zone efficiency for ND this year was pretty sad and it cost them 2-3 wins, and BCS ranking.:taz:

On radio, sounded like Lewis County's defense took away things Russell is normally successful doing (ball control), and Russell turned the ball over four times.

Can't put the ball on the ground four times and expect to beat anybody. This game was headed toward 'classic' status. Taut, rivalry tinged competition. Close, with both teams compiling time consuming drives. Turnovers marred one team's night. Turnovers changed the complexion of the game.

If Notre Dame's 'pass defense' hadn't regressed to a junior high level of play in either of Michigan's last two times with the ball, most likely a different ending. Amused by Herbstreit's observation that Dennard Robinson intentionally threw a ball short into the end zone so the receiver could reach back and get it. Looked like a lollipop the ND DB never saw, and the receiver adjusted back to the ball. The praiseful rhetoric was oozing out of the television. The defense, as has been noted earlier, got worse for both teams the longer the game went on. 0-2 Notre Dame may struggle to reach .500 level this season, if they don't stop giving up the ball on turnovers, short circuiting their 500+ yards of offense per game productivity.

Reds were only slightly better than I predicted on this road trip: 2-5 (I had said 1-6). Where do you start? Where is the heart? Where is someone stepping up and saying 'Enough already!'? When is someone going to tell Fransisco Cordero to take a lonnngggg vacation? Cincinnati, with it's talent and blend of veterans and experience, is embarrassing itself. When will the Reds start unloading payroll? When does the front office face the reality that this team as is, is stepping all over itself? As the 'Hall of Famer' said on last night's broadcast (prior to the 10th inning), that 'this team (Reds) can't get out of it's own way'. To be out of contention in the lame NL Central Division, at midseason, you have to be Cubs-Astros bad. How close are the Reds to that, with the wonderful taste in your mouth you get to enjoy as a Reds fan over the All Star Break?

See a 1-6 pre-All Star Break road trip for the beleaguered Redlegs. Tuesday night shelling in St. Louis is a reality stick in the eye. They're just not very good now, nor have they been the first 87 games. Aren't they something like 3-23 in games in which they score three or less runs? Think they're still hung over from 2010 playoff blitz by the Phillies. They have not recovered. And Arroyo is going to be a stopper vs. Cards on Wednesday? Sheeeeesh!

Earlier, observation made that virtually all schools at one time or another enjoy whatever benefits come about from transfers. Truth is, all transfers are not based on paradigm shifts in team power. Every once in awhile, there are probably some legitimate reasons for transfers. The combination of players on the floor for the 16th Region Championship game put on quite a show, by all accounts (in person; broadcast; written; etc.). Congrats to the winners and hope they represent the 16th with class and pride in the Sweet Sixteen!

Postgame media keeps hammering away about 'the transfer' to Rowan County and that 'they don't win it without him'. Doubt seriously if the runner up team in the 16th Region makes it to to the Finals without the same kind of good fortune that can befall teams who end up having exceptional seasons.

As legendary as Dick Enberg is as a sports announcer, and like many others here, I have watched and listened to him for a long time (yep, remember 'Sports Challenge' back in the day), doesn't CBS Sports have newer, established talent to play these roles? Is only Jim Nantz available for big game broadcasts? Aren't there any thirty or forty somethings who are primed to create their own notoriety? Same goes for Al Michaels and Brent Musberger... greats in their time, still pretty good, but creeping toward 'long in the tooth' status.

1975 wasn't too shabby. Youngsters Jack Givens; Mike Phillips; and Rick Robey. Bruiser Bob Guyette. Role player Mike Flynn. Veteran playmaker Jimmy Dan Conner. Sharpshooter Kevin Grevey and defensive ace Larry Johnson. Beat nearly unbeatable Indiana in the Mideast Regional Final. Lost to UCLA in Finals when John Wooden announced his retirement prior to the game.

Did Huggins outfox Calipari with the 1-3-1 zone?

Hoped things would turn out different for Patrick Patterson. After two kind of lost seasons, getting this far was tantalizing for Patterson's career as a Wildcat. Thanks, 5-4.

Just sayin'. Look at some of the avatars of posters. A reference was made to the success of the SEC in the Big Dance. Kentucky, Tennessee, any of those cats could be an example of having a player in that situation. Gotta' go, 'Cats need some help vs. Dubya Vee Yew.:popcorn:

No, no. But if it had been a Kentucky player putting up that kind of shot under similar circumstances, this thread would have had a whole different spin to it. Can you imagine Prince of Tennessee making that same defensive play, on say, John Wall or Eric Bledsoe, at game's end? Just questioning if the reaction of 'good no call' would have gone down the same here.:deadhorse:

Would it have been a 'good no call' if it had been UK putting up the shot? Might be a scenario to ponder in the Finals....:idunno:

Before anybody else gets their BVD's in a wad, it's just Doug Gottlieb, another ESPN talking head. His opinion and fifty cents won't get you anywhere. His comments are the same that folks will be making in a hundred barber shops tomorrow. They don't count.

Russell's defense bent numerous times, but really bowed its' collective neck in its' own territory several times in the second half. West Carter took their shots, between deep throws and quick fullback dives, to keep the Red Devils off balance and literally, on the defensive. Nice gritty win for Russell. West Carter's defense added to Russell's struggle to find consistency, particulary in the second half. Defense, field position and clutch plays late by Russell saved the day.

Don't discount the factor of Putnam Stadium being a bit bewildering to Waverly. Playing at home can certainly be a plus for Ashland after last week's big game. If intimidation can actually be counted on as a home field factor/advantage, the first time visitors from Ohio could get caught up in that a bit, in a venue such as Putnam Stadium.

Eh, according to irontonfootball.com, Ironton is 19-0 all time vs. Waverly, so it would seem there is at least one 'How will Ashland do vs. first-time opponent Waverly?' comparison nugget out the window!

When Belfry has played Ironton in the past, that was looked upon as a gague of how good a team Belfry would have. I think Belfry played Ironton in years Belfry won the state title (Ironton won just about every game, I think). Although tempting to look back in history (Ashland defeating Ironton in 1990 on its' {Ashland's} way to the state title that year, and undoubtedly beating Ironton, at home, for the first time in twenty-two years, the Tomcat Kool-Aid that's tasting pretty sweet this weekend won't really be based on history, but rather, on the shoulders of a very talented, very good 2009 Ashland football team. Watch out, Waverly. Highlands will have to wait their turn, a lot of football from now.:popcorn:

Oh, That USC.

At this point, Charlie Weiss would seem in hotter water than Jim Tressel, but both did not handle 'big game' coaching very well Saturday. 'Gambler' Charlie and his downfield mentality in the closing minutes vs. Tressel's love affair with three points vs. touchdowns continues to generate games that should be put away by his Buckeyes instead of 'Tressel Ball'. Big paychecks and one national championship between them must be enough to keep them in position to make questionable decisions.:idunno: