by Leprechaun Express & Steve Welsh
“Ara Parseghian, the legendary football player and coach who led the University of Notre Dame to two national championships, died early Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, at his home in Granger, Indiana, according to multiple news sources. Parseghian, who underwent hospital treatment recently for a hip infection, was 94. … [includes link to Guest Book]”
“Legendary coach Ara Parseghian, who guided the University of Notre Dame’s 1966 and 1973 national championship football teams and is a member of the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame, died at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday (Aug. 2) at his home in Granger, Indiana, the University’s president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., announced. He was 94. …”
In Lou Holtz’s first year at #NotreDame, when current Notre Dame assistant coach Greg Hudson was an underclassman player, the Irish had close games all year against elite opponents, only to take a 4-6 record into their finale against a top-20 #SouthernCal in the Coliseum. After falling behind, and still trailing 17 points in the fourth quarter, the Irish staged a furious comeback to beat the Trojans in the final moments, including contributions by future Heisman-winner and NFL great Tim Brown, future long-time NFL veterans Steve Beuerlein and John Carney, and an intense game for the ages from up and down the roster.
“… In commemorating Notre Dame’s 125 years of football history in 2012, Blue & Gold Illustrated’s Football Preview that summer compiled a top 50 countdown of the most iconic moments in Fighting Irish football lore. ….”
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: “… when it comes to having profound and lasting impact on an entire sport, it’s tough to argue that any rivalry matched the Notre Dame-Army rivalry of the 20th century. The two teams met for the first time 103 years ago, when the upstart Notre Dame team traveled east to play the powerful Cadets at West Point. To counteract Army’s superiorities in size and strength, Notre Dame coach Jesse Harper unleashed a potent passing attack, facilitated by new rules intended to make the game safer. …”
“Catholics vs. Convicts: It was only a game, except it was so much more. The antagonism transcended #football. The two universities were symbols of a schism in society. … The contrast, the stage, the personalities and the compelling plots of the games made Hurricanes vs. Fighting Irish one of the greatest rivalries in sports for an intense six-year stretch ….”
Ara Parseghian still bristles 50 years later at the notion No. 1 Notre Dame played for a tie against No. 2 Michigan State …. ‘The only play that we ran that would be suggestive of going for a tie was the last play of the game’ …. * * * That 1966 game has been described as the Game of the Century, as was another Notre Dame tie , a 0-0 game between top-rated Army and the second-ranked Irish at Yankee Stadium in 1946.
The Irish finished No. 1 both times while their undefeated opponent finished No. 2 in the AP poll – the only two times that’s happened. …
From 1900 through 1975, Notre Dame lost only three opening games: 1934 (at home to Texas, oddly enough), at SMU in 1956 and at home in 1963 to Wisconsin.
Since 1976, though, it has lost 11 season openers in the past 41 years, most notably the 50-47 double-overtime setback at Texas this past weekend.
How has Notre Dame bounced back from being 0-1?