Anyone remember this post? Well, to those of you who guessed that we were going to a football game, you were correct. And to those who guessed we were going to the Notre Dame-Navy game at The Meadowlands, you were even more correct. Only I wish you weren't. I wish I hadn't driven seven hours each way to attend that embarrassing excuse of a football game...
...except that I'm not. Really. Do you want to know why?
Well, for starters, I'm a die-hard Irish fan. I lived in South Bend when Notre Dame won its last National Championship in 1988. I grew up watching Irish Football on TV. The only college sweatshirts I ever owned were emblazoned with the monogram ND, shamrocks, and leprechauns. Yes, I love Notre Dame. And I couldn't be prouder to count myself (and my mom and father-in-law) amongst her alumni! Win or lose, I refuse to leave any game early and I will support and cheer on my team until the last note of the Alma Mater fades into the air.
I also love the Naval Academy. My dad, granddad, and uncle all went to the Academy and served/are serving 20+ year careers in the Navy/Marine Corps. I was in the Navy (and still am in the Reserves). My husband is in the Navy. Besides Notre Dame, I couldn't possibly be more proud of a school, or respect all that it stands for, than I am for USNA. The football game between the two schools is one rich with history and an ongoing pact between the two to support and respect each other. You probably know the story about how hundreds of Naval Officers used Notre Dame as a training ground during World War II. Notre Dame was facing financial difficulties, and the Navy needed a place to train. It was a mutually beneficial situation and was the beginning of our long-standing relationship. The Notre Dame-Navy football game truly does not have winners or losers, because both schools respect each other so much...
However... You probably also know that there was a 43-year span in which Notre Dame beat Navy every year. For that very reason, I can certainly understand why this became a huge game in the eyes of Navy fans. I can understand why every year they wanted to break that streak. I understand why perhaps they became bitter and wanted nothing more to beat the snot out of Notre Dame and rub it in our faces. And for three of the last four games, they have beat us. And earlier today, they did beat the living snot out of an Irish team that appeared to be napping for the entire 60 minutes of football. And I understand why they were happy and cheering.
What I can't understand is why they felt the need to shake car keys while singing the Na na na...hey hey hey...goodbye song toward the end of the game. And I know Navy is not the only school to do so. But why rub salt in the wounds after a truly embarrassing game? Why the need to send text messages to your friends from the opposing team joking that they need to switch alliances? Yes, I know that this is mostly in good fun and the spirit of college football. I have no problem with a little trash talking or jesting. But after the game? What is the point of that? Writing Go Team Beat Opponent on your Facebook profile is certainly nothing more than showing school spirit. Even some of the raunchier and mean-spirited one-liners used between rivals are fine when written on your own wall (and I'm guilty of that). But to run over to someone else's wall or blow up their cell phone with texts trashing their school? Well, in my opinion, that's not the classiest way to show pride for your school.
While some might say I'm being a poor loser, let me just reiterate that really, I'm not. If I had to pick one school to lose to, it'd be Navy. Those players will graduate and serve our wonderful country. They're not in it for money or fame or a high draft pick. They're simply in it for the love of the game and for their country... So, no, I'm not being a poor loser. I'm simply saying that being a gracious and classy fan, no matter what side of the scoreboard you happen to belong, is more important than winning or losing.
And now, a couple pictures from the game, because the new stadium really was quite impressive!!! :-)
My husband says they must teach a class in "Being an Ass 101" at the Academy. He's never been a huge fan of the guys he's served with who went there because of their cockiness (No, I don't mean to offend your family members who went there, and I think [hope?] these guys mellow out after their JO tour.) But I do remember B's tale about the other guys waking up Kilway during an underway just to gloat about Navy beating ND for the first time. (Luckily, my husband doesn't come across as a HUGE Irish fan, so they left him alone.)
ReplyDeleteIt's Georgia/Florida this weekend, which is our huge rivalry. And being Southerners, neither team is too shy about trashing one another.
oh, p.s. we shook car keys at EVERY Georgia home game if we were gonna win!
ReplyDeleteWell, I do love my family, but my uncle is the worst of the bunch...and no, he never mellowed! He starts his trash talking at the beginning of the season and it never ends...for any sport! My dad, living with two Domers and having been the Marine Officer Instructor at ND, loves the Irish almost as much as me....and he's smart enough to leave well enough alone after a rough game! I think at this point he simply roots for Blue & Gold to keep himself out of trouble! :-)
ReplyDeleteMy brother went to FSU so I definitely know about some Southern football trashing.... But at ND, as B can tell you, we only shook our keys for 3rd Down ("Key Play") rather than to send someone packing.... Different traditions...