ND, UM out for revenge
By ANTHONY BIANCO
Despite what the sound bites tell, don't expect Michigan to take its home field Saturday without revenge on its mind.
Notre Dame's 36-20 win over the Wolverines in both team's season opener a year ago grounded the defending National Champions faster than any pollster could write off the Irish. With the series back in Ann Arbor, Mich., this year, the Wolverines would like everyone to believe that they're keeping their focus on playing their game rather than getting back at the Irish.
When asked whether revenge will play a factor, Michigan quarterback Tom Brady spit out a statement that sounded pretty well-rehearsed: "It's not about getting them back or paying them back. It's about going out and playing our type of football."
Almost convincing and maybe true. That is, if the two teams weren't playing in front of 107,501 people, not to mention a national television audience. Or if head coach Lloyd Carr and his Wolverines weren't so humiliated by the Irish two weeks in a row last season.
Yes, two weeks in a row in 1998. First by Bob Davie and the Irish and a week later by the Syracuse offense led by now Irish coach Kevin Rogers. There's no way that Jim Herrmann's Michigan defense isn't looking back at those two games — in which the Irish and Syracuse scored a combined 74 points — and feeling a little anger and, yes, revenge.
True, gone are Notre Dame's experienced offensive linemen and all-time leading rusher Autry Denson. And so is the home-field advantage. And Rogers isn't coaching a Syracuse offense led by Donovan McNabb, the second overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.
Yet, the Wolverines are still reluctant to talk about revenge, almost as if the game isn't in the bag for them. Despite a somewhat sloppy game the Irish played a week ago against Kansas, the extra game gives Notre Dame an edge on the playing field.
The Irish have proven they can win the big games at home, but Bob Davie's biggest concern must be getting over the second-game jinx. In his first two seasons as head coach, Davie has won both season openers at home — only to lose the second game on the road to lesser opponents. This year, the test comes against one of the best teams the Irish will face this season in No. 7 Michigan.
Maybe it's the Irish who should be thinking revenge and using that to get over their second-game slides.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Sports Stories for Friday, September 3, 1999
