Wow. I don’t think I could have imagined what last night would be like.

First of all, just learning about the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and all that they do for underprivileged youth sports was inspiring. As Cal Ripken, Jr. said, “We teach - through baseball - the key values that my father believed in. It’s not about baseball, it’s about life.” He is so right; and it was inspiring to meet this amazing athlete and, more importantly, this amazing man.

Of course the highlight of my evening was the time I spent with the Holtz family. Coach Lou Holtz was honored with the top award of the evening, the Cal, Sr. Award. Just as Cal Ripken, Sr. was a coach for life- and a life coach, so too is Coach Holtz. It was inspiring, as always, to hear him speak. He spoke about his wife of 48 years, his four children and his grandchildren - two of whom I had the enjoyment of sitting with at our table. Two of Coach Holtz’s sons were also at our table: Skip and Kevin. They are different in personality, but very much hold the same character and values as their father. It was a personal honor to spend the evening getting to know them and to see more of their father’s direct legacy and his greatest joy: his family. Even with all the accolades, awards and accomplishments that Coach Holtz has achieved, he still “gets it” and he lives it. He still holds dear to him the core values we share: Family, Faith and Friendship.

Coach Holtz spoke highly of Notre Dame, as he always does - and of how Notre Dame always does things the right way. I not only know that to be true, I have felt it and lived it. I think some of my admiration for Coach Holtz stems from our mutual affection for Notre Dame, and for the role each of us has played in contributing to the history of the school (though he certainly on a grander scale!)

At the beginning of Coach Holtz’s acceptance speech, he introduced two of his former players, one of with whom I have the pleasure to serve on the Monogram Club Board at Notre Dame. Then he spent the next few minutes telling the story of, who he referred to as, “a real hero.” I was speechless to hear him tell my story to the hundreds who gathered to honor him, and even more overwhelmed when they all stood - mid-speech - to give me a standing ovation. There I stood, in a room filled with the great ones of the sports world.

All I can say can is Wow. And THANK YOU.