Is Jimmy Clausen Up to the Challenge?

It sure didn't take long for the "young QB's" in Carolina to be sitting on a bench next to each other!  Jimmy Clausen and Cam Newton participated in a kick-ball game for charity yesterday -- the Charlotte Observer was there and they asked a number of questions of Jimmy.  Thought you'd enjoy the interview:

LINK:  JIMMY CLAUSEN -- WILL HE BE THE MAN IN CAROLINA?

How Long Will the Wait be for Ian Williams?

Ran across this writer's look at the "Ten Best Players Undrafted" and he picked Notre Dame's Ian Williams as the #1 player that was not drafted yesterday.  See the link below.

Typically a player like Williams, who didn't get drafted, would have signed a free-agent deal last night with a NFL team.  With the NFL Lock Out still in play -- teams cant' talk to Ian right now.  The good news is Williams and his agent, have plenty of time to research every team and see where he would fit in best. 

The same goes for Chris Stewart, Armando Allen, Darrin Walls and the other Irish seniors who would like to play in the NFL.  It's time to do your homework and prepare to put yourself in the best position to make a team.

LINK:  THE TEN BEST -- UNDRAFTED

Kyle Rudolph Interview with VIKINGS.COM

The #43 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Kyle Rudolph, was in Minneapolis yesterday to meet with the media.  Here is a link to one of his interviews:

LINK:  KYLE RUDOLPH -- MEETS WITH THE MINNEAPOLIS MEDIA

ND 2010 Opponents - 2011 NFL Draft Results

Here's a look at how many players were drafted from everyone of the teams that Notre Dame played this season.  The first group of teams make up the eight teams we beat (26 players drafted), while the second group of teams make up the teams we lost to (9 players drafted):

TEAMS WE BEAT IN 2010 -- PLAYERS DRAFTED INTO NFL:

• Purdue:  1
• Boston College:  1
• Pittsburgh:  5
• Western Michigan:  0
• Utah:  2
• Army:  0
• USC:  9
• Miami:  8

TEAMS WE LOST TO IN 2010 -- PLAYERS DRAFTED INTO NFL:

• Michigan:  2
• Michigan State:  2
• Stanford:  4
• Navy:  0
• Tulsa: 1

Notre Dame Players Drafted (NFL) Since 2000

As you can see below, this is the third time in the last twelve drafts that there was only one Notre Dame player drafted into the NFL.  The lack of players being drafted this year -- also cost the Irish the top spot in the All-Time NFL Draft list of most players drafted from one college.  A school in Los Angeles can now claim that honor.  Notre Dame now has had 466 players drafted into the NFL, USC with their 9 player drafted this year is now at 472.  Here's the Draft by year for Notre Dame -- since 2000:

2000 NFL DRAFT:
Round 7 (214): Jarious Jackson - Denver Broncos

2001 NFL DRAFT:
Round 3 (68): Mike Gandy - Chicago Bears
Round 3 (86): Brock Williams - New England Patriots
Round 4 (119): Jabari Holloway - New England Patriots
Round 6 (178): Tony Driver - Buffalo Bills
Round 6 (195): Dan O'Leary - Buffalo Bills
Round 7 (213): Anthony Denman - Jacksonville Jaguars

2002 NFL DRAFT:
Round 2 (52): Anthony Weaver - Baltimore Ravens
Round 4 (133): Rocky Boiman - Tennessee Titans
Round 5 (138): John Owens - Detroit Lions
Round 6 (198): Tyreo Harrison - Philadelphia Eagles
Round 6 (206): Javin Hunter - Baltimore Ravels
Round 7 (253): David Givens - New England Patriots

2003 NFL DRAFT:
Round 1 (21): Jeff Faine - Cleveland Browns
Round 5 (153): Jordan Black - Kansas City Chiefs
Round 5 (168): Sean Mahan - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 5 (170): Shane Walton - St. Louis Rams
Round 6 (182): Gerome Sapp - Baltimore Ravens
Round 6 (197): Arnaz Battle - San Francisco 49ers
Round 6 (212): Brennan Curtin - Green Bay Packers

2004 NFL DRAFT:
Round 2 (43): Julius Jones - Dallas Cowboys
Round 2 (60): Courtney Watson - New Orleans Saints
Round 4 (122): Glenn Earl - Houston Texans
Round 6 (170): Vontez Duff - Houston Texans
Round 6 (180): Jim Molinaro - Washington Redskins

2005 NFL DRAFT:
Round 3 (74): Justin Tuck - New York Giants
Round 5 (144): Jerome Collins - St. Louis Rams

2006 NFL DRAFT:
Round 2 (53): Anthony Falsano - Dallas Cowboys
Round 3 (90): Maurice Stovall - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 6 (205): Dan Stevenson - New England Patriots

2007 NFL DRAFT:
Round 1 (22): Brady Quinn: Cleveland Browns
Round 2 (57): Victor Abiamiri - Philadephia Eagles
Round 3 (70): Ryan Harris - Denver Broncos
Round 5 (166): Derek Landri - Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 6 (202): Mike Richardson - New England Patriots
Round 7 (230): Dan Santucci - Cincinnati Bengals
Round 7 (253): Chinedum Ndukwe - Cincinnati Bengals

2008 NFL DRAFT:
Round 2 (38): John Carlson - Seattle Seahawks
Round 2 (47): Trevor Laws - Philadelphia Eagles
Round 3 (86): Tom Zbikowski - Baltimore Ravens
Round 6 (186): John Sullivan - Minnesota Vikings

2009 NFL DRAFT:
Round 4 (114): David Bruton - Denver Broncos

2010 NFL DRAFT:
Round 2 (48): Jimmy Clausen - Carolina Panthers
Round 2 (60): Golden Tate - Seattle Seahawks
Round 6 (179): Sam Young - Dallas Cowboys
Round 6 (183): Eric Olsen - Denver Broncos

2011 NFL DRAFT:
Round 2 (43): Kyle Rudolph - Minnesota Vikings


Here's a link listing all of the players drafted from Notre Dame, by year -- just scroll down:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME ALL-TIME NFL DRAFT BY YEAR

A Propsed Design Enhancement to ND Stadium!

It is my understanding the gentleman who did this work is a Notre Dame grad in the Chicago area who's obviously an architect (I don't know his name).  A few months ago I showcased an earlier design of his -- that I really liked.   He took some of the comment he received, an incorporated them into a new design.  I like this work too!  Here's a number of architectural renderings of his latest design.  Enjoy!

Vikings GM Talks About Drafting Kyle Rudolph

The Minnesota Vikings' General Manager Rick Spielman sat down with the Vikings.com's Mike Wobschall to talk about Kyle Rudolph.  Here's the link:

LINK:  VIKINGS' GM TALKS PICK OF RUDOLPH

Who Wears the Carolina Panthers' Uniform #2?

This will be the first clue of where Jimmy Clausen stands with the front office of the Carolina Panthers.  Clausen, who wore uniform #7 with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, wore uniform #2 with the Panthers last year.  Friday night, the Panthers drafted Cam Newton #1 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft and he wore uniform #2  at Auburn. 

Who wears #2 for the Carolina Panthers?  Here's a link to the brewing controversy in Charlotte:

LINK:  WHO WEARS #2?

The Reaction to Vikings Drafting Kyle Rudolph

Took a lap around the world wide web this morning to see what some of the media experts had to say about the Minnesota Vikings taking Kyle Rudolph with the #43 pick of the 2011 NFL Draft.  Here are the links:

LINK:  PRO FOOTBALL TALK

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  ESPN

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

Vikings Head Coach Talks About Kyle Rudolph

Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier discussed the selection of Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph with the #43 pick in last night's NFL Draft.  Notre Dame fans will enjoy this.  Here's the video interview:

LINK:  LESLIE FRAZIER TALKING ABOUT PICK OF RUDOLPH

Minneapolis Star Tribune -- Talkin' Kyle Rudolph

Notre Dame star tight end, Kyle Rudolph was selected at pick #43 of the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.  Here's a link to a Minneapolis Star Tribune "video" story of Rudolph's selection:

LINK:  KYLE RUDOLPH GOES TO VIKINGS

"Must See TV" For Notre Dame Fans Today

The 2011 NFL Draft will enter its final day today -- the coverage on ESPN begins at Noon EST.  Notre Dame fans will want to see where Ian Williams, Chris Stewart, Armando Allen and their teammates end up!

If you're watching the NFL Network's coverage of the NFL Draft between 2 PM EST and 4 PM EST today -- you should catch Notre Dame Head Football Coach Brian Kelly on the air as a guest commentator.

Later today at 7 PM EST -- the #1 ranked Notre Dame Men's Lacrosse team travels to Syracuse to take on the #4 ranked Orangemen.  The game will be televised live on ESPNU.  This will be the "game of the year" in college lacrosse.

Brian Kelly Meets With ND Club of Dallas

You're going to love watching these YOUTUBE videos of Coach Kelly speaking last night in Dallas, TX with the Notre Dame Club of Dallas.  He gets it!  The video is in three sections -- PLEASE NOTE:  I apologize that the initial link I posted didn't work, that's what happens when you do something "in between meetings" and get a little sloppy!  Sorry!

LINK:  COACH KELLY -- PART ONE

LINK:  COACH KELLY -- PART TWO 

LINK:  COACH KELLY -- PART THREE

Kyle Rudolph: Should He Have Stayed at ND?

I feel sorry for Kyle Rudolph and his family tonight.  The young man did the GOLD HELMET proud, just wish he was wearing it one more season!

What four months ago seemed like a "lock" to be a NFL first round draft pick -- Kyle was not among the 32 first round picks.  So, he will wait another 19 hours to learn what helmet he'll wear this fall.

What a shame -- Rudolph deserved much better that this.

Kyle should have stayed one more year at ND and proved he could play 13 games injury free.  I wonder how the "experts" who told him he was ready -- feel tonight.  Were there any players taken in the 1st round of the NFL Draft that were injured in each of the last two seasons -- injuries that required surgery -- that missed as many games as Kyle?

I truly believe you don't leave early, to get second round money, if you're a Notre Dame football player.

ND FANS: Vote For Manti Teo Magazine Cover!

Phil Steele's 2011 College Football Preview Magazine is running an online contest to see what college football player should be on their upcoming national cover.  Notre Dame linebacker, Manti Teo is one of fifteen players up for this honor.  And, he's in the lead!  Here's a link to the website that has the contest -- look to the right hand column of the website:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME FANS -- VOTE FOR MANTI!

The All Time Winning Percentage -- Very Close!

At present, the school in Ann Arbor is the #1 ranked college football program in the land in regards to overall "winning percentage."  The Wolverines have a 73.295% winning percentage, our Fighting Irish are in second place with a 73.223% winning percentage.  It's that close...

THANK YOU RICH ROD!!!

So, if we win our first game -- and then we beat Michigan on September 10th -- the IRISH will take back the #1 ALL-TIME winning percentage in college football history!

LINK:  HERE'S THE ALL TIME WINNING PERCENTAGE GRAPH

Katenda Commits to Mike Brey's Irish!

Eric Katenda, a 6'-8" small forward from Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, KS) committed to the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame yesterday afternoon.  Katenda chose the Irish over Wake Forest, Iowa and Georgia Tech -- at a press conference at his high school. 

Here's a link to a South Bend Tribune story along with a link to an ESPN recruiting profile of Katenda:

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE STORY

LINK:  ESPN RECRUITING PROFILE

Two Domers Need the Irish Nation to Vote!!!

Jarrett Haley and Tom Chilcote -- who earned their MFA's at the University of Notre Dame -- have teamed up to create Bull:  Men's Fiction, an online journal dedicated to publishing men's fiction.  Their efforts have placed them into a contest sponsored by Dockers called "Wear The Pants Project."

They're in the running to win a big cash prize from Dockers -- to help them towards that goal -- you just need to vote.  Let's GO IRISH and vote for Jarrett and Tom's work!

LINK:  VOTE HERE FOR THE IRISH!!!

LINK:  THE BULL:  MEN'S FICTION -- OFFICIAL SITE

A Penn State Student -- Tells It Like It Is...

A Penn State student named Jared Shanker -- who writes for their student newspaper The Collegian -- told a story today that the regional bank in Indianapolis BANK NCAA, nor the self proclaimed "world leader in sports" in Bristol, CT -- has the guts to tell.  Thanks Jared!

Here's a link to Jared's story:  UGLY TREND -- GRADUATION RATES

Notre Dame Still Sells Magazines at Newsstand!

The gang at Athlon Sports announced today that they would begin their "pre-season" countdown of the top 25 teams in the country for the 2011 college football season on May 2nd. (WHAT TOOK SO LONG?)  While doing so -- they couldn't pass on the opportunity to talk about Notre Dame Football -- for this simple reason -- NOTRE DAME SELLS.


Here's a link to their story:  DOES ND DESERVE A TOP FIVE RANKING?