Sports Watercooler

There will be a separate post today covering the hockey game last night, but, wow.

Can you ask for a better game? That was totally worth being extremely tired right now. Irish go up 3-0 in the first period? Michigan scores 2 goals in 18 seconds? The third period the game is tied, Irish go up, and Michigan ties it again? Then Notre Dame wins in overtime! I wanted to punch a hole in a wall, run sprints around the room, and yell out the windows. Instead, I gave a silent fist pumped and attempted to fall asleep.

As soon as the game was over I got 3 text messages. My heart was racing and I couldn't fall asleep for an hour after. Why?

I probably went to 3 hockey games in my 4 years at Our Lady's University. I may have followed the team a bit after college. And now I am committing a sports fan's biggest sin, jumping on the bandwagon of a team that was already in the Final Four. I missed all the suffering of the season. I missed the "we get no respect" posts on message boards. And I certainly missed being the David in every matchup of the tournament. I haven't earned the chance to really cheer for this team and celebrate like I had been there all along.

But I am. For one thing, being a Notre Dame fan means I can cheer for any sport and jump on any team's bandwagon that the school offers. But even bigger, this is arguable the biggest success I have had during my tenure as a Notre Dame fan. Sure, I have been to the Fiesta Bowl. And where a Bowl win fits into the general sports victory pantheon is tricky. And I have seen a team make the Sweet Sixteen. I have seen a women's soccer national championship. But when you combine the sport (hockey is still a top 4 sport), the passion of the fans (Frozen Four is a big deal), and the level of victory (Championship game), and I will argue that this is the most successful achievement that Notre Dame Athletics have made during my fanship. (Number 2: Firing Ty).

Go Irish.