How to hit the Irish trifecta at the Kentucky Derby

Want to hit the Irish trifecta at the Kentucky Derby?

its simple really, If you believe in the luck of the Irish the following three are the ones to box and bet on.

First up is Dublin, trained by the legendary D. Wayne Lukas.

Lukas is a master at winning the roses at the end of the greatest two minutes in sports.

Dublin is his best shot in years to have the Derby crown restored to Lukas who has been going through some lean times.

Second up is Paddy O'Prado, owned mainly by the Crawford family of Iowa, who race in the County Donegal colors as a tribute to the land of their ancestors.

As befits his Irish connections, the grey horse loves the muck and rain and by all accounts will see plenty of it at Churchhill Downs.

He has worked superbly over the wet track earlier this week.

Indeed in a major shock Paddy is only 11/1 bet down from twice that price because of the sense that the wet track might move him up way ahead of others.

Thirdly there is American Lion, trained by Irish trainer Eoin Harty. The Illinois Derby winner is a speed horse and could get away from the field early if the other speed horses decide to back off.

So there is the Irish trifecta for this year's Kentucky Derby .

If you believe in the luck of the Irish you might try it!

Kentucky Derby looks set to go to Dublin and D.Wayne Lukas

This is the most puzzling Kentucky Derby in years, with almost a dozen of the 20 horses within a seven point spread on the Beyer speed scale.

We know one of them is going to jump up and run the race of his/her life but which one is it?

In these situations you have to go with the tried and true formulas which work more often than not.

And no one knows how to win the Kentucky Derby better than D.Wayne Lukas who has won it four times and lives for the First Saturday in May. Bob Baffert has won in three times and Nick Zito two.

These are the three to watch in this very uncertain year. They aim their horses just for this race and they are masters at peaking at the right time.

Baffert has the favorite Looking at Lucky but I honestly think that the horse cannot overcome the No. 1 post. Only Ferdinand in 1986 in recent times has won from that gate position and it took a miraculous ride by Willie Shoemaker to make it happen.

The only thing in his favor is Garret Gomez, the best jockey riding in America today,but he will need all his superior skill to pull this one off.

His other horse, Conveyance, seems set to get caught up in a speed duel with Sidney's Candy and possibly American Lion and I believe has little hope of surviving that.

Besides, he looks more like a rabbit for Looking at Lucky, out there to burn out the second favorite Sidney's Candy.

Nick Zito has two but I'm ignoring Jackson's Bend. he is a small horse in a big field with a late running style and seems certain to get bounced around. Ice Box is the Florida Derby winner but it was one of the most substandard Florida Derbies in recent times. He will also be coming late and certainly has a shot.

But Lukas may have the key this year. After several years of running no-hopers he is back with a horse that has a real shot.

Dublin (pictured with Lukas here) reminds me of his Derby Winner Thunder Gulch, down to the blinkers and the so- so form coming into the race.

Dublin looked like he was coming to win the Arkansas Derby when he loomed up beside the pacesetters on the final turn but never went past the two horses in front of him after having every chance.

Kentucky Derby day will be different. He has a good draw on the outside and may be able to get into steady rhythm in midpack--like Thunder Gulch. Coming for home he could be picking up the leaders as they are almost certain to go too fast.

Thee old pro Lukas knows this is his best and maybe last chance to win the Derby. At 74 there will not be many other opportunities. I think Dublin might win one for the old man and cap his career.

Manchester United to play Irish 11 in Dublin August 4

Rumor reaches us across the Atlantic that Manchester United will take on an Irish 11 at the new Aviva stadium in Dublin on August 4.

Hard to tell whether Alex Ferguson's men will be the league champions at that point but history cautions us never to bet against Fergie's boys.

Bayern Munich fans will never forget the 1999 UEFA Champions League upset at the storied Nou Camp.

The title might be London rival Chelsea’s to lose but United are well able to get last-gasp winners. (See above!)

Just last weekend they bagged two goals in the final 10 minutes against another London team, Spurs.

Man U midfielder Darren Fletcher says the key is to stay patient.

“The manager said before the Spurs game that it might go down to the last 10 minutes,” says Fletcher.

“We keep believing in the way we play. We don’t get desperate. We throw players forward but the play isn’t desperate, it’s not just long balls into the box.

Hmm. You might want to rethink that quote Fletcher!

Looking at Lucky, Sidney's Candy false favorites after awful Kentucky Derby draw

Forget about the two favorites for the Kentucky Derby. The draw has made it almost impossible for them.

Lucking at Lucky, (pictured), showed himself to be anything but when he drew the No. 1 post.

Normally that is good news, but in a twenty horse cavalry charge to the first bend, the outside horses all come over and squeeze the rail horses.

That is why Looking at Lucky will have great difficulty living up to his name on Saturday unless he can somehow work out a trip from behind a wall of horses all trying to come in on him.

This is the second time that looking at Lucky has had no luck in the draw. In the Breeder's Cup juvenile he drew the outside post, which was just as impossible to win from.

It is the opposite case for Sidney's Candy. Drawn on the far outside he will have to use all of his speed to get to the turn first, given that many other speed types are right inside him.

Sidney will surely have to burn too much energy just to make that first bend in front, especially as Bob Baffert's second string Conveyance will ensure that he has to run fast.

So if it were me I'd be looking at some of the horses well drawn in the middle of the pack, where they can decide on tactics after the gate opens.

Devil May Care, Mission Impazzable and Paddy O'Prado have good draws and would be my choices right now in a long shot trifecta box.

John Velazquez needs the luck of his Irish relatives to win Kentucky Derby

This was supposed to be John Velazquez's year to shine at the Kentucky Derby , the year the hoodoo that has struck top trainer Tod Pletcher and his top jockey, know to everyone as Johnny V, was banished.

Instead it is back bigger than ever.

Eskendereya was the Big Horse, who would end the 0-24 streak for Pletcher in the Derby but it was not to be.

The horse showed up lame right before a planned workout and is out of the Derby. After ambling home in the Wood Memorial he would have been a hard bet favorite on Saturday

That left Johnny V in the lurch once again.

He knows adversity though and he is surely hoping the luck of his Irish connections will rub off for him.

Johnny is married to Leona O'Brien, (pictured with him) ,daughter of Dublin-born trainer Leo O'Brien, famous for his horses such as the legendary Fourstar Dave and Fourstar Allstars.

Johnny V wil get the leg up on Pletcher's top filly Devil May Care who will go off around 10 to one on Saturday. She will be running against boys, but Rachel Alexander proved last year that it can be done.

Since she added blinkers Devil May Care has improved by leaps and bounds and will stay every inch of the mile and a quarter.

Johnny can certainly handle fillies. He rode Rags to Riches to her famous victory over Curlin in the Belmont in 2008 -- still his only classic win in a career full of milestones and achievements

Now another filly may end the Kentucky Derby jinx for Johnny and his trainer.

Johnny V will certainly be hoping so.

Luck of the Irish could win Kentucky Derby for Paddy O'Prado

When they load Paddy O'Prado into the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, folks back home in Donegal will be cheering him on.

That's because owner Jerry Crawford has his roots in that county, and has named his racing partnership Donegal Racing.

The big gray horse, second in the Blue Grass stakes at Keenland last time out, will be running in the Donegal colors of green and gold.

Paddy O'Prado has been very impressive in training at Churchill; his workout over a wet track on the weekend made the experts sit up.

He's a longshot because he is considered a turf rather than a dirt horse primarily, but if it happens to come up wet on Saturday, look out.

The homes of Donegal will be celebrating if this one comes home!

Conor Hanratty, son of former Irish QB Terry, commits to Notre Dame

Has the Kelly factor began to kick in at Notre Dam? Whatever it is, The Fighting Irish have just received commitments from three players for the 2011 season.

At the top of the list is offensive tackle Conor Hanratty, son of former Fighting Irish quarterback Terry Hanratty, who led Notre Dame to a national championship in 1966.

The 300 pound 6’4” New Canaan high school player made a verbal commitment to head to South Bend next year.

Hanratty is ranked 9 by scout.com in the offensive tackle position and is another addition to the famous father/son combos in recent times at Notre Dame ( joining the Montanas and the Collinsworths).

Hanratty was much sough after and his decision to commit to Notre Dame augurs well for the program’s future.

Other players to commit to joining the Irish in 2011 include offensive lineman Tony Springman from Bishop DeWenger in Fort Wayne, Indiana and linebacker Garrett Grace, out of Cincinnati.

Nate Montana could start at quarterback for Notre Dame

Nate Montana could be the starting quarterback for Notre Dame come September. In the process the former walk on could rival the Notre Dame legend created by his dad Joe.

That astonishing possibility became clear after Montana had a much better game driving the Gold offense in an impressive win over the Blue team led by first string quarterback Dayne Crist in the annual Spring match up. His team won 27-19,

Montana completed 18 of 30 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns.

In contrast, incumbent Dayne Crist only managed 20 of 31 passes for 172 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Advantage Montana.

Thus the previous far-fetched notion that another Montana might line up under center for Notre Dame has suddenly become a real prospect.

Montana has had a checkered career so far, even leaving Notre Dame to try and improve his prospects at a junior college.

Now he is back and he knows it

"Today really cemented it, I guess," Montana said. "Today was the first day I've relaxed and felt the most comfortable out of all the practices. They threw a lot at us, but today was just nice and relaxing for me."

Maybe this kid has that Montana killer touch, knowing when to come through when the chips are down,

Brian Kelly pronounced himself satisfied with the game."It's the first coat of paint for us," Kelly said. "This is a process, and we know that this is not a destination for us. But we got a chance to see some things (Saturday) that we can build on."

Nate Montana certainly now has something to build on.

Jimmy Clausen goes to Carolina and Golden Tate to Seattle Seahawks

Jimmy Clausen did not go anywhere in the first round of the NFL draft and was finally picked by Carolina as a second round pick, while other Top Irish ace Golden Tate was snapped up by Pete Carroll at the Seattle Seahawks.

It was an ant-climax for Clausen and Erin Andrews and her ESPN crew who descended on the Clausens to get the live shot of his reaction to getting drafted.

Well, that reaction never happened, but Clausen managed to keep a good side out, talking of what an honor it would be to play in the NFL and how one team would soon be interested in him.

On Friday, that team turned out to be the Carolina Panthers in second round of the draft and 48th pick overall.

“I just want to tell you that you guys made the best pick in the draft,” said Clausen to his new employers.

Now he will try to prove that promise right, but Clausen's pocketbook has taken a severe hit by not getting drafted in the first round.

Meanwhile, Golden Tate went to the Seattle Seahawks and will team up with former USC head coach Pete Carroll.

“I didn't have any contact with Seattle,” Tate said. “To be honest, I'm not even sure if I met with them at the combine. I'm just happy. I'm at a loss for words at this point.”

Will Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen rejoin Charlie Weis at Kansas?

Could Jimmy Clausen be reunited with Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis and get drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs?

It would have seemed impossible a few days ago , especially as the Chiefs have committed to quarterback Matt Cassel as their future.

But stranger things have happened.

Noone expected Clausen to still be hanging out there after the first round.

Nobody expected that Charlie Weis might have the chance in the second round to draft the quarterback he turned into one of the legends of Notre Dame.

Have no doubt Weis would love to be back working with Jimmy.

The only question may be whether he can convince the Chiefs organization they need him too.

Attack on referee shows a very ugly side of the GAA (With video)

Over 30,000 people have viewed the YouTube clip of referee Willie Barrett being attacked by a man with a hurley during a match.

The incident took place last weekend during a club game in Tipperary involving Ballingarry and Carrick Davids.

About ten minutes into the game, a crazed man ran on to the pitch and hit Barrett flush on the back with a hurley.

The referee managed to shield himself from another blow before the man strolled off the field. Barrett immediately called off the game off.

The Gardai and the GAA are investigating the incident separately. There is no place in the sport for this kind of cowardly attack.

Here is the incident (WARNING: The language in this clip is not suitable for children or those easily offended).

Celtic and Rangers will meet in Fenway Park in Boston this summer

One of the oldest and most bitter rivalries in soccer history will take center stage in Boston this summer.

Celtic and Rangers will play an Old Firm derby at Fenway Park Boston on July 21 this summer according to the Boston Herald newspaper.

The two teams have never met outside Glasgow but a US-based promotions company has made a very attractive offer for the two sides to meet which had been accepted .

Celtic are already down to play Manchester United in Toronto on July 16 or 17, while Rangers are close to signing up games in Miami and New York around the same period.


Organizers are confident of selling out the near-70,000 ground for an Old Firm game, creating some much-needed revenue for both clubs.

Crowd control could be a problem. Celtic/Rangers clashes are notoriously controversial with many violent incidents over the years. Celtic are backed by Catholic supporters while Rangers have a huge Protestant following

A similar proposal was put forward six years ago for Australia but it never got off the ground.

Volcano strands WWE wrestlers, including Sheamus, in Belfast

WWe 'Raw" wrestlers took on the Iceland volcano and the volcano won.

The top-name wrestlers are all stuck in Belfast after the Volcanic ash crisis prevented them from flying out

Irish star Sheamus, pictured above, is among those unable to take part in a live broadcast at the Meadowlands in New Jersey,tonight.

Others missing include champion John Cena, Batista, Randy Orton, Bret Hart, Miz, Big Show, Sheamus, Eve Torres, Maryse and Kelly Kelly.

WWE cancelled shows in Austria and Turkey, and some wrestlers returned to America in the early hours of Sunday morning, Eastern time.

That means the likes of Chris Jericho, Jack Swagger and Edge are all available for New Jersey but many unknowns will be stepping up.

Play by play man Jim Ross blogged: "Monday Night Raw will take on a different feel for one night which isn't a crime.

"My view on these calamities is that they are simply opportunities for talents to step up and turn head's and the Smackdown nucleus has plenty of issues established to help WWE roll into their next PPV which is Extreme Rules in Baltimore."

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly says offense needs to find consistency

Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly allowed media full access to a practice session on Saturday for the first time this spring.

After an intense training session where his team had a scrimmage game, the head coach fielded some questions from assembled press.

When he asked is his defense was progressing better than his offense, Kelly replied:

“As the head coach if I go through a practice and I’m happy, that’s not a good day for me. Something’s got to be lagging one way or the other,” he said.

“I think today our defense did a great job taking the ball away. Offensively, our issues are really about consistency. We can probably put three or four plays together and then we’ll put two or three awful plays together.

“Defensively, I like the consistency on the back end. We’re going and getting the football. We’re aggressively getting after it from that standpoint. Although on the other side, I was pleased with the offensive line today. Their pass pro was much better than last Saturday.

“Saturday it was ‘Throw it and duck.’ We did a better job up front. I thought we saw some improvement there. Give and take and, again at the end of the day, I’ve always got something that’s not going the right way and today our defense did a nice job."

Tight end Kyle Rudolph was kept out of the scrimmage as he is still recovering from shoulder surgery and he went through some one–on-one drills instead.

The players will meet head to head in earnest in next weekend’s Blue and Gold game, where new and existing players will get the chance to really make an impression on their new leader.

Robbie Keane scores as Celtic beat Hibs 3-2

Celtic kept their Champions League hops alive with a last gasp win over Hibernian.

Irish international Robbie Keane opened the scoring after just four minutes, but Hibs came straight back with a goal of their own two minutes later from Derek Riordan.

Another Dubliner was on the score sheet in the 54th minute, but this time is was former Sunderland player Anthony Stokes, who scored from the penalty spot.

However, unlike some of their recent shambolic performances, the Bhoys did not drop their heads, with Marc-Antoine Fortune leveling the game in the 80th minute before Morten Rasmussen snatched the three points with a winner in the 87th minute.

Celtic are now conformably in second spot and it looks like they will have at least the consolation of a Champions League spot in what has been a fairly dismal season overall.

Art Rooney should dump Steelers quarterback Ben Rothleisberger now

When you think of the Rooney family who own the Pittsburgh Steelers you think of class and decency.

When you think of the current Steeler quarterback Big Ben Rothleisberger you think of disgust, shame and a low life. The photo above of a drunken Ben and an acquaintance sends its own signal about what kind of person we are dealing with here.

A D.A. in Georgia said he couldn't prove for sure that Big Ben raped a young woman in a toilet stall during a drunken night there but he urged him to 'grow up' or face the consequences.

Sure Ben did not get charged with rape but following a drunken and underage young woman into a bathroom and allegedly doing his worst sure doesn't fit with the Rooneys and the Steelers image.

Worse his bodyguards may have "dragged" the drunken girl there according to a report in a Pittsburgh newspaper

He was also investigated about another incident with a woman in Lake Tahoe

Art Rooney was an incredible man and his son Dan, now Ambassador to Ireland, inherited the best traits of the Steelers founder.His son Art has said he was furious at Big Ben and his activities.

Dan insisted on black coaches, ran his franchise like a family firm, not a business and was rewarded with loyalty and support from players and fans alike. When Dan's team won the Superbowl the whole nation applauded.

And then came Ben.

Sure he has won two Superbowls and he has been a top quarterback but the Steelers were never about fame and glory alone and he has shown a desperate lack of maturity.

Rothleisberger fits with the Rooneys like fire does with ice . He is a headcase, a seriously troubled young man who should have no place in one of the great franchises of NFL history.

The Rooneys would be well rid of him.

Irish play part in 2010 World Cup as ESPN picks U2 for promos

This must be some weird kinda karma for Irish soccer fans.

We're not going to South Africa for the World Cup thanks to that chump Thierry Henry (above) but we're all over the promos for the ESPN coverage courtesy of U2.

Yup! That's right! There will be no escaping the Irish foursome as ESPN are using five of their songs to plug the games.

Two ads are already on the air and the ads which will run through the World Cup itself will feature footage from U2's Pasadena concert.

The five songs are:

"Where the Streets Have No Name" (with the Soweto Gospel Choir)

"Magnificent").

"Out of Control" - weyhey! You rarely hear this song on the radio anymore
"Desire"
"City of Blinding Lights."

Quarterback Dayne Crist will carry Fighting Irish hopes at Notre Dame opener

Quarterback Dayne Crist will carry the Fighting Irish hopes on his broad shoulders when Notre Dame open their 2010 season against Purdue at home Sept. 4.

"When you cut through it, we're going to be tied to his ability to run our offense," says new coach Brian Kelly. "He's extremely capable of being what everyone wants the Notre Dame quarterback to be, but he's got no résumé. He hasn't played."

Of course he hasn't played. Crist tore the ACL in his right knee Oct. 31 when the Irish battered Washington State 40-14.

And he only got 20 passes in four games as Jimmy Clausen's backup last season.

They're big shoes to fill, especially with a repaired ACL.

"We're cheating nature a little bit, but it was so important for me to get him out there because he just doesn't have much experience," Kelly says.

"Our defensive coaches are responsible for protecting him. If you can't protect Dayne Crist, you're not going to be coaching here."

"I'm trying to embrace every challenge," Crist said. "I think we've got a great offense in place. I think we have a great team. I think it all depends on how we come together as a team."

"I think it's definitely faster than anything I've ever experienced," Crist said. "Once we get a greater knowledge of his offense, I think we'll be operating a lot faster."

When Phil Mickelson insulted Irish women

Masters champ Phil Mickelson may be the anti-Tiger Woods now and a great family man but there was a time he once aroused the ire of Irish Americans everywhere for comments he made about ugly Irish women.

It was back in 1991 when Mickelson was part of the American amateur team playing in the Walker Cup at Portmarnock Golf Club near Dublin.

Even back then Mickelson was marked man, having own a PGA event while still an amateur and blazing a trail as a great party animal when not on the fairways.

But his his comments to an interviewer when asked about a difficult shot he made turned the Irish off in a big way. as Sports Illustrated reported at the time.

"Asked by a TV reporter on Thursday to comment on a replay that showed him hitting out of the rough near the gallery during that morning's play, Mickelson chuckled and said, "That's not a place I want to be. The Irish women are not that attractive."

Mickelson awoke the next morning to these headlines in two Dublin papers: BAD BOY PHIL! and MASTERFUL MICKELSON DRAWS IRISH IRE. And there was trouble back home, where the Irish Consul in New York and ESPN, which broadcast Mickelson's words, both reported that they received a flurry of phone calls from angry Irish-Americans.

"I knew I was in for it the moment I said it," Mickelson said later. "It was a bad joke, and I feel just terrible about it."

As Sports Illustrated noted " The Irish love a rascal. And somebody should have told Phil Mickelson that last Friday night in Dublin. He was prowling the public rooms of the Berkeley Court Hotel after last week's Walker Cup competition, offering red-faced apologies for his youthful indiscretions .

I think we can give Phil a mulligan. he has certainly gone on to bigger and better things since.

Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly sees some improvement in his players

Notre Dame head Coach Brian Kelly is slowly seeing his players make some headway as they adapt to his way of doing things.

"Last week we weren't very good. I think I made that pretty clear," he said on Saturday, referring to the “we stink’” comments he made last week.

"This week I wanted to evaluate three practices and then make a decision. In all three practice we started better, we finished better and we made progress. We still have a long way to go."

Kelly has placed a huge emphasis on his players making fast plays, and it has taken some of them time to acclimatize to the rapid-fire pace he demands.

The head coach also wanted to change the mindset of the players, some of whom were sluggish at the start of spring practice.

"That's really job one for us," added the former Cincinnati coach. "I'd rather leave the spring knowing how we're going to compete and how we're going to come to work every day."

The coaching team laid down the law at the start of the week.

"We drew a line in the sand. We said, 'Listen, this is where we're going to be with this. If you don't want to jump on board then it's going to be addition by subtraction.’"

Training and mindsets were put away at the end of the week as Notre Dame recruit Matt James was laid to rest after his tragic death in Florida last week. Kelly and fellow coaching staff, along with Kyle Rudolph, paid their respects to the family at Friday evening’s visitation.

"This is a family that needs all the support right now, because yesterday was Matt's birthday as well. So it made for a very difficult time," said Kelly. "But we were able to gain some closure with the James family."

Legend Tony McCoy finally wins English Grand National on Don't Push it

Irish racing legend Tony McCoy finally won his first ever Grand National aboard Don't Push it when he came home ahead at Aintree from Irish challenger Black Appalachi.

The Grand National is the English equivalent of the Kentucky Derby the biggest horse race in the English calendar.

It was an all-Irish win as the horse , trained in England, was owned by legendary owner JP McManus and trained by County Cork born John Joe O'Neill.There was a huge gamble on the horse in the half hour before the race and he ended up joint favorite at 10/1.

McCoy, acknowledged as the greatest steeplechase jockey ever, had somehow never won a Grand National in 14 attempts but he put it right on this day day with a superb ride, bringing the horse to challenge long time leader Black Appalachi at the last fence in the 4 miles two furlong marathon and stretching out to win by two lenghts on the long run in.

The usally ice cool McCoy was deeply emotional after the win He had only picked the horse from a choice of four mounts at the last minute.

"I’ve chosen Don’t Push it because he has a little more class. Unfortunately, he never runs two races the same. I just hope that he will produce his best.’he said before the race
.
Amazingly Don't Push it had been pulled up in his run before the national

Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy crash out of Masters

Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy both crashed out of the Masters at Augusta, failing to make the cut. Fellow Irishman Graeme McDowell was on the verge and was battling to make the last two rounds.

Padraig Harrington had a dreadfully disappointing 75 for a two day total of 149, five over par. With the cut expected to be two over par he was way off the pace.

Rory McIlroy fared even worst, slumping to seven over and the high hopes for the young Irish golfer have failed to be realized in recent times.

Harrington took a six at the par five eight and a six at the par four tenth to destroy any chances he had to make the cut off. He also bogeyed the final hole as he had done yesterday.

Rory McIlroy dropped three shots to par at the sixth and seventh holes where he had a double bogey and a bogey to lose all chance of qualifying. He will be desperately disappointed at his round.

Graeme McDowell also failed to make weekend play when he carded to second round 74 to end up five over par of the tournament, two strokes outside the cut mark.

Will Tiger Woods keep his pledge to Irish charity?

Will he, won't he?

Speculation is rife that Tiger Woods will show up at an Irish charity event as planned for July, 2010.

Woods won the JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am in 2000 and pledged that he would be back to help celebrate the tournament's 20th anniversary.

The charity event, which will take place July 5 and 6, has raised more than $55m in the 20 years since it started in 1990.

Organizers have already secured confirmation from Samuel L. Jackson and Hugh Grant as well as professional golfers Padraig Harrington and Anthony Kim.

The event is held every five years in the Adare Manor in County Limerick and raises money for mid-western charities and groups who work with the underprivileged and disadvantaged.

Harrington struggles to make cut at Masters

A bogey at the 18th hole left Padraig Harrington well off the pace in the first round of the Masters in Augusta and struggling to make the cut.

Harrington's final round of 74 left him some eight shots behind Fred Couples who shot six under.

Harrington's problems began with his approach play as he hit only 9 of 18 greens in regulation forcing him to scramble all day. The round was a bitter disappointment for Harrington who had hoped to be well up the leader board after showing improved form this year

Harrington's best holes were the par fives but it was the double bogey at the seventh hole where he took six that will come back to haunt him if he does not qualify. His two birdies came at the par five holes the 8th and the 13th.

His fellow Irishman Rory McIlroy joined him at two over while Graeme McDowell was a stroke back. All three may have difficulty qualifying for the final 36 holes,

Why Padraig Harrington will beat Tiger Woods and win the Masters

Padraig Harrington will win the Masters. Despite what he might say, Harrington is best as an Irish underdog and that is the status he enjoys heading into today's round.

When I spoke to him at the White House a few weeks back on St.Patrick's Day where we both attended a presidential reception Harrington was brimming with confidence.

He was also clearly very happy all the attention was on Tiger Woods who Harrington believes would have to be a complete superstar to win after such a long absence and the incredible media pressure.

That is no small thing. Harrington is no fan of Woods despite what the public statements are. Neither are very many on tour who have always found him arrogant and unapproachable. If Tiger wins after such a long lay off he makes every other pro golfer look bad.

Harrington does not want that at any cost.

Harrington is heading into the Masters in a determined mood. He is a a mood player, a guy who can complicate something a simple as winning three majors by then changing his swing because he's not happy.

Last year was a huge wake up call for him in that regard and by the end of the year stopped experimenting and played with the old Harrington clinical efficiency.

Watch him this week in Augusta. The old Harrington is back and I predict a victory

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Brian Kelly, Matt James and the Notre Dame curse

The loss of prized recruit Matt James has already revived talk of the Notre Dame head coach curse, which allegedly dates back to when Gerry Faust, a complete bust, was signed as head coach.

"He was the start of the curse of the modern Notre Dame program – they’re good at a lot of things in South Bend but hiring coaches isn’t one of them." wrote Dan Wetzel at Yahoo sports.

The tragic death of his top recruit is obviously going to revive talk about Brian Kelly being cursed too The young man fell to his death from a balcony during an outing in Panama City Florida.

With him went a huge part of Kelly's pans to plug the holes in the offensive line from last season.

But look to Kelly to put all talk of a curse behind him and dedicate this year to the fallen freshman and motivate his players accordingly

"Six-foot-eight, 290-pounds and a big ol' teddy bear," said Kelly said remembering James, who he knew for years.

"He came to Notre Dame because of his personality. He wanted to make a difference. He wanted to stand out. That's the kind of kid he was. That's what I'll remember about him."

The team seem to be taking the loss of James to heart also.

"Words can't express the feelings that have flown through the locker room," Irish quarterback Dayne Crist said. "Matt James was just an incredible person. Forget football. He was just a great person. He'll definitely be missed and he'll definitely be with us from here on out."


"Everybody on the team feels like we lost a brother," Kyle Rudolph said. "There's nothing not to like about Matt. You hear people describe him, and no matter who you talk to, you get the same response — he's just a gentle giant, never would hurt a fly. He's one of us for sure."

Look for Notre Dame to use the memory of James as a powerful emotional connection this season.

Padraig Harrington: "If you can play golf at Augusta you can play golf anywhere "

World number 10 Padriag Harrington is confident that Augusta National will be a true test of how his game is developing, and like the old Sinatra song, the 38-year-old feels the course is the true litmus test for pros.

'It's a test on every shot - if you can play golf at Augusta you can play golf anywhere," said the triple major winner.

'I'm using it as the ultimate judge of the quality of my golf game. There are always (testing) holes at every course, but maybe Augusta has more than many and that can lead to you being a bit defensive.'

'The second hole is a good example. You've got to hit your tee shot down the middle to reach the green in two, but I've hit it in the left-hand trees before.

'I'm not going to feel too good any day standing on that tee knowing I don't want to hit it left, but if you want to get a birdie you have to take it on.

'There's definitely baggage on the second, but every hole at Augusta has a little bit of baggage somewhere.

The home of the Masters has always been a place that has made Harrington wary.

'Augusta would be the golf course that intimidates me most. Always has.

'You can't name a hole out there that doesn't put you under a little bit of stress. But I like that - I have always played based on fear.

'I'm always better when I'm absolutely pushed to the end and Augusta does that.'

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly affected by the tragic death of Matt James

Though Notre dame head coach Brian Kelly expressed the terrible loss felt on behalf of the Notre Dame Football program at the tragic death of star recruit Matt James on Friday night, Kelly also felt a tremendous loss on a personal level.

James wanted to sign for Kelly when he was coach and the University of Cincinnati, and when Kelly decided to take on the challenge of turning around the fortunes on the Fighting Irish, James decided he wanted to take that journey as well and committed himself to the blue and gold.

“When a young man makes a decision to follow you to another university, you feel like you’re providing him the opportunity that he’s wanted his whole life. That makes it very personal. Obviously he chose Notre Dame, but he chose to be part of my first recruiting class too,” Kelly told Cincinnati.com.

Whatever of football fortunes and football programs, Kelly was devastated by the loss felt by James’ family.

“To lose a young man at 17 years old who had such an incredible future ahead of him is tragic, but as much as I think of that I can’t get away from the heartbreak I feel for his family,” said Kelly on Saturday.

“They’re wonderful people who raised an incredible son. That’s the thing that’s hard for me.”

Notre Dame update from Coach Brian Kelly: “We stink right now”

Notre Dame Coach Kelly slated his players at practice on Wednesday as they broke up for Easter break with some stinging words from their new leader.

“We stink right now,” said Kelly bluntly.

“We are just so far from where we need to be in terms of attention to detail.”

Quarterback Dayne Crist came in some pointed criticism from Kelly:

“He’s about as sloppy with the fundamentals as they are,” he said. “Maybe, we are putting a little too much out there in terms of our offense right now. I got to look at scaling this back a little bit.”

Kelly was hired to turn the fortunes of the team around, and he is demanding that that sea change starts now.

“We don’t have time. We got to do it now,” he continued. “It’s got to get done the right way. You get 15 practices, and that’s all you got.

“I can’t wait until August to put this team in position to win in 2010. It’s got to happen today.”

However, it was not all doom and gloom as Coach Kelly was given a glimmer of hope by the work from his defense.

“I liked what I saw defensively, but we’ve got to do this thing together. We are not on the same page yet.”

Not the best progress report to come out of South Bend, but better right the ship now before another season of football comes and goes for the Irish.

Wide receiver Michael Floyd admitted that payers were not in the zone for their coach.

“He (Kelly) pointed out that we are not focused,” he said.

“A lot of us, we came out sluggish and not in tune. We just got to pick it up and be more focused with the playbook and concentrate more.”

Better dust off the cobwebs before Coach Kelly does a bit of spring-cleaning of his own.