The Band of the Fighting Irish -- NYC Video!

This was just tweeted by @NDBandMom -- a video from The Band of the Fighting Irish's performance in New York City's Times Square this past Saturday.  What a NOTRE DAME MOMENT!  Just had to post the link!!!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME BAND IN TIMES SQUARE

Domer Team Dominates!: The Amazing Race

Notre Dame grad, Thomas Wolfard '02 and his girlfriend Jill Haney -- absolutely "crushed" the other four teams remaining in CBS's The Amazing Race last night!  Wolfard and Haney were the first to get to the finish line in Bangladesh -- in this globe trotting adventure race.  For finishing first, the two earned a $15,000 bonus from Discover Card!  There are only four teams left in the race for the MILLION DOLLAR prize!  Tune in next Sunday night and root them on!  Here's a link to a replay of last night's episode of CBS's The Amazing Race:

LINK:  REPLAY OF THE AMAZING RACE

Notre Dame Pep Rally @ Hyatt Regency OC

The Notre Dame Club of Orange County is hosting the "official" Notre Dame / USC Pep Rally at the Hyatt Regency OC (Garden Grove, CA) this Friday!!!  The Leprechaun, Notre Dame Cheerleaders and a number of former Irish greats will be in attendance.  If you're in the area -- get out and cheer on the IRISH!  “Tailgate type” food & drinks will be available for purchase in the Ball Room as well as games for the “kids.”  And, the Notre Dame Hammes Bookstore will be there as well (they never miss an opportunity!) giving ND fans access to all of the IRISH GEAR you'll need for Saturday's game against USC.  The Notre Dame Bookstore "West" will be open "all day" Friday and from 9 AM to 2 PM on Saturday (a great place to get your Christmas shopping done!).  The Hyatt Regency OC's Ballroom doors open up at 5 PM PST with the Pep Rally beginning at 7:30 PM PST.  A big thank you to Brian Miehaus '00, for making me aware of this special event!  Go Irish beat Trojans!!!  Here's a link to the Notre Dame Club of Orange County website:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME CLUB OF OC

Play Like A Champion Today -- Accredited!

The University of Notre Dame's Play Like A Champion Today Educational Series received national accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE) this past week.  AND YOU THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A SIGN IN THE NOTRE DAME LOCKER ROOM!  More than 18,000 coaches and 3,000 parents have participated in PLC workshops in the United States, Canada and most recently, Uganda.  Play Like A Champion Today develops and offers coaching clinics and parents workshops in partnership with athletic leagues, youth sport organizations and high schools.  Here's a link to their website and a video:

LINK:  PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY VIDEO

LINK:  PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY WEBSITE

Bowl Eligible Irish: Where Do They Go?

The big wins, the past two weeks, have earned the Irish the opportunity to go "BOWLING" and not the kind with a bag, ball, shoes and shirt!  Notre Dame currently stands 6-5 after Saturday night's win at Yankee Stadium over Army -- with the USC Trojans left this Saturday in Los Angeles.  Let's take a look at where the Notre Dame Fighting Irish could be headed for a Bowl Game:

When the Irish beat USC Saturday night (!) -- they will finish the season at 7-5, winning their last three games of the season.  And, they will be the most desired 7 win team in America -- for bowl game committees. 

Most experts believe the Irish will be headed to Orlando to play in the Champs Sports Bowl on December 28th against a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference -- probably North Carolina State.  The Irish have the option of taking the Big East slot in this game this year or next.  Big East fans will be furious!

If the Irish are "upset" by the Trojans this week -- we will finish the season with six wins -- and, then it gets a little crazy with where the Irish may end up.  Here are a few of the Bowl Games that will be lining up trying to convince Notre Dame to play in their game:

-The Hyundai Sun Bowl -- in El Paso, TX on December 31.  This bowl is scheduled to take ACC #4 vs. the PAC 10 #4.  Yet, many are predicting that the Fighting Irish will take the PAC 10 spot and  play the Miami Hurricanes in this game.  The media is going to have a field day with this...

-The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl -- in San Francisco on January 9th.  Can you believe they're playing a bowl game for a six win team on January 9th?  This game is scheduled to take the #6 team in the PAC 10 Conference (assuming they are bowl eligible) against a team from the Western Athletic Conference.  Yet, many feel they'll find a way to invite Notre Dame.
 
-Ticket City Bowl -- in Dallas on January 1st.  This bowl is scheduled to take a team from the Big Ten vs. a team from the Big 12.  Only eight Big Ten teams are bowl eligible for the nine bowl games that are contracted with the conference -- that doesn't account for any Big Ten team that is selected for a BCS bowl game.  Many feel, the Ticket City Bowl is praying they are the bowl that doesn't have to take a Big Ten team -- and, that the Irish will fall to them.

-Little Caesars Bowl -- in Detroit on December 26th.  This bowl is also scheduled to take a Big Ten team vs. the Mid American Conference Champion.  As mentioned above, the Big Ten doesn't have enough bowl eligible teams this year, and there won't be a Big Ten team in Motown at this game.  The Mid American Conference Champion will come from one of three teams;  Northern Illinois, Ohio or Miami, OH (which is coached by former ND player and coach -- Mike Haywood!)

-New Era Pinstripe Bowl -- in New York City on December 30th.  This bowl game is scheduled to take the #7 team in the Big 12 vs. the #4 team in the Big East.  At present, the Big 12 has eight teams bowl eligible, but there's the chance that Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Missouri could be scooped up by one of the BCS Championship games leaving a spot open here for the Irish.

-The BBVA Bowl -- in Birmingham, AL on January 8th.  This bowl game is scheduled to take the #10 out of the SEC vs. the Big East.  At present, only eight teams in the SEC are bowl eligible, so this spot is not going to be filled.

-The Military Bowl -- in Washington D.C. on December 29th.  This bowl game is scheduled to take the #8 team out of the ACC against a team from Conference USA.  There are nine teams in the ACC that are bowl eligible with the outside chance that Virginia Tech may get selected for one of the BCS Bowl Championship games.  I don't see the Irish being around to be picked by this bowl game!

Irish Hockey Sweeps the MSU Spartans!

The University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish hockey team -- swept the #17th ranked MSU Spartans this weekend before sell-out crowds at the Joyce Center!  On Friday night, the Irish won 6-2, scoring five goals in the second period.  Six different Irish players scored a goal in the game.  And on Saturday night, Jeff Jackson's icers scored two "short handed" goals in the third period in Notre Dame's 4-2 victory!  The 11th ranked Irish are now 9-3-1 on the season and continue their hold on first place in the CCHA.  The Irish are now 7-1-3 in their last eleven games against the Spartans.  Go Irish!  Here are the game stories from the South Bend Tribune:

LINK:  SATURDAY'S WIN!

LINK:  FRIDAY'S WIN!

Irish Women's Soccer Rolls over #3 Tar Heels!

Randy Waldrum's Notre Dame Fighting Irish soccer team crushed the "two-time defending National Champions" North Carolina Tar Heels 4-1, on their home field, this Saturday at the NCAA Women's Soccer National Championship in Chapel Hill, NC!  The win vaults the #7th ranked Irish into the Quarter Finals (there's eight teams left) in Stillman, OK next weekend -- where they will take on the #6th  ranked Oklahoma State Cowgirls, on their home field.  This is the seventh straight year that the Irish have advanced to the "Round of Eight" -- quite an accomplishment!  The photo is of Notre Dame's Melissa Henderson, who scoreed her 51st career goal in the game.  Go Irish!!!  Here's the South Bend Tribune story:

LINK:  IRISH BEAT TAR HEELS!