Notre Dame's "Passport" to South Bend

The University of Notre Dame and the City of South Bend have teamed up in creating a program that encourages Notre Dame's 10,000+ students to visit South Bend parks, museums and other attractions. Students will receive a "cultural passport" that contains information on 14 area attractions. When Notre Dame students visit one of these sites, they will get their "passport" stamped and those who visit all 14 will receive a certificate signed by the Mayor and the Dean of their college. The photo above is of one of the attractions in their passport; the Permanent Collection of the South Bend Museum of Art. Here's a link to the South Bend / Mishawaka Convention & Visitors Bureau website and a link to the South Bend Museum of Art's website:

SOUTH BEND / MISHAWAKA

SOUTH BEND MUSEUM OF ART

Charlie's Back In His Element...

Former Notre Dame Football Coach Charlie Weis is now the Offensive Coordinator of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs. I thought I'd check in on Coach Weis and I found this story that a Kansas City Star columnist wrote about the "two sides" of Charlie in their Sunday edition. I will always root for Coach Weis -- as he left the Notre Dame football program in far much better shape than what he inherited from Coach Willingham. Here's the link to the story:

THE CHIEF'S CHARLIE WEIS

Brian Kelly's "Rebuilding" Plans for ND

Found this interesting article last night that ran in Sunday's Grand Rapids Press. The West Michigan area has "adopted" Brian Kelly as one of its own from his days at Grand Valley State -- and the area's main newspaper, The Grand Rapids Press, has been quite kind to Coach Kelly since he was announced as Notre Dame's Football Coach. This story covers a number of subjects -- including "expanding" his office space in the Gug. You'll enjoy this article:

REBUILDING NOTRE DAME

Kelly Cares Foundation -- New Website!

Just received an email from Kelly Cares Foundation alerting me that their new website just went LIVE! The photo is of Paqui Kelly, Brian's wife -- of barefoot punting fame! Here's a link -- click on it and join the Kelly Cares Foundation Friendship Club:

KELLY CARES FOUNDATION WEBSITE

Lou Holtz -- "Talking Brian Kelly..."

Former Notre Dame Football Coach, Lou Holtz offered up his thoughts on Brian Kelly -- and he likes him!!! Here's a link to the story in today's Grand Rapids Press:

HOLTZ ON KELLY

Notre Dame's "iPad Class"

The University of Notre Dame is taking a new approach to education this semester -- debuting the University’s first and only class taught using Apple’s new wireless tablet computer to replace traditional textbooks. The course is part of a unique, year-long Notre Dame study of eReaders. Corey Angst, Assistant Professor of Management (that's not Corey in the photo -- that's Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple) is conducting the first phase using iPads, which just went on sale to the public in April. Here's a link to a video -- that you can watch on your iPad!

NOTRE DAME'S GOING PAPERLESS!

WNDU-TV Interview: Brian Kelly

WNDU=TV's Jeff Jeffers interviewed Notre Dame Head Football Coach, Brian Kelly this week. Here's a link to the interview

BRIAN KELLY INTERVIEW: WNDU-TV

The Brian Kelly Radio Show -- Every Thursday!

Notre Dame Head Football Coach, Brian Kelly will start a "new tradition" for Irish fans. Beginning this Thursday -- and every Thursday thereafter during the season -- Coach Kelly will host his own radio show from Legends, with Jack Nolan, from 7 PM to 8 PM EST. Notre Dame fans can attend the show live at Legends (on the Notre Dame campus) or listen on Audio outlets; WSBT 960AM in South Bend, UND.com, WXNT 1430 AM in Indianapolis, and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio. WSBT, WXNT and und.com will carry the show live; Sirius/XM will carry it the following day at a time to be determined.

Brian Kelly's Latest Press Conference

University of Notre Dame Head Football Coach, Brian Kelly, was at the podium for 12 minutes -- last night after practice -- and he said some interesting things. Among them; Today's practice will be in Notre Dame Stadium and they'll work on the "49 scenarios that are possible in a college football game." You'll enjoy his explanation. Coach Kelly was also quite candid about whether or not he would have been ready for this job without any previous head coaching experience, and what was his motivation to lose weight -- an obvious slight on the reporter's part to Coach Charlie Weis. Here's a link:


COACH KELLY'S AUGUST 26TH PRESS CONFERENCE

Sport's Illustrated's ND Football Preview

Sports Illustrated came out with their annual College Football Preview issue and their analysis of our Fighting Irish -- which they "tag teamed" with Athlon Sports. Is business that bad that "SI" can no longer do this on their own? Anyway, here's a link to what "they" think of Brian Kelly's first Notre Dame football squad:

SI PREVIEW OF NOTRE DAME

Desk Treadmills @ Notre Dame

When I saw this story, I just had to post it on the blog. Apparently, there are two treadmills set up at work stations on the University of Notre Dame campus -- see photo. WNDU-TV did a story on these "contraptions" -- and I thought I'd share this with you. For the more "experienced" visitors to the NOTRE DAME GO IRISH BLOG I'm guessing you're thinking "George Jetson" right about now: Here's the link:

DESK TREADMILLS AT ND

Ten Most Influential Domers @ Notre Dame

Found this blog post today at IRISH CREED concerning the ranking of the ten most influential Domers in the history of Notre Dame. The photo is of Father Sorin, the founder of the University of Notre Dame. Thought you would enjoy this!:

MOST INFLUENTIAL DOMERS

NBC's Mike Mayock -- Talking Notre Dame

NBC's Mike Mayock -- their new TV Analyst for Notre Dame home football games, was on the Dan Patrick Radio Show this morning. Here's a link to the interview - just scroll down to the interview with Mike Mayock:

DAN PATRICK SHOW INTERVIEW

Brady Quinn Interview -- Must See!

My brother Jay, who lives in Denver, sent me this link to an interview former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn recently gave to a show called "Movers & Shakers in the Mile High City." Once again, Brady Quinn does Notre Dame proud -- boy, I wish he was having more success! After watching this, I'm sure the TV networks will be "lining up" looking to hire him when he decides to hang it up someday. Here's a link to the interview:

BRADY QUINN -- A MILE HIGH "MOVER & SHAKER"

ND Gets Commit from Volleyball Star

The University of Notre Dame's Women's Volleyball received a verbal commit from one of the top players in the country last week -- and she hasn't event started her "JUNIOR YEAR" in high school! Her name is Taylor Morey and she's out of Burris High School in Muncie, IN. Notre Dame coaches believe Morey might be the top "defensive player" in the nation. Morey's high school team (Burris) is currently ranked #7 in the country in the pre-season polls for girls high school volleyball. FYI: This year's Irish incoming freshman class is ranked 13th best in the country. Here's a link to a couple of stories about Taylor Morey:


BIG COMMIT FOR IRISH

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS

Recent Articles on Notre Dame Football

Here's a few stories that ran in the last 24 hours concerning Notre Dame Football -- that I thought you'd enjoy. Just click on the links:

DARIUS FLEMMING

DAYNE CRIST

NATE MONTANA

NBC'S ND TELECAST

Wall Street Journal -- Ranks Irish #3

Today's Wall Street Journal ranks the "star power" of the top football programs -- via Rivals ranking of football recruits out of high school. And, our Fighting Irish rank third in their "average star ranking" of its projected starters -- as compared to all of the BCS college football teams. I guess ol' Charlie Weis knew how to recruit! The photo is of Notre Dame's Class of 2012 -- taken at the Army All American game in San Antonio -- prior to their arrival at Notre Dame. Rudolph, Floyd, Crist, Flemming, Robinson, Filer, etc. were just a few of the high school All-Americans in this #1 ranked recruiting class in the country. Here's the story:

NOTRE DAME'S STAR POWER

Touchdown Jesus?

I'm willing to wager that nine out of every ten Notre Dame fans do not know the actual name of the mural on the Hesburgh Library that faces Notre Dame Stadium (see photo). And, no -- it's not Touchdown Jesus! It's name: The Word of Life. The Word of Life mural is 134 feet high and 68 feet wide and adorns the south side of the Hesburgh Library. The artist who created "Touchdown Jesus" is Millard Sheets and his piece of art required 5,700 pieces of granite, from sixteen foreign countries, to make up all of the colors in the mural. Here's a wonderful video that gives you the history of "Touchdown Jesus." Just click on link:

TOUCHDOWN JESUS

Five "Talking Points" for Notre Dame Fans

With the 2010 college football "campaign" just days a way -- I thought it would be wise to provide my fellow Notre Dame fans with some "talking points" should the topic of college football come up in the coming weeks. It's all about "being prepared" to take on all comers -- and I believe this should do just that:

1. Notre Dame has been named National Champions in football TWENTY-ONE TIMES. Notre Dame (are you listening Alabama!) only takes credit for National Championships awarded by the AP -- which has happened 11 times. The ten other National Championships were awarded by services other than the Associated Press. And, that happened in; 1919, 1920, 1927. 1938, 1953, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1989 and 1993.

2. Notre Dame is the only NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision team (out of 120 teams) to open up its season with its first six games against BCS teams. We're one of only three NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision teams who've never played what's now called a NCAA Football Championship Subdivision team (formerly a Division I-AA school) So, when you here how "tough" a schedule someone else has -- throw this one out there -- and remind the Michigan fans of Appalachian State!

3. Notre Dame has lost the fewest games in the history of college football amongst teams who've played more than 700 games. Tell this to your buddies at Michigan, Texas, Ohio State, Florida, USC, etc.

4. Notre Dame has produced more All-Americans (99), consensus All-Americans (80) and unanimous All-Americans (31) in football than any other college program. Enough said..

5. And, Notre Dame remains the #1 producer of players to play in the National Football League. As of 2010; 468 Notre Dame players have been drafted into the NFL.

WNDU's Coverage of "Desert to Dome"

Here's WNDU-TV's coverage of the Crawford's returning to Notre Dame. Thought you'd enjoy seeing this story and hearing Coach Parseghian speak to the crowd:

DESERT TO DOME -- WELCOME "DOME"