The Best Boxer In NFL History...

That's the headline in an article this morning about former Notre Dame football star Tommy Zbikowski and his return to the boxing ring during the NFL lockout.  Zibby has another fight this Saturday at a casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma.  Thought you'd enjoy this Wall Street Journal article.  Here's the link:

LINK:  TOMMY Z

Here's What ND Learned From Investigation...

The University of Notre Dame outlined its findings this morning from a nearly six-month investigation of the Declan Sullivan tragedy.  Here are the key points stressed in this conference:

1. The weather was last checked by the ND staff at 2:46 PM ET on October 27th -- the eighth time they had checked the wind that day -- prior to practice
2. The scissors lift blew over at 4:54 PM ET
3. The wind gust that blew the scissors lift over was estimated as a 53 mph wind gust

The major finding was this -- the data that Notre Dame was looking at online regarding weather -- was updated every hour at approximately 54 minutes after the hour.  Thus, when the football staff was last looking at a weather update at 2:46 PM ET -- they were looking at a weather report from actually 1:54 PM ET.  If, the ND staff had checked the weather reports at approximately 2:55 PM ET instead of 2:46 PM ET -- they would have seen wind gusts exceeding 35 mph -- and probably would have lowered the scissors lifts at practice.

A sad day for the Sullivan family and the Notre Dame family.

Here's a link to the University of Notre Dame's report:  DECLAN SULLIVAN TRAGEDY FINDINGS

Former Domer Sam Young -- Back at ND

Former Irish offensive lineman Sam Young, now with the Dallas Cowboys -- was in town for the Blue Gold game this weekend.  The gang at 960 WSBT-AM caught up with him on the sideline.  Sharp young man -- here's a link to the interview:

LINK:  SAM YOUNG INTERVIEW

The NBC VERSUS -- BLUE GOLD Highlights

Here's the game highlights from yesterday's BLUE GOLD game at Notre Dame Stadium.  Click on the link below:

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBC's Keith Arnold VERSUS Sideline Interview

Notre Dame fans will enjoy this interview that took place during the BLUE GOLD game yesterday afternoon.  Keith Arnold is the ND beat writer at NBC.  Here's the link:

LINK:  KEITH ARNOLD INTERVIEW

Fastest Player in America -- COMMITS IRISH!

He's been timed as fast as 4.31 in the 40 yard dash -- he was being recruited by every major football program in America -- and yesterday morning he decided the University of Notre Dame was the place to take his talents.

His name is Ronald Darby and he hails from Potomac High School in Oxford Hills, Maryland.  Recruiting expert Tom Lemming calls him "the fastest player in the country."

Here's a few links to stories about Darby and his commitment to Notre Dame:

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- DARBY COMMITS TO ND!

LINK:  ESPN -- "POTOMAC'S SPEED DEMON"

LINK:  RIVALS -- "BORN TO RUN"

LINK:  WASHINGTON POST

LINK:  MAX PREPS

LINK:  HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

LINK:  ESPN RISE -- FASTEST 60 METER TIME IN THE COUNTRY

LINK:  NATIONAL RANKINGS -- 200 METERS

LINK:  NATIONAL RANKINGS -- 60 METERS

A Star Is Born -- Notre Dame's Aaron Lynch

Back in February I made this proclamation when referring to freshman football player Aaron Lynch.

THE NEXT FACE OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

After sitting through the cold, wet and wind yesterday in Notre Dame Stadium and seeing 17 year-old Aaron Lynch "battle" with ND's best offensive linemen -- and win -- I feel much better about this prediction.

Looks like the media picked up on young Mr. Lynch as well -- here are a few links:

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  FORT WAYNE NEWS SENTINEL

The Media the Mornin' After - BLUE GOLD

Took a "lap" around the country this morning to see what the various media "experts" were sayin' about Notre Dame's BLUE GOLD game yesterday at Notre Dame Stadium.  Please note -- I wasn't as smart as these three in the stands yesterday at the "House That Rock Built."

Here are the links:

LINK:  MSNBC'S -- KEITH ARNOLD

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE'S -- CHRIS HINE

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE'S -- BOE WIENEKE

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE'S -- TONY KRAUSZ

Coach Kelly With Media -- Blue Gold Game

Notre Dame Football Coach, Brian Kelly -- met with the media after yesterday's Blue Gold Game at Notre Dame Stadium.  Here's the UND.COM link to the coverage:

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

THEE Glamour Position in College Football!

Quarterback at the University of Notre Dame.

I challenge any sports information department in the country -- to find three better young men than Crist, Rees and Hendrix in the press room.  What wonderful representatives of the GOLD HELMET! 

Here's a link to their interviews after yesterday's BLUE GOLD game -- along with a South Bend Tribune story about the QB position battle at Notre Dame:

LINK:  DAYNE CRIST

LINK:  TOMMY REES

LINK:  ANDREW HENDRIX

LINK:  QB QUANDRY AT NOTRE DAME

It's Not 70 and Sunny -- Could Be Worse!

Sitting here in my hotel room in Mishawaka, IN -- looking out at a "blue-gray sky" -- well, maybe more like a dark-gray sky...  While it might be a lot more comfortable sitting in front of a TV set today watching the Irish play on VERSUS -- I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

The record Blue Gold Game crowd of 51,852 in 2007 is probably quite safe -- but, Notre Dame will set an all-time TV ratings number this afternoon!!!  There won't be a "kick-off" -- but the game will start at 2:06 PM EDT.

Here's a link to a story about the ND Football program in the South Bend Tribune:

LINK:  ND BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

ND: The Shirt -- Call It "Faust Blue?"

Stood in the rain, wind and cold this afternoon to watch the "unveiling" of THE SHIRT.  I have to say it's a BLUE that you will see on TV -- and from the "moon."  Can't say if I'll buy it or not, though I don't think it's as bad as the shirt back in 2009...  What do you think?  Notre Dame fans will recognize #83 on the back -- the real ND fans will remember who number 11 is as well...

Here's a link to where you can buy The Shirt online:

LINK:  BUY "THE SHIRT" HERE

Big Recruiting Weekend for ND Football!

A number of the top high school "junior" football stars in the country will be on the University of Notre Dame campus this weekend for the BLUE GOLD GAME.  As you'll see in the South Bend Tribune article linked below -- one of the most highly coveted recruits visiting this weekend is Ronald Darby out of Potomac High in Oxon Hill, MD.  Darby runs the 40 in 4.36.  We need to get Darby out of that ugly helmet and into a GOLD one!  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  BIG RECRUITING WEEKEND!

Blue Gold Weekend @ Notre Dame!

This is one of my favorite weekends of the year...  To those of you not heading to Notre Dame, IN today or tomorrow -- you can watch the BLUE GOLD GAME on TV -- LIVE -- this Saturday on VERSUS.  For those who might be interested -- VERSUS is owned by NBC Universal -- which is now all owned by COMCAST.

Unfortunately, Tom Hammond is doing the "play by play" -- but, it just might be the best seat in the house if the weather report is true!  Here's a link to the Versus website:

LINK:  WATCH THE BLUE GOLD GAME -- LIVE ON VERSUS!

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Lil' Wayne @ IU

Rap star Lil' Wayne -- who's a fan of Notre Dame All-American Skylar Diggins -- donned her #4 jersey last night in a concert at Indiana University -- Bloomington.  I honestly don't know if this is a good thing or not -- but, I bet the the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore sells out!

If you'd like to buy the jersey Lil' Wayne is wearin' -- click the link below:

LINK:  BUY SKYLAR DIGGIN'S JERSEY

Today's Forecast for Blue Gold Weekend

Well, it's nice to see a partial "SUN" in the weather forecast illustration from the folks at WNDU-TV for Blue Gold Weekend!  Here's a link to their forecast:

LINK:  BLUE GOLD WEEKEND -- WEATHER

LINK:  FRIDAY AFTERNOON -- HOURLY WEATHER FORECAST

Patrick Coughlin -- A Wonderful Story!

He wears #29 and a gold helmet -- and he pays his own way at the University of Notre Dame -- even though he's a starter on special teams for the IRISH.  His name is Patrick Coughlin -- and the folks at UND.COM produced this wonderful story today on him -- I'm now a COUGHLIN FAN!  Here's the link:

LINK:  PATRICK COUGHLIN -- THE FIGHTING IRISH SPIRIT!

Coach Kelly -- Post Practice Media Session

As has become tradition -- Coach Kelly met with the media after today's Spring Practice.  Here's a link to the UND.COM video:

LINK:  COACH KELLY MEDIA SESSION

Hendrix & Golson to Take Most of the Snaps!

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly let ND fans know tonight that Hendrix and Golson would take "75%" of the snaps during this Saturday's BLUE GOLD GAME.  Kelly also said we wouldn't see much of Cierre Wood -- the only truly healthy scholarship running back on the roster.

Brian Kelly Radio Show @ 7:00 PM Tonight!

The Blue Gold edition of the Brian Kelly Radio Show will take place tonight at 7:00 PM EDT -- LIVE -- from Legends of Notre Dame on UND.COM.  Here's a link to where you can watch the live broadcast of the event:

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY RADIO SHOW