‘Don’t need luck’: NIU mantra sparks Notre Dame upset that even New York Yankees manager noticed

• After the Northern Illinois stunned Notre Dame, everyone wanted to congratulate Huskies coach Thomas Hammock – even NY Yankees manager Aaron Boone.’Don’t need luck’ to beat Notre Dame. Northern Illinois Huskies embrace coach’s rally crNIU coach has clairvoyant dream night before game against Notre Dame.
• On Sunday, Thomas Hammock added a new phone number.

  Hundreds of texts were sent to the Northern Illinois coach by well-wishers after his Huskies defeated Notre Dame 16–14 on Saturday.

  Following the largest upset in conference history, he received warm messages from several coaches in the Mid-American Conference. A message from a number that Hammock didn’t recognize was tucked away among the texts.

  Aaron Boone, manager of the New York Yankees, chimed in to offer congrats. Jersey City, New Jersey native Hammock has been a lifelong Yankees supporter.

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  “Trust me, when Aaron Boone sent that message, I was like, ‘OK, this is awesome,'” Hammock said to me on Monday.Figures in hammers Rick Cerrone, a Northern Illinois alumni, gave Boone his number. Chief editor of Baseball Digest Cerrone was formerly employed for the Yankees.

  The American League’s top team is the Yankees. Should they win the World Series, would Hammock be so kind as to text Boone to congratulate them?

  “Hell yeah,” he cried out. “I preserved that message, you know that. That number is one I kept. I’m hoping that works out.

  I believe it will happen, given enough luck, but as Hammock and his Huskies demonstrated last week, luck is not necessary.