Clearing up the misconception that I hate Notre Dame

	Jeff Samardzija and the Irish have had a few close calls during their eight-game winning streak, including a last-second win over UCLA. Matt Cashore/US PRESSWIRE
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If you've read the Mailbag on a consistent basis over the past four years, you know I've been accused at various times of "hating" just about every major program in the country (and some Sun Belt ones, too). There was a time when I would actually try to explain the concept that sportswriters don't have the same kind of emotional attachment toward certain teams as fans do and therefore have no logical reason to "love" or "hate" anyone, but I long ago learned it's a futile effort. College football fans are inherently paranoid toward the media, and to be honest, I can't blame them. Theirs is the one sport where the media actually has a say in the final outcome.

But in the case of the latest team whose fans think I have it out for them, I feel the need to clear up a few things. Which team is that? Take a wild guess.

You had Notre Dame ranked lower in the AP poll last week than any other voter. You taunt ND fans in your latest power rankings saying "if the Irish beat USC, they're going to move even higher. Of course, all of this is completely moot, seeing as the Trojans are going to win that game by at least 17." Being a Northwestern grad, you obviously hate ND. But why do you have to be so transparent about it? Didn't they teach you a modicum about ethics?
--Mike, Raleigh, N.C.

Vomiting into the trash can at the thought of Notre Dame in the BCS title game? Nice touch Mandel. Notre Dame's defense is poor this year, yet they very well could beat USC and make it to the title game. Being an ND fan I know it is a long shot to get there and even to win it, but if they do I would also love to see you and the rest of your ilk who hate Notre Dame crying about Boise State. Anti-ND bias in the media? You guys are in a class of your own. Classless.
--Mike Post, Brookfield, Wis.

My oh my --- so many misconceptions. Where to begin? First of all, I may have had Notre Dame ranked lower than most last week (10th, compared to sixth in the general poll), but give me some credit -- I moved them up three spots from the week before. Secondly, I'm not aware of any bitter rivalry between Northwestern and Notre Dame. The two teams last played each other in 1995. I'll let you look up the score. And finally, I did not vomit into a trash can at the thought of ND playing in the title game -- I vomited at the thought of the Irish and Michigan playing a rematch. I was at the first one [a 47-21 Wolverines win], and there's no sane reason to subject either the fans or the participants to another rendition of it.

All of this just goes to show what a short memory people have. If I really hated Notre Dame, why would have I voted them No. 2 in my preseason AP ballot? (Oops.) Why would I have devoted an entire column in August explaining why, amidst a sea of skepticism, the Irish truly were a legitimate national-title contender. (I guess those weren't myths after all.) And why would I have voluntarily spent a highly enjoyable Saturday night watching football with members of the Notre Dame band?

The fact is, there are plenty of true Notre Dame "haters" out there who were dismissive of the Irish before the season even started and will continue to be dismissive until the day they die. I assure you, I am not one of those people.

It's just that I don't think the Irish have a fighting chance in hell against USC.

Any doubts I might have had about this sentiment (which I first expressed in print on Sept. 23) were quelled last Sunday at a Starbuck's in Dublin, Ohio, the posh Columbus suburb that produced one Brady Quinn. Seated at the table next to me were two young ladies making Christmas decorations for their upcoming student-council event. Upon overhearing my phone conversation about this Saturday's game, one of then informed me that she was the daughter of a diehard Notre Dame alum and had attended the previous week's game against Air Force.

And then she said to me (and I swear I'm not making this up): "Just so you know -- Notre Dame is the luckiest team in America this year." How could I argue with that?

She then went on to explain how Notre Dame's offense doesn't have the same kind of run-pass balance it had last year when Charlie Weis was able to play ball-control and keep USC's offense off the field. She noted that the Irish's offensive line has been overmatched against nearly every semi-respectable defensive front it's faced this season, most notably UCLA's, which means Quinn will probably be under heavy pressure on Saturday. And she said she figured she didn't need to remind me how badly ND's cornerbacks have fared against elite receivers the past several years, which can't bode well facing Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith.

Actually, after the "luckiest team" utterance, she went back to talking to her friend about boys -- but I'm sure as a close ND follower she's aware of all those things. Add in the fact that it's at the Coliseum, where SC hasn't lost in five years, and that Pete Carroll and his staff have been steaming privately for more than a year at the notion that Weis "outcoached" them in last year's game and can't wait for another crack at him, and you get my 17-point spread.

All of these, I think you'll agree, are perfectly reasonable points that have nothing to do with some falsely perceived grudge against Notre Dame. Quite the contrary, I love covering Notre Dame games because of the atmosphere and history there. I love Rudy. I love the Irish's fight song. I love that Weis goes over every last player on the opposing roster in his weekly scouting report/press conference. And how can you not love watching Quinn and Jeff Samardzija?

I just don't love the idea of two teams going to the Rose Bowl to recreate a game in which one beat the other 47-21. In fact, don't even bring up this possibility to me again. My trash can hasn't fully recovered from last week.