Our National Guard Deserved Better!

You would have thought on Memorial Day Weekend in America that race cars sponsored by the NATIONAL GUARD would have fared better than they did yesterday!  Now I know this isn't a Notre Dame story, but on MEMORIAL DAY it's a story I couldn't pass up...

In an eight-hour period Sunday -- at the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 -- cars sponsored by the National Guard were comfortably in the lead at both tracks with less than a 1/4 lap remaining in each race.  Big leads turned into BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!

At Indianapolis Motor Speedway, rookie driver JR Hildebrand was leading the race on the last lap, all he had to do was finish the final turn and cross the finish line for victory.  HIS NATIONAL GUARD CAR HIT THE WALL!  See the link below to the video of the end of this race.

And, at Charlotte Motor Speedway last night Dale Earnhardt JR was leading the race on the last lap, all he had to do was finish the final turn and cross the finish line for victory.  HIS NATIONAL GUARD CARE RAN OUT OF GAS!  See the link below to the video of the end of this race.

Think about it -- both NATIONAL GUARD cars had big leads going into the final turn at both race tracks -- both drivers had JR in their names -- and both cars didn't win on Memorial Day Weekend.  Coincidence?

LINK:  LAST LAP OF INDIANAPOLIS 500

LINK:  JR HILDEBRAND INTERVIEW

LINK:  LAST LAP OF COCA-COLA 600 

LINK:  DALE EARNHARDT JR INTERVIEW

Darby Dominates Maryland State Track Meet!

University of Notre Dame football commitment Ronald Darby -- who's a junior at Potomac High School -- is racing this weekend at the Maryland High School Track & Field State Championship.

You'll find links below to a video of Ronald winning the 100 Meter Dash (10.37 official time) -- it's the third race on the video.  A video of his win in the 200 Meter Dash (20.88 official time) -- a video of his anchor leg win in the 4 x 100 Relay and his anchor leg win in the 4 x 200 Relay win.

FYI:  Both of these times would be among the top 50 in the current NCAA Division 1 rankings for the 100 Meters and 200 Meters this season.  Don't forget he's a junior in high school!

An additional point of reference -- a 20.88 would be the second fastest time ever run by a Notre Dame student-athlete in the 200 Meters.  Only one ND track athlete has ever run under a 20.90 in the 200 meters in school history. 

•  2011 Big East Championship Time in 200 Meters:  21.05
• 2011 Big East Championship Time in 100 Meters:  10.44

Ronald competed in four events (4X100 Meter Relay and 4X200 Meter Relay as well) -- winning a State Championship in each race.  Congratulations!

LINK:  DARBY WINS 100 METERS

LINK:  DARBY DOMINATES 200 METERS

LINK:  DARBY'S ANCHOR LEG OF 4X200 METER RELAY

LINK:  DARBY'S ANCHOR LEG OF 4X100 METER RELAY

LINK:  DARBY INTERVIEW

LINK:  NEWS STORY

The Real Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame!

The University of Notre Dame's Army ROTC Fightin' Irish Battalion has more than 80 cadets -- who are on a chosen journey to defend our freedom.   

On this Memorial Day Weekend in America I thought it was fitting to showcase the real FIGHTIN' IRISH of Notre Dame.  Thank you for making this commitment to our country!

The photo is from this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City.  Here's a link to their official website:

LINK:  THE FIGHTIN' IRISH BATTALION

Luke Zeller Back Home in Indiana

Found this article this morning about former Notre Dame basketball player Luke Zeller.  Some of you may recall that Luke was a former Mr. Basketball in Indiana before he enrolled at the University of Notre Dame.  Since graduation, Luke has been playing pro basketball in Europe, Japan and the NBA Developmental League.  This past week Luke and his family were back home in Indiana -- here's a link to that story:

LINK:  LUKE ZELLER BACK HOME

LINK:  ZELLER'S PRO STATS

Notre Dame's Rumored Helmet for Michigan

This photo is being routed around the internet as Notre Dame's rumored helmet for the September 10th "throw back" game at Michigan.  While it's not exactly what the IRISH wore during the Kuharich years -- it's close enough.  I have to admit I'm not a big fan of the green facemask...  Looks like what Baylor wears.

Brian Kelly Makin' Changes To His Irish

University of Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly has made some position changes since Spring Practice that will be interesting to watch this August when he gets back at practice with the Irish.  Here's a link to a South Bend Tribune story on this very subject:

LINK:  CHANGIN' THE IRISH

The Ad Campaign for ESPN's College Network

I've spent much of my career telling stories for brands.

A marketing campaign for ESPNU -- ESPN's college sports network -- called "NEVER GRADUATE" caught my attention.  Its intent is to tell alums and fans of college sports team that they can always feed their passion for their school at ESPNU.

I get it.

Yet, my first reaction to the campaign was this;  "Why would a TV network that is devoted exclusively to college athletics, create the tagline; NEVER GRADUATE?

Then I realized ESPN doesn't care if student-athletes ever graduate from college -- they just care if these entertainers (excuse me, student-athletes) provide them with great programming while they're on campus over a one to five year period of their life.  They could care less about the next forty to fifty years of the lives of these student-athletes.

I get it.

While I fully understand it's not ESPN's role in life to make sure student-athletes graduate from college -- that's up to the universities and the NCAA they send checks to.  I would have thought there might be one senior executive in Bristol, CT who would have determined this isn't the best message to associate with college athletics:  NEVER GRADUATE. 

Unfortunately, they don't "have" to get it -- they just have to get you to tune-in.

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