Monday, October 27, 2014

Photos From Notre Dame's Campus in October


Took a walk around the University of Notre Dame campus this evening and took these photos with my iPhone...

MUST SEE: Navy's "Beat Notre Dame" Video


I don't think we'll be seeing any Notre Dame students doing something like this for a game against Navy.

However, this is really good...

BRAVO!!!

LINK:  BEAT NOTRE DAME

NFL Teams With Three + Domers on Payroll...


There are five teams in the NFL that have at least three former Notre Dame student-athletes on their payroll this morning -- and they are a combined 26 - 13 this season...
  • ARIZONA CARDINALS:  6 - 1
  • DETROIT LIONS:  6 - 2
  • NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS:  6 - 2
  • SAN DIEGO CHARGERS:  5 - 3
  • MINNESOTA VIKINGS:  3 - 5

Four of the five would be in the NFL Playoffs if they started this week -- do you think some NFL General Managers are taking notice?

ARIZONA CARDINALS
  • Michael Floyd
  • Jon Carlson
  • Robert Hughes
  • Troy Niklas

DETROIT LIONS
  • Golden Tate
  • Theo Riddick
  • T.J. Jones
  • Joseph Fauria -- he transferred out of ND

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
  • Jonas Gray
  • Darius Fleming
  • Kona Schwenke

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
  • Chris Watt
  • Manti Te'o
  • Trevor Robinson

MINNESOTA VIKINGS
  • Harrison Smith
  • R.J. Blanton
  • Kyle Rudolph
  • John Sullivan

That's DOMERS Michael Floyd and Robert Hughes in the photo above.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Notre Dame Moves Up to #6 in AP Poll


The AP Poll and the Amway Coaches Poll were released today and Ole Miss' loss to LSU moves the Fighting Irish up one spot in each poll.

The poll that counts -- the College Playoff Poll will be released this Tuesday, October 28th at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN.

LINK:  POLLS WEEK 10

Two Domers Score TD's Today in London!


Former Notre Dame student-athletes Golden Tate (#15) and Theo Riddick (#25) led a huge Detroit Lions' second half comeback today -- scoring the FIRST TWO TD's EVER by former Notre Dame players in England!  Golden led the Lions with seven catches for 151 yards and the TD!

Be sure to check out Theo's GREAT CATCH -- on the game winning drive!

The Lions erased a 21 - 0 halftime deficit to win the game 22 - 21 on a last second 48 yard field goal!

LINK:  GOLDEN'S TD

LINK:  RIDDICK'S TD

LINK:  RIDDICK'S GREAT CATCH

LINK:  GOLDEN'S POST GAME INTERVIEW

My "Great" Uncle Tom's Stained Glass Talent!


My great-uncle Tom Fries, made this piece of stained-glass for my uncle R.J. and it hangs in honor at Gilbert Creek Ranch in Mecosta, MI.  My cousins' hunting compound in the mid-Michigan area...

You'll find a group their most Saturday's in the Fall watching the Fighting Irish on TV -- now they can watch them out the window too!

Uncle Tom is in his 80's and he's still knocking out these incredible stained glass pieces of art as gifts for family and friends.  He also has a great talent for singing an Irish song or two...

He's been a wonderful GIFT to our family!

Notre Dame Football's "Mid-Term" Report Card


Rachel Terlep -- the Notre Dame beat writer for the Elkhart Truth offered up her "grades" on the Fighting Irish's performance over the first seven games of the season.  Just click on the links below:

LINK:  DEFENSIVE GRADES

LINK:  OFFENSIVE GRADES

SBT: Areas Notre Dame Needs to Improve


The South Bend Tribune's Notre Dame beat writer Eric Hansen authored a piece today on where the Fighting Irish need to improve on the most over the last five games of the season to be a "legitimate" Playoff contender:

LINK:  CONTENDER

Saturday, October 25, 2014

OT: Izzo Has Some Fun in East Lansing Tonight


Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo -- dressed up like a member of the band KISS -- as the Spartans celebrated the start of the 2014 - 2015 college basketball season this evening in East Lansing...

I wish we could create a night like this in South Bend.

LINK:  IZZO'S KISS

LINK:  VIDEO OF PERFORMANCE

LINK:  STORY

Friday, October 24, 2014

Golden Tate & Reggis Bush: London Dance Off


Former Notre Dame All-American Golden Tate and one-time Heisman Trophy recipient Reggie Bush -- hosted a dance competition in London.  The Domer and his teammates take on the Atlanta Falcons in the UK on Sunday...

LINK:  WATCH IT HERE

A Great Notre Dame Fighting Irish Pumpkin!


My wife Susan Small has an incredible art talent...

Here's one of her latest efforts.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Jimbo Goes Back to Meet With Alabama Media


This past Monday, Jimbo Fisher walked out on the media in Birmingham, AL after they asked him some questions about Jameis Winston.  He was in town for their Monday Morning Quarterback Club event.

He later went back to sit with the media members he walked out on -- here was that interview:

LINK:  JIMBO FISHER

LINK:  ESPN STORY

OT: So, What is Next for North Carolina?


Self reported: 18 years of academic fraud...

LINK:  INVESTIGATION

ND's VanGorder & Denbrock Meet the Media


Notre Dame Football's defensive and offensive coordinators met with the media for the first time in a few weeks to talk about the performance of their respective units.  Just click on the link below:

LINK:  COORDINATORS

Jewell Beats Clinton Portis In "Pop-A-Shot"


One of the fun things the girl and coaches got to do during Media Day was play "Pop-A-Shot" with ACC Digtial Media Host Clinton Portis.

You'll see Jewell's reaction when she beats Portis -- in the video linked below:

LINK:  POP A SHOT

Muffet's Fighting Irish Picked to Repeat in ACC


The Atlantic Coast Conference's Women's Basketball Media Day was held Monday at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, NC -- and Notre Dame's Muffet McGraw and Jewell Loyd were in attendance.

The Fighting Irish -- who have never lost an ACC game -- received fourteen of the fifteen first place votes from the coaches (Duke received the other) in the preseason poll.  In the Media Poll -- Notre Dame received 38 of the 41 first place votes.

Jewell Loyd was named the "Preseason Player of the Year" and she was joined on the "Preseason First Team by her running mate at point guard Lindsay Allen.  Freshman Brianna Turner was named to the "Newcomer Watch List."

LINK:  ACC PRE-SEASON PICKS

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

ESPN: Can Notre Dame Edge Out a SEC Team?

The folks at ESPN -- who are partners with the SEC in the SEC NETWORK -- are asking the question does a "one-loss" Notre Dame team beat out a second SEC team from making the College Football Playoff?

See what they think:

LINK:  IS NOTRE DAME IN OR OUT?

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Most Watched October College Game in History


Folks, the Notre Dame - Florida State football game was watched by more than 13 MILLION VIEWERS -- the largest TV crowd ever for an October college football televised game in history!

Notre Dame's Future ACC Football Schedule...


The folks at the Atlantic Coast Conference released the future football schedules (through 2025) involving their "new toy" -- the Notre Dame Fighting Irish -- in the wake of the most watched college football game EVER in the month of October!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME ACC SCHEDULE

OT: Nebraska's Pelini Calls out ESPN for Bias

The new College Football Playoff system is prompting coaches and their media outlets to do what they can to make sure their team, or their conference, is in the TOP FOUR...

Here's a "shot across ESPN's bow" by Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini:

LINK:  BIAS