š GOLDEN HELMETS & GREEN JACKETS ā EPISODE 6
Itās Michigan StateāNotre Dame week, and this episode brings together two players who have lived this rivalry from opposite sides.
GOLFDOC is joined by former Michigan State offensive lineman Gordon Niebylski and former Notre Dame linebacker Tevon Coney for a conversation about college football, rivalry, injuries, brotherhood and what happens when the game finally ends.
āļø A NOTRE DAME KID WHO BECAME A SPARTAN
Gordon grew up a huge Notre Dame fan. His father went to Notre Dame, Saturdays revolved around Irish football, and Notre Dame was one of the first schools he dreamed of playing for.
Then Michigan State came calling.
š„ THE 2005 NOTRE DAMEāMICHIGAN STATE CLASSIC
September 17, 2005.
Brady Quinn. Jeff Samardzija. Anthony Fasano. Tom Zbikowski. Charlie Weis.
Notre Dame was ranked No. 10, but Michigan State walked into South Bend and escaped with an unforgettable 44ā41 overtime victory.
Gordon was the Spartansā starting right guardāand he takes us inside the final play.
He explains how he recognized Notre Dameās defensive alignment, communicated the check across the offensive line and to quarterback Drew Stanton, and watched the adjustment turn into the walk-off touchdown.
Then came one of the most infamous celebrations in the rivalryās history:
š© The Spartan flag planted at midfield of Notre Dame Stadium.
Gordon tells us what actually happened
ā CHARLES ROGERS
Gordon also shares what it was like practicing and playing alongside one of the most gifted receivers in college football history.
He remembers Charles Rogers not simply as an incredible athlete, but as a quiet, respectful teammate whose story became much more complicated after football.
š DREW STANTON
Drew Stanton wasn't just Gordonās quarterback.
They became close friends, lived together, and Stanton eventually served as Gordonās best man.
Gordon shares stories about the player and person behind the quarterbackāincluding a hilarious reminder of just how different college football was before NIL.
āļø MEETING MARCUS FREEMANā¦ON A DISNEY CRUISE
Years after playing against an Ohio State team that included Marcus Freeman, Gordon unexpectedly crossed paths with the Notre Dame head coach on a family Disney cruise.
The story includes a manicure, a Notre Dame-loving father, Texas A&M gear and an encounter that left Gordon with a new appreciation for Freeman.
š©ŗ THE GOLFDOC MEDICAL SEGMENT
Gordon played Big Ten offensive line at more than 300 pounds and paid a physical price.
He talks candidly about:
ā¢ Multiple meniscus surgeries
ā¢ Playing without much of his meniscus
ā¢ AC joint separation
ā¢ Torn rotator cuff
ā¢ Torn labrum
ā¢ Biceps tendon injury
ā¢ Playing an entire season with a severely injured shoulder
ā¢ Life after football and the long-term consequences of the game
GOLFDOC breaks down what those injuries mean decades later and why the transition from elite athlete to life after football can be as difficult psychologically as it is physically.
š° NIL & THE NEW COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The conversation closes with a fascinating discussion about NIL, the transfer portal, loyalty and whether today's players can still develop the lifelong relationships that defined Gordon and Tavon's college football experiences.
#NotreDame #MichiganState #CollegeFootball #FightingIrish #Spartans #NotreDameFootball #MichiganStateFootball #DrewStanton #CharlesRogers #MarcusFreeman #TavonConey #GoldenHelmetsGreenJackets #GOLFDOC #HERECOMETHEIRISH #THEFOURHORSEMANPLUS #IRISHILLUSTRATED
