Is it just me or is this a great time to be a Notre Dame fan?
Ryan | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 10:31 am | #

Ryan, with the exception of that horrific game against Winthrop it's a great time to be an ND fan.

Pat, since you mentioned it...the EspnU thing drives me nuts. Every year I pay $110 for ESPN Full Court PPV and then half of our games are on EspnU but not simulcast on Full Court. I guess I should blame Comcast more than ESPN for the lack of availability, but it's a two way street when they are trying to negotiate a contract. Chicago is a huge market and for it not to be available is a joke. Any of you guys actually have it? If so, where do you live and who is your provider?
Tony Spilotro | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 10:50 am | #

I don't have ESPNU. I think the majority of people who have it get it through DirecTV.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 11:04 am | #

Why dont you get from out underneath your stone and realize that the IRISH have been number one for several weeks now. Those hockey guys are tougher than any of the football guys in thier prime. Get a clue and give them more coverage instead of giving a team who has no identity and will go 7-5 next year.
Paul S. | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 11:33 am | #

Maybe b/c this is mainly a football blog chief.

Don't get me wrong, I am a huge hockey fan, and happy for the boys but how many people do you really think want to read about that over football?
Jason | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 11:41 am | #

On next stop...

Perhaps its because he is a kicker with varied success at Notre Dame, but I almost find Gioia's departure and decision to pursue his dental career encouraging. To me, it demonstrates an often forgotten aspect of these kids lives: their educations and careers post ND. I mean do not get me wrong, my living and dying every fall weekend and recruiting cycle with ND has little to do with their academic pursuits, but every now and again its nice to be reminded of why they're there in the first place and the unique opportunities that playing football and attending Notre Dame offers. I wish Gioia the best. Go Irish!
Jesse | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 11:44 am | #

Thanks for the kind thoughts Paul. As you know, we try to focus on football which at times might slight other worthy teams like the volleyball team, the soccer teams, fencing, hockey, baseball, etc... Those other ND teams certainly deserve coverage, and not just when they happen to be winning a lot of games.

Tell you what. You write a post about the hockey team that includes a season recap, key moments, player highlights, and a look towards the upcoming tournament and if it's good, we'll run it.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 11:53 am | #

Please keep this a football Blog...PLEASE!
Smitty2183 | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 11:59 am | #

Tony, I dumped Comcast last fall and went with DirecTV. Saved $30 a month and now I get ESPNU along with CSTV (College Sports TV), which is the network that broadcast the ND-Air Force football game last fall. I live in Michigan and had only the most minor reception problems during snowstorms (some brief loss of color, never lost the picture). When I turned in my cable boxes, the Comcast people said they would have given me a price break if they knew I was ordering DirecTV. I basically told them, thanks for nothing.
rays15 | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 12:04 pm | #

Or, Paul S., you could author your own blog (which I'm sure would be the pinnacle of internet journalism) instead of criticising a free service that happens to be the best source of ND football commentary (and occassional other topics), bar none. Go away. And thank you, BGS authors, for whatever topics you choose to write on whenever you want.

On the ESPNU thing, slightly off topic, I love and hate what the BigTen is doing by putting all of their b-ball games on the BigTen network. I love it, because I can see CW's recruiting pitch now:

"Hey, kid, can I show you something on TV?" [Charlie flipping through channels, either not finding the BigTen network or finding that it's not paid for as an extra package]

"Would you like to play for a team with half their games not on TV, or a team that plays on this channel?" [Charlie flips to NBC]

I love it. But it will be years before I get a whole Saturday's worth of BigTen football or basketball games. It makes me very angry that the conference is willing to alienate their fan base for their arrogant and selfish desire to have an exclusive home.
IndyTom | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 12:04 pm | #

hey guys, having a problem with the site....every time i get here, i am immediately redirected. maybe it's only my machine.

i know this is the wrong way to let you know, but i can't get it to stay onscreen long enough to hit "email us".

and i need my fix.....
yz | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 12:27 pm | #

If we want coverage of other ND sports it ain't that complicated:

http://und.cstv.com/

Perhaps not the high level of BGS but it's ALL there...even fencing!
Jim '72 | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 1:52 pm | #

Wait, the Zibby fight was TWO weeks ago?? Is this the first we're hearing about it since? Better late than never, thanks!

Go Irish Hockey!
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 2:19 pm | #

Here in Springfield, VA, (Washington DC area), we get ESPNU on Verizon FiOS TV. Friday's game is being shown on tape delay at 11pm. Come on over! Hopefully we'll make it at least to the semifinals so everyone can watch on ESPN2, and the finals on ESPN.

Thanks for all your great work, BGS!
Kathy '91 | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 3:30 pm | #

Erik '04

That's the first YOU'RE hearing of it Zibby's fight. BGS had a nice little preview

http://bluegraysky.blogspot.com/ ...250253184558355

and the results were mentioned on several other media outlets.

What's with the BGS-bashing today? These guys do a fantastic job. Amazing how some people come to take things for granted.
kmf | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 4:38 pm | #

Is anybody else getting the error that yz describes above?
Jay | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 4:57 pm | #

Nope. All the tiny 010101010101 seem to fly through the air to my computer and squeeze through the black cable thingy to my monitor OK.

31 Days and counting.

Anybody have a feel for how open the practices are going to be? Coach Weis is notorious for holding five cards so close to his chest he can't even get a peek.
Subway Alumni | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 5:41 pm | #

Is there some type of curse on nd recruits with injuries? First, Aldridge and his knees, Armando Allen and his leg, Ian Williams and his shoulder injury while wrestling, Darrin Walls, and now JC's arm?

What's going on?
TwelveHawks | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 5:42 pm | #

kmf,

Well my whole post just got deleted somehow, but suffice to say that I was not bashing BGS, and that it was the first I'd heard about the Zibby fight *since* it occured. I knew it was "coming up" but didn't know when it would happen. Usually the news comes out within a couple of days of an event like that, not a couple of weeks. So I was surprised, but certainly sincere in my "better late than never, thanks!"
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 6:07 pm | #

Check your local listings for regional games... I know that MASN and Altitude (and I think some other networks as well) are picking up the Midwest regional final. Also, the NCAA has a website tracking other channels that will be airing tournament games.

I'm kinda hoping that Comcast Chicago (which I get on DirecTV) will pick up the Alabama-Huntsville game live, but no such luck so far... Tony, you might try contacting them about both the first round game and the regional final.
Mr. Wednesday | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 6:30 pm | #

Also... tickets to Grand Rapids are $65 for all sessions or $35 for a single day. I'm heading up there on Saturday (regardless of whether ND screws the pooch against UAH or not).

I'd encourage anybody who can make it (on either day) to go, they need our support!
Mr. Wednesday | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 6:38 pm | #

Wow, we make it to the dance, make a BCS bowl (deserved or not) and are slotted number 1 going into the hockey national tournament. Sure, we may be no Florida, but hell, all in all i'd say it was a great year for irish athletics.

Also, what's this about all the injuries? all i knew was about jimmy and Aldridge in spring time injuries.


Thought i'd post this too, courtesy of ndnation:

http://www.ndnation.com/boards/s...d=343516; d=this


Sure it's an unabashedly unobjective article, but it makes me proud to cheer for jimmy again.
Irish4eva | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 6:49 pm | #

Do I sense the hand of Marco in this posting? The machine-gun update of all Irish sports?

Well, that minus a healthy dose of exaggeration and Karl Rove/tin-foil-hat-wearing stuff...
E-Man | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 9:17 pm | #

I too am pleased at Gioia's sensibility. To me, it says that he liked playing, had a few laughs along the way, but it wasn't his life. Who knows, maybe he could have been an NFL kicker, but it seems that instead he put his priority in studies. Kudos to him.

And, yes, I must too admit that I like the idea of getting a new kicker. Sorry, Carl.
AS | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 10:17 pm | #

Irish4eva,

Great article on Clausen. He has both the skills and the work ethic. Maybe we can (almost) forget about BQ. It should be a great spring practice to see who rises to the top.
GB | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 10:46 pm | #

Awhile ago, the BGS posted one of the winning essays from the BGS writing contest. I only remember seeing one. I thought there were 2 winners. Did I miss one or was it not posted?

Thanks
GB | Email | Homepage | 03.20.07 - 10:48 pm | #

We haven't posted it yet GB. It deals with the NFL draft so it will still be a relevant topic when we post it, which will be soon.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 03.21.07 - 10:34 am | #

Grand Rapids is a really easy two hour drive north of South Bend. I encourage anyone who can get up there for the hockey tournament to go. It's basically March madness, but for hockey.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 03.21.07 - 2:37 pm | #