Bandwagon is filling up again....Thoughts?

[dshans]

Some years ago I was at a Christmas party hosted by the parents of one of my son's classmates. One father, who knew I graduated from Notre Dame, 'fessed up that he had grown up a "hater."

However, he was thoroughly impressed by the actions of our (then) coach. I don't care what any of you might think of Charlie Weis, but he showed a lot of compassion and class when push came to shove.

He visited a dying kid, Montana Mazurkiewicz, in the hospital. He asked the boy what play he should call on ND's first play of its opening offensive series. He very simply replied "pass right." Having Quinn pass from our own end zone with the line of scrimmage at the one yard line defied all "conventional football logic."

A promise was a promise. The play resulting in a first down was a bonus. Sadly, the boy didn't see the play. He passed away the day before the game. His parents, family and friends will remember it forever.

Winding back to my point: this kid's father saw beyond the stats, W and L columns and years of history to see what Notre Dame is all about. He climbed aboard the bandwagon for a year. I welcomed and thanked him.

He's probably back to rooting for his Minnesota Golden Gophers or North Dakota State University Bisons. I don't care.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

It was worse in the late 80s-early 90s. I was the only ND fan in my class at the end of the Faust era and was ridiculed by the PSU kids. A lot of them traded their PSU gear in for ND stuff when we started winning under Holtz. Big reason why I hate PSU.

 

[DomerInHappyValley]

To the new Fans I say "Welcome Welcome"
To the Bandwagon fans I say seating starts in the back. And I don't want to hear you use the word we.
To returning fans you disgust me your team is your team win or lose

 

[ickythump1225]

*Since we are all die-hards who have been with this program through the good and bad, I figured this would be a fitting poll


So I've been seeing more and more ND "fans" lately, and for the first time in what has to be a decade there have been people telling me "Go Irish" in restaurants, at the gas station, etc.

Do you get annoyed by these people who crawled back out from under their rock now that greener pastures are ahead? Do you welcome them back? Do you not give a s-it?

I don't really care what they do but I do kind of welcome them back a bit because there's no bandwagon for a loser. So if we have a bandwagon it means things are looking up.

 

[BobD]

They can go eat a d!ck.... and that's saying something.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

Some years ago I was at a Christmas party hosted by the parents of one of my son's classmates. One father, who knew I graduated from Notre Dame, 'fessed up that he had grown up a "hater."

However, he was thoroughly impressed by the actions of our (then) coach. I don't care what any of you might think of Charlie Weis, but he showed a lot of compassion and class when push came to shove.

He visited a dying kid, Montana Mazurkiewicz, in the hospital. He asked the boy what play he should call on ND's first play of its opening offensive series. He very simply replied "pass right." Having Quinn pass from our own end zone with the line of scrimmage at the one yard line defied all "conventional football logic."

A promise was a promise. The play resulting in a first down was a bonus. Sadly, the boy didn't see the play. He passed away the day before the game. His parents, family and friends will remember it forever.

Winding back to my point: this kid's father saw beyond the stats, W and L columns and years of history to see what Notre Dame is all about. He climbed aboard the bandwagon for a year. I welcomed and thanked him.

He's probably back to rooting for his Minnesota Golden Gophers or North Dakota State University Bisons. I don't care.

Great point and I remember that story... We Are ND. Still love Charlie and his family to this day. Always will. Go Irish...Go Charlie.

 

[Black Irish]

I've been through the good and the bad for the past 30 years. My attention to the details has wavered, but I have never wavered in my commitment as an Irish fan. It means too much too me as an Irish Catholic subway alum. Watching the games with my father, grandfather, and older brother are some of my best memories; good or bad, win or lose. The haters and bandwagon fans are just white noise. I can always tell who the real fans are; the same type of people who live and die with this program even though they have nothing at stake except their identity as Irish and/or Catholics.

The haters can hate. The bandwagon fans can jump on and off to suit their whims. I stand with the true fans; those who stand behind the Irish for whatever reason (Irish Catholic subway alum, true alum, local enthusiast). If you have stood with the Fighting Irish through thick and thin, through the fat years as well as the 3-9 seasons, I stand with you. If you have been like me, proudly proclaimed your Irish allegiance even during the dark losing years, I stand with you. I've never been ashamed to pledge my loyalty to the Irish, even when they are getting beat down. Fighting Irish good or bad. I've suffered through plenty of the bad, which makes it so sweet now that ND is running so good. The Irish will always be my team; 0-12 or 12-0. I'll fly their colors no matter what. The haters can hate. But the Fighting Irish will fight on and vanquish all of those week-to-week nancy-boys.

GO IRISH!

 

[NDHoosier101]

Every team has bandwagon fans, it proves we are doing something right!

 

[ulukinatme]

Can't have bandwagon fans unless you've had past success and high standards in my opinion. I don't really care one way or another though, unless it means louder fans are buying tickets.

 

[irisheyes]

I hate bandwagon fans. My Facebook fills up with them every major sports championship. If you can't like a team when they are down, you sure as hell better not celebrate with me when they are up. I take my sports very seriously. When my braves got screwed out of the post season, I think I laid on the ground for an hour or so starring at the ceiling singing careless whisper.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ulukinatme]

Speaking of bandwagon fans...I've got a neighbor in south-west Ohio that recently started sporting two Alabama window flags on their Jeep. They haven't been there in previous years, and I know they've lived in Ohio for at least 15 years without displaying any Alabama material till now. I kind of laughed when I saw that.

 

[philipm31]

I've been through the good and the bad for the past 30 years. My attention to the details has wavered, but I have never wavered in my commitment as an Irish fan. It means too much too me as an Irish Catholic subway alum. Watching the games with my father, grandfather, and older brother are some of my best memories; good or bad, win or lose. The haters and bandwagon fans are just white noise. I can always tell who the real fans are; the same type of people who live and die with this program even though they have nothing at stake except their identity as Irish and/or Catholics.

The haters can hate. The bandwagon fans can jump on and off to suit their whims. I stand with the true fans; those who stand behind the Irish for whatever reason (Irish Catholic subway alum, true alum, local enthusiast). If you have stood with the Fighting Irish through thick and thin, through the fat years as well as the 3-9 seasons, I stand with you. If you have been like me, proudly proclaimed your Irish allegiance even during the dark losing years, I stand with you. I've never been ashamed to pledge my loyalty to the Irish, even when they are getting beat down. Fighting Irish good or bad. I've suffered through plenty of the bad, which makes it so sweet now that ND is running so good. The Irish will always be my team; 0-12 or 12-0. I'll fly their colors no matter what. The haters can hate. But the Fighting Irish will fight on and vanquish all of those week-to-week nancy-boys.

GO IRISH!

This.

Been a fan since the days of Faust, through Lou, Davie, Ty, Weis and Kelly.

I was overseas for about 7 years and I tried keeping up but it was hard. Although I do remember watching the MSU game in 2006 on the Net in Poland (via Slingbox) and keeping up with Irish games via my phone and text with my parents.

So I am glad to see that the Irish have actually BUILT a program again. I think that is the most encouraging sign to me as a lifetime fan of ND. I may not be as fanatic as I was in my younger years but that does not make me any less of a fan

GO IRISH!!

 

[wakeuptheechoes]

...
To returning fans you disgust me your team is your team win or lose

I agree. I always have a huge respect for someone wearing team attire when that team is not a perennial winner, or better yet not ever a winner.

I have always worn my ND shirt hat and simply said "What can I say, their my team and they always will be." The guys that change hats every year have no character.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Other edge of the sword:

I really can't stand the "you didn't go there, why are you a fan?" people.

The best part of this site is the nature of the alum here. They don't act holier than thou, and everyone is a passenger on the same train, which happens to be the PAIN TRAIN this year!

 

[mgriff]

Georgia Tech, 2007. I grabbed a bottle of vodka to kick of the new season in the barracks with my die-hard Wisconsin fan of a roommate. My plan was to do a shot everytime they did something spectacular.

Turned out by the end of the first quarter I had switched to doing a shot when they did something right, which wasn't often and by halftime I was shitfaced having just drank out of frustration. In my drunken second quarter stupor I pointed out to my roommate, in classic drunken slur, "They can't even snap the ball outta the god damn shotgun formationm," a line that my buddy still recounts to me today.

I have not called him yet to brag this year, because I feel like if I do we'll be punished for my bravado. So no, I wait, and when the time is right, I will call you and flaunt the Irish greatness, and your Wisconsin joy will turn to ash in your mouth, and you'll know they years of Army ridicule I suffered for being an ND fan will be repaid.

That was a terrible season, and I was also in Louisiana, out at a bar in Leesville for the Sugar Bowl. All in my ND decor amongst these hillbilly mother****ers. That was probably one of the lowest points of my ND fandom as they got demolished with me at a bar, surrounded by inbred cretins.

 

[ARALOU]

There was a shirt around here not too long ago that said "I am wearing a MTSU shirt because I went to Middle Tennessee State University, you are wearing a UT shirt because you went to Walmart." I laughed at that. Also om another note, the sign at gameday that pointed out the library to the SEC was similar to one we saw at Vandy/ Georgia last year. Only Vandy was pointing out the library to Georgia.

 

[Seanthornton]

If its Saturday and the Irish WIN ...... all is right with the world. If they loose ...... Its just plain stinks ! Either way I'm an irish fan, Blue and Gold through and through. I'll still wear my hat and sweatshirt Sunday Win or loose / Good season or bad.
Band wagon people annoy me. They are what they are.

When I want Whiskey.....I'll drink Whiskey ...... When I want water....I'll drink water....







KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!

GO IRISH GO !!!!

 

[Black Irish]

If its Saturday and the Irish WIN ...... all is right with the world. If they loose ...... Its just plain stinks ! Either way I'm an irish fan, Blue and Gold through and through. I'll still wear my hat and sweatshirt Sunday Win or loose / Good season or bad.
Band wagon people annoy me. They are what they are.

When I want Whiskey.....I'll drink Whiskey ...... When I want water....I'll drink water....







KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!

GO IRISH GO !!!!

That's one of my favorite lines from that movie. That's what I say whenever someone asks if I want my whiskey on the rocks or mixed with anything.

 

[Irish#1]

I've been through the good and the bad for the past 30 years. My attention to the details has wavered, but I have never wavered in my commitment as an Irish fan. It means too much too me as an Irish Catholic subway alum. Watching the games with my father, grandfather, and older brother are some of my best memories; good or bad, win or lose. The haters and bandwagon fans are just white noise. I can always tell who the real fans are; the same type of people who live and die with this program even though they have nothing at stake except their identity as Irish and/or Catholics.

The haters can hate. The bandwagon fans can jump on and off to suit their whims. I stand with the true fans; those who stand behind the Irish for whatever reason (Irish Catholic subway alum, true alum, local enthusiast). If you have stood with the Fighting Irish through thick and thin, through the fat years as well as the 3-9 seasons, I stand with you. If you have been like me, proudly proclaimed your Irish allegiance even during the dark losing years, I stand with you. I've never been ashamed to pledge my loyalty to the Irish, even when they are getting beat down. Fighting Irish good or bad. I've suffered through plenty of the bad, which makes it so sweet now that ND is running so good. The Irish will always be my team; 0-12 or 12-0. I'll fly their colors no matter what. The haters can hate. But the Fighting Irish will fight on and vanquish all of those week-to-week nancy-boys.

GO IRISH!

I've been following the Irish since the early sixties and was able to see my first game in person in 73. I always knew I loved the Irish but once I stepped on campus I realized why I always felt the devotion and I hadn't even made it into the stadium yet. I don't begrudge the bandwagon fans but I do try to educate them on Notre Dame and not just the football team. You'd be surprised how many I have converted once they understand it's more than football.

 

[Redbar]

I have been a Notre Dame fan since the second I was conceived, my Dad was a student when my Mom got pregnant with me. I grew up under the dome, very close to the football program, under four Head Coaches starting with Coach Parseghian, we moved the year after Coach Devine took over, only to return when Coach Faust took over, and I went to school and worked in the football office for four years under Coach Holtz. My passion and love for Notre Dame has been one of the few constants in my life. Fair weather fans, bandwagon fans are in my opinion more than welcome, the more the merrier, but at the end of the day their presence OR lack thereof, has ABSOLUTELY no bearing on how I feel or how hard I pull. I will be wearing Blue and Gold and my ND flag will grace the front of my house and my kids homes (when they are at that stage in life) as long there is a Redbar above ground.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Speaking of bandwagon fans...I've got a neighbor in south-west Ohio that recently started sporting two Alabama window flags on their Jeep. They haven't been there in previous years, and I know they've lived in Ohio for at least 15 years without displaying any Alabama material till now. I kind of laughed when I saw that.

Thats funny. Is he a ten year old who talked his parents into putting the Bama stuff up?

 

[Seanthornton]

That's one of my favorite lines from that movie. That's what I say whenever someone asks if I want my whiskey on the rocks or mixed with anything.

Got your back !

God bless all in this house ............ Wipe off your muddy boots !!



KEEP THE FAITH !!!!

GO IRISH GO !!!!!

 

[ACamp1900]

Bandwagon fans don't bother me so long as they keep their mouths shut... to me you have to earn the right to talk trash.

anyway, in regards to our BW... it will empty super quick and the hater BW will fill if ND loses this game, even if it's in the fifth overtime and ND loses on a very bad call... the media will bury ND.

 

[gfviperman]

In the Texas panhandle there are lots of OU and Longhorn fans.

Tonight went out to eat with ND grab on. Across from us were 4 people in Crimson and Cream. We nodded to each other.

I went over to their table and asked if they needed me to read the menu for them.

Luckily, they laughed and were friendly ... BIG ... but friendly.

If the Irish should lose Saturday, I 'll still wear my Irish stuff.

But if they lose to Wake Forest .....

 

[ACamp1900]

The menu question is classic