Free Slaughter: word came down Thursday that the NCAA denied Jamoris Slaughter’s appeal for a sixth year, closing the door on a fine young man’s ND career and throwing a pebble into the still waters of Notre Dame’s post-Signing Day football program.

Five Overtimes: I know, it’s still crazy to read, innit? #NDmbb, then ranked 25 in the nation, took on then 11th ranked Louisville on Saturday in primetime and finished Tuesday morning, knocking off the Cardinals 104-101 after FIVE OVERTIMES. 26 lead changes. The most remarkable minute by a Notre Dame cager ever. FIVE OVERTIMES. Which produced the most remarkable HLS recap EVER.

And How About One More? And as if Five OT’s weren’t enough, Notre Dame played one more on Wednesday, beating DePaul 82-78 at Purcell Pavilion.

Scholar-Athlete: Grant Van De Casteele brought home Big East Male Student-Athlete of the Year Honors to Notre Dame, becoming just the ninth Notre Dame student-athlete to win the award.

Eurotrash: if you are or were a student of European history, then this has been pretty much the greatest month ever. Coming as it did on the heels of finding King Richard under a car park, this week saw the first Pope in 600 years step down. 600 years. And you thought 20 years of irrelevance was bad?

More, please: And the cover of the 2013 Swimsuit Edition was uncovered this week. Does that mean it’s time to retire the Cat Daddy? How about no?

Mardi Gras:in the rest of the world, it was Tuesday. Here in the Crescent City, it was Mardi Gras and the culmination of the Carnival season – a magical time of celebration, almost nightly parades down St. Charles Avenue, Fi Yi Yi and Wild Magnolias, and a lot of beads. Next year, y’all come look me up.

The Booze: one of my marching orders for this post was to continue the practice of recommending a beverage for your enjoyment over the weekend.  That understood, you won’t catch yours truly with a beer in my hand at the Roosevelt’s Sazerac Room.  Instead, you’ll find me sipping one of New Orleans’ signature gifts to the world, the Sazerac. Heck, we invented the cocktail with this drink, so you know it’s good. Follow this recipe and you’ll be in business.

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