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The start of a new football season is always the best feeling in the world for every fan out there. All the teams are undefeated, everyone is optimistic about what could happen this season, and everyone has a chance at running the table to a national title (except maybe Western Kentucky).

Time and time again though, Notre Dame fans come into a season with high expectations and let down. This decade of Irish football has been one of disappoint, anything that could go wrong, has.

Tyrone Willingham came into South Bend with a lot of promise with his early success, but watched it all slip away after losing it. The same happened with Charlie Weis, and his teams. He enjoyed early success but couldn’t do anything after Quinn graduated.

Jimmy Clausen came in as the top quarterback in the nation with very, very high expectations. While he did perform well in his last season, he’ll forever be remembered as the quarterback of Notre Dame’s dark ages.

Brian Kelly brought a lot of hope this season, and it’s still there. Hope for us to have a great season this year, has faded. Yes, it’s early, and Dayne Crist is going to get progressively better as the season goes on, but the 10-2 and 9-3 predictions are pretty much gone.

I went through the whole off-season telling people that a 6-6 season won’t be good enough for the Irish this season, and they’re much better than that. While I still think that, they better start playing a lot better if they plan to be even .500 this season.

The Michigan State game last night was just a classic let down for Notre Dame fans. I don’t know what it is, but it seems like Notre Dame always finds a way to lose, at least recently.

We had it locked up. Fourth down, and a really long field goal by an inexperienced kicker. Of course, that situation turns into a loss. How could there not be someone back there just as a cautionary measure?

I don’t understand why this always happens, but it does. Notre Dame haters are having a hay day with that play last night.

Here’s the bright side though: Brian Kelly still has time to improve. Had this happened with Weis last year, everyone would be calling for his firing. Michigan gave Rich Rod time and now he has the talent he needs to be successful. Hopefully, for Irish fans, the same things happen for Kelly.

I don’t know if Notre Dame fans are patient enough to wait through a couple more 6-6 seasons though.

Collin O’Connor

Founder