Notre Dame is 12-0 and going to the College Football Playoff.

With the win on Saturday night, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish finished a perfect regular season.  Something that many people and especially the Notre Dame haters out there which there are many, thought was impossible.  With the schedule that was put in front of them at the beginning of the year, I didn't really know if they would be able to do it. With names like Michigan, Virginia Tech, Stanford, Syracuse, Flordia State, and USC all on the schedule. After the big big win against Michigan on the first night of the season, I had hope that it was possible. Then they just started rattling off wins and they were rolling.  The really only game they had struggled with all year was the game against Pitt but good teams always find a way to win games even if its ugly. The Irish just kept racking up wins and the playoff became a much more realistic idea as we got later in the year. It's one of the hardest things for a Notre Dame team that plays the schedule it does to do what they did this year.

But with all that said the season is not over yet. Notre Dame will play in one of the college football semifinals game on December 29. As of right now, the Irish would play Clemson in South Beach in Miami Florida.  That's what I see happening as well because I don't see Alabama losing this weekend because as of tonight the rankings were 1. Alabama 2. Clemson 3. Notre Dame 4.Georgia 5. Oklahoma 6. Ohio State.  There is a fight for the 4th spot in the playoff because Alabama and Georgia play each other this week so one of those spots will be up for grab. But with all this being said I honestly do think Notre Dame has a realistic chance at winning a National Championship. I think that they match up with Clemson very nicely. Then Alabama would be another story but anything is possible. Anyway, Go Irish!

Notre Dame is a special place.

So on Saturday, I was in South Bend for the Notre Dame vs. Florida State football game. But let's start on Friday night where I knew that we would be leaving very very early on Saturday morning but I had to work on Friday night so I knew it would be a late night and an early morning.  I didn't get off work till after midnight and I was debating on whether to just stay up or try to get a couple hours of sleep. I decided to get some sleep and then was woken up around 3:30 that morning. It is about a 3 1/2 hour drive to South Bend from the Peoria area and this time was spent with my Uncle and I mostly talking about sports.  When we finally arrived on the campus of the University of Notre Dame it was around 11 in the morning, we still had around 8 hours till game time. But in all the games that we have gone to we always get over there very early because there is so much to do before the game. When we first started walking around we walked by the stadium and the iconic library with the "Touchdown Jesus" mural on the side of the building. After this, we had some lunch at the student center which is something we do every time we have been there. We eat and watch the end of college gameday and the start of the Ohio State Vs. Michigan State game ( which was awful by the way). After lunch, we went through the "Basilica" and the admission building which is the "golden dome". Walked through the bookstore where I could have spent lots and lots of money but I didn't I limited myself to only one sweatshirt. After this, my uncle and I walked back to the car because we were going to try and take a nap before all the big gameday activities started to get underway. I got to sleep for about an hour which was huge because I was very tired from only getting two hours of sleep the night before. When we left the car we had about an hour before the player walk which is where all the coaches and players walk from there football complex to the stadium and fans line the sidewalks to see the team. This has always been one of my favorite parts of going to a Notre Dame game because you get to be so close to the players. When we finally found our spot for the walk it was around 4:30 in the afternoon and the campus had really come alive there were people everyone and you could feel the atmosphere for a big-time college football game. Finally when the players started to arrive is when the day really gets fun because when the walk is over the gates open and you can go into the stadium. After the walk, we made our way to our seats, and every single time I walk into Notre Dame Stadium is a goosebump moment when you finally see the field it is special every single time, it never gets old.

Once we got settled into our seats and everything I started to realize that we were going to be sitting in a very pro-FSU section, and at first I was kinda disappointed because I wasn't going to be around my people. Besides my uncle and I, there were there total ND fans around us and we all became best friends throughout this game. All I heard before the game was how FSU was going to "shock the world tonight" and I thought to myself there is no way that happens. Then on the second play of the game FSU thew an Interception and ND ran it back to the three-yard line and all the FSU fans around me started not to like me as much because I was definitely not going to be quite in our stadium. ND went on to absolutely dominate this game winning 42-13 and it was one of the most fun games that I had been to. I think this might be because we were sitting around all FSU people because I was definitely more vocal than I would be usually. By the third quarter, most of the FSU fans had left because it was very cold and they were at the time losing by more than 30 points. As the game was nearing an end I just sat there and looked around Notre Dame Stadium and just took in the moment of seeing one of my favorite teams about to be 10-0 and two games away from being in the college football playoff. As the game ended it always is a bittersweet moment because it was a Notre Dame win but that meant the day was over. I always have loved the walk back to the car after a win because its all ND fans and life is good ( I have had a few walks in the years of going there after losses and those are no fun at all). But long story short I never take for granted going to South Bend to watch a Notre Dame football game because that place is very special and it never gets old.

Big Wins for Both Notre Dame and the Bears

Via SI.com

We will start with the Fighting Irish as they took on Northwestern in Evanston on Saturday night in a primetime. Notre Dame did not look there best but they got a win on the road against a good team. The offense was very inconsistent in the first half but the defenses were lights out only allowing 7 points in the first half. The offense came out firing in the second half and it looked like the Irish were well on there a way to an easy win as they built up there lead to 24-7. But Notre Dame became very complacent it seemed like as Northwestern came back to make it a 24-21 game. But when they needed it the most Ian Book came through and scored a touchdown with only 3 minutes left in the game.  They won 31-21 and kept their playoff hopes alive. Notre Dame still controls their own destiny, if they win out they will be in the playoff. That starts with this week in the Florida State Seminoles come to South Bend in a game that I will be at this Saturday. This will be the 10th game that I have attended in South Bend and it is a great time every time I go.

Now the Bears had a dominating victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Buffalo. Going into this game I thought that the Bears should win this game pretty easy. But I had thought that before this year like the game against the Cardinals and the Dolphins so I wasn't going to really buy into the blowout win. The Bears put an absolute domination especially on defense scoring twice on a picked up fumble and a pick-six all within 5 minutes of each other in the second quarter.  The Bears sit in firsy plcae in the NFC North 10 weeks into the season which is something that I definitely did not think that I would be saying this year. They will start a stretch of playing 3 divisonal oppensets in a row. With Detroit this week, the Minnesota on Sunday night next week, then Detroit again on Thanksgiving.

Via. WindyCitygridion.com

Bears back in the Win column

The Bears finally got back to their winning ways this weekend with a 24-10 beating of the NY Jets. Now, this win wasn't pretty at all but at this point, it doesn't matter how you win just that you do win. Especially after the last to weeks with the Bears losing like they did it felt good to win again. The defense was lights out once again as well which was nice after the last two weeks of them not looking like themselves. Without superstar Khalil Mack who was sidelined due to an ankle injury. Even without Mack, the defense was amazing. The Jets only crossed the 50-yard line twice the entire game.  The offense was very inconsistent, especially in the first half.  The offense did not look good in the first half but they got it going in the second half and dominated in the second half. Trubisky still looks iffy but seems like he is getting better each week which is what the Bears need with their franchise quarterback. Also, on Sunday the rest of the division lost which moved the Bears from the last place in the division to first in the division all in one day. The Bears travel to Buffalo this Sunday which should be a win with Buffalo not being that good.

The college football playoff community came out with their first ranking of the season and the top four went 1. Alabama 2. Clemson 3. LSU 4. Notre Dame. Now, this was a little surprising to me but I'm also very biased I thought Notre Dame should be 3 but it's really irrelevant because LSU plays Alabama this Saturday so Notre Dame will move up with a win this weekend. Notre Dame controls there own destiny, if they win out they will be in the playoff.

Bears Fall Again

The Bears played one of the biggest games in recent memory at Soldier Feild on Sunday when the powerhouse New England Patriots came to town.  The Bears in typical Bears fashion ripped my heart out again just like they have in all of their losses this season. Started with week one when they let Aaron Rodgers comeback in the 3rd and 4th quarter. Then last week in Miami with how they lost that game in overtime it just sucks losing like that. Then this week against New England came and it might have been the worst of them all. The Bears battled all game which I was very proud of because I know how good New England. Then the fourth quarter came and the Bears were losing by 14 with about 6 minutes left and I had come to grips that the Bears would lose and I was ok with that because I didn't really expect to win this game but it would have been nice. Then the Bears got a turnover and went down and scored and pulled within 7. Then they stopped the Patriots with about a minute left and got the ball to around midfield with one last chance to heave it deep. On the last play, Trubisy threw the ball all the way down the field and Kevin WHite caught the ball at the one-yard line and tried to move the ball across the goal line but was stopped. They. Came. That. Close. One yard was all they needed to tie and sent that game to overtime and again I was devastated. I'm not sure what's

Via Profootballweekely.com

up with Chicago Sports lately but they love to rip my heart out and stomp on it with the Bears and Cubs. But the Bears should get back into the Win collum this week as the New York Jets come to town.

Bears Fall in a Heartbreaker

Well, the Bears went down to Miami to take on the Dolphins on Sunday, in a game that many people including myself thought would be an easy Bears win. Early Sunday morning reports came out that Brock Osweiler would be the starting quarterback for Miami. When I heard that I was thrilled because for most of his career Osweiler has been terrible and the last time Khalil Mack played against him he had 5 sacks in that game. But then I also saw a weird stat that Osweiler has started for 3 different teams and this would be his first start for the Dolphins. But in those other two starts, they came against the Bears and guess what..... Osweiler beat the Bears in both games. After I heard that I became a little bit nervous and this would be so Bears for them to get beat in this game.
This game was ugly from the beginning they looked so sloppy which was frustrating because it was coming after a bye week and usually that's when your team is the sharpest.  The Bears had lots of penalties called on them and just looked unprepared, especially the defense. The offense actually wasn't that bad, Trubsiky was really good in the second half. The offense started off really slow not scoring at all in the first half but then exploded in the 3rd quarter. That's when I tweeted that the Bears had their "Swagger" back. (Boy did I regret that after the game) But things were looking good in the third, they got out to a 21-10 lead and I thought it was going to be an easy win. Then the fourth came and things started to not look so well. The Dolphins started scoring on crazy plays and the momentum really started to shift the other way. The game went into overtime and the Dolphins were driving late in the overtime and had the ball at there own one-yard line with third and goal. A field goal and the Bears got a chance to score but if they scored a touchdown the game was over. They ended up fumbling on third and goal at the one and the Bears recover and it was new life. The Bears drove down the field and gave Cody Parrky a chance to win the game with a field goal and he missed it. Then Miami drove down the field and kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired. That game sucked.  To make things maybe even worse the New England Patriots come to Chicago so this week should be really interesting because its the Patriots.

Via ChicagoSunTimes.com

The Irish Are Rolling

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are playing some of the best football that they have played in many years. They are 6-0 and ranked #5 in the country after a very convincing win on Saturday in a hostile environment at Virginia Tech. The Irish had prepared for this game since the Miami game last year when they got embarrassed in South Flordia. Brian Kelly made a point to have his team be able to handle causes so, his entire offseason was based around making his team be able to handle hostile environments and his team answered. They went to Lane Stadium which is one of the most hostile environments in all of the college sports. Which if I might add their entrance with Metalica song "Enter Sandman" is awesome to see. This was a primetime game which before the game mad me nervous just because of what happened last year in Miami but this team is different and I love it.  Ian Book the quarterback is the real deal, I liked Brandon Wimbush but Brian Kelly made the right call switching the QB's because the offense has looked unstoppable since he made the switch. Notre Dame dominated this game from the start it was beautiful, this was their first win against a top 25 team on the road since they beat Oklahoma in 2012. (A year they also went undefeated).  The offense looked great all night and the defense did their job and the Irish won 45-23.  Up next the Irish play Pittsburg which should be a very easy game if they play the way they can.

Via Irishsportsdaily.com

Now onto the Bears who had a bye this week so not much going on with them. But up next this week is the Miami Dolphins and the Bears should absolutely win this game. If they play like they have the first four weeks they will be just fine. If the offense plays like it did two weeks ago I feel like the Bears might have something to say this year, especially in the division.

Throughout the offseason, I will give updates on the Cubs. It has been exactly one week and a day and I'm still devastated about what took place last week.  But there was some news that broke today about Kris Bryant. So, reportedly the Cubs offered him a deal "well north of 200 million dollars" which he turned down reportedly. Now people are making a huge deal about this where is I don't really see that big of a problem with it because he is betting on himself to perform. Because KB isn't a free agent until 2021 so he is banking on himself being really good these next few seasons and getting more money than he was offered today. Go Cubs.