[C19fan]

Being born in 1968 I never got the whole Catholic = Automatic ND fan formula thing but I can understand older generations where they grew up with explicit or implicit “Catholics Need Not Apply” sings at most unviersities.

[OldDeckHand]

"ND fan formula thing but I can understand older generations where they grew up with explicit or implicit “Catholics Need Not Apply” sings at most unviersities."

That's it exactly. I'm about 10 years older than you, and I can tell you in my Catholic family, we were all ND fans. I went to a public school for my undergrad, but to ND for graduate school. My grandparents cried for a week (tears of joy) when I was admitted.

[cherry]

growing up Catholic in upstate NY and going to Catholic school ND was THE only university..it was equated in our minds as almost saintly...

but one does grow up eventually....

[buccaneer81]

but I can understand older generations where they grew up with explicit or implicit “Catholics Need Not Apply” sings at most unviersities.

There was always a cure for that malady: Boston College. But ND went Hollywood in the '40s after "The Knute Rockne Story."

[outpostinmass2]

I was born the same year as you but I am of Irish decent. That might be a factor. Boston College is good but Notre Dame was always held as the better school. Mind you I didn’t go to either school but I do route for Notre Dame.