(So this is pretty much a college football post. If you only want crop stuff, then see you next time.)
I am a big football fan. However it is often a trying experience with the ups and downs of my two schools, Oklahoma State and Michigan State. But I would have to say that I am predominately a Cowboy first, definitely Orange. Which made it especially difficult when Galynn had two tickets to yesterday's OU-Notre Dame game and asked if I wanted to go. Well I had always wanted to see the Notre Dame campus and stadium. So of course I said "yes". But I have a hard time just watching a game without being for one of the teams. What a tough decision: Notre Dame which had just beaten the Spartans...or my life-long nemesis the Sooners. Well since I would be in the OU section, and the people were at least representing the state of Oklahoma, I elected to be a Sooner for a day. I am a hat person, but I refuse to spend money on a Sooner item. So I decided to make a home-made hat. Actually I thought it was pretty good as you can see below when Galynn picked me up for the drive to South Bend. I had on the only red shirt I own and off we went.
The Notre Dame campus is really beautiful, and was full of people before the game. There were lots of ND fans in green, but also quite a few Sooner fans in red. It was a cool experience just being a participant in the whole event. Here is one of the main icons of the campus: the famous Golden Dome with the Virgin Mary on top. You can see this from the stadium.
And here is the other: The Basilica of the Sacred Heart. It was open for visitation.
As a Catholic, I felt a little guilty wearing Sooner stuff in there. But there were lots of Sooners going through anyway. I am sure I was not judged in there. It is a very beautiful place. (And I did remove my hat.)
Here is the tabernacle which is behind the altar. Very impressive.
And maybe this is a third icon: the famous Touchdown Jesus, which is on the side of the library. Everyone was getting their picture taken here. I have seen it many times on TV football games where it is visible beyond the scoreboard.
But on TV it looks a lot closer than it is. This is the view to the stadium. But it is a big building after all, so it looks close on TV.
Inside the stadium they have a big display and tribute to the six Notre Dame Heisman trophy winners. I still remember watching on TV as Tim Brown ran back two consecutive punts against the Spartans in this very stadium. He admits that it is those plays that probably won him the Heisman. Oh well...good for him. He is a nice guy at least.
Well here come the Fighting Irish, much to the pleasure of most of the 80,000+ fans.
And here is the kick off, as the Sooners boot the ball to the Irish. The ND fans enthusiasm wouldn't last long as turnovers on their first two possessions lead to a quick 14-0 Sooner lead. There was more scoring by both teams, and it was exciting, but the Irish never came back.
I was still having mixed feelings inside, but it was kind of fun being part of a rich football domination tradition. I'm afraid this will be the only way for me, at least for now.
As the game ended, it was 35-21 in favor of OU.
I guess I enjoyed being a Sooner for a day. But...Lord forgive me!
