Paul Hornung, ND’ original “golden boy”, is the namesake for college football’s newest honor: “most versatile player” (a player that can help their team the most in a large variety of ways).
Hornung is one of college football’s all-time greats (think the original Rocket Ismail, plus he could throw, and play defense), the only player special enough to win the Heisman on a losing team, so his name belongs right up there with the Biletnikoffs and Nagurskis.
However, he might have even more fame for the statement “ND must lower admissions to get the black athlete and win”. Technically, he may be right on lowering admissions, he just made the mistake of using the qualifying term “black”. (That’s what we call racial profiling.)
So, occasionally in his honor, the Blarney will bring you Hornung’s Words of Wisdom, or technically true statements that are worded wrong, and perhaps show some prejudice or some kind of political incorrectness.
Paul Hornung’s Words of Wisdom For 12-29-10:
“I see that the players from Notre Dame and Miami are forbidden from crossing the Mexican border, and must stay in El Paso during their Sun Bowl preparation. This makes sense, because there is no way they will be able to concentrate on their respective gameplans if they get into Mexico. I once crossed the border, got into too much Tequila, and stayed there for a whole year because I forgot I had a wife back home.”
We all know about it. Catholic vs Convicts. The rivalry that never should have went away. In the 80’s and early 90’s, Notre Dame and Miami hated each other like no other (read the link to the UHND.com article above for a further glance).
How much, you ask?
Notre Dame and Miami hated each other like:
-Americans hate waiting for a purchase. (”Put it on my credit card”.)
-The Grinch hates Christmas.
-Like women hate not updating their Facebook status multiple times a day.
-Rush Limbaugh hates black quarterbacks and liberals.
Any questions?
With the Sun Bowl, and three future games set in the next few years, hopefully we can get a taste of what the 80’s were like again (if both teams can return to form).
Why, I do believe the smell of Notre Dame’s bowl record since the 1993 season (1 win, in the Hawaii Bowl, following the 2008 season) is a little like this:
First, that was a classic video to illustrate the message.
Second, a win against an average Miami (yes, lazy analysts talking about Hurricane speed and talent, these guys are average) team in the sun Bowl won’t change that, but it can keep building momentum toward the future ( by winning against a Florida name brand, impressing elite recruits by the strong finish, and where the program is going, etc.), where the Irish can aim to play in “big boy” bowls again.
Finally, playing, and winning in a “big boy” bowls will do a lot to erase the smell of Notre Dame’s last 16 years.