First Notre Dame Football Memory

[twig21]

As stated in other recent threads, this is definitely the uneventful time of year for college football. So I am in a nostalgic mood.
My first ND football memory is the 1970 Cotton Bowl. Even though I grew up in LA, my parents and older siblings were all born in Indiana. So i always heard about ND but can't remember specifics.
I remember watching the entire game sitting in a rocking chair right in front of the tv clutching a tooth that had just fallen out that morning.
I remember the announcers kept saying this was the Irish first bowl game in years. (Didn't understand that)
I recall a feeling that they had a chance to win, but a controversial call helped Texas win.
I vividly remember crying at the outcome of the game. I was 9.
That started it, I was 9 and thought ND got screwed. Also during that game I became a huge Tom Gatewood fan, and got redemption the following year.

 

[ACamp1900]

I opened my eyes and saw a doctor wearing a t shirt claiming Alabama's 'missing rings'... and I knew something had to be done...

 

[BurningRiver]

I'm a relatively younger fan (in high school). My first memory is the Bush Push game. I was never really a fan before that game; I had been on the campus once, but this was the first time I had watched a Notre Dame football game. Before this I was never really a football fan either, but this game propelled me to an obsession with Notre Dame football as well as football in general. Because I wasn't much of a fan at that point, the outcome of the game didn't affect me much, but now I look back on that game wishing we'd won. I haven't missed watching a game since.

 

[GreatGolson]

ahh yes my first painful ND memory, honestly i remember them before this, (but i didnt care much about football when i was very young)...was the shellacking we received in the 2001 fiesta bowl

 

[NDPhilly]

37-0 loss to FSU. I went with my dad. Our ride left in the third quarter so we had to walk in the rain 5 miles back to the hotel.

 

[Riddickulous]

An abundance of young guns in this thread. Here's another.

Watched bits and pieces of the '02 Maryland game. Walton picked off three passes and Vontez Duff scooted for a punt return touchdown.

I started watching the Irish regularly in 2005.

...I'm still in college.

 

[NankerPhelge]

Can't remember which happened first, but two memories very distinctly come to mind as my first ones. Remember watching them on a black and white T.V either at home or at Grandpa and Grandma's house. This would have been in the early 60's, because my Uncle, who is a '64 alum, was living with them at the time and I used to try to look for him in the stands when I knew he was at the game. Grandpa and Grandma lived on Grape Road (where University Park Mall is now, for those that have just been in town a couple times, as a point of reference). It was about 5-6 miles from campus. That was way before the mall, T & C shopping center, or anything else out there. Nothing but farms, cornfields and houses. It is burnt into my mind on fall Saturdays early in the season, G & G would be outside raking leaves and I would be out there "helping" them (I was too young to be of much help) and listening to the game on a portable radio my Grandpa had. When the crowd would cheer at the Stadium, you could actually hear the sound come over the fields. The band, too. Just writing about it is giving me goosebumps.

 

[twig21]

love the goosebumps! I got em starting the thread

 

[ACamp1900]

My actual first memory (as a fan, I knew who ND was for a long time prior) was the 89 Convicts V Catholics game... the one were Stan S. was burned on the 3rd and forever...

I remember the hype on that game was EXTREME and as a young kid I just knew my team would come from that game... ND lost, but by the end of the game I was ND for life...

the Rocket Kick Return call back against Colorado the following year or so was another big one for me... my Dad was recruited by Colorado and was always a fan b/c of that... and he hated Holtz... so that game, and moment, was EPIC for a young boy

 

[Mr. McGibblets]

My first memories are quick flash memories of when you are little kid. i remember being in the back seat of my parents car and i heard on the Radio ND got upset by someone, and i was thinking "WTF (actually if i was little it would have been "Gosh"), Notre Dame never loses?"

I remember laying on my living room floor watching ND/WVU in 1988 and I never forgot the name Major Harris for some reason. That was 2nd grade. Thats all I really remember from that game. And i had a Fiesta Bowl Sweatshirt.

I remember going to the kickoff classic at the meadowlands in 1989 vs Virginia when Tony Rice played. I remember sitting somewhat high in end zone but the stadium was jammed. Tony Rice was thr MVP. I went with my buddy and his family and then my mom dad and brothers. I remeber my dad buying me a yellow notre dame football. one of those balls that was half the size. I think the brand was Touch? My buddy also got one but mine had a mini chip out of the side of it but it was still functional. But I was still mad mine was flawed and his wasnt. That football is still probably in my parents basement somewhere in a box.

 

[A Pac]

Mine is Lou repeatedly saying "we beat the number 1 team in the country" after the BC/FSU fiasco. I then remember asking my mom what all that meant. I've been hooked ever since.

 

[ACamp1900]

I never forgot the name Major Harris for some reason. That was 2nd grade.

Bo.
Orlando.


lol... anyway he was the honorary guest at the Sun Bowl this year... it was cool to see him, I was boring my family with sotries about him and the 88 title game before the kickoff...lol

 

[phgreek]

...I had watched or listened to Notre Dame games with my grandmother probably since birth...but what turned me into what I am today...

1978 cotton bowl. Friend of the family, and Texas graduate sneaks into the basement and changes the lights on our christmas tree orange...Proclaims Texas champions, parks his butt in front of the TV...so of course I'm now invested. Notre Dame rolls Earl Campbell and Texas in a blowout...Very sweet taste there.

Following year, ND takes on Houston, and squeaks it out...again Very sweet.

My fandom was born upon a foundation of happier times...and galvanized because of the Faust years, growing up in PA, and my personality...I defended ND to the PSU jackyls, sometimes I think out of sheer stubourness, and its actually in those moments where the fandom becomes part of your identity...so here I am!

 

[NankerPhelge]

^Just brought back a flood of great memories. Reps!

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

My first experience with Notre Dame du Lac was when I passed by a TV and an announcer excitedly said "Notre Dame first down!" I looked and saw these Navy blue jerseys and sparkling gold helmets. Next experience, my father was fixing a leak in the roof. He asked for some sort of tool. As I walked around the house looking for some sort of tool (who the hell 5 year old knows what "vice grips" are..., I couldn't help but notice the Tv turned on to a Notre Dame basketball game. Announcer excitedly screamed "Notre Dame ball!" The magic in the sound of the name, the blue and gold, geez, I was sold by age 5.

 

[JadeBrecks]

I grew up watching ND games every weekend. It was what happened on Sat during football season. If we didnt watch it live we taped it and avoided every bit of media we could. I think my first ND memory was being taken up to ND to watch a blue and gold game. Dont remember much of it because I was so young but I do remember bits and pieces. And that stated the long road of memories!

 

[irish4ever]

My first Irish football experience was also the 1970 Cotton Bowl. Being from a Catholic family, who other than ND was there to root for back in those days?! After that game I was hooked ... all Irish since! My first experience watching the Irish live in ND stadium was '96 (Lou's last), losing to Air Force in OT.

 

[rtrn2glory]

First memory: 1992 Snow bowl, 9 years old going nuts and destroying the house.

Most painful memory: Correction: how could I forget BC 1993?? If I wasn't a Sox fan I would nuke beantown!!

First game: 1998 against BC (lost but Julius Jones housed a punt that was awesome!!)

Greatest memory: 2006 UCLA Quinn to Samardzia (I was in attendance with my younger brother, that place was freaking loud and going crazy!!)

 

[IrishMoore1]

My first memory was a painful one: 2007 opener against Georgia Tech... I think that speaks for itself

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

93 beating fsu! everyone here was on the bandwagon. after they won it all they had t-shirts made up with the season on it. fsu killing a gator and **** like that. when i got to the ND game it had a fsu player tripping over a shamrock loved it!

 

[Veer option]

Watching the original Catholics vs Convicts game with my grandfather. He was a great Irish fan. Almost every Saturday after that I watched college football and more importantly Irish games with him.

 

[ACamp1900]

...I had watched or listened to Notre Dame games with my grandmother probably since birth...but what turned me into what I am today...

1978 cotton bowl. Friend of the family, and Texas graduate sneaks into the basement and changes the lights on our christmas tree orange...Proclaims Texas champions, parks his butt in front of the TV...so of course I'm now invested. Notre Dame rolls Earl Campbell and Texas in a blowout...Very sweet taste there.

Following year, ND takes on Houston, and squeaks it out...again Very sweet.

My fandom was born upon a foundation of happier times...and galvanized because of the Faust years, growing up in PA, and my personality...I defended ND to the PSU jackyls, sometimes I think out of sheer stubourness, and its actually in those moments where the fandom becomes part of your identity...so here I am!

I wouldn't even be bron until another couple years after this game but I have it on DVD and have watched it quite a bit...


AWESOME game... great topic for my Longhorn-bandwagon-jumping brother in law

 

[NDisme]

My first memory was when i was about 5 or 6 my grandpa took me to see the ND campus and stadium on some random summer afternoon, while i was looking through the gates of the stadium, Lou Holtz drove up in a golf cart and took a picture with me.

 

[irishtrain]

Pitt Stadiun in Pittsburgh, bright sunny day, (Theisman Gatewood years) with the sun shinning on those golden helmets as the loaded up in the tunnel ready to come out. It was awesome. Everytime a player moved the sun reflected off the helmets in such a way that they seemed electric. I miss that color.

 

[rtrn2glory]

My first memory was when i was about 5 or 6 my grandpa took me to see the ND campus and stadium on some random summer afternoon, while i was looking through the gates of the stadium, Lou Holtz drove up in a golf cart and took a picture with me.

That's a great story dude!!

 

[Sherm Sticky]

1993 Cotton bowl against Texas A&M. 28-3 victory! It was the last games for Brooks, Bettis and Mirer. I was hooked after that game and watched very second of the 1993 season. Stupid BC.

 

[IrishInColumbus]

My first vivid memory is the green jerseys and loss to Boston College back in 2002 or 2003.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

We got a lot of young guns up in here.

 

[TDHeysus]

My actual first memory (as a fan, I knew who ND was for a long time prior) was the 89 Convicts V Catholics game... the one were Stan S. was burned on the 3rd and forever...

3rd and 43....that one is still an enigma to me. How can that happen?


My first memory of Notre Dame is Tim Brown, I didnt follow all season but I liked him from the start......fast forward, by the end of the '87 season I was a passionate ND fan for life. Other memories around that time:

Frank Stams V. Rodney Peete
the '88 Catholic v. Convicts (at ND) game

 

[polishjuice4]

My first memory is the 99 game vs. Arizona State. We won by like forty points. Still have the program. Ever since that I've been a die hard Notre Dame fan.