Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Columnist: "Music City Bowl Hits the Jackpot!"


Nashville Advocate columnist David Climer penned a piece this morning that stated "in year 17, the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl has come of age..."

"Most compelling match-up in bowl history..."

LINK:  STORY


Late Night South Bend TV -- Music City Bowl


Here's what the local TV stations in South Bend were reporting last night from Nashville -- site of today's Music City Bowl.

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  WSBT-TV

LINK:  FOX-28

LINK:  ABC-57

It's MUSIC CITY BOWL GAME DAY for ND!


Took a lap around the worldwide web this morning to see if any media pundits are giving Notre Dame a chance today against LSU. 

All I will say is this:

We may have to remind them of this verse in the Notre Dame Victory March:  "What though the odds be great or small, old Notre Dame will WIN OVER ALL!"


LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE -- CHRIS HINES

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE -- CHRIS GOFF

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- ERIC HANSEN

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- AL LESAR

LINK:  BATON ROUGE ADVOCATE

LINK:  NOLA

LINK:  ESPN -- FORTUNA

LINK:  CBS SPORTS -- TOM FORNELLI

Monday, December 29, 2014

WSBT-TV's Pete Byrne From Music City Bowl


Here's his report from inside Nashville's LP Field -- site of tomorrow's Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl...

LINK:  PETE BYRNE

WNDU-TV's Jeff Jeffers Talks With Les Miles


Long time WNDU-TV sportscaster Jeff Jeffers -- spoke with LSU head coach Les Miles today, on the eve of the Music City Bowl -- here's a link to the interview:

LINK:  JEFFERS & MILES

"BIG" Names on Notre Dame's Bowl Jerseys!


The blue jerseys that Notre Dame will be wearing tomorrow afternoon at the Franklin Mortgage Music City Bowl -- will carry their names on the jersey backs.

And, as you'll see in the photo and video linked below -- they are quite visible!

LINK:  NAMES ON JERSEYS

QB Malik Zaire Gets His First Start Tomorrow!


Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly made the announcement today -- in the final press conference before tomorrow's Music City Bowl -- that Malik Zaire will be starting at QB for the Fighting Irish.

Here's a link to Coach Kelly and Coach Miles -- joint press conference:

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE

OT: Texas A&M Coach Punching WVU Players


This Texas A&M student-assistant coach (Mike Richardson) needs to seek a new profession -- fast.

I wonder what the SEC will do...

LINK:  WATCH THIS

Actress AnnaLynne McCord's Notre Dame Visit


Hollywood actress AnnaLynne McCord (good Irish name!) traveled to the University of Notre Dame this past November.  You'll learn her Dad's dream was to attend Notre Dame...

AnnaLynne is best known for the roles she played in Nip/Tuck and 90210.

LINK:  ANNALYNNE GOES TO ND

Fourth Practice Report: Music City Bowl


The Fighting Irish are less than 24 hours away from kicking it off in the 2014 Music City Bowl.  Today the teams took their official photos and Coach Kelly met with the media -- as did Coach VanGorder and Coach Denbrock.

LINK:  PRACTICE REPORT

A Notre Dame Fan Left This Note at the Grotto


Chris Walsh '87, a colleague of mine at the University of the Notre Dame -- found this note today on campus at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes...

Thanks for sharing Chris!

GO IRISH!

Late Sunday Night South Bend Media Coverage


Here's what the South Bend TV stations were reporting last night from the Music City Bowl -- as well as the South Bend Tribune -- as Notre Dame begins to wind down preparation for Tuesday's game against LSU.

LINK:  WNDU-TV #1

LINK:  WNDU-TV #2

LINK:  FOX28-TV

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- AL LESAR

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- ERIC HANSEN

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Kelly "Having Fun" With Reporters Over QB's...


Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly had some fun "messing" with the reporters working the Music City Bowl...

LINK:  THE TENNESSEEAN

Third Practice Report: Music City Bowl


The Fighting Irish practiced "indoors" today in the Tennessee Titans practice facility.  You'll see Notre Dame warming up inside the "bubble" along with video from last night's Singing / Songwriting Competition and the Hot Wings Eating Competition...

LINK:  PRACTICE REPORT #3

Week 17 -- Notre Dame in the NFL Touchdowns!


Here you go -- take a look at these two former Notre Dame football stars scoring TD's today in the final weekend of the 2014 NFL season:

LINK:  MICHAEL FLOYD

LINK:  THEO RIDDICK

LSU's Local Media Coverage from Nashville


Here's what LSU's local media is reporting this morning from the Music City Bowl:

LINK:  THE ADVOCATE

LINK:  NOLA -- COM

Nashville Media Coverage of Music City Bowl


Here's what I could find this morning from the Nashville media on Tuesday's Music City Bowl between LSU and Notre Dame:

LINK:  WKRN-TV

LINK:  FOX17-TV

LINK:  THE TENNESSEAN

South Bend Media Coverage From Nashville


The South Bend media arrived in Nashville yesterday -- here are their first reports on Notre Dame from the Music City Bowl last night...

LINK:  WSBT-TV

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  FOX28-TV

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

Saturday, December 27, 2014

The ND GO IRISH BLOG's Newest Staffer...


My daughter Kara and son-in-law Conor -- adopted a puppy named "Bailey" five weeks ago...

Well, tonight -- Bailey offered up some help as I was updating the ND GO IRISH BLOG.

Nashville NBC Reporter: "LSU Fans Go Home"


WOW -- this isn't going over well with the LSU crowd in Nashville for the Music City Bowl...

LINK:  LOCAL NBC REPORTER

Second Practice Report: Music City Bowl


Here's a look at DAY #2 from Nashville as Notre Dame gets ready for Tuesday's Music City Bowl game against Louisiana State University...

LINK:  PRACTICE #2

Saturday Night Fun at the Music City Bowl!


The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and the LSU Tigers are on the General Jackson Showboat having dinner tonight -- here's some of the fun going on...

Notre Dame's "Hot Chicken Wing Eating Team" won the Music City Bowl Championship -- devouring 25 wings to 19 for LSU -- see photos above.

LINK:  SONG WRITING COMPETITION

LINK:  HOT CHICKEN WING EATING COMPETITION

New Under Armour Shoe for Notre Dame FB!


The Fighting Irish will be wearing these new "kicks" for Tuesday's Music City Bowl game...

The Les Miles Show: Music City Bowl Edition


LSU's Les Miles held his radio show last night -- as his team gets ready to take on Notre Dame this Tuesday afternoon in the Music City Bowl...

Please note -- it's a radio show -- you won't see any video.

LINK:  LES MILES SHOW

Brian Kelly Media Session #1 -- Music City Bowl


Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media last night after their first practice at Nashville's Father Ryan High School as the Fighting Irish prepare for Tuesday's Music City Bowl.

LINK:  COACH KELLY

Friday, December 26, 2014

First Practice Report From the Music City Bowl

The Fighting Irish held a practice this afternoon at Father Ryan High School in Nashville, TN -- as they prepare for the Music City Bowl game against LSU.

Here's the report from practice:

LINK:  PRACTICE & COACH KELLY

Notre Dame Practicing at Father Ryan High


Nashville's Father Ryan High School is hosting the "real" Fighting Irish for football practice these next few days -- leading up to next Tuesday's Music City Bowl.  Here's a couple of photographs from this afternoon's first practice session -- along with photos of the team's arrival at Nashville International Airport and the first team meeting...

Father Ryan High was founded in 1925 as the Nashville Catholic High School for Boys.

Golson & Zaire on Notre Dame QB Competition


Here's Notre Dame QBs Everett Golson and Malik Zaire -- talking about the competition:

LINK:  EVERETT GOLSON

LINK:  MALIK ZAIRE

Coming to a Shamrock Series Game Near You?


Got to love the creativity in the Under Armour All-America Game "gear" -- helmet, uniform, shoes, gloves and base layer -- the top high school players will be wearing next week in Orlando...

Can't wait to see what Under Armour will do for Notre Dame at next year's Shamrock Series Game -- with a year to plan.

Notre Dame Football Headed to Nashville Today


The Fighting Irish will be arriving in Nashville today for the Music City Bowl -- from all over the country.  The official travel party is boarding a Delta 747 this hour (photo above) in South Bend -- and the players will be arriving at Nashville International Airport on flights from their hometowns all morning long...

The IRISH will hold their first practice in Nashville today at 4:30 PM CT

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas From Notre Dame!


Thought you'd enjoy hearing Katherine Jenkins and IL DIVO perform OH HOLY NIGHT -- one of my favorites!

Merry Christmas!!!

LINK:  OH HOLY NIGHT


Wednesday, December 24, 2014

OT: Pretty Cool Moment With Tennessee FB


Butch Jones -- who is a fellow Ferris State alumnus -- surprised a member of his Tennessee Volunteer football team with a great Christmas present...

LINK:  WATCH THIS

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Who Doesn't Belong In This Photograph...?


The guy in the red jersey -- Aaron Lynch, who left Notre Dame after his freshman season...

Here he is posing for a photo of Notre Dame alumni playing in the NFL; Trevor Robinson, Ian Williams and Manti Te'o -- missing from the photo is Chris Watt who was injured earlier in the game...

Manti Te'o to 49er: "Find a New Joke..."


Former Notre Dame All-American Manti Te'o -- is tired of hearing about the "girlfriend..."

LINK:  FIND A NEW JOKE

Notre Dame Football Hires UCLA RB Alum...


Jonathan Franklin, who gained more than 4,000 yards for the UCLA Bruins -- has been hired by the Notre Dame Athletic Department to work with Student Welfare and Development...

LINK:  THE REAL GOLD HELMET

Zack Martin '13, Named to the NFL Pro Bowl!


Guess who is the only rookie offensive player named to the NFL Pro Bowl...

Former Notre Dame football captain and first round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys -- Zack Martin '13, was the lone offensive rookie named today to the NFL Pro Bowl!

And, the eighth Cowboy rookie of all-time to earn this honor -- and their first ever rookie offensive lineman.

Congratulations Zack!

LINK:  NFL PRO BOWL

USA Today Story On Under Armour's CEO


Kevin Plank had quite a year...

LINK:  USA TODAY STORY

Les Miles Meets With the Media After Practice


LSU head football coach Les Miles met with the media after Monday's practice.

He spoke on a variety of subjects; Christmas, Forbes's value of his football program, coaching vacancies and he even fielded a question about Notre Dame.  LSU will arrive a day after Notre Dame in Nashville...

You get the sense the local media thinks they will roll over the IRISH...

LINK:  LES MILES

Monday, December 22, 2014

Brian Kelly Previews Music City Bowl Game


Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly sat down with Jack Nolan yesterday to talk about the Music City Bowl game against LSU...

LINK:  INSIDE NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL