[NU Sports] ESPN.com Article on Fitzgerald

Thu Aug 3 14:30:11 CDT 2006

I think of the 2001 season for the 'Cats where they started off the
year ranked and went to a 4-1 record and were looking pretty good
before the 0-6 finale to the season.  They had both Kustok and
Anderson back and while there were some questions on defense the
offense looked to be even more unstoppable than the 2000 BT
co-championship season.  Unfortunately what happened was 14
season-ending injuries to starters/major contributors (including
Anderson) and a defense that completely collapsed (possibly due to the
fact that they had no resting time since NU still ran the no-huddle
spread, which was changed the following season).  Also 2001 included
such events as the unfortunate passing of Rashidi Wheeler and 9/11,
possibly all contributing to the decline of NU that season.  I think
the moral of the story is that one or two bad things can lead to more
and eventually bring down the season no matter how good it's supposed
to be.

Jonathan

On 8/3/06, Roy Lamberton <rstetson at capps-assoc.com> wrote:
> 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
> >
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> >
>
>
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-- 
Jonathan W. Hodges
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