Dear Alabama Students, Alumni, and Fans,

As a recent University of Notre Dame alumnus, I would like to thank all of you for being a great group of college football fans. From the moment I boarded my plane, I looked around to see houndstooth and crimson in a few seats. I was initially wary, expecting the Crimson Tide fans to be arrogant. I could understand pride for a great team and program, but arrogance I feared, for it would make my weekend a whole lot worse.

Yet it was not so. The Alabama fans saw my ND sweatshirt (flying from the North necessitated it) and they gave a smile and a nod. We all knew that we headed to the same place, to cheer for two great college football programs in the championship game. Once in the Miami area, my siblings and I discovered that there were quite a few Bama fans at our hotel. After talking to just a few, I found all of them to be awesome people.

They all were willing to talk, have fun and share stories of football teams. I asked a few about the elephant mascot and the houndstooth. They answered, sometimes with a smile, recounting traditions more recent, but just as unifying, as the traditions of Rudy and the Gipper.

Even during and after the game, all the fans I encountered were very respectful and civil. They were a few crimson wearers in the ND section. Once the game ended (and some before the 0:00 showed), they either moved to the Bama section or let the Irish fans exit before celebrating.

I thank you, the students and all the fans I met in Miami, whether it be on tours of the city, at the tailgates or at the hotel. Thank you for being a great example of courteous college football fans, to my fellow Irish fans and myself.

Thank you,

Bill Shields