College Football Hajj

Apparently going to a Notre Dame football game has been on my dad's bucket list for quite a while, seeing as how Notre Dame is the Mecca of college football.  When he learned about a year ago that BYU would be playing Notre Dame this year, he set a plan in motion to make sure that he would be in Indiana that very weekend. 

We of course love having Dad and Susie come visit at any time, free of charge. However, this time I informed Dad that there would be a fee to stay with us - payable in the form of Notre Dame/BYU football tickets.  He was more than amenable to this idea and he bought tickets for Lance, Spencer, and me as well. 

Susie, the most wonderful Grandmother/Step-mother In. The. World. was willing and brave enough to watch Josh, Cole, and Tess for us.  (This even included taking Josh to his soccer practice, which doesn't sound that scary, but trust me.  I've done it.  It's scary.)

(Side Note: Misty, you were a life saver yesterday in helping Susie with Cole.  THANK YOU!)

((Side Note the 2nd: Craig, you were awesome for being willing to take Cole.  Sorry he wouldn't come with you.  Apparently he remembers all the beatings you've given him in nursery all too well.))

So, yesterday was game day.  We hopped in the car and made the threeish hour trek up to South Bend.  The fall colors are still out and it was a pretty drive, marred only by Spencer's whining about having to work on his presidential report on the way up.  (Curse you, President John Tyler!)

We finally got to campus and headed straight to Touchdown Jesus.  Because that's what you do when you go to Notre Dame.

There he is!

I don't think Spencer really understood the significance of this, but I made him take a picture anyway.  Some day he'll appreciate it.

Then Spencer and Grandpa needed a picture in front of the famous Notre Dame stadium.   Lest you think there's something weird about us taking all these pictures, there were about 100 other fans doing the exact same thing.

Don't you think this one would make an awesome Christmas card photo?  Too bad the other three kiddos weren't there.  No, not really.  It was most infinitely better that Josh, Cole, and Tess weren't there.  But it would have been great to have them in the picture.

Soon it was time to get to our lunch.  But first one more picture of the mural.  The halo was glowing so brightly in the sun, but you can't really tell in the picture.

We strolled through campus - it was beautiful.  Lots of open spaces, lots of trees and statues, and football fans.  

 

 Here's Spencer in front of the war memorial.  I think it looks like a modern Stonehenge.

 

We decided to have lunch with the BYU Alumni association.  It was a pretty good lunch, although I don't know it was worth the price tag.  Still, it supported the Cougars and Spencer got a free pom-pom, so I guess worth it.

Plus, we got to take a picture with COSMO the cougar!!  Cosmo has grown quite a bit recently - he's pretty tall now. 

Spencer also got to have his face painted, which he thought was pretty cool.

 
Cosmo from the back, in case you were wondering.

Then it was back out to campus to go hear the band play.  There was a gigantic banner on one of the dorms that said "Here Come the Irish".

I think this is the administration building.  Or maybe the first building on campus?  I can't remember now.  Scenic.

Here's another statue of Jesus, but he's not calling a touchdown.  Maybe calling a player safe at home plate?

Pretty.  I could totally live on this campus.  (Not that BYU wasn't or isn't pretty.  Just a different kind of pretty.)  ((No, Notre Dame is prettier.))

Spencer couldn't see the band, so Grandpa helped him out.

Poor Spencer was a little short for the band - be I think he enjoyed the concert.

And there they are!  The mighty Notre Dame marching band, plus the Notre Dame Honor Guard. (Those are the guys in the funny hats.)  (Well, the tall, funny hats.)

They of course play the Notre Dame fight song and hymn and a few other things, and then did a random selection of songs from "Back to the Future", which made both Lance and I wonder how they exactly choose their songs.  Hmmm...  Anywho, I must've heard the fight song 398 times that day.  It's fun and exciting at first, but rather obnoxious later on.  Especially when your team is losing.  (Oh - spoiler alert!)

We eventually got into the stadium.  As you can see, we were pretty high up.  Still, we had a great view of the stadium and the field.

Photographic proof of my dad completing his college football Hajj.  Notice Touchdown Jesus in the background.  It's really quite impressive how prevalent he is in that stadium!

Unless, of course, he's cut out of the photo. (Lance.) But no worries, it's still a great photo.  The only way it could have been better would be if Kyle and Kevin were there, too.  Then again, we'd have had to listen to all three of them yell at the top of their lungs all during the game, so never mind.

The Notre Dame team running out onto the field to practice.  Their helmets are so shiny and pretty at the beginning! (Spoken like a girl who enjoys college football but who is not quite as passionate about it as her father.)

The first kick off!

The omnipresent Touchdown Jesus!  As you can see, it was generally cloudy and slightly cool.  Perfect football weather.

The band's show during halftime.  They really were a pretty great band.

So, in case you're not Mormon, you should know that every time you get a big group of Mormons together (as BYU fans are wont to be), you often run into people you haven't seen in decades or people you never expected to be at that gathering.  So of course we ran into my PRESCHOOL TEACHER from 30 years ago, Phylis Bray.  She still lives in North Carolina, but was out visiting her son and daughter-in-law, who are getting their Ph.D.'s at Notre Dame.  I never would have recognized her, but my dad did.  She seemed to know about our lives and what's been going on, I assume from the Christmas letters my dad sends out.  Anywho, the world is so very, very small, especially in the church. 

Spencer did a great job during the game.  He didn't whine about being bored or too cold or anything. When asked about what his favorite part of the game was, though, he replied that it was the nachos grandpa bought him. :)

There was a scoreboard right above us, too.  But no jumbo-tron in the entire stadium.  This was a little annoying, since it meant we could never watch the replays.

 It's a pretty impressive stadium; just about every one of its 80,000 seats were full!

Spencer towards the end of the game.

Photographic proof we were actually there together.

 
The final score.  Poor BYU lost, but not by nearly as much as was expected.  (Hey, BYU fans have to be realists.)  I like to think Touchdown Jesus is saying something along the lines of "It's okay, BYU.  You did your best.  Mostly.  Would you like a hug?"

 

Overall, a GREAT way to spend a beautiful fall Saturday.  Thanks for taking, Dad!