Tom Zbikowski article...Is he on to something?

[Johnnie82]

Current Notre Dame team loaded with talent, but is it nasty enough?
I am a Chicago firefighter now, but I still watch games like someone who wants to be a college coach. And when I watch Notre Dame games, I also see them through the eyes of a former player.

That’s even more the case with this Fiesta Bowl between Notre Dame and Ohio State, because of my experiences of playing in the Fiesta Bowl 10 years ago between the same two teams.

It’s a challenge to watch the games the way that I want to for a couple of reasons.

A lot of times I’m at the firehouse, and I’m with 10 other people. So it’s not like you can pause and rewind and really, really watch them, but throughout the season you get the general gist of what this Notre Dame team is about.

The other thing that makes it hard is I want to help out and help coach them, and I can’t. I’m one of those people who wants to save the world, and you can’t. So I just stick to dealing with saving who I can in the job that I’m in now.

As I watch this Notre Dame team, I really like watching them play. I think they have more talent than our 2005 team. They’re more athletic, but they’re not as gritty and borderline dirty like we were on defense...

Link to the reset of the article.

http://www.ndinsider.com/football/c...cle_8d983ef8-b001-11e5-a114-43451aeb2b1f.html

 

[napy2121]

They had one year where they were somewhat tough and gritty but outside of that Weiss had some of the softest teams of the last 20 years. Our d wasn't great but they were tough enough I believe. He's grasping for straws iyam.

 

[irish4life888]

No offense to Tommy, but his defenses sucked. Even though we went to the Fiesta in 2005 that defense gave up about an average of 30 pts per game. Reggie had a field day in 2005 on us running for 160 yards at 10 yards a carry.

 

[stu4don]

2005/6 OSU and LSU, back to back bowl games, our d sucked, case closed.. Our problem is scheme. We need a new DC who can recruit!

 

[FightingIrish44]

His opinion is on to absolutely nothing. How about them fighting back vs Clemson and OSU? Seems pretty nasty to me...

He doesn't even go back and review the games even though he wants to coach? His opinion is no different than many people here. If he went back and reviewed games, he would see all the blown assignments and bad fundamentals. Doesn't take any nastiness to not get suckered in on a double pass or remember your coverage assignment.

Nastiness had nothing to do with BC running an 80 yard TD play on a zone read. It had nothing to do with Temple or Pitt gashing ND on the zone read.

The more I think about it, the more I'm offended by him comments and think he should keep them to himself. Try actually breaking the game down since you're more educated than the typical imbecile who is critical of the team.

 

[BGI User 1596]

His D was nothing to write home about - they got blown out over and over and lost to bad teams.

 

[Johnnie82]

That's not the point. It is not whether the past Defenses were good. The question is do any of you think that part of the issue is we don't have guys with that nasty/killer instinct, and that this is why the current defense is not good. Zibby said in the article that the current D is more athletic but that they were nastier.

 

[ivan brunetti]

Whatever, good to see that Zibby used his ND degree to land a job.

 

[IrishMike409]

Stupid comments by Zibby. In my opinion, he has next to zero credibility. Should probably worry about his own issues before wanting our D to be "borderline dirty".

 

[deadirishpoet]

Stupid comments by Zibby. In my opinion, he has next to zero credibility. Should probably worry about his own issues before wanting our D to be "borderline dirty".

Alot of those players ended up in the NFL Z had a very nice career at ND. One hell of a PR too. His opinon is valued

 

[Granite45]

Zibby said in the article that the current D is more athletic but that they were nastier.

Yet, if so, the nastiness achieved no better results. No reason to think it would help. Also coupled to the fact that he is just watching the game with no greater insight into the players' motivations. Just because he played 15 years ago does not give him greater credibility about the current team.

 

[IrishMike409]

Glad that Zibby feels the need the grandstand and criticize the program that helped put millions in his pocket.

Quite sure that Zibby has plenty of his own personal issues that should be his primary concern.

 

[deadirishpoet]

Glad that Zibby feels the need the grandstand and criticize the program that helped put millions in his pocket.

Quite sure that Zibby has plenty of his own personal issues that he should his primary concern.

I believe Z helped put more money in Notre Dame's pocket then vice versa.

 

[IrishMike409]

I believe Z helped put more money in Notre Dame's pocket then vice versa.

I disagree.

 

[justacollegefan]

I agree with Zibby and it has been like this for years. I believe Allen Pinkette said something similar a couple years back and got in trouble. I remember back in the Holtz days players not taking crap, Tim Brown comes to mind immediately, and an overall mentality of 'we aren't backing down' from anyone.

Since those days it seems like the administration has decided to change more about the way ND is looked at then any of the coaches. They want our program to look vanilla and really they could careless as long as that money continues to flow so the stadium can get larger and people buy more stuff from the bookstore lol

 

[greengael]

This is at least partially a case of "The older I get the better I was/we were"!

 

[IrishMike409]

This is at least partially a case of "The older I get the better I was/we were"!

Agree. That's exactly what it is.

 

[deadirishpoet]

Agree. That's exactly what it is.

If you are taking about the way the "older" fanbase views ND now as compared to the "glory years" we witnessed..,.....,all i can ssy is Score Board - Trophy Case!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Granite45]

If you are taking about the way the "older" fanbase views ND now as compared to the "glory years" we witnessed..,.....,all i can ssy is Score Board - Trophy Case!!!!!!!!!!

And poll voter bias!

 

[Granite45]

I believe Z helped put more money in Notre Dame's pocket then vice versa.

Any student that paid full tuition likely put more into Notre Dame than could be directly linked to Zbikowski.

 

[deadirishpoet]

And poll voter bias!

Sure

Now you are sounding like the Media in 1991.
BTW where was that bias in 89', or 93'?

 

[deadirishpoet]

Any student that paid full tuition likely put more into Notre Dame than could be directly linked to Zbikowski.

No offense to those cats who paid their way, but Zibby was a force at ND and when they were on TV the eyes were on him without a doubt he was it exciting player that brought a lot to the defense, and Special teams.

Zibby earn his keep and some!