A New Look for Jeff Samardzija in Oakland

His hair and mustache would have fit in nicely with the Oakland A's of yesteryear -- Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, Coco Crisp, etc.

Former Notre Dame All-American wide receiver Jeff Samardzija has found a new home with the Oakland Athletics -- after the big July 4th trade which sent him to the west coast from the Chicago Cubs.

Here's a photo of Jeff in the Oakland A's dugout last night -- along with photos of former A's; Crisp, Eckersley and Fingers.

Samardzija gets the start today for the A's in their game against the Toronto Blue Jays -- first pitch at 4:05 PM ET -- I'll have the results when the game is over.

LINK:  STARTING TODAY

Under Armour Displays at ND's Bookstore

I've been shopping at the Notre Dame Hammes Bookstore for as long as I can remember -- yet, I saw something I've never seen before in a display on this campus...

GOLD MANNEQUINS

Leave it to Under Armour to think of this -- brilliant!

I Forgot the Plays Everett Golson Makes...

What a difference a QB who can run and throw in Brian Kelly's offense makes...

Prediction:  This will be the most dynamic offense at Notre Dame in the last 20 years!

Can't wait to see #5 back taking snaps for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish!

LINK:  EVERETT GOLSON

Notre Dame's Everett Golson At Elite 11 Camp

Notre Dame QB Everett Golson is out in Oregon this week to serve as a counselor for the Elite 11 QB camp. 

Here's a photo of Everett along with QB guru coach George Whitfield, Connor Cook (Michigan State QB) and David Webb (Texas Tech QB).

OT: A "Gray" Colored Football Field for EMU

Don't adjust your television...

LINK:  EASTERN MICHIGAN'S NEW FIELD

Carlos Calabrese Awaits Call From NFL Teams

Former Notre Dame linebacker Carlos Calabrese is back home in New Jersey -- working out and awaiting a phone call from a NFL team.  Calabrese had a rookie tryout with the Cleveland Browns but they chose not to offer him a contract.

Here's the story:

LINK:  CALABRESE

Dan Fox Turning Heads in NY Giants Camp

Found this article this morning -- I sure hope this young man makes the New York "Football" Giants team!

LINK:  FOX

Missed This: Cardinals' Troy Niklas Injured

Former Notre Dame student-athlete Troy Niklas broke his right hand at practice (photo above) a couple of weeks ago...

LINK:  BROKEN HAND

Domer Besler -- Soccer's Hottest Commodity

Former Notre Dame All-American Matt Besler '09 is now the target of soccer clubs all over the world.  The defenseman played brilliantly for the US National Team at the 2014 World Cup and teams have taken notice.

Here's the story:

LINK:  BESLER

Samardzija Traded to First Place Athletics!

Former Notre Dame All-American wide receiver Jeff Samardzija has apparently been traded this evening from the Chicago Cubs to the first place Oakland Athletics.

LINK:  SHARK TRADED

Must Read Story About a Boy and Notre Dame

Notre Dame fans -- you're going to want to read this story...

That's wide receiver Corey Robinson (San Antonio, TX) and offensive lineman Steve Elmer (Midland, MI) in the photo above.

LINK:  HOW NOTRE DAME HELPED MY SON

Notre Dame Fans: Here's the Field Turf Story

I thought the Fighting Irish fan base would enjoy learning a little more about the new playing surface being installed inside Notre Dame Stadium. 

Here's the Field Turf promotional video followed by a short video that tells the story about how field turf drains water -- interesting stuff here...

LINK:  FIELD TURF PROMO VIDEO

LINK:  KEEPING THE SURFACE DRY

LINK:  COMPANY WEBSITE

OT: Baylor's New Stadium Field Turf Installation

As you can see in this photo -- the field turf is being laid directly over top of the stone surface -- here at Baylor's brand new football stadium.

A photo of the progress inside Notre Dame Stadium (see post) shows a stone covered playing surface -- the actual turf installation must not be far off!

Know Thy Opponent: First Look at Rice Owls

Here's a USA Today story on Notre Dame's first opponent of the 2014 season -- the Rice Owls.

Not many "top tier" college football programs schedule an opening game with a team coming off of a TEN WIN season -- yet, that's the case with the Irish home opener with Rice.  The Owls went 10 - 3 last season.

LINK:  RICE OWLS

This Is the Package Under Armour Is Using...

Over the past few days -- Under Armour has sent out a "gold" case out to influencers announcing the official start of their relationship with Notre Dame -- here is what it looks like.

Latest Photo Taken From Notre Dame Stadium

The new field turf installation keeps humming along inside Notre Dame Stadium.  As you can see a layer of stone now resides over top of the drainage system...

The first game against Rice is now only 59 days away!

Must Read Story: Domer Mark Green '89

Notre Dame fans will remember former student-athlete Mark Green '89, who played running back during the Holtz era for the Fighting Irish. 

His is a story the Notre Dame Football staff will want to share with a number of the top high school football players (and their families) in the country...

LINK:  MARK GREEN

Under Armour Market Cap Up $3.9 Billion!

On January 21, 2014 the University of Notre Dame and Under Armour announced the largest shoe and apparel contract in the history of collegiate athletics.  At the time -- Under Armour's market cap was $8.96 Billion.

Fast forward 164 days later...

Under Armour's market cap is now $12.89 Billion -- an increase of 43.5% since the Notre Dame announcement.

Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin a Notre Dame Fan

This photo was making the rounds on Twitter the last few days.  It shows former Notre Dame running back Vagas Ferguson with three young Fighting Irish fans...

Well, the young man in the Notre Dame sweatshirt on the left is none other than the head football coach for the Texas A&M Aggies -- Kevin Sumlin.

Sumlin grew up in Indiana...

ND Single Game Tickets Go On Sale July 10th

If you're looking to go to a Notre Dame Football game this season -- here's your last chance!

The un-sold single game tickets go on sale Thursday, July 10th at 6 PM ET -- click on the link below.

LINK:  NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL TICKETS

Notre Dame Licensee Tag on Michigan Gear

You can't make this up -- either Adidas is trying to save money by recycling Notre Dame stuff -- or, merchandise isn't selling well in Ann Arbor and they needed a little help...

Someone is going to hear about this.

Shamrock Series Helmet Design -- TEASE!

Ryan Grooms and the Notre Dame Football Equipment staff know how to "tease" their audience.

Grooms "tweeted" this photo today -- obviously, the 2014 SHAMROCK SERIES HELMET has been designed and it's in this box.

You can follow Ryan on Twitter @NDFBEquipment

Notre Dame Football -- The Official Football

The Notre Dame Football Equipment staff is busy this week getting all of the Under Armour gear set-up for the upcoming season.  One of the shipments that arrived is the official Wilson Notre Dame footballs...

Got To Love These Notre Dame Football Shoes!

The Under Armour "effect" has come to Notre Dame...

Be The First To Own Notre Dame Under Armour

Here's where you can buy the Notre Dame / Under Armour stuff...

LINK:  UNDER ARMOUR SITE

LINK:  NOTRE DAME HAMMES BOOKSTORE SITE

Fun Begins for Notre Dame's Equipment Staff

The boxes came rolling into campus yesterday -- as the historic Notre Dame / Under Armour deal commenced this morning.  Here's a photo of just a "few" of the boxes of new shoes, apparel and gear that the Notre Dame Football team will be wearing this summer and fall.

Notre Dame & Under Armour -- DAY #1 !!!

The most lucrative shoe and apparel deal in college sports history kicked off last night at midnight despite TORNADO WARNINGS in the area of Notre Dame's campus -- crazy!

Here's a photo of the Notre Dame fans who wanted to be the FIRST to wear the new gear from Under Armour.

Storm Rips Through Notre Dame Last Night

Here is a photo of a downed tree this morning on Notre Dame Avenue that temporarily closed the entrance to campus. The on-campus nine-hole golf course took a major beating from the storm as did Cedar Grove Cemetery. 

The Michiana area took a big hit last night as winds upwards of 80 mph ripped through the area.  Here's a couple of links to photos of the storm damage in the South Bend area:

LINK:  STORM DAMAGE

LINK:  MORE PHOTOS OF DAMAGE

Under Armour Era Begins at Midnight Tonight!

The most valuable shoe and apparel contract in the history of college sports -- begins at midnight tonight.

The University of Notre Dame and Under Armour's ten year relationship kicks-off this evening with an unveiling party at the Leep Varsity Shop located inside Purcell Pavilion.  Fans are expected to be lining up in the next couple of hours -- weather permitting!

LINK:  REVEAL PARTY AT NOTRE DAME

Lions' Beat Writer Thinks T.J. Makes Team

Former Notre Dame student-athlete T.J. Jones was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the Sixth Round of the 2014 NFL Draft.  As you'll see in this story -- a Lions' beat writer for the Detroit Free Press thinks T.J. will make the team.

LINK:  JONES A LION

I Missed This -- Skylar Scores 33 in OT WIN!

Last Sunday, former Notre Dame All-American Skylar Diggins scored more points in a WNBA game than any other Fighting Irish student-athlete in history.

Skylar scored 33 in the Tulsa Shock's 106 - 99 OT win over the Chicago Sky.  

Here's a link to a photo gallery from the game:

LINK:  SKYLAR'S BIG GAME

Media Reports on the Fighting Alumni's Big Win

Just before 9 PM ET in the city of Boston -- a number of former Notre Dame men's basketball players won a basketball game that carried a $500,000 first place check.  They upset a team that was considered the prohibitive favorite - a team with four former NBA players.

What though the odds be great or small -- ol' Notre Dame will win over all!

Here are the media stories the morning after the big upset win!!!

LINK:  IRISH WIN

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  NBC SPORTS

Notre Dame's 75th & 76th NHL Entry Draftee

The University of Notre Dame's hockey program celebrated its 75th and 76th players drafted "all-time" in the NHL Entry Draft when Joe Wengwerth went 92nd overall to the Florida Panthers and Jake Evans went 207th overall to the Montreal Canadiens.

Wengwerth will enroll at Notre Dame the fall of 2015 -- playing this next season for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL.  Here's a link to his story -- posted yesterday.  LINK

Evans, out of Toronto -- will be playing for Jeff Jackson's Fighting Irish this upcoming season.  He scored 63 points in 49 games for St. Mike's Buzzers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League this past season -- earning first team OJHL all-prospect selection.

LINK:  CANADIENS SELECT EVANS

Notre Dame Alums Win $500,000 Tournament!

WOW!

The team of Notre Dame Fighting Irish Alumni basketball players won the inaugural The Basketball Tournament tonight and the $500,000 check that goes to the winning team!  The Fighting Alumni beat the prohibitive favorites Team Bartstool 72 - 68 -- a huge upset!!! 

What thought the odds be great or small...

The third story linked below was published this morning at the South Bend Tribune -- IT IS A MUST READ!

LINK:  ESPN GAME HIGHLIGHTS 

LINK:  GAME RECAP

LINK:  THE FIGHTING ALUMNI

LINK:  TEAM VIDEO

Under Armour Delivering ND Apparel to Media

Former NBC sideline reporter for Notre Dame Football -- Alex Flanagan, "tweeted" this picture of a package she received from Under Armour promoting their deal with the University of Notre Dame.

Got to love it!

Notre Dame Hockey Recruit Drafted by Panthers

The NHL's Florida Panthers just drafted future Notre Dame hockey forward Joe Wegwerth with the 92nd pick overall in the 2014 NHL Draft.

Wegwerth, from Burnsville, MN is expected to play this season for the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL and join the Fighting Irish for the 2015 - 2016 season.

Congratulations Joe!

LINK:  JOE WEGWERTH

Today is Day #62,672 in Notre Dame's History

Not that anyone is keeping track...

Domer Molly Huddle Wins U.S National Title!

Last night at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championship -- former Notre Dame All-American Molly Huddle '06 won the 5,000 Meters in a time of 15:01.56

This is Molly's second national championship in the 5,000 meter run -- she last won it in 2011 with a time of 15:10.   

She is currently ranked #5 in the world in this event!

LINK:  RESULTS

LINK:  WORLD RANKINGS -- 5,000 METERS

Notre Dame ADIDAS Items -- BIG TIME SALE!

If you were wondering when the prices would drop on Notre Dame branded Adidas items -- it's happening now!

LINK:  ONLINE SALE