THE LEGACY OF 'CATHOLICS VS. CONVICTS'

Sports on Earth ^ | December 7, 2016 | Terence Moore

[C19fan]

Jimmy Johnson's hair was a mess.

I mean, it was all over the place, and he couldn't care less.

This happened long before the perfectly groomed Jimmy joined Howie, Terry and Michael as NFL analysts for Fox, and he still was years away from winning Super Bowls while yelling, "How 'bout them Cowboys?" Instead, way back then, with no brush or comb in sight around the visitors' locker room at Notre Dame Stadium in October 1988, Johnson was the coach of the Miami Hurricanes, and you'd think he was just in the midst of one.

[C19fan]

I remember those "Catholics v. Convicts" days. I am Catholic but I luved the Convicts. There should have been a rematch of the 1988 game for the National Championship. Instead Notre Dame played a West Virginia that went through a pathetic schedule. Miami beat that year rankings at the time, #1 FSU, #15 Michigan at the Big House, #11 LSU at Death Valley, #8 Arkansas, and #6 Nebraska at the Orange Bowl. That team defeated the Big 10 Champs Michigan, SEC co-champs LSU, SWC champs Arkansas, and Big 8 champs Nebraska. West Virginia did not play a top 10 team all year until Notre Dame at the Fiesta Bowl. They played two teams ranked at the time one Pitt ended up not being ranked at season end. I luved it when the Canes absolutely embarrassed Gerry Faust and laid one on Holtz in 1987.

[LouieFisk]

I get “Catholics”. Why “Convicts”?

[DugwayDuke]

UM, the only college team who had their team photograph taken from the front and in profile.

[C19fan]

For example, Miami would showboat and they wore fatigues when getting off the bus at the stadium.

[JonPreston]

I still don’t like Miami. It reeks of thug.

[t4texas]

The U

[Paradox]

The worst thing about it, was that the entire idea promulgated the Myth that Notre Damn was somehow pure, and without the failures and flaws of other major teams, they could do no wrong. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. I have hated ND since.

[Kazan]

Why “Convicts”?

Because of all the run-ins with the law the Miami players had.