Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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assure them an equal chance to earn a right thing academically. He helped degree, just like any other student. them as much as he could. He had an Tutorial services and a 10-day ori- impact on a lot of students, more than entation program that taught time- any of us could count." management and proper ways to College Football Hall of Fame instudy were implemented during De- ductee Ross Browner, whose prowess Cicco's watch, as was summer school. at defensive end helped Notre Dame In 1965, eight football win national titles in players attended sum1973 and 1977, rememmer school, according bered how DeCicco to DeCicco's records. helped inspire him to From 1966 on, it was at be a Dean's List stuleast 50, and now it's a dent too. regular part of the aca"He kept a sword in demic year. his office," Browner "He started a trend said. "He told me, for other schools," said quite seriously, 'I'll put Roger Valdiserri, Notre this sword where it's Dame's sports infornot going to feel good mation director from if you mess up any of 1966-95 and one of Dethese classes!' Cicco's closest friends. "I was like, 'Yes, sir!' "They copied Notre He was a very good inDame's program for In 1964, DeCicco was chosen to serve fluence." as the chief academic advisor of Notre academic counseling. I Dame's student-athletes — a newly During his Pro Footwas at his office a cou- created position that made him a pio- ball Hall of Fame inple of times when he'd neer in the field. duction speech in 2000, photo courtesy notre dame media relations quarterback Joe Monget calls from other schools asking about our program and tana (1974-78) — who was a freshman how we went about it." year roommate at Notre Dame with DeCicco's son Nick — singled out De'Dutch Uncle' & Italian Hug Cicco and his wife, Polly, for keeping How DeCicco went about his busi- him on the right path and "making ness was a combination of tough love sure I was in class on time and didn't as the proverbial "Dutch Uncle" with miss a class" and how he "threatened indefatigable mentorship anywhere, me many times." anytime. A memo from DeCicco's office was "He could discuss anything that you more dreaded than any two-a-day wanted," said Valdiserri, who had sev- practice in blistering heat, according eral of his own children fence for De- to Montana. Cicco. "He was like a man for all sea"Unfortunately, I had that card sons. He was so impeccable with kids memorized and never wanted to see … he made sure they were doing the it: 'Please report to Mr. DeCicco's of-