Muffet's IRISH Move up to #2 in AP Rankings!

The Notre Dame women's basketball team's win on Saturday over then #1 UCONN has vaulted the IRISH to the #2 spot behind Baylor in the AP Poll -- yet the Coaches Poll still has UCONN ahead of ND -- go figure...

LINK:  WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS

Final College Football Rankings Just Released

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame ended up being ranked #3 in the final USAToday Coaches Poll and #4 in the final AP Poll for the 2012 college football season.

From 'un-ranked' to the final game of the season.

CONGRATULATIONS IRISH!


LINK:  FINAL FOOTBALL POLLS

Big Road Win for Coach Brey's Fighting Irish!

The #16 ranked Notre Dame men's basketball team traveled to Cincinnati last night to take on the #13 Bearcats and beat them 66 - 60 -- a huge road win for the IRISH!

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  CINCINNATI NEWSPAPER

The Mornin' After...

Yeah, we got hammered... 

Alabama was so dominant last night, they would have done the same thing to my other favorite football team -- the Detroit Lions.  (That's not saying much...)

Yet, I feel GREAT about our Notre Dame football program and the direction we're headed.

Here's why I'm excited:

• We are a TOP TEN football program -- again -- and we're going to be for some time
• We have a COACH who has proven he can build winning "CHAMPIONSHIP" programs
• We have a QB who's going to be GREAT -- and will be a Heisman finalist before he's done
• We have the most TALENT on our team since the days of Lou Holtz in the late 80's and early 90's -- combined with a coaching staff that can DEVELOP this talent
• Everyone in our football program now knows -- WE CAN WIN -- and that is huge
• The Notre Dame Family has been re-energized this season
• And, we've been given a gift by the Alabama Crimson Tide -- EMBARRASSMENT -- a gift I believe will propel this team to a National Championship in the next three years.

What's also great is this -- the WORLD got to witness the power of the NOTRE DAME BRAND -- especially the "Y and Z" generations.  No other university can stir the hearts and souls of so many people around the globe.  It was fun to watch.

So what do we do now!

1. Stay POSITIVE
2. Remember where we've been and look FORWARD to where we're going
3. And, be THANKFUL for all of the joy of these past 18 weeks -- it's been off the charts

I'd like to extend a BIG THANK YOU to Coach Kelly, his STAFF and to the 105 student-athletes who wore the GOLD HELMET last night in Sun Life Stadium -- you have AWAKEN THE ECHOES!

Remember -- it's only 235 days to kick-off of the 126th season of Notre Dame Football!


LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

Photos From ND's Game Day Party in Miami!

These photos have been sent to me courtesy of Samantha Ruttura -- who received the free ticket to tonight's BCS National Championship game courtesy of the YP team.

George Will -- "Luck of the IRISH"

Just found this article written by George Will -- one of the more respected journalist's in America today...

LINK:  LUCK OF THE IRISH

Coach Elliott to Receive a Kidney Transplant!

Notre Dame football coach Bob Elliott was given the great news the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  The kidney is coming from his sister Betsy Stough -- you'll love how she told her brother Bob...

LINK:  KIDNEY TRANSPLANT FOR ND COACH

Lookout BAMA! -- HERE COME THE IRISH!

This is a 20' x 50' billboard that should be hanging at today's Game Day Party in Miami!


LINK:  NOTRE DAME AND ALABAMA -- FINAL PREPARATIONS

Miami's Hotel Intercontinental -- GO IRISH!

This video was sent to the ND GO IRISH BLOG by Fr. Ralph Haag, C.S.C. -- a Notre Dame priest who's down in South Florida for tonight's BCS National Championship game.

ESPN Feature -- "At Home With the Golics"

ESPN pushed out this story today on Mike Golic and his son's Mike Jr. and Jake at home for Christmas break -- before heading down to Florida for tonight's BCS National Championship game. 

Enjoy!

LINK:  THE GOLICS AT HOME

LINK:  JESSE PALMER TALKS MATCHUP

LINK:  DAVE POLLACK TALKS MATCHUP

Please Say a Prayer for Mirko Jurkovic Today

The former Notre Dame All-American football player is clinging on to life this morning after a 28 month battle with colon cancer. 

Mirko, an analyst for UND.COM sat with Jack Nolan -- just last week -- to talk about how HIS IRISH CAN BEAT BAMA tonight.

LINK:  MIRKO JURKOVIC -- TALKIN' IRISH FOOTBALL

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE STORY

Notre Dame vs. Alabama -- 11 Hours to Kick-off

The ND GO IRISH BLOG took a lap around the worldwide web this morning to see what the "media experts" have to say about tonight's BCS National Championship game between Notre Dame and Alabama. 

Please remember this IRISH FANS -- most of the media has been wrong all season, why would they stop now?


LINK:  NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

LINK:  LOS ANGELS TIMES

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

LINK:  NEW YORK TIMES

LINK:  NBC'S NOTRE DAME CENTRAL 

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  TUSCALOOSA NEWS

LINK:  JACKSON COUNTY NEWSPAPER

LINK:  MIAMI HERALD 

LINK:  SUN-SENTINEL

LINK:  YAHOO SPORTS

LINK:  CBS SPORTS

LINK:  ESPN

LINK:  ESPN MATCHUPS

LINK:  COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATION BLOG

LINK:  THE SPORTING NEWS

LINK:  COMCAST SPORTS NET

LINK:  NBC SPORTS NETWORK

LINK:  ABC NEWS

LINK:  BLEACHER REPORT

LINK:  ASSOCIATED PRESS

LINK:  TAMPA BAY SBNATION

"Today is the Day -- We're Going to Win!!!"

These words were spoken by a football coach at a little school in the "middle of nowhere" -- but, they still resonate today -- nearly 80 years later...

What though the odds be great or small, Old Notre Dame will win over all!

GO IRISH -- BEAT BAMA!!!

LINK:  KNUTE ROCKNE'S SPEECH

"Notre Dame Football is Back" -- WE KNOW IT!

Sports Illustrated's Michael Rosenberg penned this story today...

LINK:  "IT'S GOOD FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL..."

Notre Dame Fans Should Sleep Well Tonight!!!

Here's why:

• Notre Dame's last four coaches who were in their THIRD SEASON and were playing for a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP -- won the TITLE!  Brian Kelly is in his third season.
• There have been eight (8) BCS National Championship games where one head coach had no history of winning a BCS National Championship was up against a coach who had previously won one or more national titles.  The coach who had yet to win a national championship has won SEVEN TIMES!  Brian Kelly is playing in his first BCS title game -- Nick Saban has won three so far... 
• And, Monday January 7th is the Feast Day for Saint Andre Bessette, C.S.C. Bessette is the first member of the Congregation of Holy Cross (the founders of the University of Notre Dame) to receive canonisation as a saint by the Catholic church.

BCS National Championship -- ND Day Five!

The folks at Fighting Irish Digital Media put together a recap of what's been going on these last five days in Miami!

LINK:  DAY FIVE REPORT

Notre Dame's BCS Championship Team Photo!

This looks like a NATIONAL CHAMPION to me!

Notre Dame Football - ONE DAY AWAY!

The Notre Dame Football equipment truck is ready to paint a "12" on its side!

ESPN Interviews of Notre Dame Players

Here's some interviews of a few members of the Fighting Irish football team by the gang at ESPN.  Click on the player's name below:

LINK:  CIERRE WOOD

LINK:  KEI VARAE RUSSELL

LINK:  STEPHON TUITT

LINK:  MIKE GOLIC JR.

The Day Before the BCS National Championship

The Fighting Irish made a visit to Joe DiMaggio's Children Hospital and Coach Kelly held his last session with the media before tomorrow night's BCS National Championship game with Alabama. 

This game can't come fast enough!

LINK:  FOOTBALL TEAM VISITS HOSPITAL

LINK:  COACH KELLY PRESS CONFERENCE