[NU Sports] ESPN.com Article on Fitzgerald

[Roy Lamberton]

I fully expect the Wrath of Kahn on the Purple Reign board after the first loss,
with some of our more passionate readers/writers treating the coaches to a
complete roasting for their imagined inability to lead.
 
I'll relate a story from my coaching. [Sorry Bob]
 
I managed to build an almost unstoppable defense last year. We could and did
hold teams out of the end zone, and given that we could score from almost
anywhere, we played the 2nd half of the season with a big target on our back.
 
During practice for our last game, one of our middle linebackers in a 4-4, the
kid with 2 interceptions the previous week, went down and we had to shuffle the
LBs/D-Backs. Needless to say, we lost.
 
One kid shouldn't make a difference, but he did. We were down to 12 players and
only 11 showed up for the last game - we couldn't even sub. Needless to say we
lost.
 
My question is, did my ability to coach a defense change in 4 days? or did the
lack of personnel effect the outcome.
 
Its one reason why I don't really like dumping on our coaches. 
 
They get who they get and try to mold them into a unit that can play as a unit.
Sometimes kids get hurt or don't pick up all the nuances of the defense, and
boom, a blowout. When you coach, you're always afraid that's the way it will
work out, but you hope it never does.
 
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 <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: DPENDERG at aol.com [mailto:DPENDERG at aol.com] 
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 1:24 PM
To: rstetson at capps-assoc.com; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] ESPN.com Article on Fitzgerald



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
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nwu-sports site list
> nwu-sports at tssi.com 
> http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
> 


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