Further Proof Chicago Missed Not Drafting...

...Skylar Diggins

"FIVE BUSES" of Notre Dame fans are heading to Chicago tomorrow to watch former IRISH star Skylar Diggins and her Tulsa Shock teammates play a WNBA game in the Windy City...

Last season the Chicago Sky finished 10th out of 12 teams in attendance -- selling 5,573 tickets per game. Note:  The Tulsa Shock sold 7,381 tickets in their home opener this season -- compared to Chicago who sold 6,607 in their home opener.  Can't wait to see how many seats Chicago sells tomorrow!

Here's a story in the Chicago Tribune about Skylar and what her life is like these days.

(Photo above -- that's Jay-Z and his star client Skylar)


LINK:  THE LIFE OF SKYLAR

Eifert Earning HIGH PRAISE from Bengals!

Former Notre Dame All-American tight end Tyler Eifert is proving to his veteran teammates that he belongs...

Notre Dame fans will enjoy this story!

LINK:  EIFERT EARNING RESPECT

A Look Back @ 2012 Football Season

ESPN created this video -- recapping the "IMAGES" of the 2012 college football season -- they treated our Fightin' Irish with respect.  Thank you!

LINK:  2012 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON

Golson Looking at JUCO Ball in California?

The internet was wild with speculation, the past 24 hours, that Everett Golson was visiting Riverside City College (CA) this week -- looking to play for their football team this fall.

Well, about 3:00 AM ET this morning the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reported that a writer from the local paper in Riverside, CA spoke with Tom Craft, head football coach of the Riverside City College Tigers and he shot down those rumors.  Here's the story:

LINK:  GOLSON NOT GOING TO RIVERSIDE

Rainbow Over Notre Dame This Evening!!!

Just took these photos from our home in the "Triangle" area just a couple of blocks south of the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

OT: Catholic Identity in Question...

More than 1,200 Georgetown alumni, parents, faculty, etc., signed a petition to have "Catholic" removed from all references referring to the University in protest to "abuses of Catholic identity."

LINK:  A PETITION TO REMOVE CATHOLIC

LINK:  CANON LAW CASE AGAINST GEORGETOWN

Is Malik Zaire "The Guy" at QB for the IRISH

He's been on campus since January -- having enrolled at Notre Dame after graduating early from his high school in Ohio...

Malik Zaire is one of three scholarship QB's on the roster at the University of Notre Dame -- so, oddsmakers would say he has, at best, a "1 in 3" chance to be the replacement for Everett Golson come this September.

Here's a story that ran in today's South Bend Tribune on Malik and his chances to be THE GUY:

LINK:  MALIK ZAIRE

Notre Dame Parent Named Phoenix Coach

Jeff Hornacek, the proud parent of a Notre Dame grad (Ryan Hornacek '10) -- was named the 16th head coach in the history of the Phoenix Suns.  Hornacek played 14 years (his first six for Phoenix) in the NBA.

LINK:  HORNACEK NAMED SUNS HEAD COACH

Fr. Jenkins Accepts OSU President's Apology

An audio tape of Ohio State University president Gordon Gee's inflammatory comments pertaining to Notre Dame and Catholics was released today -- it's linked below.

The University of Notre Dame released a statement this afternoon that Fr. Jenkins has accepted Gordon Gee's apology (linked in Columbus Dispatch story below) for his remarks.


LINK:  OHIO STATE PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS

LINK:  COLUMBUS DISPATCH STORY

Former Notre Dame Spokesman Passes

I never had the honor of meeting Dick Conklin...  Yet, I stare everyday at this quote that hangs in my office at Notre Dame:

"Notre Dame is a place nurtured by myth.  It really cannot be encompassed by the mind alone; much of its meaning is intuited.  It is a place sustained by taking seriously the impoderables.  And at the core of its culture is a belief in the transcendent, that the ultimate meaning of life is found just beyond where reason can take us.

But when Notre Dame people gather, they do not talk about their alma mater's transcendency any more than swimmers converse about water's buoyancy.  Notre Dame people tell stories."

-Dick Conklin '59, Associate Vice President for University Relations

The long-time spokesman for the University of Notre Dame, died yesterday at the age of 77.


LINK:  DICK CONKLIN

Skylar Diggins Rated #17 on "Hottest" List

Complex Magazine (never heard of it) just ranked "The 100 Hottest Women Right Now" in the world and former Notre Dame All-American Skylar Diggins is 17th on that list!  Here's their rankings:


LINK:  SKYLAR RANKED #17

Manti Te'o Earning Respect From Veterans

Can't say this story surprises me...

LINK:  VETERAN PLAYERS RESPECT TE'O

A Full-Ride Scholarship to Notre Dame...

...and, it wasn't from Notre Dame's Athletic Department!

Hillsdale Academy's (Hillsdale, MI)  Shaley Albaugh will be a freshman this fall at the University of Notre Dame.  Shaley's the recipient of the QuestBridge Scholarship -- which will cover all of her college costs!

Here's her story:

LINK:  A FULL-RIDE TO NOTRE DAME

Coach Kelly Talks With ESPN About Golson

ESPN's Tom Rinaldi was on campus this afternoon to interview Coach Kelly about Everett Golson's dismissal from Notre Dame -- here's the interview.

LINK:  COACH KELLY WITH RINALDI

Coach Kelly Talks With Media About Golson

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media, this afternoon, via a teleconference to discuss Everett Golson's dismissal from the university and what that means for the upcoming football season.

Here's the South Bend Tribune's recap of the conversation:

LINK:  COACH KELLY WITH MEDIA

Jeff Samardzija Two Hits White Sox Today

Former Notre Dame All-American wide receiver Jeff Samardzija threw a two-hit shutout today against the cross-town Chicago White Sox -- for his third win of the season.

Samardzija struck out eight (8) while taking his ERA down to 2.85 on the season!

Jeff is now ranked second in the National League with 80 strikeouts! 

His ERA is 15th!

LINK:  SAMARDZIJA SHUTS OUT THE WHITE SOX!

More Notre Dame "High Heels" for Her!

I received an email from Tim Warth this weekend with a link to a photo of another pair of high heels designed for Notre Dame fans...  Thanks Tim!

Memorial Day -- God Country Notre Dame

Please take time today to watch this video of The Army Chorus singing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" -- we have MANY to thank for the opportunity to live in the United States of America. 

LINK:  MEMORIAL DAY 2013

Everett Golson's Statement to ND Family

The former Notre Dame student-athlete released an apology today to the Notre Dame family -- here's what he had to say:

Dear Notre Dame Community,

I have been informed by the University of Notre Dame that due to my poor academic judgment that I have been suspended from the University for the 2013 Fall Term.  I take full responsibility for my poor choices and will do all that is asked of me to regain the trust of my family, friends, teammates, coaches and the entire Notre Dame community.

I chose to attend Notre Dame because of its mission to develop me both on and off the football field.

My parents and the community I grew up in have instilled values in me that have and will continue to allow me to be successful in the future.  There have been many lessons learned as I worked to become the starting quarterback at Notre Dame and each was a result of Coach Kelly's belief in me as an athlete and a person.

At this point, I understand how my integrity could be in question but I want to reassure my supporters that through this experience I will return a better student athlete as well as a better individual.

Lastly, I want to thank the University of Notre Dame for the opportunity already granted and also the opportunity going forth to regain my eligibility in the winter of 2014.

Thanks,


Everett Golson

Detroit Lions Beat Writers Talk Theo Riddick

Former Notre Dame running back Theo Riddick, a seventh round draft pick of Detroit Lions, has made a positive impression in their practices to date. 

Be sure to watch the video.

LINK:  BEAT WRITERS TALK RIDDICK