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.

Finebaum Talks LSU Pursuing Brian Kelly

Know Thy Opponent: Lincoln Riley's Welcome

 

USC is excited about their new football coach...

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

Biggest Win of Niele Ivey Era -- Irish Over OSU

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Well We're 11-1 --- Now We Wait...

The Fighting Irish just put Stanford away by the score of 45 - 14 and finished the season with just the one blemish vs. Cincinnati.

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:

  1. Georgia to beat Alabama
  2. Houston to upset Cincinnati
  3. Or, Baylor to upset Oklahoma State
  4. 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!

Hamilton at #7 in This NFL Mock Draft

Finebaum Talks Notre Dame or Alabama...

 

Fast forward the video to the 5:10 mark to the talk about Notre Dame and the playoffs...

Notre Dame's Hype Video for Standord Game

Thursday, November 25, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving From Notre Dame!


This is my wife Susan's creation this morning -- she's got a talent!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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!

Stanford Week: David Shaw, Players Talk IRISH

Brady Quinn Today on Dan Patrick Show

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...

The University's 17th president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., will be taking part in a THANKSGIVING CHAT from Notre Dame's campus...

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.

LINK:  WATCH IT ALL RIGHT HERE -- BEGINNING AT 8 PM ET

ICON: Notre Dame 55 vs. Georgia Tech 0

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

LINK:  GAME STORY along with VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Skylar Interviewed on "Suns TV" Saturday...

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...

Brady Quinn on the Dan Patrick Radio Show

Sunday, November 21, 2021

Georgia Tech Safety Talks Loss to Irish

GT QB and OL Talk Loss to Notre Dame

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!

Friday, November 19, 2021

A Uniform Reveal for Georgia Tech...

 

I thought I had seen it all...

Georgia Tech Week: Kelly's Thursday Session

Notre Dame Hockey Beats #1 Michigan in OT


 

Monday, November 15, 2021

Notre Dame Men's Soccer a #4 Seed in NCAA

click on image to enlarge

The team that prognosticators picked to finish LAST in the Atlantic Coast Conference -- just won the ACC Championship this weekend -- and they followed that up with the #4 overall seed in the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship.

Here's the bracket:  NCAA TOURNAMENT

Go Irish!

Georgia Tech Week: Brian Kelly Media Session

Is the College Football World Ready For This?

The folks at ESPN released this yesterday -- I'm sure it has not been well received in; Columbus, Cincinnati, Ann Arbor, Norman, Stillwater, Eugene and East Lansing...

But, if our Fighting Irish win its next two games -- this is what could happen on December 5th.

 

Sunday, November 14, 2021

Photo Of The Day: Lake Effect Snow at ND!


Was just sent this photo of the "lake effect" snow we're receiving this evening at the University of Notre Dame du Lac!

Photo was taken by my great friend and Holy Cross Priest -- Fr. Ralph Haag, C.S.C. -- who also serves as the Rector at St. Ed's Hall.

BEAUTIFUL!

 

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


 

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

Replay of "Logan's Leap" Last Night...

Virginia's Head Coach Talks Notre Dame Loss

Brian Kelly Talks Win Over Virginia!

Saturday, November 13, 2021

HIGHLIGHTS: Notre Dame 28 - Virginia 3

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...

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Niele Ivey Talks About Signing KK Bransford

 

KK Bransford was Ohio's Miss Basketball -- a nice get for the Fighting Irish!

LINK:  STORY

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

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

 



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!

Notre Dame's Going Back to Ireland in 2023!

Naval Academy Players Talk Notre Dame Game

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Dublin, Ireland -- HERE COME THE IRISH!

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!

NAVY WEEK: Highlights from Navy vs. Tulsa

Navy's Defensive Coordinator Talks Notre Dame

NAVY WEEK: Brian Kelly's Thursday Presser