A day that will live in infamy

By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press

Hell just froze over.

In June 2011, I wrote a column stating that it’s my final bucket list goal (FYI, I've never had a bucket list) to be the last man on Earth without a cell phone. When John Wayne gets a cell phone, I tell my few friends, so will I.

Of course, that’s usually about the same time some knucklehead informs me that “John Wayne’s just a Little Bit Dead” and in no need of a cellular communications device. Yes, the Duke died June 11, 1979 at the age of 72.

I had long maintained that when the Duke finally signs up for Verizon or Nextel or a Blueberry, a Strawberry or an E-phone, maybe I’ll think about it. Until then, don’t bother asking for my cell number and don’t bother texting me.

That all changed today. 

March 4, 2026 is a day that will live in infamy. And already bad things are happening. Legendary football coach Lou Holtz died today around the time my wife bought a cheap Tracfone for me. Don't ask me for the number. I do not know it, nor do I want to.

With apologies to the Holtz family for my cell phone purchase, let's talk about my favorite coach of my favorite team.

Coach Holtz was born Jan. 6, 1937, Follansbee, W.Va., the son of Anne Marie (Tychonievich) and Andrew Holtz. 

“I was born during the Great Depression, Coach Holtz told Joe Buck in a 2018 interview. "My dad had a third-grade education. We had one bedroom for my sister, myself and my parents. We had a kitchen, a half-bath. The half-bath did not have a tub, a shower or a sink. There was no welfare, no food stamps. No safety net. But the reason I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I was born in this country and I was taught that if I made good choices – whatever happened in your life – if I made good choices, got an education, worked hard, didn’t blame other people, I could have very positive things happen to me.”

As a lifelong Notre Dame football fan, without question my favorite Irish coach was Coach Holtz. Thanks to a memorable road trip with Ernie Blankenship, I was able to see Coach Holtz's 1988 championship team in South Bend. My family and I have made a few return trips to South Bend, and one fun trip to East Lansing, Mich. with a return trip through Canada. (No passport required back then.)

Coach Holtz was a great coach and perhaps an even greater motivator. Former Irish quarterback Steve Beuerlein recalled the first team meeting held by Coach Holtz in 1986.

"A lot of us were kind of slouched back in our chairs, had hats on, head back, just not overly impressed with what was going on," Beuerlein said. "He got up to the podium and he looked at our team and he said, 'Get your feet on the floor, sit up straight, take your hats off and get ready to play some football.' We sat up and we were like, 'Whoa, what is this guy all about?' We knew right away that it was a whole new deal."

In 1988, prior to the famous "Catholics vs. Convicts game against Miami, in the moments before the opening kickoff, a brief fight broke out in the tunnel. Upon returning to the locker room, Coach Holtz gave his players a stern talk about handling themselves with class and respect for Notre Dame. Coach Holtz’s speech was cut short when he uttered a now-famous line about his coaching counterpart, Miami's Jimmy Johnson: "If they want to fight, we'll fight 'em in the parking lot after the game. ... Just one thing, save Jimmy Johnson's ass for me." 

The Irish exploded and held on for 31-30 win over the top-ranked Hurricanes en route to the 1988 national championship.

Coach Holtz also was a bit of a philosopher. He often gave speeches and mentioned the following:

"Everybody needs four things in life – something to do, someone to love, someone to believe in and something to hope for.”

Coach Holtz's three rules for life were: 1) Do what is right; 2) Do everything to the best of your ability; and 3) Show people you care, building trust, commitment and love in relationships and personal growth. These principles emphasize integrity, effort and empathy as the foundation for success in any endeavor. 

Coach Holtz finished his coaching career with a 249-132-7 record over 388 games. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.   

According to a statement released by Notre Dame, Coach Holtz died in Orlando, Fla., where he was surrounded by family. Funeral arrangements, including a Mass of Christian burial at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame, will be announced as details are finalized, the university said.

Coach Holtz is survived by his four children, Luanne, Lou "Skip" Junior, Kevin and Elizabeth, with the latter three all graduating from the University of Notre Dame. He was preceded in death by his wife, Beth, who passed away on June 30, 2020 at age 82, from complications related to a long battle with cancer.

Godspeed, Coach Holtz. 

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.