Media's Take: Notre Dame / Under Armour Deal

Took a lap around the worldwide web this evening to see what's being said about Notre Dame's announcement today that it has signed the largest deal ever between a brand and a university.  Here's what the media is reporting:

LINK:  ASSOCIATED PRESS

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  NBC SPORTS

LINK:  CBS SPORTS

Zach Martin "Top 20 Pick" -- Mike Mayock

Notre Dame football team captain Zach Martin is getting rave reviews as he practices for Saturday's Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL. 

Take a look at this!

LINK:  ZACH MARTIN

Under Armour's Work for Other College Teams

Notre Dame's switch to Under Armour became official this morning -- so while we wait to see what they create for the Fighting Irish, here's a few of the products they've created for the 12 colleges they're currently working with.

The Shamrock Series look for Notre Dame should be quite interesting!

Under Armour Stock UP 3.87% as of 2 PM ET

Under Armour's stock was up nearly 4% less than three hours after their announcement today that they had signed a ten-year agreement with the University of Notre Dame.

Folks, a 3.87% lift in their stock price is approximately a $330,000,000 increase in their company's value!

Think their shareholders are smiling right now?

LINK:  UNDER ARMOUR STOCK CHART

Replay: Notre Dame & Under Armour Deal !!!

At this very moment -- the folks in Beaverton, OR and athletic departments all over the country are talking about Notre Dame and Under Armour.

The University of Notre Dame and Under Armour just announced the largest financial deal ever between a brand and a university.  Deal highlights:

• Notre Dame has the option to take an ownership position in Under Armour (shareholder)
• Under Armour will outfit each of Notre Dame's 26 athletic teams
• Under Armour will incorporate Notre Dame into their global marketing efforts

At 11:33 AM ET -- the Under Armour stock price was up more than 2% since the announcement -- the impact of Notre Dame has already been felt!

This is a big deal. 

LINK:  REPLAY OF ANNOUNCEMENT

LINK:  ESPN COVERAGE

Replay of Digger Phelp's Day at Notre Dame

Here's a replay of Notre Dame's induction of Richard "Digger" Phelps into the RING OF HONOR last night.  Enjoy!

LINK:  RING OF HONOR

Watch Muffet's #2 Ranked IRISH on ESPN2!

The undefeated #2 ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame play the #11 ranked Tennessee Volunteers tonight on ESPN2 -- the game tips off at 7 PM ET.  Should be a great game!

LINK:  ESPN BRACKETOLOGY

Watch Tuesday's Announcement Live: 11 AM ET

The University of Notre Dame's Athletics Department has called an 11 AM ET press conference for Tuesday, January 21st.  If you'd like to watch the event LIVE -- click on the link below:

LINK:  WATCH THE ANNOUNCEMENT LIVE

Domer Golden Tate Going to the Super Bowl!

Former Notre Dame All-American Golden Tate is seen here in this photo (#81) acknowledging Seattle's "12th Man" after their win over the 49ers earning the honor of National Conference Champions and a ticket to the Super Bowl!  Congratulations Golden!

Domer David Bruton Going to the Super Bowl!

Got to love this photo of former Notre Dame student-athlete and now Captain of the American Conference Champion Denver Broncos!  Good luck at the Super Bowl!

Zach Martin Will Be Wearing These on Saturday

The folks at Under Armour just unveiled the cleats (photo above) the players in this week's Senior Bowl will be wearing.  Representing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in this game will be Zach Martin.

Digger Phelp's Special Spot at Notre Dame...

Folks, this is a must read...

LINK:  DIGGER'S SPOT

Notre Dame Celebrates Digger Phelps Today

Richard "Digger" Phelps will be inducted into Notre Dame's Ring of Honor in a ceremony at half-time of the Irish's ACC game tonight against Virginia Tech. 

Many of his former basketball players are in town for what I expect will be an emotional evening for Digger and his family.  I can't wait to see what Notre Dame will place on Digger's banner that will forever hang from the rafters -- will it be;

• The number 393 -- signifying his all-time wins record at Notre Dame?
• The number 78 -- signifying the year his Irish played in their only FINAL FOUR?
• Or, will it be the number 56 -- signifying the number of players who played four years for Digger and their 100% graduation rate!

Here's a story on the UND.COM about Digger called a "Dream Realized."  You'll like this!

LINK:  A DREAM REALIZED

The Final Four Minutes of ND Over UCLA

It was forty years ago this very day when the #2 ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame beat #1 UCLA to end their 88 game winning streak.  The longest winning streak in collegiate sports history.  The Irish also broke Bill Walton's personal winning streak that had reached more than 140 games -- Walton had not lost a game since his junior year in high school.

What we forget is this -- the IRISH were down 11 points with just a little more than three minutes left in the game -- and there isn't a three point line nor a shot clock and UCLA can hold the ball...

You have to watch the final four minutes to watch how the Irish pulled this off -- gives me goose bumps every time!  (the photo above is of Dwight Clay's game winner with 23 seconds left)


LINK:  THE WINNING STREAK IS OVER

Notre Dame's Basilica Will NOT BE OPEN...

Just received word from the University of Notre Dame that the Basilica of the Sacred Heart will not re-open this weekend for Mass.  The Basilica has been closed since December 26th to install a slate floor. 

The release said this; "The expectation is to open the Basilica on Monday, Jan. 20."

I can't wait to see it in person!

(Just click on the photo to enlarge)

ND Athlete Named to "Top Bachelor 2014" List

Notre Dame freshman student-athlete Corey Robinson was profiled in Town & Country magazine as one of the Top 40 Bachelors of 2014. 

I'm sure he won't hear the end of this from the coaching staff, his teammates and classmates at Notre Dame!

Here's the top-40 list:

LINK:  COREY ROBINSON

Rees, Shembo & Jackson Play Today at 4 PM ET

Former Notre Dame football players Tommy Rees, Prince Shembo and Bennett Jackson will be playing in the East West Shrine Game today at 4 PM ET on the NFL Network.  They will be playing for the WEST Team.

T.J. Jones was also invited to play in the game  -- unfortunately, the shoulder injury he sustained in the Rutgers game kept him at home this week.

Here's a couple of reports on how the three players have been doing in practice this week in front of the NFL scouts -- along with a link to the West Team roster:

LINK:  RATING THE PASSERS 

LINK:  SHEMBO AND JACKSON PRACTICE UPDATES

LINK:  WEST TEAM ROSTER

They're Not At Notre Dame Anymore...

Former Notre Dame football coaches Bob Diaco and Ernest Jones -- were "rebuked" by the University of Connecticut's president for comments made by Jones to the UCONN football team.

LINK:  TOUCHDOWN JESUS

OT: Lighting Strikes Christ Statue's Right Hand

A lighting strike this week in Rio de Janiero broke a finger of the right hand off their Christ the Redeemer statue.  Thought you'd enjoy what Father Omar, the Rector of the Shrine, had to say about this...

LINK:  LIGHTING DOES STRIKE TWICE

Golden Tate Talks Sunday's Game With 49ers

The former Notre Dame All-American is playing in his next "biggest game of his life" tomorrow evening (6:30 PM ET) when the Seattle Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers in a game where the winner moves on to play in the Super Bowl XLVIII. 

Here's what he had to say to the media before practice.

LINK:  GOLDEN TATE