Notre Dame Celebrates Digger Phelps Today

Richard "Digger" Phelps will be inducted into Notre Dame's Ring of Honor in a ceremony at half-time of the Irish's ACC game tonight against Virginia Tech. 

Many of his former basketball players are in town for what I expect will be an emotional evening for Digger and his family.  I can't wait to see what Notre Dame will place on Digger's banner that will forever hang from the rafters -- will it be;

• The number 393 -- signifying his all-time wins record at Notre Dame?
• The number 78 -- signifying the year his Irish played in their only FINAL FOUR?
• Or, will it be the number 56 -- signifying the number of players who played four years for Digger and their 100% graduation rate!

Here's a story on the UND.COM about Digger called a "Dream Realized."  You'll like this!

LINK:  A DREAM REALIZED

The Final Four Minutes of ND Over UCLA

It was forty years ago this very day when the #2 ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame beat #1 UCLA to end their 88 game winning streak.  The longest winning streak in collegiate sports history.  The Irish also broke Bill Walton's personal winning streak that had reached more than 140 games -- Walton had not lost a game since his junior year in high school.

What we forget is this -- the IRISH were down 11 points with just a little more than three minutes left in the game -- and there isn't a three point line nor a shot clock and UCLA can hold the ball...

You have to watch the final four minutes to watch how the Irish pulled this off -- gives me goose bumps every time!  (the photo above is of Dwight Clay's game winner with 23 seconds left)


LINK:  THE WINNING STREAK IS OVER

Notre Dame's Basilica Will NOT BE OPEN...

Just received word from the University of Notre Dame that the Basilica of the Sacred Heart will not re-open this weekend for Mass.  The Basilica has been closed since December 26th to install a slate floor. 

The release said this; "The expectation is to open the Basilica on Monday, Jan. 20."

I can't wait to see it in person!

(Just click on the photo to enlarge)

ND Athlete Named to "Top Bachelor 2014" List

Notre Dame freshman student-athlete Corey Robinson was profiled in Town & Country magazine as one of the Top 40 Bachelors of 2014. 

I'm sure he won't hear the end of this from the coaching staff, his teammates and classmates at Notre Dame!

Here's the top-40 list:

LINK:  COREY ROBINSON

Rees, Shembo & Jackson Play Today at 4 PM ET

Former Notre Dame football players Tommy Rees, Prince Shembo and Bennett Jackson will be playing in the East West Shrine Game today at 4 PM ET on the NFL Network.  They will be playing for the WEST Team.

T.J. Jones was also invited to play in the game  -- unfortunately, the shoulder injury he sustained in the Rutgers game kept him at home this week.

Here's a couple of reports on how the three players have been doing in practice this week in front of the NFL scouts -- along with a link to the West Team roster:

LINK:  RATING THE PASSERS 

LINK:  SHEMBO AND JACKSON PRACTICE UPDATES

LINK:  WEST TEAM ROSTER

They're Not At Notre Dame Anymore...

Former Notre Dame football coaches Bob Diaco and Ernest Jones -- were "rebuked" by the University of Connecticut's president for comments made by Jones to the UCONN football team.

LINK:  TOUCHDOWN JESUS

OT: Lighting Strikes Christ Statue's Right Hand

A lighting strike this week in Rio de Janiero broke a finger of the right hand off their Christ the Redeemer statue.  Thought you'd enjoy what Father Omar, the Rector of the Shrine, had to say about this...

LINK:  LIGHTING DOES STRIKE TWICE

Golden Tate Talks Sunday's Game With 49ers

The former Notre Dame All-American is playing in his next "biggest game of his life" tomorrow evening (6:30 PM ET) when the Seattle Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers in a game where the winner moves on to play in the Super Bowl XLVIII. 

Here's what he had to say to the media before practice.

LINK:  GOLDEN TATE

Must See: "Shipping Up To Boston" Tonight!

The Notre Dame hockey team's recent trip to Boston to play Boston College in historic Fenway Park was captured in a Fighting Irish Digital Media partnership with 3 Penny Films production called "Shipping Up To Boston" -- which will air this evening at 10 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network.

If you miss tonight's show -- the NBC Sports Network will "re-air" the show at these dates and times:

• January 23 at 1:30 AM ET
• January 29 at 12:30 AM ET
• February 8 at 10:30 PM ET

List of "The 50 Most Powerful Irish in America"

The 2014 list of the fifty most powerful Irish in America was just released by Irish Central and it includes a few names who have ties to the University of Notre Dame:

• #7  Don Keough -- the former President and COO of Coca-Cola is a past Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the University of Notre Dame (pictured above)
• #23  Brian Kelly -- head football coach at the University of Notre Dame
• #39  Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. -- president of the University of Notre Dame

LINK:  MOST POWERFUL IRISH AMERICANS

Domer Henry Evans -- A Story You MUST SEE !

Notre Dame alum Henry Evans' '84, life forever changed on October 29, 2002.  He was stricken with a stroke-like attack that overnight made him mute and quadriplegic.

Yet, Henry wouldn't let that stop him from living...

You must see / hear Henry's TedX presentation.  THIS IS MUST SEE!

LINK:  HENRY EVANS

A Domer's New Line of Work -- After the NFL

Former Notre Dame student-athlete Chinedum Ndukwe '07, has a new career after playing football for the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Ndukwe launched a new real estate and investment firm this past year called Kinglsey Wells Enterprises, L.L.C. -- and he's just made his first investment in a Cincinnati building project. 

Here's the story:

LINK:  LIFE AFTER THE NFL

Louis Nix's South Bend Tribune Interview

Former Notre Dame student-athlete Louis "Irish Chocolate" Nix III spoke with the South Bend Tribune's Eric Hansen about his decision to sign early with an agent -- missing out on the IRISH's trip to New York City for the Pinstripe Bowl -- and what he's doing now...

LINK:  LOUIS NIX III

Coach Mike Brey's Hall of Fame Induction

Fans of Notre Dame's Mike Brey will enjoy his trip down "memory lane" as Coach returned to his alma mater last night to be inducted into the George Washington University Hall of Fame.  Enjoy!

LINK:  HALL OF FAME

"88 AND 1" Must See This Sunday on ESPN2

The folks at ESPN2 will air a show on Sunday night at 8 PM ET called "88 AND 1" -- a story about Notre Dame's 71 - 70 win over UCLA that broke the Bruin's 88 game winning streak...  I'll be curious to see if they also talk about the loss "before the streak" began -- another victory for the IRISH over UCLA.

88 AND 1 will be re-broadcast on ESPNU on the following dates/times:
·      Jan. 19 – 10 p.m. EST
·      Jan. 21 – 4 p.m. EST
·      Jan. 24 – 6 p.m. EST
·      Jan. 30 – 1 a.m. EST


Click on the link below to watch show's promotional trailer:

LINK:  88 AND 1

Updated Photos of Notre Dame's Basilica Floor

The University of Notre Dame's Basilica of the Sacred Heart is wrapping up the installation of a brand new "slate" floor this week.   The plan calls for the Basilica of the Sacred Heart to celebrate Mass again this Sunday -- can't wait to see the new floor and hear the new sound!

Watch VanGorder's Press Conference Replay

Notre Dame football's new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder will be formally introduced to the media this afternoon at 3 PM ET.  Here's a link to the PRESS CONFERENCE REPLAY if you'd like to watch!

LINK:  REPLAY PRESS CONFERENCE

Coach Kelly on Bill King Radio Show Today

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly was a guest this morning on the Bill King Radio Show.  He talked about a number of things -- namely, his plan to return to calling the plays on offense.  Here's the story:

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE STORY

Notre Dame Hires Brian VanGorder to Run "D"

The University of Notre Dame just announced that Brian VanGorder has been hired as their new Defensive Coordinator.  VanGorder comes to the Fighting Irish from the New York Jets where he was their linebacker's coach this past season.

Coach VanGorder first coached with and for Brian Kelly from 1989 to 1992 at Grand Valley.  Since then, VanGorder has served as the defensive coordinator at Georgia, the Atlanta Falcons and Auburn.

Here's a replay of Coach VanGorder's introductory news conference with Auburn back in 2012 -- along with a link to his accomplishments as a coach:

LINK:  BRIAN VANGORDER

LINK:  BRIAN VANGORDER WIKI

Two Domers Lead All NFL Rookie Jersey Sales!

WOW!

Dick's Sporting Goods has been tracking the sale of NFL jerseys for the past fifteen months -- and the top two selling jerseys among NFL rookies belong to #1:  Manti Te'o and #2 Tyler Eifert...

Think about that -- there were 254 players drafted by NFL teams last year -- and many more signed as free agents.  And, the top two on the sales list -- NOTRE DAME PLAYERS!

LINK:  JERSEY REPORT -- DICK'S SPORTING GOODS