Like any typical human being I enjoy being right. It gives me a vicarious thrill. My chest puffs out, my ego get pretty large (bigger than usual, in some people’s eyes) and I love to tell people that I’m right. So if my loyal readers will indulge me for a moment…..

I TOLD YOU SO.

A little over two years ago I wrote a blog that said in four years Notre Dame Football would be playing for bigger things than a win against a major rival. I said they would be worrying about playing for National Championships. In that same blog I said the fan base needed to believe in head coach Brian Kelly and the players he had. Now on December 2, 2012 the faith myself and every other fan of the Fighting Irish had in this program was rewarded when it was announced that Notre Dame would play national power Alabama on January 7, 2013 for the National Championship. They achieved this by going undefeated (12-0) throughout the regular season and being ranked Number One in the country the last three weeks.

Now, that is not to say my faith was not tested. A week after I wrote that blog Notre Dame lost to Michigan State in overtime by the way of a fake field goal. Then there was the embarrassing back to back losses to Navy and Tulsa. Despite those set backs I stayed true to what I said and the Fighting Irish faithful stayed faithful to their team, even though the following season was a disappointment. And then you had the players that stayed the course that Kelly put this team on and finally everyone is seeing the benefits of that faith.

This season has been one of the most enjoyable football seasons I have had the pleasure of watching and that includes both college and professional football. All year the Fighting Irish bucked the doubters and proved them wrong, all the while proving their believers right. And, even making non-believers the believers they dreaded becoming.

When the Irish started the season everyone heard how they would not defeat Michigan and Michigan State. They defeated them both with dominating defensive performances. Next the naysayers said a home game against Stanford would be the first blemish on their record. Notre Dame clinched the victory in overtime with a goal line stand where they stuffed stalwart running back Stephon Taylor on three consecutive running plays from the one yard line.

Brian Kelly and Man’ti Teo have spearheaded Notre Dame’s resurgence to relevance in college football.

Then it was said they would go on the road against Oklahoma and get soundly defeated. The Irish were the ones that soundly defeated the Sooners shutting down an offense that at that time was averaging 55 points a game. Then the final road block was a road game against another rival USC. This game was ripe for an upset. USC wanted to play spoiler and was starting a quarterback who had only played a handful of plays. But Notre Dame proved that the disappointments and letdowns from seasons past were gone and once again using a phenomenal defensive effort beat USC.

This season has been a magical and memorable one and needless to say the memories could keep mounting. Not including the aforementioned championship game, phenomenal Notre Dame Linebacker Man’ti Teo is a lock for finalist for the Heisman Trophy and many of the experts have him pegged to win it. That would make him the first defensive player to win the award. But this achievement is not about individuals, not by a long shot.

What the Fighting Irish have done is loaded with noteworthy individual performances. From the performance of redshirt Freshman Quarterback Everett Gohlson, the performance of utility offensive player Theo Riddick, dominating defense led by Teo, the phenomenal coaching job done by Kelly and his staff and the perseverance of seniors Tyler Eifert, Robbie Toma, Mike Golic Jr among many others that stuck with this program even in its gloomiest days. This group won every game the right way; as a team and a band of brothers fighting for one common goal and dream. A dream that is so close to being achieved.

No matter if this team wins or loses the National Championship game, they have achieved so much already. They have restored the gleam of their once tarnished golden helmets, they have fought off everyone who said this football program was irrelevant and made the realize that this is not the case. Those achievements alone are worth more than any trophy.

Now everyone is saying that the mighty Alabama is too much for Notre Dame. That this was a nice little run by the Irish but is bound to end by a prime time whooping. Well, to that I say just keep saying this team can’t or wont. Because all it has been is fuel to the flame that has reignited the pride, passion and tradition in Notre Dame football. But, then again I love being right and so does this team. I mean it is only human nature right?