The turf and music were needed. Thats all progress. Need to get the stadium louder. Making tickets more affordable and telling the ushers to stop making people sit down would help
Name some of your disappointments as a ND fan
- Thread starter theskibro
- Start date
For me 3 stand out
1974. SC 55 - ND 24. Up 24-0 late in the 2nd quarter. It was unreal how quickly it went south
1985 Miami 58 - ND 7. Total beating by the Canes. Humiliating doesn’t even describe how bad it was. Consequently both of these games were played on November 30
1993 BC 41 - ND 39. After a furious fourth quarter comeback by the Irish to take the lead. A dropped interception by Bercich to end the game. BC drives a stake through the heart for a game winning FG ending NDs national title hopes. A cloud of darkness rolled into south bend that fateful evening and hasn’t left.
1974. SC 55 - ND 24. Up 24-0 late in the 2nd quarter. It was unreal how quickly it went south
1985 Miami 58 - ND 7. Total beating by the Canes. Humiliating doesn’t even describe how bad it was. Consequently both of these games were played on November 30
1993 BC 41 - ND 39. After a furious fourth quarter comeback by the Irish to take the lead. A dropped interception by Bercich to end the game. BC drives a stake through the heart for a game winning FG ending NDs national title hopes. A cloud of darkness rolled into south bend that fateful evening and hasn’t left.
Last edited:
Thanks Ski, after reading all these great memories, I have to get a large Irish Whiskey to try to numb mine.
I think the one that hurt me the most was the 1970 Cotton Bowl (after the 1969 season). Notre Dame ended a self-imposed 45-year absence from bowl games that season. I believe that absence was due to concern dating all the way back to the Rose Bowl in 1925 that Notre Dame was being perceived more as a football team than as a university.
We went down to Dallas against #1 Texas and had a 17-14 lead until late in the fourth quarter when the Texas quarterback threw a wounded duck pass on 4th down that one of his receivers was able to catch at our 2-yard line. A play or two later they scored the winning TD with just over a minute left in the game. That was an era when teams just didn't mount touchdown drives with that little time left on the clock. But Thiesmann completed a couple passes before overthrowing one inside the Texas 20 that was picked off.
We went down to Dallas against #1 Texas and had a 17-14 lead until late in the fourth quarter when the Texas quarterback threw a wounded duck pass on 4th down that one of his receivers was able to catch at our 2-yard line. A play or two later they scored the winning TD with just over a minute left in the game. That was an era when teams just didn't mount touchdown drives with that little time left on the clock. But Thiesmann completed a couple passes before overthrowing one inside the Texas 20 that was picked off.
Last edited:
I remember it like it was yesterday. It was fifth and 20. No wait, that's what I drank and how much I smoked during the last quarter.
Attendance has fallen since fake turf and noise-tron were introduced despite the improvement in W-L. It is not hard to see and hear why.
They may not be selling out games, but it’s not like it’s 3/4 quarters full.
And what is fake turf? Is that grass? I mean turf already is fake grass. But fake turf?
Thats funny. Our schedules have gotten weaker. Less attractive to go watch while the cost has gone up.
The people who dont like the noise are the people we should be trying to get out of the stadium. They sit and make no noise themselves. Get them out of there
The price discrimination should have gone on my list of disappointments. I forgot because I don't want to attend games only to have an adzilla-tron assaulting my ears.
There were plenty of boring opponents that sold out before all of Jack's artificial modifications.
And the 2nd part is simply untrue. We want to hear natural sound at appropriate times: the band, the cheers, the whistle etc.
"1. Fake turf
2. Fake noise
3. Fake Irish Guard
4. Fake music
5. Needless additions onto the stadium."
The stadium enhancements were very much needed if ND was going to compete with everyone else. As for the "fake turf" -- that was extremely needed as after the 1st week in October, ND's field looked like -- for a lack of terminology -- a piece of shit! For a program as good as ND's and for those guys to have to play on that, it was disgraceful. It was also becoming a safety issue for the players having to play in that slop.
"Attendance has fallen since fake turf and noise-tron were introduced despite the improvement in W-L. It is not hard to see and hear why."
Outside of the "big-time names" when they come to ND (or at any other school), attendance has fallen all over the college football landscape. The cost of tickets along has dramatically increased. When you start adding on the extra's -- it is not cost-friendly to attend games on a regular basis. It has very little to do with the stadium enhancements.
The killer at ND are three things in my humble opinion. The price of lodging in South Bend for a game is insane. I understand that the hotels are trying to cash in on game days. Also the quality of the schedule is not the best. Also apathy has come over the fan base. Unreal ND fans selling their tickets to big games. No way an Irish fan sells their 1988 ND/Miami ticket. These days fans sell their tickets to Clemson or Oklahoma couple years ago.
Yep, I agree. I'm not going to elaborate on that subject & get banned. Hotel's within South Bend are two night minimum around a 1,000 bucks. Throw in food , drinks, air fare, car rental, & tickets , that's a pricey weekend.
Except Wimbledon. It is more expensive but people remember having an enjoyable and balanced experience there. At college football you are under constant and unnatural bombardment in while watching players wait around on a fake surface. The fans really only remember that they did not enjoy it and do not come back.
Tommy Rees, running away from that cop.....and getting easily caught from behind....
"The killer at ND are three things in my humble opinion. The price of lodging in South Bend for a game is insane. I understand that the hotels are trying to cash in on game days. Also the quality of the schedule is not the best. Also apathy has come over the fan base. Unreal ND fans selling their tickets to big games. No way an Irish fan sells their 1988 ND/Miami ticket. These days fans sell their tickets to Clemson or Oklahoma couple years ago."
you hit the nail on the head --
The price of lodging in South Bend for a game is insane.
Unreal ND fans selling their tickets to big games. These days fans sell their tickets to Clemson or Oklahoma couple years ago. -- Don't forget Nebraska back in 2000 I believe -- what will happen when Ohio State comes to town this year?
Can't get into the schedule too much, especially with all the conference realignment and their requirements, schedules made years in advance (never know if a power will be terrible or vice versa), and, especially who in the last 5-6 years, who is available on available dates.
"The fans really only remember that they did not enjoy it and do not come back"
Fans only remember wins and losses (and the overall cost of the experience of the weekend) -- they can really care less about the playing surface
Tickets are higher here usually than anywhere else. We're always top 3 every year for ticket price. And lodging here is worse than anywhere else I've been for a game
The price of getting on an airplane, a hotel room, rental cars, gas, a ticket to a game or concert, hell, just living period, is way up across the entire United States.
This isn’t just a Notre Dame game day weekend problem.
There is not a single bit of evidence to say that. Poor teams used to sell out all the time. Winning teams are losing attendance right now.
Irishjohn I think it was 1981 Sugar bowl. ND outplayed Georgia. I believe they had 4 turnovers including an unforced fumbled punt. The ND defense was outstanding that year. That was a disappointing loss for sure .
