Jeff Samardzija Pitches Cubs to First Win!

The former two-star IRISH standout started his first game in seventeen months today at Wrigley and Cub fans everywhere are probably wondering WHY!

Samardzija pitched 8 2/3 innings allowing three runs on four hits (with eight strikeouts) -- as the Cubs win their first game of the 2012 season 4 - 3 over the Washington Nationals.

LINK:  FORMER IRISH STAR LEADS CUBS TO FIRST WIN!

Easter Mass -- Live From Notre Dame!

Easter Mass from the University of Notre Dame's Basilica of the Sacred Heart can be seen live this morning at 10:00 AM ET and again at 11:45 AM ET.  Photo courtesy of Matt Cashore and ND Photoshelter.

LINK:  WATCH EASTER MASS -- LIVE AT 10 AM ET

LINK:  WATCH EASTER MASS -- LIVE AT 11:45 AM ET

The Shark Gets His First Start Today for Cubs!

Former Notre Dame All-American football player Jeff Samardzija makes his first start for the Cubs since September 2010 today at Wrigley Field against the Washington Nationals.

The Cubs are 0 - 2 after two games -- one of four teams in the National League who haven't won a game yet this season.

Jeff is coming off a very positive spring earning a spot in the Cubbies starting rotation.  Good luck SHARK!

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

ESPN Sport Science Tests Michael Floyd

 

Irish football fans -- you'll enjoy this!  The good folks at Sport Science did some "testing" of former Notre Dame football star Michael Floyd.  Here you go!  Special thanks to "converted" ND fan, Travis Mather for alerting me to this story:

LINK:  MICHAEL FLOYD ON SPORT SCIENCE

Today We're All Bulldogs! BEAT BC!

 

It's truly a "David vs. Goliath" battle tonight in Tampa, FL when #1 seed Boston College will take on Ferris State University in the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey National Championship game.  The game starts at 7 PM ET on ESPN2.

Now, I know it's not too difficult for Notre Dame fans to root against that school in Chestnut Hill.  Then for good measure, you add in the fact that my wife Susan and I and many of our family members are Ferris alums -- and, it becomes quite obvious who the Small / Doyle / Sweeney clan will be rooting for this evening.

To get the Ferris State faithful ready -- here's a sneak preview of head coach Bob Daniels' pre-game pep talk to the Bulldogs: 

LINK:  GREATEST PRE-GAME PEP TALK OF ALL TIME!

LINK:  ESPN GAME PREVIEW

LINK:  ESPN #2

GO BULLDOGS!

Notre Dame's Atkinson Brothers: ESPN Story

 

George and Josh Atkinson were the focus of an ESPN story yesterday.  Thought IRISH fans would enjoy reading about these two young men.

LINK:  THE BROTHERS ATKINSON

Irish Fans, Root for the Ferris Bulldogs Today!

This is OFF TOPIC I know -- but, the "Harvard of the North" (AKA) Ferris State University is playing today in the NCAA Frozen Four Semi-Finals against Union College.

Ferris, which is best known for its Pharmacy and Optometry schools -- also happens to be my alma mater.  So, at 4:30 PM ET today on ESPN -- you can be sure to know that I'll be rooting for the BULLDOGS -- and I'm asking the entire Notre Dame family to do the same!

Today we're all BULLDOGS!

LINK:  DETROIT FREE PRESS STORY

ESPN Does Muffet Wrong...

It's a shame that ESPN decided to take a Muffet McGraw comment last night about the great play of Brittney Griner -- OUT OF CONTEXT -- and make a story out of it.

Muffet McGraw is CLASS personified on and off the court.  ESPN did her wrong -- big time.

LINK:  MUFFET ISSUES STATEMENT

The Mornin' After a GREAT SEASON!

 

It is what it is...

We did not play our best game last night and Baylor was better.  However, that does not diminish the two-year run our women's basketball program has had.  INCREDIBLE!

Be sure the watch the ENTIRE highlights video below -- specifically Fraderica Miller's locker room interview.  Kind of puts into perspective the honor and privilege to wear the Notre Dame uniform.

LINK:  HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

The FINAL Story: What Could Go Wrong...

 

Folks, it wasn't the end we all had hoped for Muffet's gang...

The Baylor Bears proved to be too much to handle -- and our IRISH didn't do itself many favors.  Final score; 80 - 61.

Here's what went wrong for the good girls:

• Devereaux's foul trouble -- on the bench for 25 of the 40 minutes
• Natalie's tough night -- 0 for 11 from the field
• Foul disparity:  Irish had five players with 3 fouls or more -- Baylor, just two players with 3 or more
• Poor shooting -- Irish shot 35% from the field as a team
• And, Baylor's dominance on the boards and their MANY second chance points 

Our seniors; Fraderica Miller, Brittany Mallory, Natalie Novosel and Devereaux Peters graduate with 117 career wins -- most for any class in Notre Dame history.  

We're very proud of the BACK TO BACK National Runner-Up finishes for our women's basketball program.  CONGRATULATIONS!

Here's three links to videos taken from Purcell Pavillion -- where more than 1,000 Notre Dame fans (photo above) turned out tonight to cheer on the IRISH!

LINK:  NATIONAL ANTHEM -- NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

LINK:  PLAYER INTRODUCTIONS -- NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 

LINK:  ESPN GAME INTRO -- NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 

Notre Dame's NFL Pro Day: 27 NFL Teams

Nine "former" Notre Dame football players were on display today in front of scouts and general managers from 27 NFL teams -- as well as former Irish QB Jimmy Clausen who threw to his former teammates.  Rumor has it that Robert Blanton, Darius Fleming and Trevor Robinson turned some heads today with their performances.


Blanton and Fleming both ran 4.5 forty's and Robinson lifted 225 lbs. thirty-one (31) times!

I did a search on YouTube and found a number of videos from today's ND -- NFL PRO DAY, linked below:

LINK:  VIDEO OF WORKOUT

LINK:  NBC'S MIKE MAYOCK

LINK:  MICHAEL FLOYD

LINK:  JONAS GRAY

LINK:  DARIUS FLEMING

LINK:  TAYLOR DEVER

LINK:  JIMMY CLAUSEN

Skylars' Last Blog Entry Before the BIG GAME!

The folks at ESPNW worked out an agreement with the University of Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins to post a blog during this NCAA Tournament run for the IRISH.  Last night -- Skylar posted a piece for the blog from her hotel room.  ENJOY!

LINK:  SKYLAR DIGGIN'S BLOG

A Notre Dame STUDENT-Athlete is Special!

 

A story broke today that one of the top defensive backs in the upcoming NFL Draft scored a "4" on the Wonderlic Test.  The annual test given to top college football players to assess their intelligence.   

If you've never taken the Wonderlic before -- you should!  See the link below.

When I hear stories about players moving into the NFL who can't read, write or who score very poorly on the Wonderlic -- I think EXPLOITATION.

Universities should TEACH ALL of their students.

The photo above is of Chris Stewart '11, who was enrolled in Law School at Notre Dame -- and a starting offensive guard -- during his last season with the Fighting Irish.

LINK:  A SCORE OF 4 ON THE WONDERLIC TEST

LINK:  TAKE THE WONDERLIC TEST

FINAL FOUR: And Then There Were Two...

 

The road ends tonight in Denver.  There are 119 teams in Division I basketball and the two left standing are going to tip it off at 8:30 PM ET in front of a national TV audience on ESPN.

It's THE TEAM vs. THE INDIVIDUAL -- as the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame take on 6'-8" Brittney Griner and her 7'-4" wingspan...

It's the best TEAM (NOTRE DAME) in women's college basketball versus the best INDIVIDUAL (Griner) in women's college basketball.  I'll take a TEAM over an INDIVIDUAL every time...

We're less than TEN HOURS away from game time.  GO IRISH!

Here's a few links to the latest talk about tonight's National Championship game:

LINK:  DENVER POST #1

LINK:  DENVER POST #2

LINK:  DENVER POST #3

LINK:  DALLAS MORNING NEWS

LINK:  ESPN #1

LINK:  ESPN #2

LINK:  ESPN #3

LINK:  ESPN #4

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #1

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #2

FACT: Baylor Had Trouble Guarding the Irish

Folks, the story that hasn't been told is this -- Notre Dame went into Baylor's gym back in November and scored 81 points -- without Natalie Achonwa even scoring a point -- she only played 12 minutes, she wasn't in the main rotation back then.   

Unfortunately, the Irish gave up 94 that day...

Fact:  The IRISH scored the most points against Baylor this season -- no other team scored more than 68.   And, Notre Dame shot only 38% from the floor (only 3 - 18 from 3pt.) that night.

Fact:  The IRISH were within one point in the second half 56 -55 with 13 minutes to play -- only to see the Bears go on a 14 - 3 run to extend their lead by 12 points with 9 minutes to go.  A four-minute lapse by the IRISH cost them this game...

Fact:  The IRISH have played 24 games in 2012 and they have not given up more than 70 points in regulation time to any opponent.  The IRISH defense has vastly improved since November!

The "experts" have not been telling this story -- this is going to be a great game.  It's the most dominant offensive TEAM in women's basketball against the most dominant defensive INDIVIDUAL in women's basketball.

THE TEAM vs. THE INDIVIDUAL

Don't count out the IRISH!

HAVE FAITH!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME'S MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE 

LINK:  MUFFET'S MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE 

LINK:  NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

Notre Dame Super Fan Wins Volvo!

Her name is Lisa Kelly '93 and she's a die-hard Notre Dame fan and now the proud owner of a Volvo S60 -- courtesy of VOLVO after being named the BIGGEST FAN of the BIG EAST!  Here's a link to the video and Lisa' blog:

LINK:  BIG EAST'S BIGGEST FAN!

LINK:  LISA KELLY'S BLOG

ESPN Experts Give ND NO CHANCE Tomorrow!

If Notre Dame wasn't already in Denver -- the NCAA might have just given the National Championship last night to Baylor...

So says seven of the "experts" at ESPN who selected Baylor today to defeat the IRISH tomorrow night.

Ironically, this is the FOURTH time many of these experts have picked against Notre Dame this tournament.  First they thought California would beat the Irish, then it was Maryland, then it was UCONN and surprise, surprise now it is Baylor's turn to beat Muffet's girls.

Note to experts - BAYLOR has yet to meet the WILL of the IRISH.  They "will" tomorrow night.  It's going to be fun!

LINK:  ESPN EXPERTS PICK THE NATIONAL CHAMP

LINK:  ESPN PREVIEWS THE MATCHUP

Nineteen Days to the Blue Gold Game!

Brian Kelly's Fighting Irish held their first "April Practice" of the 2012 Spring Football season this morning (April 2) at the LaBar Practice Complex.  And, our friends at Fighting Irish Digital Media were in attendance -- here's their report:

LINK:  FOOTBALL PRACTICE REPORT

The Rebound & Put-Back That Saved a Season!

 

This photo sequence will undoubtedly be framed in the Novosel household for the rest of time...

In the top photo -- Notre Dame senior Natalie "Nasty" Novosel -- is in position to grab an offensive rebound.  In the middle photo, Natalie is grabbing the rebound.  And, in the bottom photo, Natalie has already let loose of the shot off the backboard -- awaiting it to fall in.

Natalie made the put-back with 4.6 seconds left on the clock to put the game into OT!

The rebound and put-back that saved Notre Dame's season!

The Mornin' After Irish Win Over UCONN

Notre Dame fans all over the world had to wake up this morning with a smile on their face -- the guy in this photo, probably did not...

THE IRISH ADVANCE IN THE FINAL FOUR TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

Muffet's Fightin' Irish decided it was so much fun beating Auriemma's gang last night -- that they thought "why not five more minutes of this!"

Here's the UND.COM coverage of the celebration "after the game" and a look around the worldwide web this morning, with what the media has to say about ND's big win:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME POST GAME CELEBRATION

LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  ESPN #1

LINK:  ESPN #2

LINK:  ESPN #3

LINK:  HARTFORD COURANT #1

LINK:  HARTFORD COURANT #2

LINK:  HARTFORD COURANT BLOG

LINK:  DENVER POST

LINK:  THE DAILY CAMPUS -- UCONN STUDENT NEWSPAPER

LINK:  THE OBSERVER -- NOTRE DAME STUDENT NEWSPAPER

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #1

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #2

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #3

LINK:  WNDU-TV