Girl named after Houston Texans Head Coach Lovie Smith: 'It's an honor'
HOUSTON - Houston Texans Head Coach Lovie Smith has not only impacted football players all over the country, but fans all over as well. That includes a family from Havertown, Penn., and they responded in a very special way.
Fourteen years ago, Blair Lovie Scholla was named after Lovie Smith. Her dad, a huge Chicago Bears fan, became an even bigger fan of Lovie, the Bears head coach at the time.
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Lovie found out about Blair shortly after she was born.
"You know that’s saying an awful lot. Lot of different ways you can go, and normally you kind of name your children after someone who has had an impact," Lovie says. "You know, getting into this profession I want to have an impact on my players. But to reach outside of a team and for someone to do that is saying an awful lot, so I know she has to be a special lady. And again, it's an honor for me, for her to have my name."
Blair’s dad, Kevin Scholla, says, "I have great admiration for what Lovie Smith does and has done on the football field, groundbreaking stuff. But even more impressive, the man that he is, the way he treats players, the way he treats just people in general. So while a great football man, he's more importantly a great, great person, and we've seen that firsthand. So I'm proud that my daughter has his name."
Lovie has interacted with the family, sending them some cool Texans stuff and a handwritten letter.
In December, Blair, with her dad as coach, won the 14 and under NFL sponsored flag football championship in Pennsylvania. Their team is named the Houston Texans because of their admiration for Lovie.
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Lovie shared a message for Blair.
"Job well done, first off, and we're connected for life is what I would tell her. And I'm proud of what she's accomplished so far and can't wait to see her take over this world later on," Lovie says. "You know, just like a parent you have special things that you want to happen in their lives, and I want the same thing for Blair."
"It’s really cool to be named after Lovie Smith, and it's an honor to be named after such a great coach and an amazing person," Blair says.