Sports Illustrated's Post Spring Top 25

Fighting Irish fans will be "luke warm" with Sports Illustrated's rankings released today of the TOP 25 football teams in the country.  Here's the link:

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S TOP 25 FOOTBALL TEAMS

Mike Lee Rumored to Fight at ND in September!

There are rumors that ND alum Mike Lee 09' and Top Rank Boxing are in conversations with the University of Notre Dame about scheduling a fight at Purcell Pavillion the night before the Michigan State football game.  Wouldn't that be cool!

We just need to put the ex-MSU football player who planted the flag in Notre Dame Stadium in the ring with Mike that night!

Lee, who's 5 - 0 as a pro boxer has a fight coming up on July 9th at the Home Depot Center outside of Los Angeles.  The ND GO IRISH BLOG will stay on top of this story.  Here's a link to Mike's website:

LINK:  MIKE LEE'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE

He's Now Officially "Dr. Lou" -- Congratulations!

Former Irish hall of fame football coach Lou Holtz received an honorary degree this Sunday from the University of Notre Dame.  Congratulations Dr. Lou!

Photo of the Day -- Jimmy Clausen Graduates!

Carolina Panthers QB Jimmy Clausen came back to South Bend this past semester to finish up his degree from the Univesity of Notre Dame.  Photo taken by ND's Matt Cashore

Giving Back -- David Bruton's Story

Former Notre Dame safety -- and now Denver Bronco safety David Bruton is keeping busy during the NFL lockout by teaching in his hometown of Miamisburg, OH.  The Denver Post caught up with the Irish alum who is getting paid $90 a day in this new "part time" career.  Thought you'd enjoy this story:


LINK:  SUBSTITUTE TEACHING DURING LOCKOUT

It's Notre Dame vs. Duke Today at 2:30 PM EST

In a rematch of last year's National Championship game -- the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame take on the Duke Blue Devils at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA with the winner advancing to the Division 1 Men's Lacrosse FINAL FOUR next weekend in Baltimore.  The game will be televised LIVE on ESPNU.  The Irish beat Duke earlier this season 12 - 7.   Here's a link to a preview of today's matchup:  GO IRISH!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME vs. DUKE

ND's Coach Alford Doing the Right Thing

The Pacheco family in Sarasota is struggling today -- their eight year old daughter was hit and killed in a car accident Monday evening -- trying to cross a street.  One of the first on the scene was Notre Dame football coach Tony Alford, who was in town recruiting for the Fighting Irish.  I'm going to leave the rest of the story to the South Bend Tribune -- here's the link:

LINK:  THANK YOU COACH ALFORD

Tom Lemming Updates ND Football Recruiting

The folks at Weekday SportsBeat at 960 AM in South Bend had high school football recruiting guru Tom Lemming as a guest yesterday.  Lemming spoke about ND's current recruiting class and future prospects and his new Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl which will take place in Phoenix during the Fiesta Bowl Week activities.  Here's the link:


LINK:  LEMMING TALKS NOTRE DAME

LINK:  SEMPER FIDELIS ALL-AMERICAN BOWL

ND's Live Web Broadcast of Commencement

If you're looking for something "engaging" on the worldwide web this weekend you just might want to tune in to the University of Notre Dame's live web stream of events taking place this 2011 Commencement Weekend.  If you have never seen the Commencement Mass at Notre Dame -- you just might want to tune-in today at 4:40 PM.  IT IS THAT SPECIAL.   Here's the schedule of live events:

Today / Saturday Schedule:

• 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM -- Graduate School Commencement Ceremony  

• 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM -- ROTC Commissioning Ceremony

• 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM -- Service Send-off Ceremony

• 4:40 PM to 6:30 PM --  Commencement Mass and Academic Procession

HERE'S THE LINK TO TUNE-IN TODAY:  LIVE WEB STREAM

Tomorrow / Sunday Schedule:

• 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM -- University Commencement and Academic Procession, LIVE from Notre Dame Stadium

HERE'S THE LINK TO TUNE-IN SUNDAY:  LIVE WEB STREAM

Domer Finishes Run Across America Today!

Jeff Grabosky became the 43rd individual to ever run from "coast to coast" this afternoon at 1:50 PM EST.  The 3,709 mile run took 120 days for this member of the ND Class of 2005 -- ending on Long Island, NY at the Atlantic Ocean!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Here's a link to Jeff's website:  JEFF RUNS AMERICA

Jack Swarbrick Talks Notre Dame Athletics

University of Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick met with the Observer (ND's school newspaper) to talk about the future of ND's Athletic Department.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  NEXT FOR NOTRE DAME!

Michigan's Throwback Jersey For ND Game

Irish fans may recall that Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly let the word out early about the uniforms that Michigan would be wearing in their first ever night game against ND on September 10th.

I was told by a friend close to Michigan AD David Brandon that he was not very happy (an understatement) with Coach Kelly and Notre Dame that they scooped the Wolverines.

Here's what their jerseys might look like -- there is a NCAA rule that you must have an 8" inch number on the jersey front.

Coach Kelly Makes Gift to Alabama Residents

I'm not surprised that Brian Kelly would feel the need to help out Alabama.  ND fans will feel good after reading this story about Coach Kelly who was in Bama to meet with a Notre Dame Club:

LINK:  KELLY MAKES GIFTS TO ALABAMA

Isn't the SEC Already Paying Their Athletes?

I find this discussion to be the final leap by Athletic Directors and College Presidents to the "dark side." 

Should athletes be paid over and above their scholarship? 

How can schools in the Big East, Mid American Conference, Conference USA,  etc., financially justify paying their athletes over and above the scholarships, coaching salaries, travel, etc., when they don't fill their stadiums every Saturday?  Is BANK NCAA coming to the rescue?  Here's a link to the conversation:

LINK:  IS THIS GOOD FOR COLLEGE ATHLETICS?

Irish Hoops Recruit Picked As A Big Surprise!

Pat Connaughton committed to play for Mike Brey and the Fighting Irish this past recruiting season -- and he's been picked by ESPN experts as one of the BIGGEST SURPRISES out of the Class of 2011.  (Pat is also an ALL-STAR baseball pitcher).   Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  ONE OF THE BIGGEST SURPRISES

Jeff Samardzija Goes to 3 - 0 With the Cubs!

Former Notre Dame football and baseball star Jeff Samardzija pitched two scoreless innings tonight in the Cubs win over the Marlins.  Samardzija struck out three and gave up one hit -- getting his third win on the season -- in relief of Cub's starter Ryan Dempster.

Jeff has now appeared in seventeen games for the Cubs this season -- giving up zero runs in 13 of those appearances!  His ERA is now at 2.96 for the season.  Here's a link to Jeff's updated season stats:

LINK:  JEFF SAMARDZIJA STATS

The 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses

Notre Dame fans won't be pleased where the campus of the University of Notre Dame ended up on this list.  You be the judge:

LINK:  50 MOST BEAUTIFUL CAMPUSES

Ryan Grant Fulfills His Promise to WI School

Former Notre Dame running back and current Green Bay Packer, Ryan Grant, fulfilled a promise he made to Burlington Catholic Central High School that he would pay for their high school prom.  Here's a link to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story and the deal he cut with the school:

LINK:  RYAN GRANT'S A MAN OF HIS WORD

Notre Dame Says "NO" to Made In China

The only school in America that has told their Licensees -- NO PRODUCTS CARRYING OUR MARKS MADE IN CHINA -- is the University of Notre Dame.  ND fans will find this story quite interesting:

LINK:  THIS DECISION WAS MADE TEN YEARS AGO

Lou Nanni -- A Notre Dame Man!

I found this article this evening in the South Bend Tribune.  It speaks a little about a man I've gotten to know over the past twelve months.  His name is Lou Nanni '84 and he's the Vice President for University Relations at the University of Notre Dame.  He has one of the greatest jobs on this planet -- and Notre Dame couldn't have found a more deserving MAN for this role.

Lou's convictions (as you'll see in this South Bend Tribune story) makes Notre Dame -- NOTRE DAME, to many.  Enjoy!

LINK:  WALKING THE WALK