Lou once threatened to kick my ass

It was the summer of 1995 (the first year ND went to Culver Military Academy for fall camp, and the story of how a few of us trainers and managers almost got into it with a bunch of skinheads at the local bar is a story for another day).

It was about a zillion degrees, with 100% humidity. The water table was about 2" below the practice field, so the ground was steamy all day long.

I was a student athletic trainer about to start my junior year. I was hauling a "cow" which was a 5 gallon Gatorade cooler mounted on a 2-wheel rolling cart with an electric motor and four soda nozzles on it - we used it to fill water bottles during practices.

Well, I was hauling one of these things back to the field after re-filling it, and the wheels were getting stuck in the soggy turf. I turned around to pull it, and had my back to the players practicing as I dragged it down the sideline. Right about that time, the receivers were running routes, and a ball was overthrown. Next thing I knew, Derrick Mayes had about decapitated me. Everything was upside down and my face was buried in the dirt.

Coach was pissed - I'd almost injured one of our best players. He said, to nobody in particular, "I don't know who that was(h), but their ass(h) needs(h) to be kicked."

Last home game that season, I snapped a picture of Lou and Mayes running into the tunnel after pre-game warmups. They were both gracious enough to sign it for me.