Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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A TRIBUTE TO LOU SOMOGYI versations, Lou often lamented his place in a digi- tal space where audiences demanded breaking, insider content on a 24/7 cycle. What Lou was too humble and modest to recog- nize was that his style of storytelling — spun far more from historical perspective than personal inferences — transcended print and digital me- diums. He transcended clicks. Not only was Lou the heart and soul of Blue & Gold Illustrated, but his analysis captivated audiences in our video and podcast productions as well. Lou was a star be- cause he was, quite simply, one of a kind. I found some solace in BlueandGold.com's re- port that Lou published an article and played ten- nis — two of the things he enjoyed most — the day he passed away. But, I do hope that Lou re- ally knew deep down that he was loved by the audiences that he captivated for more than three decades and that his place front and center among Notre Dame's great storytellers is secure. — John Haynsworth , BlueandGold.com editor/ BGI staff writer (2005-10) S mart, he was so intelligent. He was such a char- acter. He didn't just know a lot about Notre Dame, he knew a lot about a lot of things. He's one of those people, you couldn't top him because he was so knowledgeable. He would surprise me quite a bit with what he knew. We had great conversations. I'm really sad- dened by his passing. And he was always so humble, but you couldn't top him. If you wanted to match wits, you were already in second place. I'm really shocked that he had a heart attack. He never seemed to be stressed. This is such a shame. Lou still had so much to teach and give. I'm sure he is in a better place now. — Roger Valdiserri, retired Notre Dame sports information director N o one has ever possessed more knowledge about Notre Dame athletics than Lou Somogyi. And no one ever will. But that alone is not what made Lou exceptional. His kindness, his character, his generosity and his humanity are the attributes that made Lou Somogyi special. In the cut-throat profession of sports journalism, Lou was always willing to help fellow reporters even though their products might compete with his. And, while he loved Notre Dame, he was always fair to every program, player and coach he wrote or spoke about, even when his job demanded he be critical when criticism was warranted. I learned something every time I talked with Lou, and we had hundreds of conversations over the last four decades. Like all of us, I am stunned and saddened by his loss. But I know he is up in Heaven holding court with former Notre Dame coaches, players and the legions of Irish fans who have passed through the Pearly Gates. And they are all learning something about the storied past of Notre Dame athletics every time they speak with Lou. — Jack Nolan, retired voice of Notre Dame men's basketball "G reat and good." That is how Father Paul Doyle beautifully eulogized our colleague, Lou Somogyi, April 23. I did not know Lou well personally, our paths crossed maybe a couple dozen times, and we had a cordial working relationship. But when you have been reading someone's work for over 35 years, you feel a pretty strong relationship. And for those many years, I have loved reading Lou's work. His knowledge of Notre Dame football history had a way of putting a win, a loss, a great play or a record-setting performance into context and helped me to understand what it meant and why. I always felt like I walked away from a Lou Somo- gyi story a little smarter. Lou was a GREAT writer. Humble, helpful and kind to everyone he met, Lou portrayed no ego, no attitude. Among those who worked closely with him, his grade in life has been an unanimous A-plus. Lou was an exceptionally GOOD person. A GREAT writer and a GOOD person. "GREAT and GOOD," without a doubt. Father Doyle summed it up perfectly. A life like Lou Somogyi's makes you look in the mirror and want to do better in your own life. Thanks for the inspiration, Lou. Rest in Peace. — Phil Houk, editor of Fighting Irish Preview I t's hard to lose someone you've known for more than a half century. It's even harder when you both grew up on the same streets, attended the same schools and singularly loved the same uni- versity. Lou and I were separated by two birthdays and one academic year. We lived in the same neigh- borhood on South Bend's northeast side. We at- tended St. Joe Grade School, St. Joe High School and Notre Dame. Lou and I weren't bosom buddies, but we treated each other with a mutual admiration and respect one affords a kid from your neck of the woods. No matter where you were in the world, when your eyes met, you stopped and talked about the old stomping grounds, old friends and acquain- tances and, in our case, Notre Dame football. I mean, who better than Lou after a bad loss? He walked me back from the ledge more times than I can remember. Lou and I both decided on journalism as a voca- tion. He chose sports and I, after a short misad- venture in sports, cast my lot with news. We both decided to stay close to Notre Dame. Even so, months, even years, would often go by until our eyes would meet again, not that we weren't keeping an eye on each other. I looked to his writing to get me through the dark days of ND sports while Lou, perhaps, tuned in occasionally to see if all was well in our hometown. We traversed parallel paths and did pretty well for ourselves in a business than often ends in heartbreak and exodus for many who dare walk it. Our paths would cross one last time April 11, 2021. I hadn't seen Lou in more than a year. The www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JUNE/JULY 2021 25 I have to preface this by saying that I haven't written anything other than a text in a long time. And it's one thing to analyze a football recruit but putting together the recollections of someone that had as great of an impact on your life as Lou Somogyi did is challenging. I met Lou during my interview with Blue & Gold Illustrated back in 2005. I could tell im- mediately that he was going to be quite the mentor after I graduated from Notre Dame just a year earlier. One of my favorite stories of Lou was a time in the press box when I jokingly tested his knowledge. I looked over at him just before kickoff and said, "I've got one for you, Lou. Back in 1972 when Notre Dame played Miami, what was the temperature and …" As I started to chuckle Lou looks at me and says, "Well, keep going," in full preparation of providing an answer — simply amazing! His dedication, expertise, charisma, work ethic, thoughtfulness and overall being was something that we all should emulate. Lou loved to play tennis when he could, but more frequently, he enjoyed fielding phone calls from the devoted readers of Blue & Gold Illustrated after another magazine published, and he really, really liked the seven-layer dip I made for our 2008 Christmas party. Years from now when I look back on my life and make note of all the people I've come across that made a positive impact on me, Lou will undoubtedly be among the first to cross my mind. After holding back his cheers for years in the Notre Dame press box, Lou Somogyi will finally be able to sing Our Lady's praises from heaven. — Jason Sapp '04, BGI recruiting editor (2005-13) Lou with, left to right, Dan Murphy, Wes Morgan and Jason Sapp at the 2012 BCS National Title Game. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA