Notre Dame loses a legend
Campus Times
November 22, 1996
by Echelle Avelar
Sports Editor
Peanut Butter and jelly, graham crackers and milk, Sonny and Cher, Lou Holtz
and Notre Dame football -- these are all things that go together without
question.
Football is a game that millions of people in America loves to watch, and
college football is a huge part of this frenzy. The biggest giants out there
are the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
People can tune in on Saturday mornings on CBS for the match-ups against
the Irish and their latest victim. Fans everywhere can walk into Champs
and pick out the latest Notre Dame paraphernalia.
ND football is a part of American culture.
Rumors flew around the sports world that Holtz was considering resigning
and possibly taking a shot at coaching in the NFL. With a 99-29-2 lifetime
record, he is second only to Knute Rockne.
Well, although most of the Fighting Irish diehards considered it inconceivable,
Tuesday Holtz hung up his Irish football hat and declared his resignation.
This 59-year- old coach has led Notre Dame to a national championship in
1988, and almost broke Rockne's record of 105 victories.
Holtz gave the college football world something to cheer for, coaching the
most prestigious college football team year after year.
A legend, but not in his mind.
"When I was hired, I said I didn't come here to be a legend, but merely
serve Notre Dame. It is up to others to ascertain whether I accomplished
this or not," said Holtz in a press release Tuesday.
I can remember when I was younger, sitting at home with my parents and tuning
in to the Notre Dame football games. As I grew older, I came to appreciate
all the time my dad would spend in front of the television set watching
football. Later when I went to high school, I became friends with players
who dreamt about someday attending the school with all its glory. Later,
a good friend did make it to that school and achieved his dream of playing
ball there. I could never really appreciate the thrill of going to Notre
Dame just for its prestige and great football program. But it does amaze
me when my 5-year-old nephew said he wants to go to Notre Dame because that
is where Kory Minor plays.
How could one person lead someone else to make that kind of decision? For
my nephew, it is Minor, but for a great many players, it was Holtz who led
them to the famous blue and gold-topped uniform and the realization of a
life-long dream.
When you are a fan of a sports, you may learn the stats, the players' names
and maybe the teams' past records.
But when you are a fanatic, you learn the players names, numbers and home
towns, you begin to buy things with the logo on it, you go to the games
and you eat, sleep and drink that team.
One thing you learn as a fan is that distance is good-the team loses, that
stinks. If you are a fanatic, and the team loses, you see spots and refuse
to eat.
Sports is culture and it gives us something to do, talk about and watch.
What would we really do on Thanksgiving day if we were not watching the
bowl games? Could we really consider socializing with the rest of our family?
Nah.
All things must come to an end.
There has been a time in everyone's life that they have learned that forever
is a long time and time has a way of changing things.
The color of the car you just painted will not stay that way forever, the
love for that group will not likely last the test of time, maybe even the
major you picked will not keep your interest longer that a year, but we
learn this in life. Time moves and so must you. So good bye, Lou Holtz.
Many will miss you, and good luck.
Echelle Avelar, a sophomore journalism major, is sports editor of the
Campus Times. She can be reached by e-mail at avelare@ulvacs.ulaverne.edu.