ND Football: Chicago Tribune's Photo Gallery

The Chicago Tribune had a photographer at yesterday's first football practice -- you'll enjoy their photo gallery linked below:

Check out the cool Under Armour shoes and gloves being worn by ND running back Greg Bryant in the photo above.

LINK:  PHOTO GALLERY

Brian Van Gorder Talks After Practice Today

Notre Dame's new defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder met with WatchND's Jack Nolan after Practice #2 today in Culver, IN -- enjoy!

LINK:  VAN GORDER

WatchND's Coverage of ND Football: DAY ONE

Here's some video of Notre Dame's first practice session in Culver, IN -- click on the link below:

LINK:  DAY ONE

Overnight Local Coverage of First Practice Day

Here's the latest coverage from the South Bend TV stations and the South Bend Tribune -- of Notre Dame Football's first day of practice.  You'll get a kick out of Coach Kelly's quick jab at Golson during his media session (Fox 28):

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  WSBT-TV

LINK:  FOX-28

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #1

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #2

LINK:  ELKHART TRUTH 

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE

You Must See this Sheldon Day Interview

WatchND's Jack Nolan is down in Culver, IN this week with the Fighting Irish -- this afternoon he conducted this interview with Sheldon Day.

I promise you, after watching this -- you will be rooting for this young man!

LINK:  SHELDON DAY

Local TV Coverage of ND's First Practice Today

Took a lap around the local TV stations here in the South Bend area to give you a flavor of the news reporting from DAY ONE of the 2014 Notre Dame Football Training Camp in Culver, IN -- just click on the links below:

LINK:  ABC57 -- GOLSON'S BACK

LINK:  ABC57 -- SENIORS

LINK:  WNDU-TV -- GOLSON STORY

LINK:  WNDU-TV -- ND'S ARRIVAL

LINK:  WSBT-TV -- TRAINING CAMP

Coach Kelly Takes Questions After Practice

The first football practice of the 2014 Notre Dame football season took place about an hour southwest of campus at the beautiful Culver Academies campus.  If you haven't seen this place -- you must!

Here's a link to the media session:

LINK:  COACH KELLY TAKES QUESTIONS

Look For Under Armour's "BIG ND UNVEIL"

If you go to the Under Armour website and type in "NOTRE DAME" it will drive you to the page linked below and the banner above...

They've been teasing a "BIG UNVEIL" this month!  Stay tuned!!!

LINK:  UNDER ARMOUR -- ND GEAR

Forbes: Brian Kelly "Best Bang for the Buck!"

Forbes Magazine ranked the "best 25 college football coaches in America for the money."

Guess who's #1:  Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly.


LINK:  BEST BANG FOR A BUCK!

Day 1: Photos from ND Football Training Camp

Here's a look at what took place today on the practice fields and class rooms at Culver Academies for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

Offensive players in blue -- defensive players in white and QB's in red.

Just click on the photos to enlarge them!

First Look at UA's Notre Dame Practice Jersey

Here's a look at what the QB's (Everett Golson) are wearing and the defensive players (Jaylon Smith) are wearing this week from Under Armour at Training Camp in Culver, IN.

Gone are the shoulder stripes from Adidas...

Fighting Irish Visit Notre Dame Stadium Sunday

On their way to Culver for the start of Training Camp yesterday afternoon -- Coach Kelly made a stop at Notre Dame Stadium.  Here's a photo of the Fighting Irish walking on the new Field Turf playing surface for the first time.

The ND MONOGRAM is bigger than I thought!

Bettis & Brown -- Next for NFL Hall of Fame?

Over the weekend, the NFL celebrated the best of all-time in Canton, OH.

Here's hoping next year we'll see one if not two former Notre Dame student-athletes wearing that gold jacket.  Click on the story about next year's NFL Hall of Fame Class.

LINK:  WHO'S NEXT?

Notre Dame Leprechaun Challenges Fallon

Here's the challenge video posted Friday by the Notre Dame Leprechaun -- linked below...

Apparently, Jimmy Fallon does a "lip sync challenge" feature on his Tonight Show and Leprechaun "John" and the Syracuse mascot named "Otto" have challenged Fallon and his Panda character -- the week Notre Dame plays Syracuse at Met Life Stadium.   Here's the video:

LINK:  FALLON CHALLENGE

Domer Dad Bon Jovi's Letter to Buffalo Fans

Jon Bon Jovi (AKA: rock star and Dad to Notre Dame student-athlete Jesse Bongiovi) penned a passionate letter to the Buffalo Bills fans letting them know of his intentions -- if he is fortunate enough to acquire the team.

LINK:  BUFFALO FANS LETTER

Our Kid's "First Season" at Iowa Speedway

This weekend marked the third and final race weekend of the 2014 race season for NASCAR's Iowa Speedway. 

Our son, and 2008 Notre Dame graduate -- Jimmy Small has literally worked around the clock (seven days a week) the last ten months to put on a good show in Iowa.  We're very proud of his commitment to making a good first impression.

The photos above are from Victory Lane -- Jimmy with last night's Nationwide race winner Brad Keselowski and this past May's K&N Pro Series race winner Ben Rhodes.

Here is a Des Moines Register story (linked below) about Jimmy's first year at the helm.  Something I know he's real proud of -- is his TEAM at Iowa Speedway.  Way overlooked in all the hype these past few months about NASCAR placing a "28 year-old Notre Dame grad in charge" -- is the great work from all of his teammates this race season.  I sure hope they all get caught up on their sleep.

It's well deserved.

LINK:  HIS FIRST LAP

LINK:  FINAL LAPS FROM LAST NIGHT'S RACE

Under Armour's Custom Shoe for ND VIP's

Here's a photo of a Notre Dame exec's shoes from Under Armour -- they are sharp!

Domer Matt Besler '09 Opts To Play at Home!

Former Notre Dame All-American and US National Team member Matt Besler shocked the world soccer community by turning down "more money to play in Europe" -- when he signed a four-year guaranteed contract this week with his hometown MLS team -- Sporting Kansas City.

Besler's deal is worth $2.8 million -- congratulations Matt!

That's Matt on the right in the photo above holding the MLS Cup Trophy which his Sporting Kansas City team won this past season.

LINK:  STAYING HOME

Happy 24th Birthday Today for Skylar Diggins!

Former Notre Dame All-American and now WNBA All-Star -- Skylar Diggins turns 24 years-old today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SKYLAR!

If you'd like to wish Skylar a Happy Birthday on Twitter - just send her a TWEET @SkyDigg4

Weekly NFL Update for Notre Dame Graduates

Took a lap around the NFL this morning to check in all of the former Notre Dame football players competing for spots in Training Camps.

AS OF THIS MORNING -- THERE ARE 39 FORMER NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL PLAYERS ON NFL TRAINING CAMP ROSTERS.  22 on offense, 16 on defense and 1 specialist.

Just click on their name below to see the latest media reports:

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN -- 8

CHRIS WATT -- CHARGERS

ZACK MARTIN -- COWBOYS

SAM YOUNG -- JAGUARS

JOHN SULLIVAN -- VIKINGS

TREVOR ROBINSON -- BENGALS

RYAN HARRIS -- CHIEFS

ERIC OLSEN -- TITANS

BRAXSTON CAVE -- PATRIOTS


TIGHT ENDS -- 5

JOHN CARLSON -- CARDINALS

TYLER EIFERT -- BENGALS

ANTHONY FASANO -- CHIEFS

TROY NIKLAS -- CARDINALS

KYLE RUDOLPH -- VIKINGS


WIDE RECEIVERS -- 3

MICHAEL FLOYD -- CARDINALS

T.J. JONES -- LIONS

GOLDEN TATE -- LIONS


RUNNING BACKS -- 5

GEORGE ATKINSON -- RAIDERS

JONAS GRAY -- PATRIOTS

ROBERT HUGHES -- CARDINALS

THEO RIDDICK -- LIONS

CIERRE WOOD -- RAVENS


QUARTERBACKS -- 1

JIMMY CLAUSEN -- BEARS


DEFENSIVE LINEMEN -- 5

LOUIS NIX -- TEXANS

KONA SCHWENKE -- CHIEFS

JUSTIN TUCK -- RAIDERS

STEPHON TUITT -- STEELERS

IAN WILLIAMS -- 49ERS


LINEBACKERS -- 4

DARIUS FLEMING -- PATRIOTS
 
DAN FOX -- GIANTS

PRINCE SHEMBO -- FALCONS

MANTI TE'O -- CHARGERS


DEFENSIVE BACKS -- 7

ROBERT BLANTON -- VIKINGS

SERGIO BROWN -- COLTS

DAVID BRUTON -- BRONCOS

BENNETT JACKSON -- GIANTS

ZEKE MOTTA -- FALCONS

HARRISON SMITH -- VIKINGS

DARRIN WALLS -- JETS


SPECIALISTS -- 1

J.J. JANSEN -- PANTHERS