Recently, I asked members of Domer Sports Report's facebook group to write a paragraph on how they became Notre Dame fans. Below, is a sample of some of their stories. Notre Dame is a National University and Domer Sports Report members are made up of fans from all over.
Brandon Nedoma, Minneapolis, MN, originally from
Milwaukee, WI - I
became a Notre Dame fan around 2008. Nobody
in my family likes Notre Dame at all, but one of my best buddy’s dad is an
alumnus. I would always go to his house
and watch games, but I was a bigger Wisconsin fan. This year, I began my Freshman year at
University of Minnesota, and it is no longer okay to like Madison, so I pledge
my allegiance to the Irish as my number one team. In my life I have only seen 2 games (2010
against Stanford and 2011 against Air Force) and plan on going to more. My
friend’s dad may be hooking me up with face value ticket to the NC, and that
would be a dream come true. GO IRISH! We are one big family.
Bobby Crawford, Kingsport, TN - When I was 6 years old,
before I really knew what football was, let alone tradition, my cousin, who was
12 at the time, gave me a Notre Dame hat.
I wore that hat forever. As I
grew older and started paying more attention to college football, I started to
research ND football and needless to say was blown away! I am now 27 and LOVE The FIGHTING IRISH! Growing up in Tennessee you can imagine the
hassling I got! But through all the ups
and downs, through the coaches and the so called "irrelevance", I
have stood firm! So, for me, my passion
and becoming a fan of ND started with a hand me down hat.
Rick Madlem, Grand Rapids, MI, originally from South Bend, IN - Born and raised in South Bend, I lived 4 miles south of
campus. My dad was a huge Irish fan and
ran a concession stand at the stadium for home football games. At 5 years of age I started going out to help
him, and eventually ran my own stand for over 20 years. So, I was at every home game. My family actually managed about 10 of the
stands. During high school I worked at
the ACC for foodservice and met the likes of Moose Krause, Adrian Dantley,
Austin Carr, and many others. My Dad
also worked for the Notre Dame post office delivering mail across campus and
used to have nice chats with Tony Rice. Notre
Dame is very special to me and is in my blood. I lost my Dad in '03 and every year since I've
told him maybe this year........and this year I may just be right!! I currently live in Grand
Rapids, MI.
Sandra Grant, Atkinson, NH - Growing up with 4 brothers I always
loved the game of football, but it wasn't until I met my ex-husband in 1985
that I became a Notre Dame football fan. He had gone to South Bend every year during
the football season to see a football game since he was 18 years old. My first game seeing the Irish was in 1990 at
the Giants Stadium against Navy. My
first game in South Bend was in 1993 for the Pittsburgh game and that is when
you understand all the tradition, feel the history and meet all the other ND
fans who love Notre Dame they way you do. I saw other games in South Bend and up here at
Boston College but it was that first time going to the Grotto, going to the
house that Rockne built, going to the pep rally and staying at the Morris Inn
that I will always treasure. Notre Dame
represents tradition and delivers academics first and foremost as any
university should, which is what kept me loyal during all those times that
Notre Dame was far from number 1. My 4
children are all Notre Dame fans and have been to games in South Bend as
well...tradition! Go Irish!
Craig Robinson, Temecula,
CA - I
don't know if I can pin point that moment when it happened for me. I was young and no one in my family was a huge
football fan, let alone a Notre Dame fan. It was in the time before cable - Sunday
mornings were very boring. I was always
up before everyone else. Moving the
rabbit ears so I pick up something besides church on the TV, I came across a
replay of a football game. I can hear
the announcer in my head: "We more forward in the game. It is Notre Dame football at the Purdue 25,
1st and 10." Every Sunday I would
get up and watch the replay. They became
larger than life to me as a child and I never rooted for another team. As I turned the corner in my adolescence, Joe
Montana came to Notre Dame. I heard his
name over and over. Big win after big
win, they became my heroes and I have worshiped at the Golden Dome since.
Pam Geiselman, Valparaiso, IN -
I moved
to Middlebury, Indiana and soon after, Rick Mirer became the QB for ND. Since he was from nearby Goshen and anyone and
everyone was watching him, I got hooked. Sorry he didn't do very well in the NFL, but
my passion for ND football never waned.
SGT Jonathan Johnson, Clarksville, TN
- Since I was
the only one in my family born in Florida, you would think I would be a
Seminole, Gator or even a Hurricane fan.
Well, since I can remember I have watched the Fightin' Irish run out of
the tunnel onto the field with the 24kt Gold helmets and blue jersey's. I
remember watching Notre Dame play - I want to say I was five years old.
Back then, I didn’t really care to sit there and watch football. There
were four families that got together on the Holidays and Super Bowl
Sunday. I would never watch the Super
Bowl until I was around 15. There was one thing you could count on -
every Saturday, sitting in front of that T.V. and saying, “Go IRISH”. Now
I am 31 years old and have a family of my own. My 6 year old son and I go
back and forth with, “LET’S GO.....IRISH!”. One day I was sitting there
and my 19 month old daughter heard me say, “LET’S GO”. All you hear is, “IWISH”. I am proud to
be a Notre Dame fan because of the respect and tradition and honor that ND
stands for. I have watched them play in Iraq, Germany and hopefully soon,
Japan. I love to see players like Manti Te'o because people like him give
me joy and make me proud to serve my country and protect their freedom to do
what he is doing. Thanks and GO IRISH!
William J Becker Jr.,
Warsaw, IN, originally from South Bend, IN – Well, where do I start? I have tons of family history and stories. I was born into it. Grandfather played on the 1933-35 teams. I remember meeting Moose Krause and Joe
McArdle. I Grew up knowing Dick Rosenthal and Paul Harvey. I remember, in the 70's, players coming to the
house for dinner. I'm a Notre Dame
fanatic, so I've been told. Check out a
few pictures of the man-cave museum.
Pam Bauer, Nashville, TN - I live in Nashville where I
met and married my husband in 1979. I
hated sports and used to gripe at him when he would sit down to watch them.
Within the next couple of years I decided I was going to either have to learn
to like football or divorce my husband, so I began watching Notre Dame football
with him, learning everything I could. I
became hooked and in 1995 he took me to my first game against Vanderbilt. I fell in love with the school, the campus and
the rest they say is history. Now I
refuse to live without ND football and schedule my life around it. GO IRISH!!! (Note: Pam and her husband, Pat,
are ushers at Notre Dame games. They
just completed their seventh season.)
Paul Mesirow, Evergreen
Park, IL - I
didn't follow ND football as a small child. I do remember listening to the NFL
championship game in 1963 on a small transistor that my grandmother gave me,
and hearing the Bears win the championship.
My Dad was a subway alum of ND, that class of Chicagoan that loves the
school despite never having gone there. When I was 11, my Dad took me to a game
in South Bend, and we arrived at 10AM on a glorious September morning. We watched the bracing of the Irish guard,
went to the bookstore, and saw the game. I went to two games a year
during the 1965 season, and one of them stood out because a pass was
intercepted and Nick Rassas ran it back 92 yards for a touchdown (now we call
that a pick 6). My Dad was supposed to go to the ND-Michigan St game in
1966 with a friend - that didn't happen, but I got to go in the friend's
place! We saw the 10-10 tie in person! I still have the program
somewhere in my memorabilia boxes in the attic. I have more stories, but they could fill a
book, so I will stop now. That's how I became a fan of the FIGHTING
IRISH!
Luann Szalewski, Niles, MI,
originally from South Bend, IN – Well, being born into a Notre Dame crazy loving
family, I guess I became a fan in the womb. I went to high school across the way from ND. I used to take a bus out to my school and get
on a shuttle and go to the stadium. Faust
was coach then. After kick off , I
always had someone come up to me with tickets...here honey go on in. I sure did! I, then, waited till all the players came out,
and I got so many autographs!!! Then in ‘87/’88
I worked at a barber shop and Lou and his son Skip got their hair cut there. I cut Skip's hair!! Every time Lou came in, he always made time to
speak to me. He once called my Mother
who is the biggest ND fan. She was so
excited. During those years while he
coached, um, well, um, I was a stinker. Somehow, I snuck into all home games; it was
easy back then...lol. I was on the field
for every game - right by the team :))) I stood next to Regis and met Ahmad Rashad . After every game in ‘88 we stormed the
field!! It was awesome high fiving the
players. I was on TV many times and
after the Miami game, I walked out of the stadium and a little girl said
"I saw you on TV!!!" Those
were the glory days. My Mom passed away
4 years ago and she said when she goes, "Don't bury me in a dress, I want
to be buried in my ND gear." She
loved ND as I always have and always will.
Thanks to all of those who sent in a paragraph. In time, there might be a part II. Merry Christmas to everyone and GO IRISH!
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