Dickie Cronkite

It wasn't!

...was it?

It can't be!

Yup, looks like I "exercised" those demons, after all. I feel terrible - I feel like that British guy in Last of the Mohicans who gets his heart cut out by that Indian warrior. 'Just awful.

For those of you catching up, Friday night/Saturday I enjoyed a magical pilgremage to the Holy Land, i.e. South Bend, Ind.

I was raised on Notre Dame football. It took my mom about two years to accept the fact that I went to Georgetown, not Notre Dame. ...I think, to be perfectly honest, part of her never fully recovered from my decision. She's never been quite the same since.

That's why it made perfect sense that when I called home from a tailgate this morning and reported that I was within sight of the Golden Dome, the Stadium and Touchdown Jesus, my parents sounded more proud than the day I graduated from college. I'm not kidding.

(The AM tailgate weather was miserable and pouring rain, by the way. But they had steak, which I had going for me, which was nice.)

Notre Dame is a very big deal in my family. In other words, I'm so not being the cool rebellious son by enthusiastically embracing this football team. What can I say - some family tradition is permanently ingrained in you, whether you like it or not. Honor thy father and thy mother, dammit.

I had been on the campus once before, almost exactly 11 years ago when I was a junior in high school...and my parents were pushing for me to apply to ND.

A little background: Back then ND had just beaten Florida State the week before to become the No. 1 ranked team in the nation. That week they were to wrap up their season with a small-potatoes game versus BC - Boston College.

Those goddamn Jesuits.

BC won in a stunner - a last play-of-the-game field goal that gave them a 1 or 2 point margin of victory. I was there. That was over 10 years ago.

Fast-forward to, um...TODAY. Notre Dame's having a decent season. BC's OK I guess but nothing to write home about - ND should have no problem with them. And yes, I am indeed in attendance.

First of all, let me tell you what a magical wonder it is to enter Notre Dame Stadium - even to you inane skeptics who compare ND to the Yankees...which is enough to make me jump naked into Lake Michigan. Plus, I got to stand in the student section, learn all the cheers (my favorite: the "KILL!" chant set to the "Empire" music from Star Wars. 'Just great stuff - if only we could all channel our aggression in such a healthy manner.)

Whenever it's third down for the opponent everyone takes out their keyes and jostles them while screaming at the top of their lungs. It actually made one of the BC players jump once for a five-yard penalty, which made me feel better about myself as a human being. I got to pretend I was 19 again - good times.

Notre Dame just made BC its bitch throughout the whole first half, even if their defense was a bit shaky. The second half?

...

...

I don't want to talk about it.

Look, it's NOT my fault, alright??

Yes, I realize this was my second game at Notre Dame Stadium, OK? And YES, I'm 0 for 2.

...Fine, both losses were against BC in the LAST MINUTE.

I am aware this is an amazing - and yet horrifying - coincidence. But I am NOT a jinx, goddamitt! If you could have seen the ND secondary in person, you would know - they were pathetic! They should be publicly hanged in the middle of campus next week just to appease the outrage! Heads must roll! (...just not mine.)

Look, I earned my ticket to this game. If you only knew how many ND/USC games my parents subjected me to growing up at the Coliseum in LA. Sure, there are plenty of ND fans in Los Angeles, but still - having to suffer SC fans as the minority in that stadium...I mean, you might as well be a group of communists protesting in the street while getting pelted with tomatoes. It ain't pleasant (unless ND wins).

As we were getting back to Chicago, my mom calls me and says "honey...you can go to any Notre Dame games you want, OK?...just not when they're playing Boston College."

I'm NOT A JINX! I'm not! I'm not I'm not I'm not!

Fine. Everyone just leave me alone. Piss off. [door slam.]

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2004-10-24 1:03 AM It wasn't my fault! It wasn't my fault! Previous Entry :: Next Entry Mood: heartbroken Read/Post Comments (35) Share on Facebook	It wasn't! ...was it? It can't be! Yup, looks like I "exercised" those demons, after all. I feel terrible - I feel like that British guy in Last of the Mohicans who gets his heart cut out by that Indian warrior. 'Just awful. For those of you catching up, Friday night/Saturday I enjoyed a magical pilgremage to the Holy Land, i.e. South Bend, Ind. I was raised on Notre Dame football. It took my mom about two years to accept the fact that I went to Georgetown, not Notre Dame. ...I think, to be perfectly honest, part of her never fully recovered from my decision. She's never been quite the same since. That's why it made perfect sense that when I called home from a tailgate this morning and reported that I was within sight of the Golden Dome, the Stadium and Touchdown Jesus, my parents sounded more proud than the day I graduated from college. I'm not kidding. (The AM tailgate weather was miserable and pouring rain, by the way. But they had steak, which I had going for me, which was nice.) Notre Dame is a very big deal in my family. In other words, I'm so not being the cool rebellious son by enthusiastically embracing this football team. What can I say - some family tradition is permanently ingrained in you, whether you like it or not. Honor thy father and thy mother, dammit. I had been on the campus once before, almost exactly 11 years ago when I was a junior in high school...and my parents were pushing for me to apply to ND. A little background: Back then ND had just beaten Florida State the week before to become the No. 1 ranked team in the nation. That week they were to wrap up their season with a small-potatoes game versus BC - Boston College. Those goddamn Jesuits. BC won in a stunner - a last play-of-the-game field goal that gave them a 1 or 2 point margin of victory. I was there. That was over 10 years ago. Fast-forward to, um...TODAY. Notre Dame's having a decent season. BC's OK I guess but nothing to write home about - ND should have no problem with them. And yes, I am indeed in attendance. First of all, let me tell you what a magical wonder it is to enter Notre Dame Stadium - even to you inane skeptics who compare ND to the Yankees...which is enough to make me jump naked into Lake Michigan. Plus, I got to stand in the student section, learn all the cheers (my favorite: the "KILL!" chant set to the "Empire" music from Star Wars. 'Just great stuff - if only we could all channel our aggression in such a healthy manner.) Whenever it's third down for the opponent everyone takes out their keyes and jostles them while screaming at the top of their lungs. It actually made one of the BC players jump once for a five-yard penalty, which made me feel better about myself as a human being. I got to pretend I was 19 again - good times. Notre Dame just made BC its bitch throughout the whole first half, even if their defense was a bit shaky. The second half? ... ... I don't want to talk about it. Look, it's NOT my fault, alright?? Yes, I realize this was my second game at Notre Dame Stadium, OK? And YES, I'm 0 for 2. ...Fine, both losses were against BC in the LAST MINUTE. I am aware this is an amazing - and yet horrifying - coincidence. But I am NOT a jinx, goddamitt! If you could have seen the ND secondary in person, you would know - they were pathetic! They should be publicly hanged in the middle of campus next week just to appease the outrage! Heads must roll! (...just not mine.) Look, I earned my ticket to this game. If you only knew how many ND/USC games my parents subjected me to growing up at the Coliseum in LA. Sure, there are plenty of ND fans in Los Angeles, but still - having to suffer SC fans as the minority in that stadium...I mean, you might as well be a group of communists protesting in the street while getting pelted with tomatoes. It ain't pleasant (unless ND wins). As we were getting back to Chicago, my mom calls me and says "honey...you can go to any Notre Dame games you want, OK?...just not when they're playing Boston College." I'm NOT A JINX! I'm not! I'm not I'm not I'm not! Fine. Everyone just leave me alone. Piss off. [door slam.] Read/Post Comments (35) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top
:: HOME :: GET EMAIL UPDATES :: The Desert Sun :: J-school :: Undergrad :: Hoya Saxa :: The Other Dark Continent :: Greatest Sports Franchise Ever :: Bill Simmons - Sports Guy Home Page :: Laker Jim's Kurt Rambis Page :: Dodger Blues Dot Com :: This American Life :: Slate :: NOVICA.com :: Racist Big East Semi Final Loser :: Karen Warrior-Chieftain :: Sara Global :: Kirty Word :: Award-winning Pointlessness :: The Ultimate Douchebag :: RM :: Miss E's Opinions :: Dad's book ::