Rees cannot be Notre Dame quarterback, Hendrix, even Golson worth a shot

Tommy Rees's days as quarterback of Notre Dame should be over.

Andrew Hendrix should be the starting quarterback in Dublin on September 1st when the Irish resume against Navy for the 2013 season.

Rees has gone backwards this year and Hendrix has by far the greater potential.

The loss against FSU was unfortunately, predictable.

Turnovers and bad quarterback play cost the Irish a bowl victory and coach Brian Kelly a solid end to a disappointing season.

Rees looked like he might mature into the real deal after last season but he has back pedaled this year. Two interceptions in the end zone proved that when it come to the crunch the kid does not have it.

Hendrix at least can claim that he needed the experience and that he can improve.

Meanwhile freshman Everett Golson may not be a hopeless long shot to line up under center in Dublin.

Kelly excels with a mobile quarterback and Golson has that in spades.

What is clear is that it cannot be Rees. Though a fine young man Notre Dame will win nothing with him at quarterback.

Brian Kelly knows that now.

Bill Maher under fire for Tim Tebow Christmas tweets

Bill Maher & Tim Tebow

Comedian and television host Bill Maher is attracting some criticism following his tweet about quarterback Tim Tebow during the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills game this past Sunday.

During the game, Maher (@BillMaher) tweeted “Wow, Jesus just f----- #TimTebow bad! And on Xmas Eve! Somewhere in hell Satan is tebowing, saying to Hitler "Hey, Buffalo's killing them.”
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Maher’s graphic tweet takes on more weight when it is considered that Tebow, who had up until the game on Sunday a more than impressive season thus far, is a devout Catholic and open about retaining his virginity, even at 24 years old.

Following that tweet, Maher went on to pen two additional tweets more or less dismissing the legitimacy of Christmas and Catholicism. He made no mention on his account of the criticism that has fallen on him since the Tebow tweet.

The HBO host of ‘Real Talk’ is no stranger to controversy. The very open atheist makes his opinions clear on his show talk show, and has also come under fire in recent months for discussion of Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum and Pope Benedict XVI.

Rex Ryan is big, fat and out of control-- New York Giants' Brandon Jacobs is right

Rex Ryan is a 'disrespectful b'*****ard" New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs told ESPN after the Giants routed the new York Jets.

Jacobs is right ---but he may also called Ryan 'fat boy' according to a Newsday reporter.

Ryan is certainly setting the NFL on fire for all the wrong reasons.

He talks trash all week and never delivers is the sum of it.

How many times has he had the Jets on their way to the Super Bowl only to find a team far too good for him?

Even when he came to the Jets one of his first comments was that the team would be going to meet the president soon as Super Bowl champions.

Trash talk is great Rex, but sooner or later you have to live up to it.

Looking at the woeful Jets yesterday they have clearly gone in the wrong direction.

The promise of Mark Sanchez last year has dissolved into the truth that he is a very ordinary quarterback unable to throw deep.

Ryan insists on talking him up as the next Joe Namath however.

Its all fine unless your bluff is called.

And it certainly was on Sunday by the New York Giants.

As Tom Coughlin essentially said 'Shut up and play the game' after Ryan's midweek rants.

When they did Ryan was wiped out.

Not for the first time -- or last I think.

Two Irish coaches Tom Coughlin and Rex Ryan at heart of New York Giants, New York Jets clash

The battle of the New York Jets and Giants today is also about two Irish coaches, Tom Coughlin and Rex Ryan who could not be more different, ethnic heritage aside.

Ryan is the original 'gift of the gab' Irishman, who never met a quote he didn't like. Outrageous larger than life, full of braggadocio and piss and vinegar, Ryan is one of a kind.

Coughlin is a lot more old school.He came up through the college game, was a severe disciplinarian back then.

He studied to be a priest briefly, so you can't imagine him being caught up in the type of sex scandal Rex was last year when allegations about frisky behavior and a foot fetish appeared on a web site

He is quiet where Ryan is loud, silent when Ryan is screaming.

It was noticeable in the build up to the game that Coughlin refused every effort by Ryan to draw him into a controversy over the clash between two teams who need a win like oxygen.

Coughlin has the better record of course, having won the Super Bowl which is all that counts on a resume-- ask Andy Reid or Dan Marino about that.

Which is why I think he will win out today. He has that play-off edge and can adjust better than Ryan to adversity.

Put simply the Jets this year are a lesser team than last year.

The Giants are actually better than they were in 2010.

I expect that to be borne out but don't expect an Irish jig from Coughlin at center field if they win.

Notre Dame set to play in China against Stanford in 2013 ---- Historic game would mean major breakthrough for college football

Notre Dame may play Stanford in China in 2013 The New York Times has reported.

The Chinese game would be the first ever American football event in the world's most populated country and would represent a massive breakthrough for the Fighting Irish.

With Notre Dame due to go to Dublin in 2012 it would mean a second successive away game for the Fighting Irish in another country.

It certainly would represent a major step forward for college football and open up a potentially lucrative tie with China.

Colleges are competing against each other to open campuses in China and the success of a football game there could be huge for The Fighting Irish.

Stanford already has deep links to Asia and the fixture in China would make perfect sense to them as well.

At least Andrew Luck won't be around then to bedevil the Irish.

Other good news for the Irish was that Manti Te'o will return for his senior year. Te'o was calculated to be the 13th pick in the first round of the NFL draft and it was widely expected the Hawaiian would skip his senior year.

However, like Michael Floyd, he has agreed to stay for his senior year, which is a massive break for coach Brian Kelly.

But tight end Tyler Eifert may be on his way to the draft.

He has requested that his draft chances be assessed which is rather a surprising move.

Eifert could could hardly expect to be an early round draft pick given his limited one year in the spotlight.

End of Alex Ferguson as Manchester United crash out of European Champions league?

Sir Alex Ferguson

Manchester United crashing out of the European Champions league to Basel is the equivalent of the Green Bay Packers falling to 0-12 Indianapolis Colts .

They lost 2-1 to Basel and now face taking part in the Europa league, the equivalent of the bush leagues.

The loss calls into question the future of Sir Alex Ferguson who has reached the age where most managers have long since gone to some quiet place.
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This loss will confront Ferguson with the reality that he has a huge uphill task to rebuild this United team where newcomers have never replaced the now departed Ronaldo and Beckham.

It may well be a good time to quit while he is still ahead and the glory days still outnumber nights like last night.

On the domestic scene this United team will have great difficulty catching Manchester City and it would be rough indeed for Ferguson to see the premiership pass to his arch crosstown rivals.

There may never be a better time for Sir Alex to say goodbye than in the aftermath of this defeat.

Notre Dame's Brian Kelly's decision to stick with Tommy Rees for bowl game a major mistake

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly's decision to start Tommy Rees in the Champs bowl game against Florida State is already being second guessed.

Andrew Hendrix is seen by many now as the quarterback of the future. Rees's failings were only too evident against Stanford and his lack of a running option and deep threat means he will always be limited.

Hendrix on the other hand is an exciting runner and showed against Stanford that he can pass too.

Dayne Crist has decided to transfer his final year which explains why Kelly did not introduce him in the Stanford game.

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Given that Cris is out of the picture it is hard to see why Kelly has gone with Rees.

He has had a full year to evaluate him and while he has done well against inferior opponents, against USC and Stanford he was ineffective.

Hendrix would be a gamble but a bowl game like this is the perfect opportunity to have him find his feet and see if he can make the cut.

Florida State will be tough. They are coming off a disappointing season but have every reason to want to win this one.

It is hard to understand why Kelly sticks with Rees.

I hope on December 29th he won't live to regret it.

'Tommy Turnover' as some fans cruelly nickname him, needs to have the game of his life.

Irish players say bring on world champions Spain and top team Italy in European finals

Irish players seem undaunted after drawing world champions Spain and former World Cup holders Italy in their European championship group. Croatia is the other team in the group.

"It is a tough draw. We said before privately we would have taken the host nations but we have drawn the world champions, the current holders, and to play a team like that will be fantastic,” said midfielder Keith Andrews.

“But we’ve drawn the world champions and the current holders. You know, to pit yourself against a team like that is great but the draw could have been kinder, no doubt about it. If you can’t look forward to games like that, pitting yourself against the best players, and one of the best players to have played, there’s something wrong.”

“We’ve come together nicely over the last few years as a squad, I’m sure by the time that game comes around we’ll be fully focused and aware of their strengths.”

Wolves striker, Kevin Doyle also said he was looking forward to the challenge.

“It could have been easier, it makes you realise what you’re involved in. The reigning champions, Italy, Croatia… they’re pretty decent teams. You know it’s not going to be easy but we have good confidence over the past couple of years so we fancy out chances.”

Meanwhile Italy coach Cesare Prandelli was not pleased to have drawn Ireland.

“I wanted to avoid Giovanni Trapattoni. Spain are very strong, for the first game against them we must arrive mentally prepared.”

Ireland draw Spain, Italy and Croatia in European Nations finals

Irish national team

Ireland have received a very tough draw in Group B of the European championships facing world champions Spain , Italy and Croatia.

The fixture list is as follow:

10 June 2012

Spain v Italy

Gdansk, Poland


10 June 2012

Rep of Ireland v Croatia

Poznan, Poland

14 June 2012

Italy v Croatia

Poznan, Poland


14 June 2012

Spain v Rep of Ireland

Gdansk, Poland


18 June 2012

Croatia v Spain

Gdansk, Poland


18 June 2012

Italy v Rep of Ireland

Notre Dame have new quarterback controversy after heavy loss to Stanford

It was men against boys for most of the night when Notre Dame faced a rampant Stanford team that picked them off at will.

The Notre Dame defense stayed in the game as long as they could but the lack of any offensive points wore them down eventually.

Notre Dame now knows what a major BCS contender looks like and how far they have to go if they are ever to relive the glory of the old days.

Stanford can be a model for them. They insist on even higher grades than Notre Dame yet have put together a brilliant team these past few years.

The quarterback controversy has officially reignited after the Tommy Rees poor performance on this occasion.

In fairness to Rees he was clearly playing injured after the first series when he was tackled heavily.

However his lack of any running ability was seen on a third and three from the five when he could not reach the endzone on a bootleg

Andrew Hendrix looked good in spots but it still very much a work in progress.

Kelly clearly believes that Dayne Crist is a lost cause and will either transfer out or be a permanent back up next year.

The amazing thing is that at certain points Notre Dame looked like they were really in this game especially after Fleming intercepted Luck in the first half.

A touchdown at that point would have sparked the Irish to who knows what, given that the Stanford Defense, especially against Michael Floyd looked suspiciously soft.

The Irish now know how high the mountain they have to climb is. A bowl victory, likely in the Champs Bowl in Orlando will help them on their way but expect that game and the early games of next year to be dominated by yet another quarterback controversy.

That's just the way it is at South Bend.

Brian Kelly says Tommy Rees needs to reach next level as Notre Dame quarterback

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly has spoken about taking Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees to the next level.

‘‘That’s where we’re at right now,’’ Brian Kelly said ‘‘All the other stuff is just chat and opinions. Everybody is entitled to their opinions. His development now is, ‘How are they defending Tommy Rees?’ Tommy’s got to take that next step, and that is eight- and nine-man drops. How are you going to find a way to keep the chains moving?’’

Rees is 12-2 as a starter and his winning percentage is better than Joe Montana's but questions remain, especially about his mobility and ability to operate Kelly's spread offense.

He was not Kelly's first choice to start the season but he has cemented his place with a solid year.

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‘‘I can’t run around and do what some guys can do, but I can definitely figure out where guys are open and get outside the pocket to make a play,’’ Rees said.

‘‘There are many pieces we are trying to develop with Tommy, and the last piece we’re trying to move up to the next level is the deep ball,’’ Kelly said. ‘‘He’s capable of throwing it, but there’s an evolution to that. We’re spending more time on it. The last few weeks, it has been a point of emphasis.

‘‘We’ll continue to work on it, but there have been so many things that we had to work on first before we got to this. I believe this is the next step in his progression as a quarterback — if he can continue to grow in that area — and a lot of it is technique. It’s not mental. He has to do some things with his arm slot and arm angle to be more efficient. We’re working on those things.’’

Brian Kelly can cap good year with Stanford victory for Notre Dame

Brian Kelly’s season comes down to Stanford on Saturday.

He will be 9-3 if he beats them, Notre Dame’s best season in years. Arguably, if they win, they should be 11-1 only the defeat to USC was a game they did not deserve to win.

The losses to Michigan and USF were aberrations that would surely never happen again.

Kelly has a similar record to Lou Holtz at the same period in his coaching career at Notre Dame.

Can he go on and win or even challenge for a national championship in the future?

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The signs are good. A victory against Stanford and then in a bowl game would provide the underpinnings of a great year next year, which kicks off in Dublin against Navy on September 1st.

A loss to Stanford, the only truly top team the Irish have played, will show Kelly what else is left to be done.

A victory will indicate that times are changing for the better, finally around South Bend and that Kelly has a secret formula that works.

If he can stop Andrew Luck, the certain No 1 draft choice then he will have done a hell of a day’s work.

The Stanford defense has conceded 142 points over the last few weeks, an average of 35 points a game.

They are beatable if Luck can be stopped, if Rees plays a complete game and Kelly keeps it up tempo.

I think they can do it.

Notre Dame win ugly against Boston College but Brian Kelly won't complain

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly

Get used to the Fighting Irish winning ugly.

Scraping through against bottom of the barrel Boston College was neither pretty or perfection.

But it got the job done.

For critics of the win I say Remember Tulsa.

Sure Tommy Rees had his worst game in the Blue and Gold-- but he still won.

And he's 12-2 as a starter.

He is starting to look like Tim Tebow. We will scratch our heads as to how he wins but he does.

Just win Baby.

Brian Kelly has come to appreciate the importance of that too.

He's no longer the riverboat gambler now he's like the sober sheriff.
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Against Tulsa last year he got intercepted in the end zone when a field goal would have won the game.

He learned his lesson,

Yesterday with the ball on the BC 41 and fourth and one he punted.

That's a different style.

But when you run a turnover prone team, playing it by the rules is the best plan.

And the Champs Bowl now beckons.

Irish 2012 World Cup schedule decided - open against Kazakhstan,Germany

Ireland gaffer Giovanni Trapattoni

Giovanni Trapattoni has welcomed Ireland's World Cup draw which begns in September 2012 with an away game against Kazakhstan.

“This is a good fixture schedule for our team with a good balance to the matches,” Trapattoni said.

“We finish the campaign at home and start with a single away match against Kazakhstan which was important given the long distances involved.

I am also happy with the balance obtained in the double headers and the timing of what we would expect to be some of the key matches in the group.
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World Cup 2014 Qualifying – Group C

* 7 September 2012: Kazakhstan v Republic of Ireland
* 12 October 2012: Republic of Ireland v Germany
* 16 October 2012: Faroe Islands v Republic of Ireland
* 22 March 2013: Sweden v Republic of Ireland
* 26 March 2013: Republic of Ireland v Austria
* 7 June 2013: Republic of Ireland v Faroe Islands
* 6 September 2013: Republic of Ireland v Sweden
* 10 September 2013: Austria v Republic of Ireland
* 11 October 2013: Germany v Republic of Ireland
* 15 October 2013: Republic of Ireland v Kazakhstan

Brian Kelly discusses home farewell to Michael Floyd, avoids Boston friends and family

Brian Kelly will be facing huge pressure this weekend , but it will not all be from the Boston College football team .

The Boston native knows family and friends will be calling incessantly to get tickets for the game at Notre Dame stadium.

"There's a lot of requests for tickets," Kelly told the Associated Press . "I don't even pick up the phone."

Indeed Kelly may face more pressure of the field from family and Boston fans than on this field. BC are having their worst year in over a decade and are only 3-7.

It will also be senior day at Notre Dame, the last chance to say goodbye to some of the greats, especially wide receiver Michael Floyd.
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Kelly knows it will be emotional "Emotions are fine because it's your last home game, and you should feel those things naturally. I think when you get emotional is where you can run into problems," he said. "We talk about our players staying within themselves all year. So I'm not really concerned that we're going to come outside of who we are. ... You should be able to handle those emotions appropriately so you can enjoy the moment, but yet go out and execute."

Team captain Smith is a special player and person Kelly says, "He's the kind of guy that you can model as to what your programs look like because of the way he handles himself all the time," Kelly said. "When you're in the mix of changes going on in your program, he has to be a great communicator to the other players, as well. He sometimes has to carry the water, so to speak, in terms of the messages. He'll always be welcome here because of what he's meant to us."

Michael Floyd has repaid his coach's faith in him after screwing up with a drunk driving charge last year

"This is why I coach," Kelly said. "To see a young man change the course of his life, and see that on a day-to-day basis, it's probably as rewarding as any singular victory. And that's what Michael Floyd has done. And that feels good as a coach that you can see a young man who is in a good place. He wasn't in such a good place, but now he is, and that's important."

Ireland tie Estonia 1-1 in European Nations playoff, win 5-1 on aggregate

Ireland and Estonia tied in Dublin 1-1 tonight.

Estonia scored in the 56th minute when Vasilljev scored with a shot that Given should have saved.

Ireland had lead Estonia 1-0 following a goal by Steven Ward following a corner kick by Damien Duff.

Kevin Doyle headed on Duff's corner and after the goalkeeper parried it, Ward finished the rebound to the net.

The goal came after thirty minutes in a match that Ireland dominated from the beginning.

The Estonian goal left the score 5-1 on aggregate for Ireland who defeated Estonia 4-0 in Estonia on Friday night

Ireland certain to qualify for European Championship soccer finals - win 4-0

Keith Andrews celebrates his goal during the 35th minute

Check back to IrishCentral's sports section for updates. 

 Ireland has won 4-0 lead making Tuesday night's game against Estonia, in Dublin, formality.

Update -90 minutes in: 


Ireland score a forth goal. Penalty from Ireland captain Robbie Keane puts Ireland in a 4-0 lead.


Update - 86 minutes in: 

Estonia down to nine men. Skipper Raio Piiroja picks up his second yellow card.

Ireland substitution: Jonathan Walters off, Simon Cox on.

Update - 70 minutes in :

Ireland now in the lead, 3 - 0, with goals from Jonathan Walters and Robbie Keane.

Update - Half-time :

At half-time the Republic of Ireland team are in the lead against Estonia, in Tallinn, The first goal was headed into by Keith Andrews. 

Andrews, from a yard or two outside the six-year box, rose above his marker and got to the end of an Aiden McGeady cross. He planted a firm header past Sergei Pareiko. 

The Estonia team are also weakened as they are now down to ten men. 

A ball played into the feet of Robbie Keane who gets upended and Andrei Stepanov shown a second yellow and is sent off. 

Check back to IrishCentral's sports section for updates. 

Joe Paterno about to be fired -- right decision made by Penn State

Joe Paterno will be fired from his position as coach of Penn State over the sex abuse scandal that has hit the campus like a whirlwind.

The New York Times has reported the news and it is the right decision by the Penn State board.

Paterno canceled a press conference shortly before it was due to be held.

While Paterno did not break any law, there is no doubt he failed to aggressively follow up a first hand report of a child sexual abuse incident in 2002 involving disgraced coach Jerry Sandusky now facing multiple child rape charges.

Paterno did pass the information on to the Athletic Director but his failure to actively pursue such a horrific report means he will be forced to step down.

It is not the way the 84-year -old legend wanted to end his career but the board was left with no choice.

Unlike the Catholic church in many dioceses who continued attempts to cover up pedophiles, the Penn State board has taken the issue head on and made the only decision that makes sense.

It is tragic end for Paterno but he only has himself to blame.

CBS writer slams Notre Dame’s new shamrock helmet - 'More like a St.Patrick’s Day craft project' than a helmet

New Notre Dame helmet

Notre Dame’s new shamrock logo on their helmet for their Maryland game is drawing criticism from CBS sports writer Adam Jacobi.

Referring to the new helmet Jacobi wrote”That? That doesn't look like a football helmet. It looks like a St. Patrick's Day crafts project -- and not a particularly good or tasteful one”

The game against Maryland is being called the Shamrock Series game but Jacobi says the helmet is all wrong.and just doesn’t make sense.

“What I don't understand about the Notre Dame alternate helmets so frequently using the shamrock is this: Notre Dame has its own set of iconography for its football team, and it's just about the most recognizable in the nation.

There's the interlocking "ND" logo, the "boxing leprechaun" logo, and to a lesser extent Touchdown Jesus*. But anyway, missing from all of those highly recognizable images is the shamrock. It's just not part of the look, and hasn't been since the Irish scrapped a three-year project with the helmet shamrock back in 1962.

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So when the Irish players slap a shamrock on their hats for the "sort of throwback but not really" game against Michigan this year, then do it again for the upcoming Maryland contest, it feels like an aggressive rebranding initiative by a program and school that have, in all other aspects, staked their reputation on sticking to tradition at all costs. It just doesn't make sense.

According to Notre Dame’s sports department release the Shamrock Series helmets are covered in 24-carat gold leaf and feature green shamrocks on each side and a leprechaun decal on the back.

Notre Dame says the shamrock decal will continue .”This marks the first in a series of uniform features that will be utilized for Notre Dame's Shamrock Series contests. After the 2011 game at FedExField, the Shamrock Series in 2012 moves to Soldier Field in Chicago for a game against Miami.

In 2013 the Shamrock Series match-up against Arizona State will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Irish will showcase uniform variations in their annual Shamrock Series games but otherwise will wear their standard uniforms the rest of the season.”

Penn State must fire Joe Paterno in child sex abuse cover up

Joe Paterno should be fired by Penn State.

Legend he may be but covering up for a child sex abuser is unforgivable.

Imagine it was your kid that assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was abusing when he was caught in a shower stall with him.

Sandsky used his charity 'The Second Mile' to regularly abuse inner city kids he brought to campus.

Paterno should be out as soon as possible after he covered up the incident and refused to follow up.

The Penn State graduate student and assistant coach who reported the incident to Paterno gave him sufficient evidence to immediately call the police.

Instead Paterno called an audible and only informed the Penn State Athletic Director -- eventually no action was taken.

Instead of pursuing the issue Paterno washed his hands

Paterno is now hiding behind weasel words to try and cover up his shocking inaction.

Paterno said in a statement released on Sunday: "As my grand jury testimony stated, I was informed in 2002 by an assistant coach that he had witnessed an incident in the shower of our locker room facility. It was obvious that the witness was distraught over what he saw, but he at no time related to me the very specific actions contained in the grand jury report."

What did Paterno think the coach was referring to when he was so distraught?A game of hide and seek?


The Athletic Director Timothy Curley, and Gary Schultz, senior vice president for finance and business, have now been charged with failing to report the alleged crimes.

Curley has been placed on administrative leave IE fired. Schultz is retiring.

Sandusky allegedly sexually abused eight boys from 1994 to 2009.

What of Paterno then? Can he avoid the Curley and Schultz faith just because he is a legendary football coach?

I don't think so. We call on every abusive priest to be fired and now on those who cover it up to be fired too.

Paterno undoubtedly fits that second category.

Fire Joe I say.

To Honor and Serve can defeat Uncle Mo to take Breeders Cup Classic

To Honor and Serve, trained by Bill Mott can win the Breeder's Cup classic today in an upset.

At the beginning of this year To Honor and Serve was considered in the top flight of three year olds, right up there with big race favorite Uncle Mo but an injury took him off the Triple Crown trail.

He made a sensational comeback at Saratoga,toying with an allowance field and then went on to easily defeat his rivals in the Kelso at Belmont.

He comes in to this Breeders Cup under the radar as all the attention has been on Uncle Mo and the filly Havre De Grace.

That will suit Hall of Fame trainer Billy Mott who knows how to get them ready for the big day and who won the Ladies Classic on Friday night .

Drawn on the very outside To Honor and Serve must get off to a quick start under Jose Lezcano in order to avoid being hung out on the first turn.

But he has been working like a train all week at Chruchhill and may well live up to his early season promise with a huge victory today.

For second I'll take Uncle Mo who many believe will not last the distance and third, Havre De Grace who has proven she's just as tough as the boys with recent victories.

The Irish challenger So You Think is first time on dirt and I think will not handle it as well as some of his rivals.

Elsewhere on the card, Euroears in the sprint and Union Rags in the juvenile look standouts while Goldikova should make history with a fourth Breeder's Cup triumph in the mile on turf. Gio Ponti can surprise in the mile on dirt. Sarafina can take the Breeders Cup turf.

Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien confident of Breeders Cup Classic success with So You Think

Irish trainer Aidan O' Brien has never won the Breeders Cup Classic but has finished second twice.

It is one of the biggest prizes in racing.

Now he thinks he may finally saddle the winner on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

He runs So You Think. an unusual horse for O'Brien to have.

The Tipperary trainer usually has the pick of the powerful Coolmore stud operation but So You Think was a hugely successful performer in Australia before he made way to Ballydoyle.

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The usually understated O'Brien stated he might be the best horse he ever trained -- quite some claim given the champions like Galileo and Giants Causeway he has handled.

"He's incredible - a different creature to what we've ever seen before,"O'Brien said after he won his first race by twelve lengths in Ireland.

However So You Think has not lived up to the hype since.

He has not run on dirt but the experts say he has a decent chance on Saturday and the odds-makers agree, having pegged him at 5/1.

O'Brien thinks Saturday's race might prove his point --and he is trying an extra trick to get So You Think focused properly.

"I'm very happy with the horse," O'Brien said. "He's a very relaxed horse in his races and sometimes can become too relaxed so we put a pair of blinkers on him just to try and make him concentrate a little bit more."

"We think we are going to be positive because he travels so well in a race and then he keeps rolling.

"From his gate position, we will be positive with him.

"It looked like he had a tough race at Ascot, but when we got him on the scales at home we found he hadn't lost a kilo. I couldn't believe it.

"The boys (Coolmore) have said he might race on next year and obviously if he does I would be very pleased.

"If he hits the gate, we won't be holding him back.

"We think he's a great traveler through his races, he's tactically sharp and he's a very mature, seasoned horse.

"We've always thought the world of this horse, he was a very good horse before he joined us and what makes him unique is his high cruising speed.

"Horses like that, the better the race, the better they are. We think he has the attributes you need for the Classic - a good cruising speed, he's tactically quick, he's brave but we don't know about the dirt because he hasn't run on it before."

Uncle Mo is the 5-2 odds favorite in the 1 1/4-mile Classic, the top event in American racing which goes off at 7pm New York time on Saturday night.

Second favorite is the filly Havre de Grace at 3-1 and then So You Think' followed by Flat Out at 6-1 in the field of 12 in the feature.

Here's a promotional video for the Breeder's Cup 2011: 

Frank McCourt made the Dodgers a contender despite all the bad media

For a guy getting slammed all over the media for running the Dodgers into the ground Frank McCourt did not do too bad as owner.

The Irish American has increased the value of the team three-fold according to experts, to close to a billion dollars.

He doubled team revenue from $156 million to $286 million in 2009 --and he made them contenders for several years by hiring a top class manger in Joe Torre.

The Dodgers reached the play offs four times in his six seasons of owning them and they went to back to back National League Championship Games for the first time in 31 years.

Not a bad record when you consider so many other 'normal' owners who could never post such results.

Sure McCourt got caught in a very nasty divorce battle and has ended up paying out $130 million in a settlement.

Let's face it, it was the wife who allegedly had the affair with the driver setting up all the tabloid frenzy.

But the Dodgers owner looks likely to recoup all his investment in the sale for the team which will go for close to a billion dollars .

Despite all the negative press Frank McCourt has actually done the Dodgers a big favor by making them a very desirable team for prospective buyers again.

He is being unfairly pilloried in the press.

A Catholic can now marry British monarch but may never become king or queen

The decision by the British government to allow their monarch to marry a Catholic is only 400 years or so long in coming.

Up until last week's decision the monarch would absolutely lose the throne if a papist was his/her consort.

Just a papist mind you, a marriage with a Hindu, Muslim or Jewish person was not considered disqualifying

It was a remarkable piece of discrimination that lasted centuries and was originally brought in after Henry V111 dumped the church to create his own.

But the monarch himself/herself can never become a Catholic as that conflicts with their role as head of the Church of England.

Which really makes England a theocracy more than a monarchy in some ways.

It clearly means that the king or queen has to be an Anglican and will lose his/her crown if they decide to suddenly become a Buddhist.

Which is outright religious discrimination.

And even though they can now marry a Catholic what happens when they have children?

The Vatican always seeks for a child of a mixed marriage couple to be brought up a Catholic.

Which would of course disqualify that child from ever becoming the king or queen.

It could lead too an extraordinary stand off between church and state at some point in the future.

Which seems ridiculous in this day and age.

Notre Dame fire on all cylinders against Navy -- finally! Now bring on Stanford

Notre Dame finally put offense and defense together and hammered Navy 56-14 in their South Bend encounter yesterday.

Micheal Floyd was the go-to destroyer, as this column predicted in the pre-match round up, throwing to Floyd early and often was the key to a Notre Dame victory.

It helped they played a Navy team that bore no resemblance to last year's squad who hammered the Irish with a massive ground game.

But it was also all about Floyd who was determined to have a big day.

“He had talked about it all week, coming out this week and having a great game,” Kelly said, “and you know, he was not going to be denied today.”

They also put to bed the rumors that the team had begun to fall apart after the USC game.

A Friday evening bare all when coach and players got it all of their chest seemed to have sorted that out.

USC look better in the rear mirror too, They almost defeated Stanford and Andrew Luck -- the Cards needed a triple overtime to win.

The next three games should be easy Notre Dame victories, but then comes the big test against Luck, this Stanford generation's John Elway and Notre Dame in the final game of the season.

If the Irish team that showed up yesterday shows up they have a shot.

Notre Dame must avoid Halloween nightmare against Navy

Amazing to think that Notre Dame might lose three in a row to Navy if they lose today at South Bend.

This is the game that will be played in Dublin next year and ND will not want to go there losing three in a row.

No service team has ever won three in a row against the Irish, but with this year's mistake prone team all bets are off.

Six turnover in the red zone shows why Notre Dame are in such trouble this year with an unimpressive 4-3 record.

Sloppy execution has become a trademark of Brian Kelly's teams unfortunately.

Last week's defeat against USC was the worst, with Dayne Crist's fumble on the one yard line leading to a fourteen point turnaround.

One wonders what Halloween horrors await the Irish this year.

Last year Navy defeated Notre Dame in one of the most boring football games ever played at the Meadowlands.

The Navy game of ground grinding only makes for poor viewing.

But against a Notre Dame side that is still having problems against the run it could pay off again.

Brian Kelly will surely have the troops motivated after the USC slur that the team gave up inthe closing minutes last week.

Notre Dame need to come out throwing, find Michael Floyd and then impose the ground game.

If they do they can win 28-14.

And head to Dublin next year for the Emerald Isle Classic with their head held high.

Joe Montana slams Notre Dame over their treatment of his son Nate

Joe Montana has come out swinging against Notre Dame because of their treatment of his son Nate who left the college last year.

Nate transferred from Notre Dame to Montana after being made a back up quarterback last year amid rumors of a falling out with coach Brian Kelly.

Nate briefly saw first team action against Michigan but never featured again.

Montana, the legendary Fighting Irish and San Francisco 49ers quarterback, is clearly still feeling the pain of his son's premature departure.

At a luncheon in Rochester New York he was asked whether he would ever become Athletic Director at Notre Dame

“You’re asking me at absolutely the wrong time.” he told the questioner

“What happened with my son and the reasons for leaving Notre Dame shouldn’t happen to any kid,’’ he said. “At this point in time, it’s hard to be in their corner.’’

The Rochester Press and Democrat reported the Montana retort, which will surely set alarms buzzing around the Golden Dome where Montana is a legend.

Why do Brian Kelly's Notre Dame quarterbacks screw up so much? ---Latest loss against USC down to quarterback errors

Notre Dame quarterbacks simply make too many mistakes under Brian Kelly.

The same old failing came back to haunt them against USC with three critical turnovers at vital times.

Kelly came to Notre Dame with a much vaunted reputation o f making good quarterbacks great. So far he is doing the opposite it seems.

The three turnovers speak to a lack of discipline, not just by the players but by the coaches too.

Dayne Crist fumbled on the one yard line with Notre Dame preparing to draw level and USC ran it all the way back. .

It was inexcusable, sloppy and we can blame the coach too.

Tommy Rees gave away two critical turnovers, the first a strange lateral to Ciera Wood that USC pounced on, the second a throw to Floyd in a crowd of players that was picked off.

These were the turning points in the game, a heavy loss to USC.

There was also the strange decision to insert Andrew Hendrix at a key moment after the irish had returned a kick off for a touchdown and looked like they were on the way back.

Instead Kelly mysteriously inserted Hendrix who failed to move the team and almost threw an interception.

What is with Kelly and his mistake prone quarterbacks?

It seems to me that the sloppiness in their play is down to coaching too.Kelly must take the blame for missing out on the fundamentals
.
Fact is unless his quarterbacks improve the Irish will never be a BCS threat.

That is obvious after the USC blow out.

Rory McIlroy dumps Chubby Chandler as agent -- girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki seen as behind move

In a sensational move Rory McIlroy has dropped his long time agent Chubby Chandler, (pictured together), and joined with fellow golf major winner Graeme McDowell, in a new Dublin-based agency.

Chandler who handles many of the world's top golfers finds himself on the outs because apparently young Rory felt he was not getting enough personal attention.

The influence of Rory's new girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, is plain to be seen according to Rory watchers in the new move.

Chandler was told after Rory finished a golf tournament in Bermuda this week then flew to Indonesia with Wozniacki for a vacation.

"Chubby and his team have played a very important role in my success to date," Rory said. "I am now keen to move on to the next stage of my career and I feel this will be facilitated by a fresh view and a new structure around me."


He has joined the Dublin-based Horizon, run by Conor Ridge who also manages McDowell and other top Irish golfers.

"We wish Rory every success," Chandler said in a terse statement.

'I was shocked,' Chandler told The Daily Mail.

‘I don’t know whether it was his girlfriend (world No 1 tennis player Caroline Wozniacki) getting in his ear or someone else but I thought we were doing a pretty good job, to be honest, and I think that’s how the outside world saw it,’ said Chandler.

‘We sat down and he said he was not happy with his brand, sponsors, website or his public relations image,’ said Chandler.

‘I thought we were sorting things out to his liking. We’d just spent 10 days travelling around the world and had a fantastic time.’

Irish referee with French connections sends off Wales captain in Rugby Word Cup

Irish referee Alain Rolland is at the heart of a major controversy after sending off Welsh captain Sam Warburton the first half of the Rugby World Cup semi final between France and Wales.

France went on to win the game by 9 -8 but the absence of Warburton was the critical turning point.

Wales and most pundits were furious afterwards at the sending off which was considered very harsh.

Rolland is of French ancestry as his father hails from there and he speaks fluent French.

He was capped three times for Ireland and is a mortgage broker and banker.

Ireland will meet Estonia in play offs for European finals

Ireland got lucky when the draw for the playoffs in the European championship were made.

They will play Estonia, the weakest team left in the playoffs.

The first game will be on either Friday November 11 or the following day with the second leg in Ireland on 15th of November


The other games see Turkey take on Croatia; the Czech Republic to play Montenegro, while Portugal will face Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Ireland defeat Armenia 2-1 and qualify for a play-off spot in European championship

Ireland have qualified for a play-off in the European championships after defeating Armenia 2-1 in the final game of the qualifying rounds.

Russia claimed the automatic place after easily defeating Andorra.

Ireland's task was made much easier by the sending off of the Armenian goalkeeper in the first half and shortly afterwards an own goal.

Richard Dunne, pictured, put Ireland further ahead but Armenia replied instantly with a goal.

Ireland lost Kevn Doyle to a red card in the 80th minute.

Armenia, despite having only ten men, outplayed Ireland for long periods but Ireland will not care having got the vital scores that put them into a playoff.

Did Notre Dame run up the score against Air Force after first half rout?

Did Notre Dame run up the score on Air Force at Notre Dame stadium today?

Leading 42-16 the Irish played much of the second half in all out offensive drives.

It is easy to see why.

Coach Brian Kelly wants to instill a fear factor into this team so that future opponents will come to town knowing they are against a top college team.

So no, Kelly did not run up the score. But Notre Dame showed once again, but for two Twilight Zone losses they should be 6-0.

Also the days of Dayne Crist as back up quarterback are over and Tommy Hendrix may well be challenging strongly for Tommy Rees's job next season.

Hendrick was a revelation in the running role and strikes me as much more a Kelly-type quarterback than Rees will ever be.

For now Kelly has the best of both worlds, using Rees and having Hendrix come in as a running and passing threat.

Kelly has turned this team around and the two early season losses are now firmly in the rear view mirror.

But they must go through the rest of the season unbeaten to earn a good bowl berth.

This week they should surely crack the Top 25. After all, Air Force had run Oklahoma close.

Brian Kelly must be looking forward to the future.

Wales defeat Ireland 22-10 in Rugby World Cup quarter final

Wales easily triumphed over a disappointing Irish side by 22-10 in the rugby world cup quarter final in Auckland, New Zealand.

The result was a shattering disappointment for an Irish team that had been fancied to go all the way to the final but who were outclassed and outplayed on the day.

Line out problems as well as a poor performance by key player, outhalf Ronan O'Gara meant the Irish team was always coming from behind as Wales seemed more committed and ready for the challenge.

Indeed, Wales should have won by more they spent most of the second half camped inside the Irish half and Priestland missed several easy shots at goal.

This was a shattering blow for Ireland who had defeated mighty Australia in their group and were widely expected to advance.

The defeat may end the careers of Irish legends such as Ronan O'Gara and possibly Brian O'Driscoll (pictured)

Ireland lead Andorra 2-0 at half time, Russia defeat Slovakia 1-0

Ireland raced into a 2-0 lead against Andorra after just twenty minutes with goals from Kevin Doyle and Aiden McGeady. Teh score stayed the same until half time.

It means that Ireland will easily pickup the vital three point in Andorra and will almost certainly enter the game in Dublin on Tuesday against Armenia needing a draw to qualify for a play off for a European final place

That is because Russia won 1-0 with an own goal by a Slovakia defender in Slovakia. This put them in the driving seat to get automatic qualification with only lowly Andorra at home to beat on Tuesday night.

Rugby World Cup a total non event in 90 per cent of the world

The rugby world cup is electrifying Ireland and Britain and Australia, New Zealand France and South Africa.

Everywhere else, in about 90 per cent of the world's land mass, it is a non event.

Compared to that other British game, soccer and its' world cup it is about 5 per cent the size and scope.

If should really be called the former British colonies, plus France and Argentina and Italy world cup -- though most people in those latter two countries have no idea it is on.

We Americans are often criticized for calling our baseball game the World Series, but at least we have Canada and about 500 million people watching.

The rugby world cup has Ireland exploding in excitement. The top three stories on the Irish Times web site are all World Cup related because Ireland have made the quarter finals and have a shot at the final itself.

Yawn.

Rugby is an impenetrable game for most outsiders, memorably described as a 'thugs game played by gentlemen.'

Sure it can be exciting and good luck to Ireland, but it it is a measure of how insular the country is that they really seem to think the rest of the world is watching.

They're not and we won't.

I bet the final will merit no more than a few paragraphs in The New York Times, and not even get mentioned on major sports programs here.

So go Ireland, beat that other world power Wales next Saturday.

We won't begrudge you but hold the champagne please.

Ireland meet Wales in Rugby World Cup quarter final after defeating Italy 36-6

An inspired second half performance by Ireland saw them pull away from Italy and win by 36-6 and qualify to meet Wales in the quarter final of the World Cup next weekend.

Up 9-6 at half time Ireland finally broke open the game with a Brian O'Driscoll try early in the second half.

From then on they ran rampant and were completely dominant over an Italian side that had looked dangerous in that first half.

The other quarter final match ups are England v France, South Africa versus Australia and New Zealand and Argentina.

Notre Dame should be 5-0 after slamming Purdue and showing their full potential

Notre Dame will have learned little from the 38-10 blow out against Purdue except a case of what might have been.

This team should really be 5-0 with a national top ten ranking in their sights going into the Air Force game. The snake bitten losses against South Florida and Michigan will continue to haunt this talented side

This Purdue match-up will be their easiest game of the season. Their mistaken and penalty ridden opponents had basically beaten themselves by the end of the first quarter and were never in the hunt after that.

The tenor was set with the interception of their first pass and Notre Dame never letup after that.

It will be seen as an important game in the development of Tommy Rees. He was almost intercepted early on but his lack of turnovers and fumbles will give confidence to the young quarterback who is still very much in learning mode.

He is blessed of course to have Michael Floyd and Cierre Wood.

Without Floyd next year the offense will lack the explosiveness that so marks this team making one think that this truly was Notre Dame's year except for those awful turnovers in their first two games.

For the battles ahead Notre Dame will know they have a solid defense, a great running back and wide receiver, a young and vastly improved quarterback, a suddenly vulnerable kicker and lots of questions about who will step up long term when Floyd is no longer around.

3-2 is just not good enough and Brian Kelly knows that. The cruel bounce of the ball has prevented this very fine team team from being 5-0.

John Lackey a cancer Boston Red Sox must get rid of quickly

The Boston Red Sox deserved to be eliminated from post season play if for one reason only -- John Lackey.

The notion of Lackey taking to the mound after announcing he was divorcing his wife who has what sounds like very serious breast cancer would be too much to bear.

The Red Sox should be glad they will not have to face that searing spotlight this post season.

No matter what the Red Sox did the Lackey story would have been front and center .

Not since former House Speaker Newt Gingrich divorced his wife as she lay recovering from cancer has there been a more callous act by a famous person.

Lackey is well named,

He lacks any normal decency to do such a thing to his wife Krista who is desperately ill.

For the Red Sox they now have the off season to off load the troublesome Texan who was a bust for them anyway to whoever will have him.

They should be delighted to.

A measure of how badly they were handling this is given by their press release.

"John Lackey is dealing with a deeply personal family issue, and it is one the Red Sox do not feel is appropriate for public debate," it read. "The Red Sox request that John and Krista's privacy be respected. The Red Sox will not have any further comment."

They were clearly in a no-win post season situation anyway.

They will be well rid of Loathsome Lackey.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish show they can win ugly as well as lose ugly games

After two losses that the Irish lost ugly now they are showing they can win ugly too.

The 15-12 victory over Pittsburgh will not have quieted the critics or pleased the purists.

But it is a win, albeit an ugly one.

They also showed they can win even when Michael Floyd is knocked out of the game plan.

They will have learned more from this victory than last week's blowout against Michigan State.

The team reached deep down and found a way to win. Cierre Wood was outstanding, as was Tyler Eifert, the defense on the final series as Pittsburgh threatened, found a way to make the big play.

It all shows a maturing process, especially when it comes to young players like quarterback Tommy Rees who shook off two turnovers to lead the team to victory.

Rees will never dazzle with his footwork or impress with his magnificent vision.

He is a lunch pail quarterback who shows up and more often than not gets the job done

The victory against Pittsburgh was not a thing a beauty, more a bump and grind than a Swan Lake, but in the end they have saved the season pulling back to 2-2 when it could so easily have been 1-3.

Quarterback Tommy Rees proved just what a tough competitor he is after being knocked around for three quarters and deprived of his big receiver Michael Floyd.

Yet he found a way to win on the touchdown drive.

After throwing up great statistics in the losses against Michigan and South Florida Rees ended up losing both games.

Brian Kelly would gladly substitute the winning ugly against Pittsburgh for the wonderful stats the team rolled up in their two losses.

It is fact that Notre Dame should be 4-0 and in the top ten rankings.

But the past is bygones now.

What this team can do is play with the same heart it showed against Pittsburgh, minimize the turnovers and grind out a winning season and a significant bowl game .

We have seen far worse seasons in recent years.

Coach Brian Kelly summed it up best.

"It was a tough, blue-collar kind of day, and that's what was required of everybody, and that's what we got from our team," Kelly said, "enough to get the win and get outta here."

Notre Dame rout of Michigan State leaves Brian Kelly smiling at last

In the end it comes down to defense and Notre Dame finally had it against Michigan State.

A stellar performance by the defensive unit , especially stopping the Michigan State run game, left coach Brian Kelly beaming and flashing an unfamiliar smile in his post game press conference.

“I couldn't take it any longer,” Kelly said,. “If I had to listen to you guys another week, I wasn’t going to show up.

“You know what, I think it’s like anything else. I know one thing is that they weren’t lacking confidence, but sooner or later you gotta get paid. You gotta be validated.”

Validation finally arrived and even the fake field goal play that Michigan State pulled off last year was an abject failure this year.

That play especially fired up the Irish who lost last year's game on the last second trick play.

Michigan State coach Mike Dantonio must think the Irish were born yesterday if they were going to fall for that.

They weren't and they didn't.

Despite the victory Kelly will not dwell too long on the result.

He knows this team should be 3-0 or at very least 2-1 and closing in on a major season.

He knows the old flaws were covered up yesterday but three more turnovers adds to the laughable total of 13 in three games

He knows quarterback Tommy Rees is still a work in progress when he had expected Dayne Crist to be the finished product this year.

He will take nothing for granted against Pittsburgh who lost a heart breaker to Iowa on Saturday. After that its Purdue before the schedule stiffens again.

It's been a long season and we are only three games in.

Brian Kelly at least avoided disaster yesterday and a 0-3 start that could have been fatal for his job prospects.

He can be thankful for that at least.

Brian Kelly and Notre Dame must end losing streak by defeating Michigan State

Until the Michigan loss last week it is doubtful if a loss hurt more than the last second defeat to Michigan State last year.

Remember the scenario with seconds left instead of having Don Conroy kick a 46-yard field goal for a tie in extra time Coach Dantonio called for a fake field goal on 4th-and-13 from the Notre Dame 29 – and pulled off a touchdown.

Notre Dame were stunned, every bit a much as they were last week against Michigan.

Now they know they cannot afford another loss to Michigan State and start the season 0-3.

Something has to change and a bit of old fashioned Irish luck would surely help.

Under Brian Kelly the team seems snake bitten.

Think back to the start of the fourth quarter last week with the ball on fourth and one and Michigan fumbled but Dennard recovered to score the touchdown.

Nine times out of ten when you fumble that close to the goal line it’s a turnover.

Not for Brian Kelly’s team however.

They came into the Michigan state game last year after a last second loss and they will do the same this year.

But Kelly is a year older and hopefully wiser. But the fact is that last year’s mistakes were far more justifiable than this years.

It was Kelly’s first season, getting to know the players and seeking to win their confidence.

By the end of last season he seemed to have achieved all that as they blew past opponents, yet this year it appears to have reverted to that error-strewn early season play again

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly still says he believes --- but the doubters are mounting

Brian Kelly says he still believes but the Notre Dame coach is starting to sound like General Custer waiting for the cavalry to arrive.

Meanwhile his team is getting scalped.

His team ranks last, yes last of 120 colleges in turnovers, having committed 10 in just two games.They are ranked 103rd in conceding penalties.

That is enough to cancel out that they are ranked an excellent 13th in offense and a decent 52nd in defense.

Kelly claims however, he is sticking with his plan.

"We're shaping our team every single day," Kelly said. "There are so many details to that – all you guys care about and our fans (care about) is that it equals wins. And I understand that. We're not doing that for them.

"I understand the frustration, but we're building it the right way. We’ll get them there. We're not there yet, I know this journey all too well. I've been on it before. It's frustrating, it's disappointing, it's all those things. But there are too many good things happening out there for us not to break through."

"Every school, every place I've been has challenges," Kelly said. "Not one school is the same. I had challenges at all the schools I've been at in terms of getting the team over. There's inherent challenges here. But we'll get through those as well.

"The product we're putting out on the field, I understand we gotta win. Our players want to win. We've got the chance to be a good team. We can't be a good team until we take care of the little things. Until we get those things taken care of on Saturdays, we'll be mediocre."

Mediocre doesn't describe what they were in the fourth quarter against Michigan.

Awful dreadful, ridiculous just might.

Coach Brian Kelly's job now on the line as Notre Dame lose sensationally to Michigan

Michigan pulled of a sensational last second victory 35-31 against Notre Dame before 114,000 fans last night in The Big House.

This was be Brian Kelly’s worst loss since being head coach of Notre Dame, especially as the boo birds were out in force after last week’s debacle against South Florida.

It asks fundamental questions about whether he is able to step up from Cincinnati to the most visible job in college football.

The jury is still out after this loss.

The Irish could have won by twenty points, so dominant were they in ‘The Big House’ with 114,000 Michigan fans in attendance.

Yet the fourth quarter became another heart attack that ended with an incredible Irish loss.

Ahead 24-7 the Irish were unable to out away their opponent despite outplaying them for the vast majority of the game.

It leaves Kelly with a major loss and a season already in tatters after just two games. A decent season and a major bowl game are pipe dreams now.

Cruising 24-7 they conceded an unlucky touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter but nonetheless looked certain to hang on for the victory especially when Tommy Rees put them ahead with a touchdown with 30 seconds left.

But once again, as with South Florida, Notre Dame could not finish out the game and let it slip incredibly in the dying seconds.
There will be be major questions about Kelly’s team preparation after this loss.

Nine turnovers in just two weeks has led to a deep sense that this team lacks the discipline that a truly top class coach could instill.

Instead it is another heartbreaking loss and a wonder how else this side can lose games after being so dominant.

Kelly is playing for more than his season now, he is playing for his job. Entering his second year at the helm his team has got a case of snakebite as bad as anything they experienced last year.

This will be very hard to come back from.