Notre Dame Weekend: An Exciting Game Day Guide

After seven noon kickoffs a year ago and four more to finish the 2009 season, I am not quite sure how to act with an 8pm night game at Ross-Ade this week. There will be no getting up early to make the drive, beat the traffic, and get to the stadium just in time for kickoff. Instead, I feel I get to enjoy my Saturday. I think it is safe to say that Purdue currently has the longest streak in the Big Ten of noon kickoffs, one that will continue after this Notre Dame game until A. we get better, or B. Morgan Burke decides to install lights like much of the rest of the conference is going.

So it will be A. We get better, because God forbid we make a fan-friendly move.

Anyway, Saturday is going to be a marquee event as our first late kickoff in two years (since the last time Notre Dame came to town). Several commitments and recruits for both football and basketball are coming to town, most notably Deon Bush for football and Gary Harris for basketball. Riley and Andy will have more on them later this week, but as fans we can enjoy all of Saturday before stepping into the spotlight. With that in mind, here is your guide to Saturday:

Boiler Bridge Walk - The third Boiler Bridge Walk of the season will take place Friday evening around 5:40pm. This is a great chance to meet the players and kick off the weekend.

Enjoy the noon games - Since we're usually playing at noon it means we miss some of the better early matchups. The tailgate lots open at noon, and one needs only take a stroll through any lot to find a Direct TV dish playing the early games. Here are some of your early choices:

Texas A&M-Arkansas - A future SEC game?

Penn State-Indiana  - Win? Today?

Northwestern-Illinois - The battle for the oversized Monopoly piece.

Minnesota-Michigan - Fact: Sasquatch is seen in Minneapolis more than the Little Brown Jug

Tour The People's Brewing Co. - At 3:30 the Hammer & Rails crew has been invited for a Pregame tour of The People's Brewing Co. at 2006 N. 9^th Street in Lafayette. Swing on by around then and say you're part of the H&R group and Master Brewer Chris Johnson will take you on a tour of some of the finest handcrafted ales in Indiana. He is also part of the group The Woodstove Flapjacks String Band debuting their new fire-up song "Boilermaker Breakdown" this weekend.

Visit Harry's - When playing Notre Dame at night beverages are needed. What better place to get them than Purdue's most famous bar. After the Brewery tour Mrs. T-Mill and I will be visiting Harry's for the first time this season. Anyone who wants to come out and enjoy beverages with us before the game is more than welcome to join in. I love meeting readers, and if you're buying even better (j/k).

Get Your Gold or Black Shirt - Refer to the picture with the article and know what section you're in to get a gold or black shirt.