50th Game

On Saturday, as the Irish take on Army for the 50th time and at Yankee Stadium, a historic venue for a historic rivalry, I will be in attendance for my 50th Notre Dame Football game. With such a combination of historic feats, it is a great opportunity for me to reflect on my Notre Dame Football memories over the past fifty games.

I was only eight years old when I attended my first ever Notre Dame home game - #1 ND versus #2 Florida State in 1993. Oh what it game it was! I remember visiting the set of the first ever ESPN College Gameday - as they set up in the JACC outside the Monogram Room. Being all of fifty pounds, I remember being launched in the air for push-ups after Irish touchdowns. I remember the final play by Shawn Wooden, fans going absolutely nuts, and students rushing the field. I could not have asked for a better introduction to Notre Dame football.

In 1998, I remember the Irish beating LSU 36-33. For some reason, I have always had visions of #27 Bobbie Howard's pick six. Everytime I see a pick six, I think of that play. You may also remember a notorious play from that game when Irish QB Jarious Jackson took a knee in the endzone for an intentional safety. However, Jackson did not take the knee quick enough to avoid a hit, subsequently blowing out his knee. Jackson missed the rest of that season, and was replaced at QB by Arnaz Battle shortly into the following season.

From 2001 to 2003, with my brother now a student at Notre Dame, I started attending two home games a year. The one that I remember most was in 2001 when the USC Trojans came to town. They had a new head coach by the name of Pete Carroll and new quarterback by the name of Carson Palmer. At that time, those two were still developing as coach and player, and the Irish handled the Trojans 27-16, in what would become ND's last victory over USC.

In 2004, I became a freshman at ND where I watched the Irish go 3-3 at home. After that season, I, among many others, pulled Ty Willingham off the golf course and ran him out of town. I then woke up at 6AM to greet Charlie Weis on his first day in the office. Little did I know that man would provide me with the greatest highs and lows of my Notre Dame football watching career to date.

In 2005, I watched the Irish go 5-3. In 2006, easily Weis' best season, I happened to be studying abroad. Lucky me right? I returned to attend a wonderful 1-8 campaign in 2007. Although, I must thank Charlie and my friends for a great learning campaign on the ins and outs of tailgating, because that is all we had to look forward to on Saturdays. In 2008, my final year of ND football as a student, I watched the Irish go 5-2.

Seems all good right? There is nothing more you will take away from your football career than your senior day. Unfortunately, for me, it happened to be a loss to Syracuse. It was freezing cold and snowy. It was a day when the ND team was more worried about students pelting them with snowballs, than about actually playing defense. It ended in a loss that will sting forever - and an overall record of 14-16 (.467 winning percentage) for live games during my career as a student.

Since graduation, I've seen the Irish go a mediocre 6-5. Sadly enough, I seem to be getting used to it, as mediocre is about what the Irish have done during my tenure. My overall record in person is 26-23 for a whopping .531 winning percentage. At Notre Dame Stadium, I've watch the Irish go 23-19 (.548). Outside of the hallowed confines of the House that Rockne built, I've witness a 3-4 record (.429). My worst statistic may be overtime games where I am 2-3 (.400).

Nonetheless, I can easily say that the 1993 Florida State game is the best game I have been a part of. It is followed by the home opener of 2004 - my first home game as a student - where the Irish beat #3 ranked Michigan and I stormed the field in celebration. As for the worst loss, it is without a doubt the notorious "Bush Push" USc game of 2005. I have never gone more nuts than when Brady Quinn scrambled for a TD to put the Irish ahead, yet only to see it end in heartbreak.

At the end of the day, whether it is a win or loss (50/50 chance based on my record), it is memories like these that I will cherish forever. Yet, at the same time, there's plenty of room for growth in the win column, especially over the next 50 games. All I know is there is something special about Notre Dame Football that will always keep me coming back for more.


-DH