Brady Hoke Sent a Card to the ND Fan who had a Heart Attack at UTL

Submitted by hart20 on

 

It turns out that Brady Hoke sent a get well card to the ND fan who suffered a heart attack at UTL. Could we ask for a classier head coach?

 

Leo Staudacher told The Bay City Times (http://bit.ly/nsSFhi ) for a story published Tuesday that he got a handwritten note from Hoke on a greeting card bearing an image of Michigan’s football helmet. The note says the University of Michigan “family” was proud to care for Staudacher.

“He said, `You were in the right place,'" said Staudacher, a 69-year-old Bay City retiree.

 

"This isn't something that was set up by their (public relations) staff," said Staudacher, the 69-year-old Bay City retiree. "This is from a guy who cares enough about a human being to sit down with a felt pen and write a note. It's someone he doesn't know, has never met and is a Notre Dame fan, but he took the time to do it.

"If that isn't class, I don't know what is."

 

Link: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20111005/SPORTS0302/111009743

glewe

October 6th, 2011 at 3:48 PM ^

Hoke also attended the visitation for Patrick Fleming, the marching band student who died last week. No cameras, no expectation of publicity. Just a couple people who spotted him.

I don't care what you think of him as a coach - that's one fine human being. It's an honor to have him.

74polSKA

October 6th, 2011 at 2:40 PM ^

Is there something wrong with me that I teared up a little when I read this?  I wish Mr. Stoudacher well in his recovery and my man crush on Coach Hoke just keeps growing.

Butterfield

October 6th, 2011 at 2:41 PM ^

I love having this man as the leader of our program.  He is an amazing representative of what the UofM stands for.  Plus I hear he's turning the tide of the rivalry and jersey sales are going pretty well, especially in Ohio. 

MGoShtoink

October 6th, 2011 at 2:48 PM ^

A great quote in the original Bay City article:

 

"It was just like you or me, he got to the bottom and realized he was running out of room so the words got smaller and smaller,” said Staudacher

The Baughz

October 6th, 2011 at 2:49 PM ^

This gave me chills. Hoke is nothing but a class act and first rate human being. I am glad this man is in charge of the greatest football program of all time. He is much more than just a coach. How could you not want your son playing for this man?

74polSKA

October 6th, 2011 at 2:53 PM ^

I can't believe I'm saying this but I almost feel bad for Ohio fans when I read these comments.  I'm sure many of them had these feelings for Tressel over the years.  I can't imagine how I'd feel if we found out 10 years from now that Coach Hoke was really a fraud.  I'm not worried this will happen, I'm just feeling extra empathetic today.

CCCgoblue

October 6th, 2011 at 4:35 PM ^

Uhhhhhh do you feel better about yourself for trying to bash a poster for saying that they saw or read this earlier?  They didn't make a snide or arrogant comment concerning the post nor did they act like they were the original author of the article.  Besides you posted earlier praising this article.  Hope your e-peen has grown about an inch or 2 so you can feel better about your insightful addition to the thread.

 

PS: Before you try to retort, I never said my reply was insightful to the thread.  This is just a reply to the whining people do to other posters.

sheepdog

October 6th, 2011 at 3:58 PM ^

That the human spirit superceded fandom and compassion/concern superceded the rivalry.  He was equally classy with the SDSU players before and after the game from what I hear.  He genuinely cared about the kids he coached, mentored and it didnt change just because he coached against them. 

Brady Hoke is a great human.

mikoyan

October 6th, 2011 at 4:20 PM ^

I think I said it when they hired him and I'll say it now, I think this was a good hire.  I think Brandon saw something in him that he didn't see in any of the other coaches.  If all of this translates to success on the field, Hoke could be here for a long time, I think.

WolverineHistorian

October 6th, 2011 at 5:22 PM ^

Nice story.  And good for Hoke.  That was pure class. 

This is the first time I heard of a fan having a heart attack at that game.  I must have missed that little tidbit in all the excitement.

jsquigg

October 6th, 2011 at 6:33 PM ^

Pinch me.  A coach who knows how to allocate responsibility, teach players, recruit like a mother, and is also a classy human being?  Start the statue fund if we beat MSU and OSU.

Look Up_See Blue

October 6th, 2011 at 6:55 PM ^

I must admit.  At first I wasn't very happy with the hiring of Coach Hoke.  I think many other people who felt the same way, especially myself, have been humbled in the past 10 months.  We are on our way to great things.  Go Blue!!!

wolpherine2000

October 6th, 2011 at 8:01 PM ^

...is a stand-up guy and a credit to the program.  The term "classy" on the otherhand, has entered into Brah-speak and is now overused to the point that it casts suspicion on anything it is associated with.

Stay classy.

Mr. Yost

October 6th, 2011 at 10:31 PM ^

Is it too early to start calling him our new JoePa circa 1981 rather than 2011?

 

In all seriousness...we couldn't have a better representative of The University of Michigan.

M-Wolverine

October 7th, 2011 at 10:22 AM ^

I tried to let people know we were getting a good man to run our program.
<br>
<br>And a pretty good football coach. This is why "we are ND" wasn't a worry, and why there was always more than a 0.0 chance.
<br>
<br>It's understandable. Most just didn't know Brady yet. Once you do, you feel a lot better on the state of things.