Notre Dame Alumni Club of London

Sugar Bowl Update

I just got off the phone with our friends over at the Sports Cafe and they inform me that they will be showing the Sugar Bowl tomorrow "evening." For those of you lucky enough not to have to go to work on Thursday, the game starts at 1 a.m. Thursday morning (8 p.m. Eastern Wednesday night). Anything you may have heard about a pajama party is a lie.

If you'd like to meet up with others, click Comments underneath this post. Put in your email address, name, short note, etc. This way, you'll know who's going and can make plans accordingly. Check back regularly throughout the day for updates. If you're not keen on leaving your email address up there for long, I can go in and delete the comments later this week, no probs.

If you had enough of the night buses and Trafalgar Square on Monday morning, see if any of the options listed here will work for you. It doesn't look like ESPN GamePlan will be showing the game, but if it does and you use a non-US credit card, enter NA in the Province box to get off the screen.

Thanks, Go Irish, and we look forward to seeing you at our next event!
Krista
ND 96

USC Game Watch

Fellow Domers,

Notre Dame plays USC on Saturday at 5pm California Time.  The Sports Cafe is scheduled to show the game at 1am London time Sunday morning/late Saturday night.  Please note there is a £5 cover charge after 10pm.

Sports Cafe
80 Haymarket (SW1Y 4TE) near Piccadilly Circus

The game may also available on http://www.tvunetworks.com/services/tvviewer.htm
All you need is a PC and an internet connection.

Also, depending on what channel the game is shown on, you can buy the game via ESPN Game Plan. http://proxy.espn.go.com/ncf/gameplan/index. You might need a UK credit card; enter NA for Province on the International Credit Card details page.

Go Irish!  Beat Trojans!

Tad Becchetti (1988)

Purdue? More Like, Purdon't

Hello fellow Children of Notre Dame,

Hopefully we are all emotionally and physically recovered from the Michigan State game, and ready for this weekend!  If not, you still have 2 days to pull yourself together.  For those who didn't watch the game, I highly recommend getting it on DVD if possible, and sitting down with a loved one some evening soon.  It was magical.  Borderline epic.  I know that I for one am proud of Charlie and the boys, and that the term "never give up" has a new meaning!

This week we have another test as the Purdue Boilermakers (led by their giant drum ? ) march into Notre Dame Stadium.  While this isn't the same match up that the past four games have been built up to be, it should be noted that these guys are 4-0 so far this season, and have an incredibly prolific offense.  This could mean that Fighting Irish are going to once again have a battle on their hands and they are definitely going to need our help as they take one step closer to a national championship!

I just got off the phone with a hostess at the Sports Café, who mind you was about as helpful as a screen door on a submarine, and she was able to eventually confirm that indeed the game will be on!  I went there two of weeks ago, and was pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere, and am looking forward to getting down there again this weekend.  However, it should be noted that the turn out was not what I have come to be used to over the past year and a half.  The great thing about this game is that it's at 7:30 our time, so this is a reasonable one to come into the city to watch!  Consequently, I anticipate a much better turnout this week. 

Details:
Time:  7:30
Location:  The Sports Café (just a short walk from Piccadilly Circus)
Attire: Anything Notre Dame
Beer:  Lots of it!

Hope you can make it.  If we haven't met before and you are looking for someone to watch the game with, I'll be the guy wearing a long sleeve shirt that is half white and half green, w/ one white sleeve and one green sleeve, and...well I think you'll be able to pick it out if you are looking for it.  Either way, we try to get a bunch of tables together so we can mix the new folks up with the Sports Café veterans.  It's good fun! 

See you Saturday and Go Irish!!!

Brian McKenna ('04)

Michigan Game Watch Update

Hello Irish Fans!!!!

Before we get in to this, I have an observation.  Have you ever noticed that Lloyd Carr, Phil Mickelson, and Jessica Simpson share a similar pair of physical attributes?  Maybe it's just me, but I sure think Lloyd should look into investing in a couple of manzieres...

Anyway, more pressing matters:  The Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs the University of Michigan Skunkbears!!!!  What a game this should be!   A fall classic in the making and one which will require the efforts of not only Charlie "The Robot Genius" Weis and his tireless squad, but also the efforts of all fans great and small.  What can you do to help?  Show up to the Sports Café on Saturday night!  I have a feeling this evening could rival last years USC night at the Sports Café, however I will have zero shots of bourbon, so don't even ask me!!!! 

I have contacted the Sports Café and they promised that the game will be on. HOWEVER, they would not promise it being on a big screen.  They told me that it would depend on how many people in the bar are interested in watching the game.  This means that you owe it to other alumni and fans, here in London, to turn up and wear all of your Notre Dame apparel.  We will turn the Sports Café into a sea of...Notre Dame stuff...  huh, sounded better when I started that sentence...  But you get the point.  Show up, be loud, and lets get the game up there on the big screen!

Game kicks off at 8:30.  There are 3 other really big games at that time, so I suggest you get there a little early to ensure that you get a good seat and that we can get the game on a big screen.  For those who don't know, it's on Haymarket, right off of Picidilly Circus.  My goal is to get the game on the screen on the ground floor (that's British speak for 1st floor) towards the back, underneath the stairs. 

I really hope everyone can make it!  It's going to be a great time and should be a really great game!!!!

Brian McKenna

How to Watch ND Games in London (And Elsewhere!)

Brian McKenna has suggested a couple of different ways of catching ND games in London...

1. Watch In a Bar: Sports Cafe

2. Watch Online: ESPN Game Plan

3. Watch Online: TV Tuneworks

4. Listen to It Online: UND

5. Watch Online, but Hardware Required: Slingbox (Apparently on sale at Dixon's for 149 quid; 179 at PC World)

Georgia Tech Game Watch

Greetings lovers of all things Notre Dame!

In less 83 hours and 27 minutes the moment we have been awaiting anxiously will be here.  Very, Very Exciting stuff.  Don't forget to wear your ND tie to the office on Friday!

Now, after a frantic day yesterday I have found some useful information regarding watching the game.  Firstly, the Sports Cafe is going to be showing the game at 1 a.m.  Further, assuming there is a group there at 3 a.m. who are cheering on a runaway victory, they will remain open, ensuring a complete games worth of entertainment.  As the Brits would say "Fan-bloody-tastic!!!!"  Now I know that there are some out there who read this and said, "Ah geeze (remember we're all good Catholics and wouldn't say anything worse) the Sports Cafe tests my patience at 8 p.m. before the techno music starts.  I would rather look pictures of Lloyd Carr with his top off than be there at 1 in the morning!"  I know you are out there, and that's ok!  I'm one of the bunch who feel this way.  For those people I think I have found a solution:  http://www.tvunetworks.com/services/tvviewer.htm. 

I tried this last night at my flat and was able to watch ABC no problem.  Now I am in zero ways
guaranteeing that this is going to work!!!!  Please remember that if it isn't working when you try it on Saturday night, that it is also not working for me!!!!  I don't want effigies hanging from the trees on my street on Sunday morning like Guy Faux!  But it appears to be a viable solution.  If it doesn't work you can still listen to it at www.und.com.

I hope that this helps everyone!!!!!

Brian McKenna

ND '04

Notre Dame Football Schedule

Here are details for this fall's football schedule. Game watches generally take place at The Sports Cafe on Haymarket, and the games are usually shown on NASN (North American Sports Network). Call ahead to make sure the Sports Cafe is showing the game, but watch for our e-mails regarding organized game watches. Note that South Bend is now permanently on East Coast time.

Date	Opponent	South Bend Time	London Time
9/2/2006	Georgia Tech	8:00 PM	1:00 AM SUN
9/9/2006	Penn State	3:30 PM	8:30 PM SAT
9/16/2006	Michigan	3:30 PM	8:30 PM SAT
9/23/2006	Michigan State	8:00 PM	1:00 AM SUN
9/30/2006	Purdue	2:30 PM	7:30 PM SAT
10/7/2006	Stanford	2:30 PM	7:30 PM SAT
10/21/2006	UCLA	2:30 PM	7:30 PM SAT
10/28/2006	Navy	12:00 PM	5:00 PM SAT
11/4/2006	North Carolina	2:30 PM	7:30 PM SAT
11/11/2006	Air Force	2:00 PM	7:00 PM SAT
11/18/2006	Army	2:30 PM	7:30 PM SAT
11/25/2006	USC	5:00 PM	10:00 PM SAT

Jan 2, 2006: Fiesta Bowl - UPDATED!

The Sports Cafe on Haymarket (between Picadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square) will be showing the Fiesta Bowl on 2 January at 9:30pm. 

UPDATE:  According to recent updates on the NASN website, it appears they will be airing the game live.  This means that other venues around town that carry NASN might also be showing the game, but note that they may not have a late license to stay open past 11pm.

Nov 5: Irish v. Volunteers

After a week off, the time has come once again for Charlie to lead his team as they march back towards dominance. Please come out to the Sports Cafe* on Haymarket in great fashion and show your support as we take on the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night at 7:30. It is quite possible that this game can be the determinant for the rest of our season, so as much spirit as you can muster up is needed!

NOW THE BIG NEWS: I have managed to get them to commit an area specifically for the alumni. They have not told me where it will be yet, but there will be an area sectioned off so that we can be sure to watch the game together, rather than having to take whatever available seat you can find when you show up, and ending up next to some Michigan State fan who keeps reminiscing of the days when Ty Willingham played for them (Longest sentence ever!). I have already heard from a fair number of alumni regarding this, so I have a feeling it's going to be a good time. Again, remember no little ones under 18, and they do have an offer available on brews and wings.

Go Irish! - Brian McKenna ('05)

*As per usual the Sports Cafe are not "guaranteeing" that the game will be on, but at this point we all know that means it is going to be on.

Oct 22: ND v. BYU

There will be a game watch as per usual at the Sports Cafe tomorrow evening.  Kick-off is at 7:30pm.  Now we all know the routine at this point.  They have said they will not guarantee the game will be on, however, they are again 99% sure it will be.  And for any who have not heard this
routine in the past...these games always end up being shown.  No one under 18, and they will have a special on a tall frosty cold one and an order of wings.

On a side note, it has been mentioned that it may be nice if all of the alumns could sit together at one of these games.  To make that happen we would need to be able to give the Sports Cafe a more definitive number for attendance than "a lot".  So, with the Tennessee game coming up I thought this would get a fair number of us travelling into the city to watch the game.  I will send out another e-mail early next week regarding this, but if you are going to come for the Tennessee game on Nov. 5th  please let me know.  I'll keep a tally and if we get a solid turn out, I'll try to get an area cordoned off for us.

Go Irish,

Brian ('04)