In his article in the South Bend Tribune, Al Lesar stated the following about Jewell Loyd’s legacy: “Her legacy, though, has been changed forever. Rather than one of the all-time greats, Loyd will be the mystery who left her teammates dangling.”
I beg to differ. It is amazing to me that we want everyone to fit a certain mode, and if they break the mold, well that’s not fair to us, so “they suck.” In today’s Twitter lynch mob era, I’m sure Jewell Loyd is getting amazing comments from the “haters” I believe are being catered to in that editorial. I refuse to allow the “haters” have total control of the bully pulpit.
As a Notre Dame graduate and avid “any ND sports” fan, I have probably watched or listened to 95 percent of ND women’s basketball games, as well as most of the postgame press conferences (my daughter can attest to this). Here’s what I believe is Jewell Loyd legacy: Jewell Loyd represented the University of Notre Dame, the United States (through USA Basketball), the South Bend community, her hometown and her family in a manner that should make her and all of us proud. She gave anyone who had the total pleasure to watch her play everything she had on the basketball court while spending countless hours off the court signing autographs, doing community work, oh yeah, and taking a full course load at the University of Notre Dame.
I, for one, am thankful that I got the opportunity to watch her as well as the rest of her team play, to read about her and the team’s community work and to watch her represent our country in an outstanding manner for the past three years. Thank you, Jewell, for all you’ve done for all of us and especially for Notre Dame. I am fully behind the decision you made and hope only for the best for you in the future, no matter where the road leads. Go Irish!
Col. John J. Jordan
U.S. Air Force (retired)
class of 1984
April 19
