Muffet's Fighting Irish Ranked #2 in AP Poll!

The just released AP Poll has Notre Dame ranked #2 in women's college basketball.  The 10 - 0 Fighting Irish are ranked behind the UCONN Huskies and just ahead of the Duke Blue Devils.  Here's the top-25:

LINK:  AP RANKINGS

Domer David Bruton With President Bush #41

Former Notre Dame student-athlete and now Denver Broncos safety David Bruton -- got the opportunity to meet President Bush Sr., while in Houston playing the Texans yesterday.  David's third from the left -- oh, yeah that's Peyton Manning on the right...

4 Notre Dame Players Accept Shrine Bowl Invite

Tommy Rees, T.J. Jones, Bennett Jackson and Prince Shembo have accepted invitations to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl, January 18th at Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL.  Congratulations!

LINK:  SHRINE GAME WEBSITE

Pinstripe Bowl Preview -- Inside ND Football

Here's a first look at Notre Dame's game this Saturday against Rutgers in Yankee Stadium's New Era Pinstripe Bowl.  Click on the link below:

LINK:  INSIDE NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

Photo of Bowl Gear for Notre Dame Football

Here's a great shot of the Football Equipment Room at Notre Dame -- getting the team ready for the Pinstripe Bowl.

Photo of Pinstripe Bowl Patch on ND Jerseys

Here's what the New Era Pinstripe Bowl patch looks like on Notre Dame's football jerseys.

New Adidas "Travel Shoes" for Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish will be wearing a new pair of shoes from Adidas for all of their team activities this week in NYC for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.  Here's a sneak peak of the shoes that were designed by the team!

Notre Dame's Delta 747 for Pinstripe Bowl Trip

The Fighting Irish have been delayed from flying South Bend for New York City and the New Era Pinstripe Bowl -- because of weather in the NYC area.  Here's a photo of the 747 that will be taking the team and official travel party -- along with the "first class accommodations" the players are experiencing on the plane -- that's ND football captain Bennett Jackson!

Yankee Stadium is Ready for Notre Dame !!!

Here's a photo from Notre Dame's endzone at Yankee Stadium in NYC.  The weather forecast for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl -- six days out -- looks like this:

LINK:  NEW YORK CITY WEATHER

Teddy Bear Toss @ University of Notre Dame

At halftime of today's Notre Dame women's basketball game at Purcell Pavilion -- fans tossed HUNDREDS OF STUFFED TEDDY BEARS onto the floor -- TOYS FOR TOTS. 

It was quite the scene -- watch the video!

LINK:  TEDDY BEAR TOSS

Anaya Jolie Sings Silent Night at Notre Dame

11 year-old singer songwriter Anaya Jolie (from South Bend) sang Silent Night at halftime of Notre Dame Women's basketball game against Central Michigan University.  You'll enjoy listening to this talented young lady.

Notre Dame won the game 106 - 72.

LINK:  ANAYA JOLIE

A Christmas Message from Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame's president Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., released a Christmas message on Friday that is truly wonderful.

Enjoy!

LINK:  MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM NOTRE DAME

Digger Reads "Grinch Who Stole Christmas"

Former Notre Dame basketball coach and ESPN's Digger Phelps "starred" today in a reading of the GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS at the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore.

Phelps read the book to a large group of young FIGHTING IRISH fans with their parents (see link below).  Digger never misses an opportunity to serve Notre Dame...

Digger will be inducted next month into Notre Dame's RING OF HONOR.  A honor well deserved!

When he was done reading he received a gift of a framed photo from Notre Dame's big win -- 40 years ago next month -- over UCLA (photo above).   Digger told the crowd a story about the winning shot -- see the link below:

LINK:  DIGGER TALKS WIN OVER UCLA

LINK:  DIGGER AS THE GRINCH

Notre Dame to Play at "HOME" at Fenway Park

Only Notre Dame could play a "home" football game and would even think to play a home football game in Boston against Boston College...

Think about that.

Is there any other team in America that could pull that off?

This will be the first football game at Fenway Park in 47 years.

LINK:  FENWAY TO HOST HOME GAME FOR THE IRISH

LINK:  FIRST TIME IN 47 YEARS!

LINK:  YAHOO! SPORTS

Fighting Irish on ESPN2 Tonight vs. Ohio State

The Notre Dame men's basketball team is in NYC today to play the #3 ranked Buckeyes of Ohio State in the "world's most famous arena" -- Madison Square Garden.  The game tips-off at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2.  GO IRISH!

LINK:  MIKE BREY TALKS OHIO STATE

LINK:  COLUMBUS DISPATCH

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

The Fighting Irish Will Travel in Style in NYC!

The Pinstripe Bowl has "wrapped" a few buses with a Notre Dame Football design -- in preparation for the Fighting Irish's arrival Monday evening in New York City.  I just wish they had used a photo of this year's team...

Notre Dame Released Football Schedule Today!

When you have an economic impact of $1 billion annually on the South Bend region -- and one of the big drivers of that are football weekend's -- the NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL schedule is BIG news.

Well, today at 11 AM ET -- Notre Dame's Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick held a press conference where he  released the 2014, 2015 and 2016 football schedules.

Watch the replay here...


LINK:  WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE RIGHT HERE!

LINK:  SWARBRICK INTERVIEW

Pinstripe Bowl: Kerry Cooks Talks Defense

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame held a practice today in preparation for the Pinstripe Bowl.  After practice, interim defensive coordinator Kerry Cooks met with Jack Nolan.  Enjoy!

LINK:  PRACTICE REPORT

Bob Diaco's Interview with Jim Rome Today...

Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator -- and now UCONN head football coach -- Bob Diaco, was a guest today on the Jim Rome Show.  Enjoy!

LINK:  BOB DIACO WITH ROME

ND's Stayer Center -- Made out of Gingerbread!

A few Notre Dame School of Architecture alums and their colleagues at Robert A.M. Stern Architects created this small scale replica of the STAYER CENTER FOR EXECUTIVE EDUCATION -- made out of gingerbread!  Just click on the photo to enlarge.

Robert A.M. Stern Architects is the architectural firm that designed the Stayer Center for Executive Education at the University of Notre Dame.

Every year the gang at Robert A.M. Stern Architects donates gingerbread houses to St. Luke’s hospital to help out with an organization called Children and Families First -- an organization that helps out families in financial crisis due to medical issues and other hardships.  They also get put on display in the Pediatric Unit, Oncology Ward, Radiation Unit and Physical Therapy Unit.  The people who worked on the Stayer Center gingerbread house are:

• Tony McConnell '06
• Mason Roberts '13
• Victor Marcelino
• Connie Osborn
• Stephanie Medel
• Georgina Harvey

Here's a few of the other DOMERS working at Stern:

• Melissa DelVecchio '94
• Jennifer Stone '98
• Christopher Heim '04
• Jonathan Kelly '08