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Thursday, August 21, 2014

Jessica's Football Favorites: College Edition

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com

It's almost here!!!!  College football starts next week!

Katie and I are huge football fans.  Like we-only-have-cable-so-we-have-ESPN-during-football-season kind of fans.  We grew up in a family of football fans, and the love of the sport stuck with us.  (Our husbands greatly appreciate our upbringing. ;)

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
I'm sure our daughters' future husbands will be grateful too ;)

So when we saw Erin was having a link up about football, we just had to join in and share our five favorite (or least favorite!) things about college football.  Here are Katie's favorites...and here are mine:


Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
Notre Dame's Golden Dome, beautiful both inside and out


1.  My Favorite Team and Players
Notre Dame (in case you haven't guessed that already ;).  I have always loved and watched Notre Dame football, but never really focused on specifics til I was married (and had a husband who did ;)  So my favorite players are more current ones:  Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, Manti Te'o, and Jaylon Smith.  My favorite analysts are Cris Carter, Cris Collinsworth, and Mike Golic.  And I'm throwing a coach in there too: Lou Holtz!!! 

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
Irish Guard raising the flag, Notre Dame Stadium, the Leprechaun waving our colors, and Notre Dame putting the smack down on Stanford



2. Teams and Players I Despise
I can't stand Ohio State and everything to do with them (except Cris Carter and sadly, a couple of my Ohio born friends ;).  My boss is a big fan, and between the 2 of us, we've had 3 National Title losses since I started there.  It's made for some fun, good natured ... harassment.  Like putting Ms on his children's pictures in his office.  Or playing the Michigan fight song over the radio system.  (It's the little things that make life enjoyable ;)

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
Michigan "M" maize and blue tortilla chips, Ohio State "O" and Buckeye taco dip (emphasis on dip ;), and Michigan/Ohio State cake.  Am I an awesome employee or what?

After them, I can't stand USC, Stanford, Purdue, and just about every SEC team.  And instead of really despising players, I despise coaches and commentators.  The two I dislike the most are Pete Carroll (former USC coach, current NFL Seahawks coach) and David Pollack (ESPN analyst).

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
We love Notre Dame - rain or shine...or snow ;)

3. My Favorite Game Day Traditions (On Campus)
Jim and I started going to Notre Dame on game days back when we were dating, and now we get to share this tradition with our kids.  We always get there early and spend the day enjoying all of our traditions: visiting the Basilica, the Grotto, and the Golden Dome, rubbing Knute's nose for luck, walking around the lakes, watching the Players' March and the Marching Band parade to the Stadium, going to the 11th floor of the Library (aka Touchdown Jesus) to enjoy a great view overlooking campus, watching the game on big screens at the athletic center with the other fans, and singing the Alma mater at the end of the game - win or lose.

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
Corby Hall, the view of the Basilica and Golden Dome from the Library, and the side doors to the Basilica: God, Country, Notre Dame
Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
Game Days 2011-2013 and Spring Game 2014

But my favorite tradition is a new one.  Every year we've been on campus for game day, I've seen parents and kids playing football together in the grassy areas of the quads.  Since we struggled with starting our family, I longed for the day when that would be us.  Now, our daughter J is old enough to play catch (somewhat!) and our son B can a little too.  It was such a special moment for us as a family the first time we got to do this.  And now playing football on the quad will be a tradition that we do every time we're on campus!

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
Our new tradition - playing football as a family on game day

4.  My Favorite Game Day Traditions (At Home)
Every game day, we start off the day by blaring "Here Come the Irish" by Cathy Richardson 10+ times in a row to pump ourselves up.  (I may or may not have listened to this on repeat while writing this post.)  I guess you know it's a tradition when your 3 year old asks for it and can sing along!  And during the game, Katie and I always text each other...usually ridiculous texts about the game, refs, players, opposing team...especially if the game isn't going well.  Hey, sometimes laughing is the only way to get through a bad game.

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
Notre Dame sisters and best friends

5.  My Favorite Game Day Attire
I'm a Notre Dame fitted T-shirt and jeans kind of girl.  But my favorite is actually my Notre Dame fleece jacket.  I love when it really gets to be "football weather", and it's time to roll out that out.  Then, I literally wear it over my regular clothes every single day.  To prove my point, I had to get a new one last year, because I had worn through the elbows of my old one...

For the kids...  Boys: jerseys and the old school leprechaun.  Girls: cheerleader outfits and pigtails.

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
Our Notre Dame babies


This is just a glimpse into our family's fanatical love for Notre Dame.

So what teams do you love?  Or hate?  What are your favorite football traditions?

Good luck to your favorite team this season, that is except for when they're playing Notre Dame...or if they're Ohio State. ;)  Goooooooooo Irish!


Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com

P.S.  Writing this post, I realized that I have almost as many pictures of Notre Dame as I do of my own children...it's either true love or pure insanity.  Please don't judge me. ;)

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions - www.sweetlittleonesblog.com
The Grotto, the Library aka "Touchdown Jesus", and Fr. Corby (past Notre Dame president and Battle of Gettysburg chaplain) - just in case you wanted to see more pictures of the beautiful campus of Notre Dame ;)
 
...And our hearts forever, Love thee, Notre Dame!


Linking up with Football Friday with Erin, and also
sharing my Thoughts for Thursday with Natalie and Annie,
5 on Friday/Friday Faves along with JennieLauren ElizabethKarliAmyAndreaErika, and Narci,
Mommy Moments with Faith, and Week's End with Elizabeth



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