Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving from Notre Dame!


8FOR8 at Notre Dame:  We gave 8 incoming Notre Dame students a GoPro camera to capture their first 8 weeks of college...


The Phone Call:  A Notre Dame student talks about the "greatest moment" of her life.


This is Home:  A freshman student opens up about her life and the home she's found at Notre Dame.


Halfway Around the World:  A freshman student from China talks about the gift of his Notre Dame education.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Take the Test -- Rank the TEAMS in the Playoff


Well, the Notre Dame family has its IRISH UP!

We just saw our Fighting Irish drop from #4 to #6 -- with three teams jumping us this week in the CFB Playoff Rankings.  Here's what happened Saturday to precipitate this change:
  • #4 Notre Dame beat Boston College (3 - 8) 19 - 16 -- despite five turnovers
  • #5 Iowa beat Purdue (2 - 8) 40 - 20 at home
  • #7 Oklahoma beat TCU (9 - 1) 30 - 29 -- stopping TCU's two point conversion to win the game
  • #9 Michigan State beat Ohio State (10 - 0) 17 - 14 -- last second FG

We keep hearing the term "body of work" -- so, here it is -- the body of work for each of the teams ranked #3 to #6 in the CFB Playoff Rankings.  Now it's your turn to sit on the Committee.  You rank the teams...

TAKE THE CFB PLAYOFF COMMITTEE TEST! 
Rank these four "nameless" teams -- in order of #3 to #6.  I'm willing to bet you that if you just use the body of work -- you won't see the Fighting Irish outside the TOP FOUR!

TEAM A  10 - 1
  • FBS Opponents' Record:  69 - 59
  • FBS Opponents with 8+ wins: 3

TEAM B  11 - 0
  • FBS Opponents' Record:  53 - 68
  • FBS Opponent's with 8+ wins:  3

TEAM C  10 - 1
  • FBS Opponents' Record: 70 - 60
  • FBS Opponent's with 8+ wins:  4

TEAM D  10 - 1
  • FBS Opponents' Record:  73 - 58
  • FBS Opponents with 8+ wins: 5

If you need "tie-breakers" to assist you in determining the rankings of these four teams -- here they are:
  • Team D beat Texas 38 - 3
  • Team A lost to Texas 24 - 17
  • Team D beat Pittsburgh:  42 - 30 @ Pitt
  • Team B beat Pittsburgh:  27 - 24 @ Home (on a last second FG)  

Cheat Sheet: Team A is Oklahoma, Team B is Iowa, Team C is Michigan State and Team D is Notre Dame.

A "Sneak Peek" -- A Season With Notre Dame


On Showtime this evening at 10 PM ET.

Stanford Week: Coach Kelly Press Conference


OT: Pope Francis' Miracle Kiss...


   

Romeo Okwara Talks With Jac Collinsworth


Coach Kelly Talks BC Win with Jack Nolan


Tonight's CFB Playoff Rankings...

Folks, here's the drill...

Whether we're #3, #4, #5 or #6 tonight -- it really doesn't matter.

WE HAVE TO BEAT STANFORD SATURDAY ON THE ROAD -- we do that and I like our chances of finishing in the TOP FOUR.  Here's why:
  • The ACC will have one team in the CFB Playoff
  • The SEC will have one team in the CFB Playoff
  • The Big Ten will have one team in the CFB Playoff 

This is a given.

It will come down to who looks better on paper out of these three teams -- for one of those four positions in the Playoff:
  • 11 - 1 Notre Dame
  • 11 - 1 Oklahoma or an 11 - 1 Oklahoma State

Here's what that "paper" looks like right now:

NOTRE DAME:
  • FBS Opponents:  11
  • Opponents Records:  73 - 58
  • Opponents with 8+ wins:  5
  • Common opponent Texas: Notre Dame 38 - Texas 3
Please note:  if Pitt beats Miami this Saturday -- ND will have 5 opponents with 9+ wins this season.

OKLAHOMA:
  • FBS Opponents:  11
  • Opponents Records:  69 - 59
  • Opponents with 8+ wins:  3 
  • Common opponent Texas:  Texas 24 - Oklahoma 17

OKLAHOMA STATE:
  • FBS Opponents: 9
  • Opponents Records:  67 - 60 
  • Opponents with 8+ wins: 3
  • Common opponent Texas: Oklahoma State 30 - Texas 27

We beat Stanford Saturday night -- it will be difficult to keep us out of the Playoff!

Saturday, November 21, 2015

David Ortiz's Request of Notre Dame Football


This is pretty cool.

Notre Dame Football Equipment Manager Ryan Grooms @NDFBEquipment sent out this tweet, acknowledging that Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz requested that Notre Dame wide receiver Torii Hunter, Jr. (son of recently retired baseball star Torii Hunter, Sr.) -- be assigned his locker for tonight's game at Fenway Park.

Classy move.

Photo: Notre Dame Helmet Atop Green Monster


Notre Dame Football's Equipment Manager Ryan Grooms @NDFBEquipment "tweeted" out these two photos yesterday...

BC Coach Talks ND: Live From Fenway Friday


Boston's Security Plans for Tonight's Game


Here's a TV report from Boston's ABC affiliate last night about security plans for tonight's Shamrock Series game between Boston College and Notre Dame at Fenway Park.

LINK:  BEEFED UP SECURITY

ND at Fenway: Undefeated & Unscored Upon



The Fighting Irish played their first game at Fenway Park back in 1944 -- beating Dartmouth 64 - 0.  The coach that year -- Ed McKeever -- was "standing in" for the legendary Frank Leahy, who left Notre Dame to serve our country in the Navy during World War II.

Tonight's game with Boston College will be Notre Dame's second football game at Fenway Park -- 71 years later.

Notre Dame's Team Photo at Fenway Park


The folks at @ndfootball "tweeted" this out last night after the Fighting Irish's walk through at Fenway Park --- note the iconic "Green Monster" in the background...

CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE.

Shamrock Series: Coach Kelly's Last Presser


Boston Globe: A Notre Dame Invasion!


Thought you'd enjoy this Boston Globe story where they suggest a name change for Boston to Notre Dame, Massachusetts as more than 30,000 Fighting Irish fans are expected to invade their town this weekend...

LINK:  NOTRE DAME INVASION

WSBT-TV Coverage From Fenway Park Friday

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Video Proof Domer Did Tryout for Barnstormers


I received a number of inquiries over the last few days as to whether my son Jimmy Small '08 -- actually went through with trying out for the Iowa Barnstormers of the Indoor Professional League.

As you'll see in the story linked below --- they're is not a big market in professional football for a 6'-4" thin guy -- who can't run...

Better stick to your day job!

 LINK:  Burgeoning Iowa Barnstormer

Transforming the "Green Monster" for Football


Thought you'd enjoy all of the changes being made to Fenway Park's iconic Green Monster -- as they get ready to host football for the first time in 47 years -- Saturday night!

Matchup: Nation's #1 Defense vs. #29 Offense


How good is the Boston College defense? 
  • #1 in Total Defense -- an NCAA FBS ranking
  • #1 in fewest yards allowed per game (237 yds)
  • #1 in fewest rushing yards allowed per game (71.7 yds) this season 
  • #3 in fewest points allowed per game (14.1) this season.

They are very good!

Here's BC opponents -- and how they've fared against this defense:
  • Maine -- scored 3 pts / 15.8 ppg avg.
  • Howard -- scored 0 pts / 13.8 ppg avg.
  • Florida State -- scored 14 pts / 30.9 ppg avg.
  • Northern Illinois -- scored 14 pts / 35.8 ppg avg.
  • Duke -- scored 9 pts / 30.8 ppg avg.
  • Wake Forest -- scored 3 pts /  17.5 ppg avg.
  • Clemson -- scored 34 pts /  38.5 ppg avg.
  • Louisville -- scored 17 pts / 27.4 ppg avg.
  • Virginia Tech -- scored 26 pts / 29.8 ppg avg.
  • North Carolina State -- scored 24 pts / 32.8 ppg avg.
  • NOTRE DAME -- scored ?? / 36.2 ppg avg.

National Rankings of Offenses that Boston College has / will play:
  • #20 Clemson  -- 532 total yards vs. BC
  • #21 Northern Illinois -- 153 total yards vs. BC
  • #29 NOTRE DAME
  • #42 Florida State -- 217 total yards vs. BC
  • #44 Duke -- 228 total yards vs. BC
  • #61 Louisville -- 365 total yards vs. BC
  • #71 North Carolina State -- 351 total yards vs. BC
  • #88 Virginia Tech -- 275 total yards vs. BC
  • #112 Wake Forest -- 142 total yards vs. BC
  • Maine (not FBS) -- 91 total yards vs. BC
  • Howard (not FBS) -- 11 total yards vs. BC

Boston Globe Story: Brian Kelly Coming Home


Thought you'd enjoy this story...

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY -- COMING HOME

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Inside Notre Dame's Senior Day -- Saturday!


Boston College's Addazio Talks Notre Dame


Here is a link to a video replay of BC's Head Coach Steve Addazio talking about Saturday's game against our Fighting Irish:

LINK:  STEVE ADDAZIO

Prayers for Doug Flutie & Family


Doug's parents -- Richard and Joan Flutie, died within an hour of each other this morning...  They were married 56 years.

Doug, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Boston College, is NBC's analyst for their broadcasts of Notre Dame Football.

LINK:  FLUTIE FAMILY

A 3rd Grade Class Going to ND vs. Stanford!


Notre Dame alum Tim Connors '89 -- was gracious enough to treat Ms. Allison Silva's 3rd Grade Class' (Taylor Leadership Academy - Stockton, CA) with a pre-game tailgate lunch and tickets to attend Notre Dame's game next week against Stanford.

The video above captures the moment the 3rd graders find out they're going to see the Fighting Irish in person!!!

Ms. Silva's 3rd Grade Class has adopted Notre Dame as their school -- see the story right here:  ND'S CLASS OF 2029


Boston College AD Talks Notre Dame Game


CFB Playoff Chair Talks ND & Big XII


ESPN Talks Notre Dame's CFB Playoff Ranking


Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Ten Teams Still in the Running for CFB Playoff


Folks, there are only TEN TEAMS that still have a realistic chance to be standing in the FINAL FOUR come December 6th -- here they are:
  • ACC: Clemson or North Carolina
  • SEC: Alabama or Florida
  • BIG TEN: Ohio State, Iowa or Michigan State
  • INDEPENDENT:  Notre Dame

On the outside looking in -- right now:
  • BIG XII:  Oklahoma State or Oklahoma 
 

Notre Dame #4 Stays Ahead of Iowa and Big XII


We know our friends in Bristol have been lobbying hard for the Big XII to take ND's spot in the FINAL FOUR...

Well, the FIGHTING IRISH remain in the final Playoff position at #4!

It's all about who you play -- who you beat!
 


NBC's ND Football TV Analyst Models BC's Uni



Here is Doug Flutie, former Heisman Trophy winner and Boston College graduate -- modeling the "throwback" uniforms his Eagles will be wearing this Saturday night against our Fighting Irish.

Shamrock Series Week: Coach Kelly Presser


Four Days From Fenway for the Fighting Irish!


Here's a great aerial view of Notre Dame's "home field" in Boston...