And I never saw a man smile more than he did when my twin and I announced that we would follow the "old man" to South Bend, IN. it didn't matter how much money it would cost him - he was just happy.

My dad was a quiet man (unlike me) and it was only at ND football games that I got to see him get riled up. He would yell and scream with the best of them. Also, as someone else said, it was how Dad and I connected. he never revealed much about his past, but once we set foot on campus, I knew I would hear another great story about his day on campus.

We had our little traditions for game day. In fact, we had it down to a science.

Unfortunately, my dad died last month. And I can't tell you how much it hurt to think that I had watched my last game with my Dad. In fact, it hurts even more realizing that the last game that he and I watched together (in the stadium) was the USC game and the last one that my twin watched with him was the FSU game. Not that winning is everything, but I had hoped for one more championship before he died.

I look forward to next season, but the first time I step on campus without him will not seem normal.

It's time to start new traditions.