Monday, August 4, 2014
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Bettis & Brown -- Next for NFL Hall of Fame?
Over the weekend, the NFL celebrated the best of all-time in Canton, OH.
Here's hoping next year we'll see one if not two former Notre Dame student-athletes wearing that gold jacket. Click on the story about next year's NFL Hall of Fame Class.
LINK: WHO'S NEXT?
Notre Dame Leprechaun Challenges Fallon
Here's the challenge video posted Friday by the Notre Dame Leprechaun -- linked below...
Apparently, Jimmy Fallon does a "lip sync challenge" feature on his Tonight Show and Leprechaun "John" and the Syracuse mascot named "Otto" have challenged Fallon and his Panda character -- the week Notre Dame plays Syracuse at Met Life Stadium. Here's the video:
LINK: FALLON CHALLENGE
Domer Dad Bon Jovi's Letter to Buffalo Fans
Jon Bon Jovi (AKA: rock star and Dad to Notre Dame student-athlete Jesse Bongiovi) penned a passionate letter to the Buffalo Bills fans letting them know of his intentions -- if he is fortunate enough to acquire the team.
LINK: BUFFALO FANS LETTER
Our Kid's "First Season" at Iowa Speedway
This weekend marked the third and final race weekend of the 2014 race season for NASCAR's Iowa Speedway.
Our son, and 2008 Notre Dame graduate -- Jimmy Small has literally worked around the clock (seven days a week) the last ten months to put on a good show in Iowa. We're very proud of his commitment to making a good first impression.
The photos above are from Victory Lane -- Jimmy with last night's Nationwide race winner Brad Keselowski and this past May's K&N Pro Series race winner Ben Rhodes.
Here is a Des Moines Register story (linked below) about Jimmy's first year at the helm. Something I know he's real proud of -- is his TEAM at Iowa Speedway. Way overlooked in all the hype these past few months about NASCAR placing a "28 year-old Notre Dame grad in charge" -- is the great work from all of his teammates this race season. I sure hope they all get caught up on their sleep.
It's well deserved.
LINK: HIS FIRST LAP
LINK: FINAL LAPS FROM LAST NIGHT'S RACE
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Domer Matt Besler '09 Opts To Play at Home!
Former Notre Dame All-American and US National Team member Matt Besler shocked the world soccer community by turning down "more money to play in Europe" -- when he signed a four-year guaranteed contract this week with his hometown MLS team -- Sporting Kansas City.
Besler's deal is worth $2.8 million -- congratulations Matt!
That's Matt on the right in the photo above holding the MLS Cup Trophy which his Sporting Kansas City team won this past season.
LINK: STAYING HOME
Weekly NFL Update for Notre Dame Graduates
Took a lap around the NFL this morning to check in all of the former Notre Dame football players competing for spots in Training Camps.
AS OF THIS MORNING -- THERE ARE 39 FORMER NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL PLAYERS ON NFL TRAINING CAMP ROSTERS. 22 on offense, 16 on defense and 1 specialist.
Just click on their name below to see the latest media reports:
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN -- 8
CHRIS WATT -- CHARGERS
ZACK MARTIN -- COWBOYS
SAM YOUNG -- JAGUARS
JOHN SULLIVAN -- VIKINGS
TREVOR ROBINSON -- BENGALS
RYAN HARRIS -- CHIEFS
ERIC OLSEN -- TITANS
BRAXSTON CAVE -- PATRIOTS
TIGHT ENDS -- 5
JOHN CARLSON -- CARDINALS
TYLER EIFERT -- BENGALS
ANTHONY FASANO -- CHIEFS
TROY NIKLAS -- CARDINALS
KYLE RUDOLPH -- VIKINGS
WIDE RECEIVERS -- 3
MICHAEL FLOYD -- CARDINALS
T.J. JONES -- LIONS
GOLDEN TATE -- LIONS
RUNNING BACKS -- 5
GEORGE ATKINSON -- RAIDERS
JONAS GRAY -- PATRIOTS
ROBERT HUGHES -- CARDINALS
THEO RIDDICK -- LIONS
CIERRE WOOD -- RAVENS
QUARTERBACKS -- 1
JIMMY CLAUSEN -- BEARS
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN -- 5
LOUIS NIX -- TEXANS
KONA SCHWENKE -- CHIEFS
JUSTIN TUCK -- RAIDERS
STEPHON TUITT -- STEELERS
IAN WILLIAMS -- 49ERS
LINEBACKERS -- 4
DARIUS FLEMING -- PATRIOTS
DAN FOX -- GIANTS
PRINCE SHEMBO -- FALCONS
MANTI TE'O -- CHARGERS
DEFENSIVE BACKS -- 7
ROBERT BLANTON -- VIKINGS
SERGIO BROWN -- COLTS
DAVID BRUTON -- BRONCOS
BENNETT JACKSON -- GIANTS
ZEKE MOTTA -- FALCONS
HARRISON SMITH -- VIKINGS
DARRIN WALLS -- JETS
SPECIALISTS -- 1
J.J. JANSEN -- PANTHERS
Friday, August 1, 2014
MUST SEE -- Brady Quinn on Dan Patrick Show
Notre Dame fans -- you'll enjoy this interview from today. Dan Patrick drills Brady on his experience playing for the Fighting Irish. Good stuff here!
LINK: BRADY QUINN ON DAN PATRICK
Replay: Coach Kelly's Press Conference Today
The 127th football season at the University of Notre Dame got it's start today with Coach Kelly's opening press conference. Fall camp begins Monday at the Culver Academies.
You'll want to watch this:
LINK: PRESS CONFERENCE
Brady Quinn Worked Out for Patriots This Week
It's been a busy week for former Notre Dame All-American Brady Quinn.
On Monday, Quinn was in Foxboro, MA working out for the New England Patriots. On Thursday he was being announced by Fox Sports as their new college and pro football analyst...
Then today -- he was a guest on the Dan Patrick Radio Show -- see link below to interview:
LINK: QUINN GETS PATRIOTS' TRYOUT
LINK: DAN PATRICK RADIO SHOW INTERVIEW
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Johnny Lujack Recovering "Well" From Surgery
The man many consider the greatest athlete to ever wear a Notre Dame uniform -- Johnny Lujack '47 -- is at the Mayo Clinic this morning recovering from successful neck surgery. Here's the story:
LINK: LUJACK
LINK: SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE STORY
LINK: THE LEGEND OF LUJACK
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Justin Tuck Leading By Example in Oakland
Former Notre Dame All-American and Super Bowl Champion Justin Tuck is getting used to his new surroundings in Oakland.
See the story linked below:
LINK: TUCK
Troy Niklas Finally Hits the Practice Field in AZ
Former Notre Dame student-athlete Troy Niklas has been dealing with a couple of injuries ever since being drafted in the 2nd round of this year's NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
Well, he finally hit the field this week -- albeit a little rusty...
As you can see in the photo above -- Troy is wearing a protective soft-cast over his healing broken right hand.
LINK: NIKLAS PRACTICING
Detroit Lions Are Raving About Golden Tate
They're calling him the "best #2 wide receiver" ever to line-up opposite Calvin "Megatron" Johnson in Detroit...
I was surprised to hear that Golden was such a good "route runner." It was one of his knocks when he first got to the NFL a few years ago.
LINK: BIG DAYS FOR GOLDEN?
Nice Story About the Cardinals' Michael Floyd
Is this the year former Notre Dame All-American Michael Floyd becomes a dominant force in the National Football League? The folks in Arizona think so...
LINK: MICHAEL FLOYD
Notre Dame Alumna Swims English Channel!
Sara Marley '90, completed the 21 mile swim in 13 hours and 50 minutes!!!
Here's the story!
LINK: ENGLISH CHANNEL SWIM
LINK: BLOOMBERG NEWS STORY
Notre Dame Design Element for Under Armour?
If you look closely at the "numbers" and shoulder stripes -- inside the design -- it appears the designers at Under Armour are picking up the ceiling of Notre Dame's Basilica of the Sacred Heart (top photo) in the look they've created for the women's soccer jerseys...
This is just a guess.
We never saw anything like this from Adidas.
Local News Coverage: Field Turf Install Done!
Here's a few of the local news reports from South Bend TV outlets -- as they were let inside Notre Dame Stadium today to see the completed installation of Field Turf. Only a few "minor" touch-ups before the opening game on August 30th!
It looks fantastic!
LINK: WNDU-TV STORY
LINK: WSBT-TV STORY
LINK: ABC 57 -- STORY
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Got to Love Mike's Lee's Boxing Trunks!
Found these photos of "undefeated" pro boxer Mike Lee '09 from his Friday night fight in Chicago! His boxing trunks are off the charts!
LINK: LEE GOES 13-0!
Jerian Grant Returns "Home" to Notre Dame
Here's a three-part feature on Jerian Grant's return to Notre Dame for his senior season. Click on the links below:
LINK: JERIAN -- PART 1
LINK: JERIAN -- PART 2
LINK: JERIAN -- PART 3
Skylar Shares Workout Secrets With Oprah!
The former Notre Dame All-American Skylar Diggins offered some tips on working out in the August issue of Oprah Magazine...
The Tulsa Shock announced today that Skylar set their all-time single season scoring record with her 560 points -- with eight games left to play!
LINK: SKYLAR WITH OPRAH
Football Tickets Tough to Sell in Ann Arbor
Here's what happens when your home schedule looks like this:
- Appalachian State
- Miami of Ohio
- Utah
- Minnesota
- Penn State
- Indiana
- Maryland
Your Athletic Director seeks approval to set off fireworks after the games to entice fans to buy tickets.
LINK: MICHIGAN TICKET CHALLENGE
Monday, July 28, 2014
ND's "Left Side" Making a Mark in NFL Camps
Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Chris Watt '13, was taking first team reps at the Chargers' training camp -- there's a link to the story below -- as was his more famous running mate Zack Martin '13, who's turning heads at the Cowboys' camp.
Chris wears #65 for the Chargers. Zack wears #70 for the Cowboys.
LINK: CHRIS WATT
LINK: ZACK MARTIN
LINK: VIDEO OF PRACTICE -- CHRIS IS #65 / MANTI #50
Interesting Take: Will ND Help or Hurt ACC?
A couple of writers at ESPN tackled the question -- "Will Notre Dame help or hurt the ACC this season?" It's an interesting read...
LINK: ND & THE ACC
LINK: ND & THE ACC
Notre Dame Talked With Georgia's Dooley...
About coaching the Fighting Irish after Dan Devine stepped down.
Vince Dooley -- the long time coach and AD at Georgia "prayed" for the IRISH as a young boy in Mobile, AL. Notre Dame fans will enjoy this South Bend Tribune story.
LINK: DOOLEY & NOTRE DAME
Is This the Biggest NFL Contract in ND HIstory?
Former Notre Dame student-athlete Kyle Rudolph signed a $36.5 million contract extension yesterday with the Minnesota Vikings. See the video interview below.
The amount just might be the biggest ever signed by a former Notre Dame football player in the NFL. Here's the top three that I've tracked down...
- Kyle Rudolph: $36.5 million
- Golden Tate: $31 million
- Justin Tuck: $30 million
LINK: RUDOLPH TALKS $36.5 MILLION
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Brady Quinn Joins Fox Sports College FB Team
Former Notre Dame All-American Brady Quinn has apparently signed a contract to be a color analyst on Fox Sports' college football telecasts this fall.
Congrats Brady!
LINK: BRADY'S BROADCAST BOOT CAMP
End Zone Stripes Are In -- Notre Dame Stadium
Drove by the Rockne Gate at Notre Dame Stadium -- this afternoon -- and took this photo. I could see the diaganol stripes in the endzone are in place -- unfortunately, this photo does not do it justice.
From outside the tunnel gate -- the field looks awesome!
Here's the latest photo from inside Notre Dame Stadium -- much better!
Here's the story behind the end-zone stripes at Notre Dame Stadium. There are nine stripes in each endzone -- totaling 18. They are each set at an angle of 42 degrees -- all pointing towards Notre Dame's iconic Golden Dome.
They signify the year 1842 -- the year the University of Notre Dame du Lac was founded.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
SBT's Lesar Talks ND Football Independence
A group called CINESPORT -- never heard of them -- interviewed the South Bend Tribune's Al Lesar about the future of Notre Dame's football independence. Here's a link to the video interview:
LINK: INDEPENDENCE
Justin Tuck's New Start With Oakland Raiders
The Mercury News caught up with former Notre Dame All-American Justin Tuck as he gets ready for his first Training Camp with the Oakland Raiders...
The photo above is of Tuck's distinctive face mask -- now on the "silver and black" helmet of the Raiders.
LINK: TUCK
Harrison Smith Predicts How Many Irish Wins!
Former Notre Dame football captain Harrison Smith was interviewed walking into Vikings Training Camp the other day and he was asked a question about how many wins will our Fighting Irish have this season...
LINK: HARRISON SMITH
Story on the Pittsburgh Steelers' Stephon Tuitt
Former Notre Dame student-athlete Stephon Tuitt is featured in this article about the Steelers' defensive line...
LINK: TUITT
Coach Kelly Hosts FB Camp in Washington D.C.
Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly was in Washington D.C. this week hosting a football camp at St. Johns College High School.
The folks at the Washington Times caught up with Coach Kelly for a quick interview...
LINK: COACH KELLY
The folks at the Washington Times caught up with Coach Kelly for a quick interview...
LINK: COACH KELLY
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