Talking to Clausen? Gunnell will pass
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - It looked like a normal postgame meeting between two players from opposing teams who had just played a hard-fought game. BC wide receiver Rich Gunnell was pondering a 20-16 loss yesterday to Notre Dame when Fighting Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen came up to salute him on a good game.
But it was anything but a normal postgame meeting as the words got heated before the two went their separate ways.
“I was just going up to him to say he’s a heck of a receiver,’’ said Clausen. “He was making plays left and right and he’s a real good talent.’’
Gunnell, who had a career-high 10 receptions for 179 yards and a touchdown, saw it differently. “At the beginning of the game, he was out there chirping and talking trash,’’ said Gunnell. “And then he went out and just pushed [BC receiver] Justin Jarvis for no reason. I looked at him and said, ‘What are you doing?’
“Afterwards, he was trying to be all friendly. It just rubbed me the wrong way. It seemed real fake. He tried to push one of my teammates. He tried to say good game. I thought it was phony.’’
Until yesterday before the game, the two had never met.
“I’m so glad to finally meet you,’’ said Sister Hallman, during a gathering that included the media, before the two had the chance to talk privately.
For Sister Hallman, who took her vows in 1952, the connection was made by a Sports Illustrated reporter who had heard about her letters to Herzlich. “When he called and said, ‘This is Kevin Armstrong from Sports Illustrated,’ I thought he wanted me to buy a subscription,’’ said Sister Hallman. “ ‘No, no, don’t hang up,’ he said. ‘It’s about Mark Herzlich.’ ’’
Herzlich, who in May was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a form of bone cancer, will undergo his final chemotherapy treatment Nov. 2 and then have surgery during the week of Thanksgiving to insert a stabilizing rod in his left femur. He is now nearly cancer-free, according to his doctors.
Herzlich was delighted to finally meet Sister Hallman, who had sent him a letter every two weeks.
“You look like someone who enjoys life,’’ said Sister Hallman.
“I do enjoy life,’’ said Herzlich with a laugh.
“You look like sort of a mischief-maker,’’ said Sister Hallman with a laugh.
Which prompted a smile from Herzlich. “Well, I try to stay out of mischief,’’ he said. “Maybe we can talk about that in our next letter.’’
Herzlich said that once he undergoes surgery, he will get back into shape so he can finish his football career at BC next fall.
When Herzlich returns to the field, don’t be surprised if Sister Hallman is at Alumni Stadium.
“That would be great,’’ said Sister Hallman, a longtime Notre Dame fan.
“That would be great,’’ said Herzlich with a smile.
Gallup’s son, Barry Jr., is a 5-foot-11-inch senior who returns kickoffs for Notre Dame.
“It was his dream and my dream to have him do well,’’ said Gallup Sr. “Just to hear our coaches talk about him in the scouting report is really special. I obviously have mixed emotions, but it’s been great.’’
Mark Blaudschun can be reached at blaudschun@globe.com. 
