Celtic Women in South Bend This Evening...

Here's a couple members of Celtic Women being interviewed on local TV in South Bend.  They're performing a Christmas concert tonight at the Morris Performing Arts Center.

LINK:  WSBT-TV INTERVIEW

LINK:  VIDEO OF PERFORMANCE

Manti Te'o -- An "Every Down" NFL Linebacker!

For the first time in his NFL career -- Manti Te'o played all 74 defensive snaps -- never leaving the field...

LINK:  MANTI STAYS

Notre Dame Men's Hoops Moves Up to #16!!!

The surprise team in all of men's college basketball team has to be the FIGHTING IRISH of NOTRE DAME!

Notre Dame's great start has taken them from 'un-ranked' to now #16 in both major basketball polls.

LINK:  COLLEGE BASKETBALL POLLS

Suspect Captured In One of Notre Dame's Lakes

In the "you can't make this up" category...

A suspect, after fleeing Mishawaka police -- ended up in Saint Mary's Lake (just behind Notre Dame's Grotto) in water up to his neck a little after noon today -- before his capture and arrest.

The suspect, claimed to have a gun -- but no gun was found on him.

The Notre Dame campus was placed on "lock-down" during the chase.

You're going to want to read this story.

LINK:  WNDU-TV STORY

LINK:  WSBT-TV STORY

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE STORY

LINK:  FOX-28 STORY

LINK:  PHOTOS

MUST SEE: First Game at Notre Dame Stadium

Alliyah and Felisha, two friends and guests at South Bend's Center for the Homeless -- attended their first Notre Dame football game this Fall. 

You must see this!

LINK:  FIRST TIME FANS

In the ND Locker Room and On the Sidelines

Notre Dame fans -- if I told you I saw this coming, I'd be lying...

We have a basketball team!

LINK:  ND THUMPS PURDUE

Domer Highlights Today -- Week 16 in the NFL

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame were well represented today in the National Football League...

Former Irish QB Jimmy Clausen (that's Jimmy after the game kissing his fiance) threw two TD passes today in the Bears 20 - 14 loss to the Detroit Lions -- key fact:

These are the first TD passes thrown by a ND QB in the NFL in more than two years (the last was thrown by Brady Quinn for the Kansas City Chiefs on December 2, 2012).

Here's a look at some of the highlights today from a number of former Notre Dame student-athletes now in the National Football League:

LINK:  CLAUSEN HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  JIMMY "THE FIGHTIN' IRISH" CLAUSEN

LINK:  HARRISON SMITH INTERCEPTION

LINK:  JONAS GRAY -- GAME WINNER

LINK:  GOLDEN TATE'S GREAT CATCH

Brian Kelly's Post Practice Media Session

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media today after the Fighting Irish's practice for the Music City Bowl.  Here's a link as to what he had to say:

LINK:  COACH KELLY

#21 Notre Dame Routs Purdue by 31 in Indy!

Mike Brey's Fighting Irish are on a roll...

Purdue held an early lead -- then it was over.  As the Irish hammer the Boilermakers by the score of 94 - 63.  Here's the highlights:

LINK:  BIG WIN FOR ND

One Guess As To The "Game of the Year"

All I will say is it involved a penalty flag...

LINK:  GAME OF THE YEAR

Aerial Photo of Crossroads Construction at ND

If you lived in close proximity of the Notre Dame campus -- you've never seen so many dump trucks in all of your life...

Here's a look at the West side of the Stadium -- the East side looks similar.

Meet Notre Dame's "Rhodes Scholar"

Alex Coccia '14 was named a RHODES SCHOLAR...

LINK:  ALEX COCCIA

The #1 College Football Stadium Experience

The "House that Rock built" was just named the #1 College Football Stadium Experience by Stadium Journey Magazine...

LINK:  RANKINGS

LINK:  NOTRE DAME STADIUM -- REVIEW

Les Miles Talks About Notre Dame Game...

Les Miles was talking with reporters about the Music City Bowl game against Notre Dame -- got the sense he's not too worried about either Golson or Zaire...

LINK:  LES MILES

NBC Sports Network To Televise ECHOES 14

I don't think there is another football team on the planet whose annual awards show is aired on one of the national sports networks...  ONLY NOTRE DAME!

Be sure to tune-in this Saturday afternoon (December 20) at 1:30 PM ET to the NBC Sports Network to watch Skylar Diggins and Mike Mayock host ECHOES 14.

Long-Time Notre Dame Team Doctor Passes...

98 year-old Dr. Les Bodnar left for heaven this morning...

Bodnar served as Notre Dame Football's Team Doctor from Frank Leahy to Gerry Faust -- 35 years on the job -- while building his own private practice, South Bend Orthopedics.

He authored two books, served Joe Montana the legendary "chicken soup" in the Cotton Bowl game against Houston -- and worked the sidelines of four Notre Dame National Champions; 1949, 1966, 1973 and 1977.

He lived quite a life.

I want to thank ND GO IRISH BLOG regular Janet Geans for alerting me to this story.

LINK:  BODNAR OCTOBER INTERVIEW

LINK:  BUY HIS BOOK!

LSU Safety Talks Notre Dame QB Preparation

The MUSIC CITY BOWL is only 13 days away...

Here's LSU safety Ronald Martin talking about the Notre Dame QB's and how they're preparing for them.

LINK:  LSU PLAYER

Domer Jimmy Clausen Gets Sunday NFL Start

Word on the street is former Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen will get his first NFL start (since 2010) when he leads the Chicago Bears against the first-place Detroit Lions this Sunday at Soldier Field.

Good luck Jimmy!

LINK:  BEARS BENCH CUTLER

LINK:  CLAUSEN CAREER STATS

Notre Dame Men's Hoops Now Ranked #21

Mike Brey's Fighting Irish have moved up in the polls to #21 in both the AP and Coaches Poll -- after the 20 point win over Florida State Saturday night.

Notre Dame is the "fifth" highest ranked team among the ACC schools.

LINK:  BASKETBALL POLLS

Coach Brian Kelly: "Both QB's Will Play..."

Well, I can't say I'm surprised...

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media today after the Fighting Irish's third practice for the Music City Bowl game against LSU -- and he broke the news that both Everett Golson and Malik Zaire would play against the Tigers...

LINK:  COACH KELLY

Replay: Domer Rust Scores First NHL Goal!

 

Former Notre Dame hockey player Bryan Rust scored his first NHL goal tonight (in the second NHL game of his career) for the Pittsburgh Penguins!

Here's the replay:

LINK:  REPLAY OF RUST'S FIRST GOAL

A Blind Notre Dame Fan's First Football Game!

Mitchell, a blind 8th grader at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired -- attended his first Notre Dame game this season...

You must watch this!

LINK:  MITCHELL

Coach Mike Brey Talks Win Over Florida State

Notre Dame is 1 - 0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference after last night's 83 - 63 win over Florida State.  After the game Coach Brey met with the media -- click on the link below:

LINK:  BREY POST GAME

No Flag! IRISH Defeat Florida State -- (AGAIN)

Mike Brey's Fighting Irish got the first crack against Florida State -- since "the flag" in Tallahassee -- and they delivered!

Notre Dame hammered the Seminoles 83 - 63 with a display of dunks like we haven't seen on this campus in a long-long time.  It got so fun that the "twitter-verse" started renaming Purcell Pavilion to "Dunks DuLac."

Here's a look at the DUNKS along with a trip inside the Notre Dame locker room:

LINK:  DUNK HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  LOCKER ROOM

LINK:  ESPN DUNKS

Most Physically Imposing Player in College BB

His name is Michael Ojo and he's a 7'-1" -- 290lb., basketball player at Florida State University. 

It's going to be fun to see how #25 Notre Dame's "four-guard" offense deals with Ojo and the other two 7 foot-tall players on the Seminoles roster tonight.

OT: America's Game: Nike vs. Under Armour

It's Army vs. Navy -- it's also Nike (Army) vs. Under Armour (Navy).  Both typically roll out a helmet, uniform, shoe combination for "America's Game."

Here's what Under Armour has created for the Naval Academy today:

LINK:  DON'T TREAD ON ME STORY

Got To Love This Promo for ND Basketball

 

Notre Dame plays Florida State tonight at 8 PM ET...

The game will be televised LIVE on ESPN2.

Won't be any flags for picks tonight!

America's Game -- Army vs. Navy -- MUST SEE

Folks, I must admit I tear up every time I watch the "tease" videos that CBS creates for the Army Navy Game.  If this doesn't get to you -- I'm afraid nothing will -- click on the link below.

The telecast begins at 3 PM ET on CBS.

LINK:  MUST WATCH 

LINK:  2010 TEASE

LINK:  2009 TEASE

Notre Dame's "Early Action" Admit Letters...

There will be many high school seniors around this country and around the world -- running to their mailbox today, Monday and Tuesday -- hoping to learn if they've been offered early admittance to Notre Dame's Class of 2019.

Here's a video of Notre Dame's AVP of Undergraduate Enrollment -- Don Bishop -- signing the letters!

LINK:  EARLY ADMIT!

Photos: Notre Dame Football Awards Show

The Fighting Irish football program held their annual awards show last night -- ECHOES.  Here's a list of the award winners:

• Monogram Club MVP:  Joe Schmidt
• Offensive Player of the Year:  Will Fuller
• Defensive Player of the Year:  Jaylon Smith
• Nick Pietrosante Award:  Cam McDaniel
• Lineman of the Year:  Sheldon Day
• Guardian of the Year:  Ronnie Stanley
• Next Man In Award:  Justin Utopo
• Offensive Newcomer of the Year:  Torii Hunter, Jr.
• Defensive Newcomer of the Year:  Drue Tranquill
• Special Teams Player of the Year:  C.J. Prossise
• Rockne Student-Athlete of the Year:  Cory Robinson
• Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year:  Tyler Plantz
• Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year:  Austin Larkin
• Irish Around the Bend Award:  Kyle Brindza
• Father Lange Iron Cross Award:  Christian Lombard
• TireRack.com Play of the Year:  Ben Koyack

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  WSBT-TV

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

Water Issue Forces Evacuation of DeBartolo

A water main break in the basement of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center has forced the evacuation of the building -- and the Football Awards Show -- that's why you can't find it on the link in the story below.

Just wanted to give you a heads up on this.

Watch Skylar Diggins Host "ECHOES" Tonight!

Former Notre Dame All-American Skylar Diggins and NBC's Mike Mayock will host this evening's FOOTBALL AWARDS SHOW...

The show begins at 8 PM ET -- and will be broadcast live at the link below:

LINK:  ECHOES

Under Armour's Value Up 67% Since ND Deal!

Under Armour's market cap stands at $14.49 Billion at today's close -- an increase of 67% since their Notre Dame announcement 325 days ago.

That's $5.53 billion more in value!

Should have bought this stock...

LINK:  UNDER ARMOUR STOCK

The University of Notre Dame Christmas Tree

A beautiful sight in the rotunda of Notre Dame's Main Building -- under the "Golden Dome."

Fr. Ted With Some Women From Howard Hall...

Here's a great photo taken Monday of Fr. Ted Hesburgh, C.S.C. in his 13th floor office at the Hesburgh Library with a number of students from Howard Hall.

Pretty special moment for these ND students.

Jewell Loyd Scores 41 in ND's 94 - 93 OT Win!

Notre Dame's Jewell Loyd proved once again that she's the "GOLD STANDARD" in women's college basketball...

Coming off a 31 point performance against #2 UCONN -- Jewell goes on the road to Chicago to play #25 DePaul and she ties the school record with 41 points, the last two were free throws in OT with 5.3 seconds remaining (with the Irish down 93 - 92) to win the game!

This was Notre Dame's 28th straight win on the road.

Here's the story:

LINK:  HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  JEWELL'S NIGHT!

LINK:  BOX SCORE