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Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Observer

Wearin' o' the green

 In response to the letter "Keep ‘The Shirt' kelly-green" by Jim Blase (Jan. 25), I agree that Notre Dame Stadium would be much more intimidating for our opponents and awe-inspiring for our football team if we had one single color to rally behind rather than the current mixture that fills the stands. The use of a single color has a unifying effect that definitely makes a difference on the field. Home games at places like Michigan (boo) or Penn State look different, sound different, and feel different partially because of the solid waves of Maize or White that dominate their stadiums. While neither venue can compare to the tradition, the purity, and the echoes of Notre Dame Stadium, the intimidation factor can not be ignored at either place. What better way to add that extra factor which has been lacking from Notre Dame Stadium than by rallying around the color green? With the introduction of our new Irish coach (who ironically happens to share his name with a shade of green) this is clearly the perfect opportunity for all Notre Dame fans to (in the words of the 1928 edition of the Scholastic Football Review) come together as "a band of native and adopted Irish in their native color."

The only remaining question is whether or not creating a green shirt every year would be feasible. The shirt raises a great deal of money for a good cause every year, and the fear that may prevent the change that so many desire has to do with the fact that fans may not buy a new shirt every year if the color does not change. There are ways around this, such as cycling through different shades of green and coming up with fresh designs each year, but it will still prove to be a formidable challenge.
 
Ultimately, what the designers of the shirt and those in charge of promotions at Notre Dame must ask themselves is where their priorities lie. It is true that raising money for a good cause should not be overlooked. This is Notre Dame Football though, and at this potentially momentous turning point in the history of our program I think it is at least worth considering the ways in which we can increase our home field advantage and bring more "Fight" to the home of the "Fighting Irish."
 
At the very least, lets welcome in Coach Kelly with a Kelly Green shirt and an effort to promote "the wearin' o' the green" as we usher in a new era and a return to glory during the 2010 season.
 
Your "Fightin' Irish" Leprechaun,
 
Daniel Collins
senior
Alumni Hall
Jan. 25

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.