Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1235613
46 MAY 2020 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED C risis management is a part of any business en‑ terprise. Now embarking on its 40th year of operation since de‑ buting in August 1981, Blue & Gold Illustrated has seen its share of uncertainty. Known back in 1982 as GoIrish!, the magazine went through a court case with the University of Notre Dame for copyright/patent infringe‑ ment by using the word Irish — which led to the BGI han‑ dle instead at the start of 1983. Upon joining the company in 1985, I quickly learned we were "publication non grata" to some prominent figures at the university. That same tu‑ multuous year, which even‑ tually resulted in head coach Gerry Faust stepping down, we were held in contempt by many players who objected to a column in the magazine that questioned their dedication, resulting in some boycott. Eventually it blew over, and I will never forget how defensive lineman Jeff Kunz magnanimously gave of his time outside Dillon Hall when I went on campus in an effort to help fill out our pages. We were threatened to be shut out a year later when I, without the school's permission, tracked down 1986 freshman quarterback Tony Rice in his summer dorm room for a fea‑ ture pronouncing him as the future straw who would stir Notre Dame's football drink. Many tough lessons had to be learned along the way. The halcyon years under Lou Holtz from 1988‑93 helped the magazine to thrive through the decades, but the rise of the Internet and digital access began the decline of newspapers and magazines. We were on our last legs before get‑ ting rescued when Coman Publish‑ ing took control of our operation in May 2009 and significantly enhanced the product (in spite of my presence). We have thankfully and humbly re‑ mained blessed in this industry amidst much change and setbacks. Yet nothing in these past 40 years quite rivals the current COVID‑19 pandemic that has wreaked physi‑ cal, emotional and economic havoc nationally and globally, including the potential cancellation of the 2020 col‑ lege football season. Still, there is no choice for us but to operate with a business‑as‑usual pur‑ pose, and way too many industries face far more daunting situations. In times of adverse circumstances, be it personal or otherwise, I some‑ times ask, "What would the greatest generation do?" This was the group that for nearly two decades plummeted into the Great Depression through the 1930s and then World War II the first half of the 1940s. They provide even today an inspiration to battle, unify and forge ahead for common good and better days ahead. For all the glory Knute Rockne brought to Notre Dame from 1918‑30 — despite seeing part of his first sea‑ son canceled because of a flu pan‑ demic that took the lives of about 675,000 Americans — it's easy to forget after his shocking 1931 death how Notre Dame Stadium during the Depres‑ sion would have thousands of empty seats, with a low of 6,663 for the 1932 Drake game. While the 1940s are recog‑ nized as the "Golden Years of Notre Dame Football," let it not be ignored that many of those heroes served some years overseas in World War II before returning, thankful more than ever to have a second chance at life while also honoring the mem‑ ories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Our older reader demo‑ graphic is well aware of the down cycles that have taken place with the Fighting Irish football team through the de‑ cades. Some might even cyni‑ cally contend it's been that way for 25 years. Still, the instinct to resume the battle amidst struggles re‑ mains. The year after a school‑ record‑tying five straight seasons with at least five losses (2007‑11), the 12‑0 Fighting Irish found themselves playing for a national title in 2012. Two years after a stunning 4‑8 meltdown in 2016, 12‑0 Notre Dame was invited to the four‑team College Football Playoff. "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall," stated Chinese philosopher and politician Confucius sometime around 500 B.C. While it might be trite to invoke such wisdom some 2,500 years later, it is never hackneyed to summon a collective spirit of resolve, compas‑ sion, teamwork and dedication — especially among our health‑care and service workers. One day we will look back again and refer to their inspiration and will to forge through challenging times and heartbreak. It is an eternal tradition. ✦ A New Generation Primed To Overcome THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI Senior Editor Lou Somogyi has been at Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 1985. He can be reached at lsomogyi@blueandgold.com The University of Notre Dame, along with the nation, has weathered many storms through the decades, and inspired generations to continue to forge ahead toward better days. PHOTO BY JEANETTE BLANKENSHIP