Northwestern’s motion to dismiss the wrongful termination lawsuit brought by former coach Pat Fitzgerald was denied today, Fitz seeking $130MM.

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Apologies, I haven't followed closely enough to know what you're talking about. I'll have to look more into it.

I don't see why they could've done it then, getting away scot-free, but then later did it and lost (having to settle is a loss in my book, as opposed to being able to fire for cause with no lawsuit that had enough merits to force a settlement)

I can't speak for GopherRock but I'll say this:

They were in far worse legal position after getting the report and deciding not to fire him, then later changing their mind.

Northwestern caught a lot of PR flack and never explained changing their mind much (beyond saying they should have punished him more), how they would explain changing their mind to a jury would potentially be a big mountain to climb.

 

[Some guy]

Yes, I do. They paid more than their objective, which was zero dollars. Even if it was a token $1 amount, the administration at NU lost.

Thats only true if 0 dollars was a realistic objective and they messed it up

 

[Ewert86PC]

Thats only true if 0 dollars was a realistic objective and they messed it up

Zero dollars was their objective in the dismissal. They realistically thought it was possible. They messed it up.

 

[GopherRock]

Apologies, I haven't followed closely enough to know what you're talking about. I'll have to look more into it.

I don't see why they could've done it then, getting away scot-free, but then later did it and lost (having to settle is a loss in my book, as opposed to being able to fire for cause with no lawsuit that had enough merits to force a settlement)

IIRC the first time that the public learned about anything about this business was when Fitz was put on involuntary leave for two weeks in summer 2023, which was then followed by the NU paper printing all the lurid details that the investigation found out.

Most of us thought that the suspension was so that the GC and/or HR office could get their paperwork in order to fire him for cause. Turns out the suspension WAS the initial punishment. The president of the university learned of this two days later and directly ordered Fitz fired.

That is why NU is in a very bad negotiating position WRT a settlement.

 

[Some guy]

Zero dollars was their objective in the dismissal. They realistically thought it was possible. They messed it up.

I don’t think 0 was realistic

I think the whole thing was to pay less than the buyout

 

[WoodburyTim]

Tough for me it would be over the buyout considering they never accused him of wrongdoing and could’ve fired him for the buyout at any moment

But they didn’t.

They should have because I’ll bet they paid over the buyout.

 

[Some guy]

But they didn’t.

They should have because I’ll bet they paid over the buyout.

Why would they have paid over the buyout?
They never accused him of wrongdoing and could dismiss him at any moment for the full buyout.
What is out there that would cause him to get more than his full contract?

I suppose I could see a scenario where the settlement was full buyout plus legal fees. I can’t really see how they would’ve paid more than the full contract though. What reason would there be?

 

[Ewert86PC]

I don’t think 0 was realistic

I think the whole thing was to pay less than the buyout

Realistic is in the eye of the be(er)holder.

 

[Some guy]

Realistic is in the eye of the be(er)holder.

True
Generally I think to fire someone with a contract that includes a buyout for zero dollars is pretty tough and requires a pretty clear cut issue to be there

 

[WoodburyTim]

Why would they have paid over the buyout?
They never accused him of wrongdoing and could dismiss him at any moment for the full buyout.
What is out there that would cause him to get more than his full contract?

I suppose I could see a scenario where the settlement was full buyout plus legal fees. I can’t really see how they would’ve paid more than the full contract though. What reason would there be?

Wrongful termination suits aren’t just about making the wrongfully terminated person financially whole. He hasn’t been paid in 2 years and the public firing probably has cost him more than a couple of lucrative opportunities and probably will do so for the foreseeable future.

Also, every school with a coach they don’t want would fire them and roll the dice on a lawsuit knowing that the worst case scenario is paying them the buyout that they should have paid in the first place.

 

[Some guy]

Wrongful termination suits aren’t just about making the wrongfully terminated person financially whole. He hasn’t been paid in 2 years and the public firing probably has cost him more than a couple of lucrative opportunities and probably will do so for the foreseeable future.

Fitzgerald admitted what they accused him of in the settlement. He issued a statement publicly acknowledging exactly what northwestern alleged.

Also, every school with a coach they don’t want would fire them and roll the dice on a lawsuit knowing that the worst case scenario is paying them the buyout that they should have paid in the first place.

No, they wouldn’t. Because not every school has a coach who later publicly admits hazing occurred in his program exactly as the university alleges.