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Notre Dame's modern-day Rudy

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Rudy Ruettiger has a remedy for what ails Notre Dame's football program. His name is Mike Anello. ''Emotion. That's what's missing,'' said the former Notre Dame walk-on who was the inspiration for the movie ''Rudy.'' ''That's what Anello has. He has that spirit, that heart. He is all passion. I wonder what you could do with a whole team of Anellos.'' That a Notre Dame legend would say such a thing is further evidence that Anello is living a dream. The 5-10, 170-pound former Sandburg wrestler got his first chance to play last season against Michigan. One year later, the special-teams ''gunner'' is becoming a cult hero. ''It's definitely surreal,'' Anello said. ''I talk to my dad on a weekly basis, and we say, 'How did this happen to us?' If you would have talked to me at any time during my high school career and said you will just be on the Notre Dame football team, let alone having a scholarship and playing, I would've laughed at you.'' Anello's four solo tackles, including two inside the 20-yard line, last week against San Diego State produced roars from the crowd and enthusiastic responses from teammates and proved he is no longer just a feel-good story about an unlikely walk-on who makes the team against all odds. He has become a consistent playmaker for a team that has too few. More than that, for the growing number of fans who know an underdog when they see one sprinting down the field, a blue-chip recruit in his crosshairs, Anello has come to embody the Notre Dame spirit. ''He has a knack for making plays,'' coach Charlie Weis said. ''He did last year, too. It's not like he's a novice at doing this. I didn't give the kid a scholarship because of his appearance. I gave it to him because he earned it. He earned it by making plays like that in practice every day.'' Wrestling was Anello's primary sport from the time he was a 103-pound freshman on Sandburg's varsity team. He played football as a sophomore but was so small, he didn't sniff the field. He played again as a senior, starting at cornerback and being named team captain.

Chicago Sun Times

Mike Anello, Donald Miralle/Getty Images Mike Anello, Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Comments (59) Add A Comment

September 12, 2008  07:55 AM ET
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Barf

September 12, 2008  08:43 AM ET
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I second that ^^^

September 12, 2008  09:37 AM ET
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I think it's great for the kid. But let's get something correct. Rudy is only heralded because he was at Notre Shame and it was publicized like no tomorrow. But there is a story that makes Rudy look like a fluffer.

Donnie Walker of Michigan who wasn't just a puny walk on but a determined soul who rose to become a STARTER

read about it. And to quote Bo, "TO HELL WITH NOTRE DAME!"

http://www.mgoblog.com/diaries/michigans-own-rudy

September 12, 2008  09:45 AM ET
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San Diego State Aztec's coach, Chuck Long was asked after the Notre Dame loss who was better, the Irish or Cal Poly SLO. "That's a tough question", he responded.


OUCH!!!

September 12, 2008  10:01 AM ET
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This guy is actually fun to watch, he really gets to the runner fast and can lay down a hit!

September 12, 2008  10:14 AM ET
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There are plenty of opportunities for lots of Rudys at Notre Dame of the present. It looks as if a bunch of girl scouts could walk-on and tackle Clausen.

September 12, 2008  10:15 AM ET
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Hope this guy actually gets called for being off-sides this time!

September 12, 2008  10:17 AM ET
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QUOTE(#3):
Originally posted 09:37 AM ET  09.12 by The Warden

I think it's great for the kid. But let's get something correct. Rudy is only heralded because he was at Notre Shame and it was publicized like no tomorrow. But there is a story that makes Rudy look like a fluffer.Donnie Walker of Michigan who wasn't just a puny walk on but a determined soul who rose to become a STARTERread about it. And to quote Bo, "TO HELL WITH NOTRE DAME!"http://www.mgoblog.com/diaries/michigans-own-rudy

YESSSS INDEED!!!!!!!!!!!

September 12, 2008  10:19 AM ET
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And btw, if you are celebrating this crap, kinda shows the state of things in South Bend. I agree with this weeks SI, where they state in the Inside College FB section, that there's no excuse to be 1-1 if they lose to Michigan with the recruiting classes Weis has had.

September 12, 2008  10:38 AM ET
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Weis HAS TO WIN this game. If he doesn't, there is a very good chance that Weis will be fired by the end of the season and Tenuta will be elevated to HC.

September 12, 2008  10:58 AM ET
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And the jealousy continues...it never ceases to amaze me.

September 12, 2008  11:06 AM ET
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Gariboy, I agree! It amazes me how all of these haters talk down about ND, and how they should not get any press, but they all seem to be concerned with what is going on in South Bend. The Irish may be down, but they are still one of the most significant teams in NCAA football! If they aren't, then why are all of you here?!?!?

September 12, 2008  11:11 AM ET
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This kid is not the fastest on the team, nor is he the strongest...but if you need a guy that goes balls to the wall every time, then he's your man

September 12, 2008  11:13 AM ET
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It's sad to see all the michigan & Southern Cal posters show nothing but hate all the time.

Sure almost every team has a "Rudy" otherwise there wouldn't be walk-on's!

GO IRISH!

September 12, 2008  11:36 AM ET
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At 170 lbs, he only weights one third of what Weis does.

September 12, 2008  11:36 AM ET
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Are you ND fans kidding? The reason the other hundred teams in the nation hate you isn't because we are jealous.....trust me on that one.....it is because this is not a story for any other program but ND. EVERY program has this story, but only ND gets the headline for it. We should be blaming the media....not ND, but until your program actually sacks up and joins a conference, you will always be hated because the rules the rest of us have to follow don't apply to you. Can you imagine any top 5 SEC team playing this year's ND schedule?

September 12, 2008  11:44 AM ET
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ctyankee,
most significant team in the ncaa? That's retarded. The Irish are the joke of college football right now, they make the app state loss look legit. The reason that everyone hates on ND is because they have the worst fans. I went to southbend two years ago and it sucked, where do you even buy booze in south bend?...worst college town ive ever been too. I could write a paper on how much weiss sucks, but i have to go fill your mom's water dish

September 12, 2008  12:18 PM ET
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annarbortreecity...for the sake of the other Michigan fans that are posting here I hope that you are not an MU grad. I haven't read such a disjointed string of sentences in quite a while.

September 12, 2008  12:29 PM ET
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I am a UM grad, Didn't take creative writing there though, not as much of an emphasis on sentence structure in the hard sciences... they focus on more important things. UM is going to roll this weekend...im going, cant wait, terrence taylor is going to bury jimmy clausen into the ground...murder

 
September 12, 2008  12:34 PM ET
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rudy was offsides

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