Irish Insights

And...We're Gone Again

It's been nice, y'all, being back here for a week. But I've got vacation to take to get ready and decompress before the 2007 season starts on Aug. 6 with media day. So, I'm taking a month off.

I might pop back on here from time to time if something of importance comes up or there is some piece of news or tidbit that is too good not to share, but otherwise, the rest of The Journal Gazette's fine staff will take care of things in my absence.

I return July 23. Be ready. We're gonna do some new things this season. And if you're in New York, look for me.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Blanton Commits

Notre Dame picked up its 15th commitment for the Class of 2008 when Robert Blanton verbally declared for the Irish while on the South Bend campus for an unofficial visit.

We were unable to reach Blanton, but caught up with his parents back in North Carolina, who were pretty jazzed about the whole thing.

"I knew it was really where he wanted to be," said his mother, Kathrine Edwards.

Blanton's commitment continues a steadily-improving line of defensive backs from the Carolinas, joining corners Gary Gray (South Carolina, 2007) and Raeshon McNeil (North Carolina, 2006). It also shows the vast improvement in recruiting by new defensive coordinator Corwin Brown. He's been an influence on many of the kids Notre Dame has signed and Blanton's dad, Robert Edwards, confirmed the case again here.

Even if Brown struggles early in putting together his new 3-4 defense, commitments like these are reason enough for Weis to have hired him. He clearly is giving Notre Dame an extra recruiting spark.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

More Hoops News -- Falls, Zeller

Former Notre Dame guard Colin Falls is heading to Europe to continue his pro career.
The all-time three-point leader for the Irish and the Big East Conference signed to play with Upea Capo, a team in the highest division of Italian basketball, the South Bend Tribune reported.
What helps Falls is his application for dual citizenship in Ireland, which makes him a player that doesn't count against the American player cap for teams in Europe. We're hoping to have more from Falls soon.

And Luke Zeller is heading back overseas this summer as well. The Washington native and former Indiana Mr. Basketball is playing his second straight summer with an Athletes In Action college team. This year, Zeller is headed to Australia as part of a 10-man team including  Matt Hall  (Texas-Pan American); Jay R. Strowbridge (Nebraska); Jason Holsinger (Evansville); Josh Carter (Texas A&M); Wes Johnson (Iowa State); Jay Watkins (San Francisco); Jimmy Graham (Miami, Fla.); Ray Shafer (Oregon) and Michael Niemi (Southern Methodist).
Last year, Zeller played for Athletes In Action as part of the team that won the William Jones Cup in Taiwan.
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Kyle's Back -- And Talking

Notre Dame point guard Kyle McAlarney ended his silence Wednesday and seemed to express remorse about his marijuana arrest last season and subsequent semester-long suspension from Notre Dame.
We wrote about it for Thursday's Journal Gazette -- check it out -- but we figured we'd hit on some other highlights not in the story.

The funniest part of the news conference came not from McAlarney but from Irish head coach Mike Brey, who fired off one-liners in between his point guard taking questions.
When a reporter asked McAlarney about taunts he expects to hear next year -- we're sure if he heads to Syracuse, DePaul, Marquette, Connecticut or Louisville they'll be out in force -- he responded that he is looking forward to it.

"It's going to drive me a little more and the guys are teasing me about it but I'm excited about it and I'm excited to hear what comments come out of other players' mouths," McAlarney said.
Then Brey -- always good for news conference gold -- jumped in, mocking himself and his mocks.
"It's about time they get on you and lay off me," Brey said. "I've heard enough of that, not wearing a tie in all these arenas."

McAlarney also talked about his role playing with sophomore guard Tory Jackson, who took over the team in McAlarney's absence. The two talked while McAlarney was suspended, but it rarely became an advice-giving session.

"He didn't even need that," McAlarney said. "He knew what he needed to do and did it. I was just there for encouragement and when they didn't play as well as they should have, I was there to pick his head up because he really led the team to where they got. He didn't need any of that but at the same time we did talk a little bit about this year coming up and how excited we were to play with each other and talking about how we're going to be the best backcourt."

Anyway, McAlarney's back -- but we likely won't be hearing from him again until media day in October.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Out on a Lidge -- and other linkage

Brad Lidge has been an interesting case since 2005. The Houston Astros closer-turned struggling reliever-turned closer hasn't appeared to be the same since Albert Pujols crushed a home run against him in the 2005 NLCS. Closers can be fickle that way, but before the home run, the former Notre Dame standout was one of the league's best. ESPN's Eric Neel talked to Lidge, trying to find out exactly what is going on.

How hard is it for schools to recruit in Georgia? Check out the Atlanta Journal Constitution's list of the Top 50 players in the state. One of the few to leave -- Omar Hunter, who is headed to Notre Dame.

Former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn and new teammate Joe Thomas threw out the first pitch at a Cleveland Indians game Monday. The Plain Dealer reports Thomas was -- to steal a Bob Uecker phrase from Major League -- "just a bit outside."
Quinn barely missed the plate after going through a full windup but did lose a shoe.

And while not Notre Dame relevant, we here at Insights want to send our condolences to the family of Indiana football coach Terry Hoeppner.  Hoeppner died this morning after complications from a brain tumor.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Harden To Transfer From Notre Dame

Sophomore forward Joe Harden is transferring from Notre Dame, the South Bend Tribune first reported on its Web site on Tuesday morning.

Stuck behind senior starters Russell Carter and Colin Falls along with then-sophomore Ryan Ayers for minutes, Harden played sparingly in 14 games last season. He made six shots and scored 17 points in 2006-07. With Carter and Falls graduating, it appeared minutes might open up for the 6-foot-7 Acampo, Calif., native, but he didn't want to stick around and find out.

Harden initially chose Notre Dame over San Diego, Loyola Marymount and UC-Davis.

"I never got the chance as a freshman and that was fine for one year," Harden told the South Bend Tribune. "But I didn't want to wait another whole year and then have only two years (of eligibility) left."

The Tribune reported Harden will look to transfer to a school closer to California. Harden will have three years of eligibility remaining when he makes his transfer decision. If he decides to transfer to another Division I school, he'll have to sit out the 2007-08 season. If he goes Division II or III, he can play immediately.

Harden's departure opens up a second scholarship for Notre Dame's upcoming recruiting cycle, which could help the Irish balance classes as it has only one senior -- forward Rob Kurz -- for next year.

What his decision also might do is force Notre Dame coach Mike Brey to play one of the freshmen he might have looked to redshirt with extra depth.

"We appreciate Joe's contributions during the last season," Brey said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. "We understand the decision he has made and wish him nothing but the best in the future."

The last Notre Dame player to transfer was forward Omari Isreal, who went to Loyola (Md.) and started 23 games for the Greyhounds last season, averaging 9.1 points.
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

A Strong Guy Hire With Weis Connections

Notre Dame hired James Seacord, the former defensive line coach at Division I-AA Gardner-Webb University, to become an assistant coach for strength and conditioning.
It seems like Charlie Weis was able to bring another one of his guys in. Seacord worked at South Carolina under Joe Morrison at the same time Weis was in Columbia, S.C. His bio on the Gardner-Webb Web site doesn't give any indication of his role with the Gamecocks, but it is likely they both spent time on the defensive side of the ball.
Seacord, who is from Charlotte, coached at South Mecklenberg (N.C.) High and helped bring along linebacker Roman Phifer, who played with the New England Patriots while Weis was there. Interesting and random fact about Phifer we found interesting -- his middle name is Zubinski. It isn't for his mother's maiden name or anything. His dad, Phifer's bio says, picked it out of the phone book.
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Some linkage...

So everyone knows about Jimmy Clausen and Armando Allen and Tim Tebow and all of their early entry excitement to Notre Dame and Florida, respectively. But for every trend, there is a first and CBS Sportsline wrote about him.
Cleveland Browns fans surely remember the name Eric Zeier. He was another in a forgettable line of quarterbacks that eventually could be the bridge from Bernie Kosar and Vinny Testaverde to Brady Quinn. Well, Zeier, as Dennis Dodd writes, helped start the trend, becoming the first player of note to enroll early -- this time at Georgia in 1991. It's the start of what should be an interesting series by Sportsline.

Also, some Russell Carter praise from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and staff writer Gary Washburn, who said the former Notre Dame basketball guard worked out for the Sonics on Sunday. The East Valley (Ariz.) Tribune said Carter worked out for Phoenix  and Hoopshype.com had Carter going with the No. 47 pick to Washington in its June 7 mock draft. Same goes for Chris Ekstrand of SI.com.

This final link will make you cry.  Considering yesterday was Father's Day, we wanted to include Wright Thompson's story about him, his father and the game of golf.  It's not about Notre Dame, but it's the rare story we'll label a "have-to" read. Thank us later and more important, thank Wright.

Oh, and in lacrosse land, women's senior attacker Meghan Murphy won the community awareness award from the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Association after helping, among other things, to coordinate a five-day trip to help rebuild the Ninth Ward in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Akers Moving Up Volleyball World

Former Notre Dame volleyball player Angie Akers -- she was Angie Harris while she was in South Bend and when he played high school ball in Fort Wayne -- is going to be representing the United States in the Pan American Games along with her playing partner, Brooke Niles Hanson. 
Akers and Hanson finished fifth in Atlanta a couple weeks ago and she wrote on her blog that she's heading to Kosovo on Wednesday to visit two Army bases. When we talked with her last season, she kept mentioning patience and that good things would happen to her. Looks like a year later, that's finally starting.
She'll be close to Notre Dame again in August when the AVP Tour returns to Chicago from Aug. 2-5.
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

We're Baaaaccckkk

So it's been a while since we've been able to really write here, about two months actually. Hopefully, you haven't forgotten about us as we've had periodic postings from others in the newsroom when time dictated.

But now -- at least until Friday -- Insights has returned from the special projects sabbatical.
Here's what we missed -- and what could be coming up in the future.

Former Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija is still in Class A ball -- and still blogging. The pitcher went from the rotation to the bullpen, but after a couple strong outings is heading back to the rotation, starting tonight (Monday). In the past week, he's also talked about his cleats, his feelings on the U.S. Open (we agree, the rough was unbelievable.) and posted some highlight videos.

Quarterback Zach Frazer is looking at schools after coming out as persona non grata in the Irish quarterback derby. ... Jimmy Clausen may or may not have had a "procedure" done on his elbow -- and no one is talking about it. Basketball coach Mike Brey went to Kuwait, and returned safely. ... Notre Dame pitcher David Phelps is throwing in the prestigious Cape Cod League.

Then, of course, there was our story -- which in case you missed it is linked here -- about how much Notre Dame paid Charlie Weis from July 1, 2005-June 30, 2006. The most interesting thing, though, is how much the school is still paying former coach Tyrone Willingham. The $650,000 is a fairly large sum for a man making over $1,000,000 a year at another school. Weis' figure of $565,566, though, is JUST what Notre Dame pays him. He almost certainly brings in money from other avenues which probably boost his salary over the $1-2 million range. We're more curious to see how much the university will list him at next year, when his extension will have certainly kicked in.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette