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

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WindyCityGopher said:
I wonder where Fitz will end up now. Have to believe he'd be an attractive HC candidate in the MAC, or as a DC at a P4 school. Or maybe he got so much money from this settlement that he's happy just doing more volunteer coaching at Loyola Academy with his youngest son.
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His agent has said that Fitz wants to get back into collegiate coaching. I imagine that his name will come up nearly every time a coach is let go. Curious to see who will pull the trigger and actually hire him.
 

2nd Degree Gopher said:
His agent has said that Fitz wants to get back into collegiate coaching. I imagine that his name will come up nearly every time a coach is let go. Curious to see who will pull the trigger and actually hire him.
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Read blackheartgoldpants quite a bit. A lot of chatter there is that he will eventually take over for Kirk. I guess he has a son (freshman) on the team there?
 

mggoph said:
Read blackheartgoldpants quite a bit. A lot of chatter there is that he will eventually take over for Kirk. I guess he has a son (freshman) on the team there?
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Seems like a good fit both in terms of the way he wants to run a program and as a place where being associated with hazing allegations wouldn't tank his prospects for getting the job.
 

mggoph said:
Read blackheartgoldpants quite a bit. A lot of chatter there is that he will eventually take over for Kirk. I guess he has a son (freshman) on the team there?
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His son Ryan is a PWO QB freshman at Iowa this year. He led Loyola to 3 straight 8A (largest school) state titles in Illinois from 2022-24. He's a big, strong kid, but I don't think he'll ever be a P4 quarterback because he doesn't have great arm strength or speed. On the other hand, that sounds like the prototypical Iowa quarterback under Ferentz, so maybe he has a shot.
 

Some guy said:
Thanks for agreeing with me



This literally happens all the time.

For instance, a teacher posts something stupid on social media at a public school they shouldn’t have. They don’t fire the teacher.
3 weeks later it goes viral, they can fire the teacher for cause the way state statute works.
This isn’t governed by state statute but you’re acting like this is the first time someone ever not been fired then fired later. This happens all the time in all kinds of fields.
I used a teacher because that’s the field I’ve fired people 😂

All that being said, you’re right, they probably paid Fitzgerald 7 billion dollars because the hazing that happened wasn’t that bad. Fitzgerald just admitted to it in the settlement because he won the settlement, certainly.

You’ve one the argument PE. I’m done.
Pat Fitzgerald the hazing guy got paid out the nose by northwestern because even though there was hazing in his program a guy said he could keep his job 2 weeks before the board said he couldn’t. And even though he admits hazing the hazing wasn’t that bad 😂
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Ok, are school principals routinely fired for what their teacher’s do, or student bullying, fighting, cheating uncovered or reported?

I don’t know. You sound like you know a lot about this. As a second question directed at HR or any manager that hires or fires would you take the nature of what was alleged, the character of the reporters into consideration?

These are serious question/s. Please attach any new clippings or supporting documents with examples.
 


Some guy said:
Lol
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So, you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about?

I’m asking a simple question:

What happened? You either know or you’re talking out of your backside. I can’t really tell at this point. I OTOH don’t know which is why we’re having this internet feud..
 

Word said:
They may have looked at his team's record his last couple of years. Not counting the COVID year he was 3-9 twice and 1-11 his last 3 full years.
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None of this qualities as "cause". These would trigger his buyout.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
Ok, are school principals routinely fired for what their teacher’s do, or student bullying, fighting, cheating uncovered or reported?

I don’t know. You sound like you know a lot about this. As a second question directed at HR or any manager that hires or fires would you take the nature of what was alleged, the character of the reporters into consideration?

These are serious question/s. Please attach any new clippings or supporting documents with examples.
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Some Guy knows more than all of us...combined...just ask him.
 

PMWinSTP said:
None of this qualities as "cause". These would trigger his buyout.
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Exactly why it makes it convenient to fire him for hazing. Gets them out of paying him, or at least that's what they thought.
 





PMWinSTP said:
None of this qualities as "cause". These would trigger his buyout.
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Agreed.

My wild guess is they had to allege something significantly more serious than just that hazing happened, in order to claim firing for cause.

Secret hazing happening where no coach can possibly be expected to know or control, isn't a valid excuse for firing for cause.
 




Here are some of the allegations by the alleged whistleblower that led to the firing. Fair to question how much of this is true, the complicity of coaches and players. It would have been nice to see this go the distance and get people to testify under oath at deposition and trial. Now we’re left with our preconceived biases.



In addition to “running,” the whistleblower alleged that he witnessed the team participate in other hazing traditions in which freshmen were forced to strip naked and perform various acts, including bear crawling and slingshotting themselves across the floor with exercise bands.

In a once-a-year tradition dubbed “the carwash,” the first player said that some players would stand naked at the entrance to the showers and spin around, forcing those entering the showers to “basically (rub) up against a bare-naked man.” Upon entering the showers, the player alleged that players set up a hose they connected to the shower to spray people.

“It’s extremely painful,” the player said.

The player also alleged that he witnessed and was forced to participate in what he called a naked center-quarterback exchange, wherein a freshman quarterback was forced to take an under-center snap from a freshman center, while both players were naked.

The player said that on one instance, another player was “very vocally adamant” about not wanting to participate in this exchange. Older players threatened to “run him” if he refused and there was “no other option,” according to the player.

“He was forced to engage in this,” the player said. “I wish I would have told him to transfer, because this is an absolutely abusive environment, and an environment in which the safety and well-being of players is not protected at all.”

The second player confirmed these allegations.
 

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