Congrats and Notes from an ND fan who attended the BCSNCG

NDinNYC2

BamaNation Citizen
Dec 28, 2012
33
0
0
Hello All,

Congratulations on your most recent title. I don't know exactly what other ND fans have said (or that you'd care) but I wanted to mention a few things from the perspective of a ND fan who attended the game and spent the weekend in South Beach.

- any ND fan that makes reference to the referees playing a role in that game is crazy. That was an epic physical pounding. Were there a couple calls that ND could have gotten or maybe even should have gotten? Probably. But who cares. That happens to every team in every game. Championship teams deal with tough breaks and get the job done regardless - that's what Alabama did.
- I don't think ND played particularly well but that had plenty to do with Alabama. Even if ND played significantly better, got every "questionable" call and maybe a couple other breaks, that would mean....they would have lost by 2TDs instead of 4. Maybe.
- the Alabama fans I met before, during and after the game were fantastic, with a few expections (but that's to be expected with any fan base that size). Frankly, given the severity of that thrashing, I was a bit surprised. I will say that I had really nice seats (club level, ND sideline) so maybe I was less likely to meet random guys looking to pick a fight. But, still, most people I met were knowledgable, kind and excited - just what you'd want to see.
- one small story to illustrate the point above: I was walking down the street in the middle of south beach after the game (just trying to get back to my hotel, obviously) when I saw two Alabama fans standing toe to toe screaming in each other's faces. As I got closer I realized what the argument was about.... One guy was furious at the other for taunting ND fans and essentially picking fights. He was screaming things like, "show some class" ; "don't ruin this for the rest of us" ; "why can't you just celebrate our win?" and, my favorite, "I'm not getting arrested because you're a redneck."
- saw Barrett Jones with his family in the airport on Tuesday. He was about 5 feet away from me. Kid could barely walk. We made dead eye contact and then he looked down at the giant leprachaun on my shirt....looked back up and sort of shrugged and half smiled. I gave him a little golf clap and he responded with a slightly broader smile and humble nod. Good kid.

I could say more about the game, etc but they are things you already know - mainly, the fact that Alabama dished out savage beatings from beginning to end all over the field.

I've enjoyed my time on this board in recent weeks. Not sure I'll be around too much more in the near future so I wanted to say goodbye and thanks. Hope to see you all again at next year's title game. Given the way this year's version went, I'm sure you'd be just fine with that.

Go Irish.
 

GrayTide

Hall of Fame
Nov 15, 2005
18,810
6,245
187
Greenbow, Alabama
Thanks for the post and joining us; you are welcome any time. ND is on the right track and I expect them to be a title contender annually.
 

CHATTBRIT

Hall of Fame
Dec 3, 2003
5,762
504
237
Falling Water, TN
Thanks Irish. Good to know there are plenty of real Irish fans than a few whiners I've noted following the game i.e. complaining about a couple of questionable calls in the first quarter. Like that would change the outcome? Look forward to any future encounters against the Irish.
 

Bamafan P.T.

All-SEC
Oct 15, 2005
1,294
2
62
50
Tuscaloosa
Thanks for the words and very classy post. I'd like to say how impressed I was with the ND team. I wasn't there but from my perspective from TV that was a very clean game. Unlike what we saw from UGA, there was no obvious jawing and cheap shots after every play. Most all of the post game comments were very respectful as well. I really like Kelly and the direction he has taken the program and expect to see ND competitive for years to come.
Congrats on your return to the top of college football where we both belong.
 

BamaDaddy

3rd Team
Dec 6, 2002
242
14
137
75
Pawleys Island, SC
Thanks for the classy post NDinNYC2. I have two nephews, one went to Indiana and one went to Purdue, that are Irish fans--can't figure out why. Anyway, not only was one of them whinnnnnning about everything, he was trash talking AFTER the game!
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
I don't know if Notre Dame was as good as their record but they weren't as bad as they looked Monday night either. The fact they were able to manufacture 12 wins is a testament to what Brian Kelly seems to be doing there. The offense wasn't consistent, the defense was obviously overachieving relative to their across the board talent.

As much as people talked about the Notre Dame intangibles, Alabama had a lot in their own right. I admit that I didn't take much away from the Texas A&M in the following week. It is only within the context of the rest of the season that shows the mentality of this team. Alabama had a great player put them in a near impossible hole but they kept plugging away until they were within 2 yards of winning the game. Of course, they had a 4th down play well read by TAMU and it didn't work out. Still, you look at the LSU and Georgia...you see a trend, this team wasn't going to give up until the clock hit zero. They really took on the "will to not be denied" mantra better than any other Alabama team despite being one of the least seasoned on defense (the usual calling card for Alabama).

Notre Dame was really going to struggle with a team that was as mentally locked in as them but significantly more talented across the board. Notre Dame might have been able to beat a lot of teams for a title but this Bama team just wasn't one of them.
 

Bear Disciple

1st Team
Oct 27, 2009
868
0
0
Tuscaloosa, AL
Thanks for the kind words about the fan base, glad they were good to you as a whole. I love the story with Barrett Jones at the airport, good to see that he continues to represent the University well in everything he does. Hope to see another ND-Bama game in the near future, too much history between us to be separated for so long.
 

JPT4Bama

Hall of Fame
Aug 21, 2006
5,793
0
0
Hoover, AL
Sorry, I'm not buying this. Maybe I'm wrong but this portion of your post sounds a bit fishy. Anyway, good luck and such. :)
Yes I am a world class cynic and proud of it.

I was walking down the street in the middle of south beach after the game (just trying to get back to my hotel, obviously) when I saw two Alabama fans standing toe to toe screaming in each other's faces. As I got closer I realized what the argument was about.... One guy was furious at the other for taunting ND fans and essentially picking fights. He was screaming things like, "show some class" ; "don't ruin this for the rest of us" ; "why can't you just celebrate our win?" and, my favorite, "I'm not getting arrested because you're a redneck."
 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
20,932
15,934
282
Boone, NC
NDinNYC2, I just got back from Miami today and I haven't even had the opportunity to read our board, but I appreciate your comments and I just wanted to reciprocate.

I talked to multiple ND fans before and after the game and I sat near many ND fans and during the whole time I saw nothing but class. There was reserved optimism before (as I would expect from any fan base). Even during the game after the beat down started, the ND fans stayed in the game (as much as possible) and more importantly stayed til the end (which LSU fans didn't do).

Most noticeably, after the game the ND fans were pure class. Nothing but respect for Bama's dominating performance and program. I did not encounter one "poor loser" attitude OR we lost because of the refs.
 

TNBama

1st Team
Apr 19, 2000
961
125
167
59
Knoxville, TN. USA
Very classy post. As much as I hate (but respect) Notre Dame, Im getting tired of the "Notre Dame is terrible" talk by some people. Did Alabama hand them their butt on a platter? Yes. BUT . . . they STILL went UNDEFEATED in a not-to-shaby regular season schedule. Did they have some close calls - yes. But they still found a way to come out on top. Was it lucky at times - yes. But even Bama had to rely on luck this year, considering they had NOTHING to do with Oregon and Kansas St both unexpectedly losing the same week. So PLEASE, keep your head high. Your Fighting Irish had one HECK of a year, despite the beat down they recievedwhile playing for the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP! You should be proud of this team. Heck, you can say your only loss was to a team during a rare DYNASTY! For your sake I wish I could say good luck next year, but as I said, I hate Notre Dame, so Id be lying if I said I hoped you won at least one game next season. :wink:

ROLL TIDE!!!!
 

BornABamaFan

2nd Team
Nov 22, 2011
314
0
35
Brandon,MS
That goes both ways NDinNYC2, I was beyond impressed with the ND fanbase. Being in my 40's, I was always brought up to detest the Irish and I actually left Miami with a sense of guilt for my unwavering support for any loss that came ND way. My wife & I took a shuttle to the game and we were the only Bama fans on board and were treated with nothing but respect heading into the stadium. After the game the van was about 50/50 with 10 of us traveling back to our hotels. One of the Irish fans on our shuttle talked non stop about how great Bama played and even offered to buy us drinks in the pub near the hotel. I must say the other Irish fans all sat in the back seat and NEVER said a word but I was just as impressed with the TIDE FANS because none of us taunted them or rubbed it in. Their pain was silent, but it was the loudest silence I've ever felt on a 12 mile journey back to the hotel. It was so strange in that I felt an incredible HIGH after the win, but I also felt an incredible LOW for the Irish contention.
My SN says Bornabamafan and that is 110% true(Alabama father/Scottish Mother), but to hear your bagpipers play Scotland The Brave gave me chills as I have heard that song from the time I was born. Funny thing is that I hoped they wouldn't be playing Scottish songs that I knew-- but it was ONLY Scottish songs that I heard them play! It definitely hurt a bit during the game to hear some Bama fans mumble about how could" those" guys wear their kilts- but to a Bama/Scotsman that sorta felt like disrespecting THE BEAR. I know my fellow Bama fans meant nothing by it, but it still caught me off guard just before the game started. Alabama will always flow through my veins and so will Scotland and all of it's traditions, but the Irish and the Scottish have always been so close throughout history and after Monday in Miami I will NEVER again support just ANY loss that comes ND way!! Miami was great--I've never been more PROUD to be an Alabama fan as our fans IMO displayed much class over my time spent there. But I've also gained a new respect for your fanbase for displaying such class in defeat and yes I kinda like the Irish/Scottish connection. Funny, I asked my mom after the game why she didn't support the Irish with all their Scottish Traditions and her reply was " I would have been a ND fan but being married to a man from Alabama I learned quickly when I got to this country that I had only ONE choice!" Don't worry fellow Tide Fans, her loyalty my entire life has been toward Bama & will stay for Bama-- as will MINE!!
RTR15!!
BornAScottishBamaFan
 

athlete37

Scout Team
Dec 13, 2012
121
95
47
I was going to start a thread congratulating you all, but this thread can't be topped so I will add my congratulations and thoughts here. South Beach was a lot of fun with the two fan bases mixed and the Flo Rida concert was a cool bonding experience I thought. I didn't encounter any trash talking from Bama fans, and honestly part of me chalked it up to the notion that A) You all were above it, B) You have been there before, C) You were rightfully confident in your team's ability. The Bama girls didn't disappoint either, and I was actually interviewed by a Bama reporter who was a smoking hot blonde for about ten minutes (If anyone somehow sees this interview let me know haha, I'm in a green #10 jersey.)
It was quite the thrashing as far as the game goes. I really did fear the possibility that your run game would churn it out against us, but I did not think to the tune of what could've been 56-14 if ya'll wanted. I do think, and hope, that Everett Golson at least earned your respect-- as I think many of you thought we were kidding about his capabilities, but his efforts were obviously for not against a much better team. Thanks for the hospitality on the board. I will be rooting for Bama as long it doesn't mean we will probably play you again :)
 

NDinNYC2

BamaNation Citizen
Dec 28, 2012
33
0
0
Sorry, I'm not buying this. Maybe I'm wrong but this portion of your post sounds a bit fishy. Anyway, good luck and such. :)
Yes I am a world class cynic and proud of it.
I'm sorry you feel that way...because that means you DEFINITELY wouldn't believe the story about me, a random Alabama fan and Charles Barkley at the bar on Sunday night :)

If you're on here somewhere (Jackson?) - good times buddy. Wish I knew what happened to you after we went across the street. Haha.
 

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