Coach Zauner's Blog...: And The Winner is... Fordham Kicker Patrick Murray

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

And The Winner is... Fordham Kicker Patrick Murray

Fordham kicker Murray wins Mitchell award

December 11, 2012|By David Haugh | Tribune Columnist

In 1936, Vince Lombardi played right guard for Fordham University. Lombardi’s position coach was Frank Leahy. Even 76 years later, the legendary nickname for that Fordham offensive line still sits at the tip of at least one Rams player’s tongue at the first mention of Lombardi.

“He was one of the Seven Blocks of Granite,’’ Fordham senior kicker Patrick Murray recalled proudly. “To have somebody like Vince Lombardi associated with this program inspires everybody in it to this day.’’

To this day, daily inspiration for Murray and his Fordham teammates comes from a collection of Lombardi sayings posted on a wall in the Rams’ locker room. Of all the powerful words for any football generation Fordham’s most famous
alum has used to motivate players all over America, Murray recited his favorite without hesitation.

“The best one is, 'I never met a man worth his salt who didn’t appreciate the grind,'" said Murray, this year’s winner of the Fred Mitchell Award honoring the top place-kicker among 750 FCS, Div. II,, Div. III, NAIA and community colleges. The honor that rewards exemplary performance on sports and off the field is named for the Tribune’s longtime columnist, a Wittenberg University Hall of Fame placekicker.