Jake Olson: Way to "Fight On"

With the first week of school coming to a close before a three-day weekend amidst uncharacteristically warm temperatures, my Sophomores were characteristically restless. When this happens they are that much more likely to say...well, Sophomoric comments. I asked them how they were planning on staying cool. I said I would miss the heat wave because I was heading to Denver, CO. "Have you noticed? Seems to me that Denver is an American city everyone loves, right?" This is not a question begging for an answer. Didn't matter. One of the boys felt the need to reply. "I don't," he said. Several students laughed (par for the course). I calmly asked him "Why?" to which he said "I don't know. I just don't."

I looked at him and replied, "Ok, well, in this class I'm going to ask you to support your claims. To say you like or dislike something—just because—will not suffice. For example, I don't like USC and I can tell you precisely why." Suddenly, I regained everyone's attention. "Why!?! Why!?" I said "this is not the time or place to get into that, but I can start with an easy answer. They've cost Notre Dame a number of national championships. Good for them, I know, and that's what goes with having a rival. You're not supposed to like them. Of course, there's more...." 

The purpose of this blog posting is not to disclose why I loathe the Trojans....why I delighted in the entire episode of ESPN's "30 for 30: Trojan War." Talk about kindle for the fire. No.  I write this post because what happened during USC's first game of the season a 49-31 win over Western Michigan makes my antipathy for the red and gold, including that Trojan horse less acute. The monotony of their fight song isn't as grating. Even the words, "Fight On" which has made my skin crawl, have validity. How can this be true? And why am I admitting it? One person: Jake Olson.

I first met Jake in 2013 when a student introduced me to him through a College Game Day profile. At 10 months, Jake lost his left eye to cancer. For the next 10 years, he fought to keep his sight, but cancer kept coming back. At the age of 11, he was blind. I hope you have heard his story in one form or another. Perhaps it was through this blog. How Does One Get in the Running to be a Saint? Look to Jake Olson is one of my favorites. Or maybe you heard his name for the first time on Saturday, September 2, 2017. Why? Olson, who earned a spot on the USC football team in 2015, came on the field late in the fourth quarter and snapped for a successful extra point. Yes, this event was a dream come true for Olson and his family, but it's more than that. Please watch the video in my former posting and maybe you can put words to what this is...maybe not. 

At the conclusion of the third quarter, the University of Notre Dame runs an ad that asks the question: What would you fight for? I love that every story—every profile of a professor or student—concludes with the claim "We are the Fighting Irish." We are. And as much as I don't want to admit it, I have a feeling the words "Fight On" have a similar power to USC students, professors and alums. Jake Olson did so at a young age....and today. Nice work Trojans.

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