When did ND Football First "Happen" For You?

[SteveM]

I was a kid in the late '60's. Catholic school outside of Philly. So it was ND and Penn State for us. I remember my Dad always had the ND game on the radio. I remember names like Joe Theismann, Tom Gatewood, running backs Bob Gladieux and Nick Eddy, Alan Page, Bob Kuechenberg (who played defensive tackle), George Kunz...

We positively demonized USC in our minds. Ara wasn't God, but he was right up there with St. Peter. And I remember coming home from Mass Sunday morning and tuning in ND Highlights narrated by Lindsey Nelson, ("with no further scoring, we move to further action").

Man, those were the halcyon days.

 

[ashellm]

i'm right there with you steve, we must have the same birthday...

 

[NDFan4Life]

My Dad was a big ND fan. He watched/listened to the games all the time. One year (not exactly sure when), he took the family to SB. It was the year that Theismann was up for the Heisman. There were signs everywhere saying "Theismann for Heisman" and others. That was the year I became a Fightin' Irish fan.

 

[Sureal]

88. ND-Miami

 

[Domer Homer]

1976. Born into it, crawling the sidelines at practice, and the halls of the Joyce Center in my "I'm behind the Irish" PJs.

 

[WaveDomer]

My dad graduated ND in '67. My mom graduated St. Mary's in '68. So I'd have to say it started for me in the womb. My brothers and I used to pile pillows up on the bed, get a Nerf and run and jump over the pile of pillows. We all thought we were Pinkett. "Pinkett, Pinkett, Pinkett, punt."

 

[SouthernIrish]

We have a picture of my grandfather in the 1950s sitting outside on the back porch with a radio, listening to Notre Dame play and its SNOWING. My grandmother made him sit out there because he used "such language when those boys are on the radio". No one was allowed to talk to him hours before the game, during the game or hours after the game. He taught all of us the fight song before we could walk.

One of our priests used to give the score after Saturday 5:00 mass. "Peace be with you and Notre Dame won"

Both of my IU roommates/sorority sisters had brothers at Notre Dame so we went up just about every weekend because really, football at Indiana when you could go to Notre Dame? We would go to the game and then stay out on the town til all hours. I remember a dump called Giseppi's where we had so much fun.

I was sitting in the endzone once when the Rocket ran an absolutely brilliant kick off back for a touchdown. Chills. Took each of my sons to a game when they turned 10 years old and they were hooked from the moment we stepped on campus.

 

[SoCalDomer]

I was a Notre Dame virgin until 1991. I grew up in a USC family, though never rooted for the Prophylactics (their one song drove me nuts!). Prior to that I was a UCLA fan once a year (when they played SC of course).

Then, it happened. I'll never be the same.

 

[Wham]

.

 

[Fbolt]

Born into it in 1968 but then at age 13, 1981, Pops took me to ND for a weekend visit. Never looked back.

 

[goldandblue]

Born into it in 1982. My first memory of Notre Dame football was when the Rocket ran the kickoff back against Colorado to get called back for clipping. My grandmother now at 65 still runs around the house like a wild woman when the Irish are playing. Although, She hasn't gotten much exercise this season. I told her to get some extra walking in before next season cause she'll need the energy! My memory may be stained a little about the kick return. Wasn't it Colorado?

 

[SteveM]

I'm the original poster and I just thought of something else. (My family is Polish by the way). But my Dad had a friend Bobby Connor (God bless 'em both). Notre Dame nut. Bob used to make a religious retreat each fall at a monastery in Malvern PA. It was supposed be a weekend of prayer and contemplation. But Bob told us that one of the guys would smuggle in one of the old transistor radios with the earphone. And the "penitents" would gather in his room and listen furtively to the ND game.

BTW, Bob married late. Ann, a sweet woman of German extraction. Mostly so he'd have a regular designated driver.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

It happened when this neighbor girl came over and we decided to .........Oh, I didn't see the part about Notre Dame football. My bad.

 

[Wham]

I came from a non-football watching working class home. When I was 6? 7? 8? my neighborhood friends always talked about Packers, Bears, Cowboys, Chiefs... One day I was walking by a TV when I heard an announcer yell "Notre Dame ball! The FIGHTING IRISH take over..." I stopped to watch, and totally liked the sparkling gold helmets, the plain dark blue jerseys, the plain shiny gold pants, and the cool black shoes. The team hustled and didn't showboat or start fights. Whenever my friends and I played one-on-one or two on two football, my team was always "know-der-DAME". They always asked "who's that?" One day at home my father and I happened to be watching football on TV, which was an extremely rare occurrence, since my father
was always working and didn't usually sit and watch TV. I asked him who his favorite team was, and to my amazement, he said "No truh Dame".

To this day, just hearing the name "Notre Dame" ...

 

[Junkhead]

I started watching around '87. As far as this year, I'm still waiting for "it" to happen!

 

[WaveDomer]

Born into it in 1982. My first memory of Notre Dame football was when the Rocket ran the kickoff back against Colorado to get called back for clipping. My grandmother now at 65 still runs around the house like a wild woman when the Irish are playing. Although, She hasn't gotten much exercise this season. I told her to get some extra walking in before next season cause she'll need the energy! My memory may be stained a little about the kick return. Wasn't it Colorado?

Yes, it was Colorado. Man that call was horrible.

 

[choo choo]

gold and blue, im a fellow tennessean and it was the same for me...that was our game and our nc with our head-to-head win over florida state...but hey "poor ole bobby, he hasn't won one and he really deserves it...notre dame has plenty we should share the success'...kinda thought hillary might have been voting that season...but i was hooked at that moment...i just can't wait until charlie puts up the first of a few nc's...he will, the recruiting has just been too good...

 

[choo choo]

this sucks...i wish we were playing this week...just as well i guess, i have to paint the bath room tomorrow...maybe i'll get some yardwork in too...

 

[mlcspinner]

I was in High school and she was a cheerleader .... Oh wait i'm sorry this about football:embar:

 

[VAIRISH]

Love me some Irish

Love me some Irish

1982. I was 8 years old in October. My dad had cable TV hooked up for the first time and, if I remember correctly, old ND-SC games would air on ESPN. I remember being mesmerized by the GOLD helmets and loved the excitement and atmosphere of the games. Gerry Faust was the coach of the modern era team. I enjoyed Blair Kiel (sp?) and Allen Pinkett. For some reason, I recall a game against South Carolina during this period. Would Charlie have been on that staff? I remember beating BC in a bowl game and, of course, the Miami game that was Gerry's finale. I remember a Sports Illustrated cover with Gerry and the title "We're gonna make it!" Even though those were lean years, I fell in love with the Irish. That makes things easier to take. Everything runs in cycles, and I believe Charlie will bring ND back where they belong. I also remember Lou's first game against Michigan. Even though ND was 5-6 that first year, you could sense a new attitude and excitement and that Holtz was about to break everything wide open. Miami 88. Tennessee 90. The matchups vs Colorado. FSU 93. Stams, Stonebreaker, Rice, Zorich, Rocket, Pat Terrell, Waters. Great memories.

 

[SouthernIrish]

Vagas Ferguson graduated from my high school and the entire town became fans the instant he signed his letter of intent. My grandfather was supposed to have surgery the day of the 78 cotton bowl but he and the surgeon agreed they had better things to do and watched the game together in the hospital. Vagas made everyone proud that day

 

[Polish_Fighting_Irish]

1996 - "Rudy" in Polish TV. I didn't know any rules, I even didn't know what football is, but I knew that I'm a Notre Dame fan.

 

[MeanGreen]

My dad and all my uncles were big ND fans, so I can always remember watching the games that were televised back in the 70's and being late for church watch the highlights with Lindsey Nelson. But really Joe Montana, Ross Browner, Will Fry and Phil Carter, Vegas Ferguson and gang were it for me. I remember the original green shirt game and jumping around my living room and my dad telling me to calm down,as he shouted something not printable!!! Then the Cotton Bowl comeback. I had to leave the living room and the big color(27") TV because my future sister-in-law and PSU grad wanted to watch PSU vs UG in the Sugar Bowl and go to my room and watch the game on my small black and white tv. I can remember jumping downstairs running into the room and shouting we're coming back and run to the TV and turn the station. My dad let me win that battle, because we were coming back!!! Biy was she pissed, especially after PSU lost!!!

 

[SouthernIrish]

NY Jets coach Weeb Eubank and Lamar Lundy ( Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, and Rosey Grier-Rams Fearsome Foursome) are both from my hometown. When my grandfather would get on a roll about football it was always the Jets, fearsome foursome and Notre Dame. I think he was afraid that all of his grandsons would play basketball so he really ramped up the football propoganda

 

[4LeafClover]

i dont really remember how i became a notre dame fan. born and raised in maryland my entire life. but maryland sure wasnt making any headlines or national TV appearances then(i was born in '86), so i guess it's because i saw Notre Dame on tv every weekend.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

I've told this story a couple of times on this site. Was a Skunkbear fan growing up, and really did not follow college football closely. I applied for for early enrollment to ND, as an afterthought presuming I was headed to scUM. Found out I was accepted to ND as we were walking out the door for our family Spring Break vacation my senior year of high school. Circled by the bookstore on the way back to load up on ND garb so that I could gloat to my friends.

1st game/real taste of ND football was vs. Northwestern in '93. Petey Bercich with a pick-6 on the first play from scrimmage. Been an addict ever since.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

When I went to ND in 1995...my wife and I got season tickets. I was hooked after that.

 

[wahoo]

My uncle (God rest his merry Irish soul) took me to a game at South Bend. Not sure what year it was ...I know Ara was the coach and my favorite players were Nick Eddy and Jim Lynch