Spirit of Notre Dame fans helps lead team to victory

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The luck of the Irish isn’t luck at all.

It is the way their fans… SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The luck of the Irish isn’t luck at all.

It is the way their fans control the mood of the stadium. As I looked up from the field, the only thing I could see was an ocean of green. I had never seen a crowd participate and support their team the way the Notre Dame fans do. I could go off on the tangent that our fans are bad, but that is not the case. Their fans are just that good.

Notre Dame fans are motivated by their love of football. This love allows them to do things that an outsider would find weird. At one point they began to do the Irish jig. I’m not talking about the student section acting crazy – I’m talking about the entire crowd standing up and participating.

They have cheers that go around the entire stadium. I witnessed this from the field; I heard the same sounds the players were hearing. This support drove their football team. When the fans got loud and excited, the team preformed. The amount of sacks they accomplished seemed driven by the cheers from their fans.

Cheering is not only a support unit; it provides a positive and efficient method of intimidation. Their power not only rang into the ears of the Panthers, but also into the ears of Panther fans. As soon as the Irish started yelling, the small group of Pitt fans sat down and stopped cheering.

I’m not saying everyone did, because at crucial times, “Let’s go Pitt” was heard. However, it was hard for Panther fans to be heard over the powerful Notre Dame cheering.

With this type of support, you’d assume the fans would badger anyone in town wearing Panther gear. That was not the case. They were friendly and more than willing to discuss the game with opposing fans.

For Notre Dame fans, it wasn’t about disliking the opposing team, but being confident in their own team. I’ll say it again – for Notre Dame fans, it is about their love of football.

I don’t expect Pitt students to do any of these things. We don’t have a Panther jig or any long-standing traditions with overwhelming alumni support. The few traditions we had were lost by the removal of Pitt Stadium and the slow deterioration of our rivalry with Penn State.

I have been a Pitt fan since birth. My dad is an alumnus and I have experienced the death of tradition firsthand. I hope that in time, new traditions will be formed at Heinz Field to allow Pitt students to support the Panther players similarly.

It would be nice if some of the Irish spirit would rub off on Panther fans. I understand finding this spirit may take time, but with homecoming approaching fast, let’s make an extra effort to show our players that we appreciate what they do.

Courtney Oberdorf is the layout editor for The Pitt News and shouldn’t attempt to write. She does not like sitting in sinks, but does enjoy penthouse suites. Jumping on beds is also fun whether Pitt wins or loses.