Charlie Weis, in his initial meeting with the team after he was hired at Notre Dame, told the team, "You are what you are, folks, and right now you're a 6-5 football team." A dose of reality is just as necessary for the football program right now as it was then. And the fact is, what we are right now is a 1-5 football team.
Bob Griffin's letter, "Don't Storm the Field," (Oct. 9) demonstrates the arrogance and unrealistic nature of a certain sect of the Notre Dame fan base. Griffin writes that storming the field after a highly improbable victory against BC would be an "embarrassment." Well, when upsets of great magnitude occur, which is what a victory over BC would be, there is no such thing as over-celebration.
Moreover, it shows a complete disregard for the current times and an irrevocable inclination to live in the past. While Notre Dame football has been superior to Boston College for most of its history, the tables are turned at the present time. Contrary to Griffin's blind belief that "Notre Dame is never an underdog against Boston College - regardless of our record," the reality is that Notre Dame is a 14-point underdog this weekend - for very good reason. Not to mention the fact that Boston College has beaten Notre Dame four times in a row. Indeed, times have changed.
When fans call opposing teams that are 14 point favorites coming into Notre Dame Stadium names such as "Fredo" and our "little brother," it might make them feel better, but what it signifies is fear and disrespect. While fear is an understandable reaction for Notre Dame fans given the current makeup of the BC and ND football teams, respect is something that Boston College has certainly earned.
I traveled to the UCLA game this weekend and saw an inspired team pull out an emotional victory. Anyone who watched the game with their eyes and not their heart, though, also saw an offense that had not improved over its performances in the Michigan State and Purdue games, and a defense that feasted on a quarterback thrust into the game because of an injury who would never see the field for most teams.
So, if No. 4 Boston College beats 1-5 Notre Dame for the fifth straight time on Saturday, most likely by a considerable margin, don't continue to dwell in the past and call them names, because it just makes you look childish. Fans of 1-5 teams should not be concerned with the manner in which their fans celebrate, but rather with finding reasons to celebrate at all.
Brad Duffy
senior
Fisher Hall
Oct. 9
