Darby Finishes Fourth at World Championships

Notre Dame football "verbal" commit, Ronald Darby is in Lille, France this week representing the United States of America at the IAAF World Youth Championships.  Yesterday Ronald ran the 100 Meters, finishing in 4th place in the Championship Final with a time of 10.61 -- see the link to the video below!

This morning, Darby won his heat in the 200 Meters with a time of 21.50 -- which advances him to the Semi-Finals tomorrow -- the Championship FINAL for the 200 Meters is Sunday.

The official results are linked below - as well as the PHOTO FINISH of Darby's 100 Meter Final and 200 Meter heat -- COOL PHOTOS!

LINK:  VIDEO OF 100 METER FINAL

LINK:  DARBY FINISHES FOURTH

LINK:  PHOTO FINISH OF 100 METERS

LINK:  200 METERS PRELIMS

LINK:  PHOTO FINISH OF 200 METERS

Notre Dame Football Ticket Lottery Results

Notre Dame football fans who entered the lottery this year for football tickets can find out if they have tickets by clicking on the link below.  Notre Dame will ask you for your "number" -- which was on your Lottery Ticket application -- to access this information.  If by chance you didn't write down your number (like me) you have two additional options:  look at your Notre Dame Magazine mailing label and take the numbers listed there (use only two of the zeros in front of your number) or, you can contact the Notre Dame Ticket Office at 574.631.7356

LINK:  ND FOOTBALL TICKET LOTTERY

USA Today Article -- Michael Floyd

The USA Today sports staff published a story today about Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd.  Didn't really learn much new, but it's always nice to read someone say nice things about the team's upcoming season.  Here's the link:

LINK:  USA TODAY STORY

90 Year Old Receives Notre Dame Degree!

Augustus Francis "Gus" Stuhldreher, who turned 90 years old last week, received an honorary bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame -- after leaving ND for World War II more than a half-century ago.

Notre Dame football fans will recognize the last name as one of the legendary "Four Horsemen" -- Gus wasn't one of the famous four -- that was first cousin Harry Stuhldreher.  This is a wonderful story written by the Akron Beacon Journal -- you'll want to read it!

LINK:  STUHLDREHER FINALLY GETS HIS DEGREE!

Mike Lee Fights Saturday Night @ 9 PM ET!

To get you ready for Notre Dame alum Mike Lee's sixth professional fight I've found two videos Irish fans will enjoy watching.  Video #1 is how Mike is introduced in the ring.  Video #2 is Mike's third round TKO -- both took place in the Dallas Cowboy's billion home in Texas.

Mike's fight Saturday will be streamed LIVE for FREE at TOPRANK.COM -- beginning at 9 PM ET.  See the link below to the site:

LINK:  MIKE LEE'S FIGHT INTRODUCTION

LINK:  MIKE LEE'S THIRD ROUND TKO!


LINK:  WATCH MIKE'S FIGHT -- LIVE -- 9 PM ET ON SATURDAY!

ND Football Tickets Go On Sale -- July 27th!

I've received some emails from Notre Dame fans asking me when the un-sold football tickets go on sale for the upcoming season -- well the date is Wednesday July 27th @ 8:30 AM ET.  To buy tickets you'll need to call the Notre Dame Ticket Office at this number:  574-631-7356

News broke this afternoon that the USC game and Michigan away game ticket requests rank among the 25 best of all time.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  LOTTERY TICKET RESULTS ONLINE!

Parseghian, Holtz & Kelly -- Great Video!

The good folks at UND.COM caught up with Notre Dame football coaches Parseghian, Holtz and Kelly -- who were interviewed by ESPN's Mark May and Reece Davis during the Irish Legends event.  Great stuff!

LINK:  IRISH LEGENDS -- VIDEO

Crist & Floyd on Maxwell Award "Watch List"

Two Notre Dame football players were among the sixty-six players named yesterday to the Maxwell Award's "Watch List."  Notre Dame QB Dayne Crist or WR Michael Floyd will hope to become the sixth former Irish football star to receive this honor as College Player of the Year:

2006:  Brady Quinn
1977:  Ross Browner
1966:  Jim Lynch
1953:  John Lattner
1952:  John Lattner
1949:  Leon Hart

LINK:  MAXWELL AWARD -- WATCH LIST

A Wonderful Story -- Katie Mattie ND '14

I just learned of this YouTube video this afternoon -- of Katie Mattie at her graduation from Ypsilanti High School last year.  As Katie tells it -- it was her life-long dream to attend the University of Notre Dame.  Well, as the story goes, Katie "rolled the dice" and applied to only one school.  The Ypsilanti HS Valedictorian / Class President was "wait listed" on two occasions (December 09' and April '10) by her "dream school" only to learn the day before her high school graduation that she had been finally accepted into the University of Notre Dame.

Well, Katie didn't tell anyone (not even Mom or Dad) when she got the news -- she decided to let everyone know the next night during the graduation ceremony.

If you listen closely to the video -- Katie's parents don't believe the principal is right when he introduces Katie and lets everyone know she'll be attending Notre Dame in the fall...  Great stuff!  There's a second link to an Ann Arbor News story about Katie...

LINK:  A NOTRE DAME STORY

LINK:  ANN ARBOR NEWS STORY

Notre Dame Super Fan -- Mark May?

Yeah, he's finally left the dark side...

ESPN's resident "Notre Dame skeptic" Mark May has finally come to his senses.  Here's a link to a video from yesterday's COLLEGE FOOTBALL LIVE on ESPN:

LINK:  MARK MAY -- ND SUPER FAN

Mike Lee's Press Conference -- Tomorrow

Notre Dame boxing champion, Mike Lee -- will be at the Wilshire Grand in downtown Los Angeles tomorrow at Noon PST for the final news conference leading up to his fight this Saturday night.  Lee, who's undefeated as a professional will be the featured undercard attraction in the Brandon Rios vs. Urbano Antillon World Lightweight Championship at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA.  The fight will be televised on SHOWTIME.  If you'd like to watch tomorrow's press conference live -- click on the link below.  The photo above is Mike Lee with fellow Notre Dame alum "Rudy" Ruettiger.

LINK:  LIVE FEED TO PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  MIKE LEE'S BIO

Band of the Fighting Irish -- National Anthem

Here's a link to a YouTube video I found today from a game in Notre Dame Stadium this past September against Purdue - where the Band of the Fighting Irish played God Bless America and our National Anthem before kick-off.  Thought you'd enjoy this!

LINK:  PRE-GAME AT NOTRE DAME STADIUM

God, Country & Notre Dame -- Happy 4th!

This photo is of an archway on the east side of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the University of Notre Dame campus.  I found this story about the "Dodd Twins" -- who attended Notre Dame in the late 90's on an ROTC scholarship.  Thought you'd enjoy this story on INDEPENDENCE DAY 2011-- here in America!

LINK:  GOD, COUNTRY & NOTRE DAME

He Never Misses the Opportunity to Hate on ND

Folks his name is David Haugh and he's a sports columnist with the Chicago Tribune.  His column today was "typical Haugh" when it comes to Notre Dame.  Haugh worked at the South Bend Tribune earlier in his career -- spending ten years covering Notre Dame.  In 2003 he moved on to the Chicago Tribune -- where he's been ever since.

It must have been a slow news day for Mr. Haugh -- so he went to his HATE ON NOTRE DAME file to fill some space.  He pulled out four-letter words like "sham" and "punk" to refer to the University of Notre Dame today...

LINK:  THIS STORY'S BEEN TOLD 

Photos of the Day -- Manti Teo at Notre Dame

Manti Teo spent Friday at Notre Dame Stadium having his picture taken for the Irish Sports Report -- thought you'd enjoy of couple of the photos taken by the South Bend Tribune photo staff.

Toughest Job in America -- ND Football Coach

I'm quite sure Brian Kelly would confirm the headline of this story -- it's not a job for the meek of heart.  South Bend Tribune's Eric Hansen caught up with Coach Kelly to take a look back at his first year on campus.  You'll enjoy this story:

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY

It's Good To Be Skylar Diggins!

Has their ever been a more famous female athlete at the University of Notre Dame than Skylar Diggins?

I don't think so...

The good folks at the South Bend Tribune published a wonderful story today about ND's next superstar.  You'll enjoy the story:

LINK:  SKYLAR DIGGINS

Is Oregon the Next to Fall?

The media, not BANK NCAA is doing the investigative work these days policing college athletic programs.  Most recently, a Sports Illustrated writer (who's a Notre Dame grad) put the heat on Ohio State which led to Jim Tressel's forced resignation.  Eighteen months ago a Yahoo Sports story forced BANK NCAA to do something about the USC Trojans football program -- and Oregon might just be next!

Here's a link to Yahoo Sports interview with a "scouting service" in the Houston area -- who was paid $25,000 by the Oregon athletic program to secure the recruitment of top high school football players.  This isn't good for Chip Kelly and company...

LINK:  WILL CHIP KELLY BE LOOKING FOR A JOB SOON?

Photo of the Day -- The Middle of ND's D!

This photo was "tweeted" today by Notre Dame linebacker Manti Teo of the men in the middle of the Notre Dame defense.  Here are their names from left to right in the photo:  Darius Flemming, Manti Teo, Carlo Calabrese, Justin Utopo and Prince Shembo.

Domer Wins USA Track National Championship!

Former Notre Dame All-American Molly Huddle (don't you love her name!) won the 5000 Meters at the USA National Track & Field Championship -- for her first ever National Championship!  The victory, for the nine-time IRISH All-American and the current American record holder in the event, qualifies Molly to represent the United States at the IAAF World Championships in South Korea in late August.  Congratulations Molly!

Here's a link to Molly's interview after her big win!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME'S NATIONAL CHAMPION!