My entire family are alums and coaching staff at BC.
I enrolled in 1986 (simultaneously with coach Holtz) and never looked back
I enrolled in 1986 (simultaneously with coach Holtz) and never looked back
When did you become a ND fan
- Thread starter BGI User 1798
- Start date
1961 or 62'/ I was around 6-7 years old. The Irish just looked Majestic amd I was drawn to them instantly. I have a son who I converted from a Michigan fan about 5 years ago. I don't know how he even became a WOLVERINE fan but I got him to open his eyes to ND.
Sometime in the mid 80's. My college (St. John's) no longer has a football team so I watched them on NBC and liked them. My grandmother was born in Ireland so that helped.
1966 When Terry Hanratty was qb1. The games were televised on Sunday mornings, and I was too young to understand it was a replay. We ended up going to the 2nd Sunday church service so I could watch whole game!! Funny note, Grandpop ended up liking the 2nd service better!!!
My Notre Dame story is unique. My dad and my brother watched the Irish every Saturday because at the time we only had an antenna and the NBC deal allowed them to watch ND. I was adopted from an orphanage in India and when I came over when I was about 2 years old, I got to watch the 1992 season with them.
In 1993, we watched together as normal. A couple days after the Michigan game, my dad suffered a massive heart attack and died in his late 40’s. I was raised by a working class single mom. I was devastated by the loss of my dad and stopped watching ND football. My brother continued however.
When I was about 10, he convinced me to watch the opening game against Texas A&M. We won and I watched every game that season. I became obsessed with the team and I loved ND so much. I watched every year after that and the basketball teams too once we got cable.
As I grew older, I fell in love with the school, it’s academics and spirituality. I worked hard and fulfilled my dream to go to school in South Bend and march in the band. I was able to put myself through school and I’m fortunate to have been able to do that without burdening my mom. Notre Dame has been a tremendous aspect my life and I’m beyond grateful for it.
In 1993, we watched together as normal. A couple days after the Michigan game, my dad suffered a massive heart attack and died in his late 40’s. I was raised by a working class single mom. I was devastated by the loss of my dad and stopped watching ND football. My brother continued however.
When I was about 10, he convinced me to watch the opening game against Texas A&M. We won and I watched every game that season. I became obsessed with the team and I loved ND so much. I watched every year after that and the basketball teams too once we got cable.
As I grew older, I fell in love with the school, it’s academics and spirituality. I worked hard and fulfilled my dream to go to school in South Bend and march in the band. I was able to put myself through school and I’m fortunate to have been able to do that without burdening my mom. Notre Dame has been a tremendous aspect my life and I’m beyond grateful for it.
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Thank you for sharing your love and passion for the best University.
That's a great story. Thanks for sharing.
1987, I was 9yrs old. I was very lucky that my step-brother (10yrs older than me, so 19) shared two very important things with me that year that would shape who I am today. One was Notre Dame. He told me about Holtz, their history, Tim Brown, the gold in the helmets, etc. The other thing he told me about was this basketball player from North Carolina playing with the Bulls - "he is the best basketball player the world has ever seen" - damn was he right! I can't imagine pulling for two better brands than Notre Dame and Michael Jordan.
Amazing story…It feels like it should be an advertisement for the university.
New Years Eve 1973. Tom Clements, Robin Weber, Eric Pennick, Al Hunter, Pete Demmerle and Bob Thomas nailing a game winning FG 24-23. ND beats Alabama and Bear Bryant to complete a 12-0 season and seal a National Title.
Unbelievably 20 days later I watched Dwight Clay sink a corner jumper and Digger Phelps and ND beat #1 UCLA, Bill Walton & John Wooden to break their 88 game winning streak! I was hooked for life.
Unbelievably 20 days later I watched Dwight Clay sink a corner jumper and Digger Phelps and ND beat #1 UCLA, Bill Walton & John Wooden to break their 88 game winning streak! I was hooked for life.
Born and raised
Where I grew up in nowhere Alaska in a small community where the Catholic Church was a big part of the community, and Westwood One radio carried all the Notre Dame games with the whole family gathered around listening to it.
And during the season our Priest would start every Sunday service about the game.
I get most of us will not have that connection to Notre Dame as those who went there, but I also wonder how many of those who went there appreciate the football team as much as those who didn't
It was truly a way of life
You are absolutely correct....a great marketing post
About 60 years ago, the season before Ara came to town. I was six going on seven at the time. My father taught at Notre Dame, and we lived in South Bend over by Leeper Park.
I used to go into the soda fountain place on Portage between Minkler's and Van Buren's. I heard a guy ask "who won the game?" and the lady behind the counter said some name. So I started asking the same thing, because imitating the grownups, you know. The lady would always say some name I'd never heard of, and I'd say "oh" or some such, and that would be it.
Then one day I asked who won the game, and she said "Notre Dame"! Notre Dame? I know who Notre Dame is. I didn't know Notre Dame played in these games! (Although it seems to me now that I was very much in the habit of asking who won the game when this happened, it must have been the USC weekend in week 3. I guess when you're six, you do something twice and it's a habit.)
I asked my dad about it, and he gave me a basic explanation of the game rules and talked about how Notre Dame used to win a lot of games, but they didn't win much any more because they weren't emphasizing football. By mid-season or so, I got tired of asking who won the game and hearing some name I was unfamiliar with.
One day that winter, Dad came home from work and told me that there was a new football coach named Ara Parseghian. He had to repeat that name several times! When we started winning again was when I really got into it.
I used to go into the soda fountain place on Portage between Minkler's and Van Buren's. I heard a guy ask "who won the game?" and the lady behind the counter said some name. So I started asking the same thing, because imitating the grownups, you know. The lady would always say some name I'd never heard of, and I'd say "oh" or some such, and that would be it.
Then one day I asked who won the game, and she said "Notre Dame"! Notre Dame? I know who Notre Dame is. I didn't know Notre Dame played in these games! (Although it seems to me now that I was very much in the habit of asking who won the game when this happened, it must have been the USC weekend in week 3. I guess when you're six, you do something twice and it's a habit.)
I asked my dad about it, and he gave me a basic explanation of the game rules and talked about how Notre Dame used to win a lot of games, but they didn't win much any more because they weren't emphasizing football. By mid-season or so, I got tired of asking who won the game and hearing some name I was unfamiliar with.
One day that winter, Dad came home from work and told me that there was a new football coach named Ara Parseghian. He had to repeat that name several times! When we started winning again was when I really got into it.
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