Sunday, December 13, 2015
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Army vs. Navy: America's Football Game!
My favorite "non-Notre Dame" football game EVERY YEAR -- it just doesn't get any better than this for me.
I look forward to their MARCH ON into Lincoln Financial Field, CBS's game intro (last year's above) -- and the joy and despair at game's end...
I always find myself rooting for NAVY -- and I will again today. Just hope it's a close game!
Will Fuller Named Notre Dame Football MVP
I will never forget a conversation I had with former Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Chuck Martin, my Uncle Pat Sweeney and cousin Kevin Sweeney in the middle of the team's locker room at the Guglielmino Athletics Complex -- three years ago...
We had an impromptu conversation about the "star rankings" given to recruits when I asked Coach Martin this question; "What incoming recruit do you think will surprise the most?"
His answer: "We signed a wide receiver out of Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia named Will Fuller, that no one is talking about. We believe he will be a big time player for us and he's only a so-called "three star" recruit. He is really fast and he can high-point the ball..."
Prophetic.
Friday, December 11, 2015
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Former ND VP, Assoc. Provost -- "Finals Stress"
Dan Myers, a former VP, Associate Provost at the University of Notre Dame is now the Provost at Marquette University.
It's nice to see Dan is back to his old tricks in Milwaukee!
A Sneak Peak at My "Ugly Sweater" for Work!
A homemade "Ugly Christmas Sweater" I'll wear to our work party here at Notre Dame tomorrow...
It's presently sitting in my garage on the car hood -- hoping the "adhesive" fumes are gone by morning!
GO IRISH!
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Domer Named "Miss Rodeo America 2016"
Notre Dame alum Katherine Merck '12 (Spokane, WA) was just named Miss Rodeo America 2016! Merck graduated from ND with a degree in Finance.
LINK: MISS RODEO AMERICA 2016
Day, Smith & Fuller Earn All-American Honors!
The first of many All-American teams was announced today and Notre Dame's Sheldon Day and Jaylon Smith were named to USA Today's First Team All-American team and Will Fuller received Second Team All-American honors...
Congrats!
LINK: USA TODAY ALL-AMERICANS
OT: Weiland's Ex-Wife's Letter to Rolling Stone
I'm not a rock-n-roll fan so I have to admit I had never heard of Scott Weiland, lead singer of the Stone Temple Pilots. Weiland passed away last week at the age of 48.
A sad story.
As you'll see in this poignant letter his ex-wife sent to Rolling Stone magazine -- Weiland was a fan of the Fighting Irish...
LINK: DON'T GLORIFY THIS TRAGEDY
OT: Bravo Virginia Tech Coach Buzz Williams
ND GO IRISH BLOG regular Tom Chronert was kind enough to send this to me last night. I have to admit it brought tears to my eyes.
Thank you Coach Williams -- I'm now a huge fan!
LINK: VIRGINIA TECH -- VETERAN'S DAY
Monday, December 7, 2015
Urban Meyer Talks Fiesta Bowl vs. Notre Dame
Here's a link to Ohio State's Urban Meyer talking their Fiesta Bowl matchup with Notre Dame...
THIS WILL BE MEYER'S FIRST GAME COACHING AGAINST NOTRE DAME.
He talks briefly about the two schools that have met the most to him -- note the absence of Florida...
LINK: URBAN MEYER
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Back on the Soapbox -- Wear Green at Fiesta!
I was at the last Fiesta Bowl that Notre Dame played against Ohio State -- their fans (all dressed in red) and our fans were in blue, gold, green, black, yellow and white...
Those who were at that game will tell you -- it looked like Ohio State was playing a home game -- because their RED STOOD OUT.
Look at the fans in the photos above -- from that game...
It's time -- Notre Dame fans need to don their FIGHTING IRISH GREEN for the Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl!
Domer Golden Tate Visited Sports Center
The Lions' wide receiver apparently spent his off weekend in Bristol, CT. Here's the proof -- including a Taylor Swift Christmas Stocking!
Notre Dame to Take on Ohio State in Fiesta
It's on...
The #8 ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame have been selected to play in the Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day against that #7 ranked school in Columbus, OH.
As we all know -- Ohio State is coached by FOUR former Notre Dame assistant coaches; Urban Meyer, Tony Alford, Ed Warriner and Tim Hinton. The Buckeyes Director of Athletics is a Domer and former football player Gene Smith -- and their Assistant AD for Football Sports Performance, Micky Marotti is a former ND football staffer as well.
This is a great bowl opponent for our IRISH!
LINK: BUY FIESTA BOWL TICKETS
Bowl Pairings Announced Around 3:00 PM ET
The College Football Playoff Committee will make the call today as to what Bowl Notre Dame will play in and who their opponent will be.
The Selection Show will begin at 12:30 PM ET on ESPN -- and it runs to 3 PM ET. It's expected they'll announce Notre Dame's bowl and opponent in the last hour of the show.
Here's what the media thinks this AM:
LINK: CBS SPORTS -- PEACH BOWL vs. FLORIDA STATE
LINK: FOX SPORTS -- FIESTA BOWL vs. OHIO STATE
LINK: ESPN -- FIESTA BOWL vs. IOWA
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Samardzija: No ND Athlete Has Been Paid More
If you ever catch someone questioning Jeff Samardzija's decision to choose baseball over football -- just point this out:
With the guaranteed contract Jeff Samardzija just signed today with the San Francisco Giants he will -- have been and will be -- paid $133,795,000 to play the game of baseball!
He has made $43,795,000 in his career so far...
No other former Notre Dame athlete has been paid more to play a professional sport -- and it's not even close!
#3 Notre Dame Takes on #1 UCONN on ESPN
Muffet's Fighting Irish take on that team from Storrs, CT today on ESPN at 5:30 PM ET -- not at full strength -- for the third time in the last four games of this series.
Notre Dame's top two forwards; Brianna Turner and Taya Reimer are not expected to play for the #3 ranked Irish against the nation's top team.
These two teams played for the National Championship back in April.
The Opponents Notre Dame Will Face In 2016
I decided to look at Notre Dame's opponents next season, their head coaches, returners at QB and the team's record in 2015. Here's some of the highlights:
- ND plays against three teams with head coaches that are former ND assistants in their first four games
- ND will play half of their games in 2016 against teams with a new starting QB
- ND's opponents' returning starting QB's threw 66 TD's and 29 INT's
- ND will play against three teams in 2016 who have new head coaches -- four if you want to count USC
- ND's opponents' record in 2015: 82 - 57
@ TEXAS -- September 3
- Head Coach Charlie Strong -- former ND assistant
- QB: Jerome Heard -- 5 TD / 5 INT
- 2015 record: 5 - 7
NEVADA -- September 10
- Head Coach Brian Polian -- former ND assistant
- QB: Tyler Stewart -- 15 TD / 7 INT
- 2015 record: 6 - 6
MICHIGAN STATE -- September 17
- Head Coach Mark Dantonio
- QB: New starter in 2016
- 2015 record: 12 - 1
DUKE -- September 24
- Head Coach David Cutcliffe -- former ND assistant
- QB: Thomas Sirk -- 15 TD / 6 INT
- 2015 record: 7 - 5
@ SYRACUSE -- October 1
- Head Coach Dino Babers (just hired)
- QB: Eric Dungey -- 11 TD / 5 INT
- 2015 record: 4 - 8
@ NORTH CAROLINA STATE -- October 8
- Head Coach Dave Doeren
- QB: New starter in 2016
- 2015 record: 7 - 5
STANFORD -- October 15
- Head Coach David Shaw
- QB: New starter in 2016
- 2015 record: 11 - 2
MIAMI -- October 29
- Head Coach Mark Richt (just hired)
- QB: Brad Kaaya 15 TD / 4 INT
- 2015 record: 8 - 4
@ NAVY -- November 5
- Head Coach Ken Niumatalolo
- QB: New starter in 2016
- 2015 record: 9 - 2
ARMY (Shamrock Series Game) -- November 12
- Head Coach Jeff Monken
- QB: Ahmad Bradshaw 5 TD / 2 INT
- 2015 record: 2 - 9
VIRGINIA TECH -- November 19
- Head Coach Justin Fuente (just hired)
- QB: New starter in 2016
- 2015 record: 6 - 6
@ USC -- November 26
- Head Coach Clay Helton (just named)
- QB: New starter in 2016
- 2015 record: 8 - 5
Friday, December 4, 2015
Should Stanford's Last TD Have Counted?
You're going to want to watch this / read this...
On Stanford's last TD of the game -- a pass to a wide-open TE in the left flat -- you'll notice that the TE is lined up on the right side of the line (third lineman over from the center -- photo below) like an offensive tackle. I'll let the article take it from here...
No matter what you think -- this is a "brilliant" formation and play call in the redzone.
LINK: ILLEGAL PLAY?
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Domer's At It Again: "Re-elect Iowa Speedway"
Just last month Notre Dame alum Jimmy Small '08 -- was trying out for the Iowa Barnstormers...
Well, yesterday -- he announced Iowa Speedway's re-election campaign. Here is his stump speech.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Latest Bowl Projections for Notre Dame
LINK: CBS SPORTS -- PEACH BOWL vs. FLORIDA STATE
LINK: SPORTS ILLUSTRATED -- FIESTA BOWL vs. IOWA
LINK: FOX SPORTS -- FIESTA BOWL vs. OHIO STATE
LINK: ESPN -- FIESTA BOWL vs. IOWA or HOUSTON
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Monday, November 30, 2015
Notre Dame's "Class of 2029" at Stanford...
You'll want to read this story about Taylor Leadership Academy's 3rd Grade Class' trip to see Notre Dame take on Stanford...
LINK: "NOW I BELIEVE"
OT: Greatest Helmet / Uniform Story -- EVER!
I am absolutely jazzed with what Under Armour has come up with for the Naval Academy and their annual game next Saturday with Army...
WOW !!!
You're going to want to read the STORY tied to the helmets and uniform design...
I'm now thinking -- maybe we should do Notre Dame tribute helmets -- these next five Shamrock Series games to our five National Championship coaches and their eleven teams.
What do you think?
Sunday, November 29, 2015
"Tight End U" Became "Tight End FEW" in 2015
As in few catches (17), few yards (204) and ONE TOUCHDOWN for the entire 2015 season.
What happened to the home of; Casper, MacAfee, Bavaro, Mastzak, Hunter, Brown, Holohan, Fasano, Smith, Carlson, Rudolph, Eifert, etc. ???
Notre Dame never sees this type of production -- for the season -- from the Tight End position:
- Alize Jones: 11 catches for 166 yards
- Nic Weishar: 3 catches for 19 yards
- Durham Smythe: 2 catches for 13 yards and 1 TD (fake field goal)
- Chase Hounshell 1 catch for 6 yards
Here's Stanford's production out of their Tight End position (last night) against Notre Dame:
- 9 catches for 174 yards and 2 TD's
If you want to point to a telling stat for the season -- especially when you look at Notre Dame's inability to score TD's in the Red Zone -- it was SIX total points out of the TE position (which came on a fake field goal).
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Are the Fighting Irish Peach Bowl Bound?
Other bowl options:
- Fiesta Bowl vs. Ohio State
- Tax Slayer Bowl vs. Mississippi State
Notre Dame Arrives at Stanford Stadium
Jaylon Smith and the Irish have arrived at Stanford Stadium. We're live at 6 on WNDU with the Irish. pic.twitter.com/e7Ja1QuvwM
— Angelo Di Carlo (@angdicarlowndu) November 28, 2015
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