Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/216396
murphy's Law dan murphy A Fitting Farewell With a hard-fought, well-executed, 23-13 triumph over BYU, the Notre Dame seniors — including linebacker Carlo Calabrese (44) — were victorious in their final game at Notre Dame Stadium. I f Notre Dame's senior class had a chance to write its own final chapter, to paint a picture that captured the legacy they hope to leave behind in South Bend, it probably would look a lot like the 23-13 win they manufactured against BYU in their final home game. The Irish were crisp on a snowy, sloppy field. They executed a game plan with tempered precision on a day clouded with emotions. They were tough when they needed to be. In short, Notre Dame did everything it didn't in a disappointing loss to Pittsburgh two weeks earlier. The 180-degree turnaround started just hours after an embarrassed Irish team left Heinz Field with its broken BCS dreams in tow. In those few pre- photo by Bill Panzica cious moments at the end of one week and before the sunrise brings the next, Notre Dame's core of steady leaders allow themselves to indulge. Senior quarterback Tommy Rees and his roommates — veteran linemen Chris Watt and Zack Martin — got off the team bus in South Bend sometime around 4 a.m. and drove to McDonald's for their post-road game ritual. Call it a cheat day for the rigid diet of college football in the fall. Each week they put aside the healthy training table for a greasy breakfast and put aside the tunnel vision focus on their next opponent to allow themselves a brief peek at the big picture. Their goal of a major bowl victory to cap their college careers was gone. So what was left?