Any other ND Converts? What's your story??

[NDLS_USMC]

Long, general ND fandom post.

Preamble: I read IE a ton. I love the convos and personalities. Have responded a few times but wanted to try to add to the community and decided to start/post my first ever internet thread. Be gentle, and mods please move if I placed this inappropriately. Thanks in advance.

Onward!

I always hear stories (here and from ND buddies) of a youth spent learning to love ND while sitting on dad's knee watching the Irish or listening to Lindsey Nelson.

Not me, and wondering if IE has other converts. (Besides me and Manti LOL)

I spent my early years, 1970's, in the town of Milan, MI, about 15 miles from AA. Many family members went to UofM, zero to ND (though we're Irish Catholic). Everyone from grandma on down loved the skunkbears. Me too. And, because of years like 1980, I have to admit to even growing to hate the Irish football teams.

Fast forward to my mid-20's (1992). Getting out of the Marines and heading to law school. Still hated ND football.

However, I was thankfully admitted to ND Law and had friends there. So I made a deal w/ myself: I'd attend ND, get the great education, but NEVER--EVER--switch my loyalty to the Irish sports teams. I even made calls to affirm this with my family and other skunkbear spawn.

Well it only took until Wednesday of my first week on campus to abandon that vow after meeting true ND people. Even was fortunate enough during my time on campus, via volunteering mostly, to meet Lou, Bettis, Lake Dawson, Mirer, etc.

I fell in love with virtually all things at Our Lady's University. Leprechaun tattoo came a year later. *Rarely* miss a game and no one better call me if we are losing.

Absolutely love the Irish and who we are as a University. Mistakes and Daviehamweis years...sure...but no one lives the values and ideals like we do.

Anyway, wondering if there are other converts out there, and what got you over to the side of Good.

Thanks in advance for the replies...and Go Irish!

 

[ResLife Hero]

I'm definitely in this boat. Grew up in a UCLA family, but in 2001, my uncle was invited by the cardinal of LA to go to the USC game and sit on the 50. Best part, he took his only Catholic-school relatives which were my brother and me. Fell in love with it then, but never planned on attending until a last minute change of heart during the college application process. My dad basically forced me to visit, and I fell in love with it. So much history and pride, but what got me was the siege mentality of the students. We weren't the best talent-wise, but everyone had the attitude of "bring it on". Even though my whole time as a student was under the Weis regime, we tried to do it the right way, and I was proud of that.

Now I pretty much plan my weekends around gametime and couldn't be prouder of where the team is at now.

 

[NDinFL]

Long, general ND fandom post.

Preamble: I read IE a ton. I love the convos and personalities. Have responded a few times but wanted to try to add to the community and decided to start/post my first ever internet thread. Be gentle, and mods please move if I placed this inappropriately. Thanks in advance.

Onward!

I always hear stories (here and from ND buddies) of a youth spent learning to love ND while sitting on dad's knee watching the Irish or listening to Lindsey Nelson.

Not me, and wondering if IE has other converts. (Besides me and Manti LOL)

I spent my early years, 1970's, in the town of Milan, MI, about 15 miles from AA. Many family members went to UofM, zero to ND (though we're Irish Catholic). Everyone from grandma on down loved the skunkbears. Me too. And, because of years like 1980, I have to admit to even growing to hate the Irish football teams.

Fast forward to my mid-20's (1992). Getting out of the Marines and heading to law school. Still hated ND football.

However, I was thankfully admitted to ND Law and had friends there. So I made a deal w/ myself: I'd attend ND, get the great education, but NEVER--EVER--switch my loyalty to the Irish sports teams. I even made calls to affirm this with my family and other skunkbear spawn.

Well it only took until Wednesday of my first week on campus to abandon that vow after meeting true ND people. Even was fortunate enough during my time on campus, via volunteering mostly, to meet Lou, Bettis, Lake Dawson, Mirer, etc.

I fell in love with virtually all things at Our Lady's University. Leprechaun tattoo came a year later. *Rarely* miss a game and no one better call me if we are losing.

Absolutely love the Irish and who we are as a University. Mistakes and Daviehamweis years...sure...but no one lives the values and ideals like we do.

Anyway, wondering if there are other converts out there, and what got you over to the side of Good.

Thanks in advance for the replies...and Go Irish!

Great post, amigo

Glad you saw the light.... Welcome to IE, and please, continue posting!

 

[NDLS_USMC]

Thanks.

 

[irishfanjho15]

I was born in Marion Indiana and Dad always said I was born facing the Golden Dome to the northwest.

 

[Emcee77]

Long, general ND fandom post.

Thanks for the post. Interesting story.

I too did not grow up a fan. I went to a Catholic high school, and our principal was an ND alum, so he always encouraged students to apply. I was admitted and I liked ND a lot but there was another school that I liked just as much. Both schools were outstanding institutions where I knew I would get a great education, and I really could not decide between them.

Finally, after struggling for weeks with the decision, I decided to attend the other school, signed the form they'd sent me to accept the offer of admission and asked my mom to put it in the mail for me while I was at school that day.

I didn't really feel right about it all day. When I got home, my mom told me that she hadn't put the form in the mail because she had noticed that there was another form that I had missed and was supposed to sign and send back, in addition to the one I had already signed, in order to reserve my spot in the class. I was relieved to have a second chance and I decided to spend one more night thinking about it.

The next morning, I still didn't feel good about it and I decided to stay home from school to think about it some more. After almost a full day of wrestling with the decision, I went for an afternoon run to clear my head.

Immediately after the run, I suddenly felt sure that ND was the right choice. Pure gut feeling that I've never been able to explain. I trashed the Georgetown acceptance form and signed and sent the ND one instead. By the end of my first week on campus I knew I had made the right choice. And once you experience your first football season as a student, it just gets in your blood. I was an ND guy forever.

 

[NDTH91]

I plan to write a paper/article or maybe even a book one day that touches on this. There's certainly something special about Notre Dame, and everyone knows it, but no one can put their finger on it. Like you guys have said, once you get to campus and meet the people and watch the games, there's no going back. You've experienced it and you're in love with Notre Dame... not just the team with the golden helmets, but Notre Dame as a whole. I went to ND as a huge ND football fan, but honestly didn't know crap about the school, except for that it was Catholic and had great academics. Since enrolling, I've fallen more in love and I've experienced that true ND experience.

I'll be sure to notify you all when I finally write this. I'm hoping to do it after my senior year (next year), but who knows when I'll get around to it!

 

[ACamp1900]

I'm definitely in this boat. Grew up in a UCLA family, but in 2001, my uncle was invited by the cardinal of LA to go to the USC game and sit on the 50. Best part, he took his only Catholic-school relatives which were my brother and me. Fell in love with it then, but never planned on attending until a last minute change of heart during the college application process. My dad basically forced me to visit, and I fell in love with it. So much history and pride, but what got me was the siege mentality of the students. We weren't the best talent-wise, but everyone had the attitude of "bring it on". Even though my whole time as a student was under the Weis regime, we tried to do it the right way, and I was proud of that.

Now I pretty much plan my weekends around gametime and couldn't be prouder of where the team is at now.

Simalar... UCLA family... But I have been Notre Dame since I was 9 years old... The 89 Miami game sold me, even though ND lost....

 

[jimmymac]

I've been a Boston College fan my whole life. Practically my whole family went there, including my father, uncles, cousins, (and now twin brother). I have grown up to Sports Illustrated covers from 1993 to watching the Doug Flutie miracle pass hundreds of times. When the time came for me to look at schools, I didn't seriously consider Notre Dame until visiting. And, much like many recruits who visit campus, I was sold immediately. My dad was fully supportive of my choice over his alma mater mainly because he couldn't have gone to ND back in the day. For that reason I had really always grown up with respect towards ND, and when I had to opportunity to join the ND family in December 2010 I jumped. My twin brother later decided to attend BC, along with my best friend. While I miss them and would love to gone to school with them ND>>>>>>>>> BC. Period. Love this place, and love this team.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

Great stories guys. Keep 'em coming.

 

[timm3117]

It was a cool March morning at Suffolk General Hospital, my mother was in labor for 20 hours. The doctor pulled me out and smacked me on the butt, I didn't cry. So he looked me in the eyes, and said "I think the little fella is trying to say something." I turned to my mother and father and shouted "Lets go Irish!". True story.

 

[ickythump1225]

I grew up in suburban Minnesota with no familial or personal ties to any university. I didn't really watch much college football honestly, I was all about the Vikings and the Red Sox. When I watched college football I cheered for Miami just because I liked Clinton Portis and Andre Johnson.

Then in 2002 I began to watch Notre Dame and the 8-0 start under Ty Willingham got me intrigued. And then the next year Brady Quinn started and I became a big fan on his. I casually followed Notre Dame from then on. But I didn't fully become a Notre Dame die hard until 2005 and the Bush Push game really cemented my deep and abiding love of Notre Dame into me.

It seems strange that a loss and a bitter disappointment would cement a love of a team into me but remember I am a Vikings fan. Every Vikings fan has to be baptized into the clan with a heartbreaking loss and for my generation of Vikings fans it was 1998 and that was my moment. After watching the Bush Push game and setting a personal record for "F word" usage I knew any team that could break it's fanbase's hearts like that was destined to be my team forever.

I'd also like to add that as I got older the "bad boy" image of teams like Miami became less appealing to my midwestern Catholic sensibilities. Part of the allure of Notre Dame is the rigorous academic and ethical standards their players are held to and the strong traditions and storied history of the program.

 

[IrishEyesAreSmiling]

i was born into it by my grandather. at 5 i really started watching and every saturday i went to his house and on my 6th bday he bought me 3 nd jerseys, i fell in love with notre dame ever since and gone to catholic school my whole life. but i still have those same jerseys i will give to my kids. WE ARE ND!

 

[mcmanus]

well I’m a new ND fan

i was born in a small village in county Derry in the north of Ireland
played soccer, Gaelic football and hurling for my parish ( faughanvale )
moved to London England at the age of 12. my parents wanted me to keep my Irish roots so i played Gaelic football and hurling in London
never heard of American football

a few years ago while on a lads holiday in Spain, me and my friends got extremely drunk and decided to get tattoos, great idea yeah, (don’t remember). i woke up with a Celtic cross and my 2 grandfathers name, which i am quite pleased with, and my pal woke up with this funny looking leprechaun on his arm
it was familiar though and it wasn’t until i started getting into the NFL that i realised it was the fighting Irish leprechaun
so after being a giants fan for a couple of years i decided i had to check out the world famous fighting irish of notre dame

half way through last season i started watching a few games on espn uk
and when i heard they were coming over to play in Eire i had to be there and what a weekend
and now i am hooked and am ND for life

GO IRISH

 

[NDLS_USMC]

Ha!

Ha!

Great stories. Not sure if I laughed harder at timm3117 or mcmanus made me laugh harder!

Thanks for sharing, fellas.