We finally have some on-the-record reaction from Jimmy Clausen and Rich Gunnell after their confrontation following ND’s 20-16 win over BC last Saturday.
(Clausen a “phony”? Mr. Gunnell, get in line)
Clausen said this week that he did his best to avoid what happened: “I was just going up to him to say he’s a heck of a receiver. He was making plays left and right and he’s a real good talent.”
Gunnell wasn’t nearly as complimentary. Actually, swap out “nearly as” with “at all”.
Gunnell on Clausen to the BOSTON GLOBE:
At the beginning of the game, he was out there chirping and talking trash. And then he went out and just pushed [BC receiver] Justin Jarvis for no reason. I looked at him and said, ‘What are you doing?’
Afterwards, he was trying to be all friendly. It just rubbed me the wrong way. It seemed real fake. He tried to push one of my teammates. He tried to say good game. I thought it was phony.
Maybe this is unfair on my part, but I’m going to side with Gunnell on this one. The push of Jarvis was uncalled for, and Clausen’s massive overreaction to what Gunnell’s was saying to him was embarrassing.
Gunnell’s should’ve stayed out of Clausen’s face, but the ND QB acted equally the fool.
6:16 pm on October 28th, 2009
Once again the USC lackey needs to bash ND. Jesus, you beat us again, don’t you have anything better to do? I guess I should not expect real journalistic integrity from a guy who runs a blog.
6:52 pm on October 28th, 2009
Totally disagree.
7:02 pm on October 28th, 2009
…with Brooks.
7:39 pm on October 28th, 2009
Who cares. Clausen failed at ND.
7:45 pm on October 28th, 2009
Brooks gets the some of the best info around — and quickly!
8:25 pm on October 28th, 2009
FU ND. Brooks is no lackey for SC. He reports good information fast. Get on board or get the F out.
8:26 pm on October 28th, 2009
And by the way. Nice use of ‘us’. Typical Irish fan. I am just going to guess you’re not on the team. Douche.
9:50 pm on October 28th, 2009
Don’t you think a media outlet would have picked up on it if a Heisman contender had pushed a BC player before or during the game? Why has no one aside from Gunnell claimed it happened?…because it’s horseshit. I agree that Jimmy should have stayed away from the guy if his only intention was to rub it in, but Gunnell got the one handed push because he stuck his hand in Clausen’s face. “Massive overraction” my ass.
And aren’t the quotes from both players from Saturday after the game or Sunday? What’s quick about reporting them 3 days later?
I’m calling bullshit on Gunnell, but will happily eat these comments if someone can prove that Clausen pushed Jarvis before the game.
9:52 pm on October 28th, 2009
Clausen, Heisman, NOT. ND PR machine is boring. Just another Brady Quinn….
10:06 pm on October 28th, 2009
Line up these numbers against the rest of the QB’s in contention and tell me why he shouldn’t be in the mix:
65.2% completion rate, 2050 yards, 2 picks, 16 td’s, and a 161.31 QB rating.
Those can’t be disregarded by even the biggest ND haters.
11:50 pm on October 28th, 2009
Lot of personal insults about a legit story…..do what i do and ignore the story.
4:32 am on October 29th, 2009
@Tony — I’ll tell you why: it’s the stat you coveniently forgot to mention. Two losses. An RB’s candidacy might survive two losses, but a QB who can’t win the big ones? No way.
Also: what his “signature” win? Nevada at home? Geez, even the Boisie State QB can hang his hat on a blowout of a current Top 10 team. And if the Trojans come out of Autzen with a W on Saturday, Barkley will have notched road wins at tOSU, ND, *and* Oregon. Clausen can’t touch that.
7:30 am on October 29th, 2009
This is such a non story. Wow football players shoving each other and argueing and talking trash before a game ooooooo who cares.
8:57 am on October 29th, 2009
If you don’t think Brooks is a USC honk, then you don’t know what you’re talking about. BTW, I used the word “us” because I am a grad. Not like any of you wannabe Trojans.
10:16 am on October 29th, 2009
What’s a Notre Dame?
10:30 am on October 29th, 2009
Clausen lost two games because his defense sucks. Have you looked at the notre dame pass defense. It is around 115-120 out of 129 teams in the FBS. Yet, Clausen had them in the game in the final minute. People are just haters if they think that Clausen should not be in contention. He may not be deserving of a win, but he should be mentioned.
As to this story, I have not heard anyone but Gunnell talk about the push. You would think that Jarvis would have defended Gunnell. But, sure, it is okay to stick your figure in a guy’s face but not for the guy to push you away.
11:51 am on October 29th, 2009
My curse is Jeff Tedford….. so I’m no USC fan. But as I watched it, several stupid USC penalties is what kept ND in the game late.
12:38 pm on October 29th, 2009
Clausen SUCKS!
3:36 pm on October 29th, 2009
Take your touchdown Jesus, your TV contract, your non-conference team with its pathetic schedule, and your long list of overrated busts and SHUT THE HELL UP ND!
Never heard any fan-base as arrogant and delusional as Notre Dame’s.
Not only can you not win a big game, but you cant even lose with class…. Your team sucks, your coach sucks, and the fact that anyone is even talking about you at all is a joke. That defense should be embarrassed to even strap up before the game! Tackle much?? Bunch of soft, scared, sad excuses for a D1 football program.
But go ahead, hang your hat on your QB that got some Heisman ‘consideration’ talk because of all the alum you have working TV jobs (since they cant cut it on Sundays…)
See you next year in the Coliseum kids! Cant wait.
3:55 pm on October 29th, 2009
TTT Tommy T. Finally someone is recognizing this.
9:43 pm on October 29th, 2009
That took too long to come out, and Jarvis even looks like a bigger looser with someone else trying to back him up. He should have spoken up after the incident, now it just looks like they are so stupid that it took them a week to come up with some pathetic excuse.
11:40 pm on October 29th, 2009
Funny that someone actually called this a legit story.
Seriously Brooks, I’m not even a ND backer…it just weak.
1:23 pm on October 30th, 2009
how do you know Clausen even pushed Jarvis before the game?
5:16 pm on October 30th, 2009
“Never heard any fan-base as arrogant and delusional as Notre Dame’s” Yeah I have… USCs
The most talented team year in and year out for almost a decade and youve got 1 national championship and a plenty of loses to pac 10 teams you should stomp to show for it.