Tyler Eifert -- Spends the Day in Cincinnati

The former Notre Dame All-American tight end and the #21 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft -- spent the day in Cincinnati with his new team.  As you'll see -- he'll be wearing #85 for the Bengals -- formerly worn by "Chad Ochocinco".

LINK:  TYLER EIFERT IN CINCI

LINK:  EIFERT ARRIVES IN CINCINNATI

Photos of Manti Te'o Draft Celebration Party

This shirt could become a HUGE SELLER -- I know I'd buy one if Notre Dame were to license it!

Coach Kelly at NFL Draft Talks Manti Te'o

The folks at the NFL Network interviewed Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly right after San Diego selected the Irish All-American with the #38 pick.  Here's a link to the interview:

LINK:  COACH KELLY ON MANTI GOING TO CHARGERS

Te'o & Toma Welcome Home Parade Saturday

Former Notre Dame football players Manti Te'o and Robby Toma will be honored with a PARADE this Saturday by the city of Honolulu.  Here are the details:

LINK:  PARADE SATURDAY FOR MANTI & ROBBY

Video of Manti Te'o & Family Celebrating Pick!

The local Hawaiian TV stations had cameras rolling on Manti and his parents when it was announced that Te'o would be taking his talents to San Diego!  Great moment for this family -- even though it came 22 hours late...

The top photo above shows Manti Te'o taking the phone call from the San Diego Chargers...
 

LINK:  VIDEO OF TE'O  FAMILY REACTION

LINK:  KITV-ABC

Manti Te'o Drafted by the San Diego Chargers!

The wait is finally over for the most decorated defensive player in college football history...

Notre Dame All-American Manti Te'o was just drafted #38 overall in the Second Round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers -- who traded up to get him.

Congratulations Manti!


LINK:  SAN DIEGO SELECTS MANTI

LINK:  SAN DIEGO ABC-TV

Mel Kiper Talks Manti Te'o Not Being Drafted

ESPN's NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper was on the Mike & MIKE show this morning...

One of the subjects was Manti Te'o -- here's what he had to say -- along with these other guests on today's show;  Eric Mangini, Bill Polian and John Clayton.


LINK:  KIPER ON TE'O

LINK:  MANGINI ON TE'O

LINK:  POLIAN ON TE'O

LINK:  CLAYTON ON TE'O

The Next Longest Day in the Life of Manti Te'o

Folks, I just can't believe (check that, I don't want to believe) there are 32 football players in America better for a NFL franchise than Manti Te'o.

It had to be a long night in Hawaii for Manti and his family and today can't be much better.  Hopefully, his phone rang last night or early this morning from a NFL GM who told him "we'll be drafting you at ---."

Here's the latest on Manti:


LINK:  NFL NETWORK 

LINK:  CBS SPORTS

LINK:  ESPN

LINK:  BUSINESS INSIDER

LINK:  AOL SPORTING NEWS

LINK:  CBS-TV -- DC

Tyler Eifert Goes to CINCINNATI in NFL Draft

Notre Dame All-American tight end Tyler Eifert was just drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals  -- as the #21 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.  Tyler is the 64th player in the 126 year history of Notre Dame football to be drafted in the First Round of the NFL Draft.

The #21 pick last year signed a four-year contract worth $8,170,000 -- not sure how much of this was guaranteed.

Congratulations Tyler!


LINK:  CINCINNATI BENGALS -- OFFICIAL WEBSITE

2013 NFL DRAFT -- First Round Begins at 8 ET

Welcome to the "next" longest day of Manti Te'o's life...

In about 14 hours from now, Manti Te'o will learn if he's a "multi-millionaire" and what city he'll call home -- or, maybe not...

It's the 2013 NFL Draft and it will dominate the MEDIA's attention over the next 96 hours.  Notre Dame fans will be tuning in to ESPN tonight at 8 PM ET to see if we will have DOMER #64 and DOMER #65 join the ranks of former Irish football players taken in the NFL Draft's First Round.

Tyler Eifert appears to be a LOCK to go in the first round -- Te'o is on the bubble...

Notre Dame is THIRD All-Time in players drafted in the first round (63).  We trail that school in Los Angeles (77) and that school in Columbus (67)...

Here is a look at a few of the latest MOCK DRAFTS:


LINK:  PETER KING -- SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

LINK:  MIKE MAYOCK -- NFL.COM

LINK:  GARY MYERS -- NEW YORK DAILY

NFL Draft's First Round -- Thursday Night!

24 hours from the start of the 2013 NFL Draft -- and the ND GO IRISH BLOG took a lap around the worldwide web this evening to see what's being said about Thursday night's FIRST ROUND.  Just click on the links below:

LINK:  NEW YORK DAILY NEWS -- MOCK DRAFT

LINK:  FORBES

LINK:  NEW YORK DAILY NEWS -- MANTI TO GIANTS?

LINK:  PHILLY INQUIRER

Jon Bon Jovi's Son to Walk-on @ Notre Dame

Add another "famous Dad" to the Notre Dame football roster...

The New York Daily News published this story today about Jesse Bongiovi's plans to try and walk-on to the Notre Dame football program this fall.  If Jesse makes the team -- Jon Bon Jovi will join this list of famous Dad's who will be cheering on the IRISH this fall:

• Chris Collinsworth -- former college and NFL football player -- now a TV analyst with NBC
• George Atkinson -- former NFL football star
• David Robinson -- NBA Hall of Famer
• Torri Hunter -- outfielder, Detroit Tigers
• Terry Hanratty -- ND football star and NFL QB
• Philip Daniels -- former NFL football star

LINK:  BON JOVI'S SON GOING TO NOTRE DAME

Skylar Diggins Says Good-bye to Notre Dame

The All-American girl from South Bend said good-bye tonight to a Notre Dame that will never forget how she represented HER.  The team's season ending Banquet was held in the Joyce Center and Skylar Diggins had her chance to thank the Notre Dame family for the last time...

Here's a link to WNDU-TV's coverage of tonight's celebration along with a link to Skylar's speech:

LINK:  SKYLAR'S SPEECH

LINK:  SKYLAR'S FINAL FARWELL

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE STORY

Notre Dame Engineering Students Give Back

Austin Rousselow -- a 2-year-old young man from the South Bend area who suffers from Cerebral Palsy, was given a HUMVEE that he could drive -- that was created by students in Notre Dame's College of Engineering...

A wonderful story -- click on the link below:

LINK:  A FANCY RIDE!

Notre Dame Parent -- Detroit Tigers' Closer?

Martin Short -- the proud parent of two DOMERS -- announced today that he has signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers...

LINK:  YOU MUST SEE THIS

Notre Dame Women's Golf -- Big East Champs!

Three of Notre Dame's five team members -- BROKE PAR -- in today's final round!

So much for pressure...

It was the fifth and FINAL Big East Championship for the Women's golf program -- as they will be heading off to the ACC next season.  The ACC better watch out -- the three women who broke par today are freshmen;  Lindsey Weaver (Arizona) and Talia Campbell (Texas) and sophomore Ashley Armstrong (Illinois)...

Weaver and Campbell finished up the tournament at SIX UNDER PAR and were the Co-Medalists!  A record low score for the Big East Women's Golf Championship!!!

LINK:  BIG EAST TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

Bald & Beautiful -- Only Notre Dame!

The students here at Notre Dame held their annual St. Baldrick's Day fund-raiser for cancer research this past week.  You'll enjoy watching this video!

LINK:  BALD & BEAUTIFUL

134 Years Ago Today -- Notre Dame's Fire

It was approximately 11 AM -- this very morning -- 134 years ago (April 23, 1879) that a fire was first spotted in the roof of the University of Notre Dame's Main Building...

Three hours later the Main Building, St. Francis' Home, the Infirmary and Music Hall were in complete ruin.  I'll leave it to the historians to tell the rest of the story -- click on the link below:

LINK:  THE STORY OF NOTRE DAME'S FIRE

Manti Te'o Will Be Glad When This Week is Over

I trust Manti's advisors are telling him to avoid the media this week...

The scrutiny he's under is incredible -- I guess it goes with playing at NOTRE DAME, the biggest stage in college sport.

Here's the latest on Manti:

LINK:  PIONEER PRESS -- MINNEAPOLIS

LINK:  NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

LINK:  NEW YORK GIANTS WEBSITE

The STORY Behind the Play: "Irish Chocolate"

FIGHTIN' IRISH fans witnessed the first 355 lb. "Shotgun QB" formation in the 126 year history of Notre Dame football -- when Louis Nix went in to play quarterback in the 4th quarter of Saturday's Blue Gold Game.

Nix won a bet -- over an academic performance issue -- with Coach Kelly.  Here's the story:

LINK:  LOUIS NIX