I have thought for a long time that there probably isn't any program in major college sports where the head coach could survive the program's internal dirty laundry being aired in public, especially in the current era with the current sensitivities.
That being said, this all seems very emblematic of a way of maintaining discipline that is archaic and of a bygone age, and speaks to a head coach who has never evolved from the viewpoint of a mid-90's linebacker.
Maintaining discipline and standards is still the essential lifeblood of a competitive sports team, especially football, but in this day and age it's all about professionalization and bringing the attitude and expectations of a professional to sports at a younger and younger age.
There are things to not like about that as well, money, transfers, lack of loyalty, but that mindset can keep these young meatheaded jocks in line by the same token as the old ways of bullying and hierarchy. It's not a coincidence that the same Fitz that has been a whiny Boomer every step of the way on player empowerment is fostering this kind of culture behind the scenes, two sides of the same coin.
Thankfully I think Bielema, especially the older, somewhat chastened, NFL-experienced version we have, brings a bit of the best of both worlds. He unquestionably takes a modern, professionalized view of his players, but he also brings sincerity in his relationships with them, he's professional but not purely transactional.
Anyway, there's really no way for this story to go bad for us. Either Fitz survives with his reputation punctured, or a weakened and fractured Northwestern goes searching for a sacrificial lamb to take a dead-end job. All good.
www.insidenu.com
spectrumnews1.com
