Clausen to Return to ND for Degree!

Carolina Panther QB, Jimmy Clausen will be returning "home" to the Notre Dame campus in a couple of weeks to finish up the required classes to earn a sociology degree from the University of Notre Dame.  Glad to see this!  Here's a link to the story in the Charlotte Observer:

LINK:  CLAUSEN -- BACK TO SCHOOL!

Notre Dame Gear -- A Big Hit in El Paso!

I found it quite funny this morning -- that today's El Paso Times Photo Gallery's largest album was of photos taken of Notre Dame fans buying Irish merchandise.  The photos were taken at a "temporary" Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore that was set up in the Doubletree Hotel in downtown El Paso.  Here's a link to the gallery!

LINK:  THERE ARE NOTRE DAME FANS EVERYWHERE!

Hyundai Sun Bowl: Thursday Morning Media...

Here's the ND GO IRISH BLOG's daily look at what the media is saying this morning about tomorrow's Hyundai Sun Bowl between the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and the Miami Hurricanes.  The photo, courtesy of the El Paso Times, is of Kapron Lewis-Moore visiting with a patient at University Medical Center in El Paso.  Here are the links:

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  CHICAGO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

LINK:  NBC -- NOTRE DAME CENTRAL

LINK:  EL PASO TIMES

The "Red Hat Diaries" -- It's Entertaining!

Notre Dame walk-on QB, Brian Castello -- is back again this morning giving Irish fans his take on what the Fighting Irish football team is experiencing in El Paso, TX as they prepare for tomorrow's Hyundai
Sun Bowl Game.  Here's the link to this South Bend Tribune feature:

LINK:  BRIAN CASTELLO -- THE "RED HAT DIARIES"

Irish Win Big East Opener Over Georgetown!

With a national TV audience tuning in on ESPN2 last night -- the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame won their Big East opener -- beating #9 Georgetown 69-55!  The convincing win puts Mike Brey's Irish squad at 12-1 for the season and will undoubtedly move them up from their current #15 ranking in the national polls.  Notre Dame's schedule doesn't get any easier this Saturday as they travel to Syracuse to take on the undefeated and #5 ranked Orangemen on New Year's Day.  Here's a link to the South Bend Tribune's story on last night's game along with links to Coach Brey's post game comments and game highlights -- courtesy of UND.COM:

LINK:  IRISH ROLL OVER HOYAS

LINK:  MIKE BREY POST GAME COMMENTS

LINK:  UND.COM GAME HIGHLIGHTS

ND's Coordinators Meet with Sun Bowl Media

University of Notre Dame's Charley Molnar and Bob Diaco met with the assembled media this morning in El Paso, TX for the Hyundai Sun Bowl.  Here are the links to their media sessions today:

LINK:  BOB DIACO -- ND DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

LINK:  CHARLEY MOLAR -- ND OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Coach Kelly's New Boots!

University of Notre Dame head football coach, Brian Kelly -- "tweeted" this photo earlier today to his 20,647 followers on Twitter -- from the Hyundai Sun Bowl.  It's a photo of Coach in his new Lucchese Boots!

Justin Tuck Named to 2011 NFL Pro Bowl!

Former Notre Dame football star, Justin Tuck was named last night by the NFL to play in the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl -- January 30th in Honolulu!  For Tuck, this will be his second appearance in the NFL's annual All-Star game.  Congratulations Justin!  Here's a link to the New York Giants website and their story about Tuck's selection:

LINK:  JUSTIN TUCK OFF TO HONOLULU!

Hegarty Named High School Player of the Week!

Notre Dame football verbal commit, Matthew Hegarty (Aztec, New Mexico) was named today by Sports Illustrated as the High School Player of the Week.  Hegarty committed to the Irish in April and is widely considered one of the best offensive lineman -- if not the best -- in the country.  Here's a link to the story and video:

LINK:  MATT HEGARTY -- HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE WEEK!

Irish BB Team on ESPN2 Tonight @ 7 PM EST

The #15 Fighting Irish Men's Basketball team tips off the Big East schedule tonight against the #9 ranked Georgetown Hoyas.  It's a home game for Notre Dame and it will be televised on ESPN2 beginning at 7 PM EST.  Both teams are 11-1 on the season -- a great early test for Mike Brey's boys!  Here's a link to UND.COM's story on tonight's matchup:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME vs. GEORGETOWN

It's Only Had 1.8 Million Views -- the Rudy Play!

It's been 35 years and a MOVIE later -- but this YouTube video is the most watched Notre Dame moment on the web.  It's the actual game footage of the last few minutes of the ND vs. Georgia Tech game that became movie legend.  Here's a link to the story and video in the Seattle Post Intelligencer:

LINK:  THE RUDY PLAY

The "Red Hat Diaries" -- Hyundai Sun Bowl

Notre Dame senior "walk-on" QB, Brian Castello -- is writing a story each day this week from the Hyundai Sun Bowl for the South Bend Tribune.  Called the "Red Hat Diaries" in honor of the red hats that he and the back-up QB's at Notre Dame wear on game days.  You'll enjoy this:

LINK:  THE RED HAT DIARIES -- WEDNESDAY

Hyundai Sun Bowl: Wednesday Media Coverage

It's Hyundai Sun Bowl Week in El Paso, TX -- and with only two days left before Friday's 2 PM EST kick-off -- the Fighting Irish and Hurricanes still found time for some fun after yesterday's practices.  Here's a link to this morning's media coverage of the Fighting Irish!

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE 

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  ON DOWN THE LINE BLOG

LINK:  ELKHART TRUTH

LINK:  TC PALM

LINK:  EL PASO TIMES:  COACHES PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  EL PASO TIMES:  EXTRA TICKETS SELL IN LESS THAN 1 MINUTE!

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish Visit Fort Bliss

The Notre Dame football team had an afternoon yesterday they won't soon forget!  The men and women at Fort Bliss hosted the Fighting Irish and the Hurricanes yesterday -- treating them to all of the "toys" of the military.  The photo is of Notre Dame junior, Mike Golic.  You'll enjoy the looks on all of the faces in this UND.COM video:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME AT FORT BLISS

Hyundai Sun Bowl: Coaches Press Conference

University of Notre Dame football coach, Brian Kelly and Miami's interim head coach Jeff Stoutland -- met with the media this morning to talk about this Friday's Hyundai Sun Bowl.  Here's a link:

LINK:  HYUNDAI SUN BOWL PRESS CONFERENCE

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