Your weekly dose of Notre Dame news, opinion, and other stuff.
Top News
Notre Dame linebacker JD Bertrand is in concussion protocol and doubtful for Saturday’s game against Central Michigan.
Notre Dame has moved up one spot to #9 in the latest AP Poll.
Ian Book has signed to the Patriots practice squad.
Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord is officially QB1 for the Buckeyes.
The Texas-Alabama game was the most watched college football game on ESPN since 2015.
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker has been suspended without pay after allegations of sexual harassment. Defensive back coach Harlon Barnett is currently acting head coach.
The NCAA has received violent threats in the wake of denying North Carolina’s Tez Walker eligibility this year.
UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee is out for a few weeks, according to head coach Guz Malzahn.
UConn starting quarterback Joe Fagnano is out for the year with an injury.
With Alabama falling only to #10 in the AP Poll, they continued their 128-week streak of being ranked inside the top 10. The Tide are now just 10 weeks away from breaking Miami’s record from 1985 to 1993.
ESPN and ABC are back on Spectrum cable after Disney and Charter reached an agreement earlier this week.
Uniform of the Week
Recently, the UTEP Miners unveiled some throwback uniforms that were a mixture of orange and light blue with pretty traditional striping and a fun cartoon-ish miner logo on the helmet and pants. You can see that uniform HERE. They wore them in their week 2 matchup against mighty University of Incarnate Word. What caught my attention more so were these other UTEP throwbacks from a few years ago:
Texas Western College is such a cool name, that alone is an instant upgrade to freaking UTEP. This fresh orange and white uniform is darker than Tennessee but lighter than Texas. It’s a cool color. Also, check out no helmet logo which is also endearing (said the Notre Dame fan). The drip nuts, as the kids say.
Recruiting
Georgia added linebacker Chris Cole (0.9697) out of Salem, Virginia.
One of the nation’s top wide receiver’s Micah Hudson (0.9961) committed to Texas Tech, will he stick?
Defensive lineman Nigel Smith II (0.9586) committed to Oklahoma.
Edge rusher Zina Umeozulu (0.9174) committed to Texas.
Top 2025 offensive lineman Jaelyne Matthews (0.9674) decommitted from Penn State.
YouTube Channel
Bob Barker passed away back on August 26th. You may have seen the jokes that he was 99 years old and got ever so close to 100 without going over. Truthfully, I thought Barker had died several years ago. Turns out I was wrong. It had been 16 years since he hung up his suit and stopped hosting The Price Is Right–I’ve only watched brief episodes since with Drew Carey hosting and for me the game show will always be Barker’s, although I do like Carey a lot, too.
The Price Is Right was a staple of my television experience when being home sick from school. In addition, Press Your Luck and The $100,000 Pyramid were other game shows in the chilling at home rotation. Now, I feel really old. What percent of our 18S readers right now remember those last 2 game shows?
Tunes
Fleetwood Mac in 1973 was in a really weird spot. They were a few years after Peter Green left the group with mental health issues and about 6 months away from a marital cheating scandal within the group nearly ending things for good. They would persevere and a few years later become one of the biggest bands in the entire world after 10 albums. American Bob Welch joined the group in 1971 and would leave in 1974 but before taking off he recorded some bangers, including today’s song “Hypnotized.”
The opening groove by Mick Fleetwood on this track is awesome. I like that they kept in an extra couple bars. Most pop songs would have the other instruments come in at either 6 seconds or definitely 11 seconds from the start. This is an ultimate summer vibes tune. One of music’s greatest travesties is that Welch was never included in Fleetwood Mac’s inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Trivia
Who has the most appearance as the guest picker on ESPN GameDay?
The Other Football
Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is facing a lengthy ban for testing positive for testosterone.
Leo Messi sat out Argentina’s World Cup Qualifier win over Bolivia but is expected back for Inter Miami’s game this weekend against Atlanta United.
England beat Scotland 3-1 in a friendly, as did Germany 2-1 over France. The United States beat Uzbekistan 3-0 last Saturday and Oman 4-0 on Tuesday.
Manchester United’s main shirt sponsor with TeamViewer is ending next season. The club announced a new deal with American firm Qualcomm and will wear its Snapdragon brand across all 3 kits for their soccer teams starting in 2024-25. The deal is believed to be worth $75 million per year.
TV & Movies
Last week, The Ringer’s podcast Rewatchables covered the 2003 film Lost in Translation and made me want to go back and watch it again. It’s currently streaming on Netflix. I’ve always been a huge Scarlett Johansson fan and, as the podcast discusses, it’s kind of a big yikes that she was only 17 when this movie was filmed and 18 when it was released. I find it really weird to watch again years later with young daughters of my own. Johannson’s character is like 23 in the movie and already married for a couple years which is also super young to be stuck in Japan in that situation.
I remember really liking the movie a lot when it came out. On a re-watch 20 years later, I remembered the parts I really liked but found myself more bored overall with things. Amanda Dobbins pointed this out on their podcast, that Bill Murray’s character isn’t staying that long in Tokyo. It makes it seem like he’s burdened with months away from home. Plus, he was a modestly successful actor surely he could have a little more fun in one of the largest cities in the world outside of hanging out with a girl half his age?
A Look Back
This summer I gave up running, decided to pick up cycling, and along the way I’m deep into watching coverage of UCI events from all over the world. This month, in the Tour of Spain (aka the Vuelta) American rider Sepp Kuss has been doing something extraordinary. As one of the world’s best domestique riders for powerhouse team Jumbo-Visma he’s been wearing the red jersey as the general classification leader at the Vuelta for the last 10 stages. But, he goes into Thursday’s race with just an 8-second lead over teammate Jonas Vingegaard (2-time defending Tour de France champion) and a 1 minute and 8-second lead over teammate Primož Roglič. It’s now a very tricky situation.
Jumbo’s two champion riders are objectively better and could win the whole thing but there’s also precedent that teammates don’t attack their teammate if he’s in red, either. Especially this late in the race. In recent stages, they have all but secured a 1-2-3 podium finish (the 4th place rider is nearly 3 minutes back of Roglič) and Kuss is the American feel-good story who has been the ultimate teammate. Kuss has ridden the other grand tours this year (Giro d’Italia and Tour de France) in addition to the Volta Catalunya and UAE Tour. Through Wednesday, Kuss has ridden in 73 days of races and 7,116 miles with god knows how much elevation climbed in 2023. I follow him on Strava and he’ll train in Andorra (where he resides now) with a 120-mile, 12,000 foot climb for breakfast.
At the time of publish, the 18th stage of the Vuelta will be beginning. By as soon as today or tomorrow we’ll know if GC Kuss truly ascends to the mountaintop and wins a Grand Tour after such a long and arduous year of riding.
18S Paddock Club
We are back in the Republic of Singapore for a race that may not be everyone’s favorite but from a visual standpoint is one of the best on the calendar. Last year, Charles Leclerc took pole but was beat to the first corner by Sergio Perez with the Mexican going on to win the grand prix.
Since that race, Max Verstappen has won 16 out of the last 19 races with George Russell (Brazil 2022) and Perez (Saudi Arabia & Azerbaijan 2023) being the only others to stand atop the podium.
Round 15 of 22
Singapore Grand Prix
Date: September 17th
Race: 8:00 AM ET
Location: Marina Bay, Singapore
Circuit: Marina Bay Street Circuit
With only 8 more races remaining in the season, we are entering the final phase of car upgrades in 2023 as teams look to spend more resources on their 2024 offering. Still, there are some key storylines developing this weekend.
There’s a new Technical Directive 018 coming into enforcement this weekend regarding the bottom of the floors but more so the flexing of the front and rear wings. Will it slow down some teams?
Singapore is great for photographers.
They are also making a temporary change to the track as construction near the harbor has encroached on the circuit where the cars used to go underneath the grandstands. That wasn’t always the best section for racing, but again, a really cool visual for the sport. According to reports, this new track layout will remain for the next 5 years.
Instead, when the drivers exit turn 14 (this is that hard braking right hander after the mini-straight following the hairpin left-hander over the bridge) they will bomb down Raffles Avenue for a new straight until a quick left-right turn brings them back to the pits and around to the start/finish straight.
It’s a rather large change to a typically high downforce track. There are still tons of hard braking zones but the new circuit layout offers a lot more full throttle straight line racing.
Trivia Answer:
Charles Barkley, 6 appearances
Bertrand out this weekend, per Freeman.
Sneed’s up as the starter, I hear. Good practice game for him, the athleticism isn’t in doubt, it’s the decision making. And having two other veterans should help him come along.
But let’s hope Bertrand’s back for tOSU!
Kuss has skipped his fair share of arm days. From the waist up, I could have the physique of a professional athlete.
5-11 and 134 pounds with bazookas for legs. No need to carry extra weight up those mountains.
Sure but what if he falls off and has to pick his bike back up?
(I kid… for reference my cycling ability is I ride my wife’s Peloton a few times a year).
Eric, I started cycling again when covid struck and gyms were closed. (running was not an option) I had forgotten how much I liked it and have become obsessed with it. I do in a week what Kuss does “for breakfast” with no mountains. Not bad for an old man and I am certainly not 134 lbs.
The first few days of La Vuelta were crazy due to the weather and poor planning, many crashes. Kuss needs a rebound as he’s looked a bit spent the last couple days.
Did Welch’s songwriting keep F Mac relative for a couple years? He also wrote “Sentimental Lady”.
That’s awesome, good for you!
I had done a few 20-mile rides (typically with 800 to 1,200 feet of elevation) and felt good. I did a 40-miler on Sunday and I paid the price.
Same here in my late 40s. 20-25 miles is pretty doable, pushing 40 is no bueno.
Here is where I drop my hot take that Breaking Away is tied with Hoosiers for the best overall Indiana sports movie, just ahead Knute Rockne All American. Sorry Rudy, you’re a respectable 4th but you don’t make the medal podium.
Not that I’ve done more than a couple 40mile rides(20-25 is my average) but bringing snacks and sports drinks makes it much more doable. A simple snack bar every half hour, after hour one, keeps me from “bonking”. I bring at least one for every ride over 15 mi. I also upgraded my wheels and tires this year, big difference in comfort and the ride in general.
No avoiding a few hills here in central Mass.
What were the tire and wheel upgrades? What bike are you using?
Roval C38 wheels. Vittoria Corsa Next tires. Back in 20′ when I’d been riding again for about 4 months I allowed my self to buy a new bike.(replacing one at least 25 yrs. old) I went with a Fuji Gran Fondo. Carbon with endurance type frame. It might not be what I’d buy now but, I’m more than happy with it. My timing was good as it became quite difficult to find a bike soon after.
That’s awesome, I am eyeing those Roval C38 wheels as well.
They were on sale about 3 months ago. I think for the $825 or so I paid , it would be hard to do better from a name brand company.
I’d like to commend the ND Lacrosse program for their strategy of winning a national title and then absolutely bullying all the other schools on the recruiting trail. 3 5 star commitments in the last 10 days. That’s half of committed 5 stars for the cycle, no one else has more than one.
ND_Atl has been very happy.
In the I don’t really care category:
Some LSU boards’ posters want Brian Kelly fired. LSU would owe $73 mill buyout before 2024.
LSU fans and behavior are ranked as the worst in college football.
LSU fans tailgating has ranked #1 nationally preparing their fanbase for night games.
LSU women’s basketball coach, Kim Mulkey, signed a ten year contract worth $32 mill or $3.2 mill average per year.
LSU womans gymnast, Livvy Dunne, NIL value is $3.2 mill, ranked third in college athletics.
Also, California Regents met finalizing the criteria for UCLA to joint the Big and the mitigation they will pay for the impact on Cal aka the Berkely Tax with costs for the Bears to join the ACC. The Regents decided that UCLA will pay Cal from $2 to $10 milliion per year as mitigation for leaving.
With BIG media money and the settlement with Under Armour, UCLA may erase their $103 million debt after next year. UCLA is expected to bring in between $65 million and $75 million per year in media rights revenue after joining the Big Ten in August 2024
Cal’s once-unthinkable move to the ACC means a pay cut and a life raft
Additionally, UCLA will reportedly pay around $6.3 million per year in academic, nutritional and mental health support for its athletes.
Notre Dame 2016 alum, Brandon Aubrey, won the Cowboys kicking job this year which included kicking a 59 yard FG. In Dallas’ win over the Giants in Week 1, Aubrey kicked two FGs and was 4 of 5 on extra points .
Aubrey went from ND Soccer to the MLS. After his soccer career ended, he utilized his ND degree. But he took 50% pay cut to quit his life as a software engineer to pursue a dream to become a kicker with a USFL team then tried out with Dallas. Aubrey is from Plano.
MLS to NFL: Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey completes 6-year journey
Aubrey graduated in the same class as Jaylon Smith, Fuller, Russell, Procise, Nick Martin, Stanley, Romeo, Sheldon.
The best part of the (“new”) Price is Right is the commercials. Classic.
I always assumed that Bob Barker was a stage name. It was just too perfect for the job of game show host.
Nope, Barker became a barker for almost 50 years.
Need those UTEP unis to be the ND Shamrock Series unis for the next SS game in Texas
USA! USA! USA!