Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

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Thursday 3 augusT 2017
Ara Parseghian playing in bowl games.

Parseghian was so be-
loved by students that
Continued from Page 17 when the weather turned
bad, chants of “Ara, stop
“He continued to demon- hind fellow College Foot- the rain!” or “Ara, stop the
strate that leadership by ball Hall of Famers Knute snow” cascaded down
raising millions of research Rockne (.881) and Frank from the grandstands. “As
dollars seeking a cure for Leahy (.855). At Notre a student, I enjoyed the
the terrible disease that Dame, they are considered thrill of being on campus
took the lives of three of his the “Holy Trinity” of coach- for Ara’s last three years as
grandchildren. Whenever es. Only Rockne (105, 1918- head coach, including the
we asked for Ara’s help 30) and Lou Holtz (100, 1973 championship, and
at Notre Dame, he was 1986-96) won more total saw firsthand the profound
there.” games at Notre Dame than impact that he had on my
Parseghian took over at Parseghian. “When you classmates who played for
Notre Dame in 1964 when find any successful coach him,” Notre Dame athletic
the Fighting Irish were there’s always a portion of In this Nov. 19, 1966, file photo, Notre Dame coach Ara director Jack Swarbrick
down. They hadn’t had the players who didn’t like Parseghian gestures during a college football game against said in a statement. “When
a winning season in five him. From the top All-Amer- Michigan State, in East Lansing, Mich. I returned many years later
years and had gone 2-7 in ican to the guy who never Associated Press as athletics director, Ara
1963. He quickly restored got to see the field, every- how he would get down He just lived it and we fol- was unfailingly generous
the Golden Dome’s luster body loved Ara,” former on his hands and knees to lowed it.” with his time, and his coun-
and led the Irish to national Notre Dame quarterback coach the quarterbacks Parseghian didn’t just re- sel proved to be invalu-
titles in 1966 and 1973. He Terry Hanratty said. “That’s on how to properly take a vive Notre Dame football. able.”
abruptly retired after the a really great human be- snap. He made Fighting Irish fans After stepping down, Par-
1974 season, saying he ing.” Parseghian started his “That great desire that he believe in the program seghian went into televi-
was worn out and ready coaching career at Miami had to win and to do ev- again. He began his ten- sion and spent more than
for a change. Despite of- University, his alma mater, erything perfect did not in- ure in South Bend with an a decade calling games
fers from other colleges and then spent eight sea- clude anything that would impromptu pep rally that on ABC and CBS. In 1994,
and NFL teams he never re- sons leading Northwestern. embarrass himself or the drew 2,000 students to the his family was hit with dev-
turned to coaching. Former Northwestern cap- team or the university,” steps of a residence hall astating news. Three of his
His .836 winning percent- tain and center Jay Robert- Robertson said. “I don’t re- and eventually persuaded son Mike’s children were
age puts him third on Notre son recalled Parseghian’s member ever him preach- Notre Dame to end its long- found to have Niemann-
Dame’s coaching list be- attention to detail, and ing to us about anything. standing policy against Pick disease type C.q