Saturday, September 25, 2010

Game Day @ Notre Dame!


I'm posting this morning from the Fairfield Inn -- New Buffalo, MI.  It's a town on the Lake Michigan shoreline, just a little north and due west of Notre Dame.  Spent all day yesterday with my friend John Pisano (photo) - a retired NYPD officer from Long Island, NY - on his first visit to the Notre Dame campus!  What a day we had!  I'll post a video recap of our visit to the Locker Room, Press Box, Field, Quarterback Luncheon, Pep Rally, etc. -- on Sunday.  To those not as fortunate as John and I today -- sitting in Notre Dame Stadium -- here's where you can tune-in to the Irish leading up to the 3:41 PM EST kick-off for today's game against Stanford:

9 AM EST to KICK-OFF:  Listen to WSBT 960 AM's Notre Dame coverage -- Click Here

11 AM EST:  Watch Notre Dame Stadium Fill Up -- Click Here to a Live Webcam

Friday, September 24, 2010

A Scoreboard in Purcell Pavillion!

It's bigger than life and it changes the look and feel of the newly renovated Purcell Pavillion -- home of Notre Dame Basketball.  Yes, it's a scoreboard -- it's big, it's beautiful and it makes a major change to the look and feel of the arena.  Thought you'd enjoy seeing a photo of the scoreboard's large video screens.

Kelly's Thursday Press Conference

Coach Kelly met with the media last night after practice. Here's what he had to say. Click on the link below:

LINK: COACH KELLY PRESS CONFERENCE

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Football Weekend Weather









Looks like a decent weather forecast for a Notre Dame Football Weekend. Tomorrow morning might be "iffy" but beyond that -- it should be good through Sunday. Here's a link to the latest forecast from WNDU-TV:

LINK: FOOTBALL WEEKEND FORECAST

Stanford's Harbaugh -- Talks Notre Dame


Stanford University Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh is interviewed about their game this Saturday against our Fighting Irish. Here's a link to Stanford's ALL ACCESS web channel:

LINK: STANFORD'S VIEW OF THE IRISH

Irish to Play @ Dublin's Aviva Stadium

It was announced yesterday that the Notre Dame vs. Navy football game, set for September 1, 2012 - will be played at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Opened this past May, Aviva Stadium is the home to the Irish national soccer team and the Irish union rugby team. It's hailed as one of the finest stadiums in the world -- though its capacity is quite modest at 51,000. Looks like a great place to kick-off the 2012 season! Here's a link to the Aviva Stadium website:

LINK: AVIVA STADIUM TO HOST THE IRISH!

Amazing Race to New York - ND Style!

Wouldn't you like to win two tickets to the Notre Dame vs. Army football game at Yankee Stadium?! Well, here's your chance. On Saturday, October 2nd -- the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore and Anthony Travel are sponsoring "The Race to New York" on the Notre Dame campus. Contestants will compete in an "Amazing Race" (CBS Show) style contest around the Notre Dame campus. You must enter as a "team of two" -- and the entry fee is a $50 donation to the United Way. The winners will receive:

* Round-trip airfare (for two) from South Bend Regional Airport to New York LaGuardia
* A two-night stay at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers
* Two tickets to Notre Dame vs. Army at Yankee Stadium

To learn more about "The Race to New York" -- click on the link below:

LINK: THE RACE TO NEW YORK

Golfweek Ranks ND's Warren G.C. -- 14th!














The University of Notre Dame's Warren Golf Course was just named by Golfweek Magazine as one of the Top 15 college golf courses in the country in GOLFWEEK'S BEST CAMPUS COURSES LIST! Opened in 2000, the Warren Golf Course was designed by Bill Coore and former Master's Champion; Ben Crenshaw. Here's a link to their ranking of the top-30 college golf courses in the country:

LINK: GOLFWEEK'S TOP 30 CAMPUS GOLF COURSES

ND's Fight Against Elephantiasis in Haiti


Table salt, what we take for granted here in America - can eliminate a debilitating disease commonly known as Elephantiasis. A disease that is one of the leading causes of disability in the world -- effects nearly one-third of the population in Haiti. The University of Notre Dame's Haiti Program received a boost this week when it was announced that Cargill was donating $20,000 towards the purchase of new salt -- to assist Notre Dame's efforts to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) in Haiti. Here's a link to Notre Dame's press release:

LINK: CARGILL JOINS NOTRE DAME'S FIGHT IN HAITI

A Star in the Making?


Notre Dame sophomore, Theo Riddick had his coming out party this past Saturday night on national television. The converted running back caught ten passes for 128 yards and a TD from his new position -- wide receiver. The Irish now can boast four "game-changers" on the field at one time with; Riddick, Floyd, Allen & Rudolph -- let's hope this Saturday's the day we finally see a Brian Kelly offense hang 50 on a Notre Dame opponent! Here's a link to a WSBT-TV interview with Theo Riddick. Be sure to click on the "VIDEO" link in the box on the left when you get to their homepage.

LINK: THEO RIDDICK INTERVIEW

Reminder: Brian Kelly Radio Show -- Tonight!




It's Thursday -- and that means the Brian Kelly Radio Show airs from 7 PM EST to 8 PM EST tonight from Legends on the Notre Dame campus. Coach Kelly's radio show can be seen "live" on www.und.com and can be heard "live" on the web at the links below:





LINK: WATCH THE BRIAN KELLY RADIO SHOW -- LIVE

LINK: LISTEN TO THE BRIAN KELLY RADIO SHOW -- LIVE

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Coach Kelly After Today's Practice


Notre Dame Head Football Coach, Brian Kelly, met with the media after today's practice -- Wednesday of Stanford week. Kelly's Irish will be taking on the #1 offense in America this week when Harbaugh brings his Cardinal to Notre Dame Stadium. Here's a link to the media session:

LINK: COACH KELLY MEETS WITH MEDIA

Mike Celizic -- Notre Dame Grad Passes...



Longtime MSNBC sports columnist, Mike Celizic '70, died this morning after a fourteen month battle with cancer. Celizic grew up in Leroy Township, Ohio, a rural community 30 miles east of Cleveland, and graduated from Painesville Riverside High, where he was co-captain of the football team and valedictorian. He earned a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Notre Dame, spending his sophomore year studying in Innsbruck, Austria. A one-time bureau chief in the New Jersey Statehouse, Celizic became a sportswriter in 1983 with The Record of Hackensack, N.J. and began his career as a columnist a year later. Since then, he’s covered every Olympic Summer Games since Los Angeles in 1984, as well as the 1988 Calgary Winter Games and the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games. He’s covered every major American sporting event, from the Final Four to the Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup to major prize fights, the Masters to U.S. Open tennis. He also wrote the book "The Biggest Game of Them All" -- the 1966 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State game. Here's a link to a couple of stories about Mike and the last column he wrote for his NBC blog about battling cancer: "Adventures in Cancerland" -- A MUST READ:

LINK: MIKE'S LAST COLUMN

LINK: MIKE CELIZIC

LINK: FORMER RECORD EAGLE COLUMNIST DIES

Clausen on The Herd Radio Show



Former Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen spoke with ESPN's Colin Cowherd yesterday on his 23rd Birthday -- Happy Birthday Jimmy! Clausen talked about his on-going contact with Coach Weis and his first NFL start this Saturday against the Bengals. Cowerd also asked him about his thoughts on the Irish, etc. You'll also catch how well Colin Cowherd listens to his guests answers to his questions... When you click on the link, just scroll down the page to just below the photo of Clausen for the link to the interview:

LINK: CLAUSEN ON THE HERD

Notre Dame Hires Pro-Life Coordinator

The University of Notre Dame appointed Mary Daly, as it's Coordinator of Pro-Life Initiatives -- in response to a Task Force's recommendations to the University in the wake of President Obama's appearance at Notre Dame in 2009. Daly, a 2010 Notre Dame graduate, served as president of Notre Dame Right for Life and was a spokeswoman for NDResponse, a coalition opposed to the honoring of President Barack Obama. She will coordinate present efforts to implement the task force’s recommendations and will serve as a liaison between various university departments and offices to advance collaboration on life issues. Here's a link to the story:

LINK: NEW POSITION AT NOTRE DAME

Two Former Domers Start for Stanford

Two former Notre Dame football players will be in the starting line-up this Saturday for the 16th ranked Stanford Cardinal. Tight end Konrad Reuland and kicker Nate Whitaker both were recruited to Notre Dame by Coach Weis -- and transferred to Stanford after their freshman year. Reuland has five catches on the season for 56 yards and is still looking for his first TD -- not this week Konrad! Whitaker is three-for-three on his field goal attempts and 19 out of 21 on extra points this season for the high scoring Cardinal. THEY'RE AVERAGING 52 POINTS A GAME IN THEIR FIRST THREE WINS!

Coach Elston Back with the Team!


University of Notre Dame Defensive Line & Special Teams Coach, Mike Elston -- was back yesterday on the Labar Practice Complex fields -- coaching his team. Coach Elston has been away for the past two weeks battling a virus - and we learned, a trip to the Mayo Clinic. Here's a link to UND.COM's Jack Nolan's interview with Coach Elston:

LINK: COACH ELSTON INTERVIEW

Coach Kelly's Tuesday Press Conference


Here's the video replay of Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly's Tuesday press conference as the Irish begin preparation for a very talented Stanford team this Saturday. Here's the link:



LINK: TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE

The Notre Dame Band -- Needs Your Vote!
















I received a note this evening from Jim Callahan from Philladelphia, PA -- alerting me to this promotion. Jim's daughter is a recent Notre Dame grad and had many friends in The Band of the Fighting Irish -- and rightfully, very proud of her favorite marching band! CBS is running a promotion called the Hawaii 5-O Marching Band Contest -- and the Band of the Fighting Irish is one of the contestants! The college marching band with the most votes wins a $25,000 check -- which the ND Band has already decided they will give to a charity. It's time to get behind our BAND -- VOTE TODAY! Here's the link:

LINK: VOTE FOR THE BAND OF THE FIGHTING IRISH!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Newt Gingrich @ Notre Dame Last Night


The former Speaker of the House and his wife Callista were on the Notre Dame campus last night to introduce the film; "Nine Days that Changed the World." The film, produced by the Gingrichs is about Pope John Paul's nine-day visit to Poland in 1979. Gingrich, who converted to Catholocism last year - was greeted by protestors (surprised?). Here's a link to the South Bend Tribune story:

LINK: GINGRICH VISIT TO NOTRE DAME