My day at Notre Dame football practice

Today I attended a 2.5 hour practice session at the University of Notre Dame du Lac's LaBar practice fields. The practice facility is quite impressive -- two field turf fields, one grass field, and several permanently erect video towers. Quick, somebody call your doctor for a priapism!

They had us sitting on metal bleachers facing east, right into the damned sun. It was hot and rather uncomfortable, even for a relatively cool August morning. Practice began slowly. I was disappointed that the team didn't charge out onto the field in unison. Rather, the players arrived walking slowly by foot, in no particular hurry, with no particular purpose, and in no particular order.

It took me quite some time to locate our fearless leader. It turns out that Coach Weis spent the first thirty or so minutes of practice reclining in a leather office chair in the shade of one of the giant erect video towers. After a while, he hobbled up, twirling his whistle about his fat fingers, walking slowly out to midfield, where he began shouting insanities such as "Nowhere else I'd rather be!" to no one in particular. After a short while he blew a whistle and the practice appeared to *really* begin. The players stretched in unison and then broke off for drills.

I watched from close distance a receiving drill in which the wideouts ran short routes and were expect to catch (with their hands . . . "catch the *&!$-ing ball with your *&!$-ing hands, Tate!"). I was duly impressed at the agility and general athleticism of Michael Floyd, otherwise known as the biggest badass in football. Golden Tate looked good as well, and I must admit that I might have sported a woodrow or three whilst watching Shaq Evans.

Then attention switched to a drill similar to that in Rudy, where a lineman goes one on one with a defensive lineman as a running back runs within a defined line. All I can say is that it's a good thing that Kyle Rudolph can catch the ball and run routes . . .

The team scrimmaged for a time. Those things are hard to read. Is it good offense, or bad defense? I thought both first teams looked quite good, and in particular felt that our offensive line and running game have made important strides. Jimmy Clausen is clearly the best passer on the team, and, as duly noted above, our receiving corps would match up well with most professional Canadian teams.

After the scrimmage it was time for special teams. I just can't for the life of me understand why in name of all that is sacred we can't find a lad who can kick the ball into the endzone. It's going to be another year of holding one's breath on kickoffs.

The day ended with lunch (compliments of the football coaching staff) in the Monogram Room located in the venerable Joyce Center. They served us boxed, premade crap from Honeymade Ham. I was expecting a blackened filet.

Charlie took the podium and tried to sound funny. He wasn't, really. He spoke highly of himself and his own past achievements (of which there, admittedly, many), and threw in the obligatory kiss-up to the faculty in attendance about how academics are *really* number one around here. He ended that with a picture session, available only to children. My friend Mike had both of his kids get pictures with Charlie. In fact, I was the one who took them.

All in all, a fun and interesting day. Perhaps the most indelible image in my mind is just how much standing around there is at a football practice. On most plays, most of the guys on the team are standing around with their hands on their hips.

Tomorrow I'm having lunch in the press box of the stadium. I'll be sure to report back with thoughts and images from that as well, as I know you are all waiting on pins and needles. Although our teams has manifold manifest deficiencies, starting with the coaching staff and continuing down into kicking game, I do indeed suspect a strong season. Right now, I'm predicting 13-0, with blowout wins over every team save USC, whom we'll beat at the last second. The 13th win will occur in the BCS national championship game against Alabama. Florida State will be playing in the Meineke Car Care Bowl the day after Christmas.