OT: Beacon Test -- One World Trade Center

This brings a smile to my face and an uneasiness to my stomach -- all at the same time.

This evening, Manhattan's new One World Trade Center lit its BEACON for the very first time.  Taking it to 1,776 feet tall!

I had the misfortune of being in NYC the morning our country changed forever...

Notre Dame Football Arrives in Pittsburgh, PA

The #1 road show in college football -- the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame -- rolled into Pittsburgh late Friday afternoon to take a look at the Steeler's Heinz Field, site of tomorrow night's prime time game against the Pitt Panthers.

As you'll see in the bottom photo -- ABC's Brent Musberger was there to chat with Coach Kelly...

Notre Dame Football on ABC Tonight at 8 PM ET

Here's the "tune-in" promotion the Fighting Irish send out to the top high school football players in the country.

#3 Ranked Notre Dame Beats #1 Minnesota!

Jeff Jackson's Fighting Irish beat the top ranked Golden Gophers tonight at a sold-out Compton Family Ice Arena by the score of 4 - 1!

It's the first loss of the season for Minnesota -- a win tomorrow and Notre Dame should take over the #1 ranking in the country.

Minnesota' head coach Don Lucia '81 is a Notre Dame alum and former Irish hockey player who also doubles as the father of #22 Mario Lucia who wears the gold helmet!  See the interview linked below:

LINK:  MARIO LUCIA INTERVIEW 

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Brian Kelly's Last Media Session Before Pitt

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly met with the media tonight for the last time before Saturday night's PRIME TIME game against the Pitt Panthers.  Here's a link:

LINK:  COACH KELLY WITH MEDIA

A Wish Comes True For Notre Dame Fan

A young man from Bethlehem, PA named Cameron Kessler -- a kidney transplant survivor -- had a wish to spend a day with the Notre Dame football team.  Well, as you'll see in this wonderful story -- told by our friends at Fighting Irish Digital Media -- his wish came true and then some!

You'll enjoy Coach Elliott's perspective as well.   MUST SEE!

LINK:  WISH COMES TRUE

49 Hours to Kick-Off -- Media Thinks Squeaker

The Fighting Irish are 7 - 2 and the Pitt Panthers are 4 - 4 -- yet, a few in the media think Notre Dame will lose Saturday's game...

We're not getting the respect due a team that is 19 - 3 its past 22 games.

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE #2

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE

Domer Dad Wins AL Silver Slugger Award!

Torii Hunter Sr., -- father of Notre Dame wide receiver Torii, Jr. -- was awarded the SILVER SLUGGER AWARD as one of the top three hitting outfielders in the American League.  Hunter, who plays right field for the Detroit Tigers hit .304, with 17 home runs and 84 RBI.

Congratulations Torii!

LINK:  SILVER SLUGGER AWARD

Photo: Pitt Panther's Football Practice Today

Folks, you won't believe where this photo was taken...

The Pitt Panthers had one of their student managers dress up in a Leprechaun suit at their football practice today -- as they get ready for Saturday's game with our Fighting Irish.

OT: Looking For a New Place to Call Home?

Michael Jordan's 56,000 square foot home in the suburbs of Chicago will be sold via an "exclusive auction" set for November 22nd.  Here's a link to the promotional video...

LINK:  MICHAEL JORDAN'S HOME

OT: Nike Helping Promote Michigan State

The folks at Nike have put together a promotional video for the Spartans of Michigan State -- and wouldn't you know it, they had to be sure Notre Dame was included.  They just forgot to show the scoreboard!

LINK:  THE SPARTANS

Pitt Week -- Coach Kelly Press Conference

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media -- as he does every Tuesday during the football season -- to talk about the upcoming game.  Today's topic, the Pitt Panthers.

LINK:  COACH KELLY PRESS CONFERENCE

OT: Most Successful Football Play of All-Time

Folks, you have to watch what a middle-school football team did for a teammate in Olivet, MI.  Get your Kleenex out!

LINK:  MOST SUCCESSFUL FOOTBALL PLAY OF ALL-TIME

Jeff Samardzija Trade Rumors to Arizona

Word on the street is the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks are discussing a trade that would involve former Notre Dame All-American wide receiver Jeff Samardzija. 

Samardzija finished 9th in all of Major League Baseball for strikeouts in 2013 -- with 214 in 213.2 innings pitched.

Here's the story:

LINK:  SAMARDZIJA ON TRADING BLOCK

Notre Dame Football "Livin' on a Prayer" Video

The gang at Fighting Irish Digital Media convinced a number of Notre Dame football players to perform in a music video for the song "Livin' On a Prayer."  You'll want to watch this.

Suffice to say -- don't give up your athletic scholarship!

LINK:  LIVIN' ON A PRAYER MUSIC VIDEO

Domer Dating Former ABC Bachelor Contestant

 

Notre Dame alum Michael Garofola '02, is back in the limelight.  The attorney out of southern Florida -- who was on the last season of ABC's The Bachelorette -- is now dating a former contestant on ABC's The Bachelor -- AshLee Frazier.  Here's the People magazine story:

LINK:  GAROFOLA BACK IN THE NEWS

CBS "Bowl Expert" Has Notre Dame in Dallas...

CBS's BCS Expert Jerry Palm has the Fighting Irish playing on New Year's Day in Dallas, TX against the Rice Owls in the "Heart of Dallas" Bowl...

The game is played outdoors in the Cotton Bowl -- a venue the Irish know well on New Year's Day!

LINK:  HEART OF DALLAS BOWL

Pitt's Coach Paul Chryst Talks Notre Dame

The Pitt Panthers head football coach Paul Chryst met with the media today to talk about Saturday's PRIME TIME showdown with the Fighting Irish.  Here's a link to a transcript of his media session:

LINK:  CHRYST TALKS NOTRE DAME

All-Time Winning Percentage -- Race to #1

The University of Michigan and the University of Notre Dame are the two winningest football programs in college history.  At this very moment the all-time records are as follows:

• Michigan:  909 - 317 - 36 (.7307 %)
• NOTRE DAME:  872 - 303 - 42  (.7291%)

So, here's the gap -- to overtake Michigan at season's end -- here's what Notre Dame must do its last four games -- including a bowl game:

• Notre Dame goes 4 - 0  / Michigan goes 2 - 3 /  Notre Dame takes over all-time winning %

Notre Dame's Game vs. Pitt on ABC @ 8 PM ET

The folks at ABC announced yesterday that they will be televising Notre Dame's game this Saturday against Pittsburgh in "prime time" at 8 PM ET. 

No other team plays on national television as much as Notre Dame...

LINK:  ABC TO TELEVISE SATURDAY'S GAME