My Fellow IRISH-AMERICANS!....

Today is a great day!...as is everyday the Lord blesses

you with health and prosperity..and take pride in the coming

future dominance that is

THE NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH!

With the dead period soon approaching and tax season

in full swing the blog will be updated from...let's say 

time to time!

As Yoda would say..."Busy the Damefan gets!"

But I want to inform you of some of the upcoming reasons 

for information and excitement!

1. Coach Tony Alford

Coach Alford reached out to us during the season and 

we did some work for him, and I have to say....this 

guy needs a HUGE contract!

It takes about 1 minute to realize why he's one of the best recruiters 

in the country...he's personable, educated and a great football 

mind..but mostly he cares about these kids, not only now...

but when they leave ND and enter the real world!

We have some great conversations about the program and 

where it's headed and what they feel they can accomplish!

Look forward to sharing his insights over the summer as well as 

pictures of the work we did for him AFTER the ND pro day!

(don't wanna ruin the surprise!)

2. Notre Dame Coaching Clinic

This will be our 2nd year attending the Notre Dame 

coaching clinic and it's quickly become one of the highlights of

my summer!... Chalk talk with coaches...private practice viewing as 

well as full contact live scrimmage with the ones vs the ones!

This year I'm OVERLY geeked about this event due to the 

questions I'm hoping to see get answered with the following

areas of concern...

1. Running Back..Who,who & who?

2. Wide Receiver...TJ, Davaris &_____________

3. Center and O-line cohesiveness.

4. QB lineup..who's 2nd and 3rd on the depth chart?

I'm much more excited because their is no cancer or

LYNCH-GATE to deal with this year!

I was amazed how much I saw that doesn't seem to hit 

the spring game...

3. SPRING GAME

This has become just an excuse to get away and get 

stupid!...but you will pick up some info here and there

in passing and during the LEGENDARY 

Spring Game BBQ!

4. JUNE = Re-Enforcements Arrive!

This is when things get REALLY interesting...the eyeball test, 

so to speak begins...who's D1 ready..and who will be shelved 

into the Longo Restoration program for next season!

Non coached 7 on 7's will be run by team captains and 

the chemistry with the new players will begin...Who will 

emerge ready by fall...that's the big question!

This recruiting class is by FAR the best class we've signed

in the past 25 years!

Talent-Speed-Size-Intelligence

That's a deadly 4 pack my friend!

The great thing about this!...there is no "hype" or 

Kool Aid drinking here...this is what Notre Dame 

SHOULD be doing!...Competing on the field at the highest 

level...recruiting nationwide for the best of the best in high

school talent...and churning the program with high schoolers

entering and professionals leaving!

It's amazing to me how quickly Brian Kelly has made his

presence known and what his intentions are with 

Fighting Irish Football.

There has not been a better time in 30 years to be a fan than 

right now and the years to come!

Winter conditioning is in full swing...position groups are forming

with film study and soon spring practice!

So rumble young man rumble!

Brian Kelly in my opinion will have the IRISH seat at the 

playoff table warm and occupied season in and season out!

That's my agenda for the summer...so relax.. unwind...

pour yourself a nice cold one and watch the kids jump around 

in the pool...but realize during all of this...there's a 

MONSTER being built in South Bend Indiana!

GO IRISH & GOD BLESS!

Recruiting...it's quite a show!

One thing I'll never understand...wasting talent on 

useless projects!

Recruiting is like going to a car show. 

Ole' Miss made quite a splash in the recruiting world,

they got really cool doors...turbo charger...fancy wheels..

Really surprised everyone!

But at the end of the day...it's still a Honda Civic!

It's still Ole' Miss!

There are tons of different types of recruiters!

There are the builders!

These are the guys that look underneath the car...not at the paint!

They see the frame is solid...the engine block has no cracks, 

and the body seems like it's in workable condition!

So they fill needs, when playmakers 

graduate...they RE-populate!

Manti leaves?

Number 1 OLB in the county Jaylon Smith &

ESPN top 150 Doug Randolph arrive!

Kapron leaves?

Number 1 DT Eddie Vanderdoes &

ESPN top 150 Issac Rochell arrive!

Cierre & Riddick leave?

Number 2 Running Back Greg Bryant 

and Number 6th Athlete Tarean Folston arrive!

Tyler Eifert leaves?

Number 5 Tight End Mike Heuerman &

top 15 Durham Smythe arrive!

Braxton Cave & Mike Golic leave?

Top 5 OT Hunter Bivin & 

Top 10 Colin McGovern arrive!

Zeke Motta leaves!

5 star number 2 in the country

Max Redfield  & top 10 Cole Luke

arrive!

John Goodman & Roby Toma leave!

ESPN top 150 WR Tori Hunter &

Top 20 Will Fuller & Onwualu

  arrive!

This is what a builder does...he builds!

Oh..by the way, this list isn't even the 

tip of the iceberg of talent that will be 

migrating to South Bend!

And... regardless of stars and hype...they

have to beat out the players in front of 

them that were just in the

    NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 

last year!

The other type of recruiter is

THE POACHER!

This guy is dangerous!

He usually coaches at programs with...wel,l let's just

say.."Low Ethical Standards"!

Programs that have had a long history of NCAA 

violations...cars...cash...etc.

BEWARE..he is real...it's not an "Urban" legend or 

some sort of fairy tale...he'll take kids down the wrong

"Lane" in life and tell them pretty much whatever they 

need to hear!

If there is a kid he feels is better..suddenly the kid that 

already committed to the program and was last years 

"big thing" is now a "problem" child...or has a 

"career ending" injury? 

Or is "encouraged" to transfer!

This guy will prey upon programs...if a coach interviews?

This is the first call a recruit gets!

If a program has a late season meltdown?

This is the first call a recruit gets!

He's the carp of the recruiting world...a bottom feeder

willing to tell a kid whatever he needs to, to get the 

signature!

"You're a Linebacker?...I think your the next 

Percy Harvin!"

"You're an offensive tackle?...I think your the next

Percy Harvin!"

But take joy in knowing this guy usually will win 

early with the other coaches players, the other teams

will figure out his game and after 

a 7-5 or 6-6 season he'll create a 

reason to leave or retire...

He doesn't really fill needs as much as 

just poach programs of kids that are

young and scared and looking for 

someone to tell them the world will be..

That's just the nature of the beast of college recruiting!

But as of right now NOTHING can stop me from smiling 

ear to ear about the job Coach Kelly and his staff accomplished

putting together one of the best recruiting classes in 

the past 25 years!

The beauty of this class?

We landed a top 3 class of players...that can qualify to

attend school at...

THE UNIVERSITY OF
NOTRE DAME!

Which in the grand scheme of things...makes this class 

number 1 in my eyes!

Read-Write-Compete!

IN THAT ORDER!

So raise a glass like I will tonight and sit back 

and relax and know that the contract is 

in the works to lock up this coach and his 

staff!

Upgrades to the facilities and stadium are already 

in the blue print stage..

And the new breed of IRISH are already falling 

into place!

THE GOLDEN ARMY 14

Might just set the bar to a whole new level!

GO IRISH AND GOD BLESS!

He's got Phillips in the corner!...He's giving him the business!

Is this your reaction lately when people see your 

Notre Dame gear?

What the Hell is going on?

Life is funny sometimes when you're at the top,

people only want to tear you down...

When you're down, they talk about how good it 

is for everyone when you're up!

This has been an interesting few weeks, but

my mom always told me these things happen 

in threes!

1. BCS National Championship Game:

You know I thought the refs really affected the complexion

 of the game on our first drive...nope Ronaiah Tuiasosopo 

has done more damage than Yeldon and Lacy could have

done in five games!

2. Brian Kelly interviewing with the Eagles:

This is a part of business that most people don't understand,

but that's because they've never been in a position of power 

where they could play two companies off each other.

3. TEO-GATE

This one is gonna take a while to get over....Look, 

the only thing I find more fascinating than the mind of a 

"fan" is the mind of someone "religious".   My kids will live

what I feel will be a very charmed life in comparison to how I was raised

 With that being said...at no point will I teach them 

to trust until that trust is broken!

This is a very unfortunate thing that happened to a very 

caring, and let's say "naive" kid.

But this is the point where the DAMEFAN tells all of 

you to take a moment and....

Chill the F out!

Have you forgotten what the hell happened this season!

What is going on with recruiting?

How much talent we are returning?

How much talent we are sitting on?

Coaches are getting more money!

Facilities are getting upgrades!

Stadium is getting work!

RELAX!

Trust me...here is 9 minutes...NINE MINUTES

that will tell you it can ALWAYS be worse!

And what's funny is I live in a town where these fans 

are NOT too embarrassed to talk trash...talk about a HOAX!

There are hundreds of thousands getting hoaxed by this 

daily here!

Notre Dame is exactly that, but it's more like this

 NOTRE
DAME

Whatever we do...it will get blown outta proportion!

We had a kid de-commit because Kelly interviewed...

That's the story that ESPN had...

BUT

They didn't tell you...

He then committed to a program where the head coach was 

interviewing with the Bears the SAME WEEK!

It's Notre Dame!...you're never gonna get an 

honest story from the press...cause nobody 

likes stories about good things!

We are the only program in the country where 

the word ALLEGED means GUILTY!

Over the next three weeks I'm going to break 

down our games in the order of difficulty and 

tell you why we might get another shot at 

Saban next year!

Top 3 toughest games for ND next season?

Stanford-Oklahoma-Michigan State

Let's start with: 

Stanford:

Goodbye both Tight Ends,

Ertz and Toilolo are both leaving what is a young

quarterback and what had become a safety blanket 

 through the season.  They combined for 95 

catches last year and 10 TDs.  This, combined with the 

loss of Stepfan Taylor (Stanford's ALL time leading rusher)

could make the Stanford offense a bit sluggish next year!

BUT...that D with Murphy, Skov and Gardner returning will 

be tough!

Oklahoma:

Landry Jones...see ya!

They also had 3 premier underclassman leave in 

Kenny Stills... their leading receiver is gone!

Tony Jefferson... their leading tackler is gone!

Tom Wort... their best LB is gone!

With all the losses on the offense and defense 

this game is not against the Oklahoma of old!

Michigan State:

Bright Spot?...2nd year QB!

Not so bright?...2nd year QB!

MSU was 108 in total offense last season and 

that was with Bell who averaged 138 yards per game!

Also TE Sims is history as well, as is MSU's best 

defensive player in Gholston!

But this week is about wrapping up what 

is sure to be a top 5 recruiting class 

and putting some more talent in place

to make the IRISH MOB exactly 

that!

My pick?...the kid I want to be the icing at the 

top of this IRISH Chocolate cake! (Sorry Lou!)

EDDIE VANDERDOES

This kid is a MONSTER!

At 6'3 315 lbs, he's a house and fits right into 

place when Lou get's picked in the first round 

after next season!

Anyone who watched the Army All American game knows 

this was the best D lineman there!

And from what I'm hearing...we are in very good shape 

with him!

USC has become a dumpster fire with people jumping ship 

like they just hit an iceberg!

So next time you feeling like this:

Realize that we have MANY more things to 

be excited about, than we do to be upset about!

So stop...pour yourself one of these:

Pop this into the DVD

And realize...We're in pretty good hands!

GOD BLESS & GO IRISH!

Licking our wounds & trying to get that taste outta our mouth!

WOW!...was I wayyyyyy off on my 

assessment of that match up!

First of all, let's start with giving Bama props!

That is a well oiled machine and other than getting caught

off guard along the way by Johnny Football....pretty much

did what they wanted, when they wanted for the past 

4 seasons...

Let's put some things into perspective.

What Bama has done winning 3 outta the past 4 

is not impressive...it's LEGENDARY!

Let's look at how it stacks up...

In the past 40 years this is how many 

National Championships have been won

by other programs!

Michigan 1

LSU 2 

(one was Saban's)

Ohio State 1

Texas 1

Notre Dame 3

Oregon 0

It's hard to win ONE!

BAMA HAS 3 in 4 YEARS!

That's more than Michigan-Ohio State-Oregon

 COMBINED!

We arrived on Saturday..hit the pool, had some drinks

 and then hit up South Beach!

South Beach is what happens when Project Runway 

and the Real Housewives had intercourse...and had

25,000 kids!

CRAZY!

It was great meeting everyone...and thanks to 

all the folks that bought drinks, and shared the same

optimism that I had until....about the time the 

refs put it in our ASS on our first drive!

Now...don't get me wrong...at no point am I making ANY 

excuses for this game....Our boys played hard...many played great,

some played like they hadn't all year!...(that was not a positive!)

But...I would have LOVED to see how certain members of 

our defense would have reacted if Bama scored on us...and 

BAM...we scored on Bama...

Eifert's first down...SCREWED

Fumble on the punt...SCREWED

Would it have mattered?....I'm not saying we would have 

won...but would we have been down that bad at half?...

I'd say no!...

Louis Nix...absolute BEAST...loves ND, hates to lose!

Stephon Tuitt...LEGEND waiting to happen..college and NFL!

And that brings me to the offense....WOW!

Most of you watched this game and saw no 

positives...me?..I saw the FUTURE!

I saw a quarterback that the National Champions 

could not get to..and could not control or contain!

60% completion ratio...270 yards 1 TD and 1 Rushing TD

THEY COULD NOT TOUCH HIM!

Oh...did I forget..this is his FIRST year starting!!!

Give me those numbers before the game...I'd say "Great...we win!"

Daniels-Jones-Niklas...etc..

This offense will be IMPOSSIBLE to stop next season!

Were there bright points...yeah...Did the end result suck..yeah!

But can you see us back in that game next year?...YEAH!

This program's arrow is pointing UP like no other!

Next season you will finally see the "Kelly Offense" 

So we got home....depressed...sad...and BAM!

SWIFT KICK TO THE NUTS!

Brian Kelly interviewing with the EAGLES?

Now...if you didn't see this coming..you're an idiot!

If you handled it like Kelly did...your still kinda an idiot!

This whole process was handled wrong...and right all at the 

same time...did it have to happen?...YEAH

Could it have been handled differently?...YEAH!

End game?...THE SAME!

This all began with Charlie Weis...and ended with 

a new contract for our REAL coach!

Charlie came in and won a few games...then parlayed 

that into NFL teams trying to take him...and BEFORE 

Jack Swarbrick was there...convinced the powers that be,

that it was better for the program to give him a HUGE long 

term deal....Smart?...NOPE!

Now..once bitten and twice shy Notre Dame has a 

REAL head coach...but there is only one problem!...They 

aren't paying him!

CLICK ME!!!

Okay..what do:

Kirk Ferentz-Iowa

Mike Gundy-Oklahoma State

Gary Patterson-TCU

Brett Bielema-Arkansas

Brady Hoke-Michigan

Gary Pinkel-Missouri

Paul Johnson-Georgia Tech

James Franklin-Vanderbilt

Gary Anderson-Wisconsin

All have in common?

They all make more money than 

Brain Kelly!

All with less success coaching....and 

have not sniffed the National Championship!

In fact..the BIG slap in the face...is 

BUTCH JONES!

Kelly has mentored Jones for years!

He has followed Kelly from Central Michigan

to Cincinnati and now to his own 

big gig at Tennessee!

Making more than Brain Kelly!

With higher paid assistant coaches.. more trainers

and more support!

This is what all the drama was about!

If you want to compete at ND, with the big boys you 

need... CONSISTENCY!

You can't have programs trying to hire away your 

staff...you can't have programs with better 

facilities and nutritional and strength programs!

You can't have LESSER coaches making 

more money, with better suport, at smaller, 

less important programs!

This wasn't about Brian Kelly wanting a NFL gig!

This was about Brain Kelly wanting Notre Dame 

BACK!

We are at the door step to being a player 

EVERY year at the National Championship 

table!

So....sit back relax...and let the man work!

GO IRISH and GOD BLESS!

Could the drought be over?....See ya Monday at 8!

Like water on the highway on a hot summer day...we've 

seen this before...but as the car got closer we 

realized it was just an mirage!

Bob Davie?... coordinator

George O'Leary?...cautionary tale

Ty Williingham?...snake oil salesman

Charlie Weis?...coordinator

We thought we were close...

In 05 the IRISH were seconds away 

from a Fiesta Bowl win on a 3rd and 

nine with 1:45 left in the game and 

down by 7...

We just didn't have the D line to 

make the stop...and lost..

Hope, like spring flowers was growing!

But when your starting Safety and Linebackers are

much smaller than your starting QB?...

We wondered?...can we really outscore everyone?

NO!

But the MIGHTY QUINN brought interest again

in the Notre Dame brand...and from the ashes a new  

hero emerged...the problem?...he had all the weapons...but 

not enough on the other side of the ball...and on the tails of 

a coach that spent more time golfing than recruiting!

We once again lost more than expected...We lost the 

opportunity...the chance of having a 

"HEAD COACH"

That would have used a 

Clausen-Tate-Gray-Allen-Rudolf-Floyd

ATTACK!

We could score on ANYONE...but ANYONE 

could score on us!

Our NFL defensive talent was limited...We would strike gold

here and there with an Ian Williams or Tommy Z or Justin Tuck,

but the across the board...the talent was there!

So back to the chalk board we went...pride in hand and hopeful

but with very little to hang our hat on...

But then...it happened!

We were looking, and ready to hire!

Option 1?...Health Issues forced him into retirement..

We passed!

We knew we needed a LEADER...a GENERAL

someone that could not only draw up the blue print,

but build the MACHINE!

We needed guidance...strength and someone 

that had been there before..that NO stage was 

too big for him or his staff...

We needed...

BRIAN KELLY

"NOBODY does it like Notre Dame!"

From day one, he did the job and never looked back!

He dealt with defections to the NFL, swayed by past 

Generals not having the best interest of the Irish in 

their sights!

He dealt with the tragedy of death, an employee

and student of the audio/video dept. when the media

 searched for a witch to hunt..

He broke down and rebuilt, what WAS a country club

atmosphere, along with the sense of country club

entitlement. 

He molded himself...a high flying offensive guru

into a DEFENSE first minded mentor!

He realized..that the ND glow was not gone...but

just in need of POLISH!

But what he did mostly, was take what he had...add 

who would fit...and mold CHAMPIONS!

That will be on display Monday at 8!

Because this is our time!

So pour yourself a favorite spirit!

If you have a "lucky shirt"...or "special spot on the couch" then

get it ready!

If you're wearing the same socks or haven't shaved since our last loss!

 EMBRACE that you're starting to look like Merlin Olson!

Ryan Wykle

Because ALL those Christmas cards...all those babies pjs,

all the trash you've heard from your friends, and 

all the HATE that has been spewed about ND!

Is about to be served up with a nice hot glass 

of KISS MY A$$!

And when that last down is played...and the crystal ball 

is raised into the air...I'm gonna find a local pub, 

light up a cigar...sip some Jameson, raise

my glass to the heaven and say...

"See Beno...You were right, Kelly is the man

and Notre Dame is special!"

We miss ya buddy!

Beno Cook

9/1/31-10/10/12 

RIP

GO IRISH & GOD BLESS!

See ya at the game!

Hindsight...it can be a real BIT#H!...

In every persons past there was a moment...a decision

that will forever HAUNT them.  

Garth Brooks put it best in one of his songs,

"Sometimes I thank God...for UNANSWERED

prayers..."

This is what it is, most of the time...but sometimes the 

soap opera that is college football, has some bitter sweet

"I told ya so" moments...here are some of my favorites!

Now...for all you tree hugging..."they are only kids

at age 17 or 18.." 

If they can do this at 17 or 18...Then..

They can make a decision and keep that commitment!

So save your whining for the wussies!

NUMBER 1:

Aaron Lynch

My favorite part of this was the complete 

EXPLOSION that happened upon his leaving of the 

program!

"Notre Dame lost it's best defensive player!"

Really?...

Lynch was one of those kids that the grass not only 

looked greener...but just easier!

He has to be COMPLETELY kicking himself in his own

a$$ right now!

NUMBER 2:

Ronald Darby

Who drank the Florida State koolaid and it 

led him to a 14 tackle season with ZERO picks!

Imagine what the coaching staff could've done for him, 

when they made 3 of our defensive secondary players 

that were converted offensive players look like 

All Americans!...wait..one was an All American!

NUMBER 3:

Chris Martin

Where do I start....I really thought this kid 

was destined to be HUGE in college football!

Little did I know it would be for Drama and not

pass rushing...I think he may have more upside

than Lynch...but fell into bad advice!

I ran into him not to long ago...fresh off being 

committed to Notre Dame...then Cal...then

Florida..then Colorado...and now Kansas!

All he said to me was,

"I should have never left ND"

The list goes on and on...but they will forever be 

etched into our minds as the "one the got away"

But remember for every Anthony Barr there are

several...

Tee Sheppard

Deontay Greenberry

Justin Trattou

Shaq Evans

Omar Hunter

This is the beauty of Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix!

  

Nix committed when we had NO COACH, and is now 

coming back after receiving a first round draft grade!

I just watched a re-cap of the entire season and it brought 

tears to my eyes seeing Stephon Tuitt, so choked up with 

emotion after the USC win that he could barley say...
"We're going to the National Championship!"

This was the promise that was made by Coach Brian Kelly 

and his staff...

He told recruits.."We are here to play for the 

National Championship!"

He told recruits..."If you are the best man...you will play!"

He told recruits..."I'm gonna educate you...mentor you and 

develop your talent!"

And to the fans...he said..."I'm the right guy for this job!"

And you know what....HE WAS!

He did EXACTLY what was expected of him and 

in a timely manner!

He fixed the culture...the work ethic and the 

performance!

It's funny...I think Garth's song was  right when we 

considered Meyer and Stoops!

You DO need to thank God for 

Un-answered prayers!

Home Depot 2x Coach of the Year

AP Coach of the Year

Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year

BRIAN KELLY

Thanks Coach!

GOD BLESS and GO IRISH!