AURORA, IL--Rudy Ruettiger, 55-year-old retired construction worker, won’t stop babbling about that one play he got into during a Notre Dame game in 1970. He continues to bore his friends and relatives with the story of how his coach allowed him on the field for one play in garbage time of a Notre Dame rout.
“Big fucking deal,” says Rudy’s his son-in-law, Terrence. “I’m sorry, but I’m just not all that impressed. Sounds like he just had an unhealthy obsession with Notre Dame and the coach threw him a bone because he felt bad for him. Congratulations.”
According to sources close to the Ruettiger family, the elder Ruettiger spends most of his days in a large easy chair reminiscing about his one moment of glory.
“The guy’s just living in the past,” says Terrence. “I feel sorry for him, actually. The whole story is a little sad if you ask me. And if I have to sit through that corny-ass movie on more time, I’m gonna jump out the window.”
Rudy’s story is well known to everyone. As a young man he dreamed of attending Notre Dame University and playing for the famed Fighting Irish football team. He was undersized and underskilled, and had no chance of being a regular on the squad, but instead of doing better things with his time he decided to stay focused on achieving his pointless dream. After a long and difficult road, he ended up making the team and being sent on the field for one play.
Not only is he boring family members with his anecdotes, Ruettiger has taken his act on the road. He is currently touring on the lecture circuit, commanding close to ten thousand dollars a speech. Most recently, he spoke at the Brown University commencement.
“Friends, I wasn’t the biggest kid, or the toughest kid, or even the smartest kid,” began Ruettiger, dressed in a black academic robe. “The odds were stacked against me. But that didn’t stop me from following my dream. With help from my mentor, the kindly black janitor Fortune, I worked night and day until I made the practice squad. And when I finally got my shot, why the crowd was behind me one hundred percent. And you know what? I don’t blame them. I am such an inspiration.”
Said grad student Mark Godfrey. “Yale gets Hillary Clinton, and we get Rudy? Great. The only interesting thing was seeing how he could stretch one story into an entire speech. I wasn’t sure he could do it, but he did. The kid sure is scrappy”
Rudy went on to say that he is planning even more Rudy-themed ventures, including a Rudy Saturday morning cartoon, a Rudy album featuring duets with popular stars like 50 cent and Justin Timberlake, and even a Rudy reality TV show.
“The reality TV show is something I’m really looking forward to,” said Rudy. “I haven’t pitched it to any networks yet, but it’s a can’t miss proposition. It’ll just be me going through my daily life and encountering various travails and difficulties along the way. That way America can see first hand how I attack the little dilemmas of day to day life with my trademark earnestness, persistence, and determination. Actually, it really is trademarked. So don’t repeat that.”
Copyright 2003, The Brushback - Do not reprint without permission |