Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/87622
UNDER THE DOME A 'BALANCING' ACT phy's Law — "if anything can go wrong it will go wrong" — seemed to kick in throughout Notre Dame's 2011 season? What team in the same Remember how Mur- year has fumbles from its opponent's 5-yard line returned for touchdowns not once but twice in the same season in two differ- ent losses? How can you blow a 31-28 lead with 30 seconds left and the op- ponent back at its 20-yard line? Trailing 7-0 at Stan- thrown behind him in the flat — and then the Irish missed a 20-yard field goal. Then in the bowl game, Notre Dame squandered a 14-0 sec- ond-half lead to lose. Rather than whine about not getting the breaks, Irish head coach Brian Kelly provided one succinct explanation for what appeared to be a hex on his team: "You get what you deserve." Likewise, when Miami ford and at the Cardinal 4-yard line, a wide-open Theo Riddick had a pass Notre Dame Oct. 6, Kelly didn't necessarily at- tribute it to this being a magical year for his Notre Dame team. "Maybe they didn't receiver Phillip Dorsett dropped potential 78- and 39-yard touchdown passes during the game's first possession versus Getting To Know … like a vegetarian, vegan place. It's all real natural, whole food. It's real good." Dream Vacation: "Surfing in Hawaii." Song Or Artist You're Listening To Most Right Now: Nickname: "Hercules." Major: "Entrepreneurial management." Dorm: "Stanford Hall." Favorite Off-Campus Spot: "Uptown Kitchen. It's "Chiddy Bang's 'Mind Your Manners.' That's a great one. Or Autzen Die's 'Disco Pogo.'" Role Model: "Arnold Schwarzenegger." Favorite Pro Athlete: "[NFL free agent tight end] SOPHOMORE TIGHT END TROY NIKLAS ist: "You know those companies that sell private planes? It's really cool what they do. I'd be a salesman for this plane company, it could be Blue Star. But they go to all these kings' palaces because they all want their own private plane. You go sell them the plane, get to meet them and check out the palaces and fly around the world." You Have One Last Meal, What Is It? "Pizza with junior linebacker] Prince Shembo. That's a physical dude." Dream Job If Football Didn't Ex- Jeremy Shockey. He's physical and enthusiastic about what he does. He's a real nice guy." Best Player You've Gone Up Against: "I'd say [Irish bacon, ham, pepporoni and sausage — four meats. Probably Papa John's, regular crust, and probably Cinnabon. People are going to think I'm a fatty. I'd probably drink a Coke." get enough sleep, didn't eat well, the plane ride was unbearable, I don't know," he said of Mi- ami's early snafus. "We don't look at it as we're getting great breaks; we are looking at it as we're forcing teams to execute and once in a while those things kind of — as you look at them in totality — balance out." All things being equal, sometimes the law of av- erages can catch up. — Lou Somogyi