A Taste o' Notre Dame

A small group of reporters stood in the hallway by Notre Dame's indoor practice facility a few moments ago, waiting for their limited chance to film and observe the Golden Domers. Unlike USC, whose practices are open to the media, Notre Dame restricts access to the first few minutes while the team warms up.

Just as the doors swung open, a familiar refrain began to bellow -- and it wasn't the Notre Dame Victory March. Instead, Tribute to Troy and Fight On boomed on a continuous loop through the facility's PA, getting the Irish used to the sound of the invading Trojans. So used to it, in fact, they mockingly booed when the CD stopped short.

Coach Charlie Weis patrolled the warm-ups with a calm swagger, spinning his whistle around and chit-chatting with players and NFL scouts. He joked about the music, saying they could expect some East Coast tunes in the future. A source familiar with the program said Weis is a big fan of Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen.