A lot of chins are wagging and ink is being spilled making comparisons between our lads and the Michigan State thugs squad in advance of tomorrow night’s game. Both teams have two wins and no losses. Both are working with quarterbacks who were brand-spanking-new at the start of this season. And both are among the top 20 teams in the country (with Michigan State being number 10, if you believe those witchdoctors, which I do not).
Taking the long view, as I am wont to do, there really is no comparison between these two teams, these two universities, or even the cultures from which they draw their inspiration. Shall we have some examples – yes we shall:
Sparta: An ancient ruin visited by tourists interested in the very distant past
Ireland: A a thriving, vibrant island peopled by the joyful, the witty, and the charming, where a certain football team has never lost a game
Sparta: Was a civilization
Ireland: Saved civilization
Sparta: Distinguished by a color somewhere between ‘harbor slime’ and ‘bile’
Ireland: Distinguished by the color of the precious emerald and no fewer than 40 shades of green
Sparta: Wine drinkers
Ireland: Whiskey drinkers…and porter and stout and cider…
Sparta: Sent 300 soldiers to join with 700 Thespians and 400 Thebans in their most famous battle – and still lost
Ireland: Sent thousands of soldiers to join with Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and the United States in two global conflicts – and remain undefeated in World Wars
Sparta: Conquered by Rome in 146 bc
Ireland: Never conquered by Rome
Sparta: Pagan
Ireland: Saved by the Lord, loved by His Mother
Sparta: Massacred by their archrival and turned on their neighbors
Ireland: Massacred, subjugated, occupied, and starved but still survived everyone from the Vikings to the English…and even lets the Queen visit on occasion
Sparta: Wrestled in the nude
Ireland: Did no such thing
Sparta: Best known for being tough, disciplined, and losing
Ireland: Best known for being crafty, scrappy and – somehow – always winning in the end
Sparta: Associated with a despicable team that has lost to Notre Dame 46 times
Ireland: Associated with, loves, cherishes, and honors Notre Dame
Sparta: Hasn’t been relevant since 371 bc
Ireland: Has never stopped being relevant
EFS CSC
Son, in 199 years of religious study, I have only come up with two hard, incontrovertible facts: There is a God, and I'm pretty tight with Him.
Now I’m going to tell you a whole lot of things I’ve kept to myself for years. None of you ever knew me. I was along before your time, but you all know what a tradition I am at Notre Dame. And one of the most important things I ever said was, “Friends, sometime when my University is up against it and the breaks are beating the students, tell them to go out there with all they’ve got and win at everything for Padre. I don’t know exactly where I’ll be then, friends,” I said, “but I’ll be looking right over your shoulder.”
- Good Fridays w/Padre: WORTHY! - November 30, 2018
- Good Fridays w/Padre: The Horror - October 26, 2018
- Good Fridays w/Padre: BALLS! - September 7, 2018
