Notre Dame @ Air Force 11/11/06

Rumbles, Rockies and Tattoos

Tomorrow’s match-up against the Air Force Academy carries a special personal significance for me. Just over ten years ago, on October 19, 1996, the Irish faced off against the Falcons in what would be Lou Holtz’s final year at ND. Air Force prevailed, 20-17, in ND’s first overtime contest under the new NCAA rules. A season that began with so much promise was quickly spiraling downward. ND barely edged Vanderbilt 14-7, to open the schedule on a Thursday night in September, and coupled with the home loss to Air Force less than two months later, many believe that game to have forced Holtz’s hand in a decision to leave the school at the end of the season. (Sources have speculated that Holtz was, in fact, ‘pushed out’ for various other reasons, not the least of which was his clashes with the administration over admissions policies.)

On that Saturday afternoon, sitting in my apartment in Austin, TX, I felt lower in my regard for the ND football program than I had ever before since heading to South Bend for college in the Fall of 1986. It was also at that point that I decided that ND needed my support more than ever.

The next day, about two hours prior to the late Sunday mass, I headed to one of the many reputable Sixth Street tattoo parlors in Austin and reinforced my support for Our Lady’s university.

Notre Dame over Air Force.