The Chicago Tribune has a "source" close to the Notre Dame football program with details being worked out to renew a heated rivalry with the University of Miami for a game in 2012 at Soldier Field in Chicago.
FUCKING AWESOME!
Back in the 80's and early 90's it would be difficult to find a more tumultuous rivalry between two teams than the "Catholics Vs. Convicts" games played in Notre Dame Stadium and at the old Orange Bowl. Notre Dame and Miami hated each other with a passion that was so deep it often spilled out into fights even before the game started. Both programs were proverbial "powerhouses" during those days with rosters exploding with college football greats and future NFL stars with contrasting styles. The Notre Dame program with Lou Holtz at the command was portrayed as the lily white Catholic school with outstanding moral values who stood for the greater good of America by the media. The Miami program on the other hand with Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson were the thugs from down south who represented things that were morally corrupt during the time. Of course these were fed to the public by the media and I ate it up back in those days.
To give you a feel for the energy of these games here is an intro clip from CBS back in 1988...
Notre Dame went on to win the game 31-30 and helped stake claim to it's last National Championship. The next season Miami won the head-to-head matchup at the Orange Bowl and went on to claim the "Team of the 80's" with another NC. They haven't played each other since 1990 when Notre Dame beat Miami thanks to an effective defense that created a ton of Hurricanes turnovers.
If in fact the game is finalized it will hopefully represent a reemergence of the two programs. Both Notre Dame and Miami have struggled for years to stake claim to anything remotely close to "National Championship" talk but both have the resources to return to glory. Brian Kelly brings a proven track record of winning every where he goes including leading Cincinnati to an undefeated regular season last year and should have the Irish hitting on all cylinders by 2012 which could be Dayne Crist and Manti Te'o final season in the blue and gold. Randy Shannon contract was just renewed for 4 years and he has helped clean up a Miami program that was hit by sanctions.
And if you were wondering if there will be a shirt done for this game you can already stop asking. Of course there will be. We are already working on designs. Nonlicensed ones so you can expect some good shit.