[NU Sports] ESPN.com Article on Fitzgerald

[DPENDERG at aol.com]

Yes, it's great to see NU and Fitz get all of the media attention, but  of 
course "youngest coach in D-IA" picking up the mantle of his mentor is a  
compelling story. Certainly there's a short-term boost for  recruiting,  but in the 
end what the Cats do on the field will  determine if this media honeymoon will 
continue and the recruits continue to  flock to Evanston.  The media and many 
Cat fans (including myself) will not  be ready to give Fitz a free pass for 
several seasons while he learns how to be  a head coach. Mark Murphy decided 
that Fitz was the best successor to Randy  Walker.  I respect that decision 
(even if some of us had reservations), but  what happens starting on August 31 
(against a beatable, inexperienced MAC  team devastated by graduation much more 
than NU) will validate Murphy's  choice.  All Cat alums and fans desperately 
want Fitz to succeed --  he's the first NU alum at the helm, I guess, in decades 
-- but media and  alumni enthusiasm do not of course win games.  We will 
expect  competitive, well-coached teams from Pat Fitzgerald no less than we would 
Randy  Walker.  I'm sure Pat himself would have it no other way.
 
 
In a message dated 8/3/2006 12:18:13 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
rstetson at capps-assoc.com writes:

Lets  face it guys, the only other "story line" in the Big 10 Kickoff was how 
 old
Joe Pa is, so Fitz being 31 only gave them lots of grist for the  mill.

In addition Pat is a poster boy for NU Football. Grew up in  Chicago area, 
played
in the burbs, went to NU, All American, Team went to  Rose Bowl, and that 
other
one [Tennessee], played a few weeks of NFL,  coaching ever since.

Is articulate, intense, and looks like a head  coach. 

The age is just the hook they're hanging the lead on, and I  love all the
coverage.

Go  CATS

rsl

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roy S.  Lamberton - Senior Associate
Computer Applications & Support  Associates
and Publisher of Purple Reign, 
The Scout.com Northwestern  University Site
(http://www.purplewildcats.com)
AIM Handle:  CoachRoy74
======== Go Cats -  Beat 'em All ===========
"You have a  Republic Madam --
If you can keep it" - Benjamin  Franklin
============================================

>  -----Original Message-----
> From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com 
>  [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of Jim Bendat
> Sent:  Thursday, August 03, 2006 11:41 AM
> To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
>  Subject: Re: [NU Sports] ESPN.com Article on Fitzgerald
> 
>  
> Bob Voigts became NU's FB coach in 1947 at the age of 31.  We  
> struggled a bit his first year, but in his second year in 
>  1948, we went to the Rose Bowl - and won it.    --   Jim  B.
> 
> 
> >Before anyone starts worrying abou  Fitzgerald's age keep in mind that
> >Madden was 32 when he became  head coach of theOakland Raiders.
> >
> >John  DeGroat
> 
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