Tag: Pete Sampson

Riley Leonard once lit up clueless pickup basketball player at Duke

How would you feel if this happened to you?

In spite of our better judgment, we often find ourselves reading the vitriol known as internet comments. They tend to be bad enough that we question whether there’s any good left in humanity. Once in a while though, we get a comment that’s wildly entertaining.

Pete Sampson, Notre Dame’s beat reporter for The Athletic, was looking through the comments for a story he did about [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag]. What he found was someone recalling a firsthand encounter with Leonard during his days at Duke, and it occurred in the most humiliating way possible. Sampson decided to share the comment on social media:

This is a reminder that athletes who compete at a high level often are able to excel at multiple sports, not only the one they focus on. Heck, there are multiple examples throughout history of athletes turning professional in more than one sport.

Leonard probably won’t be switching to basketball, but we now have an idea of how he would do. At least we know how we would do against random pickup players.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Notre Dame beat reporter pictures Kevin Harlan at Notre Dame Stadium

Every Irish fan should love this possibility.

The schedule for the 2025 College Football Playoff is out along with the TV networks covering each game. One thing you’ll immediately notice is that TNT is one of those networks, getting two first-round games. It’s surprising obviously, but the network having these games in the future would soften the blow of potentially losing its longtime NBA coverage in 2025.

Kevin Harlan is one of the biggest names associated with TNT, and that wasn’t lost on Pete Sampson, Notre Dame’s beat reporter for The Athletic, when he tweeted the following:

It goes without saying, but Harlan is a national treasure. The fact that we even can think about him calling a game at Notre Dame Stadium is enough to make one giddy.

Just think about Harlan describing an iconic moment in Irish history as the South Bend faithful go absolutely nuts in the cold December air. If there is any justice in this world, this will happen.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Social media reacts to Audric Estime scoring second touchdown

He is so good.

If this is to be [autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag]’s final game with Notre Dame, he’s determined to go out with a bang. For the second time in the first half against Stanford, he scored a touchdown to put the Irish in front. Yes, it’s shocking to hear that the Cardinal have led more than once, but the Irish have turned the ball over three times. Nonetheless, he ran to the end zone from 6 yards out here:

Irish fans are running out of superlatives on how to describe Estime. As long as he’s on his game, his team has a very good chance of winning. It doesn’t matter how well the opposition plans for him or how much better it is than Estime’s team. He is going to factor in the outcome, and all opponents can do at that point is watch.

Here are some of the best reactions on social media that were tweeted after Estime’s second score:

Social media reacts to Jaden Greathouse’s touchdown reception

This kid has a bright future for the Irish.

Obviously, Notre Dame does not want a repeat of being upset against Stanford last year. The possibility of that was raised after the Cardinal recovered a lost kick return and soon went ahead, 13-7. But the Irish aren’t ready to concede anything as they responded with a touchdown on the ensuing possession. [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] found [autotag]Jaden Greathouse[/autotag] in the end zone for a 15-yard completion:

Greathouse has had one amazing debut season for the Irish. It’s clear that the program’s receiving corps for the next few years will feature him frequently, and there’s no reason to think otherwise. Hartman should think himself lucky that he’s had the opportunity this season to throw to a receiver like him. Heck, the receiving position itself soon will be even stronger with [autotag]Cam Williams[/autotag] about to enroll at Notre Dame.

Here’s how social media reacted to the latest of many highlights Greathouse had had this season:

Social media reacts to Tobias Merriweather’s 35-yard touchdown catch

Nice catch.

Notre Dame is finding itself in a fight it likely didn’t anticipate having against Wake Forest. The Deacons are proving to be a formidable opponent for the Irish, and they’ll have to make sure that changes in the second half. For now though, there are some good things about the first half to talk about. Specifically, there’s this 35-yard touchdown pass from [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] to [autotag]Tobias Merriweather[/autotag] to put the Irish up, 14-7:

This is Merriweather’s second touchdown of the season and his first since scoring against Central Michigan two months ago. He has played in every game this season but has found limited success. This touchdown has to feel like a relief for the sophomore receiver, who hopefully will have more opportunities to succeed in the future.

Social media reacted to Merriweather’s touchdown and probably didn’t anticipate that he would be the one to catch a pass like that coming in:

Social media reacts to Xavier Watts interception to set up touchdown

There we go.

Notre Dame was looking for a spark against Clemson. It finally came in the form of a [autotag]Xavier Watts[/autotag] interception on the first possession of the second half. Watts snagged a deflected pass out of the air and returned it 33 yards to the Tigers’ 2-yard line. [autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag] promptly ran into the end zone to cut the Tigers’ lead to 24-16:

Watts’ interception was his seventh of the season, the most of anyone in the country. Unfortunately, the momentum gained from the aforementioned sequence didn’t last. When the Tigers took the ball back, they moved it as well as they did for most of the first half. They ultimately got those surrendered points back on a touchdown from Phil Mafah, making the score 31-16.

Despite the disappointment that followed, fans still were excited to see Watts come up with the football yet again. Here’s how social media reacted to his latest big play:

Social media reacts to Jaden Mickey interception return for touchdown

Only one in a series of big plays for the Irish.

This listicle began as one where social media reacted to [autotag]Jadarian Price[/autotag]’s touchdown to open Notre Dame’s third-quarter scoring. Here’s the play just so we have it on the site:

But just as work was beginning on the price listicle, a little-known Irish cornerback named [autotag]Jaden Mickey[/autotag] picked off Christian Veilleux for the first interception of his collegiate career. He also turned that interception into points, returning it 43 yards to the end zone, adding onto the Irish’s growing lead over Pittsburgh:

You always have to love when the players who aren’t as known get to shine in the spotlight. Even if Mickey doesn’t become a star, he’ll at least have plays like this to look back on.

Oh, and while this was being written, [autotag]Ramon Henderson[/autotag] recovered a muffed punt in the end zone for another Irish touchdown:

We could recap all of this right now, but for our purposes, we’ll focus on the play that got most people out of their seats, and that’s the Mickey pick to the house. Here’s how social media reacted to it:

Social media reacts to Xavier Watts’ two first-half interceptions

That’s six picks for him this season.

Christian Veilleux had to know [autotag]Xavier Watts[/autotag] would be one of his biggest challenges when he led Pittsburgh’s offense against Notre Dame. He most certainly did not have two first-half interceptions by Watts in mind. Yet that’s exactly what happened, and they both set up all 14 points scored by the Irish’s offense in the half. The Irish led, 17-0, at the break.

Watts’ first pick set up the touchdown by [autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag]:

This one set up a chip-shot field goal for [autotag]Spencer Shrader[/autotag] right before halftime:

You have to give Watts mad props for emerging as perhaps the one Irish defender you absolutely do not want to mess around with. If you don’t have a half-decent offense, which is the case for the Panthers, players like Watts will make you pay. Watts has done just that, and he’s going to be a major reason the ride back to the Steel City will be a long one.

Here is what social media is saying about Watts:

How social media reacted to Notre Dame-Central Michigan: Irish side

We know you enjoyed the outcome.

Notre Dame’s game against Central Michigan was an appetizer for the one against Ohio State, and everyone knew it. There wasn’t a lot of overall interest in this game, and the fact that it was streamed on Peacock instead of broadcast on NBC is evidence of that. Still, ghe Irish will be happy with the 41-17 victory. At 4-0, they now have all the momentum they need ahead of welcoming the Buckeyes to South Bend.

Irish fans might not have been entirely happy with how their team played the Chippewas. The lead at halftime was only seven with two touchdowns having been allowed. Still, the fact that the Irish allowed only a field goal in the second half showed their ability to regroup when things got tough. They also did this in the win over NC State.

The win brought out the reaction tweets, and here are some of the best ones:

Social media reacts to Sam Hartman scoring touchdown on keeper

Just punch it in.

Notre Dame and its fans were stunned to be up by only one score on Central Michigan at halftime. That the Chippewas scored two touchdowns in one half, let alone the entire game was mind-boggling. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Sam Hartman needed to get something going on the second half’s opening possession to swing momentum back toward the Irish. He did that when he completed a 39-yard pass to Jayden Thomas, advancing the ball to the Chippewas’ 3-yard line. After a pair of 1-yard runs by Audric Estime, Hartman took the ball himself and put the Irish back up by two scores:

Sorry for the bad view of the play, but it was the only one available at the time this was written. In any event, the Irish are back in business. Take a look at some of the best tweets talking about the play that made that a reality: