The Beginners' Guide to Gameday at Notre Dame
Tony Ughetti
October 16, 1999

Hooray!! You finally have tickets for your first Notre Dame home game! After years of thinking about how great it would be, you are pulling off the toll road at Exit 77 and turning towards the Golden Dome. It is a beautiful fall morning, the weather is cool and crisp, the trees are changing in a rainbow of hues. Unfortunately, it is only 9AM. The game doesn’t start for another four and a half hours. What to do until game time? You could sit and gorge on bratwurst and Budweiser, but this is Notre Dame! Look at the dome gleaming in the sun! What’s going on out there on campus?

Actually, your big day should have started last night, at the Pep Rally at the Joyce Center. This starts at 7:00PM, but it is much better to get there by 6:30 and watch the leprechaun and cheerleaders fire up the students. Afterwards, you are a short walk from the Bookstore. Friday night is an excellent time to go, since the crowds are much thinner than game day. A terrific buy for only ten dollars is the 1999 Notre Dame Football Media Guide, which contains everything any fan would need to know and is great reading the Friday night before a big game.

But now, on Saturday, a wealth of interesting and storied traditions await you on campus. You are most probably parked in the huge field north of campus, unless you have a hang tag. As you walk onto campus, watch for Holy Cross Drive, which has a fire station on the corner. Turn right here, and you will come to the Grotto of Lourdes, with thousands of pilgrims standing by. Notice the line of people waiting to touch the small black rock from the original grotto in Lourdes, France. Take a moment to offer a prayer and light a candle. Feel the humble reverence of this place. An excellent book is available in the bookstore: Grotto Stories will bring tears to your eyes, as others recount their special grotto memories.

Walk up the path from the grotto towards the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Enter through a side door, and admire the splendid opulence of this holy place. See the ornate altar, the beautiful art on the ceiling. Take a moment to sit and reflect on all who have passed through here. What a wonderful and tradition filled place our Notre Dame is! Remember where the Basilica is; you’ll come back here in a little while.

Exit the Basilica through the front doors, and turn towards your right. It is a short walk to Rockne Memorial, with many trophies and memories. Of course, you will want to take a moment to rub the nose on Knute Rocknes’ bust for good luck today. Note how the nose is polished bright gold by the many others before you who have rubbed it!

By now, you should have a little time to rest your feet. This is a great time to take in a bite to eat from one of the many student vendors set up around campus. Brats, burgers, dogs and the like await you.

Try to be back to the Basilica by 10:45 or 11:00. Position yourself near the doors on the eastern side. The players will be returning to campus at any moment, and their first stop is here for mass. As you await the players, look around for any celebrities who may be lurking. Soon you will hear the cheers; have your camera ready to take pictures as Bob Davie leads the team, proudly dressed in sharp suits, up the walk into church. Marvel at the size, strength, and quiet confidence of our Notre Dame team!

The team will be in church for about 1/2 hour. They will then walk as a group across campus. Stand and cheer them on!! You know all their names and faces from consulting your media guide you bought last night! Slap Bob Davie on the back and wish him luck!

Now, scurry back behind the Basilica to Bond Hall. A large crowd is gathering for the Concert on the Steps by the Notre Dame Band. At Noon, they will play all of your favorite songs and their halftime show, including the greatest of all college fight songs, The Notre Dame Victory March! The concert will last about a half-hour, which will give you plenty of time to get to the stadium for warm ups. Or, you can march to the stadium behind the band. Make sure to get your picture taken with Frank Lehay and Moose Krause before you go into the stadium.

Game day within the stadium is an story in itself. The band, the bright yellow mums in front of the preferred seating, the traditional push-ups after each score by students and leprechauns alike, the 1812 Overture at the end of the 3rd, Officer Kevin McCarthy in the 4th, WE....ARE....N...D, and before you know it, the game is over and the Irish have won again.

Wow, what a day you’ve had! Tired, huh? My final favorite tradition allows traffic to clear, and allows me to get my feet back on the ground following the game. Mass is offered at many sites after the game, including the Basilica, Steppan Center, and my favorite, Siegfried Hall. (Steppan Center is the round-topped futuristic-looking building just North of Holy Cross Drive, on your way back to the north parking lots. Mass at Siegfried is getting very popular, and crowded, so arrive early if possible. You may have to sit on the floor!) Going to mass is just the right ending to a wonderful day at Notre Dame. By the time you are finished, the sun is nearly set, the parking lots are clear, and you have a days’ worth of great memories. Makes you long for the next home game!!