An old colleague of mine sent this to me this morning. I'm going to be sending it off to my kids shortly. I encourage all to click on this link and explore one's true potential. Your attitude drives your effort -- ARE YOU GIVING IT YOUR BEST? Click on the link:
Made a visit to the Notre Dame campus yesterday afternoon and shot this video of the Fighting Irish players and coaches walking to their practice fields. If you're ever at Notre Dame around 3:15 PM EST during the week, you should walk over to the Labar Practice Fields and catch the Irish walk into practice. The photo is of a "gold football and a gold kicking tee" -- don't know the significance of it, just thought it was unique. Here's a link to the video.
The University of Notre Dame and the City of South Bend have teamed up in creating a program that encourages Notre Dame's 10,000+ students to visit South Bend parks, museums and other attractions. Students will receive a "cultural passport" that contains information on 14 area attractions. When Notre Dame students visit one of these sites, they will get their "passport" stamped and those who visit all 14 will receive a certificate signed by the Mayor and the Dean of their college. The photo above is of one of the attractions in their passport; the Permanent Collection of the South Bend Museum of Art. Here's a link to the South Bend / Mishawaka Convention & Visitors Bureau website and a link to the South Bend Museum of Art's website:
Found this interesting article last night that ran in Sunday's Grand Rapids Press. The West Michigan area has "adopted" Brian Kelly as one of its own from his days at Grand Valley State -- and the area's main newspaper, The Grand Rapids Press, has been quite kind to Coach Kelly since he was announced as Notre Dame's Football Coach. This story covers a number of subjects -- including "expanding" his office space in the Gug. You'll enjoy this article:
Just received an email from Kelly Cares Foundation alerting me that their new website just went LIVE! The photo is of Paqui Kelly, Brian's wife -- of barefoot punting fame! Here's a link -- click on it and join the Kelly Cares Foundation Friendship Club:
Former Notre Dame Football Coach, Lou Holtz offered up his thoughts on Brian Kelly -- and he likes him!!! Here's a link to the story in today's Grand Rapids Press:
The University of Notre Dame is taking a new approach to education this semester -- debuting the University’s first and only class taught using Apple’s new wireless tablet computer to replace traditional textbooks. The course is part of a unique, year-long Notre Dame study of eReaders. Corey Angst, Assistant Professor of Management (that's not Corey in the photo -- that's Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple) is conducting the first phase using iPads, which just went on sale to the public in April. Here's a link to a video -- that you can watch on your iPad!
WNDU=TV's Jeff Jeffers interviewed Notre Dame Head Football Coach, Brian Kelly this week. Here's a link to the interview
Notre Dame Head Football Coach, Brian Kelly will start a "new tradition" for Irish fans. Beginning this Thursday -- and every Thursday thereafter during the season -- Coach Kelly will host his own radio show from Legends, with Jack Nolan, from 7 PM to 8 PM EST. Notre Dame fans can attend the show live at Legends (on the Notre Dame campus) or listen on Audio outlets; WSBT 960AM in South Bend, UND.com, WXNT 1430 AM in Indianapolis, and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio. WSBT, WXNT and und.com will carry the show live; Sirius/XM will carry it the following day at a time to be determined.
University of Notre Dame Head Football Coach, Brian Kelly, was at the podium for 12 minutes -- last night after practice -- and he said some interesting things. Among them; Today's practice will be in Notre Dame Stadium and they'll work on the "49 scenarios that are possible in a college football game." You'll enjoy his explanation. Coach Kelly was also quite candid about whether or not he would have been ready for this job without any previous head coaching experience, and what was his motivation to lose weight -- an obvious slight on the reporter's part to Coach Charlie Weis. Here's a link:
Sports Illustrated came out with their annual College Football Preview issue and their analysis of our Fighting Irish -- which they "tag teamed" with Athlon Sports. Is business that bad that "SI" can no longer do this on their own? Anyway, here's a link to what "they" think of Brian Kelly's first Notre Dame football squad:
When I saw this story, I just had to post it on the blog. Apparently, there are two treadmills set up at work stations on the University of Notre Dame campus -- see photo. WNDU-TV did a story on these "contraptions" -- and I thought I'd share this with you. For the more "experienced" visitors to the NOTRE DAME GO IRISH BLOG I'm guessing you're thinking "George Jetson" right about now: Here's the link:
Found this blog post today at IRISH CREED concerning the ranking of the ten most influential Domers in the history of Notre Dame. The photo is of Father Sorin, the founder of the University of Notre Dame. Thought you would enjoy this!:
NBC's Mike Mayock -- their new TV Analyst for Notre Dame home football games, was on the Dan Patrick Radio Show this morning. Here's a link to the interview - just scroll down to the interview with Mike Mayock:
My brother Jay, who lives in Denver, sent me this link to an interview former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn recently gave to a show called "Movers & Shakers in the Mile High City." Once again, Brady Quinn does Notre Dame proud -- boy, I wish he was having more success! After watching this, I'm sure the TV networks will be "lining up" looking to hire him when he decides to hang it up someday. Here's a link to the interview:
The University of Notre Dame's Women's Volleyball received a verbal commit from one of the top players in the country last week -- and she hasn't event started her "JUNIOR YEAR" in high school! Her name is Taylor Morey and she's out of Burris High School in Muncie, IN. Notre Dame coaches believe Morey might be the top "defensive player" in the nation. Morey's high school team (Burris) is currently ranked #7 in the country in the pre-season polls for girls high school volleyball. FYI: This year's Irish incoming freshman class is ranked 13th best in the country. Here's a link to a couple of stories about Taylor Morey:
Here's a few stories that ran in the last 24 hours concerning Notre Dame Football -- that I thought you'd enjoy. Just click on the links:
Today's Wall Street Journal ranks the "star power" of the top football programs -- via Rivals ranking of football recruits out of high school. And, our Fighting Irish rank third in their "average star ranking" of its projected starters -- as compared to all of the BCS college football teams. I guess ol' Charlie Weis knew how to recruit! The photo is of Notre Dame's Class of 2012 -- taken at the Army All American game in San Antonio -- prior to their arrival at Notre Dame. Rudolph, Floyd, Crist, Flemming, Robinson, Filer, etc. were just a few of the high school All-Americans in this #1 ranked recruiting class in the country. Here's the story:
I'm willing to wager that nine out of every ten Notre Dame fans do not know the actual name of the mural on the Hesburgh Library that faces Notre Dame Stadium (see photo). And, no -- it's not Touchdown Jesus! It's name: The Word of Life. The Word of Life mural is 134 feet high and 68 feet wide and adorns the south side of the Hesburgh Library. The artist who created "Touchdown Jesus" is Millard Sheets and his piece of art required 5,700 pieces of granite, from sixteen foreign countries, to make up all of the colors in the mural. Here's a wonderful video that gives you the history of "Touchdown Jesus." Just click on link:
With the 2010 college football "campaign" just days a way -- I thought it would be wise to provide my fellow Notre Dame fans with some "talking points" should the topic of college football come up in the coming weeks. It's all about "being prepared" to take on all comers -- and I believe this should do just that:
Here's WNDU-TV's coverage of the Crawford's returning to Notre Dame. Thought you'd enjoy seeing this story and hearing Coach Parseghian speak to the crowd:
Now, I have to admit I'm not a follower of the Huffington Post. Yet, when I see a headline in my daily clips; "12 Coolest Mascots In College Football" -- I had to look and see where our Leprechaun ranked. Well, we weren't the coolest of the bunch -- but, we were in the conversation! Here's a link to the rankings of the Coolest College Mascots:
Here's a photo of the crowd that gathered today at the steps of Notre Dame's Main Building -- the "Golden Dome" -- to welcome home Greg and Renate Crawford. Here's a link to the story:
The NOTRE DAME GO IRISH BLOG has an "official" YOUTUBE Channel. At present, 27 videos are posted on this channel - so, if you need a "Notre Dame Fix" today -- just click on the link below and enjoy! And, if you have a favorite Notre Dame video you believe I should add to the Channel, please let me know via a comment or email. Thanks!
The 2,000+ mile journey from Tucson, AZ to Notre Dame, IN ends today at noon for University of Notre Dame's Dean of the College of Science, Greg Crawford and his wife Renate. They left Tucson July 24th on their bikes -- with the hopes of "bringing home" the relationship with the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation to Notre Dame -- and raising the awareness of the research being conducted to find a cure for Neimann-Pick Type C, a disease that took the lives of three of Coach Parseghian's grandkids. Well, they're just hours away from doing just that! If you're on campus today -- please join the Notre Dame Family in welcoming back the Crawford's! They're scheduled to be pedaling up Notre Dame Avenue at noon today -- and there's a welcoming reception planned at the Main Circle.
A Notre Dame Football Weekend -- generates $10 million in "incremental spending" in the South Bend community -- says a Forbes magazine report. Not to put any more pressure on Coach Kelly, but it's fact; the more the Irish win -- the more our fans will spend! Here's a link to a story on the "buzz" around town concerning the start of the Brian Kelly era at Notre Dame:
That the University of Notre Dame is home to the largest Catholic university publisher in the world? Notre Dame Press has 1,000 books in print and publishes some 50 to 60 new titles annually. It publishes in areas that complement the University’s graduate programs, centers and institutes, with current projects focusing on theology, medieval studies, philosophy, peace studies, modern poetry, Latin American studies, history, and Irish and Irish American studies. Notre Dame faculty contribute their expertise as reviewers and series editors on numerous books published by the press. Established in 1949, Notre Dame Press is located on the University of Notre Dame campus. Here's a link to the Notre Dame Press website:
Mike Frank's Irish Sports Daily has made available a few more player interviews to "non-subscribers" of their site. I have been a subscriber for a couple of years to Mike's site -- and would recommend it to any Notre Dame fan. Here's links to interviews with Louis Nix #67, the 350 lb. freshman out of Miami and Kapron Lewis-Moore #89, a starting defensive end for the Irish. Plus, a link to Mike Frank's Irish Sports Daily site if you'd like to subscribe:
University of Notre Dame's Class of 2009 -- Mike Lee, was back on campus this week after spending a day in Chicago promoting his upcoming fight on HBO on September 11th. Lee is seen in this photo giving Lou Nanni, Vice President of University Relations at Notre Dame a pair of his "Notre Dame Gold" boxing gloves. Mike was a "three time" Bengal Bouts Champion while a student at Notre Dame. He's currently training in Houston for his second professional fight -- which is the undercard for the World Featherweight Bout between Gamboa and Salido at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. The article linked below recaps Mike's day in Chicago, meeting with Mayor Daley, photos of his time at Notre Dame, etc.,:
In just the past 24 hours I've received multiple requests from Notre Dame fans to launch a forum where you can let Irish fans know you're seeking tickets to a Notre Dame football game -- and conversely, find Notre Dame fans to sell any extra football tickets to. So, when you get a chance, find the ND GO IRISH BLOG -- TICKET BOARD link on the right side of the home page -- and click on the link. It will direct you to the ND GO IRISH BLOG TICKET BOARD. All I ask is that you use this forum for what it's intended for. Enjoy! Here's another link below to the ND GO IRISH BLOG TICKET BOARD:
I find it one of the "coolest things to see and hear" at Notre Dame - and that's the first "March Out" of the season from The Band of the Fighting Irish! Yesterday morning -- at 9:30 AM -- more than 500 students marched through campus as part of the annual "tryouts" to make the University of Notre Dame's marching band. The sound that reverberates through campus - gives you goosebumps! Approximately 400 band members, plus the 10 members of the Irish Guard will have the honor of joining America's first college marching band -- The Band of the Fighting Irish -- as they celebrate their 165th year! A big thank you to the guys at GameDay ND -- for videotaping the band's march through campus to their practice field. Here's a link:
Former Notre Dame QB, Evan Sharpley, is playing first base this season for the Everett AquaSox, a farm team in the Seattle Mariners organization. Evan is second on the team with 5 HR's and 34 RBI. Here's a link to a video interview of Sharpley on the AquaSox YouTube Channel:
Former Notre Dame All-American wide receiver, Jeff Samardzjia won his most recent start for the Iowa Cubs earning his 10th win of the season. He allowed one "un-earned" run in his six inning stint. Here's a link to a story on the Shark's effort:
ESPN.COM college football writer, Brian Bennett, offered up five things to watch for with the Notre Dame football team this season. Here's the link -- along with two other stories that Bennett wrote on the Irish today at ESPN.COM: