Blog Archives
Notre Dame’s Ara Parseghian: Football Coach, Philanthropist, Founder
By Grant Pakhtigian
FLArmenians Sports Contributor
Earlier this month, the annual College Bowl Championship Series (BCS) title game was held at Miami’s Sun Life Stadium and featured top seated Notre Dame versus Alabama. The Crimson Tide rolled over the Fighting Irish 42-14, handing them their first and only loss of the season, while celebrating their third national title in four years. While reflecting on the game and Notre Dame’s historic season, I was inspired to revisit the life of former Notre Dame University head football coach Ara Raoul Parseghian.
Prior to joining Notre Dame, Parseghian was the head coach to Miami, Ohio where he once played from 1946-1947 as Running Back and Defensive Back. He also played for the professional football team the Cleveland Browns from 1948-1949.
In 1950 he first began as an assistant coach and later, head coach for the Miami of Ohio college football team. From 1951-1955 he served as head coach at Miami and began and ended a career for which few are as accomplished and consistent.
To put into perspective what Coach Ara did, a 170-58-6 overall record, or equal to an .836 winning percentage, one must have both feet on the ground with a good dose of confidence and many other skills which are to many to name. A football coach is part teacher, part father, must be modest, a great communicator and has excellent leadership skills.
From 1956-1963, Coach Ara served as head coach for the Northwestern University football team. Some say that Coach Ara had the most impact at Notre Dame University where he coached the Fighting Irish. While at Notre Dame, from 1964-1974, Parseghian was responsible for winning two national championships, in 1966 and 1973 respectively.
He was named “Coach of the Year” twice in 1964, once in 1966 and in 1980 – named for the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award. In 1980 he was also named to the College Football Hall of Fame. Coach Ara wouldn’t shy away from naming his great predecessors.
While at Miami University, his coach was the great Woody Hayes, and an interesting fact to point to was that while coaching at Northwestern, Parseghian defeated the Fighting Irish on four separate occasions.
Upon being hired in 1963 as the 22nd head football coach at Notre Dame, he inherited a team with a 2-7 record, and with young men who were down on their luck as a unit. No sooner did you turnaround; the next year Parseghian brought Notre Dame a National Championship.
In 1964, a player from Parseghian’s second year tenure named John Huarte won the Heisman Trophy. The Heisman is the most significant and important accolade a college football player can receive in his career. The tandem of Huarte and Jack Snow were prolific as passer and receiver for Coach Ara.
After coaching, Parseghian went into the world of business. A family man, Parseghian has three children, wife Kathleen, and works for two foundations. He founded a charity, which serves to eradicate Niemann-Pick disease and also works for the foundation to cure Multiple Sclerosis.
A couple of months back, Parseghian joined former Notre Dame Coaches Lou Holtz and Brian Kelly on the set of ESPN College game day. At 89 years of age, Parseghian is a testament to health and wellness and will always be revered as an iconic Armenian-American sports figure.
Armenian-Americans at RNC 2012: Support Mitt Romney for President
By Taniel Koushakjian
FLArmenians Political Contributor
The Tampa Bay Times Forum, Home of RNC 2012
Every four years, the campaign for the highest office of the land takes place. As candidates from the Republican Party navigated the choppy waters of the primary storm this election season, one man sailed to victory: former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Winning the party’s nomination was no easy feat and on several occasions, the media and members of his own party, were quick to write him off. However, Mitt Romney and his campaign rose to the challenge, and secured the 1,190 Republican Party Delegates necessary to clinch the nomination. No doubt, the battles he faced in the primary contest will come in handy when he goes head-to-head with President Obama.
Among these Republican Party Delegates, who are elected within their respective state party systems, were six Armenian-Americans. The States of Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan and Rhode Island were each represented by an official GOP Delegate of Armenian descent.
Harout Samra, an attorney in Miami said, “it was a privilege to attend the Republican National Convention as a delegate for Florida. Coming to the floor of the Convention hall for the first time was very exciting. Frankly, I did not expect to be as moved as I was. It was a great honor to have been selected to represent my fellow Floridians. That came home to me as I reached the floor. I genuinely enjoy interacting with people from different backgrounds. The United States is a remarkably diverse place, and I believe this diversity was represented not only in our delegation, but also in those of the other states. Florida’s delegation included first-generation Americans, such as myself, and longtime natives. It included Indian-Americans, Cuban-Americans, and even one Armenian-American.
Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Harout Samra
“Governor Romney knows and understands the issues that are important to Armenian-Americans. Living in Belmont and serving as the Governor of Massachusetts, he’s had more important contacts and relationships with the Armenian-American community than any President since Ronald Reagan. He will not mislead us and pander to us to get Armenian-American votes like President Obama.
“Governor Romney is the right man for the moment. He understands how to turn around the economy at home and to ensure that America is respected abroad. Unlike President Obama, Governor Romney’s top priority will be to create an environment that leads to more jobs and spurs economic growth,” stated Samra.
Another Republican Party Delegate, Bob Semonian, State Chairman of Massachusetts Republican Party-Ethnic Outreach expressed that he was “thrilled to attend the Republican National Convention in Tampa this year. Americans want honesty in the White House and Mitt Romney is an honest man who will best represent all of America,” stated Semonian, who also serves as the Armenian-Americans for Mitt Romney Coalition Massachusetts State Chair.
Bob Semonian with Josh Romney
From the Great Lakes State was Krista Haroutunian, who serves as the Republican Party Chair for the 13th Congressional District. She stated, “My time at the 2012 RNC was extremely important and made me proud to be American, an Armenian, and from Detroit, Michigan.” Haroutunian continued, “The first concern of an American, of whatever cultural or ethnic background, is the independence, freedom, and well-being of Americans. This allows us to be able to express concerns for Armenian issues and to assist appropriately.
“Mr. Romney knows that the founding fathers of America had great concerns about dictatorial attitudes and insisted upon a separation of powers – something Mr. Obama has side-stepped for the better part of four years. Mr. Romney wants to return to a Constitutional government through our elected Representatives. Mr. Obama wants all-pervasive government with the decision makers being unelected bureaucrats.
“The choice is clear – constitutional guarantees and responsibilities to preserve the rule of law versus arbitrary actions from a few with no guarantees of the rule of law. For all Armenians and all Americans, Mitt Romney is the best choice.”
Over the course of this year, several Armenian-Americans across the country, including the author, have been challenged on our position of supporting Governor Romney over President Obama. “What do you expect from Romney that will be different from Obama,” is the common intrigue. To put it plainly, like all Americans, we expect leadership, honesty and values from our elected officials. When it comes to Armenian issues, President Obama failed to fulfill his campaign pledge to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide as President. That calls into question his honesty. President Obama’s nomination and subsequent recess appointment of Matthew Bryza to serve as Ambassador to Azerbaijan was opposed by Senators of his own party, not to mention many Armenian-Americans. That calls into question his ability to lead. And the silence of the Obama administration on the destruction, confiscation and profiteering of Christian Armenian religious properties by the Turkish Government, as well as Azerbaijan’s completed destruction of centuries-old Armenian Khachkars at Julfa, call into question his values.
From Fresno to Philadelphia, from Manchester to Miami, from Detroit to Denver, from Waukesha to Washington, DC, Armenian-Americans have expressed their frustration with President Obama, and many former Armenian supporters of his are now backing Mitt Romney for President. In fact, one prominent Armenian-American who supported President Obama in 2008, and is now backing Governor Romney, expressed as much to the author. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, she shared her frustration: “Senator Obama chose to promise, in campaign speeches and written outreach, recognition of the 1915 genocide of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks. He fully understood the importance of that issue to the Armenian American community and indeed to all right thinking Americans. Americans deserve a President who knows his principles and makes his decisions in accordance with those principles. Americans deserve a President who has integrity. So why come November would I vote for a President who over the course of four years has delivered precious little and lied to us and other communities?”
Indeed, why would we? She then confessed, “I’ll take a chance on Romney.”
This article originally appeared in the October 13, Volume 13 Print Edition of the Armenian Mirror-Spectator.
At Hollywood Grill a Beautiful Beach and Armenian Food Make a Perfect Pair
By Robyn and Doug Kalajian
FLArmenians Cuisine Contributors
Upon receiving news that our beautiful daughter Mandy would be joining us from New York City on a business trip to South Florida, we were forced to enjoy a wonderful meal in an absolutely idyllic setting.
For her, it was a grind, but it was a fun grind that involved escorting clients to art shows, performances and parties at glittering venues from the beach to downtown, often lasting well into the night. She was too busy or exhausted to chat, much less drag the old folks along.
However, as soon as the manic pace subsided, Mandy set aside a couple of days for fun with Mom and Dad. After regaling us with tales of her weeklong tour of chic South Beach eateries, she told us to pick any cuisine and any restaurant we liked for a family feast.
We picked the Hollywood Grill, possibly the world’s most unlikely setting for an Armenian restaurant.
A bit of explanation: When you think of Hollywood and Armenians, you probably think of Hollywood, California. The Florida city of the same name lies along the East Coast about halfway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, very much in the heart of South Florida’s relatively small but growing Armenian-American community.
The restaurant’s most unusual feature is that it’s on the beach. Not near the beach or across from the beach but actually on it, separated from the dunes and ocean only by a sand-strewn walking path known as the Hollywood Broadwalk.
There are very few such venues in all of South Florida. There are none, of course, in Armenia. That alone makes it special.
It’s also appropriately beach-side casual, with a narrow dining area barely larger than a covered home patio and no more formal in furnishings or decor. The menu, however, is far bigger and more sophisticated than you’d expect to find in a row of cheese-steak-and-burger shacks.
Of course, this is an Armenian restaurant so the menu isn’t to be taken literally, as we discovered when asking our very friendly server for several lamb dishes that are apparently available only if ordered ahead.
I got a kick out of seeing khash listed, if only because you so seldom read the phrase “cow feet” on a menu. Alas, the waitress explained that the traditional feet-and-innards soup is best enjoyed before dawn and the restaurant doesn’t open until 1 p.m. As an Armenian, I appreciated the philosophical dilemma. I suspect “odars” might not, but they’re unlikely to order such a thing anyway.
The menu is also unusual in another way, at least for us: The fare is not just Armenian but also Russian and Georgian. Dining at Hollywood Grill is a uniquely Trans-Caucasian experience in a tropical setting. In fact, in 2006 the Broward New Times ran a story about the Hollywood Grill and it’s diverse South Caucasian cuisine.
We weren’t feeling quite so adventurous, so we passed up the dumplings and borscht and stuck with mostly familiar choices — and none disappointed us.
The Greek salad was far more than enough for three, and very much Armenian with large chunks of cucumber, tomato and Armenian cheese mixed with herbs. No lettuce, thank you. There are several other salads available, including one laced with basturma!
The stuffed cabbage was neatly done, with a generous and moist meat stuffing. The lule kebab was excellent. The lahmajoun was most impressive, with a crisp and clearly home-made crust and served with generous slices of fresh tomato as well as raw onion, parsley, and lemon.
In all, it was a very satisfying meal and we were able to walk off at least a few of the calories while enjoying the balmy breeze as we strolled along the crystal-blue oceanfront.
The smile on Mandy’s face showed us how much she enjoyed the meal. What you won’t see are the smiles on our faces. We enjoyed the meal, too, but we enjoyed the company even more.
Robyn Kalajian is a retired culinary teacher in Florida and Chief Cook at www.TheArmenianKitchen.com. Douglas Kalajian is a retired editor/journalist and Sous Chef at www.TheArmenianKitchen.com.
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