A Knute Rockne Story You'll Like

I received an email this evening from Jeanette O'Toole -- who alerted me to her husband Tom's blog called "FIGHTING IRISH THOMAS."  Thought you'd enjoy Tom O'Toole's love of the IRISH -- and his blog story on Knute Rockne.  Thanks for the nice note Jeanette!

LINK:  FIGHTING IRISH THOMAS

Diggin's Diary -- Latest At ESPNW

The Dayton Regional's Most Outstanding Player -- Skylar Diggins, has been writing a daily diary for the folks at ESPNW -- here's a link to her post from yesterday:

LINK:  DIGGIN'S DIARY

Best 30 Hrs. In Notre Dame Sports History!

If you look at a 30 hour window of time -- from 3:15 PM on Sunday, March 27th to 9:15 PM on Monday, March 28th -- and what three Notre Dame athletic teams accomplished in their sport -- it might be the greatest 30 hours in Irish Athletics history!

First, Notre Dame's Fencing team won their eighth National Championship.  Then, a few hours later, Notre Dame's Men's Hockey team won their game earning a spot in the NCAA Frozen Four and then last night, Notre Dame's Women's Basketball team beat #1 seed Tennessee (the first time ever) to earn a spot in the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four.

I challenge the ND sports historians to come up with a more productive 30 hour period in Notre Dame sports history!!!

Here's a few links to the GREATEST 30 HOURS IN NOTRE DAME SPORTS HISTORY!

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE -- FENCING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE -- HOCKEY FINAL FOUR BOUND

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE -- BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR BOUND

Tennessee WHO? -- IRISH ON TO FINAL FOUR!

Once upon a time -- Notre Dame couldn't beat a team whose band could only play one song.  Well, that ended tonight in Dayton.  The Fighting Irish led the #1 seed Lady Vols from "start to finish" -- bringing to end two streaks;  Tennessee's 25 game winning streak this season and ND's 20 game losing streak to Tennessee.  Final score:  ND 73 - TENN 59.

THE IRISH ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE FINAL FOUR!!!!

Skylar Diggins -- was the best player on the floor tonight and Becka Bruszewski was the toughest.  And, for Irish fans -- having to listen to a PRO TENNESSEE broadcast from our "friends" at ESPN -- it was a good thing we won!!!

Here's a couple of links to ESPN's recap of the game -- and UND.COM's coverage of the celebration!!!

LINK:  CUTTIN' DOWN THE NETS

LINK:  ESPN BLOG  

LINK:  UND.COM -- POSTGAME CELEBRATION

Ben Hansbrough -- 2nd Team AP All-American

University of Notre Dame's Ben Hansbrough -- collected another honor today -- selection to the AP's All-America Second Team for Men's College Basketball.  The Big East Player of the Year -- will probably be receiving a few more honors over the next few weeks!  CONGRATULATIONS BEN!  Here's a link to the SportsIllustrated.COM story:

LINK:  HANSBROUGH NAMED AN ALL-AMERICAN

Urban Meyer -- Reports on Notre Dame Football

The former ND Assistant Coach -- was back on the Notre Dame campus for the first time since his days on the staff of Lou Holtz.  Meyer has since won a couple of National Championships for a school south of the "Mason Dixon Line."  It seemed kind of odd -- seeing him interviewing Brian Kelly.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  URBAN ON THE IRISH

Irish Women Take on Tennessee Vols Tonight!

Muffet McGraw's Fighting Irish take on Pat Summitt's Vols in a battle to see which team will head on to the FINAL FOUR in Indianapolis.  Tennessee is the #1 seed in the Dayton Regional and Notre Dame is the #2 seed -- should be a great ballgame!  IRISH FANS SHOULD NOTE:  Notre Dame has never beat Tennessee in women's basketball -- we're 0 - 20.  That's going to change tonight!!!  Tip off is scheduled for 7 PM ET on ESPN.  Here's a link to some of the stories pre-viewing tonight's matchup:


LINK:  GO VOLS EXTRA

LINK:  DAYTON HERALD

LINK:  ESPN

LINK:  ROCKY TOP TALK

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

Here Come The Irish -- NCAA Frozen Four!

Jeff Jackson's "young" Fighting Irish moved one step closer to Notre Dame's first national championship in hockey last night with a 2 - 1 win over New Hampshire in Manchester, NH.  The win means the Irish get to travel to the NCAA Frozen Four -- April 7th in Saint Paul, MN -- to take on another "home state" team as they play Minnesota Duluth in the National Semi-Final game.  ND goalie Mike Johnson had 37 saves and Billy Mayday scored the game winner with 5 seconds left in the second period.  Here's some video from last night's game from our friends at UND.COM and some of the game stories.  GO IRISH!

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  ON ICE & LOCKERROOM CELEBRATION

LINK:  FINAL 10 SECONDS OF THE GAME

LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  MANCHESTER EXAMINER

LINK:  NBC'S PRO HOCKEY TALK

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

ND Fencing Wins National Championship!

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame clinched their 8th National Championship this afternoon!  Here's a link to the LIVE web feed of the final events at the NCAA National Championships and a link to the 2011NCAA Fencing National Championship highlights.  Someone needs to design a "GOLD" Fencing Helmet for the Irish!!!  CONGRATULATIONS IRISH!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME FENCING -- NATIONAL CHAMPS!

LINK:  VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Spring Practice #3 -- Saturday's Irish Recap!

I can't say enough nice things about what's happened over at UND.COM over the past year.  The coverage is so much better!!!  THANK YOU!  Here's a few links to their coverage of Notre Dame Football's third practice of the Spring, Coach Kelly's post practice media session and a look back at the 2011 Football Coaches Clinic at Notre Dame these past few days.  You're going to enjoy the practice video -- WOW!!!  Here you go:

LINK:  PRACTICE VIDEO

LINK:  COACH KELLY PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  COACHES CLINIC RECAP

IRISH Win In OT -- Play Again Tonight!

Jeff Jackson's Fighting Irish -- overcame a 2 - 0 first period deficit and a 3 - 1 deficit in the second period to tie the game early in the third -- taking the game into overtime.  Notre Dame freshman, Anders Lee's goal in OT -- was the game winner, leading the Irish to a 4 - 3 win over Merrimack College.  The win pits the Irish against New Hampshire -- in a game tonight (on New Hampshire's home ice) at 8 PM EDT.  The game will be televised on ESPNU -- LIVE -- beginning at 8 PM.  Here's a link to the game stories -- along with links to UND.COM's coverage:

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  BOSTON GLOBE

LINK:  THE UNION LEADER

LINK:  BOSTON HERALD

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS -- UND.COM

LINK:  ON ICE CELEBRATION -- UND.COM

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE -- UND.COM

IRISH Destroy Sooners -- Volunteers Next!!!

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame defeated the Oklahoma Sooners yesterday afternoon by the score of 78 - 53, a beat down!!  The win advances the Irish to the ELITE EIGHT -- for the third time in school history -- and a game against Pat Summit and her Lady Vols.  The game will take place tomorrow -- Monday at 7 PM EDT on ESPN.  Here's a link to a few of the stories about yesterday's win -- and a link to UND.COM's converage:

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- STORY #1

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- STORY #2

LINK:  THE NORMAN TRANSCRIPT

LINK:  KNOXVILLE NEWS

LINK:  ESPN

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS -- UND.COM

LINK:  PLAYERS PRESS CONFERENCE -- UND.COM

LINK  MUFFET'S PRESS CONFERENCE -- UND.COM

Zibby Wins Unanimous Decision -- Last Night!

Tommy Zbikowski won his third professional fight last night with a four-round unanimous decision over Caleb "True Grit" Grummet -- the first time Zibby has had to go the distance in a pro fight.  You'll find the story linked below quite interesting -- and quite graphic -- as the writer details what happened on Zibby's way to the locker room after the fight.  Way to go Zibby!

LINK:  ZIBBY WINS!

PHOTO OF THE DAY: ND Spring Practice

Here's what practice looks like "indoors" at the Loftus Center on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.  The Irish are involved in practice #3 of the Spring Season.  Photo courtesy of Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune -- he "tweeted" this photo.

Muffet's Irish -- on ESPN at 2:30 PM EDT Today!

The "Sweet Sixteen" Fighting Irish of Notre Dame take on Oklahoma today in Dayton, OH.  The winner advances to the Elite Eight -- and one step closer to the FINAL FOUR.  Last year Oklahoma knocked out ND in the NCAA Tournament -- REVENGE TIME!  The game will be televised by ESPN beginning at 2:30 PM EDT.

To get you ready for today's game -- you'll want to click on the links below:


LINK:  ND vs. OKLAHOMA PREVIEW

LINK:  MUFFET'S PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  ND PLAYERS -- PRESS CONFERENCE

Zibby Fighting Again -- TONIGHT ON HBO!

Former Notre Dame football star and current NFL Baltimore Raven -- Tommy Zbikowski, is fighting again tonight.  He's in Atlantic City, NJ fighting in a four-round "undercard" bout on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" telecast -- and he'll have "Hall-a-Famer" Emanuel Steward in his corner.  HBO will have "highlights" of Tommy's fight during their telecast tonight which begins at 9:45 PM ET.

Steward is one of the all-time great boxing trainers -- working out of his KRONK gym in Detroit.  Zibby and Steward teamed up for this fight and it appears Zibby intends to move to Detroit after the fight to continue his quest to become the Heavyweight Champion of the World!  (Photo above of Emmanuel Steward and Tommy Zbikowski)

Just something to do while the NFL is on strike...

The New York Post and The Press of Atlantic City ran stories this morning about Tommy's fight -- see links below.  And, there's a third link to an interview with Zibby about tonight's fight -- just fast forward the video to the 10:30 mark and you'll find his interview. 

LINK:  NEW YORK POST STORY

LINK:  THE PRESS OF ATLANTIC CITY

LINK:  ZIBBY TV INTERVIEW

The "Not So" Elite Eight: Student-Athletes

Over the next two-days, the nation's attention will be on the ELITE EIGHT -- the last teams standing in the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship.  We will hear story after story about how great these teams are on the wood floor.  But, I can bet -- CBS and BANK NCAA won't be alerting all of you to this story...

Back in 1906 the NCAA was formed (in their own words) to "protect young people from the dangerous and exploitive athletics practices of the time."  This was 105 years ago -- long before the NCAA became a bank in Indianapolis.

Here's the story you won't be hearing today or tomorrow -- and it's about the "exploitation" of the "student" half of the misplaced term -- student-athlete.  If you were to properly identify the guys wearing basketball uniforms -- on TV sets these next two days -- they would be placed in two categories:

Student-Athletes or Rented-Athletes.   

Behind closed doors BANK NCAA calls the latter; "short-term assets."

Of the teams left in the Elite Eight -- here's how the teams should be identified -- based on BANK NCAA's GSR score -- (it's not a credit score) -- it's the Graduation Success Rate of its bank account holders.

Student-Athletes:

• North Carolina -- a GSR of 88 
• Butler -- a GSR of 83
• Kansas -- a GSR of 80 

Rented-Athletes or Short Term Assets:

• VCU -- a GSR of 56
• Kentucky -- a GSR of 44
• Florida -- a GSR of 44
• UCONN -- a GSR of 31
• Arizona -- a GSR of 20  

It makes you wonder why BANK NCAA even seeks a GSR score for its bank account holders?  Have you ever heard a story about BANK NCAA "turning down" VCU, Kentucky, Florida, UCONN or Arizona as a customer -- for their low GSR score?  I haven't.  From what I can see, BANK NCAA just keeps taking deposits -- from all of their account holders.

This is the story you won't hear today or tomorrow -- BANK ON IT!

PHOTO OF THE DAY: ND Coaches Clinic

The "guest speakers" at the University of Notre Dame Football Coaches Clinic this weekend are seen here in this picture with Coach Brian Kelly;  Urban Meyer and Chip Kelly.  A big "thank you" goes out to Coach Kelly for "tweeting" this photo!

Spring Practice Update -- Friday, March 25th

The gang at UND.COM was at practice again -- this morning at the University of Notre Dame -- as Brian Kelly's crew was back on the indoor field for Spring Practice #2.  Here's a link to a feature they produced on the QB competition -- along with links to interviews with the two top returning QB's on the roster (Crist and Rees): 

LINK:  QB COMPETITION AT NOTRE DAME

LINK:  DAYNE CRIST INTERVIEW

LINK:  TOMMY REES INTERVIEW

Jeff Samardzija On Opening Day Cub's Roster!

Former Notre Dame football and baseball star, Jeff Samardzija -- will be in the Chicago Cubs bullpen when the season starts next weekend.  Here's a link to ESPN's story:

LINK:  THE SHARK MAKES THE CUBS ROSTER