News & Views

*The Notre Dame football Junior Day drew quite a crowd this past weekend, with an excess of 60 prospects taking in the campus, featuring a stop to watch the men’s basketball win over Syracuse. There was no major movement with respect to commitments or even official offers. That is consistent with the approach Charlie Weis and his staff are taking this year. That approach seems to involve extended evaluation periods with the offers going out at a slower pace than last year; this should not be construed as a bad thing or a slow start.

Well, it is a slow start, but by design. The kids who do hold offers (whether verbal or written) are among the best in the nation at their respective positions. Isaac Holmes, the huge, hard hitting defensive tackle from Hoboken, NJ, was kind enough to join Ryan O’Leary on Irish Tuesdays last night and he is one of those young men the Irish really covet. He is a smart, dedicated, hard working and productive prospect who could help right away if need be.

Laws should see his draft stock rise thanks to his performance at the NFL combine.

Like a few of the other top prospects, Holmes has a long list of pursuers, including Miami, Florida, Oklahoma and USC. Notre Dame will never be a sure-thing in such recruiting races, but the important factor is that they legitimately waging battle with the recent top programs in America. That was truer on paper over the last decade or so, whereby the Irish would offer many of the same players as USC, Michigan and Ohio State, but were often never really major factors.

*Former place kicker DJ Fitzpatrick has signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills. That is great news for a young man who worked his way into a very solid career at Notre Dame and who has been difficult to replace. Congratulations to him and to each former Irish player hoping to make a 2008 NFL roster.

*Speaking of such people, the NFL Combine has been in full swing this week in Indianapolis with mixed results for former Notre Dame players. John Carlson ran a relatively slow 40-yard dash and just does not seem to be back in top shape since missing the Senior Bowl with a food borne illness. However, the players who did well actually did really well.

Trevor Laws had an absolute monster senior season, so much so that had the All-American Teams named 1st-22nd teams, he would have been an “Honorable Mention.” (Yes, I am still bitter about the lack of respect his efforts received.) The feeling was that he was so productive on the field but would look relatively bad on paper. That is not the case. He measured at 6-foot-3/4 of an inch tall, which is marginally taller than Sedrick Ellis, with whom everyone has been in love and whose height never gets mentioned as a negative. Laws also finished third in the total number of bench presses (35) among all competitors. He ran a very solid 40. Trevor might sneak into the First Round this year.

Tom Zbikowski came in looking very solid and ran a very solid 4.52 40-yard dash. He is impressing with his overall athletic ability and nobody has ever questioned his toughness. Zibby will not go very high on the first day of the NFL Draft, but he will very likely hear his name that Saturday in the Second or possibly Third Round.

*Roger Clemens’ defense team, which is what his lawyers are quickly becoming, was dealt several blows this week with more damaging evidence that Clemens was less than truthful in his Congressional Hearings. The good news is that the insanity defense might be in play.

*Former Notre Dame football and baseball player Jeff Samardzija is looking good so far in Spring Training according to his own website. He is throwing well and consistently and feeling good physically, something he was unable to say at this time last year. He absolutely has a chance to make it the “Show” at some point during this season. If not, he should be squarely in the mix next year.

*Jeff Manship is entering into a very important season for him. He was a steal for the Minnesota Twins two years ago and had a tremendous rookie campaign in pro ball last season. However, the only question surrounding his development has been the health of his right arm. With Major League “stuff” since high school, Manship has a great chance to remain on the fast track to the Majors if he has another good season after one in which he pitched the most innings of his life.

*The Irish men’s basketball team has its biggest game of the year, arguably, at Louisville tomorrow night. Brey’s boys took care of business at home versus Pittsburgh and Syracuse last week. Those games were the ones this team would lose in the past. Now, with sophomore tough guys Tory Jackson and Luke Harangody willing them to wins, and Kyle McAlarney shooting them to wins, the Irish have a good shot at winning the Big East’s regular season crown.

Louisville has come into its own the past several weeks and nobody in the conference is playing better. The challenge is daunting, but if the Irish can get the win on Thursday night, it might be even bigger than sitting alone with Georgetown at the top of the Big East. Winning big games on the road and possibly finishing the regular season on a winning streak could get Notre Dame a favorable seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Should they finish the regular season in first place and reach the finals of the Big East Tournament, the Irish could get a No. 2 seed.

*The women’s team played a great game last week at Rutgers, perhaps the best team in America, then won two straight games on the road. Muffet McGraw’s Irish squad has a good NCAA seeding in front of it as well. The future is even brighter, but this season still has much promise.

*The hockey team finds itself squarely on the NCAA bubble because of its poor play as of late. The Irish still have a decent chance of getting an at-large bid, but a win or two this weekend against Western Michigan would certainly help. Further, winning their Quarterfinal CCHA Playoff series would help solidify Notre Dame’s resume. Jeff Jackson’s aggressive scheduling should also play in the Irish’ favor if they are trying to distinguish themselves from other bubble teams.

*Finally, congratulations to Notre Dame’s Fencing teams on their great seasons. There is not a more consistent program in the nation.