Campus News:
The capital campaign to raise funds for new dorms will begin in 2006. The four are to be located east of Knott and Pasquerilla East after the closing of Juniper (more on the closing later). How quickly construction begins depends on finding benefactors willing to underwrite the project. The administration expects to begin construction on one within the next three years. Design plans have not been created. But University officials are discussing "a conceptual understanding of what we might be looking for." Expect the new dorms to have features that students have called for in multiple studies. Study findings show students support the idea of rooms designated for upperclassmen with features like a living room, bathroom or better view. The University sees that as a natural way to encourage people to stay on campus. It is also believed the seniors-only housing would not detract from the intermingling of classes within the halls.
Existing dorms will be renovated. The renovations will continue on LaFortune Student Center and the Stepan Center. Those plans are even less definite than the ones for the new halls. Both centers are described as "priorities" in the upcoming capital campaign. The re-gilding of the Dome was completed four weeks early. The weather was ideal over the summer. Work ended September 9. The deadline (because of frost) was October 1. The re-gilding should last 15 years. Seventeen years had past between Dome touch-ups. Finally, the road project is five months ahead of schedule. Those of you in town for the Michigan State game probably drove the freshly paved multi-lane road and navigated the enormous intersections. Phase 2 has just started. It involves the north-south road east of campus. All the road work is expected to be completed by August 2006.
Campus Watch by ME:
Two more tidbits from the Michigan game...
It seems Michigan alum/New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Coach Weis had a bet on the ND-Michigan game. It was never revealed what Charlie would have had to do had the Irish lost. But who cares? Mr. Brady was the one on the losing end of the bet. He had to wear a Notre Dame hat at his next press conference. It took place mid-week before the Pats-Panthers game. Brady honored the wager but was somewhat shady. He wore the hat backwards and took it off after 20 seconds.
And remember those classy Michigan fans throwing objects on the field? Well, supposedly there was a picture taken at the game of the hurling debris. The snapshot was taken at ground level, near the sidelines. It seems Michigan had several recruits in for the game. They were right behind the disgruntled fans. The picture was of the recruits ducking and taking cover to avoid being hit by flying objects. No word on whether the Wolverines received any verbal commitments from that particular group of highly-impressed high schoolers.
Hall Notes:
Vermin are wild in the NFL. All Pro defensive end Bert Berry plays for the Arizona Cardinals. Defensive end Anthony Weaver suits up for the Baltimore Ravens. Julius Jones is the main cog in the Dallas Cowboys offense. And then there is receiver Arnaz Battle of the San Francisco 49ers. Battle is playing flanker like All World receive Jerry Rice used to. Arnaz is now a starter. Last year he was a punt returner as well as a receiver. It was his first year ever as a returner. Arnaz had a touchdown in week 1 of the NFL season. He snagged 5 balls for 59 yards. And the one-time Irish quarterback can still toss the ball downfield. In not one, but TWO trick plays, Battle threw TWO completions for a total of 27 yards. Keep an eye on this Vermin. He'll need it. Not too many people are watching the 49ers these days.
NDSportscenter:
We may have lost to Michigan State but we still won a recruit. Leonard Gordon made an unofficial visit last weekend anad verbally committed 30 minutes after the game ended. Leonard plays safety for Fort Campbell (Ken.) High School. The 5'11", 195 lb defensive back is our 14th commitment. Gordon passed over LSU, Penn State and Louisville. Analyst Tom Lemming rates Gordon a four-star player and called him out for being "hard-hitting." Certainly sounds like the "nasty" type Charlie is looking for.
The USC game will be just as big off the field as on. We are hosting twelve to fifteen of the best high school players in the country that weekend. It will be HUGE. Tom Lemming has stated that it is the "most important in-season recruiting weekend in Notre Dame history."
Below are two more photos of the Gug. One is a close-up of the National Championship banners that adorn the recruiting lounge. (For the record, the Stadium is also full of banners this year to celebrate 75 years of Notre Dame football). The second photo is of another display.
The NCAA will now be letting teams play 12 football games in the regular season. We have added Duke to the schedule as a 12th game in 2007. It will be a seventh home game and will be played on November 17. Oklahoma and Arizona State have been added to the schedule in the 2010s. USC, Stanford, the Big 10 and Big East teams will continue on the schedule. North Carolina State and boston college have been axed from some future schedules. b.c. games may become few and far between.
Beginning in 2006 we will have a bowl collaboration with the Big East, Big XII, Gator Bowl, and Sun Bowl. We will no longer be limited to the Big East and its particular bowls. The athletic department will continue to work for other bowl openings so any bowl-eligible Irish team will not be left hanging.
Campus News:
Once again the newest class, the Class of 2009, has been heralded at the "strongest ever." At least until next year, anyway. The Class of 2009 consists of 2,000 students (from an applicant pool of 11,316). The average SAT score was 1379. The average ACT was 31.3. The average student ranked in the top 5.5% of his or her high school graduating class. Children of alumni make up 22% of the class. Ethnic minorities account for 21.2%. That last percentage was deemed disappointing by the Admissions office. That figure has been constant the past two years. Director of Admissions Dan Saracino wants the minority percentage to grow. There was not an increase in the number of black students and that was considered "not acceptable."
More statistics on the freshmen: 84% were involved in community service....72% earned at least one varsity letter in high school....51% were involved in the performing arts in high school....39% were the captain of at least one sport in high school....46% were involved in student government....13% were editors of high school publications....7% are first generation college students....6% were Eagle scouts or won the gold award. gippwatch: Here are two amusing stories that involve our football team...
Story one involves Pittsburgh. Apparently after we destroyed Pitt, coach Dave Wannstedt felt he had to take steps to treat his team psychologically. They were so demoralized that the whole game had to be put behind them. Wannstedt ordered that no one utter the words "Notre Dame." True! Not players. Not coaches. Not anyone in Panther football operations. That is absolutely true. But his mandate did not outlaw thinking "Notre Dame." We broke their spirits long after the game was over. Not surprising Pitt lost the next week to a scrub school.
The second story involves the preparation for the Michigan game. In the past, coaches have piped opposing school fight songs into Loftus to simulate the volume of crowds on the road. The volume is cranked so the offense learns to communicate under duress. Well, New Jersey-native Charlie Weis had a slightly different approach. He chose to have the soundsystem blare Jersey boys Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. When asked why he didn't play the Wolverines ditty, Weis replied, "I hate the Michigan fight song." Well said. Well said.
Hall Notes:
One final installment on LEFT-LEFT...
The Class of '97 did a lil somethin'-somethin' to add to the mystique of LEFT-LEFT. Every other Thursday Scholastic came out. The fellas of '97 usually were amongst the first to arrive. The first '97er usually took it upon himself to snag four or five Scholastics to throw on the table for Vermin already seated and for those about to arrive. Since the dining hall table filled every other seat first, there was room to eat and place the magazine beside you to read. So for the first fifteen to twenty minutes, table talk was at a minimum as the literate Vermin digested the current Irish publication.
LEFT-LEFT is still exercised by the Class of '97. When we all come back for a football game, we hit SDH beforehand. Unfortunately, as in the past, the left side is usually closed. But we still say "LEFT-LEFT" and hold out hope. Right-left lacks the flare, the panache, but we still are sitting at the Vermin tables. Once a Vermin, always a Vermin.
NDSportscenter:
Our 13th verbal commitment is a big-leg kicker. Ryan Burkhart attends North Wood High School. The Wakaruse, Indiana native is rated the #1 kicker in the Midwest by Tom Lemming and is top ten nationally. Ryan is 5'11", 185 lbs. and blew the competition away at our last summer camp. He verbally committed after Charlie gave him a call in the wake of the Pitt victory. Burkhart turned down Illinois, Purdue, Indiana, and Ball State. At the time of his commitment he was four of five on field goals. He hit from 53 but missed from 52. Ryan was 6 for 6 on PATs. Most importantly, eleven of his thirteen kickoffs were touchbacks. Weis is so sold on Burkhart that he told him to plan to kickoff for the first game of 2006.
The women's soccer team opened the year ranked #1 for the first time in school history. We had been #2 five times. We have 9 starters back and 13 of the top 15 players from last year's 25-1-1 National Championship team. Katie Thorlakson set a school record for a season opener. She had 8 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in just one game. Katie has become the 6th Domer to record 40 goals and 40 assists in a career. She has a fantastic sidekick (pun intended) in freshman Kerri Hanks. Hanks recorded 10 goals faster than anyone in school history (4 games). Unfortunately the ladies lost their top spot. They lost 2-1 on the road to #5 Santa Clara. We outshot them 14-5 and missed a penalty kick.
We've got two more photos from the Gug. The first is the back wall of the second-floor recruiting lounge. The second is the west wall of the lounge. It offers a view of the Dome and Stadium. You'll also notice banners hanging. There are eleven, one for each National Championship.
Campus News:
No vacany, full up inside. On campus residence halls are filled to the max. They were packed over the past couple of years but now they are REALLY maxed. Office of Residence Life and Housing assistant director Scott Kachmarik said every available space has been converted into sleeping quarters. "There is nothing left to 'create'... We are maxed out of every available bed space on campus. This year we have hit our peak." The space shortage comes from slightly increasing enrollment and a 96 percent retention rate from freshman to senior year. To accommodate the on-campus students, study lounges have been converted to living space. Doubles have been changed to triples. And previously converted study lounges that housed three last year now house four. The Office of Residence Life has had to come up with a plan because of the overcrowding. A lottery may have to be put in place for seniors to determine who can live on campus. To permanently solve the problem, new dorms are needed. The University's strategic plan released last November outlines the construction of four new halls within the next ten years. The new dorms are specifically to alleviate the overcrowding, not to increase enrollment. Enrollment has been growing by ten to twelve students every year. After a decade that certainly adds up. The University NEEDS people to move off campus. Res Life needs at least 1,600 students to move off campus every year. Last year the overflow was mostly in the women's dorms. But now all dorms are packed. Men's halls Keough and O'Neill have taken the brunt this year.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
Here's one last tale from last year's Sorin Society weekend on campus. No, I didn't provide this tip....
Another tipster informed the Gipp that fog created by dry ice for a production of "The Laramie Project" set off smoke detectors, sending the play's mostly student audience and the donors, who were bein entertained simultaneously in the DPAC's concert hall, into the same frigid (February) evening. (DPAC = new campus slang for DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.) Upon returning, the students were sure to help themselves to the modest treats set out for the donors, including a simple fair of bacon-wrapped scallops and lobster tempura. The Gipp hears the lobster received a four-star rating.
Hall Notes:
Another little Vermin trick that was the sidekick to LEFT-LEFT was the "push & pull." (It's not capitalized because it didn't really have an official name and was not practiced by all.) When Vermin of old arrived at SDH, we didn't want to have to lug around our packpacks while we were acquiring our dinner. The men of Carroll were the only ones allowed to come in through the out door, drop our bags off, exit and then enter to tray up. Sometimes the door was propped open and we could easily pop in and toss our books by the wall near our tables. But many times, the door was closed. So how could we gain entry? Well, the doors were old and has some give to them. You could actually push them in about an inch and they would spring back about an inch and a half. When that extra half inch popped past neutral, nimble fingers could snag it and you could pull the door open without the use of a handle. No other dorm could be so clever. Resourcefulness, thy name is Vermin.
NDSportscenter:
Charlie has matched Rockne's start of 2-0 for a career with those games being on the road. Rhema is getting an MRI of his knee. No word on his status yet. He can get a medical red-shirt should the injury be season-ending. Michgan running back Michael Hart only had 4 yards before we knocked him out of the game. So far 8 true freshmen (of 15) have played in the first two games. Bring on Sparty next week at home.
Weis recruiting efforts seem to be the real deal. Recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said that our first 12 recruits equal the second best class up to that point. And Charlie doesn't like to lose recruits either. He has a policy about players that wish to transfer. He won't grant the release if it's to a team we will play on a future schedule. Well transfer Brandon Nicolas wants to play for UCLA. We play them in '06 and '07. Charlie refused. Nicolas appealed to the Faculty Board on Athletics. They reversed Weis' mandate. Son of a....
Basketball notes: alum Harold Swanagan has been hired as the coordinator of student welfare and development. Harold has a BA in sociology and played pro ball in Europe for two years. His position helps provide balance to student-athletes in their academic experience, athletic success, career preparation, community involvement and personal development....Chris Thomas, an Indy native, tried out for the Indiana Pacers....Dennis Latimore tried out for European teams. In three games he averaged 13 ppg and 10 rpg. He then signed a one-year deal with the Amsterdam Astronauts of a Dutch Pro League....Jacqueline Batteast had a tough year in the WNBA. Four games in the hyper-extended her knee. And she's playing behind Olympian Katie Smith....the women's staff was able to acquire the actual floor from the 2001 NCAA Championship game. Part of it is to go in the new offices. The football offices are now out of the JACC completely. Men's basketball is getting that office space and the women are taking over the men's old space....Coquese Washington, a six-year veteran of the women's staff, has been promoted to associate head coach. She played for the Irish from '89 to '93 and also made her mark in the WNBA.
Two more photos of the Gug. The first is another shot of the two-story mural that was mentioned and shown last week. The second photo is of the main reception area on the second floor, which houses Football Operations.
Campus News:
A new University provost was named in July 21. The Board of Trustees elected 1972 Domer Thomas Burish to the position. Burish is now holding the second-ranking administrative post. He is our chief academic officer, overseeing all academic programs and functions. Burish is formerly the president of Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Amongst the provost's responsibilities are appointing and promoting faculty, setting the budgets for academic departments, and ensuring the budgeting process supports the academic mission and priorities of the University.
Burish was selected by a search committee and recommended to the Board. The committee was comprised of five faculty members and a student elected by Academic Council. President John I. Jenkins chaired the committee. Thomas comes with presidential and provost experience. Burish, a clinical psychology scholar was provost at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He is a native of Peshtigo, Wisconsin and received master's and doctoral degrees in psychology and clinical psychology from the University of Kansas in 1975 and 1976. Burish's son graduated from ND last year. Thomas has also served as the chair of the American Cancer Society's national board of directors since 2004.
Burish does not actually start the job until after Labor Day. Because he is a Domer and familiar with the University, his transition to the post should be swift and smooth. The associate provost and the provost's office have already been hard at work in partnership with academic units to implement the goals of the Strategic Plan approved by the Board of Trustees.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
Another gossip item about last year's Sorin Society gathering on campus:
The Gipp hears that the lovely ladies of Harmonia also performed a host of family friendly tunes, like "It's Raining Men," and high-culture hits, like "Livin' On a Prayer," for the esteemed donors. One of the tipsters who says he bought a copy of Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet" when it first came out on cassette (Don't worry, sir. I won't judge you.), described himself as being "delighted and appalled and confused all at the same time" upon hearing an old favorite. Here's a quandry: What did ND students do pre-Bon Jovi???
(Yes, that tipster was once again yours truly. I guessed that my quoted would prove a dandy. Classic.)
Hall Notes:
Another entry on LEFT-LEFT....
Thanks has to go to Sam Watson '95. He did not introduce me to LEFT-LEFT but he did enlighten on.... The Wrap-Around. Before SDH was re-configured in '97-'98, the dining hall was divided in symmetrical halves. (The "divide" has since been removed.) The right and left halves opened at different times. Ideally, all true Vermin wanted to go LEFT-LEFT. However, if you arrived early the left side had a delayed opening. You could either loiter about for 15 minutes or you could go in the right side, get your food and do... The Wrap-Around. Sam Watson gave me the lesson. We went right and picked up our grub. Then we went to the far corner of the right food area and went through a doorway as if we were entering the kitchen. As soon as we were through the doorway we turned left, wrapped around the "divide" and were in the far corner of the left food area. So smooth. So in-the-know. So Vermin.
NDSportscenter:
I haven't felt that relaxed and confident in a team since three coaches ago. Charlie did a superb job. We next play Michigan at 11am central time next Saturday on ABC. I guarantee they are scared.
A few things to mention from the game... we gave up ZERO sacks. Our defense had 5 sacks. Our secondary had one interception. Tom Zbikowski had a nasty 23 yard punt return full of flying forearms and high knees. We were 10 of 15 on third down conversions. Seven different receivers caught passes. On the downside were 10 penalties for 94 yards.
Cornerback Raeshon McNeil is our 12th verbal commitment. McNeil attends Davie County High School in Mocksville, North Carolina. Tom Lemming rates him the 91st best player overall. Raeshon is 6'1", 180 lbs. and runs a 4.44 - 40. As a junior he made 60 tackles and had five interceptions. McNeil is physical, aggressive and is a good open-field tackler. Virginia and North Carolina missed out on his services. Raeshon scored 1100 on the SAT and has close to a 4.0 GPA. Big catch for Weis.
Some Domer golfers were helping put the program on the map this summer. Three men's players made the cut at the 103rd Western Amateur. We accounted for 3 of the 52 golfers. Only #1 Oklahoma State also qualified three. Junior Cole Isban ended up coming in 13th. Because of his high finish, Isban qualified for the 16-player match-play portion. Unfortunately he lost in the first match-play round to a University of Texas freshman. In addition, three Domers competed at the 105th U.S. Amateur Championship. One last golf note: our very own Warrnen Golf Course was ranked the 15th best college course in the nation by Golf Digest (September '05).
September 6 was the date for the "Drop the Puck" Dinner to open the hockey season. The keynote speaker was legendary NHL coach Scotty Bowman. He is the winningest coach ever. In 30 years of coaching he led three different teams to nine Stanley Cups. His son, appropriately named Stanley, is a '95 Domer.
Here are two more photos of the new "Gug." One is obviously of a locker. The other is of a two-story mural. The mural is in the public area of the Guglielmino near the entrance of Haggar Fitness Center. It is peppered with photos of players old and new, quotes and Fighting Irish facts. It certainly takes awhile to take it all in.
Campus News:
The College Football Hall of Fame may be leaving town. It's losing money left, right and left again. Recently the hall has leaked the idea of hittin up the University for funds. The Hall moved to South Bend in 1995, hoping to take advantage of nearness to Notre Dame. Ten years later, the crowds haven't materialized as expected and the hall's contract is set to expire at the end o fthe year. In 1995, propnents predicted 150,000 visitors a year. Today the draw is just more than 60,000 visitors a year and last year reported a deficit of more than $64,000. The profit was predicted to be $400,000. The hall's operation was taken over five years ago by the New Jersey-based National Football Foundation. City officials are trying to negotiate a new five-year contract with the Foundation contributing more money. The city is not happy that the Foundation has refused to enter into the realm of fundraising on their own behalf. However, the Foundation has contributed $1.9 million toward the hall's operation. It's original contract did not require any contributions.
Domer and former South Bend mayor Joe Kernan, who was instrumental in bringing the hall to the city, says "South Bend is where it belongs." Supporters say it adds luster to the city just as art museums do. South Bend leaders believed the proximity to the campus would greatly benefit the hall. It was such a popular idea that they agreed to pay for the building and let the hall use it rent- and tax-free. The leaders believed corporate sponsorships would help repay the borrowed funds and claimed no taxpayer money would be needed. That did not happen. The city is paying $1.4 million a year through 2017 on the bonds for the building. And yearly operating costs provided by the city have grown to $831,000 for exhibits and marketing.
The mayor of Arlington, Texas is trying to get the hall. He has made an offer. One South Bend City Council member stated: "I wish it would move to Texas today." But the Bend's current mayor is a hall supporter and believes it will stay. More special events, donations and outside sources will be planned and depended on to right the hall's woes.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
To wrap things up, the Gipp got several tips about the equally wild times at this semester's Sorin Society dinner, held for donors who give $1,000 or more...
Apparently buses were used to take the members between on-campus locations, including from the Basilica after a Mass to North Dining Hall. Yes, this is actually one of those rare times that it really takes longer to drive than to walk.
(That tip was actually turned in by yours truly. No, I'm not a member of the Sorin Society. I was merely a guest mooching free meals to the best of my ability.)
Hall Notes:
More about the intricacies of LEFT-LEFT...
So how exactly do the LEFT-LEFT tables fill? Randomly? Specifically? Or with a sort of understood pattern? Let's go with the latter. I was usually one of the first to hit SDH for dinner so I saw the tables fill. The first Vermin to arrive usually sits nearest the exit doors at the end of the table. The first is always facing the middle where people first appear with their trays. The second to show up has two options: two seats over from the first Vermin and facing the same way or kitty-corner on the other side of the table from the first Vermin and facing the other way. The third Vermin to arrive has to recognize. If two Vermin are on one side, then he has to go to the kitty-corner position. Three on one side and none on the other is a big no-no. The fourth to arrive continues the pattern of skipping seats. Soon the table is half full in a checkboard pattern. All Vermin thereafter simply fill in the gaps in no particular order.
No one ever actually articulated the pattern. At least during my years (mid '90s) it just sort of happened. It was awesome to just see the tables fill in like a jigsaw puzzle coming together. No wonder our motto is "VERMIN UNITE."
NDSportscenter:
ESPN College GameDay will be at the Pittsburgh game. The game is on ABC on Saturday, September 3 at 7pm central time.
More football news: Anthony Fasano has been added to the watchlist for the Mackey Award which goes to the top tight end....D.J. Fitzpatrick is on the watchlist for the Groza Award which is for the best kicker....a 7th player, Brandon Nicolas, has left the team....sophomore cornerback Junior Jabbie has requested a move to running back. The request was granted. We are very thin in the secondary and at defensive end....sophomore Darrin Bragg has been moved from quarterback ot wide receiver....Nate Schiccatano has moved to his fourth position, defensive end. He went from running back to fullback to linebacker before the latest move.
Senior point guard Megan Duffy helped Team USA win the championship at the World University Games which were held in Turkey. She set the tone early as she led the team with 14 points in their first win. Duffy was voted co-captain by the team and started all seven games. Her best game was a 13 point, 7 rebound, 6 assist and 3 steal performance. Team USA won four games by 50 or more points. Gold was attained after beating Serbia & Montenegro 79-53. Duffy is also one of thirty to be named to the pre-season Wooden Women's Award watchlist which goes to the nation's best player.
Ten more photos of the new Guglielmino Athletics Complex are available.
We'll continue to display two a week. Below is the practice week
lockerroom.
And above the lockers are ghosted images of former players and game day
scenes. (I truly can't wait until we start bringing in recruits during
the
season to check out and be blown away by this new facility.)
Campus News:
The South Bend Tribune recently ran a piece on a new University department. Richard B. Pierce was recently named the chair of the newly established Department of Africana Studies. The new department replaces the former African and African-American Studies Program that had operated since 1972. Existance of a full department allows students to major in the discipline. Previously only second majors and minors could be sought. This is all a part of the University's efforts to promote diversity and multiculturalism.
Pierece, a South Bend resident, has been an ND History professor since 1996. He specializes in African-American, urban and civil rights history and examines social and political protest in urban environments. He shares that knowledge with a campus where black students account for just 3.7 percent of undergrads. The new department has three faculty members, all shared jointly with other departments. There are plans to hire more professors for the fledgling department. But there aren't large numbers of Africana experts available. Some of the top scholars in African history and studies are white. The University's one African historian is a white female.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
Speaking of illicit activity, the Gipp hears that a woman involved in "commercial trading" at the library had to be subdued by four NDSP after being "rude anad quite impolite" with the library staff. The Gipp kind of hopes that "commercial trading" is something exciting and dangerous, but he doubts it. According to the tipster, the woman fought with NDSP for a good 20 minutes, was tasered while being escorted off campus and was slapped with a "no trespassing" order. So, next time those mean "cool kids" ask you why you're in the library instead of partying it up, be sure to tell them that the ole 'brary has some pretty darn wild times as well. You animal...
Hall Notes:
I don't know when it began. I don't know if it was a collective decision or the brainchild of a handful of original Vermin. I do know it was one of the best Vermin traditions. At dinnertime what do all Vermin mutter to each other?.....LEFT-LEFT. We all knew it. It was understood. Yet we still said it. Sort of like a secret password. RIGHT-LEFT was only done as a last resort. LEFT-LEFT was the only way to go at SDH. I don't know of any other dorm that adamantly sticks to two or three tables in such a sacred manner. I still recall the good times of sophomore year. We had four different years of Vermin all mixed together at two tables during the dinner hour and it was a blast. Brian "Slimmer" Miller. Sam Watson. Kevin Fumai. Rudy Christopher. Big Joe Schenher. Manish "Dogg" Patel. Mike "Huck" Finn. Kevin "Cricketman" Reichart. And all the rest from those years all together at the same tables. Great times. Great stories. Great Vermin.
NDSportscenter:
Recruit #11 is a second quarterback for this class. Demetrius Jones is out of Morgan Park High School, the same school as current linebacker Corey Mays. Jones is the second cousin of Irish gridiron great Chris Zorich. Demetrius is 6'4", 200 lbs and is rated by Tom Lemming as the #33 player overall. Lemming said he has a gun for an arm and is one of the best athletes in the country. He's smart with running skills and loads of potential. Last year he threw for 2200 yards and 17 TDs and ran for 1100 yards and 15 TDs. Jones turned down Illinois, Purdue, and Louisville.
Six players have now jumped ship since Coach Weis came on board. The biggest loss is safety/cornerback Freddie Parish who would most likely have seen plenty of action this year. Wide receiver Chris Vaughn is transferring to Louisville. That's fine. Had he stayed with us he would have been suspended for the fall semester anyway. (He found that out on the last day of school last spring.) Tregg Duerson has left for personal reasons. Defensive lineman Travis Leitko, the prize of that year's recruiting class, is also not on the roster. And two offensive lineman, John Kadous and Chauncey Incarnato are moving on.
Two more photos of the new athletics complex are below. One is the video coordinator's work area. With this video setup every coach will have access to game and practice video from any room in the building. The second is a view from Weis' office. It's on the far south end of the second floor. The buildings in the distance are the JACC to the left and Rolfs Rec Center to the right. Yes, the office does open out to a sun deck complete with umbrella over a four-seat table. Ahhhh, the life.
Campus News:
More on the sale of WNDU-TV.
Terry and Maureen McFadden, the popular brother and sister news team, have been co-anchoring since 1994. Maureen has been told by the University that they "will be very picky about who they sell to." Does that mean the McFaddens will keep their jobs? Time will tell. Traditionally, television news departments suffer the most visible changes under new ownership. The siblings, though, hope to stay put in their hometown. Both graduated from St. Joseph High School. Maureen attended St. Mary's and received a bachelor's degree in speech and communications. Terry is a Domer. He has a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in communications from ND. The duo's ratings are high, which leads many to believe a change would be unlikely.
Programming changes, though, would be most likely. Certainly the station would be less conservative without a Catholic institution at the helm. In September 2003, WNDU decided not to air the comedy television show "Coupling" because of its racy subject matter.
Undergraduates in broadcasting do not even utilize the resources of WNDU. In years past, broadcasting classes were taught at the station by instructors who were WNDU employees. The on-site classes offered hands-on experience in camera work, producing, directing and reporting. This ended in the late '90s when the classroom was eliminated to make room for editing rooms. The class shifted to campus but some production sessions were still taught to educate on camera operation, running the control room, set design, videotape editing and other skills. But that ended in spring 2002 when Golden Dome Media was closed. The instructors were let to. The course work is now limited to theory and history.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
A couple Saturdays ago, "Albert" stumbled back to his dorm room a bit run-down and weary from some late-night festivities. Albert insisted to his friends that he was fine, but apparently his stomach disagreed in the form of what our tipster calls "digestive fireworks" (quite a Gipp-worthy image, I have to say). A passing RA overheard Albert's esophageal eruptions and came in to have a little chat, but Albert kept insisting that everything was under control - all while calling the RA by THE WRONG NAME. Chalk it up to creativity, because Albert's imagination was in full effect. When one friend mentioned that someone in the room happened to be a reporter with The Observer, Albert was convinced a story was being written about him (it's not that bad, is it?) and demanded that he confiscate the nonexistant notepad. Albert's reality continued to flutter away as he grew alarmed, thinking he might have been intimate with another man that night. Still no word on if he actually had been, or if he is from zahm, which would explain everything. Then, Albert's piece de resistance: Somehow, our hero became convinced, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that he had killed one of his friends with a machete. Albert could not be persuaded otherwise, and spent the night wondering how he acquired the weapon. To quote the man himself, "%&#$! Where did I get a machete?!"
The Gipp noticed that the tipster never actually specified what left poor Albert, "less than sober," 'cause the Gipp has never seen a drunk kid do that. The Gipp is a little suspicious and asks that Albert and the tipster acquire more of this substance and bring it to him immediately for confiscation and inspection.
Hall Notes:
Steve "Bird" Altmann '84 was kind enough to share some thoughts on our dorm from back in the day...
The best memory that I recall is showing up on day #1 as a freshman to Carroll Hall finding that almost half of the dorm were my new classmates/fellow residents. We had a huge group of great guys - most of which spent all four years at Carroll. There were many different groups of friends, but we were all Vermin. Kegs at home football games, happy hours that lasted a little too long, Screw Your Roommates, sports, road trips, etc.
Many great guys: John O'Donnell, Geoff Gaughan, Steve Michalski, Randy Sommerville, Tim Stauder, Joe Appleby, Steve Sertz, Mike Healy, Joe Zarumba, Mike Lennon, Mike Carlin, Joe Whelan, plus many others.
Now I like to push good kids from the area to apply for Notre Dame. I bring my friends back when ever possible for a football game - and everyone is amazed and grateful (win or lose) at what a great place ND is and the type of people they meet. I was fortunate to learn from so many great guys and make a few friends along the way.
Thanks for keeping the website up and running. I know it's not easy, but it is appreciated!
NDSportscenter:
Charlie Weis has received a tenth verbal commitment. We actually landed a player from Arkansas. Offensive lineman Bartley Webb is out of Springdale High School. Webb is 6'7", 285 lbs and is rated a four-star player by Tom Lemming. Bartley turned down Arkansas, Michigan, Texas and Florida. He cited education and tradition as reasons why ND won out.
Soccer news is plentiful for the summer. Previously Greg Dalby was highlighted. His team was 2-0-1 and won Group D at the FIFA World Youth Championships. They then lost to Italy 3-1 in Holland to end their run.
Many women's players were gaining experience as well. Senior goalkeeper Erika Bohn and junior midfielder Jen Buczkowski were on the U.S. Under-21 team that competed at the Nordic Cup in Sweden. For the seventh straight year the U.S. won. Jen played all 360 minutes in the various games and scored in the first game. Erika was in goal at the end of the 4-1 Championship win over Norway. Sophomore Jannica Tjeder played for Finland who claimed 5th place. Four other women were on FC Indiana, a locally based club team. FC Indiana beat a New England team to win the title of the Women's Premier Soccer League. The team finished 16-1-0. Then they won two more games to win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup which is sponsored by the U.S. Adult Soccer Association. And three other players competed at the U.S. Youth Soccer Association National Championships. With all that experience it's not a surprise we have a top program.
Two more photos are available of the new athletics complex. Plasma televisions are throughout the new building. The Haggar Fitness Center features six. More are planned for the locker room and lounge. And there are two new swim exercise pools for training and rehab workouts.
Campus News:
WNDU-TV is officially on the selling block. New president Rev. John I. Jenkins has declared that the University is in the education business, not the broadcasting business. He is optimistic the station will be sold in the next few months. In April the University hired brokerage firm Kalil and Col. of Tucson, Ariz., to explore the possible sale of the fifty-year-old station. Michiana Telecasting Corp. actually runs the station. Michiana Telecasting is a for-profit, tax-paying corporation. It's a wholly owned subsidiary of Notre Dame. We are one of just a few schools that own and operate television stations. But commercial TV "is a complicated business," Jenkins said. "To do it well, you need a high level of expertise. You need people who have that experience, and we don't have it." A TV station is a distraction from the primary mission of education. Jenkins has said this won't negatively affect students studying to pursue careers in film and television. Roughly 260 undergrads are concentrating on film and television.
The most logical buyer would be a private equity group or a publicly held chain. Not many stations in mid-size markets have sold recently because of uncertainty about regulation in ownership. As for the worth of WNDU... word on the street is that the University is looking for $100 million. An expert in the communications industry believes that price to be about ten to twenty percent too high for the 87th largest market in the nation. The sale options may be... 1) new owner keeps things "as is"; 2) a Chicago-based company could buy the station and manage it largely from a distance, or 3) a publicly held chain might buy the station and rely on an anchor team based in another city, with some local reporters.
More on WNDU next week.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
The mud from the annual Scholastic vs. The Observer April Fools' mud-slinging fest has long been slung, so the Gipp won't say much about it.... except for this subtle observation....
The discerning eye will catch some very slight similarities. Take, for example, the giant Adidas logo superimposed on our very own Golden Dome (pre-scaffolding, of course). The coincidence is truly baffling. For now, the Gipp will just go with the old adage: Imitation is the highest form of flattery.
Hall Notes:
Once again its time to give the "Future of Carroll" update. Ever since I heard a rumor that Carroll was destined for razing, I've kept my ears and eyes open for any news on our dorm. I recently stumbled upon "The University of Notre Dame Campus Plan." It's an amazing map of the campus for probably the year 2015 or so. It has a tremendous amount of new structures. One is the footprint of the future Notre Dame Inn. There are new stadiums for softball, soccer, lacrosse, and track & field. Three potential dorms are laid out. There's even a new Stepan Center in place of the existing contraption. And guess what else is on the map... That's right. Carroll. It's not wiped out or erased. Another building has not been placed over it. So it seems the Vermin may call Carroll home for awhile anyway.
NDSportscenter:
Coach Brey has landed a bruiser for us. Power forward Luke Harangody is out of Andrean High School. The Merrillville, Indiana product chose us over Purdue. Luke is 6'8" and 250 lbs. Last year as a junior he shot 63% from the field while scoring 23.2 ppg and snagging 12.3 rpg. He is unselfish and workmanlike. He will immediately bring toughness and rebounding. One analyst has him as the 18th best power forward and 80th best player overall.
The Notre Dame Football Fantasy Camp was again successful. There were 51 attendees from 22 states, England and Canada. The camp was held from June 29-July 3 for a price of $4,490 per person. The average age was 48. Some old school Domers were assisting. John Lattner, Mark Green and Blair Kiel were back. And current coaches Mike Haywood, Jappy Oliver, Ron Powlus, Peter Vaas, and Charlie Weis were involved in some capacity. Two women, ages 45 and 46, attended. And there was a 70-year-old quarterback! Gold beat Blue 20-0 in the camp finale in the Stadium.
Rising sophomore Caitlin McKinney was selected to the 2005-06 U.S. Lacrosse National Development Team. She was one of twenty eight selected for the squad and is the third Domer to be on the national squad. Last year shw become the first Domer to be named Big East Freshman of the Year. Caitlin was 11th in Big East scoring last year with 26 goals and 14 assists.
More photos of the new athletics complex have been made available. We'll post a couple a week for the next month or so. Below you will see the 150-seat auditorium with extra-wide seating. The other photo is of the 45-yard Prestige Turf field meant for speed testing and drills right outside strength and conditioning coach offices.
Campus News:
So Rev. John I. Jenkins is the new kid on the block. Jenkins, 51, started with a bang after receiving $21 million from Frank Eck on his first day. John will be formally inaugurated on September 22 and 23. The two-day event will include an academic forum, a Mass, an inaugural ceremony and a reception.
Jenkins has been learning his new job for the past year. He has met with 30 to 40 percent of the faculty in small groups. In addition to being president, he is also the acting provost, the second-highest administrative post. Jenkins is assisted by three associate provosts. Jenkins expects a new provost by September.
The new prez lives on the outer edge of campus. He moved out of Keenan Hall and into an apartment in Fischer Graduate Residences on the east edge of campus. He's the first president to live among grad students. His new responsibilities will not allow him to devote the time to dorm life. Jenkins will mostly dine at Corby Hall. (Monk lived in Sorin and Hesburgh called Corby home during their presidencies.)
While Monk and Hesburgh were a bit night-owlish, Jenkins is more of a morning person. He's up at 6 or 6:30 am and then into prayers and exercise. Jenkins runs or swims five days a week. He's pretty much down for the count at 9 or 10 pm. (Don't expect him at PigTostal.)
Jenkins studied philosophy at ND and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in 1976 and 1978. He was ordained a Holy Cross priest in 1983. His Master of Divinity and a licentiate in sacred theology came from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, CA. He also has bachelor's and master's degrees from Oxford University. Jenkins is a full professor on the philosophy faculty but will not be teaching during his first year.
And Jenkins is all gung ho about new coach Charlie Weis. Jenkins and Malloy did not see eye to eye on the Willingham firing and comments made by Monk afterward were not well received. But they have clarified their positions and have moved on from there. Jenkins is adamant about excellent performances in athletics. He has said ND coaches have three major goals to achieve: acting with integrity, educating students and achieving excellence on the field.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
Those rumors are true about Charlie Weis buying Bob Davie's house in Granger, Ind. Davie reportedly plans to include in the sale some of his ND memorabilia. Yeah, we'd like to get rid of those memories, too.
One more football item: The Gipp recently noticed an interesting item for sale on eBay. The seller, named "redpawnshop" (which also happens to be the name of a nondescript pawnshop southeast of downtown), is offering a Notre Dame 2003 Gator Bowl ring that he "received from the player himself." The lord of the ring, being the good fella that he is, insists that he will not tell you who the player is, so don't even ask. However, he does provide potential buyers with this subtle hint: "The player was not proud of this game, and since he was starting offense and got knocked out of the game very early, he decided to get rid of this memory." Considering that only 11 players start on offense and only one was injured early in the game, this shouldn't be too hard to figure out. If you still can't get it, you can buy the ring yourself, which still has the mystery man's name engraved in it. Last time the Gipp checked, the bidding was up to $436.13.
Hall Notes:
This note actually relates to the "Campus Watch" item you just read. The 2003 Gator Bowl was the one in which we were soundly beaten by North Carolina State, 28-6. Who was that offensive player that was hurt early in the game? Methinks it was Vermin. For those who have blocked out the memory of the game... our quarterback was tagged extremely hard on the one-yard line as he tried to score. The QB was knocked out of the game. The injured player was Vermin Carlyle Holiday. Mystery solved.
NDSportscenter:
Coach Weis has now received a 9th verbal commitment. Wide receiver Robby Parris selected us over Michigan. Parris is out of St. Ignatius in Cleveland, the same school as John Ryan, another verbal. Robby is 6'4", 190 lbs and Tom Lemming has him in the top 200 players. He has good hands and is considered reliable. Parris runs a 4.55 - 40. As a junior he caught 40 passes for 900 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Legendary pro football coach Hank Stram recently passed away. Did you know he was actually a coach here for a short time? Stram coached the 1957 Irish. He was hired by head coach Terry Brennan but was first recruited by Frank Leahy. Stram, though, was a victim of Brennan's ineffectiveness. The entire staff was let go after a seaon and a half of poor results.
Lacrosse senior Brian Giordano was drafted 23rd overall by the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse. The league has been in existance since 2001. Giordano is the fifth Domer to be selected in the MLL Draft.
The men's tennis team was the #1 seed in the Big East and #32 overall. The men won the Big East as they did last year. They automatically made the NCAAs and were matched up with #33 Louisville. The squad fell 4-1 and ended the year with a record of 18-8. Senior Brent D'Amico was named the Most Outstanding Tennis Player in the Big East. Bob Bayliss was the Big East Coach of the Year for the fifth time. D'Amico also won the regional Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship. And he won the Byron V. Kanaley Award for being an outstanding student-athlete. He majored in finance and carried a 3.758 GPA.
Campus News:
Last week came the announcement that the Notre Dame Law School was receiving a $21 million gift from alumnus Frank Eck '44. Now for some history on the law school and Eck. The law school was founded in 1869. It's the nation's oldest Catholic law school and one of the oldest law schools in continuous operation. Roughly 550 students are enrolled. The school ranked #24 nationally in the 2005 U.S. News & World Report rankings. This law school expansion is one of the projects the University announced in 2001 as part of an enormous $500 million building plan.
Frank Eck has his name all over the campus. His previous gifts have endowed a library collection in chemical engineering and underwritten construction of Eck Tennis Pavilion in 1987, Frank Eck Baseball Stadium in 1994, and the Eck Center, which includes the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore, visitors' center and Alumni Association headquarters, in 1999.
Eck's donations to the University total more than $35 million. Eck is the chairman of Advanced Drainage Systems of Columbus, Ohio. He graduated as a chemical engineer and has served on the College of Engineering Advisory Council since 1984. Frank is part of a Domer legacy. His father, Vincent, graduated in 1915 and Frank Jr. received an ND Law degree in 1989 and serves on the law school advisory council. Frank was in the Navy and then earned an MBA degree from Harvard in 1949. After 20 years in the petrochemical industry Eck joined ADS in 1973 as V.P. for sales and marketing. After being appointed the firm's president, Eck helped take it from a small regional manufacturer serving the agriculture market to the world's largest producer of plastic drainage pipe used primarily in the civil engineering industry.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from "Scholastic":
Last week we told of drunken "Steve" who got ejected from a football game for punching a girl in the face. But his story isn't over...
Around 10pm that night, Steve's friends became a little concerned when they finally noticed (nice friends) his abscence since his strong showing in the stadium. As a joke, one of his friends called the South Bend Police Department to ask if they had seen him. Turns out that the boys in blue had been getting acquainted with Steve for several hours at the station. Apparently our hero wasn't finished when he left the stadium. Once outside, he began arguing with a cop about President Bush's policies, despite the officer's warnings that if he didn't leave he'd be arrested. Needless to say, the cop wasn't in the mood for a political discussion and made good on his word. Steve's friends went to pick him up around 11pm, but Steve was still too intoxicated to be released. Note, dear Gipplings: He was arrested around 2:30pm. Apparently Steve since has cut back his alcohol intake pretty steeply. Smart move. This is probably a good time to remind the readers that just because the Gipp writes about it doesn't mean he thinks you should do it. But if you do, e-mail me the story so the campus can have a laugh, or a collective head-slap, at your expense.
Hall Notes:
Vermin, recent graduate, and track star Selim Nurudeen entered the spring season on the heels of a 6th place finish at the NCAA Indoor meet in the 60 m hurdles. And prior to that he was the Big East Indoor Champion in the 60 m hurdles (7.72 sec, Big East record) and 200 m on his way to Most Outstanding Track Performer. A lot was expected of the All-American for the outdoor season. Selim once again tore it up at the Big East Championships. For the fourth year in a row he won the 110 m hurdles. His time of 13.65 seconds was amongst the top ten in college for the year. Nurudeen was second in the 200 m (21.14 sec). Because of his brilliance in the 110 m hurdles, Selim made the NCAAs. Ultimately he came in 7th with a time of 13.86 seconds. Nurudeen ended his collegiate career with his first outdoor All American honor.
NDSportscenter:
Tim Brown has retired as a Raider. (Some of us, namely me, appreciate that more than others.) Tim signed a one-day contract and retired. Sixteen of his seventeen pro years were as a Raider. For his career he had 1,094 catches (3rd all time), 100 receiving TDs ( tied for 3rd all time), and 14,934 yards (2nd all time). Tim, a Dallas native, also hopes to become the first black majority owner of a NASCAR team despite having no background in racing. He plans to partner with Roush Racing in Charlotte, North Carolina to start.
There was a Domer in the MLB All Star game! Houston Astros closer Brad Lidge was suiting up for the National League.
Details were already given of Selim Nurudeen's achievements. What about the other track athletes? The men won the Big East Indoor Championships while the women took second. Senior Tiffany Gunn captured the 400 m crown. Sophomore Okechi Ogbuokiri took the 500 m title. Selim won the 60 m hurdles and 200 m, of course. Sophomore Kurt Benninger won the mile in 4:12.14. And five Domers were All Americans at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Selim was one and the 4-person distance medley came in 6th.
The men and women were both second at the Big East Outdoor Championships. Selim won the 110 m hurdles while Chip Roberts won the hammer throw. (He really nailed the hammer throw.) Sophomore Maryann Erigha had a coming out party. She was first in the 100 m (11.69 s), second in the 200 m (24.10 s) and was second as part of the 4 x 100 m relay (46.46 s). Nine Domers (2 men and 7 women) made the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Selim was 7th in the 110 m hurdles. Junior Stephanie Madia received All American honors after a 5th place finish in the 5,000 m (16:43.98). Senior Kerry Meagher blew away her personal best with a 10th place finish in the 1,500 m (4:11.37). The others competing at the NCAAs were Emily Loomis (high jump), Kaleb VanOrt (10,000 m), Maryann Erigha (100 m, 200 m), Okechi Ogbuokiri (400 m), Lauren King (10,000 m) and Stacey Cowan (high jump).
Campus News:
Monk is out and Jenkins is in. Rev. John I. Jenkins officially took over as Notre Dame President on July 1. And his first day was a momentous one. On July 1 the University received a $21 million gift from Frank E. Eck, of Columbus, Ohio a 1944 graduate. The gift is to go toward expansion of Notre Dame Law School. Jenkins flew to Ohio on July 1 to officially accept the gift and formally thank Eck. The gift is the fifth largest in school history and the largest ever to the law school. And now we know officially what will go on the site of the old post office. The new building will be called Eck Hall. It will be connected to the south side of the current law school by Eck Commons, a facility that will feature neo-Gothic arches over an east-west walkway. The walkway will be preserved because it is part of the route marched by the band on the way to the Stadium for home games.
The Eck gift does not cover the entire cost of the project. The University needs $57.3 million. The $21 million adds to $26 million in commitments already received for the law school. Architects will be hired and the interior design phase will begin.
The existing law school was built in 1930. Two additions were later added. Once the second building is constructed on the post office spot, the law library will be expanded to take up most of the existing building. The new building will consist primarily of classrooms and faculty offices. Because all of the money has not been collected, construction will not begin. The University will not proceed with building anything unless every cent is collected. But University officials are hopeful the project will be completed within the next five years.
More next week on the Law School and Mr. Frank Eck.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
One tipster, in response to the Gipp's pleading for tips in the last issue, sent in a story that occurred at a football game in the fall. While the tale is an oldie, the Gipp assures you it's a goodie. It appears that the subject of our story was a regular protagonist of Gipp tips a few years ago but somehow fell off the map. Or maybe his friends finally had pity on him and stopped sending in every outrageous moment of his downward spiraling life. But the Gipp is convinced that some people are just here to amuse/shock others, and that they should just accept that. Our subject, we'll call him "Steve," must've had a beer or two prior to the game because he got into a shouting match with a female student and ended up slugging her in the face. Yes, you read that correctly. In what was probably the only good move they have ever made, the stadium ushers quickly escorted Steve out of the stadium.
Hall Notes:
Carlyle has left campus but he's still in the local news. The South Bend Tribune ran a piece on his NFL pursuit with the Arizona Cardinals. The odds are against him but hopefully his athleticism can win him a spot on special teams. Check out Holiday's story on the "Articles of Interest" page.
NDSportscenter:
We finished 16th in the Directors' Cup for overall athletic excellence. After the fall sports we were 2nd. The 16th place finish was better than last year's 19th place showing. But our best year had us end 11th.
Three baseball players will attempt to make the Major Leagues. Senior firstbaseman Matt Edwards was drafted in the 16th round by the Philadelphia Phillies. He could return for a fifth year but he signed with Philly so he's outta here. Senior right-handed pitcher John Axford was selected in the 42nd round by the Cincinnati Reds. Back in 2001 Axford was a 7th round pick by the Seattle Mariners. But John decided to attend ND. Unfortunately elbow and shoulder injuries limited his collegiate career. Finally, junior rightie pitcher Ryan Doherty was signed as a free agent by the Arizona Diamondbacks. A non-senior signing as a free agent is unusual but not unprecedented. We had a junior pitcher go pro as a free agent in '95. Doherty is the 43rd Mainieri-coached player to be selected or signed as a free agent.
The women's tennis team was the #1 seed for the Big East tournament (and #25 overall). The ladies won their 6th Big East title and advanced to the NCAAs. Sophomore Catrina Thompson was named the Big East Most Outstanding Tournament Performer. Her twin sister, Christian, was named All Big East. As were frosh Brook Buck and sisters Sarah Jane (senior) and Lauren (junior) Connelly. The team made the NCAAs for the 10th consecutive year and faced #46 Iowa in the first round. The women were victorious 4-1 but then fell to #6 Northwestern 4-0 to finish with a record of 15-10. Catrina (ranked #44) was entered in the NCAA singles tournament. She won in the first round, the first Domer to do so since 2001. But she fell in the second round and finished 24-10 for the year. Catrina and Christian were the #6 team in the NCAA doubles bracket. They won in the first round and made the final 16. But they were then upset by #29 TCU. The Thompson Twins finished 28-7. The whole team will be strong next year. They only lose one player who was #6 singles and #3 doubles on the team.
Campus News:
July is a big month for campus construction. The Guglielimo Family Athletics Center is set to open this month, just in time for fall camp for football. The Jordan Hall of Science has its exterior nearly complete. However, there is a full year's worth of interior work and it is not scheduled for completion until July 2006. The buildings that currently house Health Services and the counseling center are undergoing a one-year renovation process that began on July 1. The old security building and post office building will temporarily house the health services and counseling center. Apparently the University has not officially indicated what will be done with the old NDSP and post office buildings once the counseling center and health center move back into their original buildings. Last I heard, the NDSP building would be razed to make room for a new hotel on campus that will face St. Mary's Lake and lie between Carroll and Lyons Halls. The grapevine has also indicated that the old post office land will be claimed by a Law School expansion.
And construction continues south and east of campus. The Logan Center has been demolished and the new road south of campus is running through it. Stormwater sewer pipe, inlets, manholes, curb & gutter and the initial asphalt layers have gone in on the new roads south and east of campus. Also the main entry to campus is getting a facelift. Remember that earth mound with the monogram "ND" in flowers straight south of the Dome? That's gone. As are two houses across the street from where the mound used to be. Forms are currently up and the look will be dramatically different with large, solid structures. Supposedly the main approach to campus will be enhanced with gates at the intersection of Angela Boulevard. Finally, have you seen the Spring 2005 development newsletter the University sent out? It's called "Notre Dame Now." It has this sketch showing planned enhancements to the intersection of Notre Dame Aveune and Holy Cross Drive.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
Greetings, Gipplings! It seems that since the last "Campus Watch" was published, Uncle Gipp stirred up just a little bit of controversy. Apparently my colleagues at "The Irish Rover" didn't take too kindly to one of the Gipp's comments about their opinions of the fairer sex. The editors even accused the Gipp of implying that "The Irish Rover"s female staff members have been brainwashed by the patriarchal culture. To be honest, the Gipp isn't even sure what this means. Now, I love a good clash of words and wit, but come on guys (and girls, of course): Take a joke! You might not have noticed, but "Campus Watch" has never been too strong on intelligent political and social commentary (or on humor, in some people's opinions). If you're going to hand out as many disses as you do, you should be able to take a few in return.
Hall Notes:
Last week we reported on the newly adopted daughter of Kevin Hoffman '95. And now we have some photographs to share.
Kathleen Rae was born on December 15. That thatch on top of her head is so thick that she is fully expected to revive '80s hair bands with her future fountain of locks. The other snapshot was taken at a Pittsburgh Pirates game. Because Kathleen Rae is adopted she'll never have Kevin's signature red hair. The new mom, Cathy, is immediately left of Kevin. Grandma and Grandpa are also getting in on the action.
NDSportscenter:
"Take me out to the ball game..." So sang Coach Charlie Weis at a Cubs game this summer. And his son was able to throw out the first pitch. That's just a snippet of Charlie's summer. He has said he is in favor of getting instant replay. Weis has allowed backup offensive tackle John Kadous to transfer. The 6'7", 310 lb lineman from Tucson saw no playing time as a frosh. Word is wide receiver Chris Vaughn will not be back this fall and will seek another school. Charlie has welcomed three back to the team after suspensions. Back in the mix are sophomore defensive end Ronald Talley, senior offensive lineman James Bonelli, and defensive back LaBrose Hedgemon.
Before this baseball season began, eight recruits were signed for next year. The class was only ranked 21st but we landed the third best thirdbaseman, the fourth best catcher, and the eighteenth left-handed pitcher. The others were in the top 100 in their respective positions. This year's team struggled but finished strong. The squad won its fourth consecutive Big East title, an unprecedented achievement. They did so as a #3 seed and automatically made the NCAAs with a less-than-stellar 36-22-1 record. They were sent to the Gainsville Regional as the #3 seed. It was our 8th NCAA in a row and 20th overall. We lost to North Carolina 5-1 but beat Stetson 7-4. We got revenge on UNC 3-0 and made the regional final. Florida, though, trounced us 23-3 to end our season at 38-24-1.
The players who excelled were recognized. Junior outfielder Craig Cooper repeated as Big East Batting Champion with an average of .403. Thirdbaseman Brett Lilley was the Big East Rookie of the Year (our 4th in 10 years). He was also a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball magazine (.355 BA). Senior 1B Matt Edwards was 1st Team All Big East. Junior LHP Tom Thornton made the second team. And Cooper was on the 3rd team.
Campus News:
Identity theft is a concern of the University. In the past year 197 incidents of identity theft were recorded in South Bend. The University is taking steps to protect its faculty and students. Institutions have been pressured to increase their security to prevent important personal information from falling into criminal hands. Steps are being taken this summer to enhance the security of the campus community.
Previously the primary identifiers of faculty and students were Social Security Numbers (SSNs). Starting in June the University began issuing new identifiers called "ndID." This will replace SSNs on class rosters and lists. SSNs will still be used for functions related to admissions and financial aid, but will be kept separate from other personal data. This plan has been in place for years. The switch is being timed to correspond with significant upgrades to many of the University's data services this summer.
These steps are not being taken in response to any specific incidents of identity theft on campus. Students and faculty have actually been requesting these measures. Several incidents have occurred where University databases have been briefly infiltrated by hackers. No personal information was compromised. The breaches of security were quickly fixed. The new ndID adds a new layer of protection. The ndID numbers will be printed on ID cards issued after June 2005.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
A male student - we'll call him Conan - was so inspired by "The Vagina Monologues" and its message of love for the female sexual anatomy that he decided to join the cause. Our hero joined forces with a female compatriot - we'll call her Xena - to demonstrate his prowess in the art of Vagina Warrior-ing. Conan put up a good fight - much to the chagrin of his roommate who was trying to sleep in the same room but was instead treated to a night filled with "battle cries" - but Xena was unimpressed. When Conan asked her how he "measured up," she told him his battle skills only were "decent." Our dejected hero apparently spent the next week moping around campus complaining about the "[loose-moraled women]" on campus. Take the Gipp's advice: Don't give up, son. Keep fighting the good fight.
Hall Notes:
Kevin Hoffman '95 reporting for duty. A few weeks back it was mentioned that Kevin recently adopted a baby girl. Kevin and Cathy '96, his wife since 1997, adopted Kathleen Rae on December 30, 2004. She was born on December 15. Quite the Christmas for Kevin and Cathy. Hmm....Cathy and Kathleen. Potentially, Cathy and Kathy. I'm guessing they'll stick with Kathleen. The family calls Pittsburgh home. Kevin was an electrical engineer at ND and is now a senior software engineer at MAYA Design. There is a possibility of grad school in '06 to earn an MS in Industrial Engineering. Mr. Hoffman is also the president of the Notre Dame Club of Pittsburgh for 2005-06. If any Vermin are planning to hit the football opener at Pitt, check out the ND Club setup for the game. (www.ndpittclub.com)
NDSportscenter:
Soccer stud Katie Thorlakson is up for an ESPY Award. Go to the following link and read about it and then go vote for her....
http://und.collegesports.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/062505aaa.html
Chris Thomas was not selected in the NBA Draft. Back to the drawing board.
Not surprisingly Torin Francis withdrew his name from the NBA Draft. He is now in summer school. Francis withdrew himself on June 21. He had to notify the NBA and fax every single team to let them know he was bowing out. After receiving the facsimilies, 30 teams had themselves a good laugh since they wouldn't have picked him anyway.
Other basketball news: Megan Duffy is 1 of 16 finalists for the 2005 U.S. World University Games Team. She goes back into training on July 28. The team will then be whittled down to 12....Dennis Latimore has acquired a Los Angeles agent and will try out for a European league in Germany....Jordan Cornette has the same agent as David Graves and will also tryout for Europe.
The softball team was again consistent in its performance. Pitcher Steffany Stenglein set a school single-game record with 19 strikeouts. Yet the team lost 2-1 to Seton Hall. Steffany was strong all year and was the Big East Pitcher of the Year. Senior Megan Ciolli also was recognized. She was named 3rd Team All-American after hitting .386 with 71 hits, 11 doubles, 28 RBIs and 32 stolen bases. For the tenth straight year, the team won the Big East regular season (41-11, 16-2). And for the second year in a row they fell to Seton Hall in the Big East Tournament. Despite the loss, the ladies received an at-large bid to the NCAAs. Even more surprising was that for the first time ever, ND hosted an NCAA Regional. Louisville, Northwestern, and Albany came to town. The women were one win away from advancing in the double-elimination regional. Unfortunately Northwestern beat us back-to-back (4-1, 4-3) to end our season with a record of 46-15.