Notre Dame and boxing will gain from their losses
November 21, 1996
Who says lightning doesn’t strike twice?
First, Mike Tyson gets knocked out, and then Lou Holtz resigns from Notre Dame. Both of these were surprising, but I think the sport of boxing and Notre Dame will benefit from these events.
First, we’ll look at the Tyson and Holyfield fight and the impact it will have on the sport of boxing. I am the first to admit that I never thought Holyfield would beat Tyson. I predicted a fourth round knockout by Tyson, and was even worried that “Iron” Mike might put a permanent halt to Holyfield’s career and possibly his life.
If it takes a man to admit he was wrong, on Saturday night about 90 percent of the population became men. (Myself included)
At first I was shocked, but then I started thinking. If anyone could beat Tyson it would be a healthy fighter who was a better technical fighter, and could give and take a hit. As we all saw, Holyfield was healthy, and he not only exchanged punches with Tyson, but out boxed him also.
As I thought some more, I realized this was the best thing that could have happened to boxing. Finally, there was a good fight between Tyson and an opponent. Tyson and Holyfield could become the Ali and Frazier of the 90s. The rematch between Tyson and Holyfield might even be better than the first fight. I look forward to a continuing rivalry between the two, and I’m sure the powers that be in boxing are salivating at the thought.
Now as for the Lou Holtz situation, I think only good things will come for Notre Dame’s future. I think everyone is going to realize that Holtz is not that great of a coach. Let’s start by saying Holtz was at Notre Dame for two seasons before he restored the school to championship form, this is a great feat, but not what makes a great coach. Holtz has the cream of the crop in recruits at his finger tips every year, yet the last five seasons have been sub par for Notre Dame.
What other team is a running back factory year in and year out? Notre Dame has third string tail backs that could start anywhere else in the country, yet they are at Notre Dame. Why? Because it is Notre Dame. There is no other school in the country with more tradition than Notre Dame. No other team has every game televised. And no other team should be able to compete, yet they do.
This is not because of a lack of talent, it is because of improper coaching decisions. When Holtz went out and recruited Ron Powlus, Powlus was the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the nation.
He posted all kinds of tremendous stats, and holstered what was deemed a cannon of an arm. What happened?
He was thrown in as an option quarterback, he got hurt, and he didn’t play his first season. Of all the remarkable stats that Powlus posted in high school none was for running the ball.
He should have been passing the ball, and letting his three running backs carry the ball. These are coaching errors, and Notre Dame needs a new coach. I hope they will get Gary Barnett, but their future will be brighter if their tools are used the way they should be.
Brandon Belisle is a sophomore in journalism and mass communication from Plainfield, Ill.