I am a baseball manager, an Eden Prairie dad and a Notre Dame alumnus. I have been following Notre Dame football and Minnesota sports for 25 years. Never before have I personally experienced such a sporting event as I witnessed when the Irish took on the #1 ranked Trojans. Appropriate verbiage to describe this game includes: electrifying, spectacular, deafening, dramatic, wild, wacky, barnburner, historical, heartbreaking - you name it, it fits the bill. And yes, from an Irish faithful perspective, heartbreaking. When Reggie Bush planted his final dagger by shoving Matt Leinert into the end zone in front of 80,795 screaming fans, that blow was felt deep in the hearts of every Irish fan and faithful in the stadium and across the nation.

For it was only 9 hours earlier that we woke up to a perfect day for college football and thereafter set foot on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. As we walked around the beautiful campus in the crisp autumn air and my kids were running around in front throwing a football, I could not think of a place I would rather be. From saying hello to the players as they walked into St. Mary’s Chapel, to walking past the ESPN Game Day crew in front of Touchdown Jesus, to tailgating with fans in the parking lot, to seeing the band run on to the field for the Victory March, America the Beautiful, and then the National Anthem, yes, this was it. And that was just the buildup.

From our vantage point on the field in the north end zone, we could see and feel the thunder from the players and the game. It was all there. Legends from both teams filled the sidelines and stands. Pete Carroll, the USC Band, the cheer squads, Charlie Weiss, Charlie Jr., The Band of the Fighting Irish, Touchdown Jesus again, the yellow clad student-body, the Leprechaun, the drum corps for both teams, the Goodyear blimp – all colorful artifacts perpetually surrounding the ongoing spectacle on the field. And it did not stop for 4 hours.

Amazing runs by Reggie Bush, methodical-by-design yet fantastic drives led by Brady Quinn, both teams traded blows. As the game draws to a close – it gets better: USC scores to take a four point lead. With four minutes left and Joe Montana standing just a few feet away, Weiss pulls Quinn aside and reminds him that the upcoming drive was what legends are made of. He tells Brady, “We are going to do some 3 step drops and slants…We are going to mix in some draws - be patient - we are going to go right down and score”. And in Montana fashion, the Irish do just that - sending the crowd into pitch frenzy.

USC now has the ball with less than two minutes to go. With each play, the already loud stadium gets even louder. The Trojans reel and falter. A sack by Apple Valley’s Trevor Laws makes it 3rd and 19. On 4th and 9, Matt Leinert shocks the home crowd by completing an improbable 60 yard pass to Dwayne Jarrett. Then, with seconds disappearing, just a few feet from where we stood, Leinart takes off for the end zone apparently headed for a TD. From out of nowhere, a crushing blow from Corey Mays jars the ball loose. The clock runs down to zero. My two sons storm the field and I follow closely with some concern for their safety amidst the impending victory stampede… But stop - seven seconds are put back on. Leinart runs a sneak which is initially stuffed, but then Reggie delivers that final blow: The blow that forever erased Brady’s great drive and broke our hearts.

After the game, and through the disappointment, the pageantry refuses to subside. Many of the fans are still there as the USC players, coaches, and legends celebrate their victory, while in the southwest corner, the Irish players salute the student body before leaving the field. The Notre Dame Band plays USC’s “Fight On” as a courtesy to the opposing team, then closes their performance with the school alma mater. With that closing, we step from the turf on the North end zone and make our own exit from the stadium to meet with our friends outside. We leave the game in disbelief and pain, but with great pride and confidence that our program is in good hands and has been restored to the level of its great and illustrious past.

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