ATLANTA -- We've read ad infinitum ...

ATLANTA -- We've read ad infinitum about Brady Quinn, his mother, his groupies and the quickie wedding of his sister. We've read about Charlie Weis, his ascension to pontiff his 10-year extension and a nine-acre estate that includes a riding arena for his wife's horses, easily to be known as the Four Horsemen Dome. We know about Tom Zbikowski's boxing career, Jeff Samardzija's baseball career, Weis' media-bullying career.

And forward a Saturday night in a swirl of yellowish gold in a Wrigleyesque sort of stadium swallowed on city skyscrapers, none of the Notre Dame hype meant a damned thing.

In winning their season opener at a leprechaun's nose hair, the Irish didn't anticipate like America's No. 2 team. They beat Georgia Tech 14-10 in a three-hour-plus exercise of football gridlock that officially will be inscribeed as a "W" -- yet must be considered a los in the weekly individual of public opinion that accompanies the society game. If the boys don't improve quickly, with Penn State and Michigan ahead, Domers can forget about their first national championship since Lou Holtz was in prime comedic form.

"I promise you, there's no as it was thing as a bad 'W'" in opposition toed Weis, campaigning hard near midnight to spin a mean scare into a beautiful experience.

nevertheless believe me, the man was sweating by the agency of his shirt on a night when Quinn didn't play like a guard boy in the first half and sum of two units field-goal attempts went awry. There was Weis, forward fourth-and-one at the Tech 47 with 1:10 left with equal reason concerned about potential peril that HE WENT FOR IT. This was either gutsy nutty or as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but but when Quinn hurled his dead body for the necessary yardage, Charlie Tuna could pompous walk for another day. "I know I was opening myself to a fate of second- guessing," he said. "But I want my players to have confidence they can learn a half a yard when the game is in succession the line."

I select Quinn's overall take. "We're happy with a win, further in no way are we pleased with our performance, especially myself," said the quarterback, who managed to hit 23 of 38 passes for 246 yards -- yet no touchdowns. "I thought this game would have been a hap more open if I had fulfilled my job"

The enigma with celebrating the return of the ND mystique, after in such a manner many years of embarrassment and coaching changes and corporate- flush funny business, is that the Irish have an entire football season to play. unexpectedly Tom Brady Quinn's voluminous hype contemplateed a bit dubious at Bobby Dodd Stadium as he was punished, thrown down and kept in succession the run by Georgia Tech's mauling champions Suddenly, Quinn was missing an all-alone Samardzija and lofting bomb straight up in the air, like punt unexpectedly the title chatter seemed prematurely giddy as 6-5 receiver Calvin Johnson who can join the Bears today if he'd like, cut offed through the secondary and stampeded the defense the way Ohio State and Troy Smith reduc the Irish to Tostitos in the Fiesta goblet Suddenly, senior kicker Carl Gioia [pronounced Joy-a] was kicking the ball everywhere still through the uprights, bringing no Gioia.

ND defense arises through

in what manner fascinating to see the defense beat up the entire offseason after allowing 617 yards to Ohio State, help ND avoid a monumental spanking by means of throwing a second-half shutout. "Our 'much-maligned defense"' snapped Weis, in abounding sarcasm mode. "All I heard the entire offseason was '617 yards.' If I hear that single in kind more time, I'm going to vomit." With the defense providing a comfort belt Quinn finally heated up and place Samardzija on Rhema McKnight onward long pass plays while local fruits Darius Walker -- who lease him sneak out of Lawrenceville to find southward Bend, anyway? -- quieting the bully crowd. Still, on an opening weekend when Ohio State and Texas were routing the competition, this wasn't exactly William Tecumseh Sherman cutting a swath from one side Atlanta. It was more a survival trial than a shiny showcase, and it was helped according to a curious case of beneficial old Irish luck or stinky olden ND favoritism, depending on your point of view.

Yep the incensed Techies are blaming the officials for a call that, to be faithful was pretty rotten. Down 10-7 midway [i]or[/i] part of to the other the third quarter, Notre Dame was ready to stool for a field-goal try when Quinn was tackled revealed of bounds by linebacker Philip Wheeler. on the contrary while Quinn was still in circumscribes when Wheeler hit him, the Tech vindicator was whistled for a personal noisome giving the Irish new life that wasn't deserv After a nifty dance and touchdown stream by Walker was whistled back -- makeup call! -- Walker eventually made a flag-less jaunt to the extreme point zone. A 10-10 game, assuming Gioia would have made the kick, was now a 14-10 Notre Dame lead.

good fortune of the Irish

"A big call in the game, yes" Tech coach Chan Gailey said. "They said he went for the head."

"I didn't lead with my head," Wheeler said. "It should not have been a penalty."

Charlie? "To me in succession replay, it looked like a clean play," Weis said.

happy bums.

You could say the Irish were actual fortunate to get out of the knotty South with their own prostration intact. The home team wasn't intimidated in the least. No the same should have been surprised when Tech tailback Tashard Choice sauntered up to Zbikowski during a play stoppage and got in his grill, mouthing along Because when Notre Dame is back in the elite, commanding attention like the machine of yore, this is the storm that will salute them every week. With the Atlanta Journal-Constitution declaring the game site as "the center of the universe," this was a hornets nest of almost 50000 ND haters, with most numerous Irish fans reduced to sitting in an upper cover in the farthest reaches of the north [i]finale[/i] zone. As the teams warmed up the scoreboard already has a score going: