Notre Dame Football: Writers Recall Most Memorable Games Attended
By J.P. Scott
J.P. Scott: Boston College vs. Notre Dame at Fenway Park, 2015
This was the first Irish game I attended in person. I actually flew in to cover the matchup for Athlon Sports. I was excited for this once in a lifetime opportunity to see the Fighting Irish play in one of the most historic sporting venues on the planet. Additionally, I grew up in a family full of New Englanders and die-hard Red Sox fans, so being at Fenway was extra special.
Before the game, I met dozens of Notre Dame fans in surrounding bars the day of the game. They bought me dozens of drinks as well, which later required me to walk a couple of laps around the outside of Fenway, stopping a couple of times for strong coffee and greasy food in order to get my “professional journalist game face” back on.
Because of my media credentials, I was let into the stadium hours early and was allowed to roam free through every nook and cranny of Fenway. I got to go inside the Green Monster. I got to sit in the dugout. I touched the famous “Pesky’s Pole” and even met Doug Flutie before the game (great guy, by the way.)
When it was time for the game to start, I took my seat in the Fenway pressbox. I sat behind famous Boston sportswriter Dan Shaughnessy and took in the game from what I would call the best seat in the house.
It was a sloppy, defensive struggle that Notre Dame needed to win big in order to remain in the College Football Playoff conversation.
They won, but it was ugly.
That said, nothing about the experience was anything but beautiful. When I first put eyes on Fenway all decked out in Notre Dame garb, I remember thinking about that famous line Ned Beatty uttered in “Rudy” when he saw the field at Notre Dame Stadium for the first time: “This is the most beautiful site these eyes have ever seen.”