For those that don’t know, I live just outside of South Bend, Indiana. Which is right next to Notre Dame, Indiana. That’s right, they have their own zip code and post office. Because they are special. If you live in this area, 90% of the people love Notre Dame. I think it’s because they can’t think for themselves and they are the local team. Also, for those that don’t know, I am a Michigan fan. Most of my clothes are Michigan, I bet I’ve driven 2 1/2 hours (one way) to more Michigan games than 85% of these Notre Dame “fans”. I go to 2-3 games in Ann Arbor a year, plus we make a family trip up before the season for Fan Appreciation Day or Youth Day where the kids can meet the players and get autographs, plus go down on the field. I follow their basketball team all season and try to watch as many games as I can on TV. And I try to follow their baseball team but that is a challenge as it doesn’t get much recognition here in the South Bends area.
I hate Notre Dame fans. Not all, but most. As I said above, most of my clothes are Michigan and I wear them proudly. But it never fails, ever since they went undefeated this year, when I go out in the world, no matter where I go, someone walks by and says “Go Irish!”. My typical response to them anymore is “Wow! Shocker, a Notre Dame fan.” but as Cheri says, I say it rather rudely. I’ve just gotten so fed up with their bullshit. Everywhere you look around here is not only Notre Dame, but most likely Notre Dame football. Front page of the paper is always ND. Lead story on the news broadcasts is usually ND. Did I tell you the call letters of our local NBC affiliate. WNDU – That’s W Notre Dame University. That’s right, the university owns the local TV/Radio station. The university signed a huge multi-million dollar deal with NBC to broadcast their games.
I used to only hate the fans, but more and more, I’m starting to hate the university. The last few years alone they have pissed me off because they put their football program above anything else. Their star WR a few years back got a DUI, they suspended him from football, for a few months in the middle of summer. Don’t worry ND fans, he played every game. Michigan had a WR also get a DUI around the same time, you know what they did, they benched him for the year and when he got caught driving on a suspended license, thus breaking his probation, they kicked him off the team. Did you hear about the ND players that raped a girl, she reported to campus security and they swept it under the rug. Last I heard, the players name was ever released. I’m sure you heard about the kid that got killed because the coaches sent him up in a scissors lift in 60 mph winds, it made national news. Why did they send him up? To record a football practice.
The university is all about their image and money. Guess that makes sense since they are a catholic university. They won’t join a conference because it cuts into their money and that way, they can keep making making their own schedule. Oh wait, I’m sorry, they did join a conference this past year. They joined the ACC (not known for their football), oh wait, that’s right, all sports programs joined EXCEPT the football program. You know, because that’s where their money is at.
Why is all this coming up now? Because last nights BCS game was a reminder of why I don’t like ND fans. They truly believed that they belonged there. I won’t even get into the reason that they were there, the BCS system. But what I did enjoy last night during the game, was Twitter. The ND haters were out in full force, don’t worry, I saved some for you.
If you like Notre Dame, more power to you. But I don’t and I think you know why now. I don’t hate ND because I’m a Michigan fan. I hate Notre Dame because of Notre Dame and Notre Dame fans. I’m proud of the way Michigan handles its students, can you Notre Dame fans say the same?
I think all schools have swept their fair share of dirt under the rug and Michigan is no exception. Michigan is just lucky enough to stay under the radar with its shady business. It's a corrupt world we live in, powered by money. So yeah, a school isn't going to demote it's #1 asset.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine what it would be like for a Colts fan to live in Boston, surrounded by Pats fans? Of course they would be despised by the fans and the pride they show for their team. Your situation is no different.
Tell me, as a Colts fan, did you honestly believe they deserved to be in the playoffs? Did you believe they had a chance to win? Of course you did because you are a loyal fan. You are a loyal Colts fan are you not? Any loyal fan is going to believe in their team and show their pride. I bleed blue and shit horseshoes!
That being said, of course ND fans believed they deserved to be there. The scoreboard may have proven otherwise, but up until then, as any loyal fan should, believed they had a chance.
But what do I care, I really don't follow college football that much. I think the system is whacked and I don't understand it one bit. Playoffs, that I can follow. But to determine who plays in the championship based on rankings? And how/where do these rankings come from?
I agree all schools have stuff they haven't been caught with. That's what college sports has become. But ND tends to think that their school is above it. How many times in the last 20 years of struggling have you heard, our standards are higher? Because that's all I heard. So if your going to talk that your standards being higher, then make them higher. Someone gets caught, and it goes public, then do something about it.
DeleteYour right, my situation is no different but I wouldn't feel the need to say anything to perfect strangers because they root for a different team.
The Colts deserved to be there because they won what games they needed to win and I guess in that regard, I used the wrong words in ND didn't deserve to be there. That was more on the system and I think we both agree, BCS sucks. Did I think the Colts had a chance, not really. Sure, they had a slim chance, but I'm a realist. I realized they probably weren't going anywhere. I gave them a chance against Baltimore, but I didn't think they would be able to get 2 or 3 big wins against other playoff teams to get to the Super Bowl. But I am excited about our future.
Supporting your team and forcing your team down everyone else's throats are 2 different things. I am biased against ND because I'm surrounded by it. I've watched ND stuff at every commercial break for the last month and I got fed up. I have plenty of family that are ND fans and even they didn't think they had much of a chance. That doesn't stop them for rooting for them. I don't have a problem with people rooting for their team. I have a problem with people being delusional about their team. For the record, I didn't think Michigan would beat South Carolina either. They hadn't won a big game all year and I didn't expect the bowl game to be any different.
The system is definitely whacked, and that's why ND shouldn't have been there. They certainly weren't the best team in the country going in despite the #1 ranking. Definitely need a playoff.
I'm not the typical sports fan in where I don't talk a lot of trash about my team. I can defend it if someone else is talking and that's pretty much what I do. I have Michigan fans at work that annoy me for the same reason, be realistic about your teams.
Like I said, I don't follow college sports all that much. Maybe ND does claim to be higher than anybody else. I don't watch the news enough to see it.
DeleteYeah, I would agree it's annoying to cram a sports team in the face of complete strangers. So I guess I can see your complaint.
I guess the only reason I wanted to pose an argument is that I am a fan of any team in Indiana that has a chance to win a championship. I thought I would try to stick up for something I don't know much about...college football. BCS is crap!
As for the Colts....I always believe! I was quite optimistic heading into the playoffs. It was such a storybook year, I honestly thought we could ride it to the end. But yeah, realistically, had we beaten Baltimore, we wouldn't have stood a chance against the Broncos. But what a story that would've been, right? I have big expectations for next year!
Believe me, I was hoping to ride it to the end too. They were so much better than I thought they would be this year. I thought we'd only win a couple more games than we did last year. And Luck was a lot better than I expected. If he can get rid of some of the rookie mistakes and get an O line in front of him, look out!
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