Anyone who knows me at all knows that I’m not the world’s biggest football fan. Confession: I actually skipped the first game this past weekend. In my defense, a friend asked me for a ticket since her friend was coming in for the weekend and I didn’t want to deprive her friend of the opportunity to go to a game. However, my time at Notre Dame has given me an appreciation for the sport.
First, football is a form of entertainment for many. Though I may find my mind wandering to all the other things I could be doing during a four-hour football game, I am amazed at how many people are genuinely excited for every game. Listening to the crowd, you can hear the cheers rise and fall with the events of the game, as if they’re playing right along with the players. I highly doubt I will ever be that entertained by a sports game, but I appreciate that many people find entertainment value in the ever popular Saturday activity.
Second, football is a social activity, which I had never really considered. Fans gather a group of friends, prepare gameday plans and look forward to the event as the highlight of their week. My ideal outing with friends may not be to a stadium, but I now realize how many people see it that way.
Finally, football — at least for Notre Dame — invokes school spirit like nothing else. With the cheers, chants and sea of Notre Dame shirts and gear, football games allow the Notre Dame community to express in a tangible way how much we love our school and how much we want to support our team.
Even though I have spent the last 200 words talking about how little I care for watching football, I still refreshed my internet browser every so often during the game this weekend to keep up with the score, just so I could know how my team was doing. While I doubt that I would follow the game if I attended another school, something about being in the Notre Dame community makes me want to feel a part of the larger student body, even if it is only by seeing whether we are winning the game.
To close, I would like to say some words to those in the Notre Dame football follower community. Game attendees: please know that I sincerely appreciate the effort you put into following the Notre Dame football games. You’re a primary reason why Notre Dame is so well-known for its incredible school spirit and enthusiasm. I know that you may have to work harder to make up for people like me who can’t quite bring ourselves to enjoy what appears to be a lot of guys in lots of equipment run around with a ball, but know that your efforts are not lost on the rest of us who may not share your enthusiasm.
