RESPECT

That's really all this comes down to for Notre Dame.

I was standing just outside the tunnel as the Irish ran back inside following pre-game warmups. A USC fan shouted, "WORST ERA OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL EVER!"

Sadly, he is correct. No two-year stretch has ever been worse than these last two. Then figure in that the Irish have already had three coaches this decade (four, if you count George O'Leary) and that they have lost their last nine bowl games. Notre Dame is in the midst of its darkest period ever. And you wonder if these men in the gold helmets can reverse that trend this evening.

It seems so unlikely, but I'll go back to one of my favorite movie moments ever, from the final scene of Say Anything:

Ione Skye: "Nobody thinks this will work."
John Cusack: "You've just described every great success story."

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On the other hand...Ty Willingham's final game as Notre Dame coach was.....a loss at USC.

                             Lou Holtz's final game at Notre Dame head coach was....a loss at USC.

                             Dan Devine's final regular-season game as ND head coach: a loss at USC.

                             Ara Parseghian's final regular-season game as ND head coach: a loss at USC.

As Charlie Weis headed back into the tunnel following warm-ups, he was serenaded to the derisive chants of "Ten-year contract!"

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Trojans win the toss, defer until second half...