Vatican's Swiss Guard Practice with Irish Today

The Notre Dame men's basketball team is on a tour of Italy -- and today they had the unique experience of practicing with the SWISS GUARD (the guys in red) -- the Pope's security force...

You're going to want to watch this video -- note the new practice gear provided by Under Armour -- the shorts look great!

LINK:  THE IRISH IN ITALY

The Tight End Tradition at Notre Dame !!!

Here's a look at the Notre Dame tight end position for the 2014 edition of the Fighting Irish...

LINK:  TIGHT ENDS

LINK:  KOYACK INTERVIEW

Everett Golson "Under Center" with Herbstreit

ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit made the trek to San Diego a few weeks ago to spend some time with Notre Dame QB Everett Golson -- here's the interview:

LINK:  GOLSON

Photo of Everett Golson's ND Shoulder Pads

Notice the number, the last name and the blue & gold detail...

ND Men's Soccer an "ALMOST" Unanimous #1

The National Soccer Coaches Association released their pre-season men's college soccer rankings and Bobby Clark's Fighting Irish received 19 of the 20 first place votes -- and the #1 ranking!

Notre Dame, the defending NCAA National Champions hit the pitch for the first time on August 16th.

LINK:  IRISH RANKED #1

Follow Notre Dame Basketball's Italy Trip!

Mike Brey's Fighting Irish arrived yesterday morning in Rome -- to what should be a special couple of weeks for the Notre Dame men's basketball team in Italy.  If you'd like to follow what they're up to -- click on the link below.

In the photo above, Eric Katenda and Demetrius Jackson take in the COLOSSEUM.

OT: Must See -- Boy's Tribute at Omaha Beach

Folks, if you haven't seen this -- you must.  I promise you it will bring a tear or two to your eyes...

He's an 11 year-old young man from France.

LINK:  PROJECT VIGIL

Notre Dame Cornerbacks -- WatchND Feature!

It's a new personality -- PRESSURE -- that Coach Van Gorder brings to the Fighting Irish DEFENSE this season.  It's going to be fun to watch!

Here's a look today at the cornerbacks:

LINK:  PRESSURE

LINK:  CODY RIGGS INTERVIEW

Brianna Turner Leads Team USA Over Mexico!

Notre Dame student-athlete and the GATORADE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR -- Brianna Turner '18 -- led TEAM USA over Mexico in a FIBA AMERICAS CHAMPIONSHIP game this evening in Colorado Springs.

Brianna, TEAM CAPTAIN for the US National Team, led the Americans with 16 points in their 104 - 55 win over Mexico!

LINK:  STATS

Photo Gallery: Field Turf at Notre Dame Stadium

The folks at the South Bend Tribune have posted this photo gallery of the new Field Turf at Notre Dame Stadium.

LINK:  PHOTO GALLERY

Day 2: Photos From Notre Dame Football

These photos were "tweeted" by @NDFootball over the past 24 hours -- from DAY 2 for the Fighting Irish at Culver Academies.

Here's an Idea for Under Armour & Notre Dame

How about "green" practice jerseys for the Notre Dame QB position!  Shouldn't we pick GREEN over RED for the FIGHTING IRISH QB's?

Put a ND Monogram logo on the jersey sleeves above -- and I'm buying it!

The photo above is of the special "recycled" green jersey the Detroit Lions' QB's will be wearing tomorrow at practice.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  RECYCLED LIONS

Never to Early to Get Ready for Michigan...

Here's the story in today's Detroit Free Press about Brady Hoke's Wolverines.

Only 32 days away...

LINK:  DETROIT FREE PRESS

Notre Dame Football Tickets Tell a Story...

If you look closely at the "white field" of the Notre Dame Football Ticket (in the upper photo) you'll see Knute Rockne's famous "We're going inside 'em and outside 'em..."

Got to love this!

Oh, by the way -- this is the most expensive ticket in college football this season...

ND Football: Chicago Tribune's Photo Gallery

The Chicago Tribune had a photographer at yesterday's first football practice -- you'll enjoy their photo gallery linked below:

Check out the cool Under Armour shoes and gloves being worn by ND running back Greg Bryant in the photo above.

LINK:  PHOTO GALLERY

Brian Van Gorder Talks After Practice Today

Notre Dame's new defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder met with WatchND's Jack Nolan after Practice #2 today in Culver, IN -- enjoy!

LINK:  VAN GORDER

WatchND's Coverage of ND Football: DAY ONE

Here's some video of Notre Dame's first practice session in Culver, IN -- click on the link below:

LINK:  DAY ONE

Overnight Local Coverage of First Practice Day

Here's the latest coverage from the South Bend TV stations and the South Bend Tribune -- of Notre Dame Football's first day of practice.  You'll get a kick out of Coach Kelly's quick jab at Golson during his media session (Fox 28):

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  WSBT-TV

LINK:  FOX-28

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #1

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #2

LINK:  ELKHART TRUTH 

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE

You Must See this Sheldon Day Interview

WatchND's Jack Nolan is down in Culver, IN this week with the Fighting Irish -- this afternoon he conducted this interview with Sheldon Day.

I promise you, after watching this -- you will be rooting for this young man!

LINK:  SHELDON DAY

Local TV Coverage of ND's First Practice Today

Took a lap around the local TV stations here in the South Bend area to give you a flavor of the news reporting from DAY ONE of the 2014 Notre Dame Football Training Camp in Culver, IN -- just click on the links below:

LINK:  ABC57 -- GOLSON'S BACK

LINK:  ABC57 -- SENIORS

LINK:  WNDU-TV -- GOLSON STORY

LINK:  WNDU-TV -- ND'S ARRIVAL

LINK:  WSBT-TV -- TRAINING CAMP

Coach Kelly Takes Questions After Practice

The first football practice of the 2014 Notre Dame football season took place about an hour southwest of campus at the beautiful Culver Academies campus.  If you haven't seen this place -- you must!

Here's a link to the media session:

LINK:  COACH KELLY TAKES QUESTIONS

Look For Under Armour's "BIG ND UNVEIL"

If you go to the Under Armour website and type in "NOTRE DAME" it will drive you to the page linked below and the banner above...

They've been teasing a "BIG UNVEIL" this month!  Stay tuned!!!

LINK:  UNDER ARMOUR -- ND GEAR

Forbes: Brian Kelly "Best Bang for the Buck!"

Forbes Magazine ranked the "best 25 college football coaches in America for the money."

Guess who's #1:  Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly.


LINK:  BEST BANG FOR A BUCK!

Day 1: Photos from ND Football Training Camp

Here's a look at what took place today on the practice fields and class rooms at Culver Academies for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

Offensive players in blue -- defensive players in white and QB's in red.

Just click on the photos to enlarge them!

First Look at UA's Notre Dame Practice Jersey

Here's a look at what the QB's (Everett Golson) are wearing and the defensive players (Jaylon Smith) are wearing this week from Under Armour at Training Camp in Culver, IN.

Gone are the shoulder stripes from Adidas...

Fighting Irish Visit Notre Dame Stadium Sunday

On their way to Culver for the start of Training Camp yesterday afternoon -- Coach Kelly made a stop at Notre Dame Stadium.  Here's a photo of the Fighting Irish walking on the new Field Turf playing surface for the first time.

The ND MONOGRAM is bigger than I thought!

Bettis & Brown -- Next for NFL Hall of Fame?

Over the weekend, the NFL celebrated the best of all-time in Canton, OH.

Here's hoping next year we'll see one if not two former Notre Dame student-athletes wearing that gold jacket.  Click on the story about next year's NFL Hall of Fame Class.

LINK:  WHO'S NEXT?

Notre Dame Leprechaun Challenges Fallon

Here's the challenge video posted Friday by the Notre Dame Leprechaun -- linked below...

Apparently, Jimmy Fallon does a "lip sync challenge" feature on his Tonight Show and Leprechaun "John" and the Syracuse mascot named "Otto" have challenged Fallon and his Panda character -- the week Notre Dame plays Syracuse at Met Life Stadium.   Here's the video:

LINK:  FALLON CHALLENGE

Domer Dad Bon Jovi's Letter to Buffalo Fans

Jon Bon Jovi (AKA: rock star and Dad to Notre Dame student-athlete Jesse Bongiovi) penned a passionate letter to the Buffalo Bills fans letting them know of his intentions -- if he is fortunate enough to acquire the team.

LINK:  BUFFALO FANS LETTER

Our Kid's "First Season" at Iowa Speedway

This weekend marked the third and final race weekend of the 2014 race season for NASCAR's Iowa Speedway. 

Our son, and 2008 Notre Dame graduate -- Jimmy Small has literally worked around the clock (seven days a week) the last ten months to put on a good show in Iowa.  We're very proud of his commitment to making a good first impression.

The photos above are from Victory Lane -- Jimmy with last night's Nationwide race winner Brad Keselowski and this past May's K&N Pro Series race winner Ben Rhodes.

Here is a Des Moines Register story (linked below) about Jimmy's first year at the helm.  Something I know he's real proud of -- is his TEAM at Iowa Speedway.  Way overlooked in all the hype these past few months about NASCAR placing a "28 year-old Notre Dame grad in charge" -- is the great work from all of his teammates this race season.  I sure hope they all get caught up on their sleep.

It's well deserved.

LINK:  HIS FIRST LAP

LINK:  FINAL LAPS FROM LAST NIGHT'S RACE

Under Armour's Custom Shoe for ND VIP's

Here's a photo of a Notre Dame exec's shoes from Under Armour -- they are sharp!

Domer Matt Besler '09 Opts To Play at Home!

Former Notre Dame All-American and US National Team member Matt Besler shocked the world soccer community by turning down "more money to play in Europe" -- when he signed a four-year guaranteed contract this week with his hometown MLS team -- Sporting Kansas City.

Besler's deal is worth $2.8 million -- congratulations Matt!

That's Matt on the right in the photo above holding the MLS Cup Trophy which his Sporting Kansas City team won this past season.

LINK:  STAYING HOME

Happy 24th Birthday Today for Skylar Diggins!

Former Notre Dame All-American and now WNBA All-Star -- Skylar Diggins turns 24 years-old today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SKYLAR!

If you'd like to wish Skylar a Happy Birthday on Twitter - just send her a TWEET @SkyDigg4

Weekly NFL Update for Notre Dame Graduates

Took a lap around the NFL this morning to check in all of the former Notre Dame football players competing for spots in Training Camps.

AS OF THIS MORNING -- THERE ARE 39 FORMER NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL PLAYERS ON NFL TRAINING CAMP ROSTERS.  22 on offense, 16 on defense and 1 specialist.

Just click on their name below to see the latest media reports:

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN -- 8

CHRIS WATT -- CHARGERS

ZACK MARTIN -- COWBOYS

SAM YOUNG -- JAGUARS

JOHN SULLIVAN -- VIKINGS

TREVOR ROBINSON -- BENGALS

RYAN HARRIS -- CHIEFS

ERIC OLSEN -- TITANS

BRAXSTON CAVE -- PATRIOTS


TIGHT ENDS -- 5

JOHN CARLSON -- CARDINALS

TYLER EIFERT -- BENGALS

ANTHONY FASANO -- CHIEFS

TROY NIKLAS -- CARDINALS

KYLE RUDOLPH -- VIKINGS


WIDE RECEIVERS -- 3

MICHAEL FLOYD -- CARDINALS

T.J. JONES -- LIONS

GOLDEN TATE -- LIONS


RUNNING BACKS -- 5

GEORGE ATKINSON -- RAIDERS

JONAS GRAY -- PATRIOTS

ROBERT HUGHES -- CARDINALS

THEO RIDDICK -- LIONS

CIERRE WOOD -- RAVENS


QUARTERBACKS -- 1

JIMMY CLAUSEN -- BEARS


DEFENSIVE LINEMEN -- 5

LOUIS NIX -- TEXANS

KONA SCHWENKE -- CHIEFS

JUSTIN TUCK -- RAIDERS

STEPHON TUITT -- STEELERS

IAN WILLIAMS -- 49ERS


LINEBACKERS -- 4

DARIUS FLEMING -- PATRIOTS
 
DAN FOX -- GIANTS

PRINCE SHEMBO -- FALCONS

MANTI TE'O -- CHARGERS


DEFENSIVE BACKS -- 7

ROBERT BLANTON -- VIKINGS

SERGIO BROWN -- COLTS

DAVID BRUTON -- BRONCOS

BENNETT JACKSON -- GIANTS

ZEKE MOTTA -- FALCONS

HARRISON SMITH -- VIKINGS

DARRIN WALLS -- JETS


SPECIALISTS -- 1

J.J. JANSEN -- PANTHERS

MUST SEE -- Brady Quinn on Dan Patrick Show

Notre Dame fans -- you'll enjoy this interview from today.  Dan Patrick drills Brady on his experience playing for the Fighting Irish.  Good stuff here!

LINK:  BRADY QUINN ON DAN PATRICK

Replay: Coach Kelly's Press Conference Today

The 127th football season at the University of Notre Dame got it's start today with Coach Kelly's opening press conference.  Fall camp begins Monday at the Culver Academies.

You'll want to watch this:

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE

Brady Quinn Worked Out for Patriots This Week

It's been a busy week for former Notre Dame All-American Brady Quinn.

On Monday, Quinn was in Foxboro, MA working out for the New England Patriots.  On Thursday he was being announced by Fox Sports as their new college and pro football analyst...

Then today -- he was a guest on the Dan Patrick Radio Show -- see link below to interview:


LINK:  QUINN GETS PATRIOTS' TRYOUT

LINK:  DAN PATRICK RADIO SHOW INTERVIEW