Fall of Troy: Revisited

This is it.  

We've all been waiting for this game since it appeared on the official schedule.  

This Saturday, the Fighting Irish will host the once-mighty men of Troy for the first night game held at Notre Dame Stadium in over two decades.  As we prepare for the 83rd chapter of "The Greatest Intersectional Rivalry in College Football," Irish Creed takes a look back at last year's matchup, which saw our Boys in Blue and Gold emerge from the Coliseum victorious.

Fall of Troy: Revisited

Tommy Reese, the first Notre Dame quarterback to defeat the mighty men of Troy since Carlyl Holiday did so in 2001, described the win in the only way he could by saying "Words can not do it justice."

In words borrowed from Lou Holtz, Brian Kelly talked about taking pride in the fact that his lads "didn't flinch" against a rival that has tormented all of Notre Dame Nation over most of the past decade.  According to Kelly, "We put the fight back into the Fighting Irish today."

I’d love to say that a win over the Trojans has been a long time coming, but I personally can’t.  Even though it feels like an eternity, the misery only began for me in 2005 with the Bush Push (which, Ironically enough… never happened).

That legendary game between #9 Notre Dame and #1 U$C was the first college football game I watched after applying to college, and my first experience as a Notre Dame fan.  I’ll always remember exactly where I was and what I was doing during that game.  Actually, I was on a double-date at a bowling alley and I was attempting (unsuccessfully) to divide my attention between the amazing spectacle on TV and the not-quite-as-amazing spectacle that was my date.  I remember jumping up and down screaming when it appeared as though the Fighting Irish had won, since the students had begun to rush the field and there was no sound on the TV at the bowling alley.  I then watched in disbelief as the officials ushered fans back into their seats and added time back on to the expired clock.  Let’s just say what transpired next ruined the rest of the night not only for every Notre Dame fan watching, but for my date as well…

As a student at Notre Dame, I lived through 3 brutally embarrassing defeats before finally feeling the tide begin to change direction during my senior year.  The stars seemed like they just might align in 2009.  The entire campus breathed “BEAT SC,” and loyal students spent more time hanging up posters, writing on sidewalks, and building a Trojan Horse than they did studying for midterms.  At the Friday night rally, I burst out of the horse sporting a mohawk and Tommy Trojan’s sword (which I broke over my knee) and tens of thousands roared as Rocket Ismail delivered a gospel-like speech that none in attendance will ever forget.  I had never been more amped in my life, and the energy coming from the greened out student section during that game lifted our team to come soaring back within striking distance of our mighty foes late in the second half.  Alas, my dreams of standing atop the north-endzone goalpost as the students tore it down flew out the window when our fourth-and-goal pass fell incomplete.  At that moment, in agonizing pain, I vowed that I would one day witness the fall of Troy.

I did what any traumatized recently-retired leprechaun would do by deciding to live in Southern California with fellow Irish Creed writer FightingIrish1313 during the summer of 2010.  While living behind enemy lines, not only did I visit the soon-to-disappear Heisman trophy belonging to Reggie Bush, but I also left behind a small Irish charm somewhere on their campus, thus putting the dreaded Curse of the Leprechaun on the University of Spoiled Children (You can read about my SoCal adventure here).

Flash forward to this November, as I arrived in Huntington Beach for Thanksgiving by the ocean where the sign at my hotel read “The word of the day is: STOKED!”  Stoked I was, possibly even hella-stoked, to spend a few days soaking up some cosmic rays in the OC before venturing into a quaint neighborhood known as South Central LA for a rivalry showdown featuring backup quarterbacks starting on both sides.  Hella-stoked for a win… brah.

I must admit that I was impressed with the tailgating scene prior to Senior Night in the Coliseum (whoa… totally sorry for spoiling your big night… brah).  Some creative Californians even hanged an effigy of a leprechaun from a tree, which was lovely.

Once inside the Coliseum, I discovered that most Fighting Irish fans had been relegated to the cheap temporary bleacher style seats that are literally nowhere near the football field.  Not to worry, because the Trojans failed to fill their own house as expected.  It didn’t take long before we created a cheering section of our own in the corner of the endzone.  More than once, our celebratory cheers and jeers could be heard on the field over the lifeless din of the So Cal crowd.  While the Irish Tricolour flag upon which I had spray-painted “KILL SO CAL” did not amuse those around us, it did spark some energy when I joined the crowd-surfing students in the fourth quarter.  Our small band of faithful fans shared tremendous highs and lows throughout the game, and as the clock hit 00:00 an overwhelming sense of relief swept over us all.  An army of security guards surrounded us to make sure any attempts to rush the field would be thwarted, but we were perfectly content standing arm in arm singing our Alma Mater with smiles on our faces.  As we exited the friendly confines of the Coliseum, we thanked our gracious hosts for the win, and echoes of the Notre Dame Victory March reverberated throughout every hallway.

There's no use crying over spilled trojans...

In reference to the thousands of Cali brahs who showed us the real meaning of the term “fair-weather fan” when they left the game early in droves after finding the blustery 50 degree night far too frigid for their liking, I guess revenge actually is best when served cold (pun intended).  I do respect their loyal fans who stuck it out in a losing effort on Senior Night though, because I’ve been there and done that.  

I left the game excited for the future of the “Greatest Intersectional Rivalry” in college football.  It takes two to tango in a true rivalry, and we haven’t shown enough fight to even make the games interesting as of late.   As one of about 3 Notre Dame fans (and the only one decked out head to toe in bright green) at the 9-0 (the CJ’s of SoCal) after the game, I was a bit surprised at how many Trojan fans approached me with toasts “to the rivalry” (and even more surprised that I escaped with my life after half the SC football team showed up).  If Coach Kelly was right, and the Fall of Troy was a sign that we finally put the fight back into the Fighting Irish, then I’d like to join those Trojan fans by raising a glass “to the rivalry.”

All in all, my ND v SC experience has been an eventful journey, and I am hella-stoked for its continuance now that the drought is over and Kelly’s reign has begun (also hella-stoked to have the Jeweled Shillelagh back in the JACC... brah).

The Fall of Troy: Revisited

Wow… They weren’t joking about that whole law school finals thing.  A lot has happened in the land of the Fighting Irish since I last had a chance to put together a real post, so before we jump into hype for the South Bend v South Beach matchup on New Year’s Eve (not exactly Catholics v Convicts anymore) I feel like I need to celebrate the fact that NOTRE DAME FINALLY BEAT U$C!

The October 2009 loss, agonizing as it was,
made the November 2010 win so much sweeter... brah.

Enough has already been written about “what this win means,” or how lucky we were (I prefer to think of it not as a dropped pass, but a pass deflected by God, who was finally sick of seeing his Mom’s team lose) so I will resort to sharing my own opinion on the matter as a fan and former leprechaun:

What does this win mean?

Tommy Reese, the first Notre Dame quarterback to defeat the mighty men of Troy since Carlyl Holiday did so in 2001, described the win in the only way he could by saying "Words can not do it justice."

In words borrowed from Lou Holtz, Brian Kelly talked about taking pride in the fact that his lads "didn't flinch" against a rival that has tormented all of Notre Dame Nation over most of the past decade.  According to Kelly, "We put the fight back into the Fighting Irish today."

I’d love to say that a win over the Trojans has been a long time coming, but I personally can’t.  Even though it feels like an eternity, the misery only began for me in 2005 with the Bush Push (which, Ironically enough… never happened). 

That legendary game between #9 Notre Dame and #1 U$C was the first college football game I watched after applying to college, and my first experience as a Notre Dame fan.  I’ll always remember exactly where I was and what I was doing during that game.  Actually, I was on a double-date at a bowling alley and I was attempting (unsuccessfully) to divide my attention between the amazing spectacle on TV and my date.  I remember jumping up and down screaming when it appeared as though the Fighting Irish had won, since the students had begun to rush the field and there was no sound on the TV at the bowling alley.  I then watched in disbelief as the officials ushered fans back into their seats and added time back on to the expired clock.  Let’s just say what transpired next ruined the rest of the night not only for every Notre Dame fan watching, but for my date as well…

As a student at Notre Dame, I lived through 3 brutally embarrassing defeats before finally feeling the tide begin to change direction during my senior year.  The stars seemed like they just might align in 2009.  The entire campus breathed “BEAT SC,” and loyal students spent more time hanging up posters, writing on sidewalks, and building a Trojan Horse than they did studying for midterms.  At the Friday night rally, I burst out of the horse sporting a mohawk and Tommy Trojan’s sword (which I broke over my knee) and tens of thousands roared as Rocket Ismail delivered a gospel-like speech that none in attendance will ever forget.  I had never been more amped in my life, and the energy coming from the greened out student section during that game lifted our team to come soaring back within striking distance of our mighty foes late in the second half.  Alas, my dreams of standing atop the north-endzone goalpost as the students tore it down flew out the window when our fourth-and-goal pass fell incomplete.  At that moment, in agonizing pain, I vowed that I would one day witness the fall of Troy.

I did what any traumatized recently-retired leprechaun would do when I decided to live in Southern California with fellow Irish Creed writer FightingIrish1313 during the summer of 2010.  While living behind enemy lines, not only did I visit the soon-to-disappear Heisman trophy belonging to Reggie Bush, but I also left behind a small Irish charm somewhere on their campus, thus putting the dreaded Curse of the Leprechaun on the University of Spoiled Children. (You can read about my SoCal adventure here).

Flash forward to this November, as I arrived in Huntington Beach for Thanksgiving by the ocean where the sign at my hotel read “The word of the day is: STOKED!”  Stoked I was, possibly even hella-stoked, to spend a few days soaking up some cosmic rays in the OC before venturing into a quaint neighborhood known as South Central LA for a rivalry showdown featuring backup quarterbacks starting on both sides.  Hella-stoked for a win… brah.

I must admit that I was impressed with the tailgating scene prior to Senior Night in the Coliseum (whoa… totally sorry for spoiling your big night… brah).  Some creative Californians even hanged an effigy of a leprechaun from a tree, which was lovely.

Once inside the Coliseum, I discovered that most Fighting Irish fans had been relegated to the cheap seats that are literally nowhere near the football field.  Not to worry, because the Trojans failed to fill their own house as expected.  It didn’t take long before we created a cheering section of our own in the corner of the endzone.  More than once, our celebratory cheers and jeers could be heard on the field over the lifeless din of the SoCal crowd.  While the Irish Tricolour flag upon which I had spray-painted “KILL SO CAL” did not amuse those around us, it did spark some energy when I joined the crowd-surfing students in the fourth quarter.  Our small band of faithful fans shared tremendous highs and lows throughout the game, and as the clock hit 00:00 an overwhelming sense of relief swept over us all.  An army of security guards surrounded us to make sure any attempts to rush the field would be thwarted, but we were perfectly content standing arm in arm singing our Alma Mater with smiles on our faces.  As we exited the friendly confines of the Coliseum, we thanked our gracious hosts for the win, and echoes of the Notre Dame Victory March reverberated throughout every hallway.

In reference to the thousands of Cali brahs who showed us the real meaning of the term “fair-weather fan” when they left the game early in droves after finding the blustery 50 degree night far too frigid for their liking, I guess revenge actually is best when served cold (pun intended).  I do respect their loyal fans who stuck it out in a losing effort on Senior Night though, because I’ve been there and done that.  


I left the game excited for the future of the “Greatest Intersectional Rivalry” in college football.  It takes two to tango in a true rivalry, and we haven’t shown enough fight to even make the games interesting as of late.   As one of about 3 Notre Dame fans (and the only one decked out head to toe in bright green) at the 9-0 (the CJ’s of SoCal) after the game, I was a bit surprised at how many Trojan fans approached me with toasts “to the rivalry” (and even more surprised that I escaped with my life after half the SC football team showed up).  If Coach Kelly was right, and the Fall of Troy was a sign that we finally put the fight back into the Fighting Irish, then I’d like to join those Trojan fans by raising a glass “to the rivalry.”

All in all, my ND v SC experience has been an eventful journey, and I am hella-stoked for its continuance now that the drought is over and Kelly’s reign has begun (also hella-stoked to have the Jeweled Shillelagh back in the JACC... brah).

RIVALRY RENEWED

The Jeweled Shillelagh is back in the land of the Fighting Irish

Army v. Notre Dame: More than a Game

Clashmore Mike refuses to back down to Army's mule in Yankee Stadium
(Notre Dame Archives, 1947)

This Saturday when the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame meet the Black Knights of the United States Military Academy in New York City, they will be continuing a tradition that is not only central to the identity of both schools, but to the overall history of our nation.  The awe-inspiring history behind this rivalry is far too vast to fit into a single article, but a quick overview should shed some light on its relevance for the casual fan:

Army v. Notre Dame in New York:

1913 – In the first-ever meeting between the small, unknown school from South Bend and the fearsome football giant from West Point, the Catholics made a name for themselves by practically reinventing the game.  Quarterback Gus Dorais led an offense that was the first of its kind, relying on what was until that point known as a trick play (the forward pass).   His favorite target?  You may have heard of the undersized end named Knute Rockne who hauled in a 25 yard touchdown pass for the first score in a 35 – 13 win for Our Lady’s team.  As they say, the rest is history…

The 1913 upset of a thousand lifetimes initiated an annual rivalry that was played in West Point every year until 1923 when the overflow of fans forced the popular matchup to Brooklyn, where the yet to be named Four Horsemen led Notre Dame to a 13 – 0 victory on Ebbets Field.

1924 – The pivotal game in Notre Dame’s first national championship season was relocated once again as the crowds continued to grow, this time to the Polo Grounds in New York City.  The spectacle of a Notre Dame backfield, the likes of which had never been seen, as they galloped to a 13 – 7 victory in front of a record 60,000 fans inspired Grantland Rice of the New York Herald-Tribune to write the most famous piece of sports journalism in history.  It’s opening stanza:

“Outlined against a blue-gray October sky,

The Four Horsemen rode again.

In dramatic lore they are known as

Famine, pestilence, destruction and death.

These are only aliases.

Their real names are Stuhldreher,

Miller, Crowley, and Layden.”

1925 – In the aftermath of the 1924 game, the national championship, and Rice’s poetic praise, the series was finally moved to a worthy venue inside Yankee Stadium.  The black Knights carried the day 27 – 0 in the first of many games to be played there.

1928 – Locked in a scoreless tie at half-time, now head-coach Knute Rockne delivered what has since transcended sports and popular culture as the Golden standard of all locker room speeches when he told his boys to go out there and “Win one for the Gipper.”  The Fighting Irish did just that, stalling Army at the half-yard line as time ran out on a 12-6 victory.  Not only did Rockne’s speech propel Our Lady’s loyal sons onward to victory, but it also launched a budding actor named Ronald Reagan into stardom some years later.

1944 – Top ranked Army, dominant during the WWII era, embarrassed #5 Notre Dame by running up the score 59 – 0.

1945 – Army delivered the second straight slaughter of the Fighting Irish by the score of 48 – 0.  The Fighting Irish would not forget the two-year 107 – 0 domination by the Black Knights.  At the end of WWII, when Leahy and his lads returned from active duty to rejoin their team, the old ball coach reminded them that Army may have beaten up on the boys over the past two years, but the men had finally returned.

1946 – “The Game of the Century” – The matchup between #1 Army and #2 Notre Dame, both 6 – 0 at the time, still stands as quite possibly the most hyped college football game in history.  Over $5,000,000 was placed in bets on the game (a lot for what ended up as a push – especially considering it was 1946).  Mind-blowingly, the game featured four Heisman winners (Blanchard ’45 and Davis ’46 for Army; Lujack ’47 and Hart ’49 for ND) on the field at the same time.  As the fates would have it, the actual game failed to live up to expectations and ended in a 0 – 0 tie.  The score was much more meaningful than it now seems though, as it signaled the Post-War arrival of the Fighting Irish.  After going toe to toe for four quarters with the mighty Black Knights while literally the entire sports world tuned in, Leahy’s lads knew they could play with anyone.  In fact, they wouldn’t lose another game for four years, picking up three National Championships and two Heisman Trophies along the way.

1969 – After a 23 year drought, Yankee Stadium witnessed its favorite historic matchup once again, this time between # 15 Notre Dame and unranked Army.  The 0 – 0 score at half-time triggered talks of the ghosts still lingering from the Game of the Century, but the Fighting Irish opened the floodgates in the second half en route to a 45 – 0 victory.

2010 – Saturday’s return to Yankee Stadium marks the continuance of a tradition that transcends sports.  Both teams will honor a shared history that changed the college football landscape forever.  For Notre Dame fans, returning to New York presents a unique opportunity to honor the birth not only of the forward pass (thanks Rock), but also of the never-say-die spirit that formed the identity of the university we all know and love.  Finally, as you board the train on your way to the Bronx this weekend, give special thanks to the past generations of immigrant New Yorkers who gave rise to our fiercely loyal fanbase by adopting Notre Dame as working-class America’s favorite university.

GO IRISH! SINK NAVY!

Notre Dame v. Navy 1941 Game Program
University of Notre Dame Archives

Game Notes:

• The Fighting Irish haven't won 4 straight since 2006.
• WR Theo Riddick (ankle) will not play on Saturday.
• WR Michael Floyd (hamstring) will be a game-time decision.
• Look for WRs Goodman, Toma, and Jackson to get opportunities in a depleted WR core.

Score Predictions:

IrishGirl10:

ND: 27

Navy: 17

FightinIrish1313: 

ND: 30

Navy: 24

TheNDleprechaun:

ND: 37

Navy: 17

tendomer:

ND: 23

Navy:14

Overall Average Prediction:

ND: 29

Navy: 18

Traditions:

For an in-depth look at the Notre Dame v. Navy rivalry, read our recent post: "Blood Brothers: Notre Dame v. Navy"

Although Notre Dame and Navy are currently represented on the field by a Leprechaun and a person in a goat costume, the traditional rivalry included a clash of two fierce animals.  Navy's "Bill the Goat" was a favorite target of "Clashmore Mike," Notre Dame's Irish Terrier who, legend has it, was sustained on a diet of goat meat and trained to attack "Bill" on sight.

"Bill the Goat" and The Leprechaun in 2008

"Clashmore Mike" suited up in Blue and Gold

"Bill the Goat" on the gridiron

GO IRISH!  SINK NAVY!

The Holy War: ND v. BC

Irish Creed would like to welcome a new member to our team. With experience as an accomplished writer and photographer during her time as a student at Notre Dame, Lauren Cook offers professional quality material and a unique perspective for our readers. Be on the lookout for her upcoming posts written under the name IrishGirl10. You can find Lauren's Bio and first post below:

Bio for IrishGirl10:  Native of Hudson, Wisconsin; Notre Dame Class of 2010; Political Science Major; Former Executive Photo Editor, Photographer, and Writer for Notre Dame’s Scholastic Magazine; Aspiring sportswriter and sportscaster

The Newest Member of Irish Creed:
Lauren Cook (IrishGirl10)

The Holy War: ND v. BC

It often seems that nearly every game played by Notre Dame constitutes a rivalry: Michigan and Michigan State - relatively legitimate claims, Purdue – only from the Boilermaker perspective, and USC – well, it doesn’t get more intense than that. When it comes to our Holy War series against Boston College, however, the nature of the rivalry beast changes.

For the religiously inclined, it becomes a battle between the only two Catholic universities competing in NCAA Division I-A Football. For the brainy student bodies, it becomes a matter of Back-Up College and Notre Dream School (self included). For the glory-hounds, it’s all about possession of the Frank Leahy Memorial Bowl (once Head Coach at both universities) as well as the Ireland Trophy (created in 1994 by the ND student body – supposedly as a signal of goodwill and ‘friendly’ rivalry). But where these populations merge with the rest of society, via their intense, overzealous fandom is when things really start to get heated. Before we go into that, however, let’s take a closer look at the Holy War series over time:

            Relative to other great college football series, the Holy War is still in its adolescence. The Irish first met the Eagles in September of 1975 at Foxboro Stadium, where they emerged victorious with a final score of 17-3. Notre Dame would go on to win the next three games of the series in the 1983 Liberty Bowl in Memphis (19-18), South Bend 1987 (32-25), and South Bend 1992 (54-7). From 1993-1994, the tables turned, granting the Eagles a road victory in South Bend (41-39) and a win for the hometown crowd in Chestnut Hill (30-11). Throughout the next four years, Notre Dame rallied and responded with four consecutive wins: South Bend 1995 (20-10), Chestnut Hill 1996 (48-21), South Bend 1997 (52-20), and Chestnut Hill (31-26). In 1999, Boston College was able to just squeeze by with a 31-29 win in South Bend. The next year, the Irish reclaimed their dignity at home with a 28-16 win. From 2001-2004, and following a two-year break, 2007-2008, Boston College made a run for series dominance with 6 consecutive wins evenly divided between Alumni and Notre Dame Stadiums. Thankfully, just in time for my senior year, the Irish broke a 9-9 tie in the series record with a 20-16 home victory. Currently, Notre Dame leads the rivalry with a highly tenuous 10-9 record. They also lead in overall points, 486 to the Eagle’s 394.

That brings us to 2010 and this Saturday’s ESPN primetime game in Chestnut Hill. Both teams are desperate to prove themselves to a doubting public and they’re ready to do whatever it takes to leave with the win. In the case of Notre Dame, after defeating Purdue in their first game under new head coach Brian Kelly, the Irish have consecutively fallen to Michigan, Michigan State, and Stanford (ranked 24, 19, 9 respectively by AP as of week 5), leaving them with an extremely disappointing record of 1-3. On the other hand you have Boston College, who, despite beginning the season with victories over unranked teams Kent State and Weber State, fell scoreless in response to Virginia Tech (also unranked) last week, leaving them 2-1 overall. For the players, coaches, and the fans, this Saturday signifies a huge turning point in this year’s season as well as the rivalry, but also the future of two teams. As, both are experiencing the growing pains that accompany staff changes, volatile depth charts, injuries, and young players.

In a press conference this past Tuesday, Coach Kelly addressed concerns over minor changes to the special teams depth chart (tweaks attributed to the failure of players to fulfill his staff’s ‘higher expectations’ for ‘dynamic’ kick returns), in addition to the continued development of an impressive, but inconsistent Dayne Crist, to which Kelly responded: “How do you get consistent? You gain confidence. When he’s confident now, he’s really, really good. He loses a little bit of confidence at times, that’s where we’re working.” Referring to the Eagle’s defensive capabilities, Kelly commented on the challenges that players Herzlich, Kuechly, and Pierre Louis represent with their strong abilities against the rush. In an interview this past Wednesday, Dayne Crist responded to concerns about B.C.’s defense by stressing his plan “to be prepared for everything and be patient as an offense in general and just go and play our game and play aggressively.”

As for the defensive side of Notre Dame’s performance against Stanford, Kelly strongly praised inside linebackers Manti Te’o (who tallied a team-leading 21 tackles) and Carlo Calabrese. Kelly emphasized “the difference between playing hard and playing with that will, that tenacity, that attitude of I'm going to just lay it on the line,” which, besides tackles, is Te’o’s main contribution to the team. With the uncertainty surrounding the Eagle’s starting quarterback for this weekend, the defense – though preparing for multiple quarterback options – has remained sharply focused on simply doing all they can to secure the win. In a Wednesday press conference with Manti Te’o, senior safety Harrison Smith discussed the low moods and silent locker rooms that have followed the past three losses, likening game outcomes to “life and death” situations and that losing “feels like the worst thing in the world.” Te’o agreed, saying “[losing] is the closest thing to dying.”

Although this Saturday’s battle is only one of many in this Holy War, its victory is more than capable of breathing life back into this struggling Irish team. Here’s one fan that believes it will.

-IrishGirl10

Frank Leahy coached at BC before returning to his Alma Mater
 where he coached his "lads" to 4 National Championships

Behind Enemy Lines: Cal Southern

A recent recon mission for Irish Creed brought me to the south central LA campus of Cal Southern in order to check in on our long time rivals and see what I could dig up in the aftermath of recent NCAA sanctions.

It’s common knowledge by now that Cal Southern was hit hard by sanctions resulting from the “lack of institutional control” exhibited by their athletic department, specifically regarding illegal benefits taken by athletes Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo.  These sanctions went beyond the punishments placed upon the football team.  They led to the eventual firing of running backs coach Todd McNair, athletic director Mike Garrett, and they also forced head coach Pete Carroll to jump ship just before everything came crashing down.  Several players have already taken advantage of the "get out of jail free cards" issued to them by the NCAA by transferring to play for other programs.  Others are expected to follow in their wake.  Most importantly, it seems as though a once prideful legacy will forever be sullied in the eyes of honest men.

Most recently, Cal Southern President Steven Sample announced his decision to remove all jerseys, trophies, and depictions of Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo from campus in an attempt to “disassociate” the school from said offenders.  By a stroke of luck, I was able to sneak past the watchful eyes of Tommy Trojan and gain access into Heritage Hall just days before Reggie’s Heisman was taken down from its proud position alongside fellow upstanding Cal Southern alum O.J. Simpson. 

As you can see by my smile, I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Cal Southern.   Even so, I began to question myself while strolling their campus decked out in Fighting Irish gear and enjoying the plentitude of death stares being thrown my way.  I had to ask myself one important question: Is it acceptable for Loyal Sons and Daughters of Notre Dame to take joy in the collective misery of all those at Cal Southern?

There’s an old Irish toast that says, “Here’s to the health of our enemies’ enemies!”  Should we raise our glasses to the NCAA for sticking it to our mighty foes after we failed to do so on the gridiron over the past 8 years?  Should we kick back as happy spectators to watch the Fall of Troy commence?  Should we answer every call of “Fight on!” with jeers of “Cheat on!”?  My answer is a resounding YES, but only if we do so for the right reasons.

As a witness of three brutal defeats during my first three years as a Notre Dame student, I may be am definitely bitter about the recent embarrassment that my beloved Fighting Irish have been handed by Cal Southern.  Then last year we came so close to making an epic comeback inside Notre Dame Stadium, with one second left on the clock and one yard to go, only to be slighted by our destiny as we failed to tie the game.  Yes, some of the sting fades away when I see the same football player who torched our defense so many times publicly embarrass himself and become an exile at the very school that once sang his praises.  I feel guilty for doing so, though.  It can’t be right to gloat and be so happy for this reason.

After all, Notre Dame v Cal Southern is arguably one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.  The two schools began playing each other annually in 1926 with the Fighting Irish now holding a 42-33 edge in wins, and “The Greatest Intersectional Rivalry” has produced countless legendary moments.  It takes two to tango, and I respect our rivalry too much to take joy in watching our opponent crumble beyond the point of recognition.  In the same vein, the recent happenings at Cal Southern bring me joy precisely because I respect the rivalry so much.

The longstanding tradition of excellence at Cal Southern has recently become overshadowed by the circus surrounding their athletic department.  It was clearly getting out of control with constant celebrity appearances at games and practices and the overall promotion of a Hollywood image encouraging student athletes to focus more on living lavishly than on being either students or athletes.  Those in charge could only turn a blind eye for so long, and when the level of absurdity peaked with Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo something had to give.

It will be interesting to compare post-sanction Cal Southern to pre-sanction Cal Southern after the Hollywood image that drew so many athletes seeking fame and fortune gets replaced by a far less sexy  “culture of compliance.”  Changes are already starting to take place, hence recent hirings and firings along with these flyers that I found posted at every entrance to Heritage Hall:

I sincerely hope the new compliance programs work, and I look forward to November 27^th when Notre Dame resumes a fair and balanced rivalry with Cal Southern.  So rather than saying "slainte" to our enemies’ enemies for the wrong reasons, I’d like to propose a toast in hopes that everyone at Cal Southern learns from their mistakes, our storied rivalry regains its true integrity, and college football lives on powerfully in its purist form.

I can’t wait to visit Cal Southern again in November.  Next time the scenery will look a little different with fewer trophies and jerseys on display, and I'll be happy to know that an army of Fighting Irish Faithful have my back.  As per true Irish custom, I left them with a parting gift to enjoy until we meet again.  A small Irish charm now resides somewhere on their campus and along with it lives the dreaded curse of the Leprechaun.  I have a feeling that everyone in the Coliseum on November 27th will witness some newfound good fortune for the Fighting Irish.

Sidenote: 

During my escape I decided to send Traveler to the glue factory as well.