Ara found it impossible to walk into an airport without being recognized - except on one occasion. He flew to New York for a speech during a cab strike. He was in a terrible hurry, and fortunately a friendly Fighting Irish fan noticed the ND insignia on his briefcase and somehow deduced that this was the head football coach. He led Ara outside and started hailing cars. After a few moments he got a driver to stop.

"I've got the head coach of Notre Dame over here and he's got to get downtown right away," he sputtered frantically.

The driver consented, so Ara, a little amazed by the fan's forwardness but thankful nonetheless, hopped in the back seat as his "angel of mercy" followed behind and sat up front. During the course of the ride the fan, proud of his accomplishment and regarding himself now as a lifelong friend of Ara's leaned over to the driver and tapped him on the arm.

"See, buddy, aren't you glad you decided to stop?" he blurted. "Now tonight when you go home you can tell all your friends you drove Joe Kuharich around."

*   *   *   *   *

Ron Dushney was a good natured kid but was prone to mistakes in practice. One day Ara watched him commit the same errors on successive goalline plays and hollered at him. "Dushney, you know what you need? You need a good swift kick " I must admit I was worried about how Ron might take that, but he replied, "Coach, you're exactly right!" So Ara told him to bend over, and he gave him an innocent swat in the seat. Ara called the same play, and Dushney ran it in for a score. Ara, delighted now with the improvement, snickered, "See, Dush, all you needed was a little encouragement." Dushney smiled and continued in his carefree way.

*   *   *   *   *

"I must be some kind of genius. I recruit Joe Montana and I retire the next year."

                                                                                                                    Ara Parseghian