Just outside Brian Kelly’s office at the Guglielmino Athletics Complex are treasured relics that symbolize the gridiron dominance of the Notre Dame football team.
They vary in quantity (six at present) and shape (spherical, cone, oblong). They are unique in their rendering, but always include elements that acknowledge their contested ownership.
They are the rivalry trophies — one for each of Notre Dame’s best-known opponents: the Navy Midshipmen, USC Trojans, Purdue Boilermakers, Michigan State Spartans, Stanford Cardinal and Boston College Eagles.
This is a story of a seventh trophy: A gift from a Irish dignitary that routinely inspired front-page headlines, was saved from a landfill and now resides with a private collector.