Is Notre Dame Now a BASKETBALL SCHOOL?

Here's the list of the FOUR colleges in the country who have men & women's basketball teams ranked in the AP Top 15 in the country this afternoon:

• Louisville -- #7 women / #5 men
• Kentucky -- #11 women / #1 men
• Duke -- #10 women / #2 men
• NOTRE DAME -- #4 women / #14 men

Notre Dame Hoops' New Under Armour Shoes

The #13 ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are in Chapel Hill, NC today -- SEE LINK BELOW -- awaiting their game tomorrow night against #19 North Carolina.

It's a nationally televised game on ESPN -- tipping off at 7 PM ET.

These are the new shoes the FIGHTING IRISH will be wearing from Under Armour tomorrow night...

LINK:  GAME PREVIEW

Music City Bowl Ends Up #8 in Attendance...

If your friends ever give you a hard time about why "Notre Dame always has a seat at the table when it comes to Bowl, TV and Playoff negotiations" -- just remind them of this...

The 2014 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl ended up 8th among the 35 Bowl games in attendance -- though their bowl payout was 13th among the 35.

Here's the TOP TWENTY (2014 - 2015) BOWL GAME attendance rankings:

1. Rose Bowl:  91,322
2. Sugar Bowl:  74,682
3. Cotton Bowl:  71,464
4. Advocare Texas Bowl:  71,115
5. Fiesta Bowl:  66,896
6. Peach Bowl:  65,706
7. Alamo Bowl:  60,517
8. Music City Bowl:  60,419
9. Orange Bowl:  58,211
10. Gator Bowl:  56,310
11. Holiday Bowl:  55,789
12. Liberty Bowl:  51,282
13. Pinstripe Bowl:  49,012
14. Citrus Bowl:  48,624
15. Hyundai Sun Bowl:  47,809
16.  Belk Bowl:  45,671
17.  Outback Bowl:  44,023
18.  Russell Athletic Bowl:  40,071
19. Independence Bowl:  38,242
20. Armed Forces Bowl:  37,888

Domer Storm Announces Stuart Scott's Death

Notre Dame alumna Hannah Storm '83, was given the task of announcing the death this morning of former ESPN colleague Stuart Scott -- who died this morning at the age of 49.

Here is Hannah's announcement along with links to ESPN's on air tribute and long time friend Rich Eisner talking of Scott's passing:

LINK:  HANNAH STORM

LINK:  ESPN -- STUART SCOTT TRIBUTE

LINK:  RICH EISNER

ACC Officiating of Notre Dame Football Games

Here's a look at how ACC officiating crews called penalties on Notre Dame in football games against non-ACC teams and against ACC teams.  ACC crews worked nine (9) Notre Dame games this season -- the first season the IRISH have worked with the ACC.

Is it just a coincidence that the games Notre Dame plays against ACC opponents -- the flags start flying?  

Isn't it ironic that the two games Notre Dame played against long-standing ACC members; North Carolina and Florida State, the Irish were flagged for the most penalties all season?  10 against North Carolina and 9 against Florida State. 

ACC Officiating Crew: ND vs. NON ACC TEAMS -- 5 games

• PENALTIES ON NOTRE DAME: 12 for 103 yards
• AVERAGE PER GAME:  2.4 for 20.6 yards per game

ACC Officiating Crew: ND vs. ACC TEAMS -- 4 games:

• PENALTIES ON NOTRE DAME:  30 for 259 yards
• AVERAGE PER GAME:  7.5 FOR 64.7 yards per game

By comparison -- here's what it looked like in the three games called by BIG TEN crews and the Music City Bowl game called by a PAC 12 officiating crew:

BIG TEN Officiating Crew -- 3 games:

• PENALTIES ON NOTRE DAME:  14 for 110 yards
• AVERAGE PER GAME:  4.7 for 36.7 yards per game

PAC 12 Officiating Crew -- MUSIC CITY BOWL GAME:

• PENALTIES ON NOTRE DAME: 2 for 15 yards

Jerian Grant's EPIC DUNK on Inbounds Play!!!

You won't believe this!  MUST SEE!

#14 Notre Dame beat Georgia Tech (in double-OT) 83 - 76 to go 14 - 1 and 2 - 0 in the ACC.  Up next, #19 North Carolina Monday night.

Photo above by Notre Dame photographer Matt Cashore. 

LINK:  JACK NOLAN'S CALL 

LINK:  ESPN GAME STORY

LINK:  ACC NETWORK

2015 Preview: Opponents Returning Starters

If you look at Notre Dame's 2015 Football Schedule -- against Power 5 Conference teams -- here's how these opponents rank in regards to returning starters:

1. USC:  16 returning starters
2. Wake Forest:  16 returning starters
3. Pittsburgh:  15 returning starters
4. Stanford:  14 returning starters
5. Georgia Tech:  13 returning starters
6. Virginia: 12 returning starters
7. Texas:  12 returning starters
8. Clemson:  11 returning starters
9. Boston College:  10 returning starters

Phil Steele: "Notre Dame Returns Most Starters"

College football guru Phil Steele published his ranking of the teams with the most returning starters in 2015 and guess who's #1 in the country among the Power Five conference teams?

The University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Here's the rankings:

LINK:  RETURNING STARTERS

Notre Dame Alum Opens "Hesburgh Hospital"

In Santo Domingo, Ecuador -- a new hospital carries the name of University of Notre Dame president emeritus, Fr. Ted Hesburgh, C.S.C.

Here's the story that ran on Notre Dame's Alumni site:

This summer, business major-turned physician, Dr. David Gaus, helped to open Hesburgh Hospital on behalf of Andean Health & Development, a nonprofit aimed at providing quality and sustainable healthcare for rural poor in the Ecuador.
 
Through the inspiration of Fr. Hesburgh, Dr. Gaus attended medical school and determined to use his degree for good: by providing residents of rural Ecuador affordable, accessible medical care. In 2000, he founded the Pedro Vicente Maldonado. Since then, the hospital has treated more than 75,000 patients, including 2,500 childbirths, 1,200 surgeries and 7,500 emergencies.
 
Now Dr. Gaus and the AHD have expanded these efforts, opening a new hospital in Santo Domingo, named the Hesburgh Hospital in honor of Fr. Hesburgh’s own presence and impact on the mission in Ecuador. The Hesburgh Hospital features 60 beds, comprehensive health services, residency training programs for family Physicians, and a research and resource center.
 
Unique to both of these hospitals is not only their distinctive approach to affordable healthcare, but also their mission to be financially sustainable within their first 2 years of operation, meaning that the hospital will operate off of revenue gained from patient services rather than outside donors. It is this kind of mission which allows the hospitals to operate as fully developed community partners regardless of outside forces—providing good for their communities.

LINK:  WATCH THE VIDEO

Zack Martin '13, Voted First Team NFL All-Pro!

Folks, the honors are just beginning to pile in for former Notre Dame student-athlete Zack Martin '13.

The Dallas Cowboy offensive guard was just named FIRST TEAM NFL ALL PRO by the media -- the only rookie to earn such honors! 

Here's the story:

LINK:  ZACK MARTIN -- NFL ALL PRO!

TMZ: The "Admiral" Proud of His Two Sons...

David Robinson was caught on camera after Notre Dame's win over LSU, by a reporter from TMZ Sports...

LINK:  ROBINSON

Happy "NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP" Year!

It's going to be a great year for the Fighting Irish and the Notre Dame Nation!  Just you wait and see...

Happy NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Year!

LINK:  THE LAST TIME

Didn't Take Long: Media Jumping on ND's...

Bandwagon...

LINK:  PLAYOFF CONTENDER IN 2015

OT: "Spelling Is Overrated" in East Lansing...

Got to love this fan's sign at the Michigan State basketball game yesterday in East Lansing...

Domer Joe Montana in AT&T TV Commercial

Former Notre Dame All-American, National Champion and four-time Super Bowl Champion (three time Super Bowl MVP) Joe Montana -- is appearing in a TV spot with Herschel Walker, Doug Flutie and Bo Jackson for AT&T -- take a look:

LINK:  HEISMANS vs. SUPER BOWL RINGS

OT: Harbaugh Madness in Ann Arbor, Michigan

This is a story you just couldn't make up...

LINK:  "ANN ARBAUGH"

Full Game Replay: Notre Dame 31 -- LSU 28

Here is the ESPN3 -- full game replay of Notre Dame's last second 31 - 28 win over LSU yesterday in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. 

If you fast forward to the end -- you can see the trophy presentation to Coach Kelly and the Team Captains:

LINK:  GAME REPLAY

OT: Another QB Who Throws Without the Laces

I couldn't pass this up...

South Bend TV Post Game Coverage Last Night

Here's what I could find from the four South Bend TV stations concerning Notre Dame's 31 - 28 win over LSU in the Music City Bowl:

LINK:  WNDU-TV #1

LINK:  WNDU-TV #2

LINK:  WSBT-TV #1

LINK:  WSBT-TV #2

LINK:  FOX 28 TV

LINK:  ABC 57 TV

Coach Kelly & Players Talk Music City Bowl Win

Here's all of the post game coverage I could find of Coach Kelly and Fighting Irish players talking about their 31 - 28 win over LSU in the Music City Bowl:

LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  PROSISE & FOLSTON

LINK:  COREY ROBINSON