EAST LIVERPOOL — On a 90 degree day when the sun stood as proudly in the sky as a Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman, Jerome Bettis gently dabbed the sweat from his brow while standing inside the Lou Holtz Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame. He had just gotten into town and was whisked from his hotel to the hall where he was inducted as this year’s Distinguished American.
In a finely-tailored navy suit that clung tenaciously to his hulking frame, the former Steeler and St. Louis Ram was funny — joking that the best thing about being Jerome Bettis is the VIP treatment he gets in airports — witty and above all else appreciative of what Holtz has done for him.
“First of all coach Holtz is the greatest,” Bettis said, as he unknowingly showed off his Super Bowl XL ring while he continued to work on the sweat that was forming on his forehead . “When I was a 17-year-old kid, he was very instrumental in my development as a young man ... I think he was really more than a teacher. He was a mentor in a way and I thank him all the time, everytime I see him and I will continue to do so.”
Bettis didn’t take to everything the coach tried to teach him, though. Well, at least not right away.
After a 10-9 loss to Colorado in the 1990 Orange Bowl, the Fighting Irish were in the National Title hunt. But Holtz wasn’t sure if one of his players would be able to help the team get there.
“(I was going into) my sophomore season. He called everybody up, it was at the beginning of practice ... and he said ‘this guy is going to get us beat, we’re going to lose the National Championship,’” Bettis said. “And I’m like who is this guy ... so the next thing he says is ‘Jerome Bettis would you stand up.’ That was his way of motivating me .
“It served it’s purpose and it really got me focused. That was one that it baffled me at the time, but now I under stand it.”
And 17 years later he’s still understanding it and taking what Holtz taught him to heart.
One thing he carried from his time playing under the two-time NCAA Coach of the Year to the hall Friday was an optimistic outlook on life.
Long before his arrival in East Liverpool though, Bettis was the talk of the town. And the museum was full of The Bus’ memorabilia, which included: a complete uniform, his 1996 Pittsburgh Steelers MVP trophy, a pair of Pro Bowl trophies and his Phil Simms All-Iron Team award.
Though the Notre Dame product was big news, it was evident that he was in Holtz country. And the hordes of people waiting curbside for Holtz’s arrival nearly trumped the soft spoken coach’s entrance. But he made his presence known in his own way.
With handshakes all around and kind words for everyone in sight, he sat talking about coaching, his wife Beth, his yearly trips to the area and of course life. But it wasn’t long before the coach was extolling the virtues of his Fighting Irish running back and expressing how honored he is that the NFL great came out for the ceremony.
“(He is) just a great player and a great person. I could go on and on,” Holtz said. “I am really flattered that Jerome would come because he has so many demands. Let me tell you what’s more impressive. His mother and his aunt Grace are coming ... It’s just very kind of Jerome to donate his time to do this.”
But Bettis is no stranger to lending a hand.
And the values that Holtz sees as central to the Ohio valley — leadership, hard work and integrity — are the same that he believes Bettis and each of the hall’s 10th anniversary inductees possess.
The current NBC Sunday Night Football commentator received the Distinguished American award for his charitable works, which include his the “Bus Stops Here” Foundation, a non-profit organization. For all of his endeavors Bettis was named the 2002 Walter Payton Man of the Year.
Others honored on the night included head of Mountaineer Gaming Group, Inc. Ted Arneault, Hancock County Superintendent Suzan Smith and former East Liverpool wrestling coach Nick Trombetta.
Even for the three other inductees, Bettis was the draw of the evening.
Once Trombetta found out that the former runner would be included in the festivities, he knew he wanted to participate.
“I’m very excited about Jerome Bettis, just like everybody else,” Trombetta said. “They ask you if you want to be part of it ... I said OK well who else ... so they said that Suzan Smith was going to be involved and Arneault, he’s great, and as soon as they said Jerome I said I’m in.”
Those honored were formally inducted into the hall at a banquet dinner at the East Liverpool Motor Lodge.
