One of Notre Dame's greatest claims to fame is its national following among just plain fans, nicknamed "subway alumni." But now comes an organized National Fighting Irish Subway Alumni Association -- and trouble under the Golden Dome on the South Bend, Ind., campus.

Herb Juliano's formal education ended with a high school diploma in New Jersey, but he has been at Notre Dame 34 years and his admiration for the school knows no bounds.

Sports historian Juliano spent seven years developing and modernizing the internationally known Sports and Games Collection at Notre Dame. The past 10 years he has been in media relations on behalf of the university. Recently, considering himself a typical subway alumnus, he came up with the idea of an association for like-minded Irish rooters; its prime objective would be scholarships -- not athletic scholarships -- to get worthy students in college on the basis of need.

Advertisement

The university hierarchy is not pleased, apparently considering the subway alumni association -- $30 annual dues -- competition for its own fund raising. Juliano has been encouraged to drop the idea, which he already has advertised nationally, receiving several hundred requests for applications.

Given a choice of backing off or packing up, Juliano said he has begun packing to move off campus.

"I hope, though," he told William Gildea of The Washington Post, "to convince the university that there is long-term value in organizing support -- not just in the name of winning but in the name of scholarships, athletics and the Notre Dame ideal. We love Notre Dame and all we ask is to be loved in return."

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZK6zr8eirZ5no6W8s8DSaGhycGRkfXh7j3FmrK2SrK66ecClrKammWK9ra3NZqmunpahsrR5zairq51dma6usY5qm52dlmqDcXmUcG1sZWRmr3l5wG6bn2WUmK51hMBvbWltkmt8