Media Plays the "Notre Dame Card" -- Again

I caught the sad story today about Corwin Brown and his decision to claim "mental defects" caused by brain injuries he sustained from playing football in the NFL and College, as his defense -- in an ESPN Blog story...

Well, as you'll see -- it took only two words into the story to connect Corwin Brown and NOTRE DAME.

Now, Corwin could have been labeled:

• Former Michigan Co-Captain
• Former Michigan football player
• Former All Big Ten football player
• Former New England Patriot 
• Former New York Jet 
• Former Detroit Lion
• Former eight year NFL player
• Former NFL player and coach
• Former Virginia football coach
• Former New York Jet coach
• Former New England Patriot coach

Folks, here's the irony, Corwin Brown spent five years as a player and coach with the New England Patriots, five years as a player and coach with the New York Jets, spent four years at the University of Michigan as a player, co-captain and where he earned All Big Ten Honors -- and he spends just three years as an assistant coach at the University of Notre Dame.  On top of that -- his last job in football was with New England, not Notre Dame.

Yet, every time you'll see Corwin Brown's name on ESPN (over these next few months) -- he won't be labeled as from; Michigan, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Detroit Lions, etc., -- he'll be from NOTRE DAME.

IRONIC?  I THINK NOT...

LINK:  CORWIN BROWN

Irish Sign Five Hockey Players in Early Period

The University of Notre Dame's Jeff Jackson announced today the signing of five -- VERY TALENTED -- hockey players who will join the Fighting Irish next fall.  Headlining the class is the most highly recruited hockey player ever to come to South Bend -- Mario Lucia (photo).  Lucia, a 6'-3" left wing was picked 60th overall in this year's NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild.  Here's a link to the UND.COM coverage:

LINK:  JACKSON ADDS TO THE TALENT BASE!

Stanford Assistant Coach Dies of Heart Attack

Former NFL Pro Bowl defensive tackle and Stanford defensive assistant coach, Chester McGlockton (42) died this morning from an apparent heart attack while at home with his family.  McGlockton was on the sideline this past Saturday when the Cardinal defeated our Fighting Irish.  Sad news.  Here's a link to the news story:

LINK:  STANFORD FOOTBALL ASSISTANT -- DEAD

What a Waste of Time -- SEC, Pac 12 & Big 10/12

If you're a fan of Michigan State University and your Spartans lose to Wisconsin this Saturday and it results in "that school in Ann Arbor" going to a BCS game and you do not.  How would you feel about your team "earning" the opportunity to play in the inaugural Big Ten/Twelve Championship game?

Let's say you're a fan of the Tigers of Louisiana State University and your Tigers beat Georgia this Saturday -- yet, in the process you lose a couple of starters to knee injuries.  How would you feel about your team "earning" the opportunity to play in the SEC Championship game, knowing right now that they don't have to play in this game (let alone win this game) to play in the National Championship game -- and, they're now going to have to play Alabama without two of their starters?

Let's say you're the Commissioner of the Pac 12 Conference and you're looking at a football stadium this Saturday that's HALF FULL with emotion and Oregon is leading UCLA 42 - 0 in the 2nd quarter.   How would you feel about your decision to create a Pac 12 Championship game -- especially when the media chatter will be about how lousy your conference must be if UCLA is in the championship game?

Folks, there is very little value this season to play in a conference championship game.  Here are the facts.

1. LSU doesn't have to win their Conference Championship game to play in the National Championship game -- think about that.
2. Alabama doesn't even have to play in their Conference Championship game to play in the  National Championship game -- think about that.
3. That school in Ann Arbor -- doesn't have to play in their Conference Championship game and they may end up in a better position for a BCS bowl than the team that loses Saturday's game -- think about that.
4. UCLA goes 6 - 6 and they earn the opportunity to play in their Conference Championship game -- think about that.

Why would Notre Dame ever want to join a conference -- when "earning the opportunity to play a 13th game truly means nothing!

A Little Better A Little Worse -- ND Defense 2011

Here's how ND's Defense has performed this season in comparison to the other teams who have faced the same opponents as the Irish.  A ranking of #1 means the Irish gave up the fewest yards or points to that opponent this season.  As you'll see the Irish ranked as one of the best overall defensive performances  --  #1 or #2 -- against a few of the teams they've played this season.  You'll also see how this year's IRISH defensive unit's compares to last season's:

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA (5-6)
Total Offense:  Irish rank #2 giving up 254 yards
Points:  Irish rank #5 giving up 23 points

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (10-2)
Total Offense:  Irish rank #6 giving up 452 yards
Points:  Irish rank #7 giving up 35 points

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (10-2)
Total Offense:  Irish rank #4 giving up 358 yards
Points:  Irish rank #3 giving up 13 points

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH (5-6)
Total Offense: Irish rank #2 giving up 268 yards
Points:  Irish rank #2 giving up 12 points

PURDUE UNIVERSITY (6-5)
Total Offense:  Irish rank #1 giving up 276 yards
Points:  Irish rank #1 giving up 10 points

AIR FORCE ACADEMY (6-5)
Total Offense:  Irish rank #9 giving up 565 yards
Points:  Irish rank #6 giving up 33 points

USC (10-2)
Total Offense:  Irish rank #7 giving up 443 yards
Points:  Irish rank #5 giving up 31 points

NAVAL ACADEMY (4-7)
Total Offense:  Irish rank #1 giving up 229 yards
Points:  Irish rank #1 giving up 14 points

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY (6-6)
Total Offense: Irish rank #2 giving up 297 yards
Points:  Irish rank #2 giving up 17 points

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND (2-10)
Total Offense: Irish rank #6 giving up 364 yards
Points: Irish rank #7 giving up 21 points

BOSTON COLLEGE (4-8)
Total Offense:  Irish rank #4 giving up 250 yards
Points:  Irish rank #3 giving up 14 points

STANFORD UNIVERSITY (11-1)
Total Offense:  Irish rank #4 giving up 429 yards
Points:  Irish rank #1 giving up 28 points

IRISH OVERALL DEFENSIVE RANKINGS - 2011 vs. 2010:

• #33 ranked defense in the FBS -- total yards given up per game (349.25 yards).  An improvement from their #50 ranking and 357.23 yards per game in 2010
• #30 ranked defense in the FBS -- total points given up per game  (20.92 pts).  The Irish were ranked #23 in scoring defense in 2010 giving up 20.23 points per game.

Former Irish Assistant Coach Takes New Job...

You might have heard his name before -- Urban Meyer.  He's named after the eight Popes with the Papal name Urban and his stated "dream job" is to become the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame.

I WONDER IF MEYER HAS AN "OUT" CLAUSE IN HIS CONTRACT, WITH THE SCHOOL IN COLUMBUS, TO TAKE THE NOTRE DAME JOB IF EVER OFFERED.

To prepare to coach the team with the GOLD HELMETS someday, he's taken head coaching gigs, these last few years, with helmets that represent; birds, tribes, reptiles and now NUTS.  Here's a few links to news coverage about this former Notre Dame football assistant coach and his new job.

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  GAINESVILLE SUN

LINK:  INTRODUCTORY PRESS CONFERENCE

Hall of Famer Frank Robinson -- A ND Fan!

Former Baltimore Oriole great and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, was a guest of the University of Notre Dame's Joe Gelchion (AVP for Development) at Saturday night's game at Stanford.  You'll see Frank and Joe chatting with Coach Kelly in the opening video of IRISH CONNECTION -- linked below:

LINK:  IRISH CONNECTION

Irish Beat Duke at Buzzer -- Win Tournament!

The Irish were down 16 at halftime to #7 Duke last night 36 - 20.  But, it's never over 'til Natalie Novosel says it's over!  The senior guard scores the game winner with less than one second -- giving the Irish a 57 - 56 win last night in Puerto Rico!  Here's a link to the story and a link to video of the game highlights and the defining final seconds:


LINK:  IRISH WIN TOURNEY!

LINK:  VIDEO REPLAY!

The Mornin' After Stanford Beats Irish 28 - 14

For the last time, on a Sunday morning, in the year 2011 -- I've taken a lap around the world wide web to check in how the media is treating our Fighting Irish after last night's showing in Palo Alto, CA.  Turnovers -- the theme for the 2011 Notre Dame Football season -- was a factor again last night.  If you're sill counting, the Irish turned the ball over 26 times this season -- only thirteen teams in college football have more than 26 turnovers.  And, I can tell you this -- none of those teams are playing in a BCS Bowl game.  Here's the media's reaction:

LINK:  SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  NBC SPORTS

LINK:  LOS ANGELES TIMES 

LINK:  SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- AL LESAR

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- BOB WIENEKE

LINK:  AP NEWS STORY

Champs Bowl or Bust -- Expect Irish in Orlando

A 8 - 4 season that could have easily been a 10 - 2 season -- had we taken better care of the football -- will end in Orlando on December 29.  The Irish can expect to play the Seminoles...  If you're looking for tickets -- click on the link below.  You'll see they already list ND as one of the teams that could play in their bowl...

LINK:  CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL

OT: I Think She May Cost Her Husband a Job...

Kristi Malzahn -- wife of Auburn's Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn appeared last month at a conference called THE SUMMIT.

Besides making fun of former Notre Dame & College Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz's speech impediment, she goes off on many other subjects...

If I'm an Athletic Director and I see this video -- I wouldn't hire Mr. Malzahn.  His wife is that much of a liability.  If you were ever to start a WIKIPEDIA entry for "LOOSE CANNON" -- you would have to use Kristi Malzahn as the poster child.  You be the judge. 

PLEASE NOTE:  THE VIDEO WAS TAKEN DOWN OFF OF YOUTUBE -- NOT SURPRISED -- HOWEVER, I DID FIND IT ON ANOTHER SITE.


LINK:  SHE'S OUT OF CONTROL

Less Than Four Hours to Kick-Off!

The final football game of the 2011 regular season is just hours away -- and to get you fired up, I thought I'd share a link to Stanford Football Weekly.  You'll see Coach Shaw, Andrew Luck (QB), Chase Thomas (LB) and Jonathan Martin (LT) -- talk about the IRISH.

LINK:  STANFORD FOOTBALL WEEKLY

Notre Dame's South Bend Location Slammed

An article in Business Insider that focused on Nike's relationship with the University of Oregon -- somehow had to take a swipe at the University of Notre Dame's location in northern Indiana.  I guess Notre Dame should take this as a compliment...

LINK:  PHIL KNIGHT'S INFLUENCE ON OREGON

How the IRISH WILL BEAT STANFORD Tonight!

I "channelled" NOSTRADAMUS this morning -- to assist me with a prediction for tonight's game between the #22 Fighting Irish and #4 Stanford Cardinal .  Here's my winning game plan for ND:

1. Zero turnovers for the IRISH
2. Three turnovers for Stanford
3. IRISH sack Luck two times
4. Rees never gets sacked
5. 120 yards rushing from Cierre Wood
6. An actual IRISH punt return -- that is not fair caught -- that goes for a TD! 
7. A blocked punt by the IRISH
8. Three TD's for Michael Floyd -- one is on a WR reverse pass from John Goodman
9. David Ruffer kicks game winning 42 yard field goal as time expires!

FINAL SCORE:  NOTRE DAME 31:  STANFORD 30

Horrible News Yesterday From Irish BBall Team

University of Notre Dame's Tim Abromaitits is out for the season -- after tearing his ACL during practice yesterday.  This is a crushing blow to Tim, his family -- and the ND men's basketball team.  WOW...

LINK:  ABROMAITIS LOST FOR SEASON

LINK:  ESPN STORY

36 Hours to ND Football's Final Exam

It's been a long time since we've had a NOTRE DAME MOMENT -- beating a highly ranked team when we were not expected...

Will tomorrow be that moment?

Here's a link to what's being said by the media about Saturday's game with Stanford.

LINK:  SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

LINK:  SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

ND Athletes Lending a Thanksgiving Hand

Sixteen Notre Dame football players made a trip to Hope Ministries in South Bend yesterday to assist them in their preparation for Thanksgiving.  Here's a link to that story:

LINK:  GIVING BACK

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have to admit this is my favorite holiday of the year.  It's four days full of family, food, fun and football!  We're heading to a Thanksgiving celebration with Grandma Joanie and our Doyle family this afternoon and then off to be with Grandpa Jim this evening.  A GREAT DAY!

It's the first Thanksgiving without Grandma Barb (photo with her great-grandson Jimmy) in our lifetime...  I'll always be thankful to Grandpa & Grandma Doyle for giving our family the "gift" of Notre Dame.

Enjoy the day -- GO LIONS! 

A Tour of the Notre Dame Football Complex

The folks at UND.COM teamed up with Mike Golic, Jr. and Brandon Newman to give Irish fans a tour of the GUG (pronounced GOOOOG) -- home of the Notre Dame football operation.  To say the place is impressive would be an understatement.  Special thanks to ND GO IRISH BLOG regular contributor Kip Sweeney for alerting me to the video tour.

LINK:  ND'S FOOTBALL COMPLEX

Irish Guard Feature on the Irish Connection

The University of Notre Dame's Irish Guard are featured in this week's edition of Irish Connection.  Here's a link:

LINK:  THE IRISH GUARD