The Magic That Is Notre Dame

This weekend I had the great pleasure of "showing off" Notre Dame to my friend John Pisano, a retired New York Police Officer -- on his first ever trip to "America's Holy Land."  We rolled onto campus at 9:45 AM EST on Friday and we left last night at 9:15 PM EST -- having seen about all you could in our 36 hour visit.  (Look for a video later today on the ND GO IRISH BLOG YOUTUBE CHANNEL) Yet, it's a breakfast at South Dining Hall yesterday morning that reaffirmed the "MAGIC" that is Notre Dame.  We've made it a tradition to stop in for breakfast at South Dining Hall before every Notre Dame home football game -- if you haven't visited this building, you must!  There's not a college dining hall like it in America.  Well, John and I are sitting alone at one of the long wood tables in South when two gentlemen join us, a few seats down.  They were in their Notre Dame gear -- like all of us -- but it was their multiple ND "tattoos" on their face that set them apart from the rest.  Specifically, the ND Monogram logo (the interlocking ND) that was applied BACKWARDS to both of their faces.  Having my camera in tow, I introduce myself to the two and ask to take a photo of their faces for my blog -- telling them that my visitors will enjoy seeing the mis-application of one of the more famous "marks" in the world, the Notre Dame logo!  So, I take a picture and we start talking...  I learn that they're Notre Dame fans who have been making this "pilgrimage" (their description) to an Irish football game -- every season -- for the past eighteen years from their homes in Connecticut.  Jack Barrett (Cheshire, CT) and Neil Stonge (Oakville, CT) -- like many of us,  didn't have the honor of attending Notre Dame as students.  They're self proclaimed proud members of the "Subway Alumni" -- the millions of us around the world who live and die with the Irish each week. They tell me that the tattoos are something they always do on game day and that they "always screw up putting on the ND logo tattoo."  "Just can't figure out how to put that on right" -- as they both laugh.  I introduce Jack and Neil to my friend John -- letting them know this was his first ever trip to Notre Dame.  Jack immediately asks us "where are your seats?"  And we tell him we have two tickets in Section 129, just below the Press Box -- well Jack replies; "those are kind of high up aren't they?"  We confirm they're in the upper bowl, but there's "not a bad seat in the Stadium."  Then, Jack asks "would you like to sit closer to the field?"  Come to find out, Jack and Neil's tickets are in the GOLD SEATS at Notre Dame Stadium.  These are the ten rows of individual seats that are gold colored that run between the 20's on both sidelines of the House that Rock Built.  The best seats in the Stadium.  Two of their friends from their Lions Club (they try to bring two new buddies each year from the club) had to back out at the last minute and they offered these tickets to John and me.  Well, it didn't take a "New York Minute" for us to say YES and Jack handed over the tickets...  (We gave our tickets in the Upper Bowl to a ND Usher and asked him to give them to two ND fans looking for tickets)  What a treat and what a vantage point for my friend John to  experience his first football game at Notre Dame Stadium!  To memorialize the occasion I took a picture of John, Jack and Neil (LtoR in the photo) at halftime from their seats -- FYI:  I should have taken the photo before the game when all of us were smiling and a little warmer!  Jack and Neil -- thank you for making my friend John's first visit to Notre Dame -- something he'll never forget!!!  And, thank you for playing a part in what I call the 'magic that is Notre Dame' -- our fans are like no other.  We'll be "family" forever (because of Notre Dame) and I look forward to seeing you two next season.  We're going to win that game!!!

Game Day @ Notre Dame!

I'm posting this morning from the Fairfield Inn -- New Buffalo, MI.  It's a town on the Lake Michigan shoreline, just a little north and due west of Notre Dame.  Spent all day yesterday with my friend John Pisano (photo) - a retired NYPD officer from Long Island, NY - on his first visit to the Notre Dame campus!  What a day we had!  I'll post a video recap of our visit to the Locker Room, Press Box, Field, Quarterback Luncheon, Pep Rally, etc. -- on Sunday.  To those not as fortunate as John and I today -- sitting in Notre Dame Stadium -- here's where you can tune-in to the Irish leading up to the 3:41 PM EST kick-off for today's game against Stanford:

9 AM EST to KICK-OFF:  Listen to WSBT 960 AM's Notre Dame coverage -- Click Here

11 AM EST:  Watch Notre Dame Stadium Fill Up -- Click Here to a Live Webcam

2:30 PM EST:  Watch NBC's Pre-Game Show Online -- Click Here

A Scoreboard in Purcell Pavillion!

It's bigger than life and it changes the look and feel of the newly renovated Purcell Pavillion -- home of Notre Dame Basketball.  Yes, it's a scoreboard -- it's big, it's beautiful and it makes a major change to the look and feel of the arena.  Thought you'd enjoy seeing a photo of the scoreboard's large video screens.

Kelly's Thursday Press Conference

Coach Kelly met with the media last night after practice. Here's what he had to say. Click on the link below:

LINK: COACH KELLY PRESS CONFERENCE

Football Weekend Weather

Looks like a decent weather forecast for a Notre Dame Football Weekend. Tomorrow morning might be "iffy" but beyond that -- it should be good through Sunday. Here's a link to the latest forecast from WNDU-TV:

LINK: FOOTBALL WEEKEND FORECAST

Stanford's Harbaugh -- Talks Notre Dame

Stanford University Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh is interviewed about their game this Saturday against our Fighting Irish. Here's a link to Stanford's ALL ACCESS web channel:

LINK: STANFORD'S VIEW OF THE IRISH

Irish to Play @ Dublin's Aviva Stadium

It was announced yesterday that the Notre Dame vs. Navy football game, set for September 1, 2012 - will be played at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Opened this past May, Aviva Stadium is the home to the Irish national soccer team and the Irish union rugby team. It's hailed as one of the finest stadiums in the world -- though its capacity is quite modest at 51,000. Looks like a great place to kick-off the 2012 season! Here's a link to the Aviva Stadium website:

LINK: AVIVA STADIUM TO HOST THE IRISH!

Amazing Race to New York - ND Style!

Wouldn't you like to win two tickets to the Notre Dame vs. Army football game at Yankee Stadium?! Well, here's your chance. On Saturday, October 2nd -- the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore and Anthony Travel are sponsoring "The Race to New York" on the Notre Dame campus. Contestants will compete in an "Amazing Race" (CBS Show) style contest around the Notre Dame campus. You must enter as a "team of two" -- and the entry fee is a $50 donation to the United Way. The winners will receive:

* Round-trip airfare (for two) from South Bend Regional Airport to New York LaGuardia
* A two-night stay at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers
* Two tickets to Notre Dame vs. Army at Yankee Stadium

To learn more about "The Race to New York" -- click on the link below:

LINK: THE RACE TO NEW YORK

Golfweek Ranks ND's Warren G.C. -- 14th!

The University of Notre Dame's Warren Golf Course was just named by Golfweek Magazine as one of the Top 15 college golf courses in the country in GOLFWEEK'S BEST CAMPUS COURSES LIST! Opened in 2000, the Warren Golf Course was designed by Bill Coore and former Master's Champion; Ben Crenshaw. Here's a link to their ranking of the top-30 college golf courses in the country:

LINK: GOLFWEEK'S TOP 30 CAMPUS GOLF COURSES

ND's Fight Against Elephantiasis in Haiti

Table salt, what we take for granted here in America - can eliminate a debilitating disease commonly known as Elephantiasis. A disease that is one of the leading causes of disability in the world -- effects nearly one-third of the population in Haiti. The University of Notre Dame's Haiti Program received a boost this week when it was announced that Cargill was donating $20,000 towards the purchase of new salt -- to assist Notre Dame's efforts to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) in Haiti. Here's a link to Notre Dame's press release:

LINK: CARGILL JOINS NOTRE DAME'S FIGHT IN HAITI

A Star in the Making?

Notre Dame sophomore, Theo Riddick had his coming out party this past Saturday night on national television. The converted running back caught ten passes for 128 yards and a TD from his new position -- wide receiver. The Irish now can boast four "game-changers" on the field at one time with; Riddick, Floyd, Allen & Rudolph -- let's hope this Saturday's the day we finally see a Brian Kelly offense hang 50 on a Notre Dame opponent! Here's a link to a WSBT-TV interview with Theo Riddick. Be sure to click on the "VIDEO" link in the box on the left when you get to their homepage.

LINK: THEO RIDDICK INTERVIEW

Reminder: Brian Kelly Radio Show -- Tonight!

It's Thursday -- and that means the Brian Kelly Radio Show airs from 7 PM EST to 8 PM EST tonight from Legends on the Notre Dame campus. Coach Kelly's radio show can be seen "live" on www.und.com and can be heard "live" on the web at the links below:





LINK: WATCH THE BRIAN KELLY RADIO SHOW -- LIVE

LINK: LISTEN TO THE BRIAN KELLY RADIO SHOW -- LIVE

Coach Kelly After Today's Practice

Notre Dame Head Football Coach, Brian Kelly, met with the media after today's practice -- Wednesday of Stanford week. Kelly's Irish will be taking on the #1 offense in America this week when Harbaugh brings his Cardinal to Notre Dame Stadium. Here's a link to the media session:

LINK: COACH KELLY MEETS WITH MEDIA

Mike Celizic -- Notre Dame Grad Passes...

Longtime MSNBC sports columnist, Mike Celizic '70, died this morning after a fourteen month battle with cancer. Celizic grew up in Leroy Township, Ohio, a rural community 30 miles east of Cleveland, and graduated from Painesville Riverside High, where he was co-captain of the football team and valedictorian. He earned a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Notre Dame, spending his sophomore year studying in Innsbruck, Austria. A one-time bureau chief in the New Jersey Statehouse, Celizic became a sportswriter in 1983 with The Record of Hackensack, N.J. and began his career as a columnist a year later. Since then, he’s covered every Olympic Summer Games since Los Angeles in 1984, as well as the 1988 Calgary Winter Games and the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games. He’s covered every major American sporting event, from the Final Four to the Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup to major prize fights, the Masters to U.S. Open tennis. He also wrote the book "The Biggest Game of Them All" -- the 1966 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State game. Here's a link to a couple of stories about Mike and the last column he wrote for his NBC blog about battling cancer: "Adventures in Cancerland" -- A MUST READ:

LINK: MIKE'S LAST COLUMN

LINK: MIKE CELIZIC

LINK: FORMER RECORD EAGLE COLUMNIST DIES

Clausen on The Herd Radio Show

Former Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen spoke with ESPN's Colin Cowherd yesterday on his 23rd Birthday -- Happy Birthday Jimmy! Clausen talked about his on-going contact with Coach Weis and his first NFL start this Saturday against the Bengals. Cowerd also asked him about his thoughts on the Irish, etc. You'll also catch how well Colin Cowherd listens to his guests answers to his questions... When you click on the link, just scroll down the page to just below the photo of Clausen for the link to the interview:

LINK: CLAUSEN ON THE HERD

Notre Dame Hires Pro-Life Coordinator

The University of Notre Dame appointed Mary Daly, as it's Coordinator of Pro-Life Initiatives -- in response to a Task Force's recommendations to the University in the wake of President Obama's appearance at Notre Dame in 2009. Daly, a 2010 Notre Dame graduate, served as president of Notre Dame Right for Life and was a spokeswoman for NDResponse, a coalition opposed to the honoring of President Barack Obama. She will coordinate present efforts to implement the task force’s recommendations and will serve as a liaison between various university departments and offices to advance collaboration on life issues. Here's a link to the story:

LINK: NEW POSITION AT NOTRE DAME

Two Former Domers Start for Stanford

Two former Notre Dame football players will be in the starting line-up this Saturday for the 16th ranked Stanford Cardinal. Tight end Konrad Reuland and kicker Nate Whitaker both were recruited to Notre Dame by Coach Weis -- and transferred to Stanford after their freshman year. Reuland has five catches on the season for 56 yards and is still looking for his first TD -- not this week Konrad! Whitaker is three-for-three on his field goal attempts and 19 out of 21 on extra points this season for the high scoring Cardinal. THEY'RE AVERAGING 52 POINTS A GAME IN THEIR FIRST THREE WINS!

Coach Elston Back with the Team!

University of Notre Dame Defensive Line & Special Teams Coach, Mike Elston -- was back yesterday on the Labar Practice Complex fields -- coaching his team. Coach Elston has been away for the past two weeks battling a virus - and we learned, a trip to the Mayo Clinic. Here's a link to UND.COM's Jack Nolan's interview with Coach Elston:

LINK: COACH ELSTON INTERVIEW

Coach Kelly's Tuesday Press Conference

Here's the video replay of Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly's Tuesday press conference as the Irish begin preparation for a very talented Stanford team this Saturday. Here's the link:



LINK: TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE

The Notre Dame Band -- Needs Your Vote!

I received a note this evening from Jim Callahan from Philladelphia, PA -- alerting me to this promotion. Jim's daughter is a recent Notre Dame grad and had many friends in The Band of the Fighting Irish -- and rightfully, very proud of her favorite marching band! CBS is running a promotion called the Hawaii 5-O Marching Band Contest -- and the Band of the Fighting Irish is one of the contestants! The college marching band with the most votes wins a $25,000 check -- which the ND Band has already decided they will give to a charity. It's time to get behind our BAND -- VOTE TODAY! Here's the link:

LINK: VOTE FOR THE BAND OF THE FIGHTING IRISH!