Navy - Notre Dame, 2012 [TOUTING IS FORBIDDEN AND WILL LEAD TO PERMABANS: #205 #628]

cheesehead

Notre Dame had its Spring Game today. As most would agree, one takes Spring Game results/player performances with a grain of salt.

That said, Notre Dame just might be turning this thing around after 15 years of mediocrity (or worse). There was much talent out on the field today. The freshman defensive lineman, Aaron Lynch, looked particularly tough. He should be able to contribute this season to what should be a pretty solid defense.

Perhaps a nine win season this year (maybe more if we catch some breaks and Michael Floyd - standout wide receiver currently suspended from team - gets back into good graces).

If this up-coming season does pan out and ND continues with solid recruiting, ND might well be back in annual BCS title contention in the up-coming years, including 2012.

liogairmhordain

Torlac wrote: »

wtf they'd be hungout to dry for selling out and moving the date of the final. it's always the first sunday of september and the football is always the third.

you have been seriously misinformed i suspect

the gaa moved the dates of the 2006 all-ireland finals to facilitate the ryder cup:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/golf/karl-macginty-gaa-give-ryder-cup-the-all-clear-191113.html

jack presley

liogairmhordain wrote: »

the gaa moved the dates of the 2006 all-ireland finals to facilitate the ryder cup:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/golf/karl-macginty-gaa-give-ryder-cup-the-all-clear-191113.html

I think the Ryder cup, especially that year when it was in Ireland for the first time has more national and international significance than a regular season college football game between two non-contending teams (probably)

Torlac

liogairmhordain wrote: »

the gaa moved the dates of the 2006 all-ireland finals to facilitate the ryder cup:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/golf/karl-macginty-gaa-give-ryder-cup-the-all-clear-191113.html

Fair point, but there is a bit of a difference switching dates for a different sport to be played on the same field than there is for switching a date in the interest of public safety with all the crowds that were going to be on the roads that weekend had both been on at the same time.

gerire

I see that there is also a High School game on as part of the weekend of football;

http://highschoolsportsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/04/jesuit-to-kickoff-2012-football-season-i.html

Jesuit Dallas Vs Loyola Academy Illinois.

Where do ye reckon? Tallaght Stadium?

tallaghtoutlaws

gerire wrote: »

I see that there is also a High School game on as part of the weekend of football;

http://highschoolsportsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/04/jesuit-to-kickoff-2012-football-season-i.html

Jesuit Dallas Vs Loyola Academy Illinois.

Where do ye reckon? Tallaght Stadium?

3 high school games and 1 DIII game on the Friday. They have been looking at a few of Dublin's Stadiums.

http://www.facebook.com/GIFT2012?sk=wall#!/note.php?note_id=182069618512160

Two more top U.S. high school football programs – Notre Dame Preparatory from Scottsdale, Arizona and Philadelphia’s Father Judge High School – have joined the list of teams heading to Dublin to play their 2012 regular season opening game in Ireland on Friday, August 31.



The schools will participate in GIFT 2012 – the Global Ireland Football Tournament - and will play in one of three double headers during the same weekend as the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen meet in Dublin, Ireland on September 1, 2012.



Specific details of the venue and additional high schools taking part in GIFT 2012 will be announced soon. Organizer Global Football previously announced that two top Division III college football programs would be part of the football bonanza when John Carroll University and St. Norbert College take the field. At the high school level, Notre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks, CA) and Hamilton High School (Chandler, AZ) will face off along with Loyola Academy (Wilmette, IL) and Dallas Jesuit (TX).



Texas-based Global Football will produce the series of American football games, which will be the focal point of a five-day educational football tour to the Emerald Isle. The high school and college programs will be drawn from across the United States and will put in two practice sessions prior to their games, along with numerous local area tours to historic and cultural sites, culminating in attending the Notre Dame-Navy game in Aviva Stadium.



Led by Coach Scot Bemis, Notre Dame Prep won back-to-back Arizona Class 4A Division II championships in 2007 and 2008. In 2008, the team defeated Santa Rita 30-26. After an early departure from the 2009 playoffs, Notre Dame Prep just missed out on the championship in 2010 losing a heartbreaking 49-48 game to Williams Field. Coach Bemis has been at the helm since 2002 and holds a 54-20 overall record.



“We have always run Notre Dame Prep based on the philosophy that the curriculum transcends the classroom,” said Notre Dame Prep principal David Gonsalves. “I believe this trip to Ireland is another opportunity for our students to learn through a cultural exchange between our two countries.”



Notre Dame Prep will line up against Philadelphia’s Father Judge High School’s football team led by head coach Tom Coyle who enters his twelfth season at the helm. The football program, which competes in the Philadelphia Catholic 4-A league, has won five championships (1964, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1984) and most recently reached the championship game in 2008.



“I know that our student athletes are very anxious to visit the country of Ireland and our school community is happy that these young men will share in this wonderful experience,” said Coach Coyle. “We are confident that our football players will compete on the playing field. More importantly, this entire experience will remain with our young men long after they depart from Ireland and eventually graduate from Father Judge High School.”



Global football President Patrick Steenberge said of the event: “Adding historic Father Judge of Philadelphia and the relatively new Notre Dame Prep of Scottsdale to this groundbreaking tournament is extremely gratifying. In talking with Coach Coyle and Coach Bemis, as well as the administrators at both these quality schools, they are fired up about this opportunity to take their teams and broader communities to Dublin.



“They are also thrilled to be able to challenge their student athletes to travel internationally, to learn about Ireland, and to stay focused enough to play at a very high level against an opponent. Arizona vs. Pennsylvania, in Ireland! It doesn’t get much better.”



Marching bands, cheer squads and alumni groups are also gathering forces to put on a true ‘Dublin Friday Night Lights’ celebration in multiple stadiums.



Steenberge has been working with the Irish American Football Association (IAFA) to make GIFT 2012 a reality. The IAFA organizes and develops the sport of American Football in Ireland and currently boasts a ten-team league, the Irish American Football League. The Championship Game Shamrock Bowl XXV is due to take place in Tallaght Stadium in late July. Visit www.americanfootball.ie for more information.



Travel arrangements for the Global Ireland Football Tournament 2012 are being handled by Anthony Travel, which has partnered with Global Football for more than a decade. Travel details for alumni, fans and family can be found at www.GIFT2012.com



Global Football President Patrick Steenberge lettered two seasons at quarterback for Notre Dame, 1970-’71, and his Texas-based company has produced American football games in 18 different countries since 1996. He also created the Notre Dame Football Fantasy Camp in 2003, in partnership with the ND Monogram Club, produced the Notre Dame Japan Bowl led by Coach Lou Holtz in 2009, and in May 2011 will produce the first American football game on African soil, the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl (www.kilibowl.com) featuring Drake University and the Mexico CONADEIP all-stars.



About Notre Dame Preparatory football, Scottsdale, AZ:

Notre Dame’s athletic programs continue to flourish with the many impressive accomplishments of their teams under the direction of the school’s staff of dedicated coaches including Football head coach Scot Bemis who led the program to two state championships in 2007 and 2008 and hold a 54-20 overall record. Coach Bemis has also received recognition being named 2007 Friday Night Fever Arizona High School Coach of the Year, 2008 East Valley Tribune Coach of the Year, and named Scottsdale Republic Coach of the Year in both 2007 and 2008.



About Father Judge football, Philadelphia, PA:

Father Judge High School is a Roman Catholic high school. It was established in 1954 by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia and is run by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. The football program competes in the Philadelphia Catholic League 4A and has won five PCL championships; 1964, 1975, 1983, 1984. Tom Coyle was named head coach in 2001, a title he still holds today. Coyle graduated from Father Judge in 1987. He is also the Admissions Director at the high school.

steve9859

Vikings wrote: »

http://www.navysports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092110aaa.html

Aviva Stadium, Sept 1. 2012.

Countdown begins

Damn I was getting excited until I saw 2012!!!

bobby wade

The Games
Friday, August 31- A series of doubleheader games to feature top US high school and NCAA Division III
college teams in a-Dublin Friday Night Lights-showcase. As of February 15 we have 8 total teams
committed, and hope to reach a total of 12, playing in 3 different stadiums in and around Dublin.
Games will kickoff at 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm, with final schedule of teams and stadiums to be determined
when all slots are filled and stadium agreements completed, with July 1, 2011 being the latest date

Peyton Manning

Hope to get to all of these games. Long way for the high school kids to travel, and while I'm sure they'll enjoy the novelty of a trip abroad, I think it's important for anyone who can to get to these games to (a) show support and appreciation of their efforts to promote the sport over here, and (b) encourage them to come more often

elvis jones

Really looking forward to this and finishing up Friday Night Lights at the mo:(

Rick_

Right, that's my weekend sorted for the end of August / start of September 2012. Will be booking a hotel room for the weekend and will be watching plenty of football with some mates and a few drinks afterwards! Pity it's nearly 16 months away though...!

gerire

Tom_Brady wrote: »

Hope to get to all of these games. Long way for the high school kids to travel, and while I'm sure they'll enjoy the novelty of a trip abroad, I think it's important for anyone who can to get to these games to (a) show support and appreciation of their efforts to promote the sport over here, and (b) encourage them to come more often

I think this is a slight problem with this trip. Over 2 days there is already fixed 3 high school games 1 div 3 college game all for the day before the big notre dame navy game.

Like you if it was 2 double headers over the 2 previous days i'd go to both but both fixtures are due for 4 and 7 o clock starts. So unfortunately a choice will have to be made.
I'll guess 2 hs games in Tallaght and the div 3 and hs game in santry.

Either ways we'll all be in landsdown on the sat

Dodge

That time of year is prime GAA time, and the League of Ireland season will be in full swing.

Grounds will be hard to come by in Dublin

tallaghtoutlaws

Dodge wrote: »

That time of year is prime GAA time, and the League of Ireland season will be in full swing.

Grounds will be hard to come by in Dublin

Well the 2 suggested, 1 of them at least wont be in use Morten Stadium since Fingal are gone. And as they have given Tallaght stadium some prime notice and the FAI im sure Rovers could play away that weekend when the schedule is made.

cheesehead

Dodge wrote: »

That time of year is prime GAA time, and the League of Ireland season will be in full swing.

Grounds will be hard to come by in Dublin

Just found this on a Notre Dame website:

"PSA - if haven't already, most of city centre is already booked for the ND-Navy weekend....also looks like the All Ireland Hurling Finals are that Sunday at Croke Park.
A few hotels and B&B's still have openings, but tour groups are blocking out much of the prime lodging."

Looks like a busy weekend all around - should be fun. Lets hope some of those GAA fans become Irish fans for the weekend!

Dodge

cheesehead wrote: »

Lets hope some of those GAA fans become Irish fans for the weekend!

LEts hope they keep away from the game so I don't have to listen to god awful comparisons...

cheesehead

This back and forth about the GAA and Notre Dame football reminds me of a story from a few years ago:

"Rumors appeared on a Notre Dame internet site of a "secret" football recruit who hailed from the 'wilds' of Western Ireland. He was claimed to be 'as big as a house and as fast as the wind'. Being a Gaelic footballer, he was able to punt the football 'out of the stadium'. While many US colleges were looking to recruit this type of talent to their teams, this lad's heart belonged to Notre Dame". Of course, given the nature of the internet, the rumor grew legs and suddenly those on the "inside" believed this just might happen"

Of course, it wasn't long before folks realized it was April 1st and the gig was soon up. That said Dodge, if you happen to know any strapping Gaelic players with a little speed, I'm sure Coach Kelly would be interested....

tallaghtoutlaws

cheesehead wrote: »

Of course, it wasn't long before folks realized it was April 1st and the gig was soon up. That said Dodge, if you happen to know any strapping Gaelic players with a little speed, I'm sure Coach Kelly would be interested....

To be honest most of them wouldn't have the ability to play in a D1 college. You might find the odd WR/DB/K/P and stretching it maybe a Linebacker. But from experience soccer players and GAA players are build wise too small. Even with speed they would be outclassed by guys with experience.

cheesehead

Tallaght - letting my cynical side rear its ugly head, I would say most D1 college football programs have a solution to that problem: HGH or just flat-out steroid cycling. (see Brian Cushing).

That said, I agree it would take an exceptional Irish athlete to participate in D1 College football. The best athletes in the US play football (an argument could be made for basketball). The size, speed, strength of these fellows never ceases to amaze me. I remember playing basketball against Rick Mirer. Rick always came across as somewhat stiff and slow on a football field, but he was simply an amazing athlete on the basketball court compared to those of us with normal genetic make-ups.

Now throw some PEDs into that exceptional genetic make-up.....

tallaghtoutlaws

cheesehead wrote: »

Tallaght - letting my cynical side rear its ugly head, I would say most D1 college football programs have a solution to that problem: HGH or just flat-out steroid cycling. (see Brian Cushing).

That said, I agree it would take an exceptional Irish athlete to participate in D1 College football. The best athletes in the US play football (an argument could be made for basketball). The size, speed, strength of these fellows never ceases to amaze me. I remember playing basketball against Rick Mirer. Rick always came across as somewhat stiff and slow on a football field, but he was simply an amazing athlete on the basketball court compared to those of us with normal genetic make-ups.

Now throw some PEDs into that exceptional genetic make-up.....

No doubt and whether or not the program has a solution like you mentioned Applying this to guys who have never played the sport before why bother in the first when you have the right athletes throughout US high schools already. Waste of a scholarship offering it to some guy you need to bulk up and teach the game from scratch without knowing whether or not he could ever perform at a D1 level.

jack presley

I hope next year's game is closer than this year's (42-7 in the 3rd)

tallaghtoutlaws

Torlac wrote: »

wtf they'd be hungout to dry for selling out and moving the date of the final. it's always the first sunday of september and the football is always the third.

you have been seriously misinformed i suspect

Guess the idea of moving a final isn't such a taboo after all. I told you guys what I originally heard until they settled on the Aviva but it does look like the GAA toyed with the idea of moving the final as they are once again looking at the idea.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/gaa-looking-at-later-dates-for-allireland-finals-2921031.html

Moves are afoot to switch the All-Ireland hurling and football finals from their traditional dates to further back in September.

Next summer is jam-packed with sports events, including the European Championships and the Olympics, and while it's unlikely that these events alone would result in the finals being rescheduled, it is possible that the staging of the Navy v Notre Dame College American football game could result in the games being pushed back from their traditional dates on the first and third Sundays in September. The American football game is set to be played on Saturday, September 1 at the Aviva Stadium and should be a sell-out.

Over 20,000 Americans are expected to attend and it will be available to a worldwide TV audience. Notre Dame officials say it will be the largest ever invasion of Ireland by US sports fans. The fact that there are five Sundays in September 2012, as opposed to the usual four, would also make rescheduling the games more realistic.

And changing the dates of the All-Ireland finals is not unprecedented -- in 2006 the GAA brought the finals forward by a week to avoid a clash with the Ryder Cup.

It's also possible that the proposed change could be part of a broader picture to regularise the GAA calendar and ensure that the club championships are played before the weather turns bad.

The proposed date change comes just days after the Clare and Kilkenny hurling finals were played in impossible conditions and the Galway hurling semi-final was abandoned at half-time as a result of the weather.

Last month, Dublin chairman Andy Kettle said he believed the Dublin County Board will bring a motion to next year's GAA Annual Congress calling for the All-Ireland hurling and football finals to be played in August.

Such a proposal would help to avoid a repeat of this year's disastrous Dublin club championship which saw a backlog of games in the county and forced a rescheduling of the Leinster football and hurling championships.

The Leinster football final will now not take place until December 18, just one week before Christmas. When contacted yesterday, a spokesperson for the GAA was unable to confirm the proposals. Elsewhere, Cork boss Jimmy Barry-Murphy has chosen veteran Donal Og Cusack to captain the hurlers for the coming season. Barry-Murphy has already shown faith in the old guard by recalling Sean Og O hAilpin to the panel.

"Shane O'Neill has stepped down as he suffered a number of injuries over the past 12 months," said the Cork manager yesterday, "and now wishes to concentrate on his own game. As a result, the management appoint Donal Og as captain, with Patrick Horgan vice-captain."

Also I heard today the tickets are on sale this month the dearest ticket being €70.

Paully D

Definitely going to try and get to this. It would be great to see a game live.

I presume getting a ticket will just be a Ticketmaster refreshing job on the day they go on sale and hoping for the best?

johnmcdnl

would love if the game got moved to Croker - compeltely forgot about the American's who'll be attending this game (well going by the quoted text above)... that'll leave about 25-30 thousand tickets to Irish fans for ...

don't want it to turn into a ticketmaster F5ing competition because with my **** internet I never win

just hope on the day tickets come out only the hard core of us will have heard about it and can get in before everyone else starts trying to look for tickets

really would love to get to it because I've never been at a game of football before so.. always wanted to go to one but just can't afford the trip over to Wembley

Dodge

tallaghtoutlaws wrote: »

Guess the idea of moving a final isn't such a taboo after all. I told you guys what I originally heard until they settled on the Aviva but it does look like the GAA toyed with the idea of moving the final as they are once again looking at the idea

They're not looking to stage the game, just not have it clash with their own (in terms of media etc)

FreeOSCAR

johnmcdnl wrote: »

would love if the game got moved to Croker - compeltely forgot about the American's who'll be attending this game (well going by the quoted text above)... that'll leave about 25-30 thousand tickets to Irish fans for ...

don't want it to turn into a ticketmaster F5ing competition because with my **** internet I never win

just hope on the day tickets come out only the hard core of us will have heard about it and can get in before everyone else starts trying to look for tickets

really would love to get to it because I've never been at a game of football before so.. always wanted to go to one but just can't afford the trip over to Wembley

I can't really see the demand being that big on the European side and quite frankly 50000 is probably more than enough to host this game.

If it was in Croker it probably wouldn't even sell out. I think whoever wants one will get a ticket.

Hopefully they are doing some sort of package deal where you can get the Saturday ticket along with the expected FNL games to take place.

tallaghtoutlaws

Dodge wrote: »

tallaghtoutlaws wrote: »

Guess the idea of moving a final isn't such a taboo after all. I told you guys what I originally heard until they settled on the Aviva but it does look like the GAA toyed with the idea of moving the final as they are once again looking at the idea

They're not looking to stage the game, just not have it clash with their own (in terms of media etc)

You missed my point. A few including you told me it would never happen and that they would never have discussed it originally. I stand by what i was told and now the fact they are looking into moving it for other reasons suggests it might well have been discussed originally. If you ask me the GAA fooked up on this one. The could have made a bucket load of money but said no to the idea and now they are thinking of moving their finals to save money. Madness.

tallaghtoutlaws

FreeOSCAR wrote: »

I can't really see the demand being that big on the European side and quite frankly 50000 is probably more than enough to host this game.

If it was in Croker it probably wouldn't even sell out. I think whoever wants one will get a ticket.

Hopefully they are doing some sort of package deal where you can get the Saturday ticket along with the expected FNL games to take place.

It wont be a sell out the day the tickets are released but you are underestimating the amount of Notre Dame and Navy Alum around Europe. The game will sell out before the day comes around around.

I agree though it shouldn't be a problem getting a ticket on the day they are released. I doubt there will be packages though although it would be awesome as the main game has different organisers to the other ones as far as a I know. I doubt the other games will be expensive anyways.

Dodge

tallaghtoutlaws wrote: »

You missed my point. A few including you told me it would never happen and that they would never have discussed it originally.

I most certainly did not say that.

tallaghtoutlaws

Dodge wrote: »

I most certainly did not say that.

My apologies saw the other dudes avatar I thought it was you.