Ronnie Lott Preaches Greatness

By Gabe Taylor

Santa Clara student-athletes flooded into the student section of the Leavey Center on Tuesday night to listen to NFL Hall of Famer and former 49er, Ronnie Lott's words of advice for true competitors.

Around the age of 22, Lott lived near Mission Campus off of Saratoga Avenue. The area surrounding the campus of Santa Clara was nothing new to him. Lott joked that he used to spend nights at The Hut, just as students do now.

Ranked as the all-time 11th best player in the history National Football League by NFL.com, the University of Southern California alumus was a 10-time Pro-Bowler, and has four Super Bowl victories on which to reminisce.

Lott centered his speech on the concept of respect, but touched on other athletic concepts as well.

Acknowledged as one of the most elite NFL cornerbacks and safeties, Lott not only spoke about competitiveness on the court and field, but also about the importance of taking that skill into the classroom and the surrounding communities.

This approach to life is exactly why Santa Clara Athletic Director Dan Coonan sought out Lott to make an appearance at the student-athletes' welcome back meeting.

Having played collegiately at USC and professionally in the NFL, Lott is more than familiar with inspirational speeches. Lott recalled how in high school his team would sprawl out on the gym floor and listen to General Patton speak towards the end of the film "Patton."

But one speech particularly stuck with Lott to this day. The stage was set for Super Bowl XIX in 1985 with Lott and Joe Montana's 49ers battling Dan Marino's Miami Dolphins. As the 49ers grouped in the locker room to prepare for the game, Bill Walsh stood in front of the team shadowboxing.

"He goes, ‘I want everybody to be quick. We're going to be like Ali; we're going to hit them before they're ready,'" recalled Lott of his coach's speech.  

And the 49ers were just that: quick. San Francisco stormed out of the gates and went on to win the Super Bowl 38-16.

Midway through his speech, Lott shocked the student-athletes when he retrieved a metallic container. As Lott opened the case, the glimmer that radiated out from within gave the contents away. Lott carried his Super Bowl rings through the stands, allowing the students to pass them around for a closer look. The Super Bowl rings provided the audience with something to strive for, no matter what the sport.  

"Great athletes find a way to do the little things," said Lott. "Great athletes find a way to exhaust every moment."

"I dreamed every night about being great," said Lott.

But greatness, as defined by Lott, is not purely measured by performance on the field.

In fact, this outlook on greatness is precisely what Lott hoped to get across to the students.  

Lott challenged the students to engage themselves in the community in order to positively impact the lives of others.

"I want to see if you can be a champion off the field," said Lott.

On the field, Lott gained an immeasurable amount of respect. Opponents feared him; teammates knew he had their backs.

But it is what happens off the field that is equally — if not more — important.

For Lott, an individual's life is determined by whom they leave a lasting impression on.

A friend once asked him, "Why would somebody come to your funeral?" The answer is simple, but one that rarely crosses a person's mind: "They're going to come to your funeral because of what you stand for," said Lott.

Those words sat well with Lott. It is that approach to life which he conveyed to the Santa Clara athletes: one of greatness.

Contact Gabe Taylor at gtaylor@scu.edu or (408) 551-1918.