77 Years Ago Today

The great Knute Rockne was killed in a plane crash in Bazaar, Kansas. Rockne, a convert to Catholicism due to the witness of his players and Holy Cross priests, was the head football coach at Notre Dame in the 1920s and early 1930s. His record of 105-12-5 is unsurpassed in college football history. He lived a couple blocks from where I am typing this. Though flawed in some ways, he was known for his great love for people. I got the following list from a blog named Fighting Irish Thomas. He has an very interesting post on Rockne. It is linked by the headline above.

Top Ten Telegrams/Eulogies Mourning Knute Rockne's Death

10 "Mr. Rockne so contributed to a cleanness and high purpose in athletics that his passing is a national loss."—President Herbert Hoover

9 "One man like Rockne means more to our country than a million reformers, and if football produces one Rockne in each generation, the nation can ill afford to curtail football."—James L. Knox (President of Harvard)

8 "He was a king among men. We have never met a man with greater personal magnetism, not even William Jennings Bryan."—North Carolina Christian Advocate (Methodist)

7 "I read that youth has no idols nowadays. But they had one at Notre Dame."—Sportswriter Westbrook Pegler

6 "Knute Rockne was a strong moral force and an inspiration to the youth of our land. Fourteen hundred orphan children of Mooseheart Illinois will always remember his timely and inspiring talks to them."—James J. David, President of Mooseheart

5 "When I heard of Rockne's death, something unusual happened; tears came into my eyes that I thought long ago had shed all they could hold. Now I know I was only one of a multitude who never spoke a word to Rockne but loved him. Rockne was Sorin without a cassock or breviary."—Rev. Francis Clement Kelley, Bishop of Oklahoma

4 "In the past generation, it was Buffalo Bill. For this generation, it was Knute Rockne. The boy had a profound respect for Knute Rockne, and Rockne for the boy. Each read each other's minds, and they were heroes to each other. Millions of boys (and men, girls and women) bow in grief at the news that Rockne is dead, because for millions he was greater than the president."—Cleveland Press

3 "No other death could have brought more universal sorrow than this. Knute Rockne's name was a household word. Boys who could not yet read could tell you about Rockne ... there have been big figures in sports but none who have attained the size of Rockne ... the game has ended, but in every department of play, Knute Rockne has won."—The Denver News

2 "We thought it would take a president's death to make a whole nation, regardless of age, race or creed, shake their heads in real sincere sorrow ... Well, that's what this country did today Knute for you. You died a national hero ... Notre Dame was your address, but every gridiron in America was your home."—Will Rogers

1 (tie) "Knute Rockne has had a wider influence in developing the ideals of fair play than any other man in his generation, and he did it under the banner of the Mother of God."—Rev. John F. O'Hara, University of Notre Dame

1. (tie) "What was the secret of his irresistible appeal to all sorts and conditions of men? I do not know the answer. But in this hour of piteous loss and pained bewilderment, I find myself recalling the words of Christ, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart ... and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' Knute loved God and neighbor with a genuine deep love, and his case verifies the Christian paradox—he has cast away to keep, he has lost his life to find it."—ND President Charles O'Donnell, from his eulogy at Knute Rockne's funeral Mass

Mark Allen's Vacation Pics

Wow, Marky Mark looking as gay as ever in his Tron Convention outfit!

Irish Look For More Rocky Mountain High Magic

The second round game of Notre Dame and Washington State will be more like a chess match of strength versus strength. Notre Dame's high octane offense will try and get something going against the stingy Cougar defense. Just like the George Mason game, Washington State will try and dictate the tempo with their slow, methodical style.

Washington State, like the Irish, goes about 7-to-8 players deep and is lead by guard Derrick Low. Low is the Cougars top scorer at 14 points and their leading three point shooter (39.7%, 64th in the NCAA). 6-10 center Aron Baynes is Washington State's leading rebounder at 5.8 per game. Below are the Cougars national averages:

Scoring Offense - 213 (67.1)
Scoring Defense - 3 (57.1)
Scoring Margin - 10 (10.0)
FG% - 24 (47.8)
FG% Defense - 94 (42.2)
3pt. FG% - 52 (38.1)
FT% - 50 (73.3)
Rebound Margin - 176 (0.1)
Assists - 137 (13.7); Taylor Rochestie 77 (4.6)
Turnovers - 4 (10.3)
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio - 12 (1.33); Rochestie 9 (2.72)

Even though the Cougars are a great defensive team, they do, however, lack on getting the rebounds. They also give up high percentage shots which will bode well for the Irish, who shot exceptionally well against George Mason.

Keys to the Game:

Fast Start. Like Thursday's game, Notre Dame needs to come out of the gate early and control the tempo of the game and force the Cougars to run.

X-Factor. Last time it was Zach Hillesland as he held Folarin Campbell to four points. Tomorrow it will be Tory Jackson who needs to control the Irish offense. If Jackson can penetrate, find the open shooter, and limit his turnovers, the Irish will be hard to beat. Hillesland will also be counted on to duplicate his stout defense and 11 rebound performance as well!

Make every possession count. If Notre Dame is subjected to Washington State's slow ball control game, the Irish will have to give Luke Harangody a touch every possession. Whether Luke makes a move or dishes it out, the offense will have to go through him.

See the 3, Be the 3. Kyle McAlarney, Ryan Ayers, Rob Kurz, and Luke Zeller, could have another good shooting night. If Washington State concentrates down low, like George Mason tried to do, the open trey will be there for the taking. Look for the Irish to connect on double digit field goals from behind the arc.

Prediction: Notre Dame 77 Washington State 72

Irish survive and advance to the Sweet 16 to face top seed North Carolina!

Irish Leave No Doubt In 1st Round

This was definitely not the same George Mason squad that made that magical run to the Final Four two years ago, that's for sure. What also can be said is that this is not the same Notre Dame bunch that bowed out of last year's first round of the NCAA Tournament either, as they dominated the Patriots 68-50 last night. Right from the start the Irish jumped on George Mason and never looked back as they advance to the second round against #4 seed Washington State.

Big East Player of the Year, Luke Harangody, paced the Irish with another double-double (18 points and 14 rebounds), as he rebounded from a not so stellar performance a week earlier at the conference tournament. Guard Kyle McAlarney led the Notre Dame attack from the outside with 15 points, while the game's X-factor, Zach Hillesland had six points, 11 rebounds, and kept the Patriots' leading scoring Folarin Campbell to four points!

Much can be said about the Irish's offense, but it was the defense that did the most damage to George Mason. Campbell who shot 1-of-12 from the floor acknowledged that Notre Dame kept at him all night long.

"If I would get past or have one [defender] on my hip, there was another big guy right beside him," Campbell said. "I mean, Notre Dame just played great defense. All my shots were contested. I tip my hat off to their defense."

Notre Dame made no doubt who was going to win this contest as they advanced into the second round for the fourth time in five tries under Mike Brey. The Irish contested every shot, got after loose balls, and won the battle of the boards against the smaller Patriots. Notre Dame out rebounded George Mason 42-31, that included guard Tory Jackson's eight rebounds!

George Mason did not have an answer on defense to stop the inside and outside of the Irish, as Notre Dame connected on 9-of-21 from behind the arc and shot 45.6% overall.

Next up for the Irish is a 6:40 pm contest with Washington State, who crushed Winthrop 71-40. The Cougars held the Eagles to just 11 points in the second half after being tied 29-29 at the half.

All week long leading up to last night Brey reminded his boys of last year's one and done in the tournament and last week's short stay in New York City. It definitely struck a cord as they pushed the clock forward to midnight way too soon on George Mason.

Which "X" Will Be a Factor?

As game day draws near against George Mason, much has been said about potential X-factors deciding the outcome of tomorrow night's contest. Like the Irish, George Mason doesn't have a real deep bench to draw points from. Despite the lack of depth, both squads have personnel that will cause matchup problems.

The Patriots believe that 6-4 Guard/Forward Folarin Campbell is their guy; and who could blame them? Campbell is George Mason's leading scorer at 15.9 points a game, while dishing out three assists a game. His large frame (205 lbs.) and quickness will have an effect on the Irish guards. But can the Patriots combat with what Notre Dame will throw at them?

Since being inserted into the starting lineup, junior wingman Zach Hillesland has provided the spark that ignited the Irish to a second place finish in the Big East and a second consecutive bye in the conference tournament. What Hillesland lacks in statistical categories, he makes up with his all around athleticism, 6.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists season average. He's also the go to guy when the Irish are being pressed and can handle the ball up court and find the open man. Whatever the role may be, Hillesland provides the fuel for the Irish engine.

Another surprise X-Factor for the Irish will be the two headed monster of Luke Zeller and Jonathan Peoples. Both can hit the outside shot with ease and can provide valuable minutes for the Irish. Watch for Zeller to make some key shots tomorrow night, while Peoples will add much needed depth in the backcourt.

Tale of the Tape Tips In Favor of the Irish

During the postseason you hear the adage, "You can throw statistics out the window", a lot. In most instances that is true, especially in a single elimination event like the NCAA Basketball Tournament. But when it comes to Thursday's First Round game between 5th seed Notre Dame and 12th seed George Mason, it is hard to overlook.

Here are the up-to-date Division I NCAA Basketball Statistics leading up to the Tournament:

Scoring Offense - Notre Dame 14th (80.6); George Mason 146th (69.9)

Scoring Defense - Notre Dame 211th (70.5); George Mason 42nd (62.3)

Scoring Margin - Notre Dame 26th (10.1); George Mason 48th (7.6)

Field Goal % - Notre Dame 79th (45.9); George Mason 42nd (46.9)

FG % Defense - Notre Dame 55th (41.2); George Mason 83rd (41.9)

3pt. Field Goal % - Notre Dame 5th (41.0); George Mason 161st (35.2)

Free Throw % - Notre Dame 43rd (73.6); George Mason 127th (70.4)

Rebound Margin - Notre Dame 20th (5.8); George Mason 47th (4.1)

Assists per game - Notre Dame 1st (18.9); George Mason 165th (13.2)

Personal Fouls per game - Notre Dame 8th (15.0); George Mason 14th (15.5)

Assist-to-Turnover Ratio - Notre Dame 2nd (1.46); George Mason 69th (1.11)

In what will be a hard fought contest, individuals could dominate the outcome, as well as, a good supporting cast. Below are the statistics for individuals that can change the course of Thursday's game.

Points - Luke Harangody 25th (20.8)

Field Goal % - Will Thomas 7th (63.9)

Rebounds - Harangody 18th (10.2), Rob Kurz 100th (7.5); Thomas 13th (10.5)

3pt. Field Goal % - Kyle McAlarney 13th (44.8), Kurz 92nd (39.8)

Free Throw % - Kurz 42nd (85.1)

Assists - Tory Jackson 15th (6.1)

Both the Irish and Patriots have dominate big men in Big East Player of the Year Harangody and Mr. Reliable Thomas; but Notre Dame should do well with a little deeper bench and great outside shooters. If George Mason is going to concentrate on the inside and deny Harangody looks, the Irish will have some open looks behind the arc with McAlarney, Kurz, Zellar, and Ayers, to name a few.

Tomorrow we'll take a look at the X-factors for both the Irish and the Patriots.

As always GO IRISH!

History of the 5 vs. 12 Matchup

When the NCAA Tournament selection show was announced, Notre Dame didn't have much time to fill in their brackets. Within the first few pairings, the Irish were handed a #5 seed against the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Champs, #12 seed George Mason. Yes, the dreaded 5 vs. 12 matchup that everyone and their mother wants to avoid come March. But for the Irish, is it really that bad?

The media pundits are convinced that George Mason will beat the Irish. In fact the Patriots are the "sexy" pick of the tournament. I guess going 14-4 in one of the toughest conferences in the country doesn't prepare you for the Big Dance. How about having one of the best big men in the country? Or two 3pt. shooters that can drain their shot over 40% of the time? Notre Dame is definitely going to need the Luck of the Irish to win, right?

Well luck has it, Notre Dame has reached the Sweet 16 both times the Irish were a #5 seed. The last time, 2003, Notre Dame escaped the first round beating Bruce Pearl's Wisconsin-Milwaukee squad on a last second tip in goal by Torin Francis at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. The Irish then went on to beat the 4th seed Illinois en route to their Sweet 16 appearance against top seeded Arizona. Overall the Irish are 4-2 in the #5 slot, winning both the first and second round games.

History is still on the Irish's side. Since the field expanded to 64 teams, the #12 seed team has won 29 times out of the 92 games vs. #5's. That's the same percentage as the 6 vs. 11 during that same stretch of time, while the 4 vs. 13 matchup is not too far behind (18 wins).

As for the CAA's history of the NCAA Tournament, George Mason has made the biggest splash when they squeezed into Cinderella's slipper all the way to the 2006 Final Four. Here is a breakdown of the CAA's tournament history:

9-18 (33%) First Round
3-6 (33%) Second Round
2-1 (66%) Sweet 16
1-1 (50%) Elite 8
0-1 (0%) Final Four

Maybe you should look elsewhere for that 5 vs. 12 upset this year!

Beasts in the East: Irish Land #5 Seed

All the speculation is finally over and now let the debating begin. From who was the biggest snub to some interesting seeds, one thing is quite certain. The East Region is stacked! And for Notre Dame Fans, the Irish have a tough road to hoe.

After a wild weekend that saw the Georgia Bulldogs win the SEC, including winning two games in one day, and Pittsburgh making Madison Square Garden their second home court, the NCAA committee dished their seedings with force. In the East, you have the 10th ranked team in the country, Butler, as a #7 seed. Or Indiana, who's tied for 24th in the nation, land as the 8th seed, with a possible second round matchup with the overall # 1 seed, North Carolina looming.

To put it in perspective the East Region has six regular season champions (eight if you include both Mt. St. Mary's and Coppin State), six conference tournament champions (eight again with both play-in game participants), seven Top 25 ranked teams, which include three in the Top Ten, and an average RPI rating of 49.

Below is how the other regions stack up:

Midwest
4 - Top 25 teams
2 - Top 10 teams
8 - Regular Season Champions
9 - Conference Tournament Champions
38.6 - RPI average

West
5 - Top 25 teams
2 - Top 10 teams
5 - Regular Season Champions
7 - Conference Tournament Champions
50.1 - RPI average

South
6 - Top 25 teams
2 - Top 10 teams
4 - Regular Season Champions
6 - Conference Tournament Champions
43.5 - RPI average

As for the Irish, they get the dreaded 5/12 game. One thing in their favor is that this George Mason squad is only a shell of their 2006 Final Four squad; but I'll get more in-depth about the Patriots later this week. Now the other 5/12 games are more daunting: Michigan St. v. Temple; Clemson v. Villanova; and Drake v. Western Kentucky. Usually a general rule of thumb when picking an upset of this magnitude, you look for veteran squads and injuries. With that in mind, I'm looking at both the Villanova and Western Kentucky to pull off the upsets.

George Mason is actually the lowest RPI 12 seed at 61. Western Kentucky (39), Temple (47), and Villanova (51), have a higher average than the CAA Tournament Champs. So when the ball tips off slightly before 10 pm on Thursday night, the Irish will start their second season at silencing their critics. If they do so, it will be against a murders' row of who's who in college hoops.

Tar Heels, Vols, Cardinals, Cougars, Sooners, Bulldogs, Hoosiers, Razorbacks, OH MY!

Black Thursday Hits Irish

Something must have been in the water at New York City yesterday as the second, third, and fourth seeded Big East teams all lost in the quarterfinals of the tournament. The Irish's attempts of making it successive quarterfinal wins came to a screeching halt as Marquette's Jerel McNeal was on fire in the second half en route to his career high 28 points, which included 4-of-7 from behind the 3pt. arc.

Notre Dame placed all of its starters in double figures, led by Kyle McAlarney's 20 points, but only managed seven points from their bench. The Golden Eagles produced 20 points from their bench and out rebounded the Irish by four, 35-31. Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody never really got into the rhythm of the game and was in foul trouble throughout the night.

Notre Dame must now wait and see what fate has in store for them on Selection Sunday. The Irish should not be penalized too much, because both Louisville and Connecticut also had early exits. As of today, Notre Dame is still holding strong as a #4 seed with Connecticut, Drake, and Purdue. The next line of seeds looking to jump ahead of the Irish are Indiana, Vanderbilt, Washington State, and Butler, while Michigan State, Marquette, Southern California, and Clemson still need to do some more work.

Comparing resumes to Notre Dame, the Irish look pretty favorable:

Notre Dame: 24-7; 23 (RPI); 7-3 (Last 10); 5-6 (vs. RPI Top 50)
Connecticut: 24-8; 17 (RPI); 7-3 (Last 10); 6-5 (vs. RPI Top 50)
Drake: 26-4; 11 (RPI); 7-3 (Last 10); 7-1 (vs. RPI Top 50)
Purdue: 24-7; 37 (RPI); 8-2 (Last 10); 5-4 (vs. RPI Top 50)
Indiana: 25-6; 18 (RPI); 7-3 (Last 10); 6-5 (vs. RPI Top 50)
Vanderbilt: 26-6; 10 (RPI); 8-2 (Last 10); 5-4 (vs. RPI Top 50)
Butler: 29-3; 16 (RPI); 9-1 (Last 10); 1-1 (vs. RPI Top 50)
Washington St.: 24-7; 20 (RPI); 7-3 (Last 10); 4-6 (vs. RPI Top 50)
Michigan St.: 24-7; 14 (RPI); 5-5 (Last 10); 5-5 (vs. RPI Top 50)
Marquette: 23-8; 19 (RPI); 8-2 (Last 10); 4-7 (vs. RPI Top 50)
USC: 21-10; 30 (RPI); 7-3 (Last 10); 4-7 (vs. RPI Top 50)
Clemson: 21-8; 22 (RPI); 7-3 (Last 10); 3-5 (vs. RPI Top 50)

So Irish fans hoping to see Notre Dame as a potential #4 seed will have some rooting interest today for Illinois (vs. Purdue), Minnesota (vs. Indiana), Ohio State (vs. Michigan State), Boston College (vs. Clemson), UCLA (vs. USC), Stanford (vs. Washington State), and Arkansas (vs. Vanderbilt).

Brey's Boys seeding fate is now up to the selection committee. Hopefully they will look at the whole body of work the Irish have done this season when everyone thought they were going to be a one hit wonder after last year. Whatever it ends up on Sunday, you can wipe the slate clean, because the real season begins next Thursday or Friday for the Irish!

Possible First Round Opponents

Even though the Irish are still a day away from playing their Quarterfinal matchup between the winner of Marquette-Seton Hall, I've sprung ahead to look at the possible matchups they could face in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Depending on whether Notre Dame stays put a #4 seed or moves up a notch to a #2, here are the likely list of candidates the Irish might play next week.

Belmont (24-8, 14-2) Atlantic Sun Champs
78 (RPI)
Quality wins: @ Cincinnati and @ Alabama
Bad loses: @ Kennesaw St. (324 RPI) and @ Campbell (311 RPI)
Last 10: 10-0

George Mason (23-10, 12-6) Colonial Athletic Association Champs
62 (RPI)
Quality wins: Dayton and Kansas St.
Bad loses: Georgia State (281 RPI)
Last 10: 6-4

San Diego (20-13, 11-3) West Coast Champs
89 (RPI)
Quality wins: @ Kentucky, St. Mary's (twice), and Gonzaga
Bad loses: California St. Bakersfield (317 RPI)
Last 10: 8-2

Oral Roberts (23-8, 16-2) Summit League Champs
56 (RPI)
Quality wins: Oklahoma State
Bad loses: Texas A&M Corpus Christi (260 RPI) and N. Dakota St. (196 RPI)
Last 10: 7-3

Siena (22-10, 13-5) Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
72 (RPI)
Quality wins: Stanford
Bad loses: @ James Madison (220 RPI) and @ Manhattan (271 RPI)
Last 10: 8-2

Western Kentucky (25-6, 16-2) Sun Belt Conference Champs
43 (RPI)
Quality wins: Michigan and Nebraska
Bad loses: @ Northern Arizona (137 RPI)
Last 10: 9-1

Utah State (22-9, 12-4) Western Athletic Conference
71 (RPI)
Quality wins: Iowa and Oral Roberts
Bad loses: @ Cal Poly (197 RPI) and @ Hawaii (276 RPI)
Last 10: 7-3

Cornell (21-5, 14-0) Ivy League Champs
67 (RPI)
Quality wins: Siena
Bad loses: @ Bucknell (206 RPI)
Last 10: 10-0

Stephen F. Austin (21-4, 13-3) Southland Conference
59 (RPI)
Quality wins: @ Oklahoma and @ San Diego
Bad loses: @ Nicholls St. (247 RPI) and Texas-Arlington (177 RPI)
Last 10: 9-1

UC-Santa Barbara (22-7, 12-4) Big West
79 (RPI)
Quality wins: UNLV
Bad loses: UC-Irivine (twice, 182 RPI)
Last 10: 8-2

Since his arrival at Notre Dame, Mike Brey has good success getting out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Until last season's loss to Winthrop, the Irish were 3-0 in first round games. Overall the Irish are 4-4 during Brey's tenure at Notre Dame. Starting back when the field was expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the Irish are 8-10 overall in the Tournament. Here's the round-by-round breakdown:

First Round: 6-4
Second Round: 2-4
Sweet 16: 0-2
Overall: 8-10

Under Mike Brey
First Round: 3-1
Second Round: 1-2
Sweet 16: 0-1
Overall: 4-4

So how did the potential first round opponents fair in the NCAA Tournaments since 1985?

Belmont
First Round: 0-2

George Mason
First Round: 1-3
Second Round: 1-0
Sweet 16: 1-0
Elite 8: 1-0
Final Four: 0-1
Overall: 4-4

San Diego
First Round: 0-2

Siena
Play-In Game: 1-0
First Round: 1-2
Second Round: 0-1
Overall: 1-3

Oral Roberts
First Round: 0-2

Western Kentucky
First Round: 4-4
Second Round: 1-3
Sweet 16: 0-1
Overall: 5-8

Utah State
First Round: 1-6
Second Round: 0-1
Overall: 1-7

Cornell
First Round: 0-1

UC-Santa Barbara
First Round: 1-2
Second Round: 0-1
Overall: 1-3

As each day inches closer to Selection Sunday both ND fans and the team can play the guessing game as to which team the Irish will face in the first round. Whatever team it will be, Notre Dame will be prepared and won't disappoint. They're in it to win it!

Back-2-Back 4 Brey

Last night was an Irish love fest of sorts as Luke Harangody was named the Big East Player of the Year and Mike Brey was tabbed the Coach of the Year for the second straight season. Brey becomes only the third coach in league history to win BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors in consecutive seasons. The others were P.J. Carlesimo of Seton Hall (1988-99) and Lou Carnesecca of St. John’s (1985-86).

Picked ninth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll, the Irish finished tied for second place under Brey with a 14-4 conference record. Overall, Notre Dame is 24-6. Brey is in his eighth season as the Irish head coach and owns a 166-84 record.

What is more amazing is the fact that Brey is now the 6th All-Time Winningest Coach by percentage in Big East games with a .638 average. Three Hall of Fame coaches, John Thompson, Jim Calhoun, and Jim Boeheim, along with John Thompson III, and Jamie Dixon are ahead of Brey.

Brey also moved up the Big East record books in all-time conference wins with 83 victories. He is now in 8th place behind Thompson, Calhoun, Boeheim, Carlesimo, Carnesecca, and Steve Lappas. Not bad for a coach who supposedly can’t teach, motivate, or recruit. Brey has definitely hushed his critics and rightfully deserves everything that is coming his way. Obviously his peers think so.

The question now is whether Brey can make it the Triple Crown next season?

Irish Greats Headline Nominee List for College Football Hall of Fame

The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced today the names of 75 players and eight coaches who comprise the 2008 Football Bowl Subdivision Ballot (formerly Division I-A) for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. The list of who’s who had some Irish flavor with three greats from way back and one of the best coaches ever to grace Notre Dame.

Among the 75 player candidates were offensive greats, Tim Brown (1984-87), Dave Casper (1971-73), and Jim Seymour (1966-68), while Lou Holtz (1986-96) was one of the eight nominees for the Hall of Fame coaches.

The FBS Hall of Fame Class will be announced live on ESPNEWS at a press conference in New York City's prestigious Waldorf Astoria on May 1 and inducted at The National Football Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner on December 9, 2008 also at the Waldorf Astoria. They will be officially enshrined at the Hall in South Bend in the summer of 2009.

Notre Dame was one of eight schools to have three players nominated for the Hall of Fame, while Arizona State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Purdue, Tennessee, Southern California, and UCLA, round out the other.

Tim Brown, Notre Dame-Wide Receiver-Two- time First Team All-America (1986-87) - unanimous in 1987 and won 1987 Heisman Trophy... 1987 Walter Camp Player of the Year... Set 19 school records during his four-year career.

Dave Casper, Notre Dame-Tight End-Named 1973 consensus First Team All-America... Played on 1973 National Championship Team... 1973 ND Offensive MVP and recorded 21 receptions for 335 yards and four touchdowns in career .

Jim Seymour, Notre Dame-Wide Receiver- Two-time First Team All-America selection (1967- 68)... Led the team in receiving from 1966-68... Holds Notre Dame's receiving record for pass receptions in a game (13) and receiving yards in a game (276).

Lou Holtz- William & Mary (1969-71), NC State (1972-75), Arkansas (1977-83), Minnesota (1984-85), Notre Dame (1986-96), South Carolina (1999-2004) -Ranked eighth among all-time coaches in career wins (249)... Only coach in NCAA history to lead six different programs to bowl games and four different programs to final Top 20 rankings... Led Notre Dame to 1988 national championship.

IBB Tournament Pick 'Em Contest

In the spirit of March Madness I have decided to start the inaugural IBB Tournament Pick 'Em Contest. Through Yahoo sports, I have created the Irish Band of Brothers group for my fellow posters. All you have to do is copy and paste the url below and sign up. The password for the group is: goirish

http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/register/joinprivategroup_assign_team?GID=41873&P=goirish

The winner of the contest will have bragging rights for the year and win some Notre Dame memorabilia.

Good Luck and as always, GO IRISH!

Bracket, Schmacket: Irish a Solid #4 Seed

The madness has begun: Which team is in, which is out? Who's on the bubble? What's their RPI? What was their record over their last ten games? For Notre Dame that will be simple - Yes, 19 RPI, and 8-2. For others that might not be that simple.

During the latest installments of Bracketology and whatnot, the 52 brackets that are currently available have the Irish sitting comfortably at a #4 seed. Playing in one of the best conferences in the nation, the Big East has a solid seven teams in, with a possible eight. Here are what the current bracket averages are for each of the conference members:

2 seed - Georgetown
3 seed - Louisville
4 seed - Notre Dame and Connecticut
6 seed - Marquette
7 seed - Pittsburgh
9 seed - West Virginia
12 seed - Syracuse

Possible opponents the Irish could be look at are Virginia Commonwealth, George Mason, Oral Roberts, and Stephen F. Austin.

As the week goes on, Notre Dame's projected seed will not go any lower than a 4. With a win or two, the Fighting Irish could sneak into a three seed. Whatever the case may be, Notre Dame is going to be on quite a few bracket pools for a Sweet 16 appearance!

Let the Postseason Awards Begin

As no surprise, Notre Dame sophomore Luke Harangody was unanimously selected to the Big East Conference First-Team. Harangody averaged a league-leading 21.0 points and 10.3 rebounds, which was second in the BIG EAST. He was even more productive in conference games, averaging 23.3 points and 11.3 boards. Both figures led the league.

Also joining Luke on the First-Team is junior sharpshooter Kyle McAlarney. This season has turned out to be some redemption for the Staten Island, NY, product. It has been well documented the past two seasons of McAlarney's suspension from the school; and now to have the season that he is having makes this even more bittersweet.

Three others were unanimous First-Team selections along with Harangody: Connecticut's A.J. Price, Louisville's David Padgett, and repeat unanimous selection Roy Hibbert. Even though Harangody should win the Player of the Year hands down, Price, Padgett, and Hibbert, are Luke's competition to take home the individual hardware. Below is the statistical numbers of each candidate.

A.J. Price
Points: 14.7 overall (14th); 16.1 conference (11th)
Assists: 5.9 overall (2nd) (23rd nationally); 5.89 conference (2nd)
Asst/TO Ratio: 2.43 overall (4th); 2.76 conference (4th)

David Padgett
Points: 11.7 overall; 12.1 conference (29th)
FG%: 68.3 conference (1st)
Blocked Shots: 24 conference (9th)

Roy Hibbert
Points: 13.6 overall (19th); 14.4 conference (17th)
Rebounding: 6.4 overall (19th); 6.5 conference (16th)
FG%: 60.0 overall (4th) (13th nationally); 58.5 conference (4th)
Blocked Shots: 70 overall (3rd) (28th nationally); 46 conference (2nd)

LUKE HARANGODY
Points: 21.0 overall (1st) (21st nationally); 23.3 conference (1st)
Rebounding: 10.3 overall (2nd) (14th nationally); 11.3 conference (1st)
FG%: 51.7 overall (9th); 49.8 conference (12th)
FT%: 76.8 overall (11th); 76.8 conference (15th)
Blocked Shots: 20 conference (15th)

Unless Cincinnati Head Coach Nick Cronin has jedi mind tricks and can sway the votes to Louisville's David Padgett, Harangody will be Notre Dame's second Big East Player of the Year. Now if he can add Tournament MVP to his resume, I wouldn't mind that either!

One snub that I thought that deserves mention is that of Rob Kurz being left off. Kurz at least deserved to be on the Honorable Mention. Here are Rob's numbers:

Points: 12.7 overall (25th); 11.8 conference (30th)
Rebounding: 7.5 overall (11th); 7.3 conference (10th)
FT%: 85 overall (2nd); 88.9 conference (2nd)
Blocked Shots: 40 overall (10th); 24 conference (9th)

The lone senior put forth a great season and still has a lot left to do before his time is done at Notre Dame. How about a Big East Tournament Championship and a long run in the NCAA Tournament?

Jackass of the Month

Once again it is time to reveal the Irish Band of Brothers' Jackass of the Month. After careful consideration, the IBB and fellow posters Face Mask and Sir John, dub Mark Allen as our Jackass of the Month.

Many can see Mark's dubious work trolling on several ND message boards as either MKAllen3, GrangerIrish, or many other bogus and pathetic names. Mr. Allen is trying to beat the world record of being banned from every single Fighting Irish message board. Some might ask, how can he do this at work? Good question, Mark was a so called "counselor" that went off the deep end when he stalked current head basketball coach Mike Brey. It got so out of hand that Allen was caught at the JACC sniffing the men's team’s jocks. Talk about a literal jock sniffer!

So with plenty of time on his hands and behind the keyboard, Mark is hard at work doing what he does best, being the fat piece of shit that he is! Mark Allen is such a fat ass; he couldn't laid with a fist full of fifties! Way to go Marky Mark, you're well on your way of making the record books. HEE-HAW, HEE-HAW!

Numbers Behind The Streak

37 straight games are quite impressive for a bunch of guys that weren't supposed to be anywhere near the top of one of the best conferences in the country. But the Fighting Irish are, and will most likely add more come next season with a veteran squad. As the first Big East team ever to post consecutive unbeaten records at home, there are more impressive facts behind this streak.

5 - Ranked opponents the Irish beat at the JACC
5 - Games Notre Dame scored less than 70 points
11 - Contests the Irish scored 90 points or more
18.1 - Average margin of win against opponents
24 - Opponents held under 70 points
83.8 - Points per game average during the current streak
2-0 - Versus the SEC
18 - Big East wins (every conference team except for Georgetown)
10.5 - Average margin of Big East win
78.7 - Points per game against Big East opponents
68.2 - Points per game Big East teams averaged against the Irish
18-12 - Average of Big East squads record during the streak

Most naysayer’s will claim that Notre Dame didn't have the hardest home schedules the past few years. I say the heck with that, because NO Big East team ever did this in the league's existence. Especially with so much parity in college basketball in recent seasons, this accomplishment makes it even more spectacular.

As the lone senior, Rob Kurz, ended his Joyce Center career, one can wonder how long the streak will last with a solid core group coming back. The Irish should break the overall school unbeaten streak next season with a few wins before the brutal Big East portion kicks in.

Hopefully with a little bit of luck and a sure bet Top 20 squad, the Irish will try and make an encore repeat undefeated season next year!

Storm Warnings Won’t Stop Irish From Making History

Notre Dame could make history tonight when they face St. John’s for the last home contest this season at the JACC. With a win tonight the Irish will be the first Big East team to have two undefeated home seasons. What makes this even more impressive is the fact this conference had such great teams like the Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown Hoyas of the mid-80’s and the Syracuse Orangemen squads of the mid-to-late 80’s with players Sherman Douglas, Rony Seikaly, and Derrick Coleman.

The lone senior, Captain Rob Kurz, will be making his final appearance at home against a St. John’s squad that has lost their last three road contests. The Red Storm is now 3-8 in away games overall in 2007-08 and 2-5 on the road in BIG EAST play. The Red Storm’s road wins at USF and Rutgers in early February marked the first back-to-back BIG EAST victories away from home in five seasons, since 2002-03. But the Irish won’t take St. John’s lightly, that’s for sure.

The Red Storm is one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the Big East (5th) averaging 34.1 rpg. They’re also 6th in both scoring defense (65.9 ppg) and 3pt. FG% defense (34.3%). So the Irish will have to get out the gates early and squelch any idea of a St. John’s upset!

Look for Luke Harangody to solidify his grip of Big East Player of the Year honors with another double-double performance. Zach Hillesland will be counted on to help break the Red Storm’s pesky pressure defense, while Ryan Ayers looks to keep his hot hand going. Kurz will make a grand exit tonight with another workman-like game of double digit points and near double-digit boards.

The JACC court is the remedy for Kyle McAlarney’s shooting woes. The two-time Big East Player of the Week might challenge his 3pt. FG made record tonight. Look for Tory Jackson to control the game from the get-go with his play. Also keep an eye for Jonathan Peoples to have some sort of impact in tonight’s contest. Peoples has stepped it up when the team has needed him.

Two undefeated home seasons is on the line tonight, as well as, momentum heading towards the Big East Tournament next week. Don’t look for a let down tonight. The Irish will set it on cruise control.

Prediction: Notre Dame 88 St. John’s 67

Baseline Bits:

~ Tonight’s matchup will mark the 32nd meeting between the two schools with the Irish holding a 17-14 advantage in the series. The Red Storm was victorious in the last meeting between the two schools, who have met on only one other occasion since the 2004-05 season, as they earned a 71-68 victory at Madison Square
Garden on January 23, 2007.

~ St. John’s is 3-6 all-time against Notre Dame at the Joyce Center and has lost three straight. In their last visit to the Joyce Center, the Red Storm dropped a 67-66 setback on January 15, 2005. The last St. John’s win at the Joyce Center was a 57-53 victory on February 24, 1999.

~ Notre Dame tops the nation in assists with 19.1 per game and has dished off 20-plus assists in 12 games.

~ During the Irish’s current 17-game Big East home court winning streak, Notre Dame has played every single league squad except for Georgetown and tonight’s opponent, St. John’s.

Irish Lacrosse Moves Up In Poll After Last Second Win Over Albany

The Fighting Irish Lacrosse team jumped up three spots in this week's Media poll after needing a last second goal by Peter Christman to beat Albany 7-6. The win improves Notre Dame to 3-0 on the season and moves their program-record home winning streak to 15 games. Notre Dame is currently fifth in the USILA coaches poll and sixth in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse media rankings; which is the highest the Fighting Irish have been ranked in either poll this season.

Notre Dame is now 3-0 for the first time since the 2003 season. The Fighting Irish are back in action today at Villanova. Game time is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. (ET) at Villanova Stadium. Notre Dame leads the series 7-4 and are 4-1 against the Wildcats in Philadelphia.

Buh-Bye: Irish Secure Second Straight First Round Bye

After another wild weekend on the hardwood, the top four spots were official secured for next week's Big East Tournament. Despite the Irish causing many to pull out the Pepto Bismal bottle yesterday at DePual, Notre Dame is no worse than fourth in the league standings. Depending on what unfolds this week, the Irish could move up a spot and be in a whole different bracket.

Below is what the Big East Tournament would look like if it ended today:
1st Round
8.) Cincinnati vs. 9.) Villanova
5.) Marquette vs. 12.) Providence
7.) W. Virginia vs. 10.) Seton Hall
6.) Pittsburgh vs. 11.) Syracuse

Quarterfinals
1.) Georgetown vs. Cincinnati/Villanova winner
4.) Notre Dame vs. Marquette/Providence winner
2.) Louisville vs. West Virginia/Seton Hall winner
3.) Connecticut vs. Pittsburgh/Syracuse winner

Semifinals
Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner
Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner

Finals
Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner

A lot will still be sorted out this week, but first things first for the Irish as the Red Storm close out the home portion for the 2007-08 schedule and then off on the road to the always dangerous South Florida. Whatever happens, happens as Notre Dame will have to play at its best to survive for another day!