Dreams Come True

12-0!  For over 3 months, every Saturday I sat on couches, bars, and even floors to watch my beloved Fighting Irish compete.  And for the first time since I've ever been a fan and can remember (1988 doesn't count, as I was only 2), Notre Dame emerged victorious Every Single Game.  Week after week, after 3 hours of what was often torturous suspense, I was able to breathe a little easier after my team emerged the winner.  After 12 weeks, Notre Dame is perfect.  Who thought that was possible entering the season?  No one.  I mean, I know I didn't!

Saturday night, my whole family huddled around the TV.  We had our ND-watching required accompaniments (Guinness, Guacamole), and were decked out in our ND gear.  All of us were nervous as we knew that USC would love to play spoiler to this beauty of a season.  But this is why you follow a team...for the opportunity to play your biggest rival with a trip to the national championship game on the line.

Basically for as long as I have been a ND fan, USC has OWNED us.  And having grown up in Southern California, you can imagine how annoying this was.  Every other year, I would return to school/work after Thanksgiving break to the sound of very self-satisfied Trojan fans.  Only one time in the last 11 years did I get to wear my ND hat proudly the following Monday.  So you can imagine, going into the season finale, even though I knew ND was the better team, I couldn't help but think that I was being set up for a big disappointment.  We were soooooo close!  So as soon as ND dominated Wake, instead of breaking down the next weeks opponent for hours as we usually did, my family clammed up.  We all knew that USC was next and for some reason we thought that if we didn't talk about it, we wouldn't jinx it.      

We needn't have worried.  This ND team wasn't like any other in recent memory.  I mean did you see that goal line stand?  Watching the Notre Dame defense stuff the qb twice and the running back, then USC fail to convert the 4th down (every other year the Trojans broke my heart with some crazy catch...but not this year, not this team) was one of the cooler moments for me as a sports fan.  It was just will against will, and Notre dame, like its done all season, just showed that it had the stronger will.  My family knew that those 4 plays represented the game and after USC turned it over on downs, it was like we could finally breathe and acknowledge that we were going to win.  Looking around, we all had these rediculous smiles on our faces as we knew that THIS year, there would be no let down.

And finally, after 26 years of dedication, I can say that ND has earned the right to play in the national championship.  After all those years of having my heart broken (Bush Push anyone?), I know what its like to have your favorite team reach the pinnacle of its sport.  Sure, I've watch the Giants and Yankees win.  That was super fun...but every sports fan has one team that they care about more than all others.  And Notre Dame is mine.

12 weeks...12 glorious weeks of a season.  A season I'll never forget.  But...I know this is selfish of me, I really want that 13th week of happy feelings.  Now Santa Honey, I just want one thing.  Don't get me anything Christmas...instead deliver my gift to me on January 7th in the form of a National Championship!