There is nothing objective about this column. It is very personal and it comes from the heart and facts are facts – in many ways Notre Dame has been a part of my entire adult life.
I came here as a student in 1963 and for all of you younger than me it might be hard to understand just how low an ebb Notre Dame football had reached by then. There was a lot of talk on campus then that Notre Dame needed to give up trying to be a football power. Take my word, it was a lot worse than the most recent era when some were saying Notre Dame had become irrelevant. Our coach in 1963 was Hugh Devore, a wonderful man but he had no chance, especially when he was given the title of Interim Coach. In a game against Pittsburgh he got mad at the officials, went out on the field, threw his hat on the ground and stomped on it. In another game he went on a tirade at half time and in a yelling fit his false teeth flew out on the locker room floor. He tried to fire up his players by telling them that losing the game would be worse than their mothers dying. Somehow I think that was not going to work.
Then came Ara and you know how that turned out. 1964 was a miracle season and Notre Dame was back among the very best in college football for years to come.
Now we can segue forward to 2012 and Manti. I will make the case with anyone that no one since Ara has been more important to Irish football than him.
A Mormon from Hawaii spurns USC to go to college at a Catholic school in northern Indiana.
I have known Manti as a student since his freshman year because in my alleged retirement I work a few days a week on campus checking the “kids” in for lunch at the South Dining Hall. Don’t laugh. I have never had a job more rewarding no matter the pay. Okay, I do some other things as well and last year I wrote a feature article on Manti for a book called Strong of Heart 2011. We spent a couple of hours together and he really opened up. Did you know that when tragedy struck the Notre Dame practice field, it was Manti who charged across the field and climbed over the wreckage? He went to Declan Sullivan and put his arm on him and whispered a prayer in his ear. Did you know that Manti is an Eagle Scout? Maybe you didn’t, but it sure is a perfect fit.
As some of you know, I have been the public address announcer for Notre Dame for the 31 seasons and there can never be a fonder memory than 2012 and Senior Day. I knew it might be difficult for me when I got to that final player to introduce. My pulse was racing and I started to feel tears well in my eyes. But I had a plan and I had to make it work, emotions be damned. So I came up with a phrase in his native language and somehow it calmed me down.
Keike Kane. Special Son. We will not see anyone like him again at Notre Dame and he will always be “our” son.
