I was honored to be at the Oklahoma-Notre Dame game in Norman on Oct. 27. My two brothers and I, natives of South Bend, Ind. and lifelong Irish fans, were happy with the result of the game, but we were most impressed with the Sooner fans. From the moment we walked on campus, we were treated so kindly that at first we were taken aback. We were invited to join Oklahoma tailgate parties, offered free beer and barbecue and told how happy Sooner fans were that Notre Dame is “back.”
Our seats were on the home side on the 25-yard line, in a sea of crimson and cream. Even when the Sooners struggled, the fans nearby were classy. When the game ended, there were handshakes and sincere wishes of “Good luck!” Later that evening we went to McNellie's in Norman. As I approached the bar, a Sooner fan gave me his seat, saying “I don't deserve this seat. You have it. Your team whipped us.” Classy in every way!
My brothers and I will travel to our hometown next year for the rematch. And we'll try to replicate for Sooner fans the tremendous welcome we got in Norman, something that in Indiana we call “Hoosier Hospitality.”
Mike Murphy, Indianapolis
