It's GAME DAY! Irish Beat Seminoles Today!

It's less than nine hours to kick-off when "HISTORY'S TEAM" takes on that school from northern Florida in the Champs Sports Bowl.

To get ND fans fired up for this game -- I take you back to a November in 1993 when #1 FSU visited then #2 ND.  Folks all over the world tuned-in to NBC's telecast that day to see this introduction and Bob Costas at his best.  Enjoy!

LINK:  NBC'S INTRO TO ND'S GAME AGAINST FSU IN 1993

Will Clements Be Penn State's Next Coach?

Don't be surprised if former Notre Dame QB Tom Clements is named, this week, the next head football coach at Penn State University.

Just hours ago, the rumored front-runner, Mike Munchak denied any interest in the position.  Clements, the QB coach of the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers, has been very open in his desire to get this gig.  Sure hope he does!


LINK:  TOM CLEMENTS TO PENN STATE?

Champs Sports Bowl: First Wednesday Update

The gang at UND.COM has been busy "having fun" down in OrlaNDo with the Fighting Irish.  Here's a look at what the Irish did off the field yesterday.  Get ready to ride a roller coaster!!!

LINK:  IRISH IN ORLANDO

LINK:  CHAMPS BOWL PRESS CONFERENCE

Irish Beat #22 Pitt @ Home -- 28 Straight Wins!

Playing their best game of the year -- Mike Brey's Fighting Irish defeated the #22 ranked Pitt Panthers last night. 

WOW!

The win extends ND's home winning streak to 28 games and puts the IRISH in FIRST PLACE tie in the BIG EAST!  Here's the game highlights along with Coach Brey's post game comments and what the two team's local papers had to say about the game.  A BIG WIN FOR THE IRISH!

LINK:  IRISH BEAT PITT

LINK:  COACH BREY WITH MEDIA

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE STORY

LINK:  PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE STORY

Rumor: Michigan & ND to End Football Series

There's a rumor flying around this evening on the Michigan fan boards that an announcement could come, as soon as tomorrow, that the football series between Michigan and Notre Dame will end.  Irish fans may recall an announcement last year that the two teams had agreed to a 25-year extension of the home & home series.  Well, the rumor is the contract was never signed and Michigan wants out of the game.

I sure hope this is not the case...  Stay tuned!

LINK:  MICHIGAN vs. NOTRE DAME WIKIPEDIA

Great Piece On Irish Hockey: Onward to Victory!

The Fighting Irish will be playing hockey on New Year's Eve against Boston University at 7:05 PM ET on VERSUS.  The folks at UND.COM produced a wonderful piece to entice you to TUNE-IN.  You'll enjoy this!

LINK:  ONWARD TO VICTORY

Champs Sports Bowl: Tuesday Irish Update

As we've come to expect, the folks at UND.COM caught Coach Kelly after practice.  Here's a link to his interview:

LINK:  COACH KELLY

ESPN's Gottlieb Tells His Notre Dame Story

Doug Gottlieb is an on-air personality at ESPN.  You'll hear him on the radio and you'll see him talk college basketball and other sports from time to time on TV.

What some Notre Dame fans might now know about Gottlieb is he's a former Irish student-athlete.  Unfortunately, Doug Gottlieb made some mistakes while at Notre Dame and he was asked to leave school.

Gottlieb recently gave a little more detail about his departure from ND.  Here's a link to the Los Angeles Times story:

LINK:  GOTTLIEB TALKS ABOUT HIS PROBLEMS AT ND

Champs Sports Bowl: Monday Irish Update

The gang at UND.COM are down in Orlando this week with the Fighting Irish football team as they gear up for Thursday's bowl game against Florida State.  Here's a couple of their video stories today:

LINK:  COACH KELLY AFTER PRACTICE

LINK:  IRISH CONNECTION -- INSIDE BOWL PRACTICE

LINK:  INSIDE NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

Photo of the Day: Champs Sports Bowl Practice

The @und_video_crew just "tweeted" this photo of today's
Champs Sports Bowl football practice for the Fighting Irish.

Tough duty!

Champs Sports Bowl: Coach Kelly & Media

The University of Notre Dame football team is in Orlando preparing for Thursday's bowl game against Florida State University.  After Sunday's practice (Christmas Day) Coach Kelly spent a few minutes with the assembled media.  Click on the link below:

LINK:  COACH KELLY AFTER PRACTICE

Notre Dame's Most Popular Student-Athlete!

For the first time in the history of Notre Dame Athletics -- its most popular athlete with the media doesn't wear a GOLD HELMET.

This honor goes to a female student-athlete by the name of SKYLAR DIGGINS -- Father Ted must be beaming!

In the past five weeks, ESPN has produced two significant stories about Skylar that speaks to her playing ability, her popularity (cult status) and her beauty.  In fact, they've even gone so far as calling her the "game changer" that women's basketball has been waiting for.  Take a look:

LINK:  BALANCING ACT

LINK:  THE NEXT BIG THING

Armando Allen Gets First Game Action in NFL

Former University of Notre Dame running back Armando Allen got his first taste of life in the National Football League, last night, gaining 40 yards on eleven carries for the Bears in their nationally televised game against the Packers at Lambeau Field.  Allen, who was injured much of his senior season at ND, was signed by the Bears on September 5th to their practice squad and was placed on the active roster (earlier in the week) for this game.  That's Armando in his new #25 in the photo.

I am very happy for ArmaNDo!

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES STORY

LINK:  BEARS ACTIVATE ARMANDO

Notre Dame Football Takes Over OrlaNDo!

The folks at UND.COM along with Mike Golic, Jr., Brandon Newman and a number of their Irish football teammates have been chronicling their time in Orlando for the Champs Sports Bowl.  Enjoy!

LINK:  CHRISTMAS EVE IN ORLANDO

LINK:  CHRISTMAS DAY IN ORLANDO

LINK:  CHRISTMAS NIGHT IN ORLANDO

A ND Christmas Blessing From Father Jenkins

Here is the University of Notre Dame's 17th president -- Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., with his Christmas Blessing for the Notre Dame Family:

LINK:  A CHRISTMAS BLESSING FROM NOTRE DAME

Merry Christmas to the Notre Dame Family!

Went looking around the web this morning for a recent video of the Notre Dame Glee Club singing a Christmas carol.  Found this impromptu performance on campus (11/20/11) instead.  ENJOY!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Notre Dame's Cleats for Champs Sports Bowl!

Looks like Santa brought the ND football team new shoes for Christmas...

Adidas and the University of Notre Dame teamed up to create this "three-tone" shoe for the Fighting Irish.  I can say with great confidence that you've never seen a ND team play in shoes like these!

Photo of Champs Sports Bowl Practice -- ND!

The Fighting Irish held their first Champs Sports Bowl practice today in Orlando in 76 degree weather...

Our Team, Our Story: Champs Sports Bowl

The gang at UND.COM is keeping busy.  Here's their first report from Orlando and the Champs Sports Bowl.  Click on the link:

LINK: OUR TEAM OUR STORY -- NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

IRISH Athletes Talk About Christmas Memories

A nice feature on a number of NOTRE DAME ATHLETES talking about Christmas, created by the gang at UND.COM.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

LINK:  NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS