1...

The day is all but here. I'm too fired up to coherently write anything more than that.

NOTRE DAME-SOUTHERN CAL 2005 VIDEO OF THE DAY
The most euphoric moment of my life snatched away...


NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO
The origin of the green jerseys.


HOLLYWOOD PUMP-UP VIDEO
WE WILL PROTECT THIS HOUSE


SONG ON LOOP IN MY CAR: NOTHIN ELSE BUT THE NOTRE DAME VICTORY MARCH

BLAST TEXTS OF THE DAY: “No one...and I mean NO ONE...comes into OUR HOUSE and pushes us around. You know what you have to do...Let's do it." -Dan Devine

"They say the other team is pretty good...but I think we're better." -Knute Rockne

"TOMORROW THOSE GOAL POSTS ARE COMIN' DOWN." -Corey Mays

BEST TEXT BEFORE THE TEXT OF THE DAY: "Beat SC baby...give me the quote Spice, I'm losin' it, no idea how I'm gonna finish work today." --Chops at 8:03am CST time this morning

USC FAIL OF THE DAY
You lost to Boob Davie. FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIL.


RALLY SONS OF NOTRE DAME

2...

I don't have time to worry about you Billy, we play a significant game this weekend...and we have an offensive line which means we should fare better than you did against Iowa. Remember that game? When you travelled a thousand miles north to sit in the pouring rain and watch Penn State lose to Iowa? In "the White House" no less. That was the team that crushed your hopes and dreams last year wasn't it? Didn't you predict victory even though someone from the future had told you it wasn't going to happen?

We talk about the Notre Dame spirit being an intangible thing, an aura. The "Penn State Spirit" is a very tangible thing--100,000 people wearing undershirts...an odor.

Enough of you hater, movin' on...

NOTRE DAME-SOUTHERN CAL 2005 VIDEO OF THE DAY
The rage is building...


NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO
I BELIEVE


NON-NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO
I'm about to just get up from my desk at work and sprint to South Bend.


SONG ON LOOP IN MY CAR: "And now, the greatest of ALLLL fight songs, THE NOTRE DAME VICTORY MARCH"

BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “Rock, sometime when the team is up against it and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to go out there with all they got and win just one for the Gipper...I don't know where I'll be then Rock, but I'll know about it...and I'll be happy." --George Gipp

BEST RESPONSE TO YESTERDAY'S RALLY ARTICLE:
"I just karate-chopped my desk in two and high five'd the copy machine." --unclemikey on irishillustrated.com

USC FAIL OF THE DAY
Breathing. If you are a Southern Cal fan and you breathe our air, you fail.

RALLY SONS OF NOTRE DAME

3...

Texts are pouring in at all hours of the day and they all have the same tone: this weekend cannot come soon enough. From everything I read there's a buzz building on campus and the "Green Out" of the stadium is gaining steam. Time is moving so slowly I can barely stand it.

Three. More. Days.

NOTRE DAME-SOUTHERN CAL 2005 VIDEO OF THE DAY
This was one of the wildest moments of my entire time in South Bend; just an absolute rage in the student section.


NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO
A moment when suddenly the wind stopped blowing in the face of our kicker and Harry O delivered a 51-yard epic victory.


NON-NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO
I'm about to run through a wall.


SONG ON LOOP IN MY CAR: A Cadence to Arms

BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “KNOCKED AWAY...SHAWN WOODEN...NOTRE DAME WINS, 31-24...THE GHOST OF KNUTE ROCKNE IS LIVING...AND HE IS SMILING." -Final call of ND-FSU '93

BEST RESPONSES TO THE BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY:

1. "If he was smiling then I can't wait to see his face after we BURY Southern Cal on Saturday. Kool Aid up baby, I'm all in." -Dip
2. "#1 AbsoLOUtely" -Hot Carl

USC FAIL OF THE DAY
Der Fuhrer is ANGRY!


HERE COME THE IRISH...
HERE COME THE IRISH...
HERE COME THE IRISH...
HERE COME THE IRISH...

HERE COME THE IRISH

4...

Not even Billy's hating can deter my enthusiasm for this game. That being said, if he plans on taking his shots over the next few days they can't go unanswered. In case all the ladies who read our column were wondering what he looks like I've included his profile picture from his eHarmony page. This doubles as his picture in the sexual predator registry of Orlando, Florida. You need to click on the picture to zoom in and fully appreciate the mustache.

NOW, on to the task at hand. We have just four days until the biggest day of the year. Weather forecast is still calling for high 40's and a 20% chance of rain. Tailgating plans are slowly coming together through five different chains of emails...if there was a way I could wake up and have it be Friday I'd do it. The countdown rolls on...

NOTRE DAME-SOUTHERN CAL 2005 VIDEO OF THE DAY
Let's add another segment to this countdown. It's time to tear open those wounds and start specifically feeling the rage and emotions related directly with that fateful October day in 2005. Let's start with the moment that should be forever etched in Notre Dame lore...


NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO
The greatest comeback I've ever witnessed.


NON-NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO
If you aren't fired up at the end of this video go check and see if you have a pulse.


SONG ON LOOP IN MY CAR: HERE COME THE IRISH

BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “I've never experienced an atmosphere like this in all my years around college footbal...everything on paper says Notre Dame should lose this game and it shouldn't be close...but there's something special in the air...I believe: Notre Dame wins this game." -Kirk Herbstreit on College Gameday 10/15/05

BEST EXCHANGE OF THE DAY: A conversation with my buddy and former Irish Guardsman Ringer.

Me: How jacked up are you on a scale of 1-10, 1 being ND-Navy '07, 7 being ready to punch a hole in the wall at The View, 10 being ready punch a hole in the wall of O'Neill Hall.
Ringer: 13, I think I could punch a hole in the wall of the Basillica.

USC FAIL OF THE DAY
A little field rush to whet the appetite.


HERE COME THE IRISH...
HERE COME THE IRISH...
HERE COME THE IRISH...
HERE COME THE IRISH...



HERE COME THE IRISH

5...

We're so close I can almost taste it. Forecast for Saturday in the Bend is partly cloudy with a high of 48. Hope those Cali boys are ready for some COOOOOOLD.

NOTRE DAME VIDEO OF THE DAY
The last time we finally got over the hump after a long winless streak against Southern Cal. From everything I've read there was more venom for this game than any game in school history (with the exception of Catholics vs Convicts). If you have time this article is worth reading.


NON-NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO
No pump-up countdown would be complete without Rocky.


SONG ON LOOP IN MY CAR: EYE OF THE TIGER

BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “Someone suggested Eric Penick should have slid on his knees in the USC endzone after his 85 yard touchdown run to emmulate Anthony Davis's celebration. "On my knees?" he said in disgust, "I'm no hot dog. THIS IS NOTRE DAME.” –Sports Illustrated article from 10/8/73 after Notre Dame defeated the Trojans for the first time since 1966

BEST RESPONSE TO THE TEXT OF THE DAY: "Bratwurst. Hot dogs are for pusses." -Drew Whiting

USC FAIL OF THE DAY
Was he at Southern Cal at the time? No. Is it still great to see him get pummelled? Yes.


I SAW THE LONG RANKS AS THEY WERE FORMING...

6...

The Irish have crept into the Top 25. Of course pollers are more impressed with our bye week than with our victories. Whatever, on to more important things...like the fact that it's less than a week until the biggest day of 2009. The countdown rolls on.

NOTRE DAME VIDEO OF THE DAY

The last truly iconic Notre Dame Moment...and the last time we were #1.


NON-NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO

Do you believe?


SONG ON LOOP IN MY CAR: THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “I've never predicted we'll do anything in my life...but we're going to win tomorrow and you can tell Miami I said it.” –Lou Holtz at the 1988 ND-Miami pep rally

TODAY'S PERSONALIZED TEXT OF THE DAY: "Book your flight...now...you can't dance on the 50 yard line at the end of the game if you're in DC." -To one William Kearney, formerly of Fisher Hall

RESPONSE TO THE PERSONALIZED TEXT OF THE DAY: "Looking for a flight as we speak." Goooooood, Goooooood.

USC FAIL OF THE DAY
Guess sometimes it's not so fun to sit up close.

THERE'S A MAGIC IN THE SOUND OF THEIR NAME...

7...

Just one week...

NOTRE DAME VIDEO OF THE DAY

LOUUUUUUUUUU!


NON-NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO

It's real simple...


SONG ON LOOP IN MY CAR: THE JIG

BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “LET ME SEE YOU RUN THROUGH ME NOW, LET ME SEE YOU DISRESPECT ME WHEN I'M NOSE ON YOUR NOSE, LET ME SEE YOU DISRESPECT ME NOW THAT MY FACE IT YOU.” –Lou Holtz

YESTERDAY'S INDIVIDUAL TEXT TO MY HATING ROOMMATE: "And the grinch with his grinch feet ice cold in the card lab snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? The game came without ranking, it came without hype...then the grinch thought of something he hadn't before...what if this game, perhaps, means a little bit more?"

MY ROOMMATE'S RESPONSE: “Oh Spicy so clever, so cruel. I've had an epiphany of sorts. I'm on board, I'm on board 100% but asking me to match you is a stretch, I'm not 200% on board.”

That first step is the biggest one; something tells me Friday afternoon you'll be 200% on board.

In due time C-Loss...in due time...

USC FAIL OF THE DAY

THE MARCH IS ON

8...

So the countdown marches on in spite of the fact that my roommate C-Loss has taken a fire hose of Haterade to the world. A week from now most people will be back on campus (read: HOME). That alone should get the blood pumping.

NOTRE DAME VIDEO OF THE DAY
The Cheerios Bowl. Tell us we can't win. Go ahead. Do it.


NON-NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO
I would absolutely vote for Bill Pullman if he ran for President. No questions asked.


SONG ON LOOP IN MY CAR: BOONDOCK

BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “Together we have what it takes to overcome, we have what it takes to prevail, we have what it takes to be victorious...WE ARE N D AND WE WILL PREVAIL...WE WILL PREVAIL...STAND UP...STAND UP...STAND UP...AND FIGHT...AND FIGHT...AND DON'T EVER GIVE UP...LET'S GO IRISH” –Rocket Ismail

BEST RESPONSE TO THE BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “My rage-o-meter is pushing past Level III (seeing former Tennessee QB Rick Clausen at The Backer) into Level IV (leaving Spartan Stadium in 2006).” –Brad "They call me Mr. Balls" Blomstrom

USC FAIL OF THE DAY


THE MARCH IS ON

9...

We're now less than ten days away from D-Day.

NOTRE DAME VIDEO OF THE DAY

Talk to me Rocket...


NON-NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO

Preach Norman Dale, PREACH.


SONG ON LOOP IN MY CAR: CELTIC CHANT

BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “One thing about Notre Dame: we have a history of rising to this occasion, a history and tradition of playing especially well when people don't expect us to hack it.” –Lou Holtz before the 1988 Notre Dame-Miami game

BEST RESPONSE TO THE BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “It moved.” –Sean Smith

USC FAIL OF THE DAY

I mean, COME ONNNNN.


THE MARCH IS ON

10...

The countdown to the Fall of Troy officially kicks off. I’ve been sending out blast texts to Notre Dame fans in my phonebook every day and my college roommate Brad began sending out propaganda including a video clip and a “tangentially related literary or movie reference.” We’re going to follow suit here.

NOTRE DAME VIDEO OF THE DAY

Let’s set the stage. The mouthy Trojans came to town #5 in the country and riding high—in fact Sports Illustrated picked them to be national champions before the year. SI coverboy and noted ignoramus Keyshawn Johnson proclaimed that “Notre Dame doesn’t belong on the same field as us.” He would soon find out on a cold, rainy South Bend day that he couldn’t be more wrong. In this video Linebacker Kinnon Tatum introduces Southern Cal to the House that Rockne Built.


NON-NOTRE DAME PUMP-UP VIDEO

The answer to the question of what is best in life.


SONG ON LOOP IN MY CAR: MOHICANS

BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “What’s the Gipper? Rock Knutne? The Three Horsemen? I’m not going to South Bend for a history lesson.” –Charlie Ward and the Seminoles before the 1993 ND-FSU game

BEST RESPONSE TO THE BLAST TEXT OF THE DAY: “Jimmy Cleisman is about to teach some people a history lesson” –Drew Whiting

MOST VALUABLE FAN OF THE DAY: Andrew Zeiser for kicking out a student from his class for wearing a Southern Cal hoody.

If you’ve got a pump-up video—Notre Dame or non-Notre Dame—or a story that would make you the most valuable fan of the day fire me an email.

THE MARCH IS ON