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Five old Notre Dame Football photos for a Friday — Mascot Magic

Wee people and best friends

Notre Dame v Stanford Photo by David Madison/Getty Images

Happy Friday everyone! I have access to thousands and thousands of Notre Dame Fighting Irish photos, and will never use a small fraction of those on this site. The thing is though — I want to, and I’m going to give it a solid shot as a way to bless the beginning of the weekend throughout the offseason.

The most exciting thing going on right now is quite possibly the Big New Saturday next week from Homefield Apparel. There’s this thing called “Homefield Magic” and I don’t know, maybe the magic resides in the sorcerers themselves — the mascots.

To that end... this is what we dedicate today to.

GOVERNMENT OVERREACH

One of the things many people fail to realize, is that when Notre Dame takes on one of the service academies, it just isn’t our smart and brave citizens on the field — they’re essentially federal agents, and the government has been known to overreach at times. I believe that this proof of cadets trying to kidnap a leprechaun without a proper warrant, constitutes an overreach.

Denver Post Archives
OCT 18 1987 U.S. - Air Force Academy - Athletics - Football Air Force cadets, Notre Dame Cheerleaders and leprechaun all catch their breath after the cadets unsuccessfully attempted to kidnap the Fighting Irish mascot.
Denver Post via Getty Images

REAL POWER

Have you ever seen a leprechaun in the wild? Have you ever seen a leprechaun use their magical powers? Have you ever seen a leprechaun at all? THEN HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS SORCERY IS REAL? Well... look at this floating bastard.

Fighting Irish Mascot At Notre Dame Fighting Irish Vs Purdue Boilermakers Game
West Lafayette, IN - 1973: Fighting Irish mascot NCAA Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Purdue Boilermakers game at RossAde Stadium, Purdue University.
Photo by Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

THE ACT OF SUCCESSION

Here we have the leprechaun caught red-handed in stealing his power and authority from the rightful mascot of Notre Dame — Clashmore Mike.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 30: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish leprechaun mascot Robert Guenard pets Mike III during an NCAA game with the Fighting Irish on October 30, 1965 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.
Photo by Collegiate Images via Getty Images

MAKING HISTORY

In 1999, Mike Brown made history by being the first Black leprechaun for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He performed his duties for two seasons (1999 & 2000).

NCAA FOOTBALL: Notre Dame at USC
The mascot of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the Irish’s game versus the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA.
Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

BACK IN THE DAY

Before the Notre Dame Stadium ushers became part of some type of SIT DOWN special forces unit, they were the original mascot hype men / shaman.

NOTRE DAME STADIUM FANS
WTH?