Lou Holtz says he doesn’t want to celebrate immigrants’ holidays

Former college football coach Lou Holtz made some inflammatory remarks about immigrants during a speech Tuesday at the Republican National Convention.

Your teams on the go or at home. Personalize SI with our new App. Install on iOS or Android.

Former college football coach Lou Holtz made some inflammatory remarks about immigrants during an Eagle Forum lunch Tuesday in Cleveland, where the Republican National Convention is being held. 

“I don’t want to become you,” Holtz said, according to The Daily Beast’s Betsy Woodruff. “I don’t want to speak your language, I don’t want to celebrate your holidays, I sure as hell don’t want to cheer for your soccer team!”  

In May, Holtz endorsed Donald Trump for president, because “I’ve played his golf course, I’ve stayed in his hotel.”

Trump’s anti-immigrant stance has been a focus of his campaign. He has repeatedly promised to build a wall on the Mexican border and called Mexican immigrants “drug dealers” and “rapists.” The former reality show host has also called for Muslims to be banned from entering the country. 

Holtz, 79, is most well known for winning the 1988 national championship with Notre Dame. He also coached at NC State, Arkansas, Minnesota and South Carolina, and spent one ill-fated season with the NFL’s New York Jets.