PHOTO OF THE DAY: Rudolph Back at Practice!

Well, he's not in uniform -- but Notre Dame tight end, Kyle Rudolph was seen at the Irish's Hyundai Sun Bowl practice yesterday -- running and stretching with the team.  Rudolph was lost for the season in October with a hamstring injury that required surgery.  This photo ran in a story today in the South Bend Tribune -- you'll see Kyle in line, behind Gary Gray, for ND's dynamic stretching exercises.  He's the guy not in uniform!

The "Red Hat Diaries" -- Good Stuff!

The South Bend Tribune has teamed up with Notre Dame walk-on QB Brian Castello -- the guy wearing #15, standing next to Coach Kelly, signaling in the plays each week -- to write a "diary" from the Hyundai Sun Bowl.  We'll link to it every day this week.  Here's Brian's first post:

LINK:  THE RED HAT DIARIES

LINK:  SUN BOWL TALENT SHOW

Hyundai Sun Bowl: Tuesday Media Coverage

Here's this morning's local news coverage from the Hyundai Sun Bowl.  Looks like you better be dressed for "snow or rain" if you're going to Friday's game!  Here are the links:

LINK:  FRIDAY'S WEATHER FORECAST

LINK:  KAMARA OUT OF GAME

LINK:  CHRIS STEWART STORY

LINK:  FLOYD AND RUDOLPH -- OFF TO NFL?

LINK:  BRIAN HAMILTON BLOG

LINK:  A FEW TICKETS GO ON SALE THIS MORNING

LINK:  NOTRE DAME'S INJURIES THIS SEASON

LINK:  TOMMY REES STORY

LINK:  LOCAL BUSINESS BENEFITS FROM SUN BOWL

LINK:  SUN BOWL WEEK BEGINS

Hyundai Sun Bowl: Monday's Activities

The gang at UND.COM sure has done a great job this year keeping Notre Dame fans engaged.  Yesterday, they were at ND's first practice in El Paso and they also followed a group of 24 Notre Dame football players who visited a local hospital.  The photo of Notre Dame's practice yesterday at an 11,000 seat high school football field was  "tweeted" by Ben Ford of the Elkhart Truth.  Here's a link to the stories from Monday at the Hyundai Sun Bowl:

LINK:  MONDAY'S PRACTICE REPORT

LINK:  PLAYER INTERVIEWS

LINK:  IRISH VISIT EL PASO HOSPITAL

Brey's Irish Ranked #15 in Both Polls!

The 11-1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Men's Basketball team is now one of seven teams from the Big East ranked among the Top-Twenty in the latest Coaches Poll; Connecticut, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Georgetown, Notre Dame and Louisville.  The Irish are back in action tomorrow night (Wednesday, January 29th) when they take on the #9 ranked 11-1 Georgetown Hoyas at the Purcell Pavillion.  Game starts at 7:00 PM EST on ESPN2.  Here's a link to the latest polls:

LINK:  THIS WEEK'S AP AND COACHES POLLS

Hyundai Sun Bowl -- Talent Show!

The gang at UND.COM was with the Notre Dame football team last night as they participated in a Sun Bowl dinner with the Miami Hurricanes.  The event included a "talent show" -- you'll enjoy!  Here's the link:

LINK:  HYUNDAI SUN BOWL -- TALENT SHOW

Sun Bowl: Teo, Utopo, Kona -- HAKA DANCE!

Last night the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team and the Miami Hurricanes squared off in a "talent contest" at a dinner both teams attended at the Hyundai Sun Bowl.  As you're about to see -- Manti Teo, Justin Utopo and Kona Schwenke -- "REPRESENTED" the Irish with a HAKA Dance.  You'll enjoy this!  Here's the link:


LINK:  TEO, UTOPO AND KONA -- REPRESENTIN' THE IRISH!

ND's First Female Drum Major -- El Paso Native!

Thirty years ago, Linda Lawson made Notre Dame history!  She was the first female Drum Major in The Band of the Fighting Irish!  This week, Lawson (an El Paso native) will serve as a volunteer member of the Sun Bowl's "band committee" -- giving her the opportunity to work again with her beloved Fighting Irish.  The Band of the Fighting Irish rolls into El Paso this Thursday.  Here's a link to a story at El Paso Inc., about Linda's time at Notre Dame:

LINK:  ND'S FIRST FEMALE DRUM MAJOR!

ND's "Beat Writers" -- Coverage of Sun Bowl

The ND GO IRISH BLOG will also be tracking the media coverage this week from the "regulars" who cover Notre Dame football.  The photo of Coach Kelly and his daughter Grace Kelly is courtesy of the Chicago Tribune. The media converged on El Paso, TX for the Hyundai Sun Bowl yesterday -- here are the links:

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  WNDU-TV

El Paso's Media Coverage of Hyundai Sun Bowl

During bowl week in El Paso -- the ND GO IRISH BLOG will provide you with links to the stories being generated by the local media on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame's time in town for the Hyundai Sun Bowl.  As you can see in the photo -- Coach Brian Kelly didn't take long to get into the spirit!  Enjoy!

LINK:  FANS GREET TEAM'S ARRIVAL TO EL PASO

LINK:  BOWLING EVENT ON WEDNESDAY

LINK:  NO MORE TICKETS!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME TREATED TO BORDER HOSPITALITY

LINK:  PHOTO GALLERY -- NOTRE DAME'S ARRIVAL

LINK:  KVIA -- ABC TV

LINK:  KTSM -- NBC TV

LINK:  KFOX14 -- FOX TV

A ND Professor -- Helping Future NFL Players!

University of Notre Dame professor, Mayland Chang -- a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has received a grant from NFL Charities to develop therapeutics for the treatment of traumatic brain injury.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  ND'S CHANG ASSISTING THE NFL

A Notre Dame Student -- Doing Great Things!

Erin Rider, a senior student at the University of Notre Dame, spent this past summer teaching street children at Mother Theresa's Mission in Calcutta, India.  Yet, her efforts in India -- paid dividends for her elementary school in New York (the oldest Catholic elementary school in America).  Here's a link to a story that ran in the Poughkeepsie Journal this morning.  Way to go Erin!!!

LINK:  ERIN RIDER -- A ND STUDENT GIVING BACK!

Jenkins Defends Notre Dame's Actions

Over the past two weeks -- the University of Notre Dame has been widely criticized for its handling of the investigation into the allegations made by a Saint Mary's student against a Notre Dame football player.  On December 16th, the St. Joseph Country Prosecuting Attorney announced that he decided not to file criminal charges in this matter.  Ever since, the accuser's family has openly attacked the University of Notre Dame, in the national media, for their handling of this case.  Today, in a South Bend Tribune story -- University of Notre Dame president, Rev. John Jenkins -- broke his silence on this issue.  Here's a link to the South Bend Tribune story, a link to the St. Joseph County Prosecuting Attorney's statement and ESPN's "spin:"

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE STORY

LINK:  ST. JOSEPH COUNTY -- PROSECUTING ATTORNEY'S STATEMENT

LINK:  ESPN'S COVERAGE

IRISH ARRIVE IN EL PASO!!!

The University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish arrived in El Paso, TX this morning for the 2010 Hyundai Sun Bowl.  The gang at UND.COM caught the Irish's arrival at the airport -- including Coach Kelly's "Sombrero Dance."  Here's a couple of links:

LINK:  HYUNDAI SUN BOWL WELCOMES THE IRISH!

LINK:  COACH KELLY AT EL PASO AIRPORT

Going to the Sun Bowl? -- Stay in America!

Ever since it was announced that the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame would be playing in El Paso, TX on New Year's Eve -- fans have been warned to stay on the American side of the border!  Ciudad Juarez (photo), a city of 1.5 million people that sits on the other side of the Rio Grande from El Paso -- has been declared "the most violent zone in the world -- outside of declared war zones."  Earlier this week a relative of an anti-crime crusader was gunned down in Juarez (see story below) -- so please, please, please do not cross the Mexican border if you're in El Paso this week!!!  I've also attached a travel warning from the US Government:

LINK:  VIOLENCE IN JUAREZ

LINK:  DON'T TRAVEL TO MEXICO! 

LINK:  ESPN -- YOU KNOW THEY HAD TO SAY SOMETHING

Have a Merry "Notre Dame" Christmas!

I'm going to shut down the ND GO IRISH BLOG for the next 48 hours to spend some time with my family as we celebrate Christmas.   

While I'm away, I encourage each of you to find three minutes and twenty-three seconds -- sometime over these next two days -- and watch the linked video below and share it with your family and friends.

I'll be back at it when our Fighting Irish arrive in El Paso, TX (Sunday) to take on the Hurricanes.

Go IRISH! and MERRY CHRISTMAS  to ALL!

LINK:  A VIDEO FOR OUR FREEDOM

Jimmy Clausen On NFL Network Tonight...

Former Notre Dame QB, Jimmy Clausen -- might be leading his Carolina Panthers to "slaughter" tonight against the Pittsburgh Steelers -- in Pittsburgh.  Clausen earned his first NFL win last week as a starting QB -- can he make it two in a row tonight?  Game starts at 8 PM EST.

LINK:  NFL NETWORK

Where Are They Now? -- Kelsey Wicks

Former Notre Dame basketball player, Kelsey Wicks (photo) -- goes by a new name these days;  Sister Joan of Arc.  Wicks, played for two years for Muffet McGraw's Irish -- before leaving the program during her sophomore season.  After leaving Notre Dame, Kelsey worked on refugee issues in Africa.  When she returned to America -- Kelsey received a scholarship to attend the University of Notre Dame Law School -- however, she chose to go down a much different path.  Wicks joined The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia in Nahville, TN ("The Nashville Dominicans") -- where she wears a traditional habit and adheres to a strict life of prayer, teaching and silence (sometimes).  And, Kelsey adopted her new name:  Sister Joan of Arc.   However, as you'll see in this stories linked below -- she hasn't given up her love for basketball.  Sister Joan of Arc, we're very proud of you!  Special thanks to ND GO IRISH BLOG contributor; Dr. Jim Clancy for tracking down this story.  I've also added a link to a youtube video of what life is like for The Nashville Dominicans:

LINK:  KELSEY WICKS -- SISTER JOAN OF ARC

LINK:  THE NASHVILLE DOMINICANS

LINK:  THE NASHVILLE DOMINICANS -- PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

A Notre Dame "Pioneer" Passes...

Goldie L. Ivory '56, who earned her Masters degree in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and thought to be the first African American laywoman to earn a degree from the university -- died this past Friday.  With a name like "Goldie" -- who else should have such an honor!  Here's a link to Goldie's story in the South Bend Tribune:

LINK:  GOLDIE IVORY -- A NOTRE DAME PIONEER

Former Irish Hockey Player Receives Honor

Dr. Michael Collins '70 -- a former Notre Dame hockey player -- was awarded the 2011 Lou Lamoriello Award by the American Hockey Coaches Association.  Named in honor of the former Providence College player, coach, and administrator, the Lamoriello Award recognizes a former college hockey player or coach who goes on to a distinguished career in or out of the game of ice hockey.  Collins, an orthopedic surgeon based in Chicago -- earned two monograms playing hockey for the Fighting Irish.  Here's a link to a couple of stories concerning the honor:


LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE STORY

LINK:  UND.COM STORY