Tuesday, November 30, 2021
ESPN "Talking Heads" Talk Notre Dame...
You have a Trojan (Keyshawn) a Dukie (Williams) and Columbia (Kellerman)...
Monday, November 29, 2021
If Brian Kelly Leaves for LSU -- We'll Be Okay!
If the stories are true that Brian Kelly is leaving Notre Dame to coach Louisiana State University -- good for him. He did us right and if he's all about chasing a great contract to end his career -- he's earned that.
Here's why I'm excited tonight -- I believe college football is all about the "Jimmy's and Joe's" not the "X's and O's"
Have you ever heard this phrase: "Dabo Swinney is a great offensive mind." I never have -- Dabo is a great recruiter and a great promoter. Kids want to play for him, they see him running around that sideline hugging his players, laughing and having fun...
I believe we need a head coach that makes recruiting a PRIORITY -- to win that next National Championship. It's been the team with the best TALENT that has been winning the titles.
So, be happy for Coach Kelly and his family. And, pray we find a great coach -- who will recruit, recruit, recruit!!!
I am happy for Notre Dame tonight -- we'll be returning one of the top teams in all of college football next season -- and we'll do so with some new energy at the top.
All is good -- it really is.
Sunday, November 28, 2021
Let's Look at the "ONE LOSS" Teams in Top 6...
There is plenty of talk right now about what "one loss" teams should be selected for the College Football Playoffs -- so, I thought I'd give the Committee some background on each of these teams:
TEAM A (Michigan):
- Their one loss was to the currently ranked #11 team (9-2) by 4 points
- Strength of schedule is: #13
- Wins over FBS opponents: 11
TEAM B (Alabama):
- Their one loss was to the currently ranked #24 team (8-4) by 3 points
- Strength of schedule is: #50
- Wins over FBS opponents: 9
TEAM C (Oklahoma State):
- Their one loss was to a currently un-ranked opponent (7-5) by 3 points
- Strength of schedule is: #5
- Wins over FBS opponents: 9
TEAM D (Notre Dame):
- Their one loss was to the currently ranked #4 team (12-0) by 11 points
- Strength of schedule is #9
- Wins over FBS opponents: 11
So, right now -- two (2) ONE LOSS teams are set to make the College Football Playoffs -- how do you pick among these four teams?
- The two teams with the "best losses?"
- Notre Dame lost to #4
- Michigan lost to #11
- Alabama lost to #24
- Oklahoma State lost to an un-ranked opponent
- The two teams with the most wins over FBS opponents?
- If Michigan beats Iowa they will have 12 FBS wins
- Notre Dame has 11 FBS wins
- If Alabama beats Georgia they will have 10 FBS wins
- If Oklahoma State beats Baylor they will have 10 FBS wins
- The two teams with the highest strength of schedules?
- Oklahoma State has the #5 toughest schedule
- Notre Dame has the #9 toughest schedule
- Michigan has the #13 toughest schedule
- Alabama has the #50 toughest schedule
OT: #1 Ferris State 54 vs. #3 Grand Valley 20
The top ranked Ferris State Bulldogs showed why they deserve the ranking -- as they rolled over #3 Grand Valley State today in the SNOW!!!
LINK: STORY
Saturday, November 27, 2021
Well We're 11-1 --- Now We Wait...
Now, we wait until next Saturday and ultimately next Sunday for our College Football Playoff or New Year's Six Bowl assignment...
Here's what we need to happen next Saturday:
- Georgia to beat Alabama
- Houston to upset Cincinnati
- Or, Baylor to upset Oklahoma State
- Or, Iowa to upset Michigan
Georgia must win -- and then we just need ONE UPSET!
BELIEVE!
OT: #1 Ferris State vs. #3 Grand Valley Today!
The NCAA National Championship in Division II for football -- might just be played today in Big Rapids, MI -- as #1 Ferris State takes on #3 Grand Valley in today's NCAA Playoff game...
The game kicks off at 1 PM ET -- you can watch it LIVE right here: FERRIS TV
Ferris State is the only undefeated team in Division II --- and they're led by last year's top lacrosse player in Division I at QB!
Finebaum Talks Notre Dame or Alabama...
Fast forward the video to the 5:10 mark to the talk about Notre Dame and the playoffs...
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Happy Thanksgiving From Notre Dame!
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
A Domer Dad & Great Notre Dame Friend...
Our guy Dick Vitale (father of two Notre Dame graduates) made his return to the broadcast booth last night after being treated for cancer these past few months...
Dick -- we're glad you are back doing what you love -- and what we all love!
Notre Dame's Annual Thanksgiving Video...
We made the decision this year to recognize the thousands of "unsung heroes" here at the University of Notre Dame. Their efforts kept the university up and running during the pandemic, while many other schools decided it was not worth the risk...
ln May of 2020, I watched singer/songwriter Jeffrey James (Brownsburg, IN) perform his song "We Can Be Heroes" on NBC's Songland. I immediately fell in love with the song and contacted Jeffrey's agent the very next day and suggested that we shoot a music video of this song on the Notre Dame campus.
I quickly learned that because Jeffrey had just performed the song on NBC and the show's staff had helped him re-write some lyrics and change up the melody -- that the song was off limits for a year...
Well, a year passed and Jeffrey's agent -- Chris Ferren reached out to me and as they say -- the rest is history.
The same week we shot the music video on campus, Jeffrey performed at our Friday Night Bash at Notre Dame Stadium -- the night before our game against Purdue.
Hope you like the music video and the story it tells. Please note, you're going to want to hang around and watch all of the credits...
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Okay, We're Now #6 -- Here's How We Move Up
Notre Dame Football is now #6 in the College Football Rankings -- so, here's what it's going to take for us to get into the TOP 4 and earn a playoff spot...
1. Notre Dame clobbers Stanford -- wouldn't it be nice if we kept Stanford without a TD!
2. Georgia beats Alabama by two TD's or more in the SEC Conference Championship game.
3. Cincinnati loses to Houston in Conference USA Championship game.
4. Then we have the Big 12 -- we need an Oklahoma State loss either this week or Big 12 Championship game...
So, here's what happens:
- Georgia handles Alabama and Oklahoma State loses a game -- WE ARE IN
- Georgia handles Alabama and Cincinnati loses to Houston -- WE ARE IN
- Cincinnati loses to Houston and Oklahoma State loses a game -- WE ARE IN
TONIGHT at 8 PM ET from Notre Dame...
It begins at 8 PM ET -- should end at approximately 8:15 PM ET -- followed by the release of Notre Dame's annual Thanksgiving video.
Monday, November 22, 2021
Dunne / St. Ed's ND Interhall Football Champs!
Here's a photo of the Rector of St. Edward's Hall -- Fr. Ralph Haag, C.S.C. (in his cowboy hat) with his "Gentlemen" of St. Ed's after their combined team win of the Notre Dame Interhall Football Championship with Dunne Hall "under the lights" last night in Notre Dame Stadium!
Read the story below
Trey Mancini -- Comeback Player of the Year!
The former Fighting Irish baseball star missed the 2020 baseball season due to colon cancer -- and he came back this year, hitting 21 homers and knocking in 71 RBI's in 147 games this season.
LINK: STORY
Stanford Week: Brian Kelly Press Conference
Fast forward video to the 21:30 minute mark for the start of today's press conference...
Sunday, November 21, 2021
Let's Revisit the CFB Playoff Discussion...
If you follow this blog -- you would have seen this post a couple weeks ago. It laid out Notre Dame's journey to the College Football Playoffs -- BELOW IN RED. Let's see how it's going so far:
Now, I will preface this exercise with I truly don't feel we have any chance of making the College Football Playoffs this year -- because of the lack of perceived quality wins...
Yet, the "fat lady's not singing" -- so, let's walk through the next five weeks of college football and show how our Fighting Irish could end up in the TOP 4...
WEEK ONE:
- #10 Notre Dame beats Navy convincingly CHECK!
- #9 Wake Forest loses to North Carolina CHECK!
Notre Dame moves up to #9 CHECK!
WEEK TWO:
- #9 Notre Dame beats Virginia convincingly CHECK!
- #8 Oklahoma loses to #14 Baylor CHECK!
- #7 Michigan loses to Penn State MISSED
Notre Dame moves up to #7 MISSED -- NOTRE DAME #8
WEEK THREE:
- #7 Notre Dame beats Georgia Tech convincingly CHECK!
- #6 Cincinnati loses to SMU MISSED
- #5 Michigan State loses to #6 Ohio State CHECK!
- #3 Oregon loses to Utah
Notre Dame moves up to #5 -- GOING TO PROJECT US AT #6
WEEK FOUR:
- #5 Notre Dame beats Stanford convincingly
- #4 Ohio State loses to Michigan
Notre Dame moves up to #4 -- GOING TO PROJECT US AT #5
WEEK FIVE:
- #4 Notre Dame is idle
- No upsets in the Championship games // unless it's Oregon losing! PAC 12 IS OUT!
- NEED GEORGIA TO MANHANDLE ALABAMA
2021 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF PREDICTION:
- #1 GEORGIA
- #2 OHIO STATE
- #3 CINCINNATI
- #4 NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame Sweeps #1 Michigan in Overtime!
Thunder, shaken.
— Notre Dame Hockey (@NDHockey) November 21, 2021
Nothing better than ending the weekend with a 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐩 of top-ranked Michigan!#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/G1AfdBFumF
Saturday, November 20, 2021
Sign of the Day at Notre Dame!
Friday, November 19, 2021
Notre Dame Hockey Beats #1 Michigan in OT
Ryder Rolston's OT winner ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/IFa4VfE9Eh
— Notre Dame Hockey (@NDHockey) November 20, 2021
𝓞𝓷𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓥𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂
— Notre Dame Hockey (@NDHockey) November 20, 2021
The Irish scored the game’s final three goals en route to downing #1 Michigan 3-2 in OT! #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/d5Iwd9kdSj
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Monday, November 15, 2021
Notre Dame Men's Soccer a #4 Seed in NCAA
Here's the bracket: NCAA TOURNAMENT
Go Irish!
Is the College Football World Ready For This?
Sunday, November 14, 2021
Photo Of The Day: Lake Effect Snow at ND!
Injuries and Illness / Yet the Irish Are 9-1!!!
The number of players lost this season due to injuries and illness -- has been unlike anything I've seen in all the years watching Notre Dame Football. Here's the players who have missed full games, so far this season -- it's amazing that we're 9-1!
DEFENSE -- 11 players missing 66 games
- Marist Liufau (10 games) -- injured in preseason, lost for the season
- Will Schweitzer (10 games) -- injured in preseason, lost for the season
- Osita Ekonwu (10 games) -- injured in preseason, lost for the season
- Shayne Simon (9 games) -- hurt in first game, lost for the season
- Paul Moala (9 games) -- hurt in first game, lost for the season
- JoJo Johnson (8 games) -- hurt after second game, lost for the season
- Kurt Hinish (2 games) -- hurt after third game, missed the next two games
- Jacob Lacey (3 games) -- hurt in fourth game, missed the next three games
- Kyle Hamilton (3 games) -- hurt in 7th game, lost for the season
- Drew White (1 game) -- illness, should return next week
- Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa (1 game) -- illness, should return next week
OFFENSE -- 12 players missing 41 games
- Brendon Clark (10 games) -- injured last season, lost for the season -- transfer
- Logan Diggs (1 game) -- missed first game due to illness
- Blake Fisher (9 games) -- injured in first game, may not return this season
- Kevin Bauman (7 games) -- injured in first game, just returned last week
- Michael Carmody (2 games) -- injured in second game, returned two weeks later
- Tyler Buchner (1 game) -- injured in third game, returned two weeks later
- Tosh Baker (1 game) -- injured in fourth game, returned two weeks later
- Joe Wilkins (5 games) -- injured in fifth game, lost for the season
- Michael Mayer (1 game) -- injured in fifth game, returned two weeks later
- Chris Tyree (2 games) -- injured in fifth game, returned a few weeks later
- Avery Davis (1 game) -- injured in ninth game, lost for the season
- C'Bo Flemister (1 game) -- injured this past week, not sure of return
Syracuse WBB Coach Talks Loss to Notre Dame
It was a commanding 25-3 run over the final nine minutes of the game that sealed our first conference win of the season at Syracuse!
— Notre Dame WBB (@ndwbb) November 14, 2021
Highlights from today's ACC matchup with the Orange ⤵ pic.twitter.com/C61K61mwc8
Notre Dame Wins ACC Soccer Championship!
Notre Dame Men's Soccer just won its first ever ACC Championship -- and they did it in SHUTOUT FASHION!
And, the Fighting Irish beat some top teams along the way!
- Notre Dame 2 - #11 Duke 0
- Notre Dame 2 - #5 Pittsburgh 0
- Notre Dame 0 - Louisville 0 (Irish win 3-0 on penalty kicks!)
- Notre Dame 1 - NC State 0
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Freshman Blake Wesley -- Leads the Irish!
Well, maybe we have a new basketball star at Notre Dame!!! Freshman Blake Wesley led the Fighting Irish in his first game ever in gold and blue -- with a dominant performance...
Friday, November 12, 2021
Thursday, November 11, 2021
A Big Day for Notre Dame Men's Basketball!
It's being heralded as a TOP 15 signing class for Notre Dame -- when was the last time we heard this about our Men's basketball program?
CONGRATS!
Pat Connaughton Knocks Down (7) Threes!
The former Fighting Irish star made a NBA career high SEVEN THREE POINTERS in the Milwaukee Bucks win last night over the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden...
LINK: STORY
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Monday, November 8, 2021
Domer Pat Connaughton's White House Selfie!
The NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks were honored today at the White House -- and our favorite NBA player took this selfie with his teammates...
Virginia Week: Brian Kelly's Monday Presser
Brian Kelly comes on at the 31:50 mark in the video -- advance to this spot...
Sunday, November 7, 2021
Domer Seidel Finishes 4th in NYC Marathon
Molly Seidel's time today in the New York City Marathon is a new American record for this race...
To add to the lore of Molly Seidel -- it was revealed after the race that she had raced with two broken ribs...
LINK: USA TODAY STORY
LINK: NEW YORK TIMES STORY
Rudy Filmed 29 Years Ago Today During Game
The actual game scene of Rudy's QB sack was filmed during the halftime of Notre Dame vs. Boston College on this day in 1992...
A game the 8th ranked Fighting Irish won 54 - 7 -- over the #9 ranked Eagles. WOW!
LINK: GAME STORY
Notre Dame's Defensive Performance vs. Navy
Decided to take a peek and see how well Notre Dame's defensive performance vs the Naval Academy stacked up this year. Here's how it ranked vs. their other opponents:
LOWEST YARDS RUSHING:
Air Force: 36 yards -- on 34 carries
Notre Dame: 166 yards -- on 55 carries
SMU: 177 yards -- on 53 carries
Cincinnati: 192 yards -- on 67 carries
Memphis: 198 yards -- on 65 carries
Houston: 202 yards -- on 55 carries
Tulsa: 302 yards -- on 60 carries
Marshall: 337 yards -- on 75 carries
UCF: 348 yards -- on 76 carries
LOWEST TOTAL OFFENSE:
Air Force: 68 yards
Notre Dame: 184 yards
SMU: 241 yards
Memphis: 241 yards
Cincinnati: 271 yards
Houston: 300 yards
Tulsa: 302 yards
Marshall: 398 yards
UCF: 406 yards
Saturday, November 6, 2021
Friday, November 5, 2021
OT: Former MI Player vs. MSU Grad -- Classic...
Folks, I lived in the metro Detroit area for a number of years before moving to South Bend to work for the University of Notre Dame. Mike Valenti -- the guy sitting on the right in this radio studio -- is a MSU grad who has a sports talk radio show in the Motor City.
His rants are "Hall of Fame" worthy -- here he takes on former Michgian star Braylon Edwards -- days after Sparty's win over the Wolverines. Enjoy!
Thursday, November 4, 2021
Dublin, Ireland -- HERE COME THE IRISH!
Dublin, here we come! ☘️#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/dRASY4qRnU
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) November 4, 2021
Five Weeks to Move Up Six Spots for Playoffs
Now, I will preface this exercise with I truly don't feel we have any chance of making the College Football Playoffs this year -- because of the lack of perceived quality wins...
Yet, the "fat lady's not singing" -- so, let's walk through the next five weeks of college football and show how our Fighting Irish could end up in the TOP 4...
WEEK ONE:
- #10 Notre Dame beats Navy convincingly
- #9 Wake Forest loses to North Carolina
Notre Dame moves up to #9
WEEK TWO:
- #9 Notre Dame beats Virginia convincingly
- #8 Oklahoma loses to #14 Baylor
- #7 Michigan loses to Penn State
Notre Dame moves up to #7
WEEK THREE:
- #7 Notre Dame beats Georgia Tech convincingly
- #6 Cincinnati loses to SMU
- #5 Michigan State loses to #6 Ohio State
Notre Dame moves up to #5
WEEK FOUR:
- #5 Notre Dame beats Stanford convincingly
- #4 Ohio State loses to Michigan
Notre Dame moves up to #4
WEEK FIVE:
- #4 Notre Dame is idle
- No upsets in the Championship games // unless it's Oregon losing!