Rockne's Roundtable

I want Notre Dame football to be relevant again. I want another night like January 2nd, 1989. Remember that night? It was brilliant. Notre Dame had just won the whole enchilada. And in doing so, the Irish left the entire states of Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, hell - the entire northeast, the left coast, and then-ranked #1 Miami, #2 USC, and #3 WVU in its path of destruction. Happiness was happening.

But see - then we have now. Now is poo. Not total poo. There have been some signs of hope and goodness since the start of the 21st century. Then poo rears its ugly head and reminds you why you try so hard to remember to forget 1988/89. It just hurts, man. It's so long ago (that enchilada) that it almost can't even qualify for the Good Memories Hall of Fame. Instead, it's a reminder of specialness that you may not ever witness again. Ever.

So, I try to remember to forget. Focus on the now. Hope. Pray. The usual. I listen to coach after coach come in and do the usual coach speak. Coach speak should be outlawed. Like 99 cent menus. You know, you see a Wendy's commercial or McDonald's and they show some lucious burger or chicken sammich or some nuggets and - sweet Jesus - it's only 99 cents. They forget to tell you that there's tax. No fries. No drink. No napkin. And they just throw the nuggets at you when you pull up. That's coach speak.

This team has the potential to surprise. Hell, in the three years before the enchilada season, the Irish went 5-6, 5-6, and 8-4. It can happen. But then this recruit leaves, that coach leaves, this kid picks Houston, that QB is awful...and that one, too. And that one isn't much better. That guy is too slow, that secondary is just bad, that call was stupid, this tweet is immature, those admissions are too stringent, that poster knows a rumor, and the weather in South Bend makes people sad.

And so I fall back on the 11 national titles. All those Heisman people. The All-Americans. Et cetera. Et cetera. But, I don't want to do that any more. No mas. Except for we the people (ND fans), nobody cares. There isn't a single high school recruit today who was alive the last time Notre Dame won it all. I don't want to remember to forget. I want Notre Dame to remind me to remember. Just not in a nastalgic, pre-WWII type of way. I want a modern version of that memory in 1989.

I want it soon. Then, instead of reminding myself to forget, I can forget to remind myself of just how bad things were/are for so long. I don't expect it this year, but I need it. Soon.

So...hurry.