A House Divided

When a Pitt girl marries a West Virginia guy; a Carolina fan marries a Duke fan; a Michigan cheerleader marries an Ohio State football player; a Texas Barbie marries an Oklahoma farm boy, or a Yale nerd marries a Harvard nerdier, family and friends shake their heads in disapproval, ask them if they're sure they've made the right choice, and fear for the worst. The couple claims that they can see past their collegiate differences - that they are more than their Alma Maters - that when the big game comes around, they'll love each other for good or for worse, through win or through loss, all the days of their lives.

When this Notre Dame girl, who comes from a family gilded by the Dome, married that Boston College boy, I expected a lot more incredulous questioning. But honestly, there wasn't a lot of concern in the minds of my friends and family. I'm thinking it's likely due to the fact that both of our teams haven't been in the running for a National Championship in nearly two decades. Perhaps if I had married Peter back in 1993, there would have been more "you've got to be kidding me, he went to BC?" commentary. As it is, the mediocre at best football teams that we halfheartedly cheer for, have never really spurred a fight between me and the Super Fan.

But, every so once in a while, there is a certain house divided scenario that pops up. It's not about sports, it's about everything else.

The argument is over whose school is better. Not at football. Just at being a college. Peter, who went to both schools, one for undergrad and one for his MBA, claims that he has the superior perspective, and that from his perspective, hands down, BC is the better school. He also claims that Domers have an insecurity complex when it comes to Boston College - the team that has beat them six out of the last nine years. That Domers are so insecure that they can't help but say things like, "Jiminy Christmas Trees and God Almighty, it's only BC!" (yes, these were the domerific words that I truly heard on Saturday at the game.)

While I roll my eyes and drown out his commentary, I do put together a little analysis to battle my own inner insecurities.  

BC versus Notre Dame
Academics: ND's back-up school versus ND. (I'm going to get it for writing that.)
Student Life: Boston versus South Bend.(He wins.)
Food: Grilled to order steak versus a portfolio of fried pastas.(He wins.)
Housing: The cockroach infested Mods versus the slumlord, Cramer's, mice infested shanties.(Draw)
Nightlife: (Apparently) thriving versus a nearly dry campus due to the administration and the SBPD. (He wins.) 

On Saturday, as staunch supporters of our respective undergrad Alma Maters, we drove down to South Bend for the holiest rivalry in college football - Me dressed in green and gold, Peter layered in a collection of Boston apparel.

While we walked around campus, we debated the finer points attached to the supremacy of our colleges. I said a prayer for a win. And we didn't budge in our convictions.

At halftime, just about when the band was spelling out Chicago as they played, "Saturday in the Park," I asked the trumping question of Peter. "Why didn't you go to BC for business school if it is so much better than Notre Dame."

He replied, "because I wouldn't have met you."
With that ... I won. (And I just so happened to win on the rink and in the stadium as well this weekend.) Notre Dame is better than BC because it has me.

And as the winner of the debate, after we reunited our divided house I made the loser wear his new Coach Kelly t-shirt and make me clam chowder for dinner. And as the good sport that I am, I did all the dishes.

Lo.