“Who has it better than us? … . NOOOOOBODY!”

My favorite phrase and rallying cry was yelled on national television by former Western Kentucky University head football coach Jack Harbaugh. The elder Harbaugh, 84, was given the microphone during the trophy presentation from his head-coach son, Jim Harbaugh, after Michigan won its first national title since 1997 with a 34-13 win Monday over Washington.

That phrase resonates with me because it is the opposite of envy, the sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others. Even in the pity and self-loathing of a loss, Jack would rally the troops and utter those familiar words – words of encouragement and empowerment that we control our own destiny, not our opponent.

I have always enjoyed covering the Harbaughs, who I consider the first family of football. When Jack arrived at WKU in 1989, I photographed the games for the papers around the state until I arrived at the Daily News in 1992. He was always animated and made for great pictures.

I shot the Hilltoppers and Jack at every home game, most of the away tilts and was able to photograph Jim Harbaugh as a volunteer assistant at WKU while he played in the NFL. He was there helping his dad revive a football program that came one board of regents vote shy of being eliminated just a few years earlier. His son John, now coach of the Baltimore Ravens, helped Jack and Jim as well with plays, scouting and recruiting. 

The younger Harbaugh even helped design and fundraise for new uniforms in June of 1997. I photographed Willie Taggart sporting the new uniforms from Fila, now a long-forgotten sports apparel company. Jim’s impact was far reaching. Then sports editor, Joe Medley, and I traveled to the RCA Dome in Indianapolis to cover Colts quarterback Jim hold off a late rally by the New York Jets.

I have quite a few Harbaugh photos in my collection over the years, but my favorite did not come from WKU’s 2002 Division I-AA national title win in their 34-14 rout of McNeese State as you would think. It was Jack hoisted on the shoulders of his players following a 34-12 Ohio Valley Conference victory over No. 17 Eastern Illinois, clinching their ninth league championship.

Jack was always gracious and invited my family to the Hilltoppers’ football banquet at Garrett Conference Center following their national title. As a token of appreciation for the photos I took that season, he gave us a piece of the goalpost lettered with the date and score from Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn. That piece of WKU football memorabilia sits right next to Willie Taggart’s autographed jersey from his senior season that he gave to our son, Zach.

Fun fact that has been widely shared on the internet – when Jack Harbaugh won the national title with WKU, the Hilltoppers scored 34 points in the championship game. When John Harbaugh beat his brother Jim in the Super Bowl, the Ravens scored 34 points. Jim won his national title with Michigan when his Wolverines scored 34 points.

— Daily News General Manager Joe Imel can be reached at (270) 783-3273 or via email at joe.imel@bgdailynews.com.