The former Notre Dame football player -- who now plays with the NFL's Detroit Lions -- was featured in GQ Magazine. Thought you'd find this story interesting...
Special thanks to my Notre Dame colleague Tim Willis '84 for alerting me to this story.
The inaugural XFL 2020 Draft is taking place today -- and they're following a unique format called "phases."
Phase 1: Offensive Skill Positions
Phase 2: Offensive Lineman
Phase 3: Defensive Lineman and Linebackers
Phase 4: Cornerbacks and Safeties
Phase 5: Open Draft -- any position
Well, the first former Notre Dame Football star taken today was Jarron Jones -- who played defensive line for the Fighting Irish, but is now an offensive tackle for the New York Guardians.
Well, this afternoon there is now seven teams between Notre Dame and a return trip to the College Football Playoff -- but, I believe it's really down now to; LSU, Oklahoma and the Fighting Irish for the fourth spot.
Here's the seven ranked ahead of Notre Dame today.
Alabama
LSU
Clemson
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Wisconsin
Penn State
Now, we just have to finish ahead of four of these teams -- here's how this happens.
Notre Dame wins out -- goes 11 - 1.
There will not be three (3) Big Ten teams ahead of Notre Dame come the first week of December. That eliminates at least two of these teams -- Wisconsin and Penn State.
So, it comes down to two teams -- LSU and Oklahoma -- competing with Notre Dame for that final spot.
LSU'S REMAINING SCHEDULE -- must lose two of these games...
@ Mississippi State (3 - 3)
#11 Auburn (5 - 1)
@ #1 Alabama (6 - 0)
@ Mississippi (3 - 4)
Arkansas (2 - 4)
Texas A&M (3 - 3)
OKLAHOMA'S REMAINING SCHEDULE -- loses big to Baylor or, is upset by Kansas State or Oklahoma State
West Virginia (3 - 3)
@ Kansas State (3 - 2)
Iowa State (4 - 2)
@ #18 Baylor (6 - 0)
TCU (3 - 2)
@ Oklahoma State (4 - 2)
And, we may need to see Auburn lose to Alabama -- because if Auburn beats LSU -- they will jump ahead of Notre Dame...
If you're close to South Bend this evening -- come on over to Notre Dame Stadium and join us for the first ever FRIDAY NIGHT BASH inside the heated Concourse -- adjacent to the Frank Leahy Gate.
We are bringing in heaters to deal with the temperature change -- so, don't worry about Mother Nature!
The gates will open immediately at the end of the PEP RALLY -- which should be around 6:30 PM or so.
In fact, it's right downstairs from our office -- in O'Rourke's Public House at Eddy Street Commons.
They are loading in the set and cameras as I write this. The Golic & Wingo Show will air tomorrow morning (Friday) from the "edge" of Notre Dame's campus -- 6 AM ET to 10 AM ET on ESPN News. The first two hours are on ESPN2 as well...
The folks at Aer Lingus College Football Ireland has this traveling around the Emerald Isle to promote next year's game between Navy and Notre Dame in Dublin. It has the ND Monogram on one side and the Navy "N" on the other...
This Friday night -- we'll be hosting a party inside Notre Dame Stadium's Concourse -- for the very first time! And, we're bringing in some heaters, just in case it gets a little cold for our friends from USC.
Food Trucks (five of them)
Beer & Soda
Bands -- two of them will be performing
Click on image above to enlarge...
The fun begins at 7 PM and goes to 10 PM!
100% of the ticket price goes to fund FINANCIAL AID for deserving Notre Dame students.
The bill that passed in California this week -- which would allow college athletes to hire agents and negotiate endorsement deals (beginning in 2023) -- has taken the paying of student-athletes to an all new level.
The challenge here is we're probably only talking about a very few college athletes who would benefit from this legislation...
Six years ago -- I proposed this idea -- a way the NCAA could direct some form of compensation to all scholarship student athletes. Here's what I posted on September 2, 2013:
It's simply this -- create a "pension program" for all NCAA Division I scholarship athletes. It would look something like this:
The NCAA would create a pension program that they and each of the
340 Division I member institutions would agree to contribute to -- out
of television and licensing revenues each year.
Eligibility: Every NCAA Division I "student-athlete" -- who signed a
National Letter of Intent out of high school with their original
school, was on this team's roster a minimum of four academic school
years and received a (four-year) college degree from that same
institution.
Pension Benefit Payments would be available to the qualified student-athlete once they reach the age of 65.
Here's what this proposed program does for college athletics:
It requires student-athletes to remain in college all four-years and earn a degree.
It puts some 'monetary value' in remaining at the school you signed your original National Letter of Intent with.
And, it treats "every scholarship student-athlete" the same -- no matter what school you played for or sport you played.
For those who feel the requirements are too severe -- the NCAA could
easily pay out a "lesser percentage" to those who transferred to another
school or, failed to play all four years or graduate...