The player's walk has changed it route...

[IrishMoore1]

This is a terrible idea. It destroys the tradition of walking from the Basilica and just adds more distractions to our players.

 

[IndyIrishFan1]

ND Nation is a separate website dedicated to following ND athletics. When we make fun of it here, we're usually referring to the people who regularly post on its message board.

They're fire-worshipping Luddites who constantly complain the football program. They cling to a romanticized (and frequently inaccurate) vision of ND's football glory days. The board culture is relentlessly negative; they take great joy in running off anyone who expresses optimism about the team, no matter how well founded.

It's occasionally good for a laugh, but you should otherwise avoid it.

Read: Stay away from ND Nation Message Board. Got it!

Speaking of a good laugh - try the LSU message board surrounding the bar fight. The denial out of a few is almost knee-slapping funny.

LSU Players Implicated in Bar Fight - TigerFan.com

Go Irish!

 

[josejose4482]

I've got mixed emotions about this change. I loved having the players walk out from Mass to the Stadium, especially since they were coming out in a "calm" state of mind. But with this new change, it's going to give more fans an oppurtunity to see the players up close. In the walk from Mass, it get's packed and sometimes you get stuck behind 4 or 5 people and can't usually see anyone. But I'm looking forward as to how the scene is going to look. To me, I think it's about the same distance. Plus, a little walking is good to warm them up. And seeing all the Irish faithful in full effect, is only going to pump them up even more!

 

[PANDFAN]

I love how BK is using tradition but also appealing to the fans...a hostile environment is something we have lacked for a long time....the more the fans get involved, the more it pumps the team up and gives us an edge!

 

[gkautz10]

I agree, ND stadium lacks the hostility like so many of the SEC stadiums have. This is great IMO. I think this will pump the players up even more and get them ready to go rip someones head off. This will also give fans great memories. Think of Manti walking out and giving a little kid a high five, that little kid is always going to remember that and tell his kids about it when they come visit ND for a football game 30 years down the road. This is hopefully the start of a great tradition. Change is often times good guys, remember that.

 

[NankerPhelge]

Some here have talked about the "tradition" of walking directly from the Mass at the Basilica to the Stadium. I honestly don't know, but maybe someone here does. How long has that been going on? I don't remember that happening in the late '70s when I was there. But, of course that doesn't mean it wasn't going on there. . . I had my own pre-game traditions that might have distracted me. Just curious if anyone knows when the Basilica to Stadium walk "tradition" began?

 

[irishtrain]

Watched early.

I LOVE how Kelly and Co are trying to get more fans involved.

This program is heading a GREAT direction, needless to say.

This all good stuff and really better for the players-they have a job to do on gameday and whats better for them is better for me!!!!! Kelly knows how to do this.

 

[GreatGolson]

"THIS IS WRONG! THIS AINT WHAT NOTRE DAME IS ABOUT!!! TOO MUCH FLASH AND RIZ RAZ AND DEE DADS! IM STILL IN A HUFFY ABOUT THAT WHIPPERSNAPPER KELLY NOT MAKING HIS PLAYERS WEAR LEATHER HELMETS!!!"
-typical ND nation poster

 

[TerryTate]

This is a great change. The stadium walk has not been around for decades as some of you "traditionalists" believe. It's a relatively new event. Now, Kelly wants to players to see the people they're playing for. Not to mention recruits are going to eat. this. up.

Now they get to go into their multimillion dollar facility and go through their gameplan instead of a cramped locker room. Use your brains here. Then, they get to walk down the courtyard in front of touchdown Jesus and enter the stadium. "Here come the Irish" chant raining down as they approach. Wake up people.

Lastly, that primer starting at minute 9 is F'ing awesome. That was the best pump up video of the year. "In this room, we win. Out there, they get a chance to feel it."

 

[TerryTate]

<iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/an4g3stz8sQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

9th Minute.

 

[ND NYC]

check out nolan describing it like its a presidential motorcade
i like the old way but this new route has potential lets see how plays out
only downside is with old way lot of "first timers" are doing their "ND Campus Tour" (near admin and basilica) so timing for the old walk was good...now everyone will have to be donw by TD Jesus by 1230-1pm and more than likely wont/cant go all the way back to grotto/bas/admin bldgs etc...