It’s like Christmas, what with Notre Dame returning to the national championship game for the first time in 23 seasons, and against a school that has about just as much tradition and success as they do. You’ve got Rockne? We have Bear! You’ve got Rudy? We’ve got Tommy Lewis.You’ve got subway alumni? We’ve got “Pawwwwwwl!”

Christmas? Actually, as every Catholic (and even a few southern Baptists) will tell you, this is much more like Easter. Notre Dame’s football program has, after 19 mostly moribund seasons, risen from the dead.

The biggest difference — and every “Roll Tide!” booster will hate me for saying this — is that Notre Dame is a national, if not international, brand. The Crimson Tide are nationally successful, and of course nationally known, but they are not nationally loved –and hated. Alabama, like the entire SEC, chooses to exist solely within the confines of one quadrant of this country and expects the other three-fourths to be fine with that. There is no denying SEC hegemony the past half-dozen years, or Alabama’s dominance the past four. The SEC is the superior conference in college football.

But Alabama is not, nor will it ever be, the brand that Notre Dame is until/unless it chooses to step out of the Deep South. It’s Piggly Wiggly with a better offensive line. And, as far as national championships go, it can afford to be. But as far as inciting deep interest in a national title game, there’s a reason why this one has received so much more than Alabama-LSU or even Alabama-Texas did. That’s because of the Irish. Love them or hate them. That’s fine. Indifferent to them? That’s rare.

Starting Five

1. The Redskins take an early 14-0 lead versus Seattle, then are outscored 24-0 as the Seahawks advance to visit Atlanta. Robert Griffin III aggravates his knee injury in the — we interrupt this item to provide yet another Alabama-Notre Dame promo (oh, wait, that’s ESPN).

2. Notre Dame people worth mentioning, purely from a sideline reporter’s standpoint (you’re welcome, Mr. Rinaldi): T.J. Jones, WR: his late father, Andre, was a freshman defensive end on the Fighting Irish national championship team; Mike Golic, Jr., OG: his dad, Mike, played defensive line for the Irish (and is now the burlier half of Mike & Mike on ESPN) and his uncle, Bob, was an All-American for the Irish in both football and wrestling while helping the former to the 1977 national championship (Bob parlayed that success into an NFL career and, more importantly, a recurring role on “Saved by the Bell: The College Years”.

Braxston Cave, C: Grew up in the neighboring town of Mishawaka, Ind. (ironically, his high school’s arch-rivals are known as the Cavemen…I know!) Was named after Braxston Banks, a running back on Notre Dame’s 1988 national championship squad. Austin Collinsworth, DB: Inactive this year due to injury, but is the son of NBC commentator and former NFL All-Pro Cris Collinsworth; George Atkinson, III, RB/KR: fastest player on the Irish squad and the son of former Oakland Raider safety George Atkinson, who was one baaaaad mofo (and a teammate on those Raider squads of former Irish All-American tight end Dave Casper). John Goodman, WR: As a high school senior he switched to quarterback in order to get his teammate, Tyler Eifert, more and better throws. Shares the same name as the actor who once played the best buddy of Dennis Quaid in “Everybody’s All-American”, about an LSU football player. Theo Riddick, RB: Only ND player whose first name doubles as two required semesters of courses at the school.

3. Tale of the Tape, National Championship Game-style

Forrest Gump (1994) versus Rudy (1993)…. Advantage, Alabama

Talladega Super Speedway versus Indianapolis Motor Speedway…. Advantage, Irish

No teeth versus no tan? Advantage, Irish

First admitting blacks in 1963 versus first admitting women in 1972? Advantage, Irish

Tuscaloosa versus Mishawaka? Advantage, Tide

Bear (Bryant) versus Moose (Krause)? Advantage, Tide

“Sweet Home, Alabama” versus “Small Town”? Slight advantage, Tide

Joe Namath versus Joe Montana? Advantage, Irish

Hoosiers versus My Cousin Vinny? Advantage, Irish and Norman Dale

Indiana Jones versus Alabama Shakes? Advantage, Irish

Dreamland versus (Name your favorite South Bend pancake house)? Advantage, Tide.

Gulf of Mexico versus Lake Michigan? Post-BP, it’s a push.

Tommy Lewis’ tackle of Dickey Maegle versus Rudy’s sack? In terms of infamy, advantage Tide.

Tornadoes versus lake-effect snow? Advantager, insurance premiums.

A state that has seven letters, four vowels and four consonants versus a state that has seven letters, four vowels and four consonants? Push.

Paul Finebaum versus U93 and its one-millionth playing of “We Built This City?” Advantage, deafness.

Being referenced in a Steely Dan song (“They call Alabama the Crimson Tide…”) versus not? Advantage, Tide.

George Wallace vs. Josiah Bartlett? Advantage, Irish.

Rece Davis versus Hannah Storm? Advantage, Tide.

Dating Miss Alabama versus midnight parietals? Advantage, Tide.

 

4. Terrific cover story profile of Jimmy Kimmel in the current issue of Rolling Stone. Kimmel smokes up some doobage, tells author Jonah Wiener that it’s okay to include it in the piece (so, yes, this is exactly like the recent Taylor Swift cover profile), and speaks candidly about his enmity toward Jay Leno. “Jay was a master chef who opened a Burger King,” says Kimmel, referencing the Leno so many of us adored back in the 1980s when he’d make his angry guy appearances on Letterman. “How can you be a comedian and NOT have disdain for him?”

5. What is it about Washington Redskins quarterbacks and gruesome knee injuries? Can we move past this?