WATCH: Star-Filled Notre Dame Zoom Meeting

The fun started with Lou Holtz and Digger Phelps jumping on a Notre Dame Zoom meeting but it certainly didn’t end just there!

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before…

Lou Holtz and Digger Phelps log into a Zoom meeting…

And Justin Tuck, Rudy, Tim Brown, Raghib Ismail, Ian Book, Hannah Storm, Brandon Wimbush and a ridiculous amount of other former Notre Dame stars are there to join them.

That’s exactly what happened Tuesday night and the Twitter account @NDLoyal was there to share it with all.

Every Zoom call I’ve ever been on I find myself being like Ian Book is for the majority of that two minutes.

Pretty cool to see that many familiar faces getting together on a random Tuesday night.

NFL Draft: Tony Jones, Jr. Goes Undrafted, Signs with Saints

Jones finished his Notre Dame career with 1481 rushing yards (28th in school history) and 12 scores.  He added another 273 yards receiving, 51 of which came on the play that sealed a 12-0 regular season in 2018.  Why not watch that again?

I didn’t think it was a longshot but I did think it’d be a bit of an upset if Notre Dame running back Tony Jones, Jr. was selected in this years NFL Draft.  Jones unfortunately did not hear his name called in the seven rounds this weekend but did find a new home, signing as an un-drafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints.

Matt Freeman of Irish Sports Daily had the news Saturday afternoon.

Jones finished his Notre Dame career with 1481 rushing yards (28th in school history) and 12 scores.  He added another 273 yards receiving, 51 of which came on the play that sealed a 12-0 regular season in 2018.  Why not watch that again?

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0EX041dKQw&w=560&h=315]

That Boykin block will always be one of my favorite moments in watching Notre Dame football.  Jones also finished his Fighting Irish campaign with a bang, setting a Camping World Bowl record for longest run in the history of the game.

All the best to Jones with a Saints team that is about to enter a very interesting time for the franchise.

Notre Dame/Mike Brey Welcome Newest Two New Players

Tony Sanders, Jr. announced his commitment to Notre Dame 12 days ago and joins fellow incoming freshmen Elijah Taylor and Matt Zona while over the weekend Santa Clara transfer Trey Wertz committed to the Fighting Irish.  Of the latest additions, Mike Brey said the following during Tuesday’s media availability.

Notre Dame officially announced the additions to a pair of basketball players Tuesday, a couple of players that came into the fold in the last couple of weeks.

Tony Sanders, Jr. announced his commitment to Notre Dame 12 days ago and joins fellow incoming freshmen Elijah Taylor and Matt Zona while over the weekend Santa Clara transfer Trey Wertz committed to the Fighting Irish.  Of the latest additions, Mike Brey said the following during Tuesday’s media availability.

“As we officially add Tony and Trey today, it is a great shot in the arm for our program,”

On Sanders, Jr.:

“Tony is compared to Ty Nash and that is quite a compliment. He is a 6-7 guy who just knows how to play and is good with the ball. I think he is going to be a great four-year investment for us. He has a feel for the game and athletic ability. He has been well-trained as a high school player.”

On Wertz:
“I am very excited about Trey. He is one of those guards in a long, long line of great guards we have had. I don’t know if he is a ‘one,’ or a ‘two,’ or a ‘two-and-a-half,’ or a ‘three,’ or whatever – he is a basketball player. He is a feel-for-the-game guy with a great skill set.  

“Trey is 6-5 but he has a 6-11 wingspan. He is 180 (lbs) but by the time he takes the floor for us he will be 195 or 200. I knew we were in good shape when he texted us during the process and said ‘Coach, I have been on Synergy, do you see me playing like Jerian Grant in your system?’ I said, bingo! Yes. He is a great fit for us.”

Between 2007 and 2017 Notre Dame appeared in the NCAA Tournament eight of 11 seasons before missing the tournament (would have missed 2020 with anything short of an ACC Tournament Championship) each of the last three seasons. Here’s to hoping Sanders and Wertz are in fact that shot in the arm that ends that slump sooner than later.

Report: Pat Connaughton To Participate in NBA Slam Dunk Contest

Pat Connaughton of the Milwaukee Bucks will be participating in the annual Slam Dunk Contest

Notre Dame may only currently have one player on an active NBA roster but that one player will be in the spotlight this coming All-Star Weekend as Pat Connaughton of the Milwaukee Bucks will be participating in the annual Slam Dunk Contest.

Shams Charania of The Athletic released that news on Monday:

A few of the responses are incredibly predictable:

LMFAOOO TRASH

You gotta be kidding me lol

white men can’t jump lmao

What?

Huh

Those that watched him at Notre Dame remember his athleticism but in case you’ve forgotten, here’s some of his best from 2018-2019:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjEDre8tyQY&w=560&h=315]

Connaughton averages 17.8 minutes per game for the league-best, 42-7 Bucks.  He’s averaged 4.9 points per game this season and over four rebounds per outing.