How the Irish Train Got Through a Police Roadblock
Some of my favorite Notre Dame memories don't happen inside the stadium.
They happen on the road.
When Jessica and I traveled to Fayetteville for the Notre Dame–Arkansas game, our Uber driver suddenly came to a stop at a roadblock. A deputy sheriff was turning every car around unless they had a parking pass.
It looked like we were about to be dropped off a long way from the stadium.
Then our driver smiled and said to the deputy, “I've got the Leprechaun in the back seat.”
The deputy looked a little confused.
The driver rolled down my window.
I gave him a wave.
The deputy started laughing, smiled, and said, “Go ahead.”
Just like that, the roadblock disappeared.
Moments like that remind me this costume isn't really about me. It's about bringing smiles to people wherever we go. Sometimes it's a kid at a children's hospital. Sometimes it's a Notre Dame fan in an airport. And sometimes…it's a deputy sheriff standing in the middle of a road in Arkansas.
I've been incredibly fortunate to meet amazing people all over the country because of Notre Dame. This was just another reminder that a little fun—and a little Irish spirit—can make someone's day.
Go Irish. ☘️