First and foremost a huge thank you to the Varsity Club as well as the selection committee for this amazing honor, I am truly humbled. Bob Glatz, Trevor Macdonald, Meredith Adamczyk, Casey Brinn and all involved for everything they do to support the FOHF and this brotherhood that means so much to everyone connected to Harvard Football.

I would like to congratulate my fellow inductees. Ryan and Clifton, congratulations on this tremendous achievement. It was an honor to play alongside you. Your athletic achievements are well documented, but what makes sharing this honor with you so special, is what great people you are. It is an honor to call you teammates and friends.

Football, the tie that binds so many of us, truly is a special game. Growing up I did it all, I played baseball, basketball, swimming, karate but from the start football was always the one I gravitated towards. I will never forget the day I fell in love with the game of football. Giants vs Jets, at the Meadowlands,1991. I can still remember the smell of the stadium, and just how awestruck I was by the size and grandeur of the whole production, even it just being a pre-season game. As I looked up at the fluorescent goalposts that seemed to stretch all the way up to the sky, I remember thinking, one day, I am going to play on this field. While my Mother was initially hesitant, my persistence finally paid off and she signed the permission slip to play. This joy would be short lived as I quickly would outgrow the weight limits of youth football, and was left to focus on other pursuits. But I would never stray too far from that first love.

In junior high, when I should have been cheering on my sister in the pool, I would conveniently find my way out to the football field to watch the team practice. This would turn into a weekly occurrence that would culminate in me trying to weasel my way into the team’s spring workouts. While my future coach ensured me that was a major liability, he finally relented and gave me some take home workouts to get me out of his hair.

Throughout our lives we all have a handful of coaches, teachers, mentors that shape the people we are to become. These people usually will challenge us in a variety of ways. They all have their own unique styles but the common thread is an ability to get the best out of us. My high school coach, Bill Kurtz, is no stranger to collegiate football, having played football across the river at Northeastern (we wont hold it against him), was instrumental in helping pave my path to Harvard Football. I may not have always liked his style, and I know I gave him more than a few grey hairs, but I would come to realize, he knew exactly which buttons to push to get the most out of me. Thank you coach.

It was during my HS tenure that I was first introduced to another such individual. Ill never forget getting called down to my coaches office and being told the Harvard HC was on his way in. Some of my classmates may have reacted like Boobie Miles from Friday Night Lights…is there a Harvard State? As Coach Murphy strolled through the hallways you could see the look on his face, like, this is definitely not the country club I expected in Fairfield County CT. I recall him even making a comment that he wasn’t sure if his car was safe in the parking lot… but he said this with a sort of twinkle in his eye. We all know that Coach Murphy looks for a certain, blue collar mentality in his players and as a 17 year old, little did I know that the threat of vandalism or grand theft auto would possibly change my life forever. In all seriousness, coach Murphy took a chance on me when many others wouldn’t, even some of our biggest rivals in the Ivy League. And its less about being able to attend a world class university, yea that’s a nice perk, but ultimately, he brought all the people in this room into my life, and for that I am forever grateful.

My college career brought a number of coaches to whom I owe a debt of gratitude. As an undersized defensive lineman, I knew if I wanted to make an impact on the collegiate level, I was going to need to excel in the weight room. We were lucky to have several elite strength coaches, none more impactful than Craig Fitzgerald. Talking about styles, Fit Dawg’s style was certainly unique. You might think, what he is asking me to do is utterly insane, and you might even summon the courage to voice that concern out loud, but he had this uncanny ability to change the narrative, say were gonna do this, then well do this, and before you knew it, you had done exactly what he had initially prescribed, but this time, and you did it with a smile on your face. Whether it was sandpit towel fights, max squat day breaking up spring practices, and of course 100 “up downs” finale to Summer Dawgs, again, the theme was getting more out of yourself than you thought possible. We talk about it often, but myself and so many of my teammates owe so much of our success here at Harvard to Fitz. Thanks Fitz.

My teammate and blockmate Corey Mazza knows a thing or two about adversity and the bonds that it can create. Corey served as a Marine Corp Captain, including multiple war time deployments to Afghanistan. Corey was recently telling me about a paper he read that discussed what creates life long interpersonal connections. And ultimately the take away was, the biggest driver of these bonds is collectively struggling through adversity toward a common goal. And while our trials and tribulations of collegiate life seem trivial compared to Coreys time in the Marines, there was a bit adversity that we all struggled through together. Whether it was running groups, [insert any of the previously stated Fit Dawg methods], punishments for various social indiscretions or getting acclimated to the rigors academic life, we all struggled as a group and pushed each other to achieve our individual and collective goals.

One of the biggest, if not the biggest joys that was afforded to me through my Harvard Football experience was the amazing individuals that it brought into my life. Look around this room, multiple classes and generations of Harvard Football greatness, gathered from around the country and world to help us celebrate this amazing honor. To me, as meaningful as the recognition of athletic achievement is, and it is the honor of a lifetime, what means as much to me, if not more, is the presence of these individuals here tonight. A special recognition of my blockmates in attendance Dan Brown, Dylan McCrory, Corey Mazza, Ryan Tully, Frank Fernandez, and Daniel Tanner. Also, all my D-Line dawgs, who in my biased opinion was one of the best units in Harvard history. Sorry dark jerseys. Guys like Brendan McCafferty, Wainright Wint, Erik Grimm and Matt McBurney who came before and built the culture of the unit. To Brad Bagdis, Matt Curtis, Carl Ehrlich, the Bryant brothers among many others that built upon this tradition. I was the elder statesman of the group my senior year, and I considered myself the beneficiary of playing alongside such a talented and deep unit. As busy as life is for so many of us, that these brothers of mine would drop everything to join us here to celebrate this achievement, is beyond humbling.

Lastly and most importantly, I need to recognize my family. I owe everything I am and everything I have accomplished to them. Starting with my parents. Unfortunately, my mother passed away several years ago, I miss her everyday but I know is watching down tonight. This night would have been magical to her and she would be delighted beyond measure to see all the boys, who she thought of like her own sons, gathered here tonight. My dad always said I got my physical strength and toughness from my mother, who was a first generation Italian American from the Bronx, but identified more closely as a Jewish mother. This should tell you all you need to know about her parenting style. To my dad, who is here tonight, I owe my love of all things athletic. From the time he put that first nerf football in my crib, I would never look back. But he always tried to keep us balanced, and it always about appreciating the values sport and fitness can instill. He spent my formative years as the athletic director at our local Jewish Community Center, where we lived for all intents and purposes, This afforded my sister and I a childhood that we can only hope to provide to our own kids. Speaking of my sister, I need to thank her for toughening me up. As many of us younger siblings know, the physical and emotional gauntlet that we are put through is key to building character. Only half kidding, but thank you, and love you.

Bennett and Brooks, you both are amazing. You are both just starting out on your academic and athletic journeys, and I know you are going to do great things. I hope you are fortunate enough to be surrounded by great friends and mentors along the way. I am thankful every day that I get to be your dad. If there is one thing I want you to know is that we love you more than the sky and everything we do is for you. Mommy, Daddy, Papa, Dee Dee, Auntie Aly, Uncle Todd are always here for you.

To my wife Sam, who has been here from the beginning of this Harvard journey. She was a fixture throughout, whether it was long road trips to away games, or just hanging in Jordan North. She has and continues to challenge me and make me a better person. Even if its when her and Tanner or ganging up on me and telling me how Im wrong. I wouldn’t be here with out you. I love you.

Again thank you to the selection committee, for the amazing honor, and thank you all for joining us here tonight.