Still Cheering

Notre Dame's trouncing last night was tough for me to handle, tougher than my usual remorse over their losses. Last night's game ended a season that, in some small way, kept Dad alive for just a bit longer.  It was hard to watch a game this past fall without thinking about Dad and his relationship with the Irish - how he would curse their mistakes, applaud their victories and doubt the entire season if they would win the following week.  As the Saturdays wore on and their record improved, all six of us would exchange texts/calls/emails and share the many tales of Dad's love for the Irish. Sadly, this "miracle season" opened a few weeks after we lost Dad.  He didn't get to see one minute of it - not the scrape past Pitt, the goal line standoff against Stanford in overtime, Teo's run for the Heisman, a number one ranking, the build-up to the BCS Championship.

The six of us would joke on one hand that God wanted no part of Dad's foul mood when the Irish lost and lament on the other how much it pained us that Dad missed such a phenomenal season for his beloved men in gold and blue.  He would have relished seeing the Fighting Irish return to the days of glory he knew as a lad growing up in the shadow of the dome, a young student attending the university, and a proud father who spent countless Saturdays tailgating with his daughters and their roommates.  Oh how Dad would have loved to be around for this season.  And we would have loved to have him, tantrums and all!

So the Irish packed up their jerseys and put away those cherished golden helmets until they begin training in the summer.  We Artz kids packed up our memories as well.  You see, this is just another of the many chapters that will close for us.  Dad's "miracle" season is over and as much as we clung to the thought that he had something to do with Notre Dame's success, we know it was the hard work, determination, grit and drive of those young men who proudly donned those golden "domes" every Saturday.  While Dad may not have a hand in the 2013 season, it will be his nonetheless...at least as far as I'm concerned.

Go Irish!