Lou Holtz and Traditions

I’m thoroughly enjoying the book Unbeatable by Jerry Barca. It’s the story of the 1988 football season. I’ve always admired Lou Holtz but I didn’t realize that he was responsible for a couple of Notre Dame’s greatest game day traditions:

The Sign

“George Stewart walked into the maintenance shop in the Athletic and Convocation Center and handed Laurie Wenger a piece of paper. Stewart was acting on the direction of Holtz, who wanted a sign up in the locker room tunnel. The players would tap it as they headed to the field. Wenger looked at the paper and the five words PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY. The South Bend native’s job was to paint signs for functions. Some routine assignments included painting game balls and signs for Junior Parents Weekend. This project took her about a week to complete. Her co-workers cut a three-foot by four-foot piece of wood. Wenger primed it and then painted it in a yellow-gold. She let the color dry and then used blue paint to brush on the phrase in all capital letters. Notre Dame lore has it that shortly after Holtz became the head coach he went through books on Fighting Irish football history and found a photo of the sign. However, nobody, including former coaches, remembered it being posted anywhere. Regardless of where the photo came from, the Notre Dame players who left the locker room to take on No. 3 Michigan in ’86 were the first to touch the sign.

Barca, Jerry. Unbeatable: Notre Dame’s 1988 Championship and the Last Great College Football Season (pp. 56-57). St. Martin’s Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.”

The Mass

“At Mass, Holtz watched the camaraderie at the sign of peace. Typically, Catholics take about a minute to hug and kiss their relatives and shake the hands of those near them. The team took nearly five minutes and embraced each other with hugs, handshakes, and pats on the back. Fellas, we’ve got to kick off soon, Holtz thought to himself. Holtz enjoyed the Mass at the basilica so much he appealed to Father Jenky to host it again. Holtz got his way. Soon it became tradition, and students, alumni, and fans lined the pathway from the church to Notre Dame Stadium, cheering encouragement and seeking autographs.

Barca, Jerry. Unbeatable: Notre Dame’s 1988 Championship and the Last Great College Football Season (p. 83). St. Martin’s Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.”

There have been many great Notre Dame coaches, but I think I’d have to say that Lou is my favorite and I hope to have the chance to meet with him someday soon…