Mr. Lushis,
I value and respect your opinion as an alumnus of Notre Dame. However, I must respectfully disagree with your analysis of the student section this past Saturday.
You allege that "a very substantial number of students did not return" after the delay at halftime. There are no official statistics, but just from looking around the stadium it was clear that a vast majority of the student body returned for the second half, despite our team being down 16-0. Even after the second rain delay, when much of the stadium cleared out, the student section was still quite full. At the end of the game, our players were far from alone in singing the alma mater.
During the first half of the game, the students may not have been as spirited as usual, largely because of the heat. After the break, though, we came back reenergized and excited to cheer our team on to victory. We outscored South Florida 20-7 in the second half, and it felt like a completely different football game — both on the field and in the stands.
Among other reasons, Notre Dame appealed to me because of the school spirit and community, which I believe are best displayed at football games. Saturday's game didn't change this perception; rather, it reinforced it. The football team will turn the season around, and Notre Dame's loyal sons — and daughters —will be there to cheer them on.
Elizabeth Owers
sophomore
Walsh Hall
Sept. 7
