Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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54 NOV. 23, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED G rowing up in the 1970s a mile from the Notre Dame campus, I often thought how "pathetic" some of the 1940s graduates of Notre Dame were. No matter how well the Irish did during "my era" — including na‑ tional titles in 1973 and 1977, and legitimate contention in several other years — many members of that group would always drone on about how much more dominant Frank Leahy's teams of the 1940s, or even in 1953, were. The 1950 graduates would always inform you how they never witnessed a defeat during their time in school, how the football program had fallen since then and was "not the same." It reached a point where it almost seemed they couldn't enjoy a victory and only liked to moan and complain about the program's shortcomings. After so many close wins in 1974 (19‑14 at Michigan State, 10‑3 versus Rice, 14‑6 at Navy and 14‑10 versus Pitt), Notre Dame head coach Ara Parseghian said he finally had to step down from the position because he was "emotionally drained and physically exhausted." "From what?" I thought as a 12‑year‑ old. "He's got the greatest job in the world." It didn't register with me then that fin‑ ishing "only" 10‑2 in 1974, the year after winning a second consensus national ti‑ tle, was killing him, and for the sake of his health, he had to retire at the tender age of 51, when most coaches are at their peak. Several years later, I remembered how one of those 1950 graduates grumbled about the 29‑27 victory against Michi‑ gan in 1980 — when Harry Oliver booted the 51‑yard field goal on the last play of the game — and stated, "It shouldn't have been that close in the first place." "Why can't you just enjoy the mo‑ ment?" I would think. I sort of became one of those "pathetic" figures after Notre Dame's 28‑3 victory against Utah Nov. 13 — but I did realize later that I had to disengage from it. When the Notre Dame senior class gradually left the stands and ran onto the field in jubilation after the conquest, I made knowing eye contact with another Notre Dame graduate and colleague in the press box. We both knew what the other was thinking: "You would have thought the Irish just won the national title, but now everybody is just elated to be 5‑5 with a chance at a minor bowl bid." Yes, I get it. Notre Dame's football program has been eminently mediocre for so long, and has endured so much pain and ultimately trag‑ edy the three prior weeks, it was a "Wait‑ ing To Exhale" moment for everyone in‑ volved in the program — and God bless them all. They deserved it and earned it. It was their time to enjoy — and head coach Brian Kelly made a telling com‑ ment in his postgame conference: "I could feel it last week that finally we were … I don't know what it was. It's hard for me to describe. "We were taking a huge load off our shoulders and going back and just be‑ ing college students and football play‑ ers — and not carrying all the burdens of everything that goes along with being a Notre Dame football player and the great tradition and championships." In less than one season, Kelly already could sense "the burdens" that built up 11 years for Parseghian (and Lou Holtz, too). The "real work" at Notre Dame begins only when a 10‑2 season feels like a valley instead of a peak. "The whole story is getting to the top and then the rest of the story is tearing down. … I never got a positive comment after '88," Holtz said several days before the Utah game. "It was all, 'Well, we didn't win big enough.' That's just the way the story goes." While reaching 5‑5 probably should not call for a grand celebra‑ tions at Notre Dame … I get it. The context of the past cannot apply to the present. Even in 1956, Notre Dame's student body flooded the field with glee after winning in the closing minute in the final home game. Notre Dame finished 2‑8 that year — after four straight years of top‑10 finishes — while the Tar Heels were 2‑7‑1. Life is too short to not enjoy the little moments of joy that come our way. My guess is those who were on the field that 1956 day still carry it with nostalgic reverence. The reality also is that the current Notre Dame seniors born in 1989 grew up only reading about the history of Notre Dame football. They haven't truly "ex‑ perienced" it, not like those who grew up in the 1920s with Knute Rockne, 1941‑53 with Frank Leahy, 1964‑74 and 1975‑80 with Parseghian and Dan Devine, and the 1988‑93 era under Holtz. We've kind of lost a generation in there since then. Yet, just think what the atmosphere would have been like if the Irish had fallen to 4‑6 instead. What is the far better experience for the students, play‑ ers and average fan? True, Notre Dame football will never be the same for me the way it was in the 1970s — the same way the 1970s never were quite the same for the people who followed the program in the 1940s. As a 48‑year‑old, I don't view players and the program from the same perspective I did as an awe‑struck 11‑year‑old who categorized the Irish athletes as larger‑ than‑life figures. With that said … I still hope that maybe in this new decade, the tradition of 10‑2 becoming a "disappointment" can be rebuilt under Kelly. For now, it truly involves baby steps and savoring whatever moments you can. ✦ BEST OF THE FIFTH QUARTER ✦ LOU SOMOGYI ✦ NOV. 29, 2010 Learning How To Live In The Moment (For Now) EDITOR'S NOTE: The late, great Lou Somogyi possessed an unmatched knowledge of Notre Dame football, and it was his mission in life to share it with others. Those of us at Blue & Gold Illustrated would like to continue to provide his wis- dom and unique perspective from his more than 37 years covering the Fighting Irish for this publication. As former Irish coaches (from left to right) Ara Parseghian, Brian Kelly and Lou Holtz learned, the "real work" at Notre Dame begins only when a 10-2 season feels like a valley instead of a peak. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND