Notre Dame's Rumored Helmet for Michigan

This photo is being routed around the internet as Notre Dame's rumored helmet for the September 10th "throw back" game at Michigan.  While it's not exactly what the IRISH wore during the Kuharich years -- it's close enough.  I have to admit I'm not a big fan of the green facemask...  Looks like what Baylor wears.

Brian Kelly Makin' Changes To His Irish

University of Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly has made some position changes since Spring Practice that will be interesting to watch this August when he gets back at practice with the Irish.  Here's a link to a South Bend Tribune story on this very subject:

LINK:  CHANGIN' THE IRISH

The Ad Campaign for ESPN's College Network

I've spent much of my career telling stories for brands.

A marketing campaign for ESPNU -- ESPN's college sports network -- called "NEVER GRADUATE" caught my attention.  Its intent is to tell alums and fans of college sports team that they can always feed their passion for their school at ESPNU.

I get it.

Yet, my first reaction to the campaign was this;  "Why would a TV network that is devoted exclusively to college athletics, create the tagline; NEVER GRADUATE?

Then I realized ESPN doesn't care if student-athletes ever graduate from college -- they just care if these entertainers (excuse me, student-athletes) provide them with great programming while they're on campus over a one to five year period of their life.  They could care less about the next forty to fifty years of the lives of these student-athletes.

I get it.

While I fully understand it's not ESPN's role in life to make sure student-athletes graduate from college -- that's up to the universities and the NCAA they send checks to.  I would have thought there might be one senior executive in Bristol, CT who would have determined this isn't the best message to associate with college athletics:  NEVER GRADUATE. 

Unfortunately, they don't "have" to get it -- they just have to get you to tune-in.

Spirit of Notre Dame -- $2 Billion!

The University of Notre Dame is celebrating one of the most successful capital campaigns in the history of higher education.  Over the past seven years, the Spirit of Notre Dame campaign has raised more than $2 BILLION -- the first time a university without a medical school has ever raised this much money.  Congratulations Notre Dame!

Catholic Charities Honors Father Ted

Catholic Charities honored legendary University of Notre Dame president Father Hesburgh at their annual event in Boston.  Father Ted couldn't make the event, so Father Jenkins accepted the award on his behalf.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  CATHOLIC CHARITIES HONORS FATHER TED

Ohioans -- Drop Your Subscription Today!

This cartoon ran yesterday in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  Just goes to show you how "low" this paper will go to support their troubled coach and in-state college football team. 

Drawing a comparison between Declan Sullivan's tragic death and Ohio State's knowingly breaking the rules -- AN ALL TIME LOW IN JOURNALISM.   If you still call it that in Ohio. 

I trust Notre Dame fans will do the right thing with the Cleveland Plain Dealer.