The Sports Corner

2008 Hawaii Bowl Preview

Hawaii 7-6 (5-3) vs. Notre Dame 6-6

Wednesday, December 24, 5 p.m. PST.

Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii. 

WAC #2 (tie) vs. Independent

Coaches: Greg McMackin (7-6) vs. Charlie Weis (28-21)

Quarterbacks: Greg Alexander vs. Jimmy Clausen

The line: Hawaii -1.5

Payout: $750,000

Charlie Weis is a fat ****. I think that about sums up my distaste for the Notre Dame football program at this current juncture. He’s an arrogant prick, nobody likes him and the AD should’ve fired his ass on the spot after the Syracuse loss. Now I think the AD needs to get his head out of his ass, and buy his way out of Weis’ contract. If Auburn can pay off Tommy Tuberville to go away, Notre Dame sure as hell can pay off Weis to go away, even if the buy-out is ridiculous. Oh right, the Hawaii Bowl, forgot about that…

With all the talent they’ve recruited to South Bend in the past few years, you would figure they would have enough skill to be favoured against Hawaii, even on the road. Nope, Vegas has Hawaii favoured by a point and a half. Maybe that’s to encourage people to Bet on the Notre Dame side of the ledger, since there is probably more money being moved by Notre Dame fans than any other school out there. Then again, they did lose to Syracuse a month ago. 

If you follow Notre Dame you know all about Jimmy Clausen, Michael Floyd, Golden Tate, Armando Allen, James Aldridge and Robert Hughes. How that core of skill-position players managed to take Notre Dame to a 6-6 record, I’ll never understand. Somehow this team couldn’t beat one of Michigan State, North Carolina, Pitt or Boston College. Granted, each is a quality opponent and three of those games were on the road. But for the love of Touchdown Jesus, win a tough game, you’re Notre f*cking Dame. 

Hawaii isn’t exactly Michigan State. They’re going to test Notre Dame in a way they haven’t been this season. We’re really going to find out just how good Free Safety David Bruton is against the run and shoot offense Hawaii plays with. Notre Dame has seen forms of the spread. First against a terrible San Diego State team, then against an out of sorts Michigan team, a few weeks later against a free-falling Purdue team and finally at mid-season against the Jake Locker-less (and win-less, 0-12 baby! Go Dawgs!) Washington Huskies. 

The run and shoot isn’t anything like those offenses. For one, it’s actually run efficiently by the Warriors. They’ve got players who know the system, coaches who have dedicated their careers to refining it, and they’ve actually proven they know how to use it. 

Once they got new quarterback Greg Alexander more reps, the team took off. They started 3-4 but went 4-2 after that, including a heart-breaking loss to BCS-bound Big East champs Cincinnati. Alexander isn’t throwing to intramural receivers either, there are some future stars playing receiver in sophomore Greg Salas and junior Malcolm Lane. Like most Hawaii teams of late, they aren’t the most prolific running team but they can use it as an effective change of pace. Daniel Libre and Kealoha Pilares will get the call when they want to run. 

Defensively the Warriors will have to play the game of their lives. But they have the personnel in linebackers Adam Leonard and Solomon Elimimian, as well as safety Ryan Mouton, to keep Notre Dame from running away with the game. 

In the end I think Notre Dame, despite an overweight, over-assertive, pompous ass of a coach, wins 28-24.