Three Free ND Sites Named -- "All Internet Irish"

Three websites developed by fans and for fans of Notre Dame athletics; NDNATION.com, DOMERDOMAIN.com and GOLDHELMET.com have been awarded "All Internet Irish" honors for 2010 from NOTRE DAME GO IRISH BLOG. All three of these sites offer "free" forums for Notre Dame fans, from all over the world, to participate in. Now, the conversation may not always positive about ND -- but's it's definitely passionate! I encourage everyone to get involved with these sites and join the discussion about Notre Dame! Here are the links to these three "All Internet Irish" sites:

NDNATION.com

DOMERDOMAIN.com

GOLDHELMET.com

Two Writers Receive -- "All Internet Irish" Honors!

Two Notre Dame beat reporters; the Chicago Tribune's Brian Hamilton and the South Bend Tribune's Eric Hansen are being recognized for their fair (but not always friendly) coverage of the Fighting Irish via the web. Both have embraced technology; Hamilton and Hansen have active Twitter accounts, both are "blogging" about Notre Dame (Hamilton with the Chicago Breaking Sports blog and Hansen blogs with ESPN Chicago and South Bend Tribune) -- and can be found on their respective newspaper's websites. In addition, Hansen hosts a weekly podcast interview on the South Bend Tribune's website called SportsBeat and the GameDay SportsBeat show on WSBT-960 AM. It's the quality and quantity of reporting of these two Notre Dame beat writers -- on the web -- that has earned them the "ALL INTERNET IRISH" honors for Notre Dame Beat Reporters! Congratulations!

BRIAN HAMILTON'S BLOG

ERIC HANSEN'S TWITTER PAGE

Two Blogs Receive "All Internet Irish" Honors!

Two Notre Dame blogs; Her Loyal Sons and Subway Domer each received "ALL INTERNET IRISH" honors today! They represent the first two bloggers to receive this "prestigious" award from the NOTRE DAME GO IRISH BLOG - for their excellent coverage and commentary on Notre Dame sports. If you haven't been to their respective sites or haven't been following them on Twitter -- you're missing out! Here's a link to each of their blogs. Congratulations!

HER LOYAL SONS

SUBWAY DOMER

14 ND Sports Teams Earn Academic Honors!

This should come as no surprise to Notre Dame fans! The University of Notre Dame again ranks among the national leaders among all 120 Football Bowl Subdivision institutions as the NCAA today honored Division I sports teams with 2010 public recognition awards for their latest multi-year Academic Progress Rate scores. These teams posted multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports. The public recognition awards are part of the broad Division I academic reform effort. These awards are based on the most recent APR numbers that represent the combination of scores from the 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 academic years. Notre Dame had 14 of its programs honored this year for the multi-year achievement -- men's basketball, men's cross country, men’s football, men's golf, men's ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, men's soccer, men’s tennis, men's indoor track and field, men's outdoor track and field, women's rowing, women's soccer, women's softball and women's tennis. Congratulations Irish!

The Subway Alumni Show - "All Internet Irish"

They are known as "Sprout and Eric" to their loyal Notre Dame fans (photo) and each week during the Irish Football season these two broadcast The Subway Alumni Show on the web. As they like to say, "it is for those who believe in sacred Saturdays of Notre Dame Football and beer. Lots of beer." Neither of them attended Notre Dame -- thus they named their "webishow" THE SUBWAY ALUMNI SHOW, for the millions of fans of Notre Dame who never attended the University. With fifty shows under their belt, Sprout and Eric have gotten better and better each week, in their coverage of Notre Dame Football. And, they're "still undefeated" as the unofficial coaches of Notre Dame football. It's their devotion and passion for Notre Dame Football that has earned them the NOTRE DAME GO IRISH BLOG: "ALL INTERNET IRISH" honors for 2010. It's well earned! Make sure you visit their website and take a look at a few of their archived shows and be sure to tun in this fall. Here's a link:

THE SUBWAY ALUMNI SHOW

ND GO IRISH BLOG - Passed 4,000 Yesterday!

The NOTRE DAME GO IRISH BLOG is only 14 weeks old -- and in that time period more than 4,000 unique Fighting Irish fans have visited this site at least once! Most have visited the site, many, many times. THANKS for making NOTRE DAME GO IRISH BLOG one of your "ND homes" on the internet. Go IRISH!

NDGIB's - "All Internet Irish" Honors

Over the next few days, the NOTRE DAME GO IRISH BLOG is going to be introducing its first ever "ALL INTERNET IRISH" honors. This award recognizes the individuals who have best displayed their passion for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame on the worldwide web. These Notre Dame fans have gone that "extra mile" for the Irish and would be considered to be among Brian Kelly's; "Right Kind of Guys" on the internet. If you have a nomination for "ALL INTERNET IRISH" - please send me an email at: jim.small@ndgoirish.com

The first to receive NDGIB's "ALL INTERNET IRISH" honors is "DAMEFAN" -- he's a big time fan of Notre Dame football and his unique style of posting on www.irishillustrated.com's Four Horsemen Lounge, have become internet legend. This past season, he took his game up a notch and started posting videos on YOUTUBE. That's him in the photo, it's a "screen grab" of DAMEFAN in action. You can search "damefan1" on YOUTUBE to find all of his videos. Here are a few of my favorites.

DAMEFAN -- NOTRE DAME vs. NEVADA

DAMEFAN -- NOTRE DAME vs. MICHIGAN

DAMEFAN -- NOTRE DAME vs. USC

DAMEFAN -- BRIAN KELLY COMING TO ND!

Golden Tate Interview

Former Notre Dame WR and Biletnikoff Award recipient -- as College Football's top receiver in 2009 -- Golden Tate was in the South Bend area yesterday and he spent a few minutes with the South Bend Tribune's Weekday Sportsbeat Show. Tate was a 2nd Round Draft pick, last month, of the Seattle Seahawks where he joins former Domers; Julius Jones and John Carlson. Here's a link to the interview:

GOLDEN TATE INTERVIEW

ND Men's Lacrosse in NCAA Tournament

Head Coach Kevin Corrigan and his Fighting Irish are heading to Princeton, NJ this weekend for their First Round contest against the 6th seeded Princeton Tigers. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU at 2:30 PM EST this Sunday. The Irish will be taking on a Princeton team that won the Ivy League Tournament Championship. This will be the second meeting between the Tigers and Irish. It also makes it five straight trips to the NCAA Tournament for Notre Dame. Good Luck Irish!

ND Women's Lacrosse Ranked 14th in the Country!

And, they're headed to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. The Fighting Irish (11-6) are coming off of a heart breaking loss in FOUR OVERTIMES to Syracuse in the Big East Tournament this past week. Notre Dame will be taking on Northwestern - who's ranked #2 and the winner's of the last five NCAA National Championships. The game will be played this Saturday at Northwestern's Lakeside Field. Good Luck IRISH!

Notre Dame's Chinese Speech Contest

The University of Notre Dame's Department of East Asia Languages and Cultures just completed its 2010 Chinese Speech Contest -- it's an innovative and somewhat entertaining competition. You just have to wonder how difficult it is to learn this language. The photo is the famous ND logo (on a ball cap) in Kanji, which are the Chinese characters used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system. Here's a link to a video of the competition.

ND'S CHINESE SPEECH CONTEST

ND Makes Major Research Investment

In the past twelve months, the University of Notre Dame has committed $80 million in what they're calling their Strategic Research Investments. The most recent investments represent nine more research initiatives for the University. Here's a link to a video produced by Notre Dame's Department of Education and to SRI's website -- that will explain where this money is going.

ND'S STRATEGIC RESEARCH INVESTMENTS

SRI's WEBSITE

"Five for Riley" - a ND Story

I read this story this AM on Mike Frank's Irish Sports Daily website (www.irishsportsdaily.com) and it affected me. You see, my wife and I have been very fortunate to have three healthy kids. Unfortunately, this Notre Dame family didn't have such good fortune. It's a story about two ND alums, Henry and Maggie Scroope and their son Henry John Scroope V. Young Henry only lived to be five months old -- and it was a life that was spent for the most part at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. Here's a link to Mike Frank's site and his story about the Scroope family and their efforts to "give back" to Riley Hospital.

FIVE FOR RILEY

"The Bus" vs. "Dr. J" -- Tonight on the Golf Channel

Former Notre Dame great and Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl Champion, Jerome "The Bus" Bettis will be taking on NBA legend, Julius "Dr. J" Erving tonight on the Golf Channel's "Trump's Fabulous World of Golf" at 9:00 PM EST. This made for TV event, matches these two in an eighteen hole match with the winner receiving money for his charity -- and a trophy. They'll be playing Trump's course in West Palm Beach, FL. Click on the link below for a preview.

THE BUS vs. DR. J -- GOLF CHANNEL

Brian Kelly on Sports Radio in DC

Coach Brian Kelly was in Washington D.C. yesterday for the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation event - where he was honored for his involvement with this group. Before the event, Coach Kelly was interviewed by THE FAN 106.7 -- Sports Radio in D.C. Here's the interview -- click on the link:

COACH KELLY RADIO INTERVIEW

Happy Mother's Day!

The ND GO IRISH BLOG would like to wish all of the Mom's and Grandma's a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! And, to celebrate this special day - we've lined up the University of Notre Dame's Glee Club, the University of Notre Dame's Liturgical Choir and the Irish Trumpets of Notre Dame to perform; "Notre Dame Our Mother." Enjoy!

NOTRE DAME OUR MOTHER - GLEE CLUB

NOTRE DAME OUR MOTHER -- LITURGICAL CHOIR

NOTRE DAME OUR MOTHER - IRISH TRUMPETS

Follow Mark Baldwin -- ND Grad, Pro Golfer

Mark Baldwin is "pursuing the dream" of competing on the PGA Tour. He's a 2006 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, out of Lanconia, New Hampshire. Baldwin, a four-year monogram winner for the Fighting Irish, is currently competing on the Canadian PGA Tour. While at Notre Dame, Baldwin earned All Big East Honors three times and won the Big East's Individual Title in 2005. In March, Baldwin shot a 66 at a Nationwide Tour "Monday" Qualifier -- earning medalist honors. He finished 50th at the Mexican PGA Championship in April. Mark has his own blog -- from which he reports on his journey... Click on the link below.

MARK BALDWIN'S BLOG

The Irish Guard -- Uniquely Notre Dame

It's been voted by many as one of the top college football traditions -- the Irish Guard of Notre Dame. Started in 1949, at the request of then coach Frank Leahy - the Irish Guard (ten Notre Dame students) has led The Band of the Fighting Irish into stadiums all over America. Each member must stand at least 6'-2" tall -- and in full uniform, they stand more than 7' tall. After every home victory -- the Irish Guard perform their trademark "Victory Clog" in Notre Dame Stadium. You can also catch them in action 90 minutes before kick-off in front of Bond Hall -- performing their "Slow March" and the Irish Guard Inspection. Here's a link to the Irish Guard in action:

THE IRISH GUARD

Notre Dame Band to Perform at Carnegie Hall!

The University of Notre Dame Band will perform -- for the very first time -- on the world famous Carnegie Hall stage. The concert, scheduled for May 17th will be a musical milestone for the Notre Dame Band and will leave a legacy of new music. Renowned composers Joseph Turrin and Samuel Hazo were both commissioned to write new works for the occasion. Turrin’s “Fanfare and Prelude” and Hazo’s “Siorai September” will each have their premiere performances at Carnegie Hall by the Notre Dame Band. Performing at Carnegie Hall is an accomplishment more than 165 years in the making for the Notre Dame Band and this concert will be a celebration of Notre Dame, its talented student musicians, and the loyal sons and daughters of the University that have sustained the Band of the Fighting Irish for the past century and a half. Here's a video of the Notre Dame Band from their 2004 performance at another famous venue - the Sydney Opera House.

NOTRE DAME BAND IN CONCERT

Mike Brey -- Chairman of Rules Committee

Notre Dame Head Basketball Coach, Mike Brey, has been elected Chairman of the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee. In this role, Coach Brey will stay in touch with rules issues during the season and to compare ideas and gauge opinions on potential rules changes with colleagues in conference and region. Maybe he can change a rule or two that will guarantee the Irish make the FINAL FOUR!

Coach Kelly --Honored by Friends of Jaclyn

Notre Dame Head Football Coach Brian Kelly will be in Washington D.C. this Saturday evening to be honored at the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation dinner. Kelly was selected by the charitable organization based on his exceptional leadership and involvement with the foundation’s “Adopt‐A‐Child” program. The Foundation was inspired by Jaclyn Murphy, who was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor, in March 2004 when she was nine-years-old. The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation matches a child with cancer and a college sports team. In essence, the college team "adopts" the child. Kelly participated in the program in 2009 as head coach at the University of Cincinnati. The Bearcats adopted Mitch Stone, a 12‐year‐old boy battling a pediatric brain tumor. A Cincinnati native who was in the sixth grade at Maddux Elementary School when the Bearcats adopted Stone became as much a member of the Cincinnati football team as any of the players. The Bearcats became the first NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision team to adopt a child through Friends of Jaclyn. Jaclyn Murphy is now 14 -- here's an HBO Sports story on her -- and what this foundation does. IT IS A MUST WATCH - WHEN YOU GET TO THE SITE, LOCATE THE "HBO SPORTS ON FOJ" LINK -- FOR THE VIDEO.

JACLYN'S STORY

What are they doing now? -- Tim Andree

While writing the story on Tim Andree (Mr. Bookstore) - I found myself wondering what his Dad (also Tim Andree) was up to these days. Well, Tim Andree, Sr. is doing just fine! He's the CEO of Dentsu Holdings USA, a global advertising agency. A product of Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, MI -- Andree was a 1979 McDonald's All American, prior to joining Digger's Fighting Irish squad. After leaving ND, Andree pursued a pro basketball career in Europe and Japan (he was a 5th Round Draft pick of the Chicago Bulls) before putting his Notre Dame degree to work. Here's an interview Andree did this past year with Fast Company.

FAST COMPANY'S INTERVIEW OF TIM ANDREE

2010 Mr. Bookstore

I'm late in reporting on this -- my bad! The 2010 Bookstore Basketball Tournament ended on Blue-Gold Weekend -- with a team led by the son of a former ND basketball player and ND swimmer, winning the championship. Tim Andree, 6'-8" (a walk-on for Mike Brey's squad) -- and a senior, was eligible to play this year since he is graduating. Andree's team; Alexander's Grille (the team pictured) won the tournament -- beating "He Went to Jared" -- and in the process he earned Co-Mr. Basketball honors. Andree's Dad (same name) played basketball at Notre Dame under Irish coach Digger Phelps from 1979-83. Tim's mother, the former Laureen Langen, was a member of the Irish women's swim team from 1980-84. In addition, a week later -- Andree was awarded the 2010 Monogram Club Postgraduate Scholarship for his 3.51 GPA. Andree will be attending Law School in the Fall.

BOOKSTORE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Joanna Philbin -- "the daughters"

Joanna, who just happens to be the daughter of Regis Philbin (ND Class of '53), was in Manhattan last night for the book party for the release of her first book; "the daughters." The book centers on the lives of three 14 year-old girls who were born into families with famous parents. Philbin signed a three book deal with Little Brown. Joanna did her undergrad at Brown University and received a MFA in Creative Writing and a Law Degree from the University of Notre Dame. The book is available at Amazon. Here's a link to the Facebook page created for "the daughters."

THE DAUGHTERS - BY JOANNA PHILBIN

Golden Tate Turning Heads in Seattle!

He now wears #81 for the Seattle Seahawks -- and it didn't take long for his new teammates and coaches to notice the new kid in town. Golden Tate participated in the Seahawks Minicamp this past weekend. Here's a link to a story on what they're saying about their second round draft choice out of Notre Dame, a link to a Seahawks video that has former Notre Dame All-American John Carlson interviewed -- and NFL TV's Draft Coverage of Seattle's "Golden" selection:

SEAHAWKS TV

NFL DRAFT ANNOUNCEMENT OF GOLDEN TATE TO SEAHAWKS

GOLDEN'S TURNING HEADS

The Top "Pre-Game Tradition"

It shouldn't be a surprise to Notre Dame fans -- it's the slapping of the Play Like a Champion Today sign in the Notre Dame Locker room. The blog -- Bleacher Report announced it's TOP 25 Pre-Game Traditions in College Football today and they have this on top. Here is the "wikipedia" definition of Play Like a Champion Today: Play Like A Champion Today is hand-painted in blue letters on a 36" by 48" sign located in a stairwell between the home team locker room and the tunnel to the field of Notre Dame Stadium. It is a tradition by Fighting Irish players to touch it on their way out of the locker room. A commercial for the university once featured alumni touching a sign before preparing for other "fields of play" (courtroom, surgery room, etc.). It is one of the most recognized motivational signs in college sports.The original sign that hangs in the Notre Dame Tunnel was painted by Laurie Wenger for Coach Lou Holtz. Here's the top 25:

THE TOP 25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRE-GAME TRADITIONS

Let's Help This ND Grad Secure a Pepsi Grant!

Notre Dame grad, Hy Pham '09, is in Medical School outside of Pittsburgh and he's developed a community service project that will teach kids in the Pittsburgh area how to stay healthy. To fund this effort, he's applied to Pepsi - they're giving away grants each month to worthy projects. Part of the Pepsi process is a contest -- and the ten best ideas (most votes at the end of the month) secure funding for their project. Here's the note Pham sent to Cappy Gagnon, ND Class of '66:

"I am writing to you today to ask for a favor. One of my classmates and I have been working on a community service project and we are trying to help secure funding for it. Our biggest potential source of funding could be from PEPSI. They're actually giving away grants each month, but to acquire one, we there's a contest that requires us to get votes from people across the nation. The way it works is that the top ten ideas at each grant level by the end of the month will win these grants.

What I am asking is if you could vote for us and if there's any chance for you to pass along the message to those you know. People may have to register an account through the pepsi website so that may take a minute or two, but after that, voting should only take a second by clicking on a link. The rules allow you to vote for an idea once each day, but you can vote for that idea everyday until the end of the month on May 31st.

For more details on our project, you can go to our own website www.medschool4kids.com or you can visit the page that PEPSI has reserved for us. You will have access to vote in either places, but yes, the direct link for registering and voting on the pepsi website is: www.refresheverything.com/medschool4kids

In a short summary, what I am trying to do is to create an educational program teaching young kids (ages 8-11) how to be and stay healthy, and our curriculum is going to be structured like a "mini-medical school for kids". Through our interaction, we hope to share valuable science and health knowledge as well as to pass along our passion for learning. We will also make sure to do our best to express the importance of having a positive attitude, goals, and dreams, and in doing so, to also empower and inspire the kids to live well-balanced, healthy lives. Speaking on our behalf, we truly do want to make a lasting, positive impact on kids and the community, and with your help and funding from PEPSI, I know we can."

Here's the link to the Pepsi site - please visit today and help out Hy Pham and his efforts to help kids in the Pittsburgh community!

MEDSCHOOL4KIDS.COM

If You Have a ND Photo You'd Like to Share...

Please feel free to email me any of your favorite Notre Dame photos -- and I'll be sure to add them to the ND GO IRISH BLOG SLIDESHOW. Just email them to me at; jim.small@ndgoirish.com

Music & Notre Dame

Notre Dame's Department of Music just released a video of it's program -- and launched a new website. Please click on both links below and enjoy...

THE MUSIC OF NOTRE DAME

ND'S MUSIC WEBSITE

Irish Win Third Straight Big East Title!

The Fighting Irish Men's Track & Field Team won their third straight Big East Outdoor Track & Field Championship today on the University of Cincinnati campus. Leading the Irish was Daniel Clark who won the 1500, Kevin Schipper who won the Pole Vault and Denes Veres (pictured) who won the Shot Put with a new Notre Dame record! Congratulations to Coach Joe Piane and his irish!

Notre Dame All Access -- for ESPN

Someone "high up" at Notre Dame must have sent a memo to the Notre Dame Football program to allow ESPN any access it desires -- as the Irish have apparently "turned the other cheek" with ESPN. You'll recall ESPN talent Dana Jacobson made some derogatory comments towards Notre Dame and Jesus during a roast for Mike & Mike a number of months ago. Anyway, ESPN had inside access to Brian Kelly's staff meeting and inside the "GUG" for the Irish training table, academic areas and team meetings. Here's a link to the story:

ALL ACCESS TO NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

Clausen Has a New Number!

Jimmy Clausen walked onto the Carolina Panthers practice field yesterday wearing a new helmet and sporting a brand new number -- #2. It was the first day of the mandatory mini-camp for the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte. Clausen arrived at camp with the "groceries" that the Panthers NFL All-Pro receiver Steve Smith requested he bring. See the link to the story...



CLAUSEN BRINGS THE GOODS

Freekbass and "WE ARE ND"

I've been doing my absolute best to publish "positive" stories on Notre Dame here at the ND GO IRISH BLOG. However, I may have to break from the norm here and let you decide if I'm off "bass" here with my "luke warm" critique of funk bassist Freekbass & Tobotius's rendition of "We Are ND." Brian Kelly, Mike Golic, the Leprechaun, etc. -- all appear in the music video. Maybe I'm just too old! But, when I hear the words from the "greatest college fight song in the land" in this song, it doesn't sit right with me. Other than that -- I'm okay with it. Although it does come off a little like Notre Dame's (PG-13) version of the music video former ND All-American Orlando Woolride's son -- Renaldo Wooldridge performed for the Tennessee Volunteers' Eric Berry's Heisman Trophy campaign last year. Here's a link to the music video released by Notre Dame's Department of Education yesterday and Eric Berry's video -- you decide!

FREEKBASS & NOTRE DAME

ERIC BERRY'S HEISMAN VIDEO

Regis in Drag!

Regis Philbin, Notre Dame Class of 1953 (and host of Live with Regis & Kelly) -- was walking the streets of New York today in "drag" (that's Regis in the photo) -- as part of a salute to Broadway. The 78 year-old Philbin is a great sport! Click on the link below of the video of Regis in a dress...

REGIS IN DRAG

SHREK & Notre Dame

Some may be wondering; "what does the movie Shrek have to do with Notre Dame? Well, more than you probably ever imagined! You see, Shrek was produced by a handful of former "Domers." And, these ND Alums took it upon themselves to "sprinkle" in a little Notre Dame humor into the characters and the story. Here are just a few of the Notre Dame references in all of the Shrek movies;


--The Golden Dome worked into the design on the back of Shrek's vest
--Shrek resembles a Professor in Notre Dame's Chemistry Dept. (who will remain nameless) -- Though he knows who he is and I'm sure he just loves this characterization!
--Lord Farquad is a reference to a Notre Dame dorm called Carroll Hall, also known as Far Quad -- since it's located "far away" from the center of campus
--The palace resembles Hesburgh Library
--Dulac, the name of the perfect town in the Shrek movies -- is also part of the University's name; the University of Notre Dame du Lac and also what the student's "rule book" is called on campus

I've also been told that the Notre Dame "Fighting Irish" logo is "hidden" in each movie -- I've yet to verify if this is true or not. Anyway, the "last" Shrek Movie hits the theaters on May 21st. Go see it - and catch a little glimpse of Notre Dame!

SHREK - THE FINAL CHAPTER

Your Chance to Play Like a Champion Today!

Ever dream about slapping the Play Like a Champion Today sign and running out of the Tunnel into Notre Dame Stadium in a ND uniform? Here's your chance -- the 2010 Notre Dame Football Fantasy Camp will run from June 7th to June 10th. Just click on the Camp Information Link below -- but, before you do -- everyone must watch the video from the ND Football Fantasy Camps -- Enjoy!

ND FOOTBALL FANTASY VIDEO -- A MUST WATCH!

2010 ND FOOTBALL FANTASY CAMP INFO

This Might Be Notre Dame's Most Loyal Fan!

Notre Dame Class of 66' -- Cappy Gagnon, sent me this photograph this afternoon. It was taken of a Notre Dame fan who was walking into Notre Dame Stadium this Saturday for the Blue-Gold Game. If you're like me, you've been accused of wearing your love for Notre Dame on "your sleeve..." -- but, this takes it to a whole new level! I would say he's COMMITTED to the Irish!

ND Football Players Find New Teams

Over the past few days, a number of former ND Football players found a new helmet to wear. In the NFL Draft, Jimmy Clausen was picked by the Carolina Panthers and Golden Tate was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the Second Round, Sam Young went to the Dallas Cowboys and Eric Olsen was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the Sixth Round. Signing Free Agent NFL Contracts; Paul Duncan and Kyle McCarthy with the Miami Dolphins and Sergio Brown signed with the New England Patriots where he'll join his former coach, Corwin Brown. James Aldridge was invited to a tryout at the Miami Dolphins rookie camp, Robbie Parris will attend the Cleveland Browns rookie camp and David Grimes will be joining former coach Charlie Weis at the Kansas City Chiefs rookie camp.

The Undertones -- Perform at The Shirt Unveiling

Here's a sampling of songs that the University of Notre Dame's A cappella Choir -- the Undertones -- performed at Friday's unveiling ceremony of THE SHIRT. Click on the Link:

THE UNDERTONES

Notre Dame Glee Club at THE SHIRT Unveiling

Here's the Notre Dame Glee Club singing the 'Greatest College Fight Song in the Land' -- the Notre Dame Victory March -- at Friday's unveiling of THE SHIRT 2010. Click on the link and sing-a-long!

Link: NOTRE DAME VICTORY MARCH

THE SHIRT Unveiling at Notre Dame

On Friday, ND GO IRISH BLOG was in attendance at the unveiling ceremony of THE SHIRT 2010. Brendan Doyle (Holland, MI) is pictured here with a ND Cheerleader and "Diz" the new ND Leprechaun at the unveiling of THE SHIRT. Here's a number of videos of all of the activities involved leading up to the unveiling of THE SHIRT. Enjoy! Click on the links below:

COACH KELLY UNVEILING THE SHIRT

UNVEILING EVENT -- THE SHIRT 2010

NOTRE DAME'S IRISH DANCERS PERFORM

NOTRE DAME'S BAGPIPE BAND

Video of Golic Wearing USC Jersey

Just got back from Blue-Gold Weekend at Notre Dame. Had a wonderful time with the family -- if only the weather was better! Mike Golic was in town signing his book at the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore and wearing Anthony Munoz's USC jersey -- to pay off a bet with his ESPN Radio partner, Mike Greenberg. Here's a video of Golic's Saturday at Notre Dame. Click on the Link:

GOLIC IN THE ENEMY'S COLORS

Clausen & Tate Go In Second Round

The wait is over for Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate -- and they ended up a "country apart" as Clausen was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the 46th pick and Tate went to the Seattle Seahawks and our "Pal Pete" with the 60th pick. Clausen ended up in a pretty good spot, with head coach John Fox who's a good friend of Charlie Weis and an offense similar to what the Irish ran in South Bend. Congratulations!

Jimmy Clausen Not Drafted in First Round!

Well, three years ago he stood at a podium at the College Football Hall of Fame (on Blue-Gold Weekend) as the consensus #1 player, at his position. in America. And he committed to play THEE POSITION IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL -- Quarterback at Notre Dame. This past season he played most of the year with torn ligaments in his toe (which required surgery) and he still threw 28 TD passes and only 4 interceptions. He left Notre Dame with one year of eligibility -- because he was convinced that he was a First Round pick -- a high First Round pick. That didn't happen. It's become painfully obvious, he should have stayed and played one more year at Notre Dame. The threat of a "Rookie Salary Cap" had something to do with this -- unfortunately, when you don't go in the First Round -- your concern isn't a salary cap. Who gave these two boys the advice that led them to leave ND early? I thought watching Brady Quinn drop to the 22nd pick was brutal -- it pales in comparison to what's transpired today. I guess it's a fitting end to Notre Dame Football these past few years. By the way, the drop to a 2nd Round Pick is a significant hit to the pocketbook. Clausen, at best can expect to receive a $2 million signing bonus. Compare that to what's expected to be a $50 million bonus for Bradford and $10 million or so for Tim Tebow. To add insult to injury, Golden Tate didn't get drafted either... What a shame.

Coach Kelly on ESPN'S "The Herd" This AM

Notre Dame Head Football Coach was on the radio this morning with ESPN's Colin Cowherd. You'll enjoy the interview. Here's a link to ESPN Radio and then click on the Brian Kelly interview:

COACH KELLY ON THE HERD