Think Notre Dame Has Lost Its Luster?

Think again. This story in today's Salt Lake City Tribune speaks "honestly" to what it means for a college football program to schedule the University of Notre Dame. Here's the link:

BYU LANDS ND

Notre Dame Brings Credibility to BYU

Yesterday's announcement in Provo, UT that Brigham Young University was going "independent" in football -- did not go without significant influence from Notre Dame. Here's a link to a story in today's Salt Lake City Tribune in which the columnist now calls BYU "The Notre Dame of ESPN" and gives the announcement of BYU's six-game series with Notre Dame and the ESPN TV deal as all the credibility they need. Here's a link to a few of the stories on BYU following in Notre Dame's foot steps:

THE NOTRE DAME OF ESPN

IS BYU BECOMING A "LATTER DAY NOTRE DAME"

Notre Dame Talk -- Where to Find it Today!

We're approaching 48 hours to kick-off and if you're like me -- it's dominating your thoughts. So, to get you ready for Saturday's game against Purdue -- here are some "outlets" for Notre Dame fans to get their IRISH ON, all day long -- today! Just click on the links and you'll be led to the conversation! Don't forget -- The Brian Kelly Radio Show is tonight at 7PM EST -- and it's being broadcast LIVE from Legends on the Notre Dame campus.





From 8 AM EST to 12 PM EST:

NDNATION.COM

IRISH SPORTS DAILY

IRISH ILLUSTRATED

Notre Dame vs. Purdue Preview

Notre Dame Videos

5 PM EST to 7 PM EST: WSBT 960 AM Weekday SportsBeat

6 PM EST to 8 PM EST: ESPN 1240 AM Notre Dame Radio Show

7 PM EST to 8 PM EST: The Brian Kelly Radio Show

Wear Your Notre Dame Colors -- Tomorrow!

Friday, September 3rd has been declared as "College Colors Day" across America - and for the first time, the University of Notre Dame is participating. If you've visited the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore in the past couple of weeks you've seen a large "cut out" of Brian Kelly urging Notre Dame fans to show your school spirit tomorrow. So, Irish fans -- wear your Notre Dame "stuff" all day tomorrow - and wear it with pride!!! And, to prepare yourself for the conversations you're sure to have with fans from schools in the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac 10, etc., -- I've provided you with a link to "FIVE TALKING POINTS" for every NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL FAN.

TALKING POINTS FOR NOTRE DAME FANS

HAMMES NOTRE DAME BOOKSTORE -- WEBSITE

COLLEGE COLORS DAY -- WEBSITE

NBC: ND Football Going Global!

NBC announced today a number of "enhancements" to its coverage of Notre Dame Football - now in its 20th season. Those who choose to watch the game on the web -- will have exclusive access to an extra TV camera only available to web viewers. NBC also announced a distribution deal with EuroSport to broadcast the Notre Dame games in Europe and Asia. Here's a link to all that NBC has planned:

TWENTY YEARS WITH NOTRE DAME

Vote For Coach Brey -- "Men in Kilts"

University of Notre Dame Basketball Coach, Mike Brey is a good sport! Coach Brey is participating in a fund-raising effort for the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Michiana. Click on the link below and vote for Coach Brey as the "best dressed man" in a kilt -- and maybe he'll be convinced to show off this look "courtside" this winter!

VOTE FOR COACH BREY

Parseghian Interview: 5:06 PM EST - TODAY

Former Notre Dame coaching great, Ara Parseghian will be a guest today on 960 AM's Weekday SportsBeat. Here's a link to the webcast -- when you get to their website, click on the LISTEN LIVE button at the top left corner of the home page. Coach Parseghian is expected on at 5:06 PM EST:

WSBT 960 AM -- WEEKDAY SPORTSBEAT

Irish in the NFL -- Update

With final NFL cuts scheduled for this weekend -- teams had until 4 PM EST yesterday to cut their rosters to 75 players with the final cut to 53 players set for Saturday. FYI: There's presently six former Domers on this morning's Denver Broncos roster: Brady Quinn, Ryan Harris, David Bruton, Eric Olsen, Paul Duncan and Kyle McCarthy. Here's a quick update on where things currently stand for some of the more recent Notre Dame players in their attempt to earn a spot on an NFL roster:


JIMMY CLAUSEN

BRADY QUINN

GOLDEN TATE

SAM YOUNG

ERIC OLSEN

KYLE MCCARTHY

PAUL DUNCAN

DAVE BRUTON

SERGIO BROWN

JOHN SULLIVAN

Aaron Taylor's Interview with Coach Kelly

Former Notre Dame All-American, Aaron Taylor, sat down with Brian Kelly for an interview yesterday. Here's a link to the video:

TAYLOR & KELLY TALKING IRISH

Like Father -- Like Son

When you turn on your television set this Saturday afternoon to watch the Irish -- keep an eye out for a young man wearing uniform number 7. His name is Tai-ler "TJ" Jones and he's a FRESHMAN STARTING WIDE RECEIVER for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. What makes this story more special is TJ's dad -- Andre Jones, also wore #7 when he was a starting linebacker for the Irish and a member of the 1988 National Championship team. This photo was taken of the two at this year's Under Armour All-American game in Orlando. Here's a link to Irish Illustrated's interview of TJ after yesterday's practice -- and a link to a story from Irish Sports Daily back in January:

TJ JONES INTERVIEW

NOTRE DAME'S JONES BOYS

Zipcar Comes to Notre Dame

I'm sure many of you have yet to hear of a car service called Zipcar -- well it's quite unique. Zipcar has built a business around parking cars in populated areas and selling "memberships" to drive them -- whenever you need them. The University of Notre Dame has just entered an agreement with Zipcar that calls for four cars to be parked on campus for students, faculty and staff to use at their leisure -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All they have to do is become a member -- it's $35 to join -- and you'll have use of one of the four cars. It's $8 an hour to use the car and $66 per day. You must be 18 years old. Gas, insurance, emergency roadside assistance, etc., is all included with Zipcar. Zipcar also offers a fun and functional iPhone app that will honk the horn to locate a Zipcar and unlock the doors for members. Here's a link to the Zipcar website and the release announcing their relationship with Notre Dame.

ZIPCAR WEBSITE

ZIPCAR @ NOTRE DAME

A Little OT: A Great Video on Leadership...

An old colleague of mine sent this to me this morning. I'm going to be sending it off to my kids shortly. I encourage all to click on this link and explore one's true potential. Your attitude drives your effort -- ARE YOU GIVING IT YOUR BEST? Click on the link:

GIVING YOUR BEST

Video of ND Players & Coaches

Made a visit to the Notre Dame campus yesterday afternoon and shot this video of the Fighting Irish players and coaches walking to their practice fields. If you're ever at Notre Dame around 3:15 PM EST during the week, you should walk over to the Labar Practice Fields and catch the Irish walk into practice. The photo is of a "gold football and a gold kicking tee" -- don't know the significance of it, just thought it was unique. Here's a link to the video.

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL PLAYERS / COACHES

Five Days to Notre Dame Football!

If you're like me -- you can't wait to see what the Brian Kelly era is going to look like at Notre Dame! To get you ready for the start of the 2010 Football Season, you MUST WATCH this video put together by the team at www.und.com! Here's the link -- click on the ND Football Primer video:
THE FIGHTING IRISH ALL ACCESS PASS

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!