Raise helmets to honor your fans
Letter to the Editor
I do not feel qualified by virtue of my status as a Notre Dame alumnus to critique the play-calling ability of the coaching staff, as I would be hard-pressed to successfully command a pee-wee team. Bob Davie, Kevin Rogers and the rest of the crew are no doubt regarded as competent coaches by people who know much more about the game than we do. However, as someone who has appreciated the the tradition of the Notre Dame family for the better part of my life, I must take issue with one action Coach Davie's team has taken.
Losing a tough game happens, and it should upset the players on the losing side. It should also upset the fans, and it has. Nevertheless, after the Michigan State game, nearly every student and a good portion of the rest of the crowd remained on their feet, showing that their love for Notre Dame transcends the score at the end of a game. I waited with the students for the team to come over, raise their helmets and show the unindoctrinated what it really means to be a part of Notre Dame. Instead, I was stunned as the team darted off the field, helmets on their heads, leaving the students to watch their team turn their backs and head down the tunnel.
This display was more disheartening than any third- and-1 pass decision could ever be. When you play for a team that is named after the Mother of God, you should hold yourself to the highest standards of class and character. Apparently, this belief is not one that is shared by the team.
Coach Davie, I challenge you to remind those young men that they don't play for Southern California, and they don't play for Michigan. They play for Notre Dame, and that makes them members of much more than a football team. Winning has usually been a big part of Notre Dame football, but the Notre Dame legend was built on the bond between fellow students. We can afford to go 1-3, but we cannot afford to break that bond.
Kevin Kileen
Class of 1999
September 20, 1999
All Viewpoint Stories for Tuesday, September 21, 1999
