Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Quick Note on "Smarja"

As the Notre Dame fans like to call him. For some reason, I was watching the Stanford/Notre Dame game at a bar that fine afternoon in California. Probably because it was a vacation weekend and football is great for vacations. Anyway, while he was running in for his first touchdown, "Smarja" turned around to the defender and gave him a little "come and get me" taunt with his free hand as he ran into the end zone. The wavy hair and Jeter-esque dancing and jumping around is just icing on the cake.

In fact, here's what some Notre Dame bloggers thought about it:

"Samardzija's absolutely silly and totally uncalled for taunt at the end of his first touchdown is very serious. Notre Dame isn't about that kind of stuff, and if Weis truly stands for the things he says he does he will sit Samardzija for some or all of the bowl game as a statement that principle IS more important than winning at Notre Dame."

"Taunting is for the likes of the "U", not ND. I don't know how to teach a lesson like that. Hopefully, Charlie does. We can't tolerate that stuff. It's immature, classless, demeaning to the other team."

"Do an end zone dance...do a high five...spike the ball...do whatever you want. Just don't taut the other team. This is what he did. Period. There is no place for this on the Notre Dame team. None. And surely we don't judge ourselves in relation to Flordia schools, do we? Please. There is a different standard at Notre Dame."

Even a criminal threat:

"[I]f I EVER see Smarja waving his little fingers tauntly at another player like on that first towndown I will leap out of the stands, sprint a 9.2 100 and take him out. After friends and relatives attend my funeral, I hoep all of you will post that I was justified."

But, no matter. Once "Smarja" sees a hit from Donte Whitner, he'll tone down his attitude a bit.

And Notre Dame hasn't seen a defense like this all season. It could be a long, hot night in Tempe.

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