Nick Schumacher, Class of '04
- Beating Purdue and shutting down Drew Brees freshmen year with our back-up QB later turned tight end Godsey with a game-winning field goal.
- My freshmen year when Pete McCall would shout "Beat. Purdue." instead of "Go. Irish." whenever called to attention.
- The women's basketball "Beat Purdue" shirts...and then the trombone section shirt version.
- Having some bones come watch me at my first fencing meet when we were up against Purdue. They made sure to wear their Beat Purdue shirts. That made it even more fun when I beat a Purdue guy 5-0!
- Meeting the bones at the Beat Purdue Statue and then going to watch women's bball go win the 2001 national title by Beating Purdue
- Somehow getting "Beat Purdue State" instead of "Beat Purdue Statue" as one of the signatures on the back of the 2001 Beat Purdue bone shirts.
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- Even at the very end of the "Bob Davie Farewell Tour" we could Beat Purdue at Purdue!
- The 2002 home opener we Beat Purdue, and correct me if I'm wrong, didn't we accomplish it without an offensive touchdown?
- Beating Purdue in basketball last year in the first round of the NIT...kinda made up for not going to the NCAA Tournament
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- And in less than a week we'll have a new Beat Purdue memory when we exposed an overrated Purdue team and ruined Orton's Heismann hopes!
Maybe I should figure out how to use my scanner
Dave Schmitt, Class of '03
- The 2002 game was crazy... after Duff, I think, returned a pick for a TD, Purdue fumbled the kickoff right into Bolen's hands and he took it in for another score. 14 points in about 8 seconds of game time.
Ellen Fitzgerald, Class of '03
Ok so I'm not a bone with all this Beat Purdue memories, but I thought you all would like to hear some from your favorite man crush himself, Gary Godsey.
In (God)sey, The Irish Trust In 2002
Senior making a smooth transition from quarterback to tight end.
Oct. 4, 2002
By Lisa Mushett
Senior tight end Gary Godsey entered the media room after practice in late August surprised to see a hoard of reporters wanting to talk to him.
Almost on cue, he coyly said, "You know I don't play quarterback anymore?"
How things have changed for the 6-6, 250-pound tight end.
It is almost two years to the day when quarterback Gary Godsey was summoned to direct the Irish offense after a wrist injury sidelined then-starter Arnaz Battle for the season.
His first career start came against these same Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Stadium. After the Irish blocked a Purdue punt on the first possession of the game, Godsey scrambled nine yards for a touchdown, giving the Irish an early 7-0 lead. Notre Dame and Purdue battled back and forth for the entire game, and with the Boilers leading 21-20 with 3:39 to go in the contest, Godsey embarked on what he claims was his best moment thus far with the Irish football program. Remaining calm and collected with 80,000 screaming fans, many of them wearing t-shirts which claimed "In Godsey We Trust," hanging on every cadence he barked, Godsey led the Irish 59 yards in setting up kicker Nicholas Setta's game-winning field goal and giving the Irish a 23-21 victory.
"I remember (tight end) Jabari Holloway telling me he had confidence in me and that I could do this," Godsey said.
"I had all the confidence in the world. I had everyone behind me. I had good coaches and good quarterbacks ahead of me who prepared me for that situation. I went out there and six or seven plays later, Nick was kicking the field goal to win the game."
Godsey finished his first start at quarterback going 14-of-25 for 158 yards passing and a rushing touchdown. He finished with more completions and attempts than Heisman Trophy candidate and current San Diego Chargers starting quarterback Drew Brees.
"Looking back on that game, it seems like a flash in time," Godsey says.
"All I remember is being out there and having the jitters coming out of tunnel. The next thing I remember is seeing all of the bodies storming the field after Nick hit the field goal. I remember being around my teammates and classmates, having a great time."
The Backer
- I remember waiting into the wee hours of the morning to meet the girls return from the Championship, and some guy had made a "purdue choked on Siemon" sign
Pictures for which Mike Hatton '03 Gets Credit
Beat Purdue Statue
Beat Purdue Bowl 2001
Finally, what I remember
- We'll start at the end of the '00 ND-Purdue game (the Gary Godsey Game I). Pete McCall and I are standing behind the Purdue bench as the Irish are driving for the winning field goal. We're not 15 feet from Drew Brees. All the time, Pete is outlining a plan where he and several other band kids distract the Purdue players as I "head for Brees. Hey, Febreze!" Just about then, Setta hit the field goal and Brees pulls the Peyton Manning face. Of course, Pete and I didn't make the cover of Black & Gold Illustrated like Mothball, but it was still good times.
- Every pep rally marchout, no matter who the opponent was, you could always hear the bones shouting "Beat Purduuuue!"
- I can still remember the men's basketball game we were at when I spotted a dejected flyer on the floor. "Come to the ND-Purdue womens' game and get a free BEAT PURDUE shirt!" Hey guys, we have to do it! It became one of the best bone events of that semester.
- Of course, we next wore those shirts was for the womens' championship. We all sat around in Morrissey, as other Manorites came and went. Not caring much about womens' basketball, the other Manorites just kind of stood up and walked off as teh game ended, but they seemed very confused by the loud "BEAT PURDUE!" cries from the bones. I'm still glad I was able to skip work for that one... much happier than when I skipped work to watch the Ravens win the Super Bowl that year.
- Next year brought our own Beat Purdue shirts. Highlights:
- Already at band camp, many people wanted to buy the shirts from us.
- That guy who had class with Klondike and me - he was good at getting a decent GPA, but otherwise was a moron. "Why did you get shirts that are game specific?" It's an inside joke, genius.
- How many times did someone wear the shirt in the presence of someone who had "signed" the shirt without them noticing? I was in line in front of Cappy at the Huddle for what seemed like forever. His signature is right on top of the shirt, and he never said a thing.
- The Beat Purdue Bowl was great. Bob storming onto the field. The inappropriate South Park clips. The pregame announcement: "Here we have representatives from the such and such bowl! (mild applause) The so and so.com bowl! (mild applause) ...and the Sun Bowl! (hooray!)" The postgame announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen, the official bowl announcement has been cancelled."
- Of course, on return to campus, we were able to put the Beat Purdue Shirt on the Beat Purdue statue. We took pictures with it, but apparently my sackbut playing drew a little too much attention. We were able to take the shirt off and casually walk away just as the cop car pulled up.
- Of course, in 2002, Gary Godsey beat Purdue again, causing this conversation to happen many many times:
Someone: "something something Gary Godsey."
Dave: "He Beat Purdue!"
Me: "Twice!" - Finally, I still have the emails Mike, Dave, Ellen, and I sent around to each other (in the pre-Kanka's Sports Page days) exhibiting our complete sense of doom when we learned Gary wouldn't be making the trip to Purdue last year.
- Well, we don't have Gary this year, but I still have a good feeling about this one. Maybe he'll be on the sidlines for no apparent reason, looking Shockey-esque and being famous for doing nothing, just like Snoop.
