Notre Dame To Wear Green vs. Ohio State: Right Idea, Wrong Delivery
Notre Dame vs Ohio State in South Bend on a late September evening. If you are a college football fan who loves tradition, especially in the Midwest, this is about as good as it gets! This game will surely get the “ESPN Gameday” treatment, buildup, and time slot. Marcus Freeman against his Alma Mater at home. The juicy headlines practically write themselves.
As if this game wasn’t already big enough, on St. Patrick’s Day Notre Dame announced that the Irish would be wearing green jerseys for the game, ramping the emotion up even higher. While I love the green jersey angle, I think it is being applied incorrectly. Let’s discuss how and why.
Tradition vs Moderninity
Initially used in the “Bush Push” game, I thought these were gorgeous at the time but as time goes on I’m realizing I like the kelly green a bit more for Notre Dame. Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports © copyright (2006) Matt Cashore
The idea of the “green jersey game” is one built of tradition, as many things at Notre Dame tend to be. A part of that tradition used to be the element of surprise. By surprise, I mean that nobody in the stadium was expecting green, both players and fans. So when the green appears, enthusiasm and energy go through the roof aiding the team. Planning the green publicly months ahead of time ensures there is no element of surprise or extra natural spontaneous emotional energy boost. I don’t like that.
I’m certain that Notre Dame will profit greatly from the sales of whatever shade of green jersey they decide to go with for this game, but I personally find more value in the raw emotion of 80,000 people going crazy when they expect blue but get green for one of the biggest games of recent vintage. Maybe I’m just getting old and out of touch?
Player Mindset
Notre Dame running back Audric Estime (7) runs the ball during the Notre Dame vs. California NCAA football game Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend.
Notre Dame Vs California
I can’t even imagine the emotions that must go through a Notre Dame player’s mind and body as they prepare to suit up for a home game veOhio State in the game of the week. The butterflies, the anxiety, the raw emotion, and the excitement. These feelings would/should be present naturally in these moments.
Coming into the locker room to see an unexpected shiny crisp green jersey hanging up in my locker would send me to the moon emotionally. I’d be ready to run through a wall for Notre Dame in this dynamic. I would get goosebumps knowing how crazy the fans will go when they realize the switch has been made. I find value in this. I wish this scenario was still in play.
Fan Mindset
Notre Dame defensive lineman Jayson Ademilola (57) celebrates a sack during the Notre Dame vs. California NCAA football game Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend.
Notre Dame Vs California
Knowing that the green jerseys are coming does add excitement to this game. There’s no doubt about that. What I’m saying is that it doesn’t add as much as there could be, which theoretically should be the point to this exercise. To gain as much of an emotional advantage over your opponent as possible.
No pre-planned effort can match the raw energy that the surprise green jerseys provided Irish fans in the “Bush Push” game for example. I’ve been chasing the Irish high I felt in that stadium that day ever since. I get that the times change, but do all the traditions have to as well?
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