Despite the Roland Emmerich film, I wasn't too worried about the Mayan End-of-the-World scenario, predicted for Dec. 21, 2012. I confess it was an occasional topic of conversation around my home. However, my five children all enjoyed the film, and more than one of them asked me what I thought about the possibility. My answer was always the same:

"If the world does end, I'm glad we're going out with Notre Dame ranked No. 1 in college football. Because that's the way it's supposed to be."

At my answer, my children—ranging in age from 10 to 21—simply rolled their eyes. As would, no doubt, fans of Alabama, Michigan, USC, Miami, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Nebraska, Texas, Florida or any other team with a long tradition of football excellence that regularly aspires to be No. 1.

I get that others might feel differently. Growing up, even I wasn't a fan of Notre Dame. I was born in Omaha, and with uncles who'd attended Nebraska, I still retain a fondness for the Cornhuskers. Furthermore, because my father received his doctorate from USC—and though I know these are fighting words to my fellow ND alumni—I root for the Trojans as well. In fact, I wasn't a fan of Notre Dame football even when I first arrived in South Bend in the fall of 1984. I'm pretty sure I was the only freshman on my dormitory floor who opted not to buy football tickets; I used those quiet Saturday afternoons as a chance to catch up on my studies.

But there are seminal moments in every fan's life, and for me it was when I began to meet and get to know the players themselves. Like them, I'd arrived at the school via an athletic scholarship—I ran the 800m and 1500m—and during my freshman year, I struggled with injuries. I spent a lot of time in the training room icing my Achilles tendon, and because of the violent nature of America's favorite sport, there were always football players in my vicinity. More often than not, we'd strike up a conversation. We'd talk about academic challenges and the pressures of competition, or bemoan the lack of social life on campus. Some of them would end up competing in track and field during their Notre Dame careers—Van Pearcy, Tim Brown, Brandy Wells and George Streeter, among others. Still others ended up in my classes (Wes Pritchett, Darryl "Flash" Gordon, Tony Rice) or lived next door (Mike Heldt). A few became good friends, and by the time I graduated from Notre Dame in 1988, I was cheering rabidly for the team like the rest of my classmates. The following autumn, led by some of these same people, Notre Dame embarked on a season in which they went undefeated, and ultimately won the national championship. As a recent graduate, life—at least in the college-football sense—couldn't get much better.