Monday, November 29, 2021

If Brian Kelly Leaves for LSU -- We'll Be Okay!


If the stories are true that Brian Kelly is leaving Notre Dame to coach Louisiana State University -- good for him.  He did us right and if he's all about chasing a great contract to end his career -- he's earned that.

Here's why I'm excited tonight -- I believe college football is all about the "Jimmy's and Joe's" not the "X's and O's"  

Have you ever heard this phrase:  "Dabo Swinney is a great offensive mind."  I never have -- Dabo is a great recruiter and a great promoter.  Kids want to play for him, they see him running around that sideline hugging his players, laughing and having fun...

I believe we need a head coach that makes recruiting a PRIORITY -- to win that next National Championship.  It's been the team with the best TALENT that has been winning the titles.

So, be happy for Coach Kelly and his family.  And, pray we find a great coach -- who will recruit, recruit, recruit!!!

I am happy for Notre Dame tonight -- we'll be returning one of the top teams in all of college football next season -- and we'll do so with some new energy at the top.

All is good -- it really is.

Finebaum Talks LSU Pursuing Brian Kelly

Know Thy Opponent: Lincoln Riley's Welcome

 

USC is excited about their new football coach...

Sunday, November 28, 2021

Let's Look at the "ONE LOSS" Teams in Top 6...


There is plenty of talk right now about what "one loss" teams should be selected for the College Football Playoffs -- so, I thought I'd give the Committee some background on each of these teams:


TEAM A (Michigan):

  • Their one loss was to the currently ranked #11 team (9-2) by 4 points
  • Strength of schedule is:  #13 
  • Wins over FBS opponents:  11

 

TEAM B (Alabama):

  • Their one loss was to the currently ranked #24 team (8-4) by 3 points
  • Strength of schedule is:  #50
  • Wins over FBS opponents:  9
 

TEAM C (Oklahoma State):

  • Their one loss was to a currently un-ranked opponent (7-5) by 3 points
  • Strength of schedule is:  #5
  • Wins over FBS opponents:  9

 

TEAM D (Notre Dame):

  • Their one loss was to the currently ranked #4 team (12-0) by 11 points
  • Strength of schedule is #9
  • Wins over FBS opponents:  11

 

So, right now -- two (2) ONE LOSS teams are set to make the College Football Playoffs -- how do you pick among these four teams?

  • The two teams with the "best losses?"
    • Notre Dame lost to #4
    • Michigan lost to #11 
    • Alabama lost to #24
    • Oklahoma State lost to an un-ranked opponent
  • The two teams with the most wins over FBS opponents?
    • If Michigan beats Iowa they will have 12 FBS wins
    • Notre Dame has 11 FBS wins 
    • If Alabama beats Georgia they will have 10 FBS wins
    • If Oklahoma State beats Baylor they will have 10 FBS wins
  • The two teams with the highest strength of schedules? 
    • Oklahoma State has the #5 toughest schedule
    • Notre Dame has the #9 toughest schedule
    • Michigan has the #13 toughest schedule
    • Alabama has the #50 toughest schedule

 

OT: #1 Ferris State 54 vs. #3 Grand Valley 20

 

The top ranked Ferris State Bulldogs showed why they deserve the ranking -- as they rolled over #3 Grand Valley State today in the SNOW!!!

LINK:  STORY

Biggest Win of Niele Ivey Era -- Irish Over OSU

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Well We're 11-1 --- Now We Wait...

The Fighting Irish just put Stanford away by the score of 45 - 14 and finished the season with just the one blemish vs. Cincinnati.

Now, we wait until next Saturday and ultimately next Sunday for our College Football Playoff or New Year's Six Bowl assignment...

Here's what we need to happen next Saturday:

  1. Georgia to beat Alabama
  2. Houston to upset Cincinnati
  3. Or, Baylor to upset Oklahoma State
  4. Or, Iowa to upset Michigan   

Georgia must win -- and then we just need ONE UPSET!

BELIEVE!



OT: #1 Ferris State vs. #3 Grand Valley Today!

 

The NCAA National Championship in Division II for football -- might just be played today in Big Rapids, MI -- as #1 Ferris State takes on #3 Grand Valley in today's NCAA Playoff game...

The game kicks off at 1 PM ET -- you can watch it LIVE right here: FERRIS TV

Ferris State is the only undefeated team in Division II --- and they're led by last year's top lacrosse player in Division I at QB!

Hamilton at #7 in This NFL Mock Draft

Finebaum Talks Notre Dame or Alabama...

 

Fast forward the video to the 5:10 mark to the talk about Notre Dame and the playoffs...

Notre Dame's Hype Video for Standord Game

Thursday, November 25, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving From Notre Dame!


This is my wife Susan's creation this morning -- she's got a talent!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

A Domer Dad & Great Notre Dame Friend...

 

Our guy Dick Vitale (father of two Notre Dame graduates) made his return to the broadcast booth last night after being treated for cancer these past few months...

Dick -- we're glad you are back doing what you love -- and what we all love!

Stanford Week: David Shaw, Players Talk IRISH

Brady Quinn Today on Dan Patrick Show

Notre Dame's Annual Thanksgiving Video...

 

We made the decision this year to recognize the thousands of "unsung heroes" here at the University of Notre Dame.  Their efforts kept the university up and running during the pandemic, while many other schools decided it was not worth the risk...

ln May of 2020, I watched singer/songwriter Jeffrey James (Brownsburg, IN) perform his song "We Can Be Heroes" on NBC's Songland.  I immediately fell in love with the song and contacted Jeffrey's agent the very next day and suggested that we shoot a music video of this song on the Notre Dame campus.

I quickly learned that because Jeffrey had just performed the song on NBC and the show's staff had helped him re-write some lyrics and change up the melody -- that the song was off limits for a year...

Well, a year passed and Jeffrey's agent -- Chris Ferren reached out to me and as they say -- the rest is history.

The same week we shot the music video on campus, Jeffrey performed at our Friday Night Bash at Notre Dame Stadium -- the night before our game against Purdue.

Hope you like the music video and the story it tells.  Please note, you're going to want to hang around and watch all of the credits...