Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Honoring Notre Dame's Student-Athletes


If you watch next week's Commencement at the University of Notre Dame (LIVE ONLINE) -- keep an eye out for the "stoll" with the MONOGRAM (see photo above) -- it will signify a graduating student-athlete...

USA Today Story on Skylar Diggins and Jay Z

Former Notre Dame All-American Skylar Diggins is one of seven athletes who've signed with Jay Z's Roc Nation for representation -- she's the only female...

It's been a very smart business move for Skylar -- read this story in USA Today -- today:

LINK:  SKYLAR AND ROC NATION

Photo of Notre Dame's Main Building Today


The Notre Dame Grounds Crew posted this photo today on their TWITTER account (@ndgroundscrew) of their work after adding new mulch around the University's iconic Golden Dome. 

Today is the last day of classes for the students -- two study days -- then final exams start next Monday.  This school year went by too fast!

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

News Coverage of Notre Dame Day...


We wrapped up 29 hours of LIVE BROADCASTING last night (at Midnight ET) of the first-ever NOTRE DAME DAY.  It was pretty special!

Here's some of the news coverage:

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  ABC-57

First ND Alumnae Celebrate with Father Ted



Notre Dame's Fr. Ted Hesburgh, C.S.C., celebrated his upcoming 97th birthday -- early -- with a few of the first females who graduated from the University of Notre Dame -- the cameras at WNDU-TV were in attendance...

Enjoy!

LINK:  FR. TED

Notre Dame Men's Lacrosse Wins ACC Title!


In their first ever ACC Championship game -- the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame beat #4 ranked Syracuse 15 -14 to win the title!  Congratulations!

Here are the highlights:

LINK:  ACC CHAMPS!

Notre Dame's "fiND Your Happy" -- Must See!


On the morning after we produced the first ever 29 HOUR LIVE broadcast of Notre Dame Day -- this video arrived in my email in-box.  I needed this!

Thought you'd enjoy!

LINK:  FIND YOUR HAPPY

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Notre Dame Day's LIVE Broadcast Schedule


Folks, as I write this blog post we're exactly nine hours away from something quite special...

At 6:42 PM ET today (Military time of 18:42 -- the year Notre Dame was founded) -- the LIVE EVENT called Notre Dame Day will commence.  It's a 29 hour -- global celebration of Notre Dame that will be broadcast live over the internet.

You can watch it LIVE at:  http://notredameday.nd.edu

No other college or university has ever attempted anything like this -- a 29 HOUR LIVE BROADCAST!

Here's the most updated broadcast schedule -- as of 9 AM ET this morning -- I'm just listing some of the guests that will appear in the first few hours of the show:


Sunday, April 27th

6:42 PM ET:
  • Fr. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. 
  • Natalie Achonwa
  • Live look-in at Bookstore Basketball Championship Game
  • Live performance by ND Alum Pat McKillen
  • Dillon Hall vs. Alumni Hall -- TUG OF WAR 

8:00 PM ET:
  • 2014 Bookstore Basketball Champions with Digger Phelps
  • John Scully, the guy who wrote HERE COME THE IRISH
  • Joe Rogers -- the "one-handed" Notre Dame Hockey Goalie
  • Erin Hoffman-Harding -- VP, Student Affairs
  • McGlinn Hall vs. Welsh Family Hall -- TUG OF WAR

9:00 PM ET
  • Zack Martin, Chris Watt and Tommy Rees
  • ND Men's Soccer National Champions
  • Ruth Riley
  • Live performance by Notre Dame Pom Squad
  • Morrisey Manor vs. Fisher Hall -- TUG OF WAR

10:00 PM ET
  • Louis "Irish Chocolate" Nix III
  • Live performance by Pat McKillen

LINK:  WATCH ALL 29 HOURS LIVE RIGHT HERE!

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Huge Last Second IRISH Win Over #7 Maryland


The #9 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish scored a game winning goal with FIVE SECONDS left in yesterday's ACC Champioinship Semi-Final game against #7 ranked (and the top seeded team in the tournament) Maryland!

The Fighting Irish advance to tomorrow's ACC Championship game against #4 ranked Syracuse -- the game will be televised LIVE on ESPNU -- beginning at 1 PM ET.

Here's the replay of Matt Kavanaugh's game winner!

LINK:  GAME WINNER

Friday, April 25, 2014

Notre Dame Day -- Just Two Days Away!


The Notre Dame Day Studio is being built in LaFortune Student Center's main lobby -- for Sunday night's broadcast launch. (photo above)

The fun begins at 6:42 PM ET Sunday -- LIVE on the web -- click on the link below to watch the 29 HOUR live broadcast:

LINK:  WATCH NOTRE DAME DAY -- RIGHT HERE!

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Notre Dame's Fortunato Living Up to the Hype


She came to Notre Dame with these plaudits; "the #1 player in the country and ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY ACCLAIMED RECRUITS OF ALL-TIME" in women's lacrosse...

Courtney Fortunato (Northport, NY), a freshman attacker for the Fighting Irish, is already the team's leading scorer and has been named a Mid-Season All-American...

LINK:  LEADING SCORER

LINK:  COURTNEY FORTUNATO

101 Year-Old Domer Running for U.S. Congress!


Folks, this is not a typo...

101 year-young Joe Newman -- a 1936 graduate of the University of Notre Dame -- is campaigning to be a "write-in" candidate for the 16th District Congressional Seat in the State of Florida.

You've got to love this!

LINK:  FOX NEWS

LINK:  NBC TV INTERVIEW

Golden Tate's Detroit Debut on Monday Night!


Former Notre Dame All-American and Super Bowl Champion -- Golden Tate, is going to make his Detroit Lions' debut on Monday Night Football.  Here's the story:

LINK: A GOLDEN MONDAY!

Florida Transfer to Bolster Notre Dame's "D"


Cody Riggs, who will be in South Bend in about five weeks -- instantly becomes the most experienced football player in the Notre Dame football program.  Here is a story about his arrival to the Fighting Irish:

LINK:  WHAT RIGGS BRINGS

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

New LED Lighting: Notre Dame's Golden Dome


The photos above -- taken by Notre Dame's Matt Cashore -- shows off the illumination power of the new lighting installed at the Main Building.  The top photo is the "before" -- the bottom photo the "after."

Impressive!

Less Than Five Days to NOTRE DAME DAY!


Here's a list of a few of the interviews that have been scheduled to date for this Sunday, April 27th -- during the first few hours of NOTRE DAME DAY!

Notre Dame Day is a 29 HOUR global celebration of Notre Dame -- that kicks off LIVE at 6:42 PM ET this Sunday and ends at Midnight ET on Monday -- just click on the link below to learn more!

Sunday's Interview Schedule
  • 8 PM:  Brady Quinn
  • 9 PM:  Zack Martin, Chris Watt and Tommy Rees
  • 10 PM:  Louis Nix
  • 11 PM:  Ruth Riley

LINK:  NOTRE DAME DAY

Monday, April 21, 2014

Every Notre Dame Fan Needs One of These!!!


This is a photo taken today of a driver with a Notre Dame paint job -- courtesy of Hydrographics -- the company who paints our football helmets.  WOW!

I'd be afraid to mark this up!

Louis Nix III Story Today in USA TODAY


Former Notre Dame student-athlete Louis "Irish Chocolate" Nix was the subject today of a USA Today story you'll enjoy!

LINK:  LOUIS NIX

Domer Molly Huddle Wins BAA 5K!


Former Notre Dame All-American Molly Huddle (photo above) won the Boston Athletic Association's 5k race on Saturday -- on the same streets they ran today's Boston Marathon.

Molly won the BAA 5K in a record-tying time of 15:12 -- passing the race leader in the last 100 meters of the race!  Here's the story:

LINK:  HUDDLE WINS 5K

Sunday, April 20, 2014

He Is Risen! Happy Easter from Notre Dame!


The University of Notre Dame's Liturgical Choir will be performing "Hail Gladdening Light" at today's 10 AM Easter Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.  This past week -- the gang at the DAILY DOMER was able to capture their performance of this song in the Lady Chapel -- just click on the link below:

LINK:  HAPPY EASTER!

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Video of Three Notre Dame Fans Marlin Fishing


My cousins Pat, Mike and Brendan Doyle were in the Gulf of Mexico (earlier this month) fishing for Marlins for the TV show the OUTDOOR OPTION.  The three big-time Notre Dame fans -- caught some very nice Marlin as you'll see in this video -- enjoy!

LINK:  MARLINS

Atkins and Sherman Finish Play at Portsmouth

Former Notre Dame basketball players Eric Atkins and Garrick Sherman played their final games this afternoon at the Portsmouth Invitational -- a four day tournament featuring the top 64 graduating seniors in college basketball.

Sherman had his best game of the tournament scoring 22 and grabbing 10 boards -- his second "double-double" in Portsmouth.  Atkins scored 5 points and dished out 8 assists in his team's 87 - 69 win.  Here are the box scores:

LINK:  SHERMAN'S "DOUBLE-DOUBLE"

LINK:  ATKIN'S GAME

Bobby Hurley Tells Brey to Recruit Matt Farrell


Former Duke All-American Bobby Hurley called his old coach Mike Brey (Coach Brey was an assistant at Duke when Hurley played for the Blue Devils) to tell him that Matt Farrell "reminds me of me..."

Here's the story:

LINK:  HURLEY ON FARRELL

Winter's 100th Career Win was PERFECT!


Notre Dame senior hurler Laura Winter (San Diego, CA) pitched a PERFECT game against Virginia last night -- setting down all 15 batters she faced as the #21 ranked Fighting Irish beat the Cavaliers 8 - 0.  For Winter, it was her 100th career victory -- the most in school history!

LINK:  GAME STORY

Friday, April 18, 2014

Dantley Talks ESPN's "Bad Boys" 30 for 30

Former Notre Dame All-American Adrian Dantley was a reluctant interview in the just released ESPN "30 for 30" film on the Detroit Pistons. 

As you'll see in this Detroit News story -- Dantley doesn't hold back on his feelings for Isiah Thomas in a recent radio interview he gave to Detroit Sports Radio 105.1 FM -- second link below...

LINK:  DANTLEY

LINK:  RADIO INTERVIEW

Look Who Was Filming at Notre Dame...


Film and television star Ken Jeong was on the Notre Dame campus April 10th filming an ESPN 30 for 30 Short on former Fighting Irish kicker Reggie Ho...

I can't wait to see this!

Last night, Jeong was a guest on the Keith Olbermann Show and he talked about the upcoming film:


LINK:  JEONG ON OLBERMANN

Notre Dame Ranked #1 in Protection of Athletes


The Association for the Protection of College Athletes just released their rankings of each FBS school based on a comparison of athletic success, academic progress and the treatment of athletes.

The APCA Ranking Report provides the most comprehensive, commercially independent comparison of collegiate athletic programs. It emphasizes factors that collegiate student athletes have identified as the most important: a strong academic program, a successful team record, diverse academic opportunities, university commitment to the athletic program, the ability to play in front of a crowd and during the postseason, and a sufficient athletic scholarship (when a scholarship is applicable).

The formula rewards programs that do not discriminate against student athletes. A program will receive a higher score if it allows student athletes to take any academic major of their choosing, operates in accordance with NCAA policy, and does not impose additional restrictions on student athletes who may want to transfer to another college or university.

The APCA Ranking Report is created using readily available data that has been provided by schools and collected by independent sources, including the NCAA and the federal government. 

Look who's ranked #1!
  1. University of Notre Dame
  2. Northwestern
  3. Syracuse
  4. Northern Illinois
  5. Air Force Academy
  6. Utah State
  7. Clemson
  8. Kansas State
  9. Wisconsin
  10. Texas A&M

Domer Vic Lombardi Reppin' ND in Denver


For sports fans in Denver -- Vic Lombardi '91, can be found in the mornings on Sports Radio The Fan 104.3 FM and on CBS Channel 4 in the afternoons and evenings...

Lombardi, who graduated from Notre Dame in 1991 never misses the opportunity to talk about the Fighting Irish on his morning radio show.  If you'd like to listen in over the web -- just click on the link below!

My brother Jay, who lives in Denver, is listening to Vic all of the time...


LINK:  LOMBARDI

Must See: Detroit News Story on Torii Hunter Jr.


Torii Hunter Sr., is the starting right fielder for the Detroit Tigers -- his son Torii Jr., is a freshman football player -- looking to earn a starting wide receiver postion at the University of Notre Dame.  The South Bend Tribune's Eric Hansen penned this story that the Detroit News picked up...

LINK:  HUNTER

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Notre Dame Selected "Most Beautiful Campus"


Insignia Lifestyle Boutique just published their list of the Ten Most Beautiful College and University Campuses in the World -- and the University of Notre Dame's campus made the list!

As you'll see, Notre Dame's campus was selected as the most beautiful in America and just one of four campuses in the States to make the global list...

LINK:  WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL

Domer Injured in Bombing to Run in Marathon!


Eliza Gedney '11, who was injured in last year's bombings at the Boston Marathon, has decided to run in Monday's race.  That's Eliza on the right in the photo above -- with her friend Liza Smeraldi who's going to run the Boston Marathon with her.

Gedney, who lives close to the Finish Line of the Boston Marathon was walking down the sidewalk of Boylston Street on her way to meet some friends to celebrate Patriot's Day...

When the first bomb went off...

“It was 2:49 p.m. when I made my way past the Marathon Sports store and was right at the finish line when the first bomb detonated just a few yards behind me,” says Gedney, who earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business in 2011. “The explosion occurred on the sidewalk right where I had stepped just a few seconds before.”

Gedney, who goes by the nickname Eli, was blown off of her feet. She suffered second and third-degree burns to her ankles and lower legs, and shrapnel wounds from head to toe. Her ear drum ruptured. Dazed and bleeding, she stumbled into a nearby bar, and was quickly taken to a medical tent for treatment before being transported to the hospital...

You're going to want to read the rest of this story -- click on the link below:


LINK:  BOSTON MARATHON
 

Day Two: 2014 Portsmouth Invitational


Garrick Sherman's Portsmouth Sports Club beat Eric Atkins' K&D Rounds Landscaping 92 - 91 today at the Portsmouth Invitational.  Sherman had 18 points and 2 rebounds -- Atkins had 9 points, 10 assists and 4 rebounds in this game between the two former Fighting Irish basketball players.

They are two of the sixty-four college seniors invited to play in this sixty-year old tournament played before NBA general managers and scouts.

LINK:  BOX SCORE

Day One: Portsmouth Invitational Results


Former Notre Dame student-athletes Eric Atkins and Garrick Sherman are playing in the Portsmouth Invitational this weekend in front of general managers and scouts from every NBA team.  The sixty-year old tournament tipped off last night and runs through Saturday...

In Wednesday's opening round action, Garrick Sherman led his Portsmouth Sports Club team with 19 points and was second in rebounding with 11 in a 77 - 74 loss to Roger Brown's Restaurant.  And, Eric Atkins played 30 minutes for his K&D Rounds Landscaping team in their 71 - 66 losing effort to Norfolk Sports Club.  Atkins scored 5 points while dishing out 5 assists and making 3 steals...

Today at 3:15 PM ET -- Atkins and Sherman square off against each other in a game pitting the Portsmouth Sports Club vs. K&D Rounds Landscaping.  You can watch it LIVE ONLINE -- at the link below:

LINK:  SHERMAN vs. ATKINS -- LIVE RIGHT HERE!

LINK:  SHERMAN'S GAME -- BOX SCORE

LINK:  ATKIN'S GAME -- BOX SCORE






Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Indiana Fever's GM Talks Drafting Ochonwa


The Indiana Fever selected Notre Dame's Natalie Ochonwa with the ninth pick overall in Monday's WNBA Draft.  Ochonwa, who is scheduled to be operated on this Friday for a torn ACL, will miss the upcoming WNBA season.

You'll learn why the Fever still drafted Natalie -- in the article linked below:

LINK:  OCHONWA

Silver Stars Thrilled to Draft ND's Kayla McBride


Found this story today about Notre Dame's Kayla McBride and her third overall selection in this week's WNBA Draft by the San Antonio Silver Stars.  I'm very happy for her!

LINK:  THRILLED TO DRAFT MCBRIDE

Matt Farrell Makes it Official with Notre Dame!


Mike Brey announced today that Point Pleasant Beach, NJ point guard Matt Farrell had signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.  Farrell joins Bonzie Colson and Martin Geben as the high school seniors who will make up the incoming recruiting class for the Irish.

LINK:  COACH BREY TALKS FARRELL

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

"Inside Look" at Notre Dame's Blue Gold Game


The folks at Fighting Irish Digital Media just released this "inside" look at Saturday's 85th Annual Blue Gold Game.  Enjoy!

LINK:  BLUE GOLD GAME

Notre Dame's Class of 2018 -- Top of the Class!

The University of Notre Dame received almost 18,000 applications for what is expected will be a class of approximately 2,000 students who will make up its Class of 2018. 

Do you have what it takes to be a Notre Dame student?  Take a look at this article...

LINK:  NOTRE DAME'S CLASS OF 2018

88 Notre Dame Students Receive ND Monogram


The University of Notre Dame passed on a 98 year-old tradition this evening -- the awarding of the MONOGRAM to its varsity student-athletes.

In the photo above (l to r), John Turner (Indianapolis, IN), Ronnie Stanley (Las Vegas, NV) and James Onwualu (St. Paul, MN) model their new look!

Atkins & Sherman Earn Invite to Portsmouth


Former Notre Dame basketball players; Eric Atkins and Garrick Sherman will join sixty-two of the top senior college basketball players in the country in New Hampshire tomorrow to play in the PORTSMOUTH INVITATIONAL in front of NBA scouts and general managers.

The sixty-four players have been divided into eight teams of eight players each -- the games start tomorrow run through Saturday.

Atkins is on a team called K&D Rounds Landscaping,  Sherman is on a team called the Portsmouth Sports Club.  Here's a link to their respective rosters:

LINK:  PORTSMOUTH INVITATIONAL

Monday, April 14, 2014

Five First Round WNBA Picks in Three Years!


Muffet's Notre Dame Fighting Irish can now claim five (5) first round WNBA Draft picks in the past three seasons!
  • 2014:  (3) Kayla McBride, (9) Natalie Achonwa
  • 2013:  (3) Skylar Diggins
  • 2012:  (3) Devereaux Peters, (8) Natalie Novosel

The photo above shows the "five" WNBA Draft picks who were members of the 2012 Final Four Fighting Irish!

Natalie Achonwa Goes 9th Overall to Indiana!


Now, former Notre Dame women's basketball star Natalie Achonwa -- was just drafted ninth overall by the Indiana Fever in tonight's WNBA Draft!  Congratulations Natalie!

You have to be really happy for Natalie, who is awaiting ACL knee surgery...

LINK:  NATALIE ACHONWA GOES TO INDIANA!

Kayla McBride Goes 3rd Overall in WNBA Draft!


Now former Notre Dame All-American -- Kayla McBride, was just drafted third overall by the San Antonio Silver Stars in tonight's WNBA Draft.  Congratulations Kayla!

Kayla was joined by her Mom, Dad and Coach Muffet McGraw at the Draft.

LINK:  KAYLA GOES TO SAN ANTONIO!

WNBA Draft Tonight at 8 PM ET on ESPN2


Former Notre Dame women's basketball stars; Kayla McBride and Natalie Achonwa will find out this evening if they'll be playing in the WNBA this summer -- as their annual draft takes place on ESPN2 beginning at 8 PM ET.  

Here's a look at a MOCK DRAFT which has both players going in the first round -- sure hope that's the case for Natalie after her knee injury -- just click on the links below:

LINK:  NBA MOCK DRAFT

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Media's Talkin' Notre Dame's Blue Gold Game


As we always do here at the ND GO IRISH BLOG -- I took a lap around the worldwide web to see what the media has to say about the 85th Annual Blue Gold Game at Notre Dame.  Just click on the links below:

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #1

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE #2

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE -- ZAIRE INTERVIEW

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE -- JAYLON INTERVIEW

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Stanford Fans Came Dressed as "Empty Seats"


This is the fan turnout in Palo Alto, CA today for Stanford's Spring Game -- looks like a "few hundred" friends and family members of the players...

ESPN Player Interviews After Blue Gold Game

 

ESPN's Matt Fortuna caught up with a couple of Notre Dame players after today's Blue Gold Game.  Just click on the links below to watch the interviews:

LINK:  KEIVARAE RUSSELL

LINK:  JOE SCHMIDT

Photo of the Day: Kyle Rudolph's Golf Grips


Minnesota Vikings' Kyle Rudolph is "reppin" his alma mater with these green and gold golf grips...

Notre Dame Football Players Back Home...


Notre Dame's Jack Nolan caught up with a number of the former Fighting Irish football players during today's Blue Gold Game:

LINK:  BACK HOME

Rockne is SMILING: ND's New Playing Surface


Folks, Notre Dame football (as far back as 80 years ago) was known for winning and for INNOVATION.  If synthetic playing surfaces had been around in Rockne's days -- Notre Dame would have been playing on it...

Well, that day has come.  After today's Blue Gold Game -- Notre Dame's Athletic Director announced that a synthetic playing surface would be installed in the "House that Rock Built."  Here's the announcement:

LINK:  NEW PLAYING SURFACE

LINK:  NBC'S INTERVIEW

LINK:  GOLSON ON FIELD TURF

LINK:  ESPN'S FORTUNA