Four Decades of Notre Dame Legends Ready to Take on ... Japan?

Joe Montana to Kris Haines -- touchdown!

Haines was Notre Dame's leading pass receiver in 1978 with 32 catches for 699 yards, most of those coming from all-star quarterback Montana. In fact, Haines caught the game-winning touchdown from Montana as time ran out in the 1979 Cotton Bowl against Houston. It capped an amazing comeback as the Irish trailed by 22 points with 12 minutes remaining.

Thirty years later, Haines was looking forward to connecting with Montana again during the Notre Dame alumni football team's trip to Japan.

"When Joe found out I was coming, he decided not to come," a chuckling Haines told FanHouse. "Obviously, he didn't want to see me."

Joking aside, plenty of other eyes across the globe will be watching Haines and the Irish Legends on Saturday as they play against a team of Japanese all-stars at the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome. The game will commemorate the 75-year anniversary of the Japan-American Football Association (JAFA).

Notre Dame's roster features 57 players representing four decades -- Haines is the oldest at age 51 -- and the team is being coached by none other than Lou Holtz, who guided the 1988 Irish to Notre Dame's last football national championship. Holtz was also inducted last Saturday into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame, located in South Bend, Ind.

How seriously is Holtz's taking the exhibition game against Japan? His raspy voice was barely audible during the Hall of Fame ceremonies. Of course, a smiling Holtz blamed Tony Rice for the infliction, saying Rice was still driving him crazy after all these years.

Rice was the Irish's dynamic option quarterback under Holtz on the 1988 national championship team. He's also Holtz's quarterback on the Irish alumni team, which held a two-day mini camp in South Bend before it departed for Japan on Sunday.

Haines pointed to player camaraderie and love of Notre Dame that made his decision to slip on an Irish jersey again so easy. Of course, wiggling out of equipment was another story for Haines' bruised body and bones following a pair of two-a-day practices. Haines' psyche also had been dented by the fiery Holtz.

"I' haven't been yelled at this much in years, but I've been told he does that with everybody," Haines chuckled.

"Supposedly I wasn't running my route correctly. Lou's a challenge but he's a great coach. This hasn't been easy by any stretch -- I am stiff, sore and have been asking myself what am I doing. But we're going over there to win and I'll be ready to contribute, be it blocking, helping out on special teams. I know I can still catch the football."

Holtz has warned his players that the Japanese team is much better than one might think and is comprised of the best players from Japan's college teams and semi-pro X League. And their players recently finished their seasons.

Japan won the 1999 and 2003 IFAF World Championship of American Football. It lost the 2003 tournament to the United States, 23-20, in double overtime. The next IFAF World Championship will be held in Austria in 2011.

More than 100 former Irish players tried out for the Legends in April.

Other notables who made the team include Autry Denson, who played with the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears and is the Irish's career-rushing leader; former NFL defensive back Deke Cooper; former New Orleans Saints players Deveron Harper, a defensive back, and Ray Zellars, a running back; and former Bears linebacker Bobby Howard, one of three captains on Notre Dame's 1998 team.



The team's youngest player is Thomas Bemenderfer, a 23-year-old offensive guard who was one of four walk-ons who received a scholarship prior to the 2007 season

"I love playing for coach Holtz and being around my former teammates," Howard, 32, told FanHouse.

"Of course, it has been awhile since I last played and I've had to knock off a lot of rust. The practices have been tough. Coach Holtz is serious. He doesn't care if he's playing an exhibition game or against USC -- that's just the way he's made."

The game was organized by Patrick Steenberge of Global Football Inc. Steenberge, a former backup quarterback to Joe Theisman with the Irish, stages international events and has produced many fantasy camps at Notre Dame. The eight-day event is endorsed by and will benefit the Notre Dame Monogram Club. None of the players or coaches are receiving payment for their participation.

Haines, who turns 52 on Thursday, last played competitive football in 2000, when the Notre Dame Legends beat a German all-star squad, 14-10. Haines, currently an athletic director, prep coach and karate instructor at The Catherine Cook School in Chicago, bounced around the NFL, USFL and the CFL as well as coached in the XFL after his playing days at Notre Dame.

Haines was initially cut during the Legends tryouts in April -- "Let's just say my time in the 40-yard dash was too pedestrian," he said -- but earned a second chance when roster openings became available.

Practice difficulties aside, Haines said another challenge has been getting accustomed to the new technologies made in equipment manufacturing over the years. The team purchased equipment from Adidas and McDavid, based outside of Chicago, donated underneath protective apparel for players. Following the exhibition, the Legends will donate the equipment to JAFA.

"This equipment is holding us together," Haines said.

"It's totally different from when I played, and I couldn't figure out how to put anything on. Then there's that extra bar going across the helmet. Of course, once you put the helmet on and step on the field, it's about the game and going out there and playing and having fun."

And how is Haines' family reacting to his step back into time?

"My wife has been praying every night that I dont' get hurt," Haines said.

"It wasn't that I thought I could still play football. I just wanted to challenge myself and I have done that. Coming back to put the Irish football jersey on more time -- and this is my last time -- makes it all worth it."