List of Notre Dame 'Celebrity' football players

[Irish Insanity]

If you don't know Hanratty, then you are unaware of the history of this team and university. It's one of the best eras of its history. He won a national title and two Super Bowls. He's a legend in any sense of the word.

Anybody that doesn't know who one of, if not the, most famous player in NDs history is should pick up a book on Notre Dame football. That's basic shit we're talking about. Shameful.

The 2 bolded aren't the same. Its different to know of him or about him than it is to know him. I'd bet 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the fanbase doesn't know him

 

[ACamp1900]

Geez Wooly, lighten up. These kids weren't alive when Hanratty played. I don't think they have to hand in their fan cards because they don't know a player that predates them being alive.

This.

 

[tadman95]

Geez Wooly, lighten up. These kids weren't alive when Hanratty played. I don't think they have to hand in their fan cards because they don't know a player that predates them being alive.

Yea, pretty sure they do... Remember, those who forget history are destined to repeat it! Oh wait..............

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I was at a bar in Ft Lauderdale the day before the NCG, and Bob Kuchenberg, Bob Gladieux, and Hanratty were all sitting together at a table. Id guess 5% of the bar packed with ND fans knew who they were. Wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[Irishbounty28]

Not sure his dad would count as a "celebrity" but I am pretty sure that Folston's father played linebacker in the NFL.

 

[ACamp1900]

Not sure his dad would count as a "celebrity" but I am pretty sure that Folston's father played linebacker in the NFL.

Daniels dad starred in the NFL

 

[woolybug25]

Geez Wooly, lighten up. These kids weren't alive when Hanratty played. I don't think they have to hand in their fan cards because they don't know a player that predates them being alive.

It doesn't matter if they were alive. If they claim to be die hard fans of the team, how have you never ran across the name of a guy that was the QB of one of the finest teams to ever play here? They won one of our titles and Hanratty went on to win two Super Bowls and is in the hall of fame. Pick up a book for Christ sakes.

I also don't believe that its common for die hard fans to not know him. They might not be able to pick out an elderly version of him out of a crowd at a bar, but I guarantee you that lifelong ND fans that care enough to actually know our history/ culture, know the name of our royalty. Hanratty is on the Mt Rushmore of ND players.

 

[PLACforever]

 

[IrishSteelhead]

It doesn't matter if they were alive. If they claim to be die hard fans of the team, how have you never ran across the name of a guy that was the QB of one of the finest teams to ever play here? They won one of our titles and Hanratty went on to win two Super Bowls and is in the hall of fame. Pick up a book for Christ sakes.

I also don't believe that its common for die hard fans to not know him. They might not be able to pick out an elderly version of him out of a crowd at a bar, but I guarantee you that lifelong ND fans that care enough to actually know our history/ culture, know the name of our royalty. Hanratty is on the Mt Rushmore of ND players.

Good point. Knowing who he is, and what he looks like at 65 years old is a bad comparison. But there were quite a few people who still said "who?" when they heard those guys were there.

 

[BeauBenken]

LOL, you probably just made the mods' potential troll list. Youngster!!

List? What list? There's no list.

 

[GoIrish41]

It doesn't matter if they were alive. If they claim to be die hard fans of the team, how have you never ran across the name of a guy that was the QB of one of the finest teams to ever play here? They won one of our titles and Hanratty went on to win two Super Bowls and is in the hall of fame. Pick up a book for Christ sakes.

I also don't believe that its common for die hard fans to not know him. They might not be able to pick out an elderly version of him out of a crowd at a bar, but I guarantee you that lifelong ND fans that care enough to actually know our history/ culture, know the name of our royalty. Hanratty is on the Mt Rushmore of ND players.

Who was his center? Who was the punter that year? Who was the special teams coach that season? Don't Google it, just type it immediately. You should know this stuff off the top of your head because you are a lifelong, diehard fan, right? Who says you have to know the history and culture of the university/team to be a fan of ND football. That stuff comes with experience and living and dying with the team over the course of a lifetime. These guys can probably tell you most everything you want to know about the team over the past decade or so, but they weren't alive in 1966. I don't even get why it offends you so much that they don't know the QB from nearly 5 decades ago.

 

[gkIrish]

List? What list? There's no list.

1st Rule about the list is that you don't talk about the list.

 

[STLDomer]

Who was his center? Who was the punter that year? Who was the special teams coach that season? Don't Google it, just type it immediately. You should know this stuff off the top of your head because you are a lifelong, diehard fan, right? Who says you have to know the history and culture of the university/team to be a fan of ND football. That stuff comes with experience and living and dying with the team over the course of a lifetime. These guys can probably tell you most everything you want to know about the team over the past decade or so, but they weren't alive in 1966. I don't even get why it offends you so much that they don't know the QB from nearly 5 decades ago.

The dude was an All American QB, not just a random player.

 

[woolybug25]

Who was his center? Who was the punter that year? Who was the special teams coach that season? Don't Google it, just type it immediately. You should know this stuff off the top of your head because you are a lifelong, diehard fan, right? Who says you have to know the history and culture of the university/team to be a fan of ND football. That stuff comes with experience and living and dying with the team over the course of a lifetime. These guys can probably tell you most everything you want to know about the team over the past decade or so, but they weren't alive in 1966. I don't even get why it offends you so much that they don't know the QB from nearly 5 decades ago.

You're not getting it. No where did I say that someone isn't a fan if they don't know every minute detail of Hanratty's team. That's what your post is implying.

What I'm saying is that you should know the hall of fame leader of possibly the greatest ND team in history. Especially if someone is claiming to be a "die hard fan". I never said that someone isn't a fan if they didn't know the kicker on the '66 team. I'm just saying you're not a serious fan if you don't even know the name of a guy that is one of our best players of all time.

 

[Irish Insanity]

You're not getting it. No where did I say that someone isn't a fan if they don't know every minute detail of Hanratty's team. That's what your post is implying.

What I'm saying is that you should know the hall of fame leader of possibly the greatest ND team in history. Especially if someone is claiming to be a "die hard fan". I never said that someone isn't a fan if they didn't know the kicker on the '66 team. I'm just saying you're not a serious fan if you don't even know the name of a guy that is one of our best players of all time.

Maybe I missed it, but where did anyone claim to be a die hard fan?

 

[TheChosen1]

Just a dumb thread

 

[woolybug25]

Maybe I missed it, but where did anyone claim to be a die hard fan?

Well... I hope you and Kuenja never have.

 

[koonja]

Wooly I'm in my 20s and I've never watched old football games.

I'm sorry that bothers you.

But don't tell me I'm not a true Irish fan. That's 100% false.

 

[GoIrish41]

The dude was an All American QB, not just a random player.

My 16-year-old son believes that the players who are playing in the NFL right now are the best that ever played the game. Why? Because he lacks the perspective of history. He's as big an Eagles fan as I know, but he has no idea who Seth Joyner is because he was before my son's time. He knows every player on the team today, and he watches every game like it was his sworn duty. Maybe you didn't catch the sarcasim in my post about naming the Center and the special teams coach from 1966, but I was just trying to point out how silly it is to expect people to be invested in football teams who played before they were born.

 

[woolybug25]

Wooly I'm in my 20s and I've never watched old football games.

I'm sorry that bothers you.

But don't tell me I'm not a true Irish fan. That's 100% false.

You're an Irish fan that had never heard the name of one of the best players to ever play for the school.

You decide what that means.

 

[gkIrish]

Wooly's point is that not knowing Terry Hanratty is essentially the same thing as not knowing who Joe Montana is. Both played decades ago but Hanratty is arguably more important to ND history.

I don't think you need to know ND history to be a die hard fan, but a die hard fan should make an effort to read up on some of this stuff, if that makes sense.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Well... I hope you and Kuenja never have.

Wooly I'm in my 20s and I've never watched old football games.

I'm sorry that bothers you.

But don't tell me I'm not a true Irish fan. That's 100% false.

I'm in my 30s. I have limited knowledge of some of the previous history of ND football, and that may be an exaggeration. Glad someone else's opinion isn't the measuring stick of anyone's fandom.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Wooly's point is that not knowing Terry Hanratty is essentially the same thing as not knowing who Joe Montana is. Both played decades ago but Hanratty is arguably more important to ND history.

I don't think you need to know ND history to be a die hard fan, but a die hard fan should make an effort to read up on some of this stuff, if that makes sense.

They won championships over 10 year apart right? Based upon your age or when you became drawn to the Irish, you could easily know about one and not the other.

 

[gkIrish]

They won championships over 10 year apart right? Based upon your age or when you became drawn to the Irish, you could easily know about one and not the other.

Fair enough. My second point is my main one. If you consider yourself a die hard ND fan then I feel like it would be worth your time and effort to read some Wikipedia articles about some of these guys...Paul Hornung (you can skip over the IRS controversy), Johnny Lujack, Walt Patulski, Leon Hart, Ken Macafee, etc..

Edit: BILL SHAKESPEARE, too. Yes, that's a real person.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Fair enough. My second point is my main one. If you consider yourself a die hard ND fan then I feel like it would be worth your time and effort to read some Wikipedia articles about some of these guys...Paul Hornung (you can skip over the IRS controversy), Johnny Lujack, Walt Patulski, Leon Hart, Ken Macafee, etc..

I absolutely agree with this

 

[GoIrish41]

Wooly's point is that not knowing Terry Hanratty is essentially the same thing as not knowing who Joe Montana is. Both played decades ago but Hanratty is arguably more important to ND history.

I don't think you need to know ND history to be a die hard fan, but a die hard fan should make an effort to read up on some of this stuff, if that makes sense.

I understand his point but I reject it. That might sound a little jerky, and I don't mean for it to. I just don't think one has to understand the history of something in order to love it. My son's instinctively wake up on Saturdays and put on their ND gear. We ritualistically make some "tailgate" food before kickoff and we watch the game. We all scream at the TV when we make a mistake, and we all stand up with raised arms and roar our approval when they do something good. My sons have been raised to be ND fans and they love ND as much as anyone on this board. I promise you that neither of them know who Terry Hanraty is.

 

[gkIrish]

Start right here if you don't think you know your ND history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare_(American_football)

Then just keep clicking and reading more shit. It's addicting.

 

[woolybug25]

You can be an avid fan without even knowing the rules of the game or players on the current team. But that doesn't mean that you are actually a fan of the traditions, culture and full scope of the program. It means you like the gameday. Like the traditions you have with your family, etc.

But if you're a die hard fan that spends hours every day pouring over ND football, then I'm not sure how one of the greatest players ever simply goes unnoticed.

I don't want to keep bickering though, so I'll leave it at this. If you want to be someone that can opine on the culture of our team, the tradition of our university and generally be a well rounded fan. Then do yourself a favor and take GK's advice above and educate yourself on the royalty of Notre Dame football. It will help you put scope on a lot of interesting topics.

 

[TheRealLynch51]

I'm 22 and know who Terry Hanratty is.

 

[koonja]

You can be an avid fan without even knowing the rules of the game or players on the current team. But that doesn't mean that you are actually a fan of the traditions, culture and full scope of the program. It means you like the gameday. Like the traditions you have with your family, etc.

But if you're a die hard fan that spends hours every day pouring over ND football, then I'm not sure how one of the greatest players ever simply goes unnoticed.

I don't want to keep bickering though, so I'll leave it at this. If you want to be someone that can opine on the culture of our team, the tradition of our university and generally be a well rounded fan. Then do yourself a favor and take GK's advice above and educate yourself on the royalty of Notre Dame football. It will help you put scope on a lot of interesting topics.

Just stop. I'm a die hard Irish fan. I've spent thousands of dollars travelin to their games. I have one tattoo and will never get another, no matter who dies in my family. The tattoo is of NDs leprechaun.

I spend my free time with family, friends, traveling, watching current football, and talking Irish football on IE. I don't have much interest in history, but more of where we're headed.

I'm sorry that bothers you, but if you're trying to convince me and others that I'm not a die hard ND fan, you're simply wrong. I'll try to read some Wikipedia if I find some free time though. I truly will.

Can you move on?