Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1368856
28 JUNE/JULY 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED A TRIBUTE TO LOU SOMOGYI Letters For Lou I was gifted a subscription to BGI in Christmas 2003 by my dear friends, the Holguins. Irish football was a mess in those days but I was immediately taken by the magazine, which back then was es- sentially a weekly newspaper. One of the main reasons was because of "Louie," a 1984 Notre Dame grad. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of Irish football, from history to recruit- ing to player profiles, everything! This shined through his column, game reviews, recruiting recaps, and feature pieces. He was also an expert on other Domer sports and wrote just as vividly about basketball, baseball, and hockey. He gave particular respect to ND's burgeoning women's teams. But like a good athlete, I sensed that he allowed other writers to share in the plumb assignments so he wouldn't be a literary ball-hog. Still, his back-page column was the first thing I read every issue. In 2006, I visited campus and emailed Lou asking if we could grab a Huddle Burger in LaFortune. I could tell he thought it was a strange request, but he indulged me. Just like his writing, he was a combina- tion of scholar, detached journalist and passionate fan. And that's why I loved his articles, too — he clearly rooted for ND but was not a typical, myopic, "Domer Homer." We kept in touch throughout the years, whether Louie was graciously helping me with delivery snags or offering advice as an aspiring Irish blogger. Interestingly, sometimes he admitted he was having difficulty adjusting to a new world that de- manded constant Tweets, podcasts, and fresh con- tent not just every day but every hour, but certainly he adjusted. For me, he was a paragon of intelligent yet fervent analysis of our Irish. He motivated me by once writ- ing that his life mantra was, "I went to Notre Dame, I can figure this out." His passing leaves an immense void in the pan- theon of Fighting Irish sports writers. I still relish printed publications, weekly each football season, and monthly in the offseason. I read his column first every time. — Alex Montoya I am so, so sorry to hear about the tragic passing of Lou. I wanted to personally reach out and give my condolences. I had the pleasure of shadowing Lou when I was a freshman in college. He showed me genuine kind- ness. He made me feel at home in a press conference I had no business being in, and I've always been a fan of his work. You and the entire Blue & Gold Illustrated team are in my thoughts and prayers. Take care. — Tyler Wojciak Just wanted to pass along to you my sympathy at the loss of Lou. I know the value he was to BGI and to you and our efforts. I had known Lou for quite a few years and in the past eight to 10 years or so, every trip to South Bend included either lunch or dinner with Lou. The last time, pre-pandemic, Lou wasn't going to have time to get together but he did swing by the hotel to pick up a gift I had for him. I have been reading his articles since Blue & Gold Illustrated started in the '80s. I emailed him a few times and he always answered. He was a great sports writer, always the first article I read every issue. I am so sad for his passing. I felt him a part of Notre Dame and needs some type of memorial by the stadium if possible. There is no man that knew ND and ND football better than him. May God be with him and he Rest In Peace. — Richard Borghi The look on his face when I handed him a 1973 USC/ND game-used football was one of my fondest memories of Notre Dame. And then he changed plans and we had a great dinner. Lots of prayers ascending. — Dan Henderson I join the many fans of Notre Dame football who have been blessed to be on the receiving end of one of the most thorough, informative and heartfelt pub- lications, Blue Gold Illustrated, as we mourn the loss of its senior editor, Lou Somogyi. I reached out to Lou on Sept. 5, 2011, with a re- quest to print my first "letter" to BGI — a requiem for the passing of one of my heroes, Andre Jones (1987- 90). His gracious response, and subsequent printing (and clarification of a Miami player I misidentified), began a cordial relationship, albeit electronically. As the son of a walk-on receiver in the 1960s, I grew up inundated with all things Notre Dame and would eagerly anticipate checking the mailbox every week for each new BGI installment. Lou poured his heart and soul into Blue & Gold Il- lustrated and provided ND fans with something much more than the "foremost authority." He tapped into and captured the spirit of Notre Dame, week in and week out, working tirelessly to give us the very best. Perhaps the mark of a person can be found in the words uttered by those left behind. If so, I can find no greater tribute than the words given by my friend Todd Burlage who described Lou as a "great friend, kind soul, invaluable mentor, legendary journalist and exemplary man." Thank you, Lou. — Tim Kennedy, Oro Valley, Ariz. Lou Somogyi was marvelously fit, and a good ath- lete, but he would not let even rest come ahead of his consummate devotion to his profession. On the 17th of April, 2021, he suddenly died fol- lowing a friendly tennis game. Knowing Lou, he prob- ably worked all night to finish an article by nine that morning and did not want to let a friend down. That is just how he was. As senior editor and writer of Blue & Gold Illustrated, he gained admiration for his unwavering integrity, his astonishing work ethic, and his encyclo- pedic recall of anything related to Notre Dame sports. Publications like Sports Illustrated always called on him whenever they needed instant information. Current head football coach Brian Kelly has admitted during his press conferences, whenever a coach or a writer needed to know anything, Lou always had it. He is unchallenged as the greatest historian of Notre Dame football. Writing came naturally to him. His prose had an easy-flowing compositional structure, but he also turned phrases very adeptly. In 1993, Florida State was voted the national champion, even though it had the same record as Notre Dame and had lost to Notre Dame, while Notre Dame played by far the hardest schedule in the nation — including victories over all the major conference champions, several of them ranked top five to top 10. Lou called it a "lifetime achievement award" for FSU head coach Bobby Bowden. With Tim Prister in the 1980s, Lou wrote The Best of Blue & Gold: The Fall and Rise of Notre Dame Football. Lou was at least as great a person as he was a sports journalist. Modest to the point of being self- effacing, he always deflected attention and acclaim to others. Friends dared not express any material woes to him, because he would instantly extend the help needed, including his time, of which he had very little. Anyone who wanted to pick up a tab at a restaurant would have to fight Lou. That would not have been easy, as he was an exceptional athlete to his dying day. People anywhere near Lou Somogyi's qualities are rarely seen. His professional contributions and friend- ship are irreplaceable, and the memories of him indelible. Goodbye, Lou. You left way too early, but not be- fore elevating everyone you touched. Rest in Peace. — Peter Nagy For many years we have been blessed, informed and entertained by Lou's unique ability to blend current perspective with historical context, and he was always able to care and be fair. His was just the right touch for Notre Dame. "The Fifth Quarter" came too soon, but we were privileged to have had a ticket. Godspeed to a Loyal Son. JIM BRADY '72