But you want to know the saddest part? Some of the Fighting Irish aren’t even upset over the loss as much as they are over the fact that a few players were hit with snowballs.

Yes, snowballs. A ball full of soft, white, All-American snowballs.

When the Irish defense held a meeting on the sideline, injured linebacker Brian Smith stood on a bench to try to shield his teammates. But when a snowball hit (defensive tackle Pat) Kuntz, he stood and faced the crowd and appeared to challenge whoever threw it to come down on the field.

“I was pretty mad about that, but whatever the fans want to do,” Kuntz, a senior who was playing his last game at Notre Dame Stadium, said flatly.

Wow, how brave of Brain Smith. He protected his teammates — his brothers — from airborne snow. He protected his Kuntz, for crying out loud! How many men would stand up to protect his Kuntz? He even took the term, “Take one for the team,” and gave it a literal meaning when he himself was pelted.

The snowballs weren’t hard objects. Once they hit you, they go away. Snow what’s the big deal?

The Green Bay Packers play in blizzards all the time, and they don’t bitch and moan. Take the loss like men and quit blaming it on snowballs.