First Pre-Season Poll: Irish Ranked #18

Athlon Sports routinely publishes the first pre-season college football poll and they didn't disappoint this year.  Brian Kelly's Fighting Irish are ranked #18 in their poll -- that's the good news.

The not so good news.  Here's how many opponents the IRISH will face this season in Athlon's Top-25:

• University of Southern California -- Ranked #2
• University of Oklahoma -- Ranked #5
• University of Michigan -- Ranked #7
• Michigan State University -- Ranked #14

LINK:  IRISH RANKED #18

Irish Blank Buckeyes! -- CCHA Playoffs

Jeff Jackson's Fighting Irish shutout Ohio State last night 2-0 in the opening game of the CCHA Playoff's best of three series at the Compton.

Surprisingly, this was Notre Dame's first win ever against Ohio State in post season play -- the Irish were 0 - 4 prior to last night's victory.

Notre Dame goalie Steve Summerhays posted his second straight shutout and team captain Billy Mayday scored both goals as the Irish will attempt to eliminate the Buckeyes tonight.  Here are links to UND.COM's coverage and the media's reaction:


LINK:  IRISH WIN!

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Adrian Dantley's Night "Back Home" @ ND!

Irish basketball great, Adrian Dantley -- was back on the University of Notre Dame campus last night to be honored with enshrinement in the "RING OF HONOR."  The good folks at UND.COM covered the ceremony and Dantley's trip to the Irish locker room after Notre Dame's 75 - 69 win over Providence.  You'll enjoy this:

LINK:  ADRIAN'S NIGHT

LINK:  ADRIAN DANTLEY VIDEO

Notre Dame Dean Heading to Yale University

Greg Sterling, the dean of the Graduate School at the University of Notre Dame was announced yesterday as the next dean of Yale University's Divinity School -- effective August 1st.

Sterling, who's also a Professor of Theology at ND, has authored three books and is in the process of finishing three more -- I wonder what he does in his spare time!

Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  STERLING TO HEAD YALE SCHOOL

Notre Dame's Only HOF'er in Hoops!

One of basketball's all-time greats and former Notre Dame All-American, Adrian Dantley -- will be honored tonight at Purcell Pavillion.  Dantley will join Luke Harangody, Ruth Riley and Austin Carr as a member of the Ring of Honor.  At only 6'-4," Adrian Dantley had the insane ability to post up and score on players as much as a foot taller than him in college and the NBA.

He's the only former Notre Dame player to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.  

This is going to be a great night for Notre Dame basketball.  Congratulations Adrian!


LINK:  ADRIAN DANTLEY -- HOF VIDEO

Bengal Bouts: Finals Saturday Night @ ND!

Twenty-four fighters (Notre Dame students) will battle, in twelve weight classes Saturday night at Purcell Pavillion, for the honor of calling themselves a BENGAL BOUTS CHAMPION.  The good folks at UND.COM produced a feature today on Saturday night's championship!  Here's the link:

LINK:  BENGAL BOUTS -- CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

ND vs. Navy (IRELAND) Tickets On Sale NOW!

Tickets to the University of Notre Dame's football game in Ireland, against the Naval Academy on September 1st, went on sale today.  Tickets are limited to 10 per person.  Here's the link:

LINK:  BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE!

Notre Dame Early Enrollee Tee Shepard!

You might need a FACEBOOK account to watch this video.  University of Notre Dame early enrollee -- TEE SHEPARD video taped himself in the GUG locker room doing his step drills.  Thought you'd enjoy!

LINK:  KEEP AN EYE ON THE FEET!

Notre Dame: Saving Africa's Elephants!

University of Notre Dame researchers have been studying the behavior of male and female elephants in the wild in Kenya.  Research that hopefully will lead to saving a population that has dwindled from 700,000 in 1990 to 360,000 today.  Here's the story.

LINK:  SAVING ELEPHANTS

Pawn Stars Places Value on Rockne Signature

A letter signed by legendary Notre Dame head football coach Knute Rockne was brought to the TV show Pawn Stars.  The letter's date was March 13, 1931 -- eighteen days before he died.  You'll enjoy the contents of the letter and the negotiation!

LINK:  ROCKNE LETTER "NEGOTIATED" ON PAWN STARS

RJ Blanton: NFL Scouting Combine Diary

Former Notre Dame defensive back R.J. Blanton -- was asked by the folks at the Charlotte Observer to write a "diary" of his experiences at the NFL Scouting Combine.

It says a lot when a major newspaper in the middle of ACC / SEC country reaches out to a Notre Dame student-athlete for this assignment...

And, at the same time -- ol' R.J. turned in the THIRD FASTEST 20-yard shuttle drill amongst the top defensive backs in the country today!

Enjoy!

LINK:  R.J. BLANTON DIARY -- DAY THREE 

LINK:  R.J. BLANTON DIARY -- DAY TWO

LINK:  R.J. BLANTON DIARY -- DAY ONE

LINK:  R.J. BLANTON -- COMBINE ANALYSIS

Harrison Smith: Good Day @ Scouting Combine

Former University of Notre Dame football captain, Harrison Smith -- "made some money" today with his performance in front of the NFL scouts in Indianapolis at the SCOUTING COMBINE.  Draft "experts" were even talkin' Harrison might have jumped into the FIRST ROUND today!!! 

Here's what I've found for ND fans about Harrison's day with the NFL:

LINK:  NFL NETWORK STORY  (SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM)

LINK:  HARRISON SMITH ANALYSIS

LINK:  NFL BLOG

Bengal Bouts: Semi-Finals Tonight @ ND!

Knute Rockne started boxing at Notre Dame back in the 20's -- however, the Bengal Bouts got their 'official' start in 1931 on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.  This 82 year-old tradition (which is uniquely Notre Dame) raises money for the Holy Cross Missions in Bangladesh. 

Tonight -- at the north dome of the Joyce Athletic Center -- members of the Notre Dame Boxing Club will square off in Semi-Final action for the right to compete for a Bengal Bouts Championship this Saturday night in the Purcell Pavillion.

If you haven't been -- it's something you must see!

The action begins tonight at 6 PM ET.  Saturday's Finals begin at 7 PM ET.  Buy your tickets now!!!

LINK:  BENGAL BOUTS HISTORY

IMPRESSIVE -- Irish Beat UCONN for TITLE!

UCONN's Geno Auriemma waves the WHITE FLAG, with three minutes to go -- as Muffet's Irish go into Hartford, CT and put a beat down on the Huskies 72 - 59!

The win - clinches sole possession of the BIG EAST regular season title for Notre Dame -- for the first time in school history!

That's THREE WINS in a row for the Fightin' Irish over UCONN.

CONGRATULATIONS!

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  ESPN RECAP

LINK:  SKYLAR DIGGINS' INTERVIEW BEFORE GAME

Sunday Was a HUGE Day for Michael Floyd!

Folks, Michael Floyd's performance yesterday at the NFL SCOUTING COMBINE -- may prove to be a life-changer for this young man from the University of Notre Dame.  Just as Coach Kelly and the University's decision to give him a "mulligan" was, this past season, after his DUI arrest.

Some draft experts think Michael may have worked his way up to a TOP TEN pick in May's 2012 NFL DRAFT.  That would be worth $ MILLIONS to Michael -- with the new NFL Rookie Wage Scale in play.

The NFL Rookie Wage Scale -- which was passed last July, has capped the amount a team can pay a rookie over the first four years of their contract.  Here's how the wage scale works:

• Top Ten Draft Picks:  Will be paid the AVERAGE of the top ten "highest paid" players at their position.
• Picks 11 - 32:  Will be paid the AVERAGE of the third to twenty-fifth "highest paid" players at their position.

Here's a link to a number of videos produced by the NFL Network yesterday of Michael's day in Indianapolis -- along with links to the media's reaction.  I'm very happy for this Notre Dame Man and his MOM!

LINK:  MICHAEL FLOYD -- NFL VIDEOS

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

It's Notre Dame Basketball Night on ESPN!

Looks like the programming folks in Bristol, CT have got their IRISH up!

Tonight, Notre Dame basketball fans will be treated to a "doubleheader" beginning at 7 PM ET, when Mike Brey's #20 Fightin' Irish will take on #11 Georgetown, on the road on ESPN.  Notre Dame needs to win this game to remain in sole possession of third place in the Big East.

LINK:  ND vs. GEORGETOWN GAME PREVIEW

Then at 9 PM ET, Muffet McGraw's #3 Fightin' Irish will take on #2 UCONN (also on the road) -- this game will air on ESPN2.  With a win tonight -- Notre Dame will win their first "outright" Big East Women's Basketball Championship.  Big game for the Irish!

You can't beat this for a night of television for NOTRE DAME FANS!  

Then, if you're still awake around 11 PM -- you can switch over to FOX to see the finish to the DAYTONA 500 -- if the rain stops in Florida.

Big Changes Ahead For the BCS & Bowl Games

College football's leaders met this past week in Dallas to talk about the future of college football.  What resulted is talk of a four-team "playoff" for the National Championship -- and fewer bowl games for the 2014 season.  Here's a link to the New York Times story:

LINK:  FEWER BOWLS & A PLAYOFF

Gunner Kiel -- Twitter Pic...

Notre Dame QB, Gunner Kiel "tweeted" this photo today of his locker name plate in the Guglielmino Athletics Complex.  He'll be wearing uniform #1 when the Irish run into Notre Dame Stadium -- 55 DAYS FROM TODAY -- on April 21 for the Blue Gold Game.

Dave Duerson's Family Sues NFL for His Death

The family of former Notre Dame All-American Dave Duerson filed suit this past week against the National Football League claiming the NFL did not do enough to prevent or treat concussions that severely damaged their Dad's brain.

This is a sad story.

LINK:  DUERSON FAMILY FILES LAWSUIT

Photo of the Day: Justin Tuck @ Daytona 500

Two-time Super Bowl Champion and former Notre Dame All-American, Justin Tuck '04 -- is seen here in a photo he "tweeted" this morning from Pit Lane at the Daytona 500.  Justin is standing next to his teammate Osi Umenyiora.