At the end of the football game against Oklahoma, I became very confused. “Why are the players leaving the field?” I wondered. My mind quickly came up with excuses, “maybe he’s injured”, “maybe he has asthma and needs his inhaler”, “maybe he really has to pee.” I was quickly met with the realization that these reasons were mostly ludicrous. Our football team is actually going to walk off the field without singing the Alma Mater.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt more slighted in my life. My knees hurt, I was hitting hangover status fast, and I had just cheered for 3 plus hours. I wanted to wrap my arms around my friends and stand in solidarity with my classmates and my school. I wanted to be reminded of why I came not only to this game today, but to Notre Dame as a whole: succeed or fail, Notre Dame will always embrace its members as family.
Since 2006, the football team has been joining the student section and singing the Alma Mater after games. The Alma Mater celebrates Notre Dame; it does not celebrate winning. We sing the Alma Mater because we love our school. Win or lose, drenched victory over Stanford or suntanned loss to Oklahoma, the students, the alumni, the fans, and the football team are accepted and celebrated as part of the ONE Notre Dame.
I fail to see how an expression of love, unity, and pride has the ability to scar the members of the football team. I find it incredibly laughable that Brian Kelly thinks he has the capability of protecting someone as large and powerful as Louis Nix, someone who deals with as much harassment as Tommy Rees, or someone who makes and athletic career out of eventually getting smashed to the ground like T.J. Jones. Especially when that protection is from an expression of solidarity from the student body and fans.
We all know that Notre Dame is a special place. And while many agree that no explanation can suffice, the closest I think one can come is this: The University of Notre Dame is a special place, because it does not allow itself to be defined by that term University. It instead uses the term family. Every person who attends this school has been forever committed to every other attendee. We will be there to celebrate with you when you triumph, and we will be there to pick you up when you fall. The singing of the Alma Mater is a powerful representation of that connection. Our football players, as representations of Notre Dame herself, should not only showcase that connection, but also deserve to be reminded of it.
Brian Kelly has been quoted saying, “You do not come to the University of Notre Dame to be average.” Average players are sore losers, average players need their egos coddled, and average players don’t appreciate their fans. We are Notre Dame, and we should never be average. Let’s stop settling for it; stay until you sway.