Losing is like dying say Notre Dame players and Brian Kelly agrees

Losing is like dying say two key Notre Dame players as they comment on their 1-3 start to the season.

Senior Harrison Smith and junior Manti T'Eo say that Brian Kelly has instilled a new perspective in them about the difference between winning and losing a close game.

Smith stated that getting the right result is "kind of like life or death when it comes to winning" for the 1-3 Irish.

Smith says that attitude is relatively new among Notre Dame players who, unfortunately, have become accustomed to losing in recent times.

"I don't want to say it's new, but maybe there's just a lot more of it right now," Smith said. "After some of the losses, you can see it in everyone's face — not that we're actually dying, but that's what it's like.

"So the next week, instead of giving up and backing off and just taking it easy, everyone has ramped it up. It has gotten more intense every week because we're sick of it and we have to start winning."

Brian Kelly says the new attitude is needed,

"You have to operate with a sense of urgency, or it takes too long to build a house," he said. "I just don't like waiting that long. Our guys understand this isn't a transition year, this isn't a rebuilding year, this isn't 'Let's feel good about everybody before we start to click.' No, we have to do it right now."

Kelly says he feels no different than when he was coaching Cincinnati.

"The process is the same, it's just the expectations are different," Kelly said. "You take over a new company as the CEO, and you're having a rough quarter. You're going, 'OK, I'm not sure what's coming up here, but I'm going to stick with what I've been doing and know that it has worked in the past and it's just a matter of time.' That's kind of what we're going through right now."

Rex Ryan a coaching genius for the New York Jets against Miami

The New York Jets have not won a super bowl since 1968 but with Rex Ryan at the helm that may be about to change.

Wins over the New England Patriots and now the Miami Dolphins leave them sitting pretty in their division and with key corner back Darrelle Revis set to come back next week Ryan may have the best defense in the NFL.

The win over Miami was a true Ryan special, his team was emotionally up for the game and he showed brilliant play calling on the final drive when Miami seemed certain to score when they got to the seven yard line with four downs to play.

In the old days the same old Jets would have allowed the touchdown the two point conversion and been beaten in extra time.

Not these Jets, not this coach

But Ryan is not known as a tactical defensive genius for no reason.

He dialed up four brilliant defensive plays, including a fourth down interception which gave the game to the Jets.

With Mark Sanchez looking more like Joe Namath with every game, Braylon Edwards getting his head screwed on for the plays that mattered and Ladanian Tomlinson defying the years and the taunt that he was over the top, the Jets offense looks well ahead of last year's when they came within a whisker of the Super Bowl.

Ryan will certainly bring them deep into the playoffs this year -- It is a strange year with teams like Kansas 3-0.

Yes, folks Under this coach the Jets could go all the way.

Charlie Weis success in Kansas sparking Notre Dame angst

Have you noticed that the Kansas City Chiefs have started 3-0 , their best record in decades and that the quarterback Matt Cassell is burning up the NFL?

Have you noticed that the offensive co-ordinator is someone called Charlie Weis and that he formerly coached a college team called Notre Dame.

Notre Dame are 1-3 last time I looked and some are starting to look at the Weis years as the golden ones.

I'm sure Weis who was vilified in his last season by the Golden Dome is allowing himself a smug smile or two as he surveys the
chaos since he left and the incredible start the Chiefs have made.

Jimmy Clausen, his main player is already a starter in the NFL, starting against the Cincinnati Bengals for the Carolina Panthers.

Okay, he didn't blow the world away but he still had a solid outing 16 of 33 for 188 yards.

Meanwhile over at Arrowhead Stadium Matt Cassel is hitting his stride, decimating the 49ers on Sunday and sparking a dream season for long suffering Kansas City fans.

That is Matt Cassel who is a major reclamation project for Weis,who has shown he has a magic touch with quarterbacks.

With Notre Dame now 1-3 and more and more questions about whether Brian Kelly is talented enough to make the step up to coaching the Fighting Irish, Weis is starting to look better in the rear view mirror.

Hindsight is 20/20 but I'm sure Charlie Weis, who did not leave Notre Dame in the happiest of circumstances is heating up that cold dish called revenge these days.

No Bowl game for Notre Dame after Stanford blowout

Notre Dame’s loss to Stanford will define the season for the Fighting Irish.

Unless they run the table which is extremely unlikely there will be no bowl game for the Irish.

This is a very poor team. We could delude ourselves against Michigan and Michigan State that they were unlucky the past two weeks.

There was no luck involved against Stanford, except Andrew Luck the Stanford quarterback who ran the Notre Dame defense ragged with his pin point passing.

The game was probably lost in the first quarter when Notre Dame recovered a fumble on the Stanford 20 and Brian Kelly called a series of wildcat plays with Crist, pictured, parked wide as a receiver.

But Armando Allen is no Dennard Robinson and his inability to get the ball in the end zone meant the Irish lost their best chance to get a touchdown.

How the game would have turned out if they had will never be known, but it would be really tempting fate to say the Irish might have gone on to win.

They simply lack the defense and the offensive weapons to challenge a top 20 team and Stanford look like they could well be atop five side if they win their next few games.

Bill Parcels said your record is what is says you are. Notre Dame are a 1-3 team, heading to 1-5 now likely unless something dramatic changes.

This is worse than the Weis era.

Notre Dame to beat Stanford who will be over confident after three blow-out wins

Will the Cardinals start 4-0 for the first time since 1986 when they play Notre Dame at South Bend tomorrow?

Will the Irish turn the season around and stop the rot at 2-2?

I'm pretty confident they will.

The secret lies in the first three opponents the teams played. Stanford have beaten up on patsies, including UCLA and the team has never been road tested.

That all ends tomorrow against Notre Dame.

On the other hand Notre Dame, apart from Purdue have had a baptism of fire, beaten in the closing seconds in both games and, hopefully,learning a tremendous amount along the way.

Enough to stop an over-confident Stanford perhaps?

I think so, as well as needing some luck with Luck.

You know who I mean, the Stanford superman, (pictured), who walks on water on the football field and academically.

Stopping Luck picking us apart like he did last year will be the toughest test.

But I think Dayne Crist may well pick on a Cardinals defense that has not had a serious test so far this year.

I say Notre Dame 31-24

John Duddy likely to fight Andy Lee in New York on December 4

The fight all Irish Americans want to see is likely to take place in Madison Square Garden on December 4th.

John Duddy and fellow Irishman Andy Lee are likely to clash on that date according to Lee's legendary manager Emmanuel Steward

He says he has agreed a date with Duddy’s manager Craig Hamilton for the fight and December 4 is the proposed date.

Steward told the Belfast Telegraph : “I have talked to Craig about the fight and he’s up for it and so are we. It looks like it will be part of the undercard to Miguel Cotto in New York. New York is where I would like it to be, it’s a huge fight there for the Irish community but I know there is interest in staging the fight in Ireland.

“I think for both men it’s a great fight at this stage of their careers and I believe it will take Andy closer to a world title shot.

“As far as I’m concerned Andy is the best middleweight in the world. I want him to face the winner of the Paul Williams-Sergio Martinez WBC title fight in November.”

Despite losing narrowly Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez in June Duddy remains at number nine in the WBC world rankings, while Lee — who won in Chicago last week — is ranked nine by the WBA.

Duddy has lost two of his last five fights and Lee would likely be the favorite for the bout.

Notre Dame/Navy date in Dublin in 2012 will be a trip of a lifetime for Irish fans

Notre Dame-Navy decision to play in Dublin on September 1 2012 will be a huge event for Ireland.

The last occasion Notre Dame played abroad was also in Dublin in 1996 at Croke Park and I was there.

Notre Dame won 54-27 in a blow out and the Irish love affair with Notre Dame dates from that game.

It was an amazing occasion. I remember the locals been utterly bemused but charmed by the sight of 30,000 or so green clad Americans, several dressed as Leprechauns descending on their beloved stadium.

Dublin and many places further south were a sea of green, blue and gold that weekend and it was a marvelous occasion to witness.

The idea of playing games in Ireland was the brainchild of Boston businessman Jim O'Brien who brought Boston College to Ireland in 1988 when they defeated Army in the old Landsdowne Road stadium --now the Aviva

Notre Dame under Lou Holtz won that game easily but times have been much tougher since

Aviva Stadium, formerly Landsdowne Road is a $410 million, four-floor facility that opened in Dublin. It was formerly Landsdowne Road, a dilapidated old stadium that hosted soccer and rugby internationals.

It is the heart of Ballsbridge, Dublin's most tony address and about 20 minutes from the city center.

"To see this stadium is to believe it has to be one of the finest venues in the world," Naval Academy director of athletics Chet Gladchuk said in a statement .

"We fully realize just how important this game is in the U.S. sporting calendar,” added Aviva Stadium director Martin Murphy. “It is a terrific boost for Irish tourism, as I have no doubt the teams' fans will travel in great numbers.”

Navy will be considered the home team. But the locals will make their allegiances pretty clear right from kick off

Go Irish!

No time to panic about coach Brian Kelly at Notre Dame

Let's not panic about coach Brian Kelly at Notre Dame.

Don't forget Lou Holtz went 5-6 his first season too at Notre Dame.

Two years later they won a national championship.

Kelly would be 3-0 with a bit of Irish luck.

He knows he has some cards he has been dealt that are busted flushes.


His team cannot stop the run -- they are 99th in ranking against it.

It cost them against Michigan when Dennard Robisnon ran amok.

It cost them at key moments against MSU too.

Wait until next year is the cry.

There is actually a lot of truth to that. Kelly is already proving to be an incredible recruiter.

But they can still make a bowl game this year.

They need to defeat Stanford on Saturday to do it.

The 19th ranked Cardinals have shown how a program can be motivated to play beyond and above itself.

Despite major recruiting problems because of academic standards Jim Harbaugh has tuned his team into winners.

Kelly needs to take a leaf out of Harbaugh's book and do the same.

The future starts on Saturday.

Cork have deserved win over Down 0-16 to 0-15 in All Ireland football final

Cork finally won an overdue All Ireland title when they defeated Down by one point, 0-16 to 0-15 on Sunday.

Over 81,000 attended the game at Croke Park on a wet day that cleared up for the game itself.

Cork were deserving of the victory. They have proved throughout the championship that they are a second half team and they tore into Down in the second half to erase the half time deficit of three points.

Cork also used their bench extremely well with injured captain Graham Canty making a huge difference on his introduction as did Nicholas Murphy

Cork had the chance of an explosive opening but missed a great goal chance in the first minute. After that they drifted out of the game and Down took over.

However, Cork always stayed within touching distance of Down and once Canty and Murphy came on the team seeemed to grow in confidence.

Daniel Goulding with 0-9 points and Donncha O'Connor with 0-5 were the stars.

Down target Martin Clarke, (above), was well-policed by the Cork defense, especially marker Noel O'Leary and never played his expected big game.

For Cork the breakthrough was badly needed as many of the team may have played their last game for the county.

They lost two previous All Ireland in 2007 and 2009 so today's victory was sweet compensation.

Tyrone won the minor final defeating Cork by one point.

Is Notre Dame's Brian Kelly snake bitten like Charlie Weis after Michigan State loss?

Notre Dame’s overtime loss to Michigan State when they perfectly executed a fake field goal in the last second of overtime was hard to believe.

In the process the Michigan State call will enter the annals as the gutsiest call in college football for many a year.

It may prove to be a turning point in Brian Kelly’s Notre Dame career.

At Cincinnati he won all the close ones it seemed, had luck on his side.

It was the kind of game his predecessor Charlie Weis would also surely have lost but Kelly has now had two heartbreaks two weeks in a row , losing on the final play.

Could it be Brian Kelly is now snake bitten too after this incredible loss?

Notre Dame lack that killer instinct and this defeat will take quite a while to recover from.

They are in serious danger of slumping to 1-5 in the upcoming weeks with their tough schedule.

It had all looked so good up to the incredible finish.

Whatever Brian Kelly told his quarterback Dayne Crist at half time in this Michigan State game it had the impact of a barrel of red bull.

Crist came out so energised that he resembled Joe Montana (who was at the game) in his heyday.
His second half display was awesome as he marched the Irish up and down the field, seemingly picking his targets at will.

Crist is clealry a quarterback who needs to have his confidence reinforced at key times.

After an indifferent second quarter and a bad interception, Crist looked suddenly vulnerable.

Clearly what Kelly said to him at half time restored that elusive confidence and made him unstoppable.

In the process he gave an insight into what the Kelly era will look like at Notre Dame where a relentless aerial and ground attack will be simply unstoppable against many teams.

Defence is still a work in progress also, and the final play will have gutted them, especially as it now has transpired that time was up on the kick.

But that's football.

Padraig Harrington fears Tiger Woods in Ryder Cup

Tiger Woods will bust a gut at this year’s Ryder Cup to prove he can still compete with the best says Irish star Padraig Harrington.

“The Ryder Cup could be the pinnacle of his year, like it could be for me," said Harrington of his fellow wild card pick.

“He will be in a fighting mood for the week, in a mood to perform.”

"At the last one in 2008, I was a bit burned out. But going into this one Tiger's not going to be that way and I'm not going to be that way," said Harrington in a conference call with reporters.

"He's not coming into this Ryder Cup having achieved a lot of his goals this year and he's probably thinking, 'I want to play well to make it a successful year.'"

Asked if he would have picked Woods, the Irishman replied, "Yes, 100%, absolutely. He is the number one golfer in the world and he's been showing good form of late.

"He has a presence and intimidation factor. Matchplay will suit him.

"I think he's going to be strong enough to stand up on the tee box against anybody. Certainly no bookmaker will make him a longshot in his singles match."

"In previous Ryder Cups, Tiger has struggled with the structure of the event," said Harrington

"Playing a practice round at 11 o'clock in the morning, I don't think he's ever done that in his life. Normally he's out at 6 o'clock and by 11 he's out of there and off the golf course.

"There are a lot of things at a Ryder Cup that don't fit into Tiger's normal schedule. But having got a pick this year he might feel a bit like me and turn round and say, 'What do you need me to do?' ... and be much more focused on the team."

Harrington said he was delighted to get a pace as a captain’s pick and realizes how close he came to being left out.

"I regret my schedule big time," he said. "I focused on the world rankings, assuming I was going to have a bumper year.

"My schedule was poor. If you want to make the team you need to play more. Next time round I'll be looking at making the top nine money winners."

"When you go in as a pick you have got more to prove and in many ways you are trying to justify it," he said. "I definitely feel under more pressure."

"Last time I had won a couple of majors ... and I really struggled to get back up for the Ryder Cup.

"It's the opposite this year. I'm hoping to be at my peak."

Dayne Crist the key to Notre Dame success against Michigan State University

Can Notre Dame quarterback Dayne Crist last the four quarters against Michigan State Saturday night?

If he does he will be the difference between success and defeat.

Last week's concussion and double vision sent a shudder through the entire Notre Dame season. Brian Kelly has only one quarterback who can play his system.

The two backups last week showed they were a long way from running it.

Crist has proven injury prone. He lost an entire year with a knee injury. he suffered a bad concussion during his high School career.

You can bet Michigan State will be teeing off on him trying to land that knockout blow, literally.

They know without Crist that Notre Dame look a very ordinary team.

That is why Crist is central to success against Michigan State.

The other key on the Notre Dame offense side is Armando Allen.

He had a big game rushing against MSU last year and if he repeats that the Irish will be half way home.

If Kyle Rudolph, still only a junior, continues his early season form as the best tight end in college football then Notre Dame can really start to feel confident.

The game against Michigan should have been won, especially when they went ahead late in the final quarter.

A mark of Charlie Weis teams was their inability to put opponents away.

Let's hope Brian Kelly's team do not show the same flaw this season.

If Crist stays healthy I will bet they won't.

Without him all bets are off though.

Down and Marty Clarke can defeat Cork in the 2010 All-Ireland football final

Down were 80/1 to win the All Ireland football title, arguably the greatest prize in Irish sport, after they were defeated in the Ulster Championship earlier this year.

Despite that the men from the Mountains of Mourne will be in Croke Park on Sunday to face a hotly fancied Cork team who were close to favorites all year to occupy a final spot.

Cork lost to Kerry in last year's All Ireland final giving a bitterly disappointing display in the process.They will be all out to make amends this year.

Down on the other hand come into the final with little pressure on them. In corner forward Marty Clarke, (pictured), they have probably the best player in Gaelic football at the moment.

In the semi final against Kildare, Clarke who like Tadgh Kennelly from last year's victorious Kerry team, came home from Australia where he had been pursuing a career in Australian rules, gave a man of the match performance which showed him as a great talent.

The game on Sunday will very much revolve around whether Cork can prevent Clarke running riot like he did against Kildare.

Cork know they are lucky enough to be in the final.


Dublin had them beaten until an astonishing collapse in the final few minutes.

With that let-off behind them they will also be hoping their forwards perform better than they did in that game when they shot wide after wide in the early stages of the game.

Somehow this gritty Cork team found a way to win however, and they will be fancied by the bookmakers to do it again on Sunday.

I think Down are a team of destiny this year however, and they may well shade it.

They have defeated Kerry and Kildare, two extremely strong sides and will not be afraid of Cork in any shape or form.

And they have Marty Clarke, potentially a match winner all on his own.

Down to win by two points 1-11 to 1-9.

Rex Ryan all blow and no show likewise Mark Sanchez for New York Jets?

Is Rex Ryan all blow and no go?

After Monday night's pathetic offensive performance against the Ravens it may well be so.

Ryan made his name as a defensive genius, the reality is that he is an offensive idiot.

How else to evaluate the Jets offensive game plan?

Tomlinson left and right- an aging star with no legs left was the entire offensive plan.

Ryan has placed the franchise in the hands of Mark Sanchez.

On Monday night's evidence it is akin to giving a baby a driving license.

Sanchez did not throw the football. It is as simple as that-- that is what quarterbacks do.

Rex Ryan has blown hot and hotter this pre-season.

Tonight his touch was cold as ice.

This could get ugly.

Notre Dame's Brian Kelly suffers massive Michigan hangover

Brian Kelly woke up Sunday morning with a giant sized hangover from Saturday's defeat to Michigan.

It was an unfamiliar feeling for Kelly who went unbeaten in the regular season last year with Cincinnati and won his first game for the Irish.

"I can tell you it doesn't feel good. I'm sure this mood won't change until we get a chance to win again," said Kelly who now faces a road trip to Michigan State.

"There won't be any smiling faces around here until we get another win."

Kelly said he's glad they will not face a talent like Denard Robinson who ran amok on Saturday again this season.

"Their one particular formation with three receivers to one side where he can run the ball or throw it on the run is problematic because of who he is and that's where we were stressed in coverage," Kelly said.

But Kelly pointed out that it was Robinson's passing not running on the final Michigan touchdown that hurt his side.

Robinson was 5 of 6 for 55 yards on that rally.

Kelly said his own quarterback, Dayne Crist is fine after his first half concussion that left him with double vision.

"He grew up in the second half, showed poise in pocket he hadn't shown to this point," Kelly said. "He really matured in the second half."

Notre Dame loss down to refusing field goal at end of first half

The decision by Brian Kelly to go for the endzone at the end of the first half against Michigan and not kick a field goal cost Notre Dame this game.

As the game wound down in the second half Notre Dame at the Michigan 27 would only have needed a field goal to win,

Instead they needed a hail Mary and Dayne Crist almost hit Touchdown Jesus instead with a high pass that Wilt Chamberlain would not have caught.

Yet another game that Notre Dame should have won, and undoubtedly would have if Crist had been healthy enough to play the entire first half.

Kelly will come away knowing that this tradition of Notre Dame losing games late cannot continue if he is to be a successful head coach.

Denard Robinsin ran amok on a Notre Dame defense that looked suspiciously like last year's sad sack version.

There are many good points from the game, but nothing changes the end result --another Notre Dame last minute defeat to Michigan, same as last year

Deja Vu all over again

No Luck of the Irish for Notre Dame and Brian Kelly so far

An injury to quarterback Dayne Crist ruined what had been a great start to the game against Michigan at South Bend.

Crist led the irish to a touchdown on the first series, but then reported he had no sight in one eye after a heavy hit.

He was forced to leave the game and backup quarterback Andrew Marr took over but threw an immediate interception.

Then Nate Montana, son of revered legend Joe stepped up.

'However, the Irish attack sputtered and quarterback Denard Robinsion began to control the game for Michigan, culminating in an incredible 87 yard run to leave his side ahead by 21-7.

In the closing seconds Montana led the Irish to the three yard line but was unable to get the ball into the end zone.

Half time Michigan 21 irish 7

Wayne Rooney playing Tiger Woods role in British sex scandal

Britain has its very own Tiger Woods in the shape of Wayne Rooney, the grandson of Irish emigrants to Liverpool, who is Britain's best known footballer.

Rooney has been caught in the headlights, like Woods, with the revelation that he had sex with at least two prostitutes while his wife Colleen was pregnant.

Colleen has fled with her young son to her parents, hotly pursued by a rabid tabloid pack. In a genuine tragedy her 12-year-old sister has had a massive stroke, further upsetting her close knit family.

One of the hookers, Jennifer Thompson, 'Juicy Jenny' to you,has gone public with her revelations, while another, Helen Wood, now there's a Tiger coincidence, known as Woody, is also on the prowl talking to tabloids.

In Britain, where there is no Hollywood, footballers serve the same purpose. So the 'scandal' is very big news indeed.

Rooney and Colleen have meanwhile pleaded for privacy - sound familiar? --while they work on their marriage.

All of Britain, or at least the tabloids, are in uproar over this latest example of a young man with too much money and likely, a drink problem, making an ass of himself.

Wayne Rooney is no oil painting, in fact he's known affectionately as Shrek, but he was a massive disappointment in England's World Cup bid and the tabloids now think they know why.

Soliciting prostitutes is as old as the hills, doing so while your wife is heavily pregnant certainly adds a bitter twist.

So Britain is all a twitter, literally about Wayne and Juicy Jen, not to mention Woody and more is promised.

We can't hardly wait can we Tiger?

Notre Dame's Brian Kelly is facing the first big test against Michigan

Now comes the first big one.

Even Charlie Weis was 4-1 against Purdue so no great kudos for Brian Kelly for his victory.

Michigan is a different matter however.

We are talking about the two winningest franchises in college history here and Kelly knows it.

A win against Michigan will solidify his savior status in the minds of Golden Domers.

A loss will set the tongues wagging

Bu this week is the big step up. Cincinnati is bush league compared to Notre Dame when all is said and done.

The intense national spotlight was evident even during the NFL opening game between New Orleans and Minnesota last night
when the Notre Dame/Michigan clash came up several times and footage of Kelly on the sidelines was broadcast.

Today The New York Times got in on the act comparing Kelly and predecessor Weis

Weis "never got Notre Dame or its unique culture the way a Notre Dame graduate should have." wrote the Times.

"Kelly shouldn’t have that problem. An Irish politician’s son who dabbled in politics himself, he’s a charmer." they write.

Definitely a charmer but Michigan is one snake that won't want to be charmed.

Last year's destroyer Tate Forcier may not even dress for the game. he has slipped to Number 3 .

Denard Robinson, is the big man on campus and Notre Dame have to stop him to win.

At least Kelly showed at last that Notre Dame has something resembling a top college defense against Purdue.

He'll need all that and a stellar game from Dayne Crist and Michael Floyd to win this one.

I think he will

Notre Dame 24 Michigan 17.

Ireland defeat Andorra 3-1 in an unimpressive performance

Robbie Keane added a third goal for ireland in the second half to secure an unimpressive 3-1 win against one of the weakest sides in nternational football from a country of only 83,000 people.

Andorra scored a shock goal before half time to trail Ireland by 2-1 at the interval in the European Championship qualifying game in Dublin.

Ireland had gone ahead after sixteen minutes when Kevin Kilbane headed home a corner kick.

Soon after Kevin Doyle added a second with a thunderous shot from 30 yards.

In other action in the group Slovakia defeated Russia 1-0 in a shock result in Russia.

Ireland lead Andorra 2-1 at half time in European qualifer match in Dublin

Andorra scored a shock goal before half time to trail Ireland by 2-1 at the interval in the European Championship qualifying game in Dublin.

Ireland had gone ahead after sixteen minutes when Kevin Kilbane headed home a corner kick.

Soon after Kevin Doyle added a second with a thunderous shot from 30 yards.

In other action in the group Slovakia defeated Russia 1-0 in a shock result in Russia.

Ireland lead Andorra 1-0 after 16 minutes in European Championship

Kevin Kilbane has given Ireland the lead aganst Andorrra with a powerful header from a corner kick after 16 minutes.

It is Ireland's first competitive game at the new Aviva stadium in Dublin.

Earlier in the night Slovakia shocked Russia with a 1-0 in in Russia to lead the European Champiosnhip qualifying table.

Two other teams in the group Macedonia and Armenia are also playing tonight

Notre Dame must stop Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson to win

A few days into the season and CBS Sports are rating Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson as an early favorite in the Heisman trophy race.

I kid you not.

After just one game Shoelace Denard has so impressed the experts that they think he may be the first Michigan winner since Desmond Howard.

To which I say hold the horses here.

Rich Rodriguez thinks he may have the quarterback to save his career.

To which I say no way.

But who can blame him? Denard had 383 total yards last weekend and ran through the Huskies like, well - excrement through a goose.

He will certainly be the man to stop on Saturday when they roll into Notre Dame.

The Irish are four point favorites but if Robinson runs like did against Connecticut they will beat the Irish.

We need a spy, a player devoted only to stopping Denard on the run.

Now that we have a defense and a coach humble enough to know he needs to improve in every game, we have a shot at stopping him.

Last year Denard would have had oh, 1,000 yards against the ND defense--in the first quarter..

Not this year though.

They say he doesn't tie his shoelaces so maybe one of our guys could knot the laces together at the line of scrimmage.

Failing that we jam the line of scrimmage to stop the run so much that we force him to pass.

Either way we will live or die by whether we can stop him.

Remember with the new hurry up offense we are on the field less time than before.

Which means stopping shoeless Joe or whatever they call him.

If we do we win the game.

Simple as that.

Tipperary win over Kilkenny perhaps greatest All Ireland hurling final ever

I think I just watched the greatest All Ireland hurling final ever played -- and I think I was the only commentator to predict a Tipperary victory

Tipperary's win over Kilkenny had everything, drama, a Kilkenny team out to make history by winning five in a row, a Tipp team bent on revenge from last year's final defeat and a setting before 81,000 fans in Croke Park that makes you realize so
many things are right about Ireland.

The gallant champions suffered a mortal blow early in this game when their hero Henry Shefflin, known as King Henry injured his already damaged knee ligaments.

It had been a huge gamble to play him from the beginning, but manager Brian Cody did the right thing letting his best player start.

Both teams tore into each other from the start and the field was not for the faint of heart. Tipperary pulled away to an early lead but by halftime Kilkenny had pulled them back to a one point margin.

It all looked right for the champions. They were playing with the strong wind at their back in the second half and were surely confident they could pull ahead.

Not against this Tipp team however. In a golden patch midway through the second half they netted two goals in a matter of moments and stretched to a seven point lead.

Kilkenny fought back heroically but this young Tipp team had the scent of victory in their nostrils.

They pulled away again and a last second goal made certain what was already sure.

And what an advertisement for the fastest field game in the world.

It was a final to never forget.

Brian Kelly's Notre Dame were briefly in Twilight Zone not end zone against Purdue

The way they came out playing at South Bend it seemed at first look that Brian Kelly had brought back the happy days to Notre Dame football.

The 2010 edition acted and played differently from the Charlie Weis teams who could always be depended on for a major mistake at a critical point in the game.

But by the end of the second half the jury was still out on that.

Even though Notre Dame won, the creepy music from the Weis days --- you know when the Twilight Zone theme took over and weird stuff started happening---- is still hovering around South Bend.

In the first half Kelly looked like he had exorcized the demons as his team played flawless take away football.

Then leading twenty to three and with the game seemingly won the Irish conceded a safety and then a touchdown and Purdue were within a score.

Michael Floyd had previously fumbled the ball on his way into the end zone.

Suddenly the bad old days seemed back.

Against a better team the slip ups might have proven fatal but Kelly has seemingly proven one thing on the basis of this game.

This Notre Dame defense will be no pushover like last year’s.

They buckled down and forced Purdue mistakes and eventually the Irish ran out easy enough winners.

Still, when you thought they might just have a blowout game, when leading 20-3 and deep in Purdue territory it all started to go ominously wrong.

Hopefully just a minor glitch and the important thing is they have the victory.

But it was still a Scary Movie for a while there.

Will Brian Kelly be the touchdown Jesus for Notre Dame football fans?

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly has a must win game to start his career.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but the Irish American coach has such expectations heaped on his shoulders that if he fails to beat the boilermakers the sucking sound you will hear is the air going out of the millions of Irish fans who have been living for this day.

Kelly has been sold simply as the savior, a new touchdown Jesus who will lead the way to the promised land.

In all my years of watching Notre Dame I have never seen a coach arrived with such expectations.

Sure there was pressure on Lou Holtz and Charlie Weis, but in today's exploding media world, the hype about Kelly has reached record proportions.

I think he has broad enough shoulders to handle the hype and the talent to overcome them but unless he gets off to a winning start the naysayers will start their negative drum beat right away.

They will say he can't make the step up that he is out of his depth and a hundred other reasons to denigrate him.

Kelly does not need that. Notre Dame will lose games this season, but please not the first one!

Kelly has certainly made it clear that he expects to succeed and has made no bones about that fact. About 6.15 Eastern today we should know the answer



I predict the Irish 28-14.

Ireland defeat Armenia 1-0 in European Championship on Keith Fahey goal

Ireland defeated Armenia 1-0 to kick off their European championship with a critical away win.

Keith Fahey , the former League of Ireland player, now with Birmingham City, was the Irish savior, knocking home the goal in the 76th minute after Kevin Doyle had missed a chance. He had come on as a substitute.

Ireland will be very happy to escape Armenia with the three points. Armenia almost scored in extra time but a brilliant last-second intervention by Liam Lawrence saved the day.

Throughout the game the locals were very defensive minded and Irish chances were few and far between.But after Ireland scored Armenia pushed forward and came close

Fahey, the 27-year-old from Dublin has had a checkered career, playing in League of Ireland with until quite late in is career.

Now he is a key cog in the Birmingham side as they face their first season in the Premiership after promotion last year.

Ireland now play Andorra on Tuesday in Dublin

Tipperary can defeat Kilkenny for a breath of fresh air in All Ireland huring final

Tipperary will start the All Ireland hurling final as rank outsiders against Kilkenny but can upset the champion's bid for five in a row.

31 of the 32 counties will be hoping for a Tipperary win. Kilkenny have a great team but every possible story and angle has been written to death about them.

Fresh hands on the Liam McCarthy cup would deliver a huge boost to hurling

Last year Tipp had the measure of this Kilkenny team but inexperience and a disputed penalty put paid to their chances.

They are a year older and wiser and I can't see that Kilkenny have come on much in the meantime.

There is a huge question mark over Henry Shefflin, their best player,(pictured above) who is expected to start despite suffering an allegedly serious knee injury.

He has risen Lazarus like from the injured ranks to claim his place but one wonders how fit can he truly be.

Shefflin is the playmaker for Kilkenny, the man every forward movement goes through. If he is not fully fit he will be a huge loss

Kilkenny may be among the best teams of all time but Tipperary never fear Kilkenny like so many other counties.

In Eoin Kelly Tipperary have the second best player in Ireland after Shefflin.

In the semi final against Waterford Kelly appeared to be having a poor game, missing some frees, then suddenly roared to life in the second half with a sublime goal-- the mark of a great player.

I think this young Tipperary team will have the legs on Kilkenny in the final quarter, especially if their youthful half forward line manages to win enough ball.

What they need to guard against is the Kilkenny onslaught from the opening bell. Cork were out of the game after 15 minutes in the semi-final. Waterford were destroyed in the 2008 hurling All Ireland in the same manner.

An over-confident Tipp lost to Cork in the first round of the Munster championship this year, but it may have been the best thing to happen to them.

They have been tried and tested since, winning narrowly against Galway and having a struggle for a time to beat Waterford.

Kilkenny have hardly been tested but they will be on Sunday. I believe they will be found wanting. Tipp to win by 2-18 to 2-14