Touchdown Jesus at The University of Notre Dame

November 10, 2024 7:07am

On November 26, 1842, The University of Notre Dame was founded in South Bend, Indiana by eight Catholic priests of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Fourteen months later, on January 15, 1844, the University was officially chartered by the Indiana legislature. The university has since grown to become one of America's finest institutions of higher learning.

Lead by legendary head coach Knute Rockne, the "Fighting Irish" football team brought great notoriety to the school and secured its place in American culture. "The Spirit of Notre Dame" film was released in 1931. Nine years later, Rockne himself was the subject of the "Knute Rockne All American" movie. And while some of the details of 1993's "Rudy" were fictionalized, it was based on the true story of Notre Dame football player Rudy Ruettiger. Notre Dame has certainly earned its status as one of the premier teams and most iconic sports stadiums in the United States.

So with the Florida State Seminoles facing the Irish at Notre Dame this season, I jumped at the opportunity to attend the game. The campus was beautiful, and the people could not have been more welcoming and accommodating. I enjoyed lunch the day before Saturday's game at Legends located on campus just south of the stadium. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart was spectacular. I even attended the Midnight Drum Circle pep rally in front of the gold-domed Main Building. There weren't many of us wearing garnet and gold at that pep rally, but we were treated respectfully by those wearing Irish colors.

Although I was excited to be there, the game itself was disappointing but not surprising. With the Seminoles' lousy 1 - 9 season, I knew we'd lose. But I didn't expect the loss to be 52 - 3. Despite the scoreboard, my first football game at Notre Dame was still a fun experience.

But my visit to Notre Dame University wasn't just about football. I also attended a lecture by Gerard Baker, Editor-at-Large for The Wall Street Journal. It was held in the Jordan Auditorium at Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business. The topic was "Unpacking the Election: Where Do We Go From Here?" The lecture was worthwhile - as was the entire trip.