Irish Sun Devil

The 2007 College Football Season is upon us and I'm preparing myself once again to cheer for my teams. Yes, teams, plural.

I was born into Notre Dame, but attended Arizona State University.

Let's back up for a moment. My father went to ND and my mother St. Mary's, which was located across the lake. All aunts and uncles from both families went to ND or St. Mary's. The overwhelming majority of my cousins went to ND, all but one.

There are five boys and 1 girl in my family. My sister went to St. Mary's and two brothers to ND. The other three, myself included went to ASU.

It was a civil relationship until 1998 and 1999 when the Devils and Irish played a home-and-home series. ND won both games. Until then, I had never thought about cheering for one team over the other. Those two years, I was in maroon and gold, singing the ASU fight song, a diddy perhaps not as well known as the Notre Dame Victory March.

Still, time past and I was back rooting for both teams. I mean what the hell, there was some similarity, in the form of U.S.C. Nothing like getting to jeer the trojans twice in the same season.

That was until I was informed that I couldn't cheer for Notre Dame anymore. Spoken like a true Trojan fan. The Tommy Trojan-esqe graduate told me that since I didn't graduate from ND, I couldn't ride him about the rivalry between ND and SC.

Say what?!

I remember vividly the 1973 Sugar Bowl, beating Alabama 24-23. My father and his pal from 'Bama screaming and yelling in my parents living room. In the end, my father ate his Bear Bryant look-a-like hat.

And yes, I recall the 1974 USC-ND game and the superhuman performace by Anthony Davis in the 2nd half that will go down as the biggest single half collapse, or comeback, in college football history. (My father is convinced A.D. juiced at halftime)

I sat in the stands in South Bend for most of the '76-'78 seasons when we lived in Michigan. My father drove us there almost every home weekend.

My mother's parents had season tickets and connections to get almost every relative within driving distance into the stadium. I watched all the big names before they became big names in person. I lived it, breathed it and was fully immersed in it.

But, I didn't go. I went to Arizona State instead. No regrets, until now.

I can't cheer for the Irish?? That's like saying I can't support our troops because I wasn't in the military. Or that the millions, yes tens of millions of people who cheer for the Irish, buy their gear, watch their network (NBC), and remember the lore that made the program the greatest of all-time, suddenly cannot cheer against the Trojans. Don't hold it against the Trojans, despite Pete's attempts, the all-time record does favor the Irish 42-31-5.

I'll continue yelling for the Irish, while screaming for my Devils. (Notice the reference of "the" Irish and "my" Devils) There is a distinct difference.

Of course, until they play each other again. I heard that's in the works for 2010 or something. Dennis Erickson should have my Devils ready by then.