Do you think Notre Dame can wake up the echoes and run the gauntlet of a dangerous schedule right into the College Football Playoff? It probably depends on what you think of Brian Kelly. If ND wins out, an 11-1 mark puts it in...
Read MoreFighting Irish and “under the radar’’ aren’t phrases usually seen in the same sentence. And that situation won’t last long for Notre Dame, the team that everyone loves to 1) love or 2) hate. Because after a bye this week,...
Read MoreSo far, so good. Nobody’s seriously putting Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff discussion yet—unless they have little shamrocks adorning their underclothes. But the Fighting Irish are putting themselves in position to...
Read MoreWatching Brian Kelly dancing in the locker room after Notre Dame had taken down Michigan State, I couldn’t help but think that the celebration had all the trappings of a big win over a conference rival. Yeah, I know. That ship...
Read MoreSOUTH BEND, Ind.—There was an interesting parallel between yet another wrenching Notre Dame loss and yet another bristly Brian Kelly post-game press conference. For most of the way in their 20-19 crusher against Georgia and...
Read MoreCelebrating stats amassed against three-touchdown underdogs is a tricky deal. On the one hand, you don’t want to read too much into them. On the other hand, if you can’t pile up stats against serious underdogs, you’ve really got...
Read MorePerhaps you’ve heard this anecdote before. . . A new baseball manager is hired. He opens his desk drawer and finds a set of envelopes left behind by his predecessor. The top one says: “Open during first losing streak.’’ So...
Read MoreThis ought to be interesting. I’m pretty sure the Irish shouldn’t be ranked this high. Then again, if Brian Kelly rolls up his sleeves, Notre Dame could reassert itself after a shockingly weak 4-8 showing in 2017. And keep in...
Read MoreCaptains cleaned the locker room. Exemplary players earned the right to wear green jerseys. `Swat teams’ were created to measure accountability. Losing teams were required to report at 7 a.m. and run. It was all part of the...
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