It would be accurate to call Knute Rockne a “man on the move.” After his playing days at Notre Dame (1910-13), he served as assistant coach to Jesse Harper in 1914-17, and kept his toe in the waters of competition beyond the college gridiron. Several times a week, after Notre Dame practice, he would zip Read Full Post
The ND-Bama Link
January 5, 2013 by
In the late 1920s, a young man in the southern Arkansas town of Fordyce was starting to make quite a name for himself. As a 13-year-old, he wrestled a captive bear in a promotion for a local movie theater, and gained a lifelong nickname. He made the high school’s varsity football team as an eighth-grader, Read Full Post
To The Fighting Irish…
November 21, 2012 by
I understand you fellows have a big game this Saturday in Los Angeles. Please indulge me, to tell you a little about some of the big games of my day, and how Notre Dame was able to come out on top. You may have heard that in 1913 – my final year as a player Read Full Post
88 Years Ago Today, The ‘Horsemen’ Dominated
October 18, 2012 by
At the Polo Grounds in New York City 88 years ago today, a Notre Dame backfield of four seniors who had played together — and defeated all but one opponent — since their sophomore year, went up against another great Army team. It was the sports event of the year on the East Coast, with Read Full Post
Dublin Trip A ‘Once in a Lifetime’ Experience
August 30, 2012 by
In a Chicago apartment earlier this week, a group of young Notre Dame alums gathered to “send off” a lucky few among them who were headed to Dublin for Saturday’s Emerald Isle Classic between ND and Navy. In the streets of London, Paris and Rome walked more senior Notre Dame alums fortunate enough to be Read Full Post
Flashy Helmet? What Would Rock Think?
August 14, 2012 by
A lot of Irish fans are apoplexic over the uniforms – and especially the helmets – adidas has rolled out for the Oct. 6 Miami game at Chicago’s Soldier Field. And, yes, the “bold” designs do seem to spit in the face of tradition. “Rockne would be rolling over in his grave if he saw Read Full Post
Tough Schedule: It’s Been Ever Thus
August 7, 2012 by
Many analysts have Notre Dame’s 2012 schedule ranked as the toughest in the country, and it’s hard to argue with that. It features trips to Top 5 teams Southern Cal and Oklahoma, and three other games against consensus Top 20 squads Michigan, Michigan State and Stanford, and then throw in “toss-up” games against Miami and Read Full Post
Stagg Had A Prominent Role In The Rise of ND Football
November 15, 2011 by
“The game which I have taught….was brought to Notre Dame by Jesse Harper, one of Alonzo Stagg’s best quarterbacks at Chicago. Stagg brought his game from Yale. Ergo…Notre Dame football goes back to Stagg and to Yale.” –Knute Rockne By Jim Lefebvre, Editor, Forever Irish (www.NDFootballHistory.com) To nobody’s surprise, the Big 10 announced Monday that Read Full Post
Penn State Scandal: A Program Too Powerful
November 10, 2011 by
The primary reaction to the Penn State scandal is profound sadness. Sadness for the victims and their families, who will be dealing with their pain the rest of their lives. Second, one has to ask: how many victims could have been spared if certain adults hadn’t looked the other way, covered up or simply “not Read Full Post
Walking on Hallowed Ground
September 2, 2011 by
Count me among those who were not enthused to hear about the discontinuation of the traditional “team walk” from the Basilica of the Sacred Heart to Notre Dame Stadium on game days. Even though a little research determined the walk had only been around since the early 1990s, it seemed firmly entrenched as one of Read Full Post
