"Our whitewash/slap on the wrist didn't work. Though we had pre-cleared the media strategy with leading outlets from both the Chicago and national sports media (not as hard as it sounds!), we never figured that the student paper would actually have the goods, especially in the summer. Like so many Scooby Doo villains, we would have gotten away with it if it weren't for these meddling kids."
Northwestern has fired coach Pat Fitzgerald
- Status
Brings to mind an old Onion headline from the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill matter.
Or a winter jacket for a poor kid from Louisiana.
When I read that letter I sense a lot of intimidation. How do you get everyone to agree to such a letter? Part loyalty but partly it's people wondering how those who hold power will treat them.
I really expect some decommits.
I really expect some decommits.
yeah I was wondering what kind of person would enjoy watching these scenarios....yeah this is different
As long as Fitzgerald has been associated with Northwestern - at least 1000+ players and coaches would have been through there. Most are long gone so they should have no problem with the truth. Yea or Nay, what actually happened and how often?
It won't be hard to find out the extent, for better or worse, of the hazing.
I will say the whole "clap" thing at practice seems like a desperate attempt to link Fitzgerald. Why is someone trying that hard if these hazing issues are so wide spread?
It won't be hard to find out the extent, for better or worse, of the hazing.
I will say the whole "clap" thing at practice seems like a desperate attempt to link Fitzgerald. Why is someone trying that hard if these hazing issues are so wide spread?
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
The NU Board , Prez & AD are likely busy in meetings with legal & PR people today
they need to get this story & resolution totally out & over asap .
I can not imagine a scenario where a 2 week unpaid suspension for Fitz is the end of this .
lots of variables in this will end up determining Fritz’s ultimate punishment . Suffice to say it’s going to put a dark cloud over the program & recruiting for awhile
they need to get this story & resolution totally out & over asap .
I can not imagine a scenario where a 2 week unpaid suspension for Fitz is the end of this .
lots of variables in this will end up determining Fritz’s ultimate punishment . Suffice to say it’s going to put a dark cloud over the program & recruiting for awhile
Maybe this was posted earlier? I lose track of this fast changing news. It’s obviously not yet settled. More to come very soon. They gotta put out the fire and the garden hose deployed initially won’t do the job.
Northwestern to reconsider Fitzgerald's discipline
Northwestern, in a letter sent late Saturday night, announced it will reconsider penalties for longtime Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald after new details emerged surrounding allegations of hazing in the Big Ten school's football program.
Last edited:
I’m sure it “sucked” too
The story is damning. If the investigative committee did indeed find it was credible, there should only be one question asked of the university president:
"If you put aside the question of whether or not the coach knew about these actions, what does it say about the culture that young men can feel they are being brutalized and sexually assaulted but don't feel comfortable bringing it to their coach or his staff?"
That alone is an indictment of the entire organization. Not knowing what is happening is not an excuse. There is a massive failure if your players can not bring these issues to you.
"If you put aside the question of whether or not the coach knew about these actions, what does it say about the culture that young men can feel they are being brutalized and sexually assaulted but don't feel comfortable bringing it to their coach or his staff?"
That alone is an indictment of the entire organization. Not knowing what is happening is not an excuse. There is a massive failure if your players can not bring these issues to you.
I know they're our rival or whatever, but never really cared that much about Fitzgerald. He seemed like a pretty solid coach, but the last two years seem to have exposed him a little bit.
My main concern is obviously for the players who were the targets of these horrific alleged hazing practices. But when it's a head football coach at a really prestigious university, the only answers are either the coach knew and encouraged or had no handle on his program, and in both instances have no business being a head coach anymore.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Specifically referring to NU being in trouble, not what caused the trouble.
NEIlliniFan
- No longer in New England
My first thought as well
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
they will do EVERYTHING they can to avoid that
All because they got some favorable bounces and ended up in the B1G championship?
Outscored 88-17 against us in the last two games, 4-20 record, and hasn't won a game on US soil since October 2021.
He's done great things for them as a coach and player, but I don't really get it. Is the language not in his contract?
I'm not sure these two years expired him so much but rather he's run out of steam. Happens to lots of people in every profession.
The administration chose the worst possible option.
Decisively fire Fitzgerald, save face, and clean the slate for an entirely new regime.
Or, if they are hellbent on keeping Fitzgerald, then punish him severely, stand firmly behind the decision, and just accept that they’re going to have to suffer through a prolonged backlash.
Instead they tried to thread the needle with an absurdly nominal slap on the wrist penalty, which was only ever going to intensify the public outrage, and then immediately backtracked at the first indication of pressure. Whatever they do now, it’s going to appear weak, calculated, and cynical. They’ve greatly compounded the damage to the program however this is ultimately resolved.
Last edited:
These type of investigations aren’t the ones you have to “cooperate” with. The university hired the outside firm to cover its own rear. The firm presents its findings then asks the university “so.. how you wanna handle this?”
Last edited:
Fitz just has to survive a few news cycles, wait for someone else to do something dumb or something big to happen. It worked for Juwan Howard, who literally slapped a opposing coach on TV.
Huggins dropped the other f bomb on a radio show and got off with a $1M salary reduction until he got caught with a DUI which was probably pretty convenient for WVU.
JJE
- Bethalto, IL
Fitzgerald won't survive this.
- Status