Northwestern Fires Pat Fitzgerald

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BilldGopher said:
A host on my amplitude modulation device this morning noted that NW has a "new" Prez formerly from Oregon who stepped into this cold. Basically freaked out and scuttled the most solid aspect of the Cats' FB program...their coach. Also noted that if Coach Fitz did not know, he should not have taken the 2 week suspension willingly (which appears to be the case). That would have set a whole different trajectory as the Prez couldn't take the heat and went to DEFCON 1 and here they are.
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New prez was there since Sept. of 2022. Is a law professor and was prez at Oregon. You'd think he would understand both law and football....

But let's be honest...NU football has been pretty bad. Couldn't really get much worse with a new coach.
 
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What allegation is the smoking gun here?

Sad day for NW and the Big Ten.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
Per the statement tonight sounds like he’s not going quietly. Hiring a big gun attorney like Dan Webb probably means he’s going to war? The president has seemingly created a problem for himself and others by reneging on the agreement without benefit of any new information, while still not releasing the report, and apparently not enacting any disciplinary proceedings of involved players and mandatory reporter staff that he states he has evidence happened. It still doesn’t make a lot of sense.

This has potential to get even messier - if Fitz truly feels he’s been wronged and legal things start to happen- which is saying something.
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have to imagine there are many players who are feeling a little queasy about the idea of this getting more and more attention. something happened and if this gets outside of just mediation, man it could get real ugly for the perpetrators. there are people who know what happened and who did it that are choosing to stay silent. Fitz very well may not have known at all (which he certainly should if this was happening for years) and it may be why he is going down swinging to try and clear his name in terms of wrongdoing. I don't think it will have that effect as it's still "his" team and the culture there.

Now if it comes out that everything was fabricated (would make no sense now with the 11 people who have said it happened) then it's going to be a mega lawsuit on NWs hands. NW has absolutely bungled the handling of this and why you wouldn't choose to have a meeting with as many stakeholders as possible before levying your initial punishment to the leader/face of a program that will always get the most attention is beyond me.
 


GopherWeatherGuy said:
Frost is an alcoholic who cared more about drinking than showing up for his job, which is why he was fired just a few weeks before his buyout dropped.

Sarkisian was at least a functioning alcoholic, who ran decent P5 programs. Frost is neither. He has a long road ahead of him before he gets even a decent assistant job again.
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Frost boozing it up became such a talking point… way later that I wonder about that whole story.
 


Pompous Elitist said:
Per the statement tonight sounds like he’s not going quietly. Hiring a big gun attorney like Dan Webb probably means he’s going to war? The president has seemingly created a problem for himself and others by reneging on the agreement without benefit of any new information, while still not releasing the report, and apparently not enacting any disciplinary proceedings of involved players and mandatory reporter staff that he states he has evidence happened. It still doesn’t make a lot of sense.

This has potential to get even messier - if Fitz truly feels he’s been wronged and legal things start to happen- which is saying something.
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If fitz feels he did do something wrong he is still smart to lawyer up. I don’t think hiring a lawyer says anything either direction about his innocence.
 

BilldGopher said:
A host on my amplitude modulation device this morning noted that NW has a "new" Prez formerly from Oregon who stepped into this cold. Basically freaked out and scuttled the most solid aspect of the Cats' FB program...their coach. Also noted that if Coach Fitz did not know, he should not have taken the 2 week suspension willingly (which appears to be the case). That would have set a whole different trajectory as the Prez couldn't take the heat and went to DEFCON 1 and here they are.
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Yes. Fitzgerald should’ve lawyered up last week
 




upnorthkid said:
have to imagine there are many players who are feeling a little queasy about the idea of this getting more and more attention. something happened and if this gets outside of just mediation, man it could get real ugly for the perpetrators. there are people who know what happened and who did it that are choosing to stay silent. Fitz very well may not have known at all (which he certainly should if this was happening for years) and it may be why he is going down swinging to try and clear his name in terms of wrongdoing. I don't think it will have that effect as it's still "his" team and the culture there.
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Yep.

upnorthkid said:
Now if it comes out that everything was fabricated (would make no sense now with the 11 people who have said it happened) then it's going to be a mega lawsuit on NWs hands. NW has absolutely bungled the handling of this and why you wouldn't choose to have a meeting with as many stakeholders as possible before levying your initial punishment to the leader/face of a program that will always get the most attention is beyond me.
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That’s probably drawing too broad a conclusion? We don’t know what these people specifically said, whether this was a regular yearly thing, whether Fitz ordered it, what parts are corroborated (the Purge thing, Shrek list, car wash). How much is first hand, versus second or third hand hearsay. If widespread and recurrent, Richardson won’t name anyone? He was there for three years. The staff won’t name anyone? The president won’t name anyone?
 

Some guy said:
If fitz feels he did do something wrong he is still smart to lawyer up. I don’t think hiring a lawyer says anything either direction about his innocence.
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To me it was the tone of the statement. How much of the $40M (or more) could be at stake. Time will probably cool emotions.
 

rowdaboat said:
Wouldn't be surprised if literally the entire team transfers after their joint statement. Or refuses to play until AD is gone or coach is back
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The transfer window closed April 30, so they would all be ineligible and likely lose a year of eligibility…?
 




He appears to be a caring player orientated coach. I always get a laugh, over old players that received a free education, at a top school, who now have a professional job. They go on TV and throw the program and coach under the bus for having to shave a statement on their head and have enough guts to say how it emotionally effected them. Lets get real.
 

Tommyboy said:
He appears to be a caring player orientated coach. I always get a laugh, over old players that received a free education, at a top school, who now have a professional job. They go on TV and throw the program and coach under the bus for having to shave a statement on their head and have enough guts to say how it emotionally effected them. Let’s get real.
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??????
 

The Tommie Way: Use BOLD to get your point across....exclamation points & all CAPS work well too!
 


Some guy said:
As to point two,



The NCAA changed the rules, essentially the new cut blocking rule in NCAA mirrors high school. It has to be initial contact and in the box.




This rule change essentially makes the triple options out of flexbone not functional. Anyone who suggests Paul Johnson or Ken N would be suggesting them knowing they aren’t going to run triple. Because it really can’t work sustainably without perimeter cutting. (Which is why army is leaving it)
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Great article. Thanks for sharing this.

It makes me kind of sad though. One of the things I love about the college game is weird quirks like the triple option.
 

disco said:
Great article. Thanks for sharing this.

It makes me kind of sad though. One of the things I love about the college game is weird quirks like the triple option.
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100% agree
 



I just listened to the Eyes on B1G podcast episode they did on Fitz's firing.
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/256-eyes-on-b1g-31096928/

I typically like this show and I usually enjoy their takes, but woof, not this time.

Their two cents:
1. Hazing has its place in college football and these hazing acts probably seem worse when read in a news report in black & white than if you were to witness them in person (although they do say that nudity is uncalled for in hazing)
2. This is probably the new AD trying to find cause to fire a losing HC and void the huge buyout.
 


Northwestern is rocked by this, remember they also had a new remodel/stadium project that may also be put on hold by this. If proven Pat Fitzgerald knew about this his coaching hopes are shot, NU will bring in a completely new staff as they should, and just start over. Even if Pat is proven to have not known about this it’s still gonna be tough for him in the near future to land somewhere else. He got his team Big 10 West titles, trips to Pasadena also!! Very interested to see WHO they go after as a replacement.
 

I could be dead wrong - but if Fitzgerald knew about any of this, then he is one of the greatest actors of all time.

because until now, his image was that of a clean-cut coach who succeeded at a school with very high academic requirements. that's a long way from "ordered players to be sexually hazed."

it could all be true - some of it could be true. but as I said earlier, people have agendas. There are players supporting Fitz, and players claiming the person who started the allegations has an axe to grind.

as for right now, it sure seems as if the President started taking heat and panicked.

(BTW, since Jerry Kill was brought up earlier - saw an item that David Cobb is going to work as an analyst for New Mexico State. a new addition to the Kill coaching tree.)
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I could be dead wrong - but if Fitzgerald knew about any of this, then he is one of the greatest actors of all time.

because until now, his image was that of a clean-cut coach who succeeded at a school with very high academic requirements. that's a long way from "ordered players to be sexually hazed."

it could all be true - some of it could be true. but as I said earlier, people have agendas. There are players supporting Fitz, and players claiming the person who started the allegations has an axe to grind.

as for right now, it sure seems as if the President started taking heat and panicked.

(BTW, since Jerry Kill was brought up earlier - saw an item that David Cobb is going to work as an analyst for New Mexico State. a new addition to the Kill coaching tree.)
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Not to add my useless speculation into the mix, but I would guess Fitz is somewhere in between "knew nothing" and "ordered the hazing". I'm guessing he knew enough but didn't want to get involved. But again I am just guessing.
 

WAGopher said:
From what I recall, when Paterno suspected Sandusky, he told the AD and President. When they (and the police) swept it under the rug, Paterno didn’t tell anyone else. I’m not defending Paterno because he should have raised hell, but that is a tough spot to be in.

It seems that if Fitz knew, he didn’t tell his bosses, which would be a difference.
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This is what a fair account looks like.

Far from this: Not even close. No allegations that Pat raped his athletes.
 

4four4 said:
When was the last time a coach changed jobs within the Big Ten football conference?
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Good question
But it wouldn’t be a guy going from a middle of pack big ten program to a bottom of the barrel program.


Tiers of jobs (to me) based on who they’ve been able to pull for recent hires + recent success/recruiting/money/vibes:

Tier 1
Michigan, Ohio state, USC

Tier 1.5
Penn state

Tier 2
UCLA, Michigan state, Iowa, wisconsin, minnesota, Nebraska

Tier 2.5
Maryland, Illinois, Purdue

Tier 3
Northwestern, Indiana, Rutgers

I would argue I don’t think anyone would leave within the conference unless they were moving up at least 1.5 tiers. Only need to move up 1 tier to go to Michigan, Ohio State, USC.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I could be dead wrong - but if Fitzgerald knew about any of this, then he is one of the greatest actors of all time.

because until now, his image was that of a clean-cut coach who succeeded at a school with very high academic requirements. that's a long way from "ordered players to be sexually hazed."

it could all be true - some of it could be true. but as I said earlier, people have agendas. There are players supporting Fitz, and players claiming the person who started the allegations has an axe to grind.

as for right now, it sure seems as if the President started taking heat and panicked.

(BTW, since Jerry Kill was brought up earlier - saw an item that David Cobb is going to work as an analyst for New Mexico State. a new addition to the Kill coaching tree.)
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Not sure how much research revenue is generated at Northwestern, but the perceived panick probably is coming from fear that this scandal could cause irrepairable damage to the University and it's supporters.
 

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