It’s more than a clever motto. If you’ve ever visited the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of Notre Dame, you may have seen this phrase engraved deep into the stone above the side door.
For the thousands of Irish fans across the globe, this phrase personifies the place that Notre Dame has in their lives.
But what does this phrase mean, and how does it impact the way Notre Dame Alumni and fans act or feel when it comes to the University of Notre Dame du Lac?
“God, Country, Notre Dame”
Quite literally, this phrase is meant to identify the importance of Notre Dame in the lives of alumni and fans; God first, Country second, Notre Dame third.
Nobody expects that, as a fan, you love the University more than your family, or occupation (you probably do love Notre Dame more than your occupation).
But it is a testament to the passion that the Notre Dame family feels for the University, its education, its athletics, and for one another.
As a Notre Dame fan or as a collegiate sports fan in general, you will hardly ever see a passive Notre Dame football fan.
By that, I mean that you will hardly ever see a Notre Dame football fan that doesn’t follow the Irish with some sort of consistency or passion. Some, however, are more passionate than others.
Not to pick on Ohio State, but I live in Ohio and work with Ohio State football fans. Sometimes in my conversations with some of them, I will bring up a game they had just played a weekend earlier and these fans will say to me, “Oh really, who did we play last week?”
Are you kidding me? You’re an OSU “fan” yet you don’t know who your team plays on a week-to-week basis? These are also the same fans who don’t watch OSU Football games unless they’re playing Michigan or in a bowl game.
I realize that this is just a small cross-section of OSU fans, but when it comes to Notre Dame, you rarely ever see this from a fan. This doesn’t mean that Notre Dame is better than Ohio State...actually, yes it does.
“Here’s to you, hopeless Notre Dame Fan”
I’ve seen the video, and I still think it’s stupid. But, they have one thing right: the passion of Irish Fans.
Every year, Irish fans fantasize about an undefeated season and a National Championship. And for many fans, the season is lost if Notre Dame falls to one opponent.
We will still watch the games and root for our team, but the season isn’t a success unless the Irish bring home a National Championship trophy, which hasn’t happened in a while.
In some respects, it’s a bit unfair, the expectations Irish fans put on the football team. But, they’re warranted.
Notre Dame is historically one of the best teams in the Nation, even if they haven’t been playing like it for the past decade.
Every year, Notre Dame competes for the National Championship and they have players that come to play football who want to do the same thing. And the fans expect that Notre Dame competes for a title every year.
3 comments Last one added 8 months ago — Leave a Comment
Scott Pusich 8 months ago
As a Florida State alum (Master's only; UCLA has "dibs" as my *undergrad* alma mater), I have to say that usually I don't root *for* Notre Dame, but I acknowledge the historical importance of Notre Dame football, and wish the program well. That is, when the Irish aren't playing one of my three schools. ;-)
What irks me somewhat about this year, though, is that ND chose to schedule San Diego State. If Notre Dame is to retain the special image it has with the average fan (myself), if not the diehard Notre Dame fans and alums, it will have to avoid the at-first convenient (but eventually damaging) trend of scheduling weaker opponents to "pad" its record. I understand why it's being done, but nevertheless it sets a bad precedent.
I know that there is pressure (as there is at every school) to have the best possible record, but if that comes at the cost of diluting the schedule, it affects the way people see the program. I definitely don't see Florida State's scheduling of *two* I-AA teams as a positive move, for example. I'd compare it to cheap knock-off clothing; at first it seems fine, but the lack of quality is soon apparent when compared to the "real stuff".
Anyway, good article, it gives me a view "from the inside", from a fan. Props to the team for fighting until the end earlier today, and good luck with the rest of the season...
Except for Boston College. ;-) I was just finishing high school when Flutie let fly with the *cough* "Hail Mary" against Miami in '84, so that's the main reason. Also, there was that matter of the ND-BC game in '93 which ended up helping FSU more than anyone expected (myself included). I was at Florida State before BC was in the ACC... in fact, before FSU was in the ACC! BC has always been a Big East school, in my mind. They're a pain now that they're in FSU's division, but I'll root for them otherwise (if they're not playing FSU).
So, I send my respect (props, as it were) as a fan of a program that knew it had made the big time when it began to play Notre Dame (FSU, that is... Kansas and UCLA haven't reached those heights, at least not in football)!
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Jon Hunn 8 months ago
Thanks for your comments, Scott.
As far as scheduling SDSU, I'm not sure what was the reason as well. Next year, ND has scheduled Nevada for their oppening game, which isn't better. However, Notre Dame is one of only like five schools in D-IA not to schedule a D-II school so far. (I think that's the statistic, I'm too lazy to look it up).
I guess it really just comes down to if everyone else is doing it. Historically, Notre Dame plays one of the toughest schedules year in and year out (with this year kind of being an exception so far). So I guess it really doesn't hurt them to schedule SDSU, and this year, it may have helped them in terms of confidence for a young team. I really don't mind schdueling a weaker team, but please no D-II teams, and not more than one (save Navy, Army, B.C., etc).
As far as you rooting for BC? Are you nuts?!?! Oh well, can't win them all. Boston College actually gave you guys the National Championship that year. By beating us, we were out of the NC game and had no shot at it, when you won the game, you still won the NC even though we beat you in head-to-head and we demolished our opponent in our bowl game (I think it was Texas A&M).
Anyways, good luck to FSU and I hate B.C. so you're on your own there. Thanks!
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Clashmore Mike 8 months ago
Thanks for your fine essay. The one characteristic you left out when defining a true Notre Dame fan is patience cultivated by years of enduring ignorant criticism from those who simply don't understand what Notre Dame stands for; its mission (excellence in everything, including athletics, as praise to God), nor its historic place in college football.
As for the the schedule, San Diego State was probably scheduled years ago since these schedules get made well in advance. But we have to cautious about accusing teams of scheduling weak schedules. Obviously many powerhouse programs regularly book obvious powderpuffs in order to pad the schedule. But, in the case of the Irish, who would have thought a few years ago that Michigan would be such a weakling this year? Or UNC would be a rising power?
And regarding BC? Jealous, bitter, low-class Notre Dame wannabes! Ugh! Go Irish!
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