Fathers And Sons

Sports bring people together. No, I'm not just talking about the weekend tailgate with the beer-drinking, bag-throwing, BBQ-ing hangout that happens all around America on Saturday and Sunday...but that is included. I'm talking about the "I was there when..." moments. I think it is a big reason why fathers and sons share live-sports experiences together.

Every year for quite some time now my dad and I have made it a point to get to at least one Notre Dame football game, be it at home or away. Even when I was (and am) living in Florida, we have always found a way to make it happen. This has always been a very special bond that we share, and as a result of it I have seen some pretty amazing football games.

• Boston College @ Notre Dame in 1993. Notre Dame was fresh off of a victory over Florida State, the team believed to be the best in the nation. One more win and the unanimous AP National Title was theirs. After an amazing late-game comeback by Notre Dame, Boston College kicks a game-winning field goal...right into the endzone we were sitting in. I don't remember much of how I felt after that (being only 12 years old at the time), but I venture to guess I wasn't too happy. The AP goes on to give Florida State the national title, a decision that was way off-base, but that's a topic for another day. Anyone who thinks the BCS is a busted system needs to go back and relive those days...that was a mess.

• USC @ Notre Dame in 2005. A game also known as the "Reggie Bush Push" game. Notre Dame comes in an underdog, USC riding a big winning streak and playing great. The Fighting Irish give them all they can handle, and towards the end of the game USC is faced with a 4th and 9. Leinart throws a perfect strike and USC gets a first down. Down near the goal-line Leinart tries to scramble into the endzone and fumbles the ball out of bounds. With only 3 seconds left on the clock and it running, 80,000+ think the game is over and Notre Dame has pulled off the upset...students storm the field, already eyeing the goal-posts...the refs saw the ending a little differently. USC got one more play from the 1 1/2, and it turned out to be a big one. Leinart wanted to go for it to win or lose the game right there. He scrambles, hits the pile, rolls over, and gets some assistance into the endzone. Notre Dame lost, but still the best college football game I've ever seen.

• Notre Dame @ Michigan State in 2006. We left our rain-gear in the car...big mistake. The rains came down, and they came down hard. Notre Dame trailed MSU by 17pts at halftime, and it seemed like they were about to lose a second straight game to a Michigan opponent. Notre Dame rallied a furious comeback, and capped off the game with an interception return for a touchdown with 2:53 remaining to give Notre Dame the 40-37 victory. It was probably the single-most amazing comeback game I've ever seen...and the weather made it that much more memorable.

So there you have it. I have all of those great memories that I can tell my kids about someday, and I have my "I was there when..." moments. My dad has plenty of them to tell me, and his dad had the same things to tell him. It's a special bond that sports can deliver, and it's something that I am happy to be able to be a part of. It's the reason that we spend the money on a plane ticket, drive countless hours to another state, and pay the scalper a ridiculous fee for a ticket that he bought at face value...all for the moments...

~Golf Czar