Irish Hospitality

Sid · Oct 25, 2006

This was passed on to me and others by a friend and classmate who works for the university and received this email:

Sir, I was given your address by a very close family friend, George Zinich.
I am writing this note in hope that you will forward this to the university
president and athletic director. I, along with 13 close friends from
college, attended the UCLA - ND football game this past weekend, and we
were amazed at how warm and friendly everyone was to us. We set-up our
"tailgate" about 50 yards from the south entrance of the stadium, at 0800.
And as we were parking, a man in an ND ball cap waved us into a slot next
to his, and said "welcome to Notre Dame!". He was setting up a tailgate
too, and he and his friends helped us set-up our tent, helped us unload,
and then offered us coffee. As we were talking to them, with our UCLA
banner hanging from our tent, I can't tell you how many Irish fans walked
up and welcomed us to South Bend and thanked us for coming. And this wasn't
an empty welcome, it was a warm welcome. And it seemed like anyone in an
usher uniform that walked by stopped and again welcomed us, thanked us for
coming, and asked if we had any questions about pre-game festivities. I
went to the Grotto and Bascillica, to light some candles and say a prayer.
Again, as I walked across your beautiful campus, anyone in Irish garb,
stopped to say "welcome to Notre Dame" and "good luck today". When we went
into the game, again, from the moment we walked in, we were welcomed
warmly, as the ticket taker said "welcome to Notre Dame stadium, and thank
you for coming - if you have any questions, just ask one of our ushers -
and good luck today!". Wow!! As we took our seats in an Irish section,
everyone around us welcomed us, and talked about the game. And then the ND
band playing "OUR" fight song, and having our band director lead your band
in our national anthem, well that was nothing but CLASS!!! When the game
ended, in those final seconds, not one fan taunted us, everyone around us
shook our hands, some saying "great game-you guys played great" others
saying "we're sorry!". At any other college stadium in the country, we
would have caught a lot of grief - but in ND, there was nothing but respect
for a game well played. Even at our post-game tailgate, ND fans came by to
tell us what a great game it was, some even came with sympathy beers! My
friends and I are all "retired" UCLA athletes, and we fly in from all over
this country to get together once a year for an away game. And of all the
places we've been too, we have never felt so welcome. You and your
university are THE class act of football, college or pro, and my friends
and I will cherish our weekend in South Bend. I can only hope that our LA
fans can show as much hospitality and class as your fans and university
showed us. Good luck the rest of this season, and please BEAT SC!!! (Ahh
yes, the ties that bind!!!). Respectfully, John "Pepe" Soto, UCLA '78
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Irish Hospitality

Sid Well-Known Member

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Irish Hospitality

Sid Well-Known Member

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