Shenanigans
At Notre Dame in 1956 Duffy warned the Spartans that the
tradition-steeped Fighting Irish would return for the second half ablaze with the spirit of the storied Rockne and the immortal halfback George Gipp. After an M.S.U. fumble, center John Matsko said to Duffy, "It wasn't our fault. When I tried to center the ball, it wouldn't go right. It was like somebody was holding it.
"Maybe," said spectacular Spartan halfback Clarence Peaks, "Gipp was reaching up."
"Let's not be sacrilegious," protested Duffy. "Let's say that Gipp was reaching down."
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In Ara's first season at Notre Dame, he invited the school president, Father Theodore Hesburgh, to speak at the pep rally before the 1964 game with Michigan State....
Father Hesburgh had recently made an announcement that Notre Dame would not alter its policy regarding postseason games. Since it would lengthen the season by six weeks and therefore interfere with the players' academic endeavors, Notre Dame would continue to abstain. But as Father Hesburgh approached the microphone that night, the students hollered, "Go to a bowl. Go to a bowl." He smiled and awaited their quiet. He then began a fantastically conceived tale about a dream he had on the war between the Athenians and the Spartans.
Ara was from Armenian heritage, and that sounds like Athenian. There was no mistaking the Spartans, and the crowd was quick to catch on to his analogy. He told how the smaller and quicker Athenians through the leadership of their great general had outwitted the bulky Spartans. The Athenian dedication, tenacity and spirit overcame all Spartan obstacles. The crowd cheered. Father Hesburgh then paused and asked, "Do you know what this great Athenian general told his loyal troops after this great victory?" Once again he paused, and before he could continue a voice from out of the silence shouted, "Yeah, go to a bowl!" The other fans then took up the chant. Father Hesburgh seemed stunned at first, but bowing to the humor of the remark said only, "Touche!" To this day no one knows what the Athenian general said. But Father Hesburgh's dream came true as we beat the Spartans, 34-7.
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