SportsLine Interview Transcript: November 19, 1996 Sportsline: Do you agree the Lou Holtz resignation today was as big to college football as the Don Shula resignation was to the NFL last year? Joe: Well... Sportsline: I know that I am putting you in a bad position right now, but I said no way... Don Shula is a legend . Joe: You're right I agree there and more has been made there, I think, of the situation but, at any rate, coach Shula certainly in professional football anyway has many more victories behind him and titles and accomplishments and coach Holtz has a lot of credentials. Sportsline: We said because it's just Notre Dame it automatically makes it the biggest story in college football. If a Tom Osbourne decided to resign and Joe Paterno decided to resign, are those bigger names in college football than Lou Holtz is? Is bigger just because of where he is? Joe: Just because of where he is, I would think, because of the media attention and the fans' interest that is spread out of the country. Sportsline: Despite the fact that Tom Osbourne, in the last couple of years, has won two national titles? Joe: Yes that's right and Joe Paterno has influenced a lot of players in the right direction, there is no doubt that he has been wonderful for everyone in Penn State. You know, controversy is what the sports fan enjoys too, so there is a controversial side to coach Holtz leaving Notre Dame. Sportsline: What was it like when Lou Holtz came in 1976 and took over the Jets? Joe: Well back then it was a bit clumsy for everyone involved because we were getting a coach that came straight from the college ranks. He had no prior professional experience in dealing with the animals or the mentality of athletes on a special level. When I look back at it, Lou was a pretty young guy to boot. It didn't work out at the time because as experienced as Lou was with his coaching, he was still not as experienced as he needed to be to communicate with the type of players that he was dealing with. Sportsline: So is that why things didn't work out for him going 3 and 10 in 1976, was it a communication problem? Joe: Well we didn't have a lot of great players, that's the first thing. He didn't have a full house dealt to him. He had like 20 roster changes in the five days before we opened up to the first regular season. We had a lot of people in and out so what I am getting around to is basically, I think Lou Holtz is terrific and I think what he is doing is absolutely fine and I'm excited to see where he goes. Sportsline: So you anticipate, as we do, that he will probably take an NFL job next year? Joe: He loves coaching as far as I know and I don't know where he is going to go, but he certainly will have some opportunities and justifiably. The man has been very successful. I don't know of a program that he didn't elevate. Certainly, Minnesota was tough but he did elevate them to some degree. And some things happened up there and it certainly wasn't a great departure, but other than that one time, he improved every program that he has been around. People that have stayed with him like him, they liked his work ethic. I'd love to see him come into pro ball again. Sportsline: Do you think he would be successful this time? Joe: I think he is terrific. You know, I tell you I really believe he could be successful, yeah. I know myself. I have matured over the years and I know he has .... and would deal with the animal a little bit differently than he did before. And as far as having the wherewithall to organize the staffm I've got to believe that he would be very capable of doing that. And, as far as communication with the fan through the media and with the media, he is one of the best there is. Sportsline: Do you think -- as you look at this situation and you sit back and analyze -- as someone who knows Lou Holtz and as a fan that when you listen to what he says, that his motivation for leaving is..., maybe he want's to get out from under the microscope that is Notre Dame's head coaching position, but he constantly comes out and says that he doesn't want to break Newt Rockney's records. To me I don't really understand that, Why? Joe: Well first of all, I've never heard him say that. If he has been constantly coming out with that then I've been missing out on a lot. I can understand, out of respect for one thing, out of respect I believe there is that side of Lou that has that kind of traditional respect and he has enough accolades at this point and enough confidence in what he is doing that he doesn't need to be the man nor want to be the man to break that tradition. I really believe that, Lou could stay there as everyone knows and he is,... I watched an interview today, by the way, with ESPN on television and Lou did his best to answer the questions. But you know when things get to print, it gets twisted and it gets turned around and he clearly tried to state things as clearly as he can, but the different kinds of questions looking to paint different kinds of colors and different slant on his leaving is tough to deal with. Sportsline: Hey Joe how about those Dallas Cowboys last night are they back or what? Joe: Well I think they are giving every indication. They are playing pretty well, yeah, their defense did a marvelous job. Well Green Bay has lost their receiver and they lost their tight end and Brooks and Freeman, well that's true and Green Bay is not the team they were when they had the healthier players but anytime you can hold any offense to six points or less, you know dominate the game, Green Bay really didn't look like they could mount anything to make it tight. On the other hand, Green Bay's defense did a pretty good job of holding Dallas, I know that Dallas was happy with the win, but they are not happy with not getting six points through scoring a touchdown throughout the game and that gives hope to the other team when they see that Green Bay can keep them out of the end zone then Washington feels better about their chances of slowing down the Cowboys.

Back to top.

Return to the Audio/Video Page.

Back to top.