The Hate for Miami Runs Strong (and Across Continents): My Unique Experience with the 2010 Sun Bowl

Ahh the Sun Bowl. The first bowl game in the Brian Kelly era for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and technically the chance for the Irish to win back-to-back bowl games in my entire lifetime (2008 was the Hawaii Bowl, and 2009 was the last year of Weis with no bowl game – see, it’s not like bowl opt-outs for the Irish are new).

The Not-So-Sun Bowl

Many people will remember the Sun Bowl for how hilariously it was not sunny nor warm. It had snowed in El Paso before the game, and it was freezing outside. It also pitted Notre Dame against Miami in the first matchup of the two teams in 20 years. The last time the two teams played was in 1990 in South Bend when the Irish won, and there was still the Catholics Vs Convicts moniker relevant with the rivalry.

This matchup got announced, and our household became ecstatic. My dad found someone online who recreated the Catholics Vs Convicts shirt, and that was one of my Christmas presents that year. I had only heard stories of the hatred for Miami because of 1986-1990, but never even came close to experiencing it truly.

Our king, Tommy Rees

A Different Place for the Game

We were excited for the bowl matchup, but myself and my parents had a different thought process. The game was early afternoon on New Years’ Eve – a chance to ring in the final day of 2010 with some Irish football. However, we were across the pond in London. I was in the marching band in high school and was one of the drum majors (if titles mean anything to you). The high school band takes a trip every other year, and that year was the New Years’ Day parade in London – an amazing experience!

I distinctly remember, though, that with my dad’s nuts fandom and excitement for the rivalry to be “back”, we were at a NYE party/gathering of sorts at our hotel for all of the bands participating in the parade. But, my dad was trying to go to the hotel bar to see if the London TVs even had American CBS on the channels. I think somehow he was able to find the game and watch a bit of it. I was in London, but was still focused on what was happening in El Paso, TX and ruminating on the fact I couldn’t watch the game live.

Remember TiVo? We’re glad we had it

When we got back stateside, I remember we got home and went to bed that night. But, the first thing we did in the next morning, the day before I went back to school from that Christmas break, was fire up the ol TiVo and watch the full game. We knew the score, but we diligently watched every play.

I look back on this because we are crazy ND fans, but I think we wanted to see with our own eyes and see proof that the Irish could dominate Miami once again, since it had been so long. We watched those atrocious tech-fit Adidas jerseys (with NAMES) play in the snow and gloom of El Paso against a middling Miami program. But at that time, it was what was needed. The hate for Miami flowed (and still does) for Miami, and it will never go away…even from across the Atlantic Ocean.

Go Irish. Beat Hurricanes. Catholics Vs. Convicts forever.