Former Irish Assistant Coach Takes New Job...

You might have heard his name before -- Urban Meyer.  He's named after the eight Popes with the Papal name Urban and his stated "dream job" is to become the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame.

I WONDER IF MEYER HAS AN "OUT" CLAUSE IN HIS CONTRACT, WITH THE SCHOOL IN COLUMBUS, TO TAKE THE NOTRE DAME JOB IF EVER OFFERED.

To prepare to coach the team with the GOLD HELMETS someday, he's taken head coaching gigs, these last few years, with helmets that represent; birds, tribes, reptiles and now NUTS.  Here's a few links to news coverage about this former Notre Dame football assistant coach and his new job.

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  GAINESVILLE SUN

LINK:  INTRODUCTORY PRESS CONFERENCE

Hall of Famer Frank Robinson -- A ND Fan!

Former Baltimore Oriole great and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, was a guest of the University of Notre Dame's Joe Gelchion (AVP for Development) at Saturday night's game at Stanford.  You'll see Frank and Joe chatting with Coach Kelly in the opening video of IRISH CONNECTION -- linked below:

LINK:  IRISH CONNECTION

Irish Beat Duke at Buzzer -- Win Tournament!

The Irish were down 16 at halftime to #7 Duke last night 36 - 20.  But, it's never over 'til Natalie Novosel says it's over!  The senior guard scores the game winner with less than one second -- giving the Irish a 57 - 56 win last night in Puerto Rico!  Here's a link to the story and a link to video of the game highlights and the defining final seconds:


LINK:  IRISH WIN TOURNEY!

LINK:  VIDEO REPLAY!

The Mornin' After Stanford Beats Irish 28 - 14

For the last time, on a Sunday morning, in the year 2011 -- I've taken a lap around the world wide web to check in how the media is treating our Fighting Irish after last night's showing in Palo Alto, CA.  Turnovers -- the theme for the 2011 Notre Dame Football season -- was a factor again last night.  If you're sill counting, the Irish turned the ball over 26 times this season -- only thirteen teams in college football have more than 26 turnovers.  And, I can tell you this -- none of those teams are playing in a BCS Bowl game.  Here's the media's reaction:

LINK:  SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  NBC SPORTS

LINK:  LOS ANGELES TIMES 

LINK:  SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- AL LESAR

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- BOB WIENEKE

LINK:  AP NEWS STORY

Champs Bowl or Bust -- Expect Irish in Orlando

A 8 - 4 season that could have easily been a 10 - 2 season -- had we taken better care of the football -- will end in Orlando on December 29.  The Irish can expect to play the Seminoles...  If you're looking for tickets -- click on the link below.  You'll see they already list ND as one of the teams that could play in their bowl...

LINK:  CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL

OT: I Think She May Cost Her Husband a Job...

Kristi Malzahn -- wife of Auburn's Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn appeared last month at a conference called THE SUMMIT.

Besides making fun of former Notre Dame & College Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz's speech impediment, she goes off on many other subjects...

If I'm an Athletic Director and I see this video -- I wouldn't hire Mr. Malzahn.  His wife is that much of a liability.  If you were ever to start a WIKIPEDIA entry for "LOOSE CANNON" -- you would have to use Kristi Malzahn as the poster child.  You be the judge. 

PLEASE NOTE:  THE VIDEO WAS TAKEN DOWN OFF OF YOUTUBE -- NOT SURPRISED -- HOWEVER, I DID FIND IT ON ANOTHER SITE.


LINK:  SHE'S OUT OF CONTROL

Less Than Four Hours to Kick-Off!

The final football game of the 2011 regular season is just hours away -- and to get you fired up, I thought I'd share a link to Stanford Football Weekly.  You'll see Coach Shaw, Andrew Luck (QB), Chase Thomas (LB) and Jonathan Martin (LT) -- talk about the IRISH.

LINK:  STANFORD FOOTBALL WEEKLY

Notre Dame's South Bend Location Slammed

An article in Business Insider that focused on Nike's relationship with the University of Oregon -- somehow had to take a swipe at the University of Notre Dame's location in northern Indiana.  I guess Notre Dame should take this as a compliment...

LINK:  PHIL KNIGHT'S INFLUENCE ON OREGON

How the IRISH WILL BEAT STANFORD Tonight!

I "channelled" NOSTRADAMUS this morning -- to assist me with a prediction for tonight's game between the #22 Fighting Irish and #4 Stanford Cardinal .  Here's my winning game plan for ND:

1. Zero turnovers for the IRISH
2. Three turnovers for Stanford
3. IRISH sack Luck two times
4. Rees never gets sacked
5. 120 yards rushing from Cierre Wood
6. An actual IRISH punt return -- that is not fair caught -- that goes for a TD! 
7. A blocked punt by the IRISH
8. Three TD's for Michael Floyd -- one is on a WR reverse pass from John Goodman
9. David Ruffer kicks game winning 42 yard field goal as time expires!

FINAL SCORE:  NOTRE DAME 31:  STANFORD 30

Horrible News Yesterday From Irish BBall Team

University of Notre Dame's Tim Abromaitits is out for the season -- after tearing his ACL during practice yesterday.  This is a crushing blow to Tim, his family -- and the ND men's basketball team.  WOW...

LINK:  ABROMAITIS LOST FOR SEASON

LINK:  ESPN STORY

36 Hours to ND Football's Final Exam

It's been a long time since we've had a NOTRE DAME MOMENT -- beating a highly ranked team when we were not expected...

Will tomorrow be that moment?

Here's a link to what's being said by the media about Saturday's game with Stanford.

LINK:  SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

LINK:  SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

ND Athletes Lending a Thanksgiving Hand

Sixteen Notre Dame football players made a trip to Hope Ministries in South Bend yesterday to assist them in their preparation for Thanksgiving.  Here's a link to that story:

LINK:  GIVING BACK

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have to admit this is my favorite holiday of the year.  It's four days full of family, food, fun and football!  We're heading to a Thanksgiving celebration with Grandma Joanie and our Doyle family this afternoon and then off to be with Grandpa Jim this evening.  A GREAT DAY!

It's the first Thanksgiving without Grandma Barb (photo with her great-grandson Jimmy) in our lifetime...  I'll always be thankful to Grandpa & Grandma Doyle for giving our family the "gift" of Notre Dame.

Enjoy the day -- GO LIONS! 

A Tour of the Notre Dame Football Complex

The folks at UND.COM teamed up with Mike Golic, Jr. and Brandon Newman to give Irish fans a tour of the GUG (pronounced GOOOOG) -- home of the Notre Dame football operation.  To say the place is impressive would be an understatement.  Special thanks to ND GO IRISH BLOG regular contributor Kip Sweeney for alerting me to the video tour.

LINK:  ND'S FOOTBALL COMPLEX

Irish Guard Feature on the Irish Connection

The University of Notre Dame's Irish Guard are featured in this week's edition of Irish Connection.  Here's a link:

LINK:  THE IRISH GUARD

Stanford to Debut New Helmet & Jersey on ABC

The Stanford Cardinal will be unveiling this new uniform, shoe and helmet combination for Saturday night's prime-time game on ABC with our Fighting Irish.  Now, I don't think the helmet cost $1,200...

The Most Expensive Football Helmet in History!

Folks, I learned this evening -- from a very reliable source -- that the "hand crafted" football helmets the Fighting Irish wore for the Shamrock Series game against the University of Maryland cost $1,200 each!!!  Now, I'm quite certain the University of Notre Dame did not pay for those helmets -- so I'm guessing the folks at Adidas must have written the check.

Here's a link to Troy Lee Designs -- and their video of how they constructed the ND football helmet -- the most expensive football helmet in the history of the game:

LINK:  THE MOST EXPENSIVE FOOTBALL HELMET OF ALL TIME

Freshman Friday -- You'll Love These...

The gang at UND.COM produce a show called OUR TEAM OUR STORY -- and on Friday's they've been producing features on the freshman class.  You'll enjoy this look at our Irish.

LINK:  TROY NIKLAS

LINK:  CHASE HOUNSHELL

LINK:  CAM McDANIEL

Jonas Gray Can Look To His Hometown Team...

University of Notre Dame running back Jonas Gray, was having the season many of us expected of him when he committed to the Fighting Irish four years ago.   Power and speed -- a wonderful combination for a running back -- and we finally saw it in a GOLD HELMET and the #25 jersey. 

Unfortunately, Gray's season came to an end on Saturday with what appears to be a serious knee injury.

Ironically, the very next day a running back with Jonas's hometown Detroit Lions -- Kevin Smith, returned to football after a serious knee injury kept him away from the game for more than a year.  And, did he ever come back -- 140 yards rushing, 60 yards receiving and THREE TOUCHDOWNS!

Jonas -- you need to seek out Kevin Jones and chat with him on what he did to make it back, better than ever.  Here's a story about Jonas and a second story about Kevin Jones.

ND fans have not seen the last of Jonas Gray on a football field!!!

LINK:  ESPN BLOG STORY

LINK:  KEVIN JONES -- A COMEBACK STORY

Looks Like the Irish @ Champs Sports Bowl

Here's what the 'experts' are projecting as the destination for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team this upcoming bowl season -- THE CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL, December 29th in Orlando.  The opponent -- none other than FREE SHOES UNIVERSITY (Florida State).  Here's a few of the projections:

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  CBS SPORTS

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED