When people talk about “the good old days,” such a longing for nostalgia can cloud the memory. When a person is quick to say how much better things were back then, it can simply be a longing for the innocence of childhood, or a return to a time when things were simpler. That can be a naive instinct. It might not be informed by reality or a mature understanding of a situation.
Human beings long to go back to what is comfortable, but that doesn’t necessarily mean things were actually better in the past. Emotions can — and do — overpower reason and rationality.
Yet, some times, things really and truly were better back in the day.
Consider the USC-Notre Dame football rivalry.
From 1964 through 1974, John McKay of the Trojans and Ara Parseghian of the Irish gave USC-Notre Dame 11 special games and a battle of iconic coaches who regularly competed for national titles.
Notre Dame won the national title in 1966 under Parseghian. USC won it all in 1967 under McKay.
USC won the national title in 1972. Notre Dame came back and won the national championship in 1973. USC won it in 1974.
Even after McKay and Parseghian left, the schools won natties in consecutive seasons yet again: Notre Dame in 1977 under Dan Devine, USC in 1978 under John Robinson.
The 1960s and 1970s were glory years for USC and Notre Dame. Relive their rivalry when it was at its height in these amazing photos: