Notre Dame is #1: And Other Spiritual Truths

Did God make Notre Dame #1? That bold claim rankled at Michigan, where the author taught for eleven years and annoyed those at Northwestern, where he received his PhD and JD and at Indiana, where he now teaches. Given the author’s non-Catholic upbringing, he himself cast a curious eye on the claim when getting his two degrees from Notre Dame, though the Irish’s success in the 1970s certainly tempted repeating the assertion. In this book, he argues that the claim is true, though perhaps not exactly in the way a passionate Irish fan might typically use it. In Notre Dame is #1, the author not only reflects on Notre Dame’s greatness, but he argues that being deeply engaged in watching sports can provide insights for spiritual and ethical development. It’s that insight that can make every team #1, whether in sports, music, business or anywhere else. Professor Fort argues that Notre Dame’s awareness that the Divine makes it #1 offers a novel way for fans from any school - even Michigan and USC - both to claim their special aura and to learn how to be more spiritually and ethically aware with respect to sports and to life.