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ESPN’s Mike Greenberg talked about Notre Dame’s famed “Play Like a Champion Today” sign and pondered how the sign got so famous in just over 20 years (video below). When you think about it, it is a little crazy how ingrained in Notre Dame tradition the sign has become in just a short time. It also further shows how much of a lasting impression Lou Holtz left on the program. Holtz truly understood what Notre Dame was all about and the popularity of the Play Like A Champion Today sign is just another indication of that.
The official site has a great piece in which Holtz talks about what made him hang the sign up in the tunnel after being hired.
“I read a lot of books about the history of Notre Dame and its football program,” Holtz explains. “I forget which book I was looking at – it had an old picture in it that showed the slogan `Play Like A Champion Today’.
“I said, `That is really appropriate; it used to be at Notre Dame and we needed to use it again.’ So, I had that sign made up.”
“(The players) were encouraged by it; I told them the history of it, that this had been here years ago. I didn’t know who took it down, I don’t know why it wasn’t here when I came here, but this is part of Notre Dame tradition and this is what we’re going to do,” Holtz says.
With the season creeping up on us this video, which includes a cameo from Holtz, just got me a little more pumped up. September can’t get here fast enough. Hopefully once it gets here we’ll be treated to a few more Saturdays of our boys playing like champions than we have been the last couple seasons as well.
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Comments to this Article
Kyle commented on July 14th, 2009 at 12:27 am
I had one in my room growing up. Not sure what happened to it, but maybe I’ll buy a new one.
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shazamrock commented on July 14th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Bit of Trivia. The sign is extremely well known. It can be seen in the movie “Rudy” well before the Lou Holtz era and it’s original posting.
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VicPaul commented on July 14th, 2009 at 10:38 am
My 2 year old son and I touch ours coming down the stairs every day. Smack the sign, high five and yell out ‘Go Irish’. Puts a smile on my face just typing it. I have never even set a foot on the campus but that place means more to me then anything. (besides my son that is)
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shazamrock commented on July 14th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
The sign reminds me of the glory of ND football days past. I long for that special year when ND is undefeated and crowned National Champion.
1 glo•ry
Pronunciation:
\glo-re from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin gloria
Date:
14th century
1 a: praise, honor, or distinction extended by common consent : RENOWN b: worshipful praise, honor, and thanksgiving 2 a: something that secures praise or renown b: a distinguished quality or asset3 a (1): great beauty and splendor : MAGNIFICENCE <: the splendor and beatific happiness : a state of great gratification or exaltation <: a height of prosperity or achievement
Few places in our world offer an opportunity for Glory. It can be found, of course, in our churches. But it also occasionally appears in our police and fire departments. In medicine, and probably most notably, in the military. Think about a commercial jet pilot who lands a damaged airliner in the Hudson river of New York, where everyone survives. A hero? Yes, who is glorified in his feat. Glory is also bestowed upon our sports hero’s. Those who work, train, sweat, and toil for, months, years sometimes, to achieve their goals. In college football, few institutions offer the chance at “true” gridiron Glory. God, in his wisdom, has bestowed that
elusive Honor on the University of Notre Dame. It takes a special combination of players, coaches, fans, hard work, sacrifice, dedication, perseverance, the alignment of time and place, and some good fortune, to achieve the level of success that would merit that kind of Glory. But make no mistake, it is there. It’s buried deep in the annals of Notre Dame Football lore, in its rich history and traditions. Waiting to be unearthed once again by a special group of warriors. Finding the right path is the secrete to unlocking the ultimate reward. But for those who are willing to travel the right road, the Glory of Notre Dame will appear before them, and it is in that moment that they must reach out with all their might, grab hold, and not relinquish, for it is a rarity and no second chances are given, as all Glory is Fleeting. And that is worth fighting for.
ALL GLORY IS FLEETING
“For over a thousand years Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of triumph, a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeteers, musicians and strange animals from conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conquerors rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children robed in white stood with him in the chariot or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting.”
- Gen. George C. Patton
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Kevin Hurley commented on July 14th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Ready for some irony?
Well, I’m not sure “irony” is the best word, but how ’bout some “quirky identification”?
I started ND in the Fall of 1985. Hit-by-car 10 days later. WICKED-bad injuries, as we of Boston-heritage say, resulting in a wicked-intense, protracted recovery. Masde it back to ND for the NC ni 88, but couldn’t make it at ND. (graduating 6-years later at NU – Northeastern U) The “irony” is that, as you can imagine, is as I was recovering, I gained real motivation from watching the Irish exit the locker-room, TOUCHING THAT SIGN, and then playing their games. And the link I used to draw with the sign is this:
ND Football plays like a champion. I must recover like a champion.
Quirky linkage, yes.
But hey – it worked. (shrug) I did some pretty kool rehabilitation and still have feelings of tremendous gratitude to/for the traditions of Notre Dame.
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