Coach Kelly Trades His Infamous Visor...

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly was the keynote speaker Saturday at Assumption College's 95th Commencement.  The former Assumption College student-athlete was also awarded an honorary degree in the process.  Here's a few links to the media coverage:

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY BACK AT ASSUMPTION

LINK:  WORCESTER TELEGRAM

Big Weekend for IRISH Athletic Teams!

The Fighting Irish Men's Lacrosse team beat Yale (the hottest team in the country) by a convincing score of 13 - 7 -- advancing Notre Dame to an ELITE EIGHT game next Saturday with Virginia in the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships.  See a link to the highlights below.

Notre Dame's baseball team clinched a spot in the Big East Tournament (beginning May 23 in Clearwater, FL) with a series win over Rutgers this weekend. 

And, the IRISH Women's Rowing team won their NINTH CONSECUTIVE Big East Championship this weekend on Mercer Lake in Windsor, NJ.

LINK:  IRISH BEAT YALE BULLDOGS IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

LINK:  BIG EAST ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP -- RESULTS

IRISH vs. Yale Today on ESPNU @ 5:15 PM ET

Notre Dame's #1 ranked defense in the country will be taking on the Ivy League Champion Yale Bulldog's today in their first round game of the NCAA Men's Lacrosse National Championship tournament.  The game will be televised on ESPNU beginning at 5:15 PM ET.

Yale comes into today's game on a nine game winning streak.  Going to be a great game!

It's a HOME GAME for the #4 seeded IRISH - so, if you're looking for something to do on a beautiful Mother's Day -- head to campus!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

As a salute to my three favorite Mom's today; Joan Small, Margaret Manhard and Susan Small -- and all of the Mother's in the Notre Dame Family -- please click on the link below.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME OUR MOTHER

Chris Brown's 200 Meter Run 2012 State Meet

Notre Dame Football recruit Chris Brown (wide receiver) competed this weekend in the 2012 South Carolina State Track & Field Championships -- see the link below to the video of his race in the 200 meters.

I'm quite sure Brown's not very happy with the results -- since he's run faster, jumped higher and farther before.  The great news is this -- he can now set his sites on wearing the GOLD HELMET!

Chris Brown's 2012 State Meet Results:

• 100 Meters:  10.81 -- 2nd place
• 200 Meters:  21.60 -- 2nd place
• High Jump:  6' - 6" -- 2nd place
• Triple Jump:  49' - 05" -- State Champion

LINK:  200 METERS -- CHRIS BROWN  (ADVANCE VIDEO TO 42:30 MARK)

Brian Kelly Goes Back Home to Danvers, MA

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly was back home Thursday night in Danvers, MA -- speaking at St. John Prep's Alumni Foundation event.  Before the fun -- Coach Kelly met with the media.  Here's some of the coverage:

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  BOSTON HERALD

LINK:  SALEM NEWS

Does Anyone Know Why Floyd Picked #15?

ND GO IRISH BLOG regular "Tom Badguy" asked a great question today -- why did former Notre Dame All-American Michael Floyd choose jersey #15 to wear in the NFL?  I can't find anything on Michael Floyd's number selection.  Anyone know?

LINK:  BUY MICHAEL FLOYD'S JERSEY

Michael Floyd Looks Different in a White Helmet

Former Notre Dame All-American Michael Floyd, participated in his inaugural rookie mini-camp yesterday with the Arizona Cardinals -- here's a few links to the media reports.  FYI -- I prefer the GOLD HELMET on Michael and the #3!

LINK:  VIDEO OF FLOYD 

LINK:  HIS FIRST NFL PRACTICE

LINK:  THE REPUBLIC

LINK:  ARIZONA CARDINALS SITE

NCAA Gives Scott Martin a 6th Year With IRISH!

Word broke this evening that Notre Dame senior Scott Martin has been granted a sixth year of eligibility -- making next year's Fighting Irish that much better today!  After teammate Tim Abromaitis got turned down last month on his request for a sixth year -- I wasn't feeling too good about this...

GREAT NEWS for Notre Dame basketball!

LINK:  SCOTT MARTIN TAKES THE SIXTH!

LINK:  SCOTT MARTIN INTERVIEW

LINK:  MIKE BREY INTERVIEW

Notre Dame's Latest "Two Sports" Star

Notre Dame fans are going to enjoy watching this video of Brittany Mallory and the story of her joining the IRISH Women's Lacrosse team after the Final Four.  You'll get a kick out of seeing Mallory "going to the goal" and destroying anything in her path!

LINK:  SHE'S THE FIGHTING IRISH!

Will This Book Be "Ghost" Written?

Former Ohio State University QB Terrelle Pryor, met with the folks at ESPN to talk about his mistakes in Buckeye land -- and he let the world know he'll tell the full story "whenever I write my book..."

Maybe he should have told the NCAA the $20,000 to $40,000 -- he's rumored to have received from signing autographs -- was an "advance" for his book!

LINK:  IN THE BOOK

Sporting News Ranks All 124 FBS Coaches

The Sporting News ranked every single head coach from #1 to #124 in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.  Notre Dame football fans will be interested in seeing where the following coaches are ranked -- unfortunately, one of these former Irish coaches is ranked dead last...

• Brian Kelly
• Charlie Weis
• Bob Davie
• Charley Molnar

LINK:  RANKINGS OF THE FOOTBALL COACHES

Are You Notre Dame Material? Take a Look!

The good folks at the Notre Dame Alumni Association just published this story about the incoming freshman class -- the CLASS of 2016.  If you've got a son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, niece, nephew or friend -- who's interested in attending the University of Notre Dame -- you should share this link:

LINK:  DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES!

The Top "FREAK" Athletes in College Football

CBS Sports' Bruce Feldman put together his FREAK LIST of the TOP TEN ATHLETES in College Football.  A Notre Dame student-athlete is on the honorable mention list.  Any guesses?

LINK:  TOP TEN FREAK ATHLETES IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Jimmy Clausen in the Middle of "Hair-Gate"

Over the past 24 hours -- former Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen has been complaining on TWITTER about a "haircut" he had at SUPERCUTS...

Well, the "tweets" have caught the attention of the national media and competing barber shops in the Charlotte area.  Thought you'd get a kick out of this.

LINK:  BAD HAIR DAY FOR CLAUSEN

Big East Track & Field Championships Video

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame put on quite a show this past weekend in Tampa, FL at the Big East Track & Field Championship.  The Men placed first and the Women finished second -- CONGRATULATIONS!

Here's a link to UND.COM's coverage of the meet:

LINK:  BIG EAST CHAMPS!

Ever Walk Into a Room and Forget Why?

Well, Notre Dame psychology professor Gabriel Radvansky has researched why this happens...

This story has gotten plenty of play over the past six months or so -- unfortunately, "I forgot" to bring it to the attention of the readers of the ND GO IRISH BLOG.  Here you go:

LINK:  WHY YOU FORGET!

Coach Brian Kelly Ranked Among the Best!

Athlon Sports just came out with their ranking of the top-25 head football coaches in college football.  I won't spoil it where Notre Dame's Brian Kelly is ranked -- click on the link below:

LINK:  COACH KELLY -- ONE OF THE BEST!

Another AD Named White from Notre Dame

Danny White a 2002 graduate of the University of Notre Dame and former IRISH student-athlete was named the Athletic Director today at the University at Buffalo.  White, leaves Ole Miss where he was their Chief Fundraiser. 

Danny's Dad -- Kevin White, was Director of Athletics at the University of Notre Dame before moving on to lead the athletic department at Duke University.

Here's a link to the media coverage:

LINK:  WGRZ TV BUFFALO

LINK:  CLARION LEDGER

"The Most Improved Pitcher in Baseball..."

This is the label being placed on one Jeff Samardzija -- the former Notre Dame football All-American -- who's now on a roll as a starter with the Chicago Cubs. 

In his last 23 innings Jeff has an ERA of 0.84 with 23 strikeouts and only 6 walks.  He's now 4 - 1 on the season!

WAY TO GO SHARK!

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES STORY

LINK:  CHICAGO NOW STORY