As we recap the first two-thirds of the Irish season this week, things will probably be very critical.  Obviously no one is happy about the current state of affairs, and any baby steps taken in a positive direction following the 38-0 loss to Michigan were taken right back in the 38-0 loss to Southern Cal.  We're like Gene Wilder walking down the stairs in Willy Wonka, but I don't feel like we're ever going to get to that delicious river of chocolate.

Still, before we lay into Charlie Weis, the "veteran leaders," and other members of the coaching staff, let's put a few things in perspective.

1. Our offense could conceivably be the worst in the last decade and one of the worst of all-time.  seriously.  It's not good, people.
2. Despite that rather disheartening fact and after an effort where you might find it hard to recruit a Notre Dame student to come to another Notre Dame game, Weis got a verbal from five-star ultra wide receiver Michael Floyd.  Rob, our recruiting guru here, was sure Saturday night we'd lose at least three players from the class that have already committed, and while it's still very possible we might, this is one positive sign and this is another that things might not totally collapse come signing day.  Hat tip to the Alumni guys on Madison for showing Floyd a good time on Friday night.
3. We've played a ridiculously tough schedule to open the season.  As far as spurts go, it's nothing like the Florida-Kentucky-Auburn run that LSU just made it through or the upcoming slates for both Southern Cal and Arizona State as they enter the heart of the PAC-10 beast, but it was a rough haul.  We played eight teams, all of which will probably end up in bowls, and it's good for the second hardest schedule in the country behind Washington, according to Jeff Sagarin's ratings.   There's no excuse for how awful we've looked in most of these losses, but again, perspective.
4. Other coaches struggle, too, although not nearly as badly as Weis has this season.  A few of note just from Saturday and just from the SEC:

• Tommy Tuberville, who had won 9 of 10 games against the AP Top 10 and generally has Auburn in the range of a Top Ten team, managed the game during LSU's final possession as poorly as anyone could.  Holding onto a one-point with two timeouts, Tuberville ordered a squib kick, refused to challenge a horrendous spot on third and short then just hoped LSU would mismanage the clock instead of trying to reserve time for Brandon Cox to win the game if the Bayou Bengals did put a score up.  This strategy almost worked, because Les Miles, with the clock ticking under ten seconds, tossed up a deep fly route that left a lot of people befuddled.  If the ball is tipped or Flynn takes an extra second to get it away, time expires and they feed Miles to that friendly looking tiger that hangs around the Golden Girls.  Ballsy, yes.  Intelligent, not so much.
• Steve Spurrier, who I think we can consider a certifiable offensive genius, managed his Gamecocks to six points against Vanderbilt.  If you went back to 1997 and told somebody in ten years, the Ol' Ball Coach would be held to six points by the Commodores, not even the most adamant Vandy fan or jealous SEC rival would have believed you.  His team also only mustered meager experts against a Georgia team that was later exposed by Rocky Top and a LSU team that looks less and less impregnable on defense as the season rolls on.