Spirit of Notre Dame -- $2 Billion!

The University of Notre Dame is celebrating one of the most successful capital campaigns in the history of higher education.  Over the past seven years, the Spirit of Notre Dame campaign has raised more than $2 BILLION -- the first time a university without a medical school has ever raised this much money.  Congratulations Notre Dame!

Catholic Charities Honors Father Ted

Catholic Charities honored legendary University of Notre Dame president Father Hesburgh at their annual event in Boston.  Father Ted couldn't make the event, so Father Jenkins accepted the award on his behalf.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  CATHOLIC CHARITIES HONORS FATHER TED

Ohioans -- Drop Your Subscription Today!

This cartoon ran yesterday in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  Just goes to show you how "low" this paper will go to support their troubled coach and in-state college football team. 

Drawing a comparison between Declan Sullivan's tragic death and Ohio State's knowingly breaking the rules -- AN ALL TIME LOW IN JOURNALISM.   If you still call it that in Ohio. 

I trust Notre Dame fans will do the right thing with the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Athlon Ranks the Irish #6 in Preseason Poll!

It hasn't taken Brian Kelly and crew very long to garner some national respect.  Today, Athlon Sports listed the University of Notre Dame as the 6th best college football team in America in their pre-season ranking of the 2011 season.  Here's a link:

LINK:  ATHLON SPORTS

ND Professor Wins Publishing Award

University of Notre Dame historian Thomas F.X. Noble was awarded the 2011 Otto Grundler Book Prize from Western Michigan University.  The award is given annually to a top author of medieval studies as judged by a selection committee of peers.  This is a big deal.  Congratulations!

LINK:  THOMAS NOBLE WINS AWARD!

247 Sports' Bill King Talks Notre Dame

Ran across this today of Bill King interviewing Blue & Gold Illustrated's Lou Somogyi.  Thought you'd enjoy this conversation:

LINK:  BILL KING TALKIN' NOTRE DAME

Looks Like USC's Appeal Was Denied By NCAA

Notre Dame fans will be glad to know that the school in Los Angeles that recently lost a Heisman Trophy and a National Championship apparently lost their most important battle yet -- with the NCAA.  The University of Southern California will now have to deal with the scholarship reductions and other penalties -- that they had ignored this past recruiting cycle.  It's going to get interesting!  Here's the link:

LINK:  NCAA DENIES USC'S APPEAL

Briak Kelly On Mike Floyd's Status With Team

The South Bend Tribune interviewed Brian Kelly this week to discuss the Mike Floyd situation.  The Sporting News decided to make it their lead story today on their College Football home page -- please be sure to check out their links to other stories on this very subject.  Here's a link:

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY TALKS MIKE FLOYD

Sports Illustrated's Post Spring Top 25

Fighting Irish fans will be "luke warm" with Sports Illustrated's rankings released today of the TOP 25 football teams in the country.  Here's the link:

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S TOP 25 FOOTBALL TEAMS

Mike Lee Rumored to Fight at ND in September!

There are rumors that ND alum Mike Lee 09' and Top Rank Boxing are in conversations with the University of Notre Dame about scheduling a fight at Purcell Pavillion the night before the Michigan State football game.  Wouldn't that be cool!

We just need to put the ex-MSU football player who planted the flag in Notre Dame Stadium in the ring with Mike that night!

Lee, who's 5 - 0 as a pro boxer has a fight coming up on July 9th at the Home Depot Center outside of Los Angeles.  The ND GO IRISH BLOG will stay on top of this story.  Here's a link to Mike's website:

LINK:  MIKE LEE'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE

He's Now Officially "Dr. Lou" -- Congratulations!

Former Irish hall of fame football coach Lou Holtz received an honorary degree this Sunday from the University of Notre Dame.  Congratulations Dr. Lou!

Photo of the Day -- Jimmy Clausen Graduates!

Carolina Panthers QB Jimmy Clausen came back to South Bend this past semester to finish up his degree from the Univesity of Notre Dame.  Photo taken by ND's Matt Cashore

Giving Back -- David Bruton's Story

Former Notre Dame safety -- and now Denver Bronco safety David Bruton is keeping busy during the NFL lockout by teaching in his hometown of Miamisburg, OH.  The Denver Post caught up with the Irish alum who is getting paid $90 a day in this new "part time" career.  Thought you'd enjoy this story:


LINK:  SUBSTITUTE TEACHING DURING LOCKOUT

It's Notre Dame vs. Duke Today at 2:30 PM EST

In a rematch of last year's National Championship game -- the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame take on the Duke Blue Devils at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA with the winner advancing to the Division 1 Men's Lacrosse FINAL FOUR next weekend in Baltimore.  The game will be televised LIVE on ESPNU.  The Irish beat Duke earlier this season 12 - 7.   Here's a link to a preview of today's matchup:  GO IRISH!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME vs. DUKE

ND's Coach Alford Doing the Right Thing

The Pacheco family in Sarasota is struggling today -- their eight year old daughter was hit and killed in a car accident Monday evening -- trying to cross a street.  One of the first on the scene was Notre Dame football coach Tony Alford, who was in town recruiting for the Fighting Irish.  I'm going to leave the rest of the story to the South Bend Tribune -- here's the link:

LINK:  THANK YOU COACH ALFORD

Tom Lemming Updates ND Football Recruiting

The folks at Weekday SportsBeat at 960 AM in South Bend had high school football recruiting guru Tom Lemming as a guest yesterday.  Lemming spoke about ND's current recruiting class and future prospects and his new Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl which will take place in Phoenix during the Fiesta Bowl Week activities.  Here's the link:


LINK:  LEMMING TALKS NOTRE DAME

LINK:  SEMPER FIDELIS ALL-AMERICAN BOWL

ND's Live Web Broadcast of Commencement

If you're looking for something "engaging" on the worldwide web this weekend you just might want to tune in to the University of Notre Dame's live web stream of events taking place this 2011 Commencement Weekend.  If you have never seen the Commencement Mass at Notre Dame -- you just might want to tune-in today at 4:40 PM.  IT IS THAT SPECIAL.   Here's the schedule of live events:

Today / Saturday Schedule:

• 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM -- Graduate School Commencement Ceremony  

• 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM -- ROTC Commissioning Ceremony

• 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM -- Service Send-off Ceremony

• 4:40 PM to 6:30 PM --  Commencement Mass and Academic Procession

HERE'S THE LINK TO TUNE-IN TODAY:  LIVE WEB STREAM

Tomorrow / Sunday Schedule:

• 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM -- University Commencement and Academic Procession, LIVE from Notre Dame Stadium

HERE'S THE LINK TO TUNE-IN SUNDAY:  LIVE WEB STREAM

Domer Finishes Run Across America Today!

Jeff Grabosky became the 43rd individual to ever run from "coast to coast" this afternoon at 1:50 PM EST.  The 3,709 mile run took 120 days for this member of the ND Class of 2005 -- ending on Long Island, NY at the Atlantic Ocean!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Here's a link to Jeff's website:  JEFF RUNS AMERICA

Jack Swarbrick Talks Notre Dame Athletics

University of Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick met with the Observer (ND's school newspaper) to talk about the future of ND's Athletic Department.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  NEXT FOR NOTRE DAME!

Michigan's Throwback Jersey For ND Game

Irish fans may recall that Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly let the word out early about the uniforms that Michigan would be wearing in their first ever night game against ND on September 10th.

I was told by a friend close to Michigan AD David Brandon that he was not very happy (an understatement) with Coach Kelly and Notre Dame that they scooped the Wolverines.

Here's what their jerseys might look like -- there is a NCAA rule that you must have an 8" inch number on the jersey front.