Larry Brown Sports

The BCS National Championship Game is not for another two weeks, but that’s not stopping Notre Dame and Alabama fans from trading trash talk. The funny thing is that most of the trash talk has come via clever T-shirts.

Last week, we shared this shirt that got Jimmy Clausen in trouble. This week, it’s a Notre Dame fan shirt that calls the Irish “golden domers,” and Alabama supporters “mobile homers.”

This is another one of those unlicensed shirts, but it’s sure to tick off Bama fans.

Jan. 7 in Miami, it is on. We think the mobile homers will come out on top.

Photo: Twitter/Shawn Jenkins
H/T Darren Rovell

Notre Dame lost to Xavier in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday 67-63, and they lost on a questionable call by the refs. Guard Eric Atkins was at the free throw line for a one-and-one with 2.8 seconds and his team down 65-63. He made the first free throw, but it was waved off because the referee called a lane violation. Yup, the same lane violation that cost UNC Asheville against Syracuse on Thursday.

Guard Jerian Grant went from the backcourt and crossed the three-point line before the ball hit the rim, triggering the call. Instead of Atkins shooting for the tie, Xavier took the ball out, got fouled, and made two free throws to win it 67-63.

Even though the call is by the book, it’s not something that’s called during the regular season therefore it’s not something that should be called in the final 3 seconds with a game on the line. If you really want to go by the book, then the referees should be calling travels, carrying, and offensive or defensive fouls every other play. Some things you have to let go to keep the flow of the game, and this certainly was one of them.

Below is another look at the lane violation in slow-motion:

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So much for the delusions of an 8-4 season and surge to prominence under Charlie Weis and his “number one recruiting classes in the country.” Notre Dame suffered its 5th and no doubt most embarrassing loss of the season Saturday, getting beat 24-23 by a Syracuse team that had won just two games prior to the contest. The Orange had also just fired their head coach the week before for good measure, something from which ND might have to take a cue. Things are so miserable for Notre Dame fans at this point that they’re trying to find new ways of amusing themselves at football games — they’re making snowballs. And hitting their own players with ‘em:

Notre Dame football players were pelted by snowballs from fans sitting in the student section during their loss to Syracuse on Saturday.

“To throw snowballs at their own team, I didn’t think that was a smart thing to do. I guess (they thought) it was funny,” defensive tackle Pat Kuntz said.
…
Defensive lineman Ian Williams got hit in the helmet, defensive end Ethan Johnson was struck on the left cheek and a St. Joseph County police officer on the sideline looking into the crowd got hit in the chest.

Well, I guess that’s one way to respond to an embarrassing loss. I wonder what kind of raucous the fans of UW and Wassou would be causing if they had the manners of Notre Dame fans. This is certainly a low point for the program and no doubt the fans will regret their actions (especially the ones in jail).

UPDATE: Check out video of the snowball fights