abcd123

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:16 PM ^

Sort of a nice reminder that, regardless of football allegiances, when it comes down to it, there are good people that play and coach for every team, and the caricature that you've come to view somebody as is never the case.

Except for when it comes to Ohio State, of course.

Joined: 01/19/2016

MGoPoints: 937

StephenRKass

February 2nd, 2016 at 3:01 PM ^

The mgoblog poster canzior begs to differ. Canzior was part of the entourage with former recruit (current Alabama player) Da'Shawn Hand, and covered Hand's recruitment extensively. At the end of December, Canzior wrote a very informative front-paged  post entitled: LINK:  How Recruiting Visits Work

Here's the relevant quote from his post:

I truly dislike Mike Vrabel, but he’s a very good guy as well. Very intense..and you see it every time he is on tv. I mentioned this before but I thought Urban was very likeable, and I very nearly committed my unborn son to play for him at that moment. Some of the women that I worked with were very interested to hear about Urban Meyer and see pictures, which should tell you how easy it is for him to convince a mom to send their kids to him.

As much as we hate Ohio State, I don't think that either Tressel or Meyer are flat out jerks. In fact, I vaguely recall MGrowOld commenting on Tressel from a chicken dinner where they rubbed shoulders. And it makes sense. If Meyer was just an evil jerk, he wouldn't have the success he has had in recruiting.

Joined: 07/15/2008

MGoPoints: 22961

Yost Ghost

February 2nd, 2016 at 3:45 PM ^

Lots of people have little ticks they do when they speak in front of large audiences. Apparently Bo liked to mess with his right jacket pocket. It's funny how little things like that can make someone seem more human. Almost like a glimpse behind his larger than life persona.

Joined: 01/18/2011

MGoPoints: 223

reshp1

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:18 PM ^

Wow, that's a really cool story. I had no idea their relationship went back that far. I wonder how many degrees of separation max there are between JH and any given player or coach in college or pro football. Seems like the guy knows everyone in one way or another.

Joined: 10/31/2011

MGoPoints: 34177

MartyinDayton

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:19 PM ^

Holtz uttered one of my favorite quotes.  "Pressure isn't being ranked number 1.  Pressure is being unprepared." I think of that whenever I get ready for trial. 

Joined: 04/03/2015

MGoPoints: 1195

DonAZ

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:27 PM ^

+ 1 to the sentiment expressed there.

It applies not just to football, but to pretty much every aspect of life.

It's a current pet peeve of mine that in my line of work I run across so many people who seem to take preparation for a sales call or meeting to be wasted time.  They seem to think it is somehow better to "wing it."  They are almost always proven wrong.  Often the result is wasted time by everyone else in attendance at the poorly prepared meeting.

Lou Holtz is a good man, no doubt.  I don't care for his Notre Dame homerism, but that's because I despise Notre Dame.  If Lou Holtz was a homer for, say, Minnesota, I would merely smile at his homerism.

 

Joined: 12/05/2011

MGoPoints: 16679

RED DAWN

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:21 PM ^

When he wanted to become a head coach at San Diego, he asked me to call the president who was a big Lou Holtz at Notre Dame fan. I helped him get the job.

 

So we have Lou Holtz to thank for Harbaugh getting his start in coaching.

Joined: 11/08/2010

MGoPoints: 4424

dipshit moron

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:22 PM ^

the signing of the stars is for charity?  by the way our  rivals and the news media report it, harbaugh is just a fool lookiing for attention. ive seen it  called a "circus" and just another example of what a lunatic harbaugh is. it sure is refreshing when you start hearing both sides of a story and hear from sane people not all the crazies that post on message boards.

Joined: 07/04/2008

MGoPoints: -13526

LSAClassOf2000

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:29 PM ^

“At the same time when Jim called me to tell me how everything went, he asked me if I would come up and do this event. He said it’s going to be about 3,500 people or so and will raise money for cancer. My wife is a stage four cancer survivor; they gave her a ten-percent chance to live. She has squamous cell carcinoma in her throat, had a 13-hour surgery, and 83 radiation treatments. Her weight went from 129 to 89. So we do everything we can to help fight cancer.

I will say, when I first heard Lou Holtz was going to be at this, I did a double take as many here probably did simply because when you see that name, all you really think of is Notre Dame and his time there. That made this article pretty eye-opening for me - I did not know that this was a deeply personal thing for Holtz because of his wife's battle with cancer and it does remind you that at the end of the day, there are things that dwarf the game and rivalries both past and present. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130527

Bando Calrissian

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:30 PM ^

Can't help but see Holtz as a complete fraud who left every program he ever touched in worse shape (and, often, under sanctions) than when he found them. Read Under the Tarnished Dome--the guy was/is sleaze.

But I can't help but think this article is quite cool.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 68064

OC Alum91

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:31 PM ^

Good story.

Maybe it's the charity angle.  Maybe it's becuase Harbaugh is truly the s***.    

Regardless, as much as we dislike ND and Lou's homerism, it is remarkable for a guy that bleeds Irish blood to show up at a UM event which is primarily about UM football, and secondarily about charity.

Joined: 02/05/2015

MGoPoints: 1528

The Mad Hatter

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:35 PM ^

Now you made me like Lou Holtz.  You're on my list now.

It sucks that his house burned down, but the thought of him having nothing to wear except Michigan gear amuses me.

Joined: 02/17/2015

MGoPoints: 112109

Human Torpedo

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:40 PM ^

like I do MSU fans or OSU fans. Their fans are relatively classy, sophisticated and intellegent. I do feel a bit miffed though by their administration for punking us at the last second before the 2012 game and opting out of the series

Joined: 01/15/2016

MGoPoints: 2195

PopeLando

February 2nd, 2016 at 3:30 PM ^

My experience would tend to agree: I think South Bend blows, but when I visit there I never feel unsafe or have to deal with abuse. I think they just have blinders on when it comes to the quality of their team sometimes. We all do. My hatred towards Notre Dame stems from the pervasive dick-sucking that the sports media heaped upon them when I was in undergrad. Like Notre Dame, by virtue of beating Army every year, qualified for the championship... I was happy when they'd get blown out in whatever high-level bowl they landed in. I was especially happy when our 2006 team walloped Weis' "championship run" team and effectively torpedoed Quinn's Heisman campaign. Oh yeah, and I hated Weis and Quinn. Fuck those arrogant pricks.

Joined: 08/01/2015

MGoPoints: 67920

WorldwideTJRob

February 2nd, 2016 at 3:32 PM ^

So you think all these people are showing up out of the kindness of their heart? Something had to be paid wether it's a plane ticket or hotel rooms or food to eat when they get here...it's sad because the event benefits pediatric cancer research but this is how the rich stay rich. I have a female friend who manages a local celebrity here in the metro area. You wouldn't believe how much these people get paid to show up at "charity" events like coats for kids.



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Joined: 07/05/2010

MGoPoints: 31049

gwkrlghl

February 2nd, 2016 at 3:05 PM ^

Honestly I keep forgetting this is also a benefit. It would be awesome if they did this every year and it was always a benefit. Could raise some serious change and have a lot of fun doing it

Joined: 04/13/2012

MGoPoints: 72

BlueinOK

February 2nd, 2016 at 3:08 PM ^

As much as I love seeing Lou getting made fun of on twitter, he was one of the best speakers I saw. Anyone who is going, enjoy him. He's a great speaker. 

Joined: 12/06/2009

MGoPoints: 15029

LV Sports Bettor

February 2nd, 2016 at 3:15 PM ^

I once read a Lou Holtz book way back in the day and it was one of the best self-improvement type books I've ever read.

He always made it a point to say just how little talent he had in life but that he was someone who still managed to make his dreams come true despite his limiting physical gifts thru hard work, discipline, etc..... 

Here's a quote made by Holtz that I always felt best describes how far he came to be be head football coach at ND:

On a sportswriter who asked him how he felt about being named Notre Dame's head coach:

"What do you mean, what does it feel like? Look at me. I'm 5-10, I weigh 150 pounds, I talk with a lisp, I look like I have scurvy, I'm not very smart, I was a terrible football player and I graduated 234th in a high school class of 278. What do you think it feels like to be named head coach at Notre Dame?"

Joined: 12/06/2014

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