Turbulence and Triumph; Thy name is Notre Dame part II
In 2009, they were considered an afterthought, a punch-line, and in nearly all cases for football pundits, a joke. From a program rich in history, success, championships, Notre Dame was now shrouded in mediocrity, excuses, and failed leadership. Call it what you want, but as a lifelong Notre Dame fan, it was the most disappointing timeframe as a sports fan that I have ever experienced. It was to the point that if you said or showed that you were a Notre Dame fan, you would be laughed at and ridiculed by the patrons at the local pub. Everyone shared their hatred of Notre Dame, the storied program long gone from the dominance of yesteryear, was now vulnerable and a target for rivals to ridicule. I cannot tell you all the years being harassed in high school because I proudly wore my Notre Dame fandom on my sleeve. It was trying times knowing that your team routinely lost to USC, Michigan, had frantic bouts with damage control against weak opponents (losing to 2-8...