Notre Dame's Ties to Colorado Springs Area

The Colorado Springs Gazette must have decided to boost their readership this week by pumping out a number of Notre Dame stories.  Here's one about a former Notre Dame student -- now a Holy Cross Priest -- and some talk about the Notre Dame Club of Colorado Springs tailgate which had sold more than 1,000 tickets...

There is a second link to a story about Joe Montana and his game against the Air Force Academy.

LINK:  ONLY NOTRE DAME

LINK:  THE LEGEND OF MONTANA

Story: Inside the Obsession of Notre Dame Fans

The Colorado Springs Gazette's Brent Briggeman penned this story today about the obsession of Notre Dame fans.

Frankly, I don't know what he could be talking about!  :)

LINK:  INSIDE THE OBSESSION

Media Preview of Notre Dame vs. Air Force

The Fighting Irish are favored to win this game -- the oddsmakers have us as 20 point favorites.

Not so fast my friends...   Our Irish are coming off of a tough / emotional win over USC, we're playing a team that runs the option and we'll be without Louis Nix and Christian Lombard...

Here's what the media has to say:

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  DENVER POST

LINK:  COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE 

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Alabama Students Punished for Leaving Early

Maybe Alabama should send these "student groups" to the University of Notre Dame for a football game...

LINK:  ALABAMA STUDENTS PUNISHED

Will the High Altitude Impact Notre Dame?

When Notre Dame's football team walked out to to their chartered jet yesterday at South Bend Airport they were standing 799 feet above sea level...

Today, when they walk onto the football field in Colorado Springs they'll be standing more than a MILE CLOSER TO THE SUN -- as the elevation is 6,621 above sea level.

The story linked below speaks to the impact of altitude change at Denver's "Mile High" Stadium on football players and the game -- from the perspective of the Philadelphia Eagles.

FUN FACT:  The Air Force Academy's football stadium is 1,000 feet higher above sea level than Denver's.

LINK: PERFORMANCE AT HIGH ALTITUDE

A Little Welcome Sign at the Air Force Academy

Think they're trying to send a message to their opponents?

Story on the Rochell Brothers...

There's a decent chance Notre Dame freshman football player Isaac Rochell will be playing against his older brother Matt -- who's a starting left tackle for Air Force -- in tomorrow's game. 

Irish fans will enjoy this story...

LINK:  ROCHELL BROTHERS

IRISH Arriving in Colorado Springs For Game

Thought you'd enjoy seeing these photos that were "tweeted" by @NDFootball and by @NDFBEquipment these past few hours from the Air Force Academy.

Got to love the shot of Notre Dame's equipment staff making sure the IRISH have privacy in the bathroom stalls.

Muffet & Kayla at ACC Media Day

The University of Notre Dame is experiencing a number of "firsts" this fall as the Fighting Irish enter play in the Atlantic Coast Conference.  For women's basketball it meant a trip to Greensboro, NC for Muffet McGraw and Kayla McBride for the ACC's Women's Basketball Media Day.

LINK:  ACC MEDIA DAY

LINK:  VIDEO BOOTH -- PLAYERS

Notre Dame Lacrosse Gets Special Uniforms

The ND Men's Lacrosse team is sporting a "new look" in their exhibition game today against the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

OT: Name Change for the NFL's Redskins?

Word's breaking this afternoon that a neighbor of Washington Redskins' owner Dan Snyder has filed for a patent to lock down the name Washington Bravehearts for "football purposes."  Here's the story:

LINK:  WASHINGTON BRAVEHEARTS

Cam McDaniel's Appearance on NBC's Today!

Notre Dame running back Cam McDaniel made a guest appearance this morning on NBC's Today Show -- in follow up to the reaction to the photo above.  I must say the women of Today -- were a little over the top -- thank goodness Carson Daly (huge Notre Dame fan) was there to bring the conversation back to football...

LINK:  CAM MCDANIEL

CBS Sports Network Interviews Coach Kelly

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly was a guest today on the CBS' Inside College Football Show.  Here's the link:

LINK:  COACH KELLY

Notre Dame Sets "All-Time" NCAA GSR Mark!

For the eighth time in the nine years that the NCAA has released their Graduation Success Rate scores -- the University of Notre Dame finished #1 in the country.  NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

This year 20 of 22 teams received a PERFECT GSR -- the most ever in NCAA history!  See the story on ESPN:

LINK:  NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

Nix and Lombard Out For Saturday's Game

Notre Dame's "Irish Chocolate" Louis Nix III will not be traveling with the team to play Air Force this weekend.  Louis is dealing with a sore knee and was unable to practice this week.

Christian Lombard injured his back on Tuesday -- leading to surgery on Wednesday and news that he'll be lost for the season.  Lombard will be replaced by freshman Steve Elmer.

Learn more from Coach Brian Kelly's Thursday press conference:

LINK:  COACH KELLY PRESS CONFERENCE

Brian Kelly's Radio Show Tonight at 7 PM ET

Every Thursday night during the football season -- Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly hosts his radio show from O'Rourke's Pub in South Bend.  Here's a link to watch tonight's LIVE SHOW beginning at 7 PM ET:

LINK:  COACH KELLY RADIO SHOW

Spond Going Home Without Gold Helmet...

Notre Dame student-athlete Danny Spond will be going home to Colorado tomorrow -- as the IRISH fly to Colorado Springs to take on the Air Force Academy on Saturday.

Spond, who was the starting outside linebacker on last year's #1 ranked Fighting Irish was forced into "retiring" from the game this summer when some medical issues resurfaced.  The folks at ESPN picked up on Spond's return home this weekend -- here's the story:

LINK:  GOING HOME

Notre Dame Football's Internet Sensation...

Folks, you can't make this stuff up.

During last week's game with USC, Notre Dame running back Cam McDaniel's helmet came off during a play.  Well, the photo (shown above) is racing through the social media world -- as we speak -- and now outlets like CNN, USA TODAY, HLN, etc., -- are talking about it:


LINK:  USA TODAY STORY

LINK:  HLN -- HEADLINE NEWS

LINK:  LINKED OFF CNN'S HOMEPAGE

NFL FILMS: Onward Notre Dame

If you'd like to see NFL Films' Onward Notre Dame -- just click on the link below:

LINK:  ONWARD NOTRE DAME

Notre Dame Football Players Giving Back...

The Notre Dame football team spent Monday evening this week visiting the South Bend Center for the Homeless.  You'll want to watch this.

LINK:  NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL