BleedGopher
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per Sid:
Editor's note: On every remaining Sunday in 2020, the Star Tribune will republish a memorable Sid Hartman column from the archives. This is Sid's column from the Sept. 13, 1986, edition of the Star Tribune after he talked to former Gophers football coach Lou Holtz before his first game as Notre Dame's coach.
Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz talked this week about how he had been ready to make "a commitment to Minnesota for the rest of my active coaching days." He would be at Minnesota today had things worked out.
Holtz didn't want to go into details because he doesn't want to embarrass anybody, but close friends always will remember the date — July 23, 1985.
Gophers men's athletic director Paul Giel was having heart problems again. Giel was concerned he might need another operation and wouldn't be able to handle his job.
Giel asked Holtz if he would like to take over most of Giel's duties. Giel wanted to continue to be a fund-raiser, to represent the university at Big Ten meetings and to handle public relations. Holtz would run the daily operation and make the big decisions. The university administration favored Giel's idea.
Holtz talked with his wife, Beth, and decided to make a five-year commitment to Minnesota, under an ironclad contract binding him to Minnesota whether Notre Dame or anybody else called.
Holtz was enthused. He had big ideas. However, when he had a second meeting with Giel, something happened. They couldn't agree on which duties each would perform. So the deal fell through.
Giel again approached Holtz late in the football season. He was ready to give Holtz what he wanted.
It was too late. Holtz already had been approached by people close to Notre Dame.
Not easy to leave
It wasn't easy for Holtz to leave. The same people who sold Holtz on taking the Gophers' job let him know he could name the salary he wanted to stay at Minnesota.
There is no doubt that the downtown group would have raised enough money to pay Holtz $500,000 a year if he decided to stay at Minnesota.
However, Holtz is a devout Catholic, and Notre Dame was something he wanted. He took the Irish job at a big cut in salary. He also had to cut the number of speaking appearances he makes around the country, appearances for which he is well paid.
He had his critics in Minnesota, but they were in the minority. And those people didn't know what they were talking about.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
Editor's note: On every remaining Sunday in 2020, the Star Tribune will republish a memorable Sid Hartman column from the archives. This is Sid's column from the Sept. 13, 1986, edition of the Star Tribune after he talked to former Gophers football coach Lou Holtz before his first game as Notre Dame's coach.
Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz talked this week about how he had been ready to make "a commitment to Minnesota for the rest of my active coaching days." He would be at Minnesota today had things worked out.
Holtz didn't want to go into details because he doesn't want to embarrass anybody, but close friends always will remember the date — July 23, 1985.
Gophers men's athletic director Paul Giel was having heart problems again. Giel was concerned he might need another operation and wouldn't be able to handle his job.
Giel asked Holtz if he would like to take over most of Giel's duties. Giel wanted to continue to be a fund-raiser, to represent the university at Big Ten meetings and to handle public relations. Holtz would run the daily operation and make the big decisions. The university administration favored Giel's idea.
Holtz talked with his wife, Beth, and decided to make a five-year commitment to Minnesota, under an ironclad contract binding him to Minnesota whether Notre Dame or anybody else called.
Holtz was enthused. He had big ideas. However, when he had a second meeting with Giel, something happened. They couldn't agree on which duties each would perform. So the deal fell through.
Giel again approached Holtz late in the football season. He was ready to give Holtz what he wanted.
It was too late. Holtz already had been approached by people close to Notre Dame.
Not easy to leave
It wasn't easy for Holtz to leave. The same people who sold Holtz on taking the Gophers' job let him know he could name the salary he wanted to stay at Minnesota.
There is no doubt that the downtown group would have raised enough money to pay Holtz $500,000 a year if he decided to stay at Minnesota.
However, Holtz is a devout Catholic, and Notre Dame was something he wanted. He took the Irish job at a big cut in salary. He also had to cut the number of speaking appearances he makes around the country, appearances for which he is well paid.
He had his critics in Minnesota, but they were in the minority. And those people didn't know what they were talking about.
Sid Hartman: Disagreement over duties made Lou Holtz leave Gophers
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
