[NU Sports] a different perspective on Fitzgerald and the coaching job

[John Labbe]

The only thing I'd say about "Mr. Wisconsin's" comments are that I don't think they're really all that "different" at all from what many of us are currently thinking, except that we see it from a different prespective.  I think Mr. Wisconsin raises valid concerns we all have.  Indeed, if we had it our way, Walker wouldn't have passed away last week and would have coached another 15 years before Fitzgerald took over.

But that's not what happened, and in light of the circumstances, I think Fitzgerald is a great choice.  The problem with Mr. Wisconsin's concerns is that he assumes there's only one model for a great head coach.  But there are many different ways to be a head coach.  As long as there's someone on the coaching staff who can do everything, the head coach doesn't have to be the most experienced person.  I'm sure Jerry Brown, for example, can assist with many of the tasks where more experience is necessary.

Also, as numerous posters have mentioned, I wouldn't sell Fitzgerald short.  He may be young, but he can handle himself and knows what he's doing.

 
On Friday, July 07, 2006, at 01:36PM, Brad Wilson <bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com> wrote:

>This is an e-mail from an old, old friend of mine who
>is a dedicated Wisconsin alum and fan and an intense
>Big Ten and CFB fan. He has, let me assure you, NO
>love lost for Northwestern at all. He also is pretty
>sharp on sports analysis in general.
>
>The subject is, mostly, Fitzgerald:
>
>BW: I suppose you are referring to Fitzgerald's
>lack of experience and youth?
>
>Mr. Wisconsin: That's just the starting point.   In
>that regard I think our guy (Bielema) is going to be
>out of his depth at first.    And yet he worked his
>way up through Iowa as a coach, was a DC at (yuk) K St
>and a DC at UW.   Lots of Bowl games, a hand-picked
>staff with veterans and a few hold overs and he has an
>AD that certainly knows the ropes of college football.
>  All of that said, Bielema is still going to have his
>organizational skills taxed.   
>
>Fitzgerald, working in the same conference, will have
>none of that.   Instead he will be jumped from being a
>squad coach, over several other coaches (including his
>current DC) to be HC.    He will have to separate
>himself from players whom he recruited as an assistant
>and position coach.   He has never led a practice as a
>DC, much less HC.     
>
>Instead of an impressive coaching staff (on paper at
>least) Fitzgerald will have to deal with a duncy
>secondary coach, a new LB coach, Colby--whose squads
>were never great and who might be a little resentful,
>a newish OC .     Additionally he will have to fill
>the special teams coaching slot -- this for a squad
>that was frankly woeful of late.   
> 
>Now consider the dozens of little things ---
>organizing the side lines, dealing with the zebras and
>the B10 office, organizing the traveling squad.  
>Uggg.   At the very least Alvarez can pick up a cell
>phone and help Bielema out ("the bus should have left
>already, dummy").    for all of his  good intentions,
>Murphy has never been (iirc) a college coach.   
> 
>And, right now, NU players probably need Fitzgerald in
>his current place --- something closer to a confidant
>rather than an ass kicking HC --- and for all of the
>current encomiums and pleasantries, successful B10 HCs
>have more than a little ass-kicker in them.  
> 
>Sometimes gravitas comes with age.   Nothing against
>Fitzgerald, but his current sideline demeanor is more
>of a fiery kind.    Nothing wrong with that at age 30
>and an LB unit coach --- lots wrong with that for an
>HC.    I doubt there is a toggle switch for the
>situation.
> 
>NU should be thinking about the future, Fitzgerald's
>included.   If they really want him as a future HC,
>one that, in theory is around for a while, tossing him
>in now would be a terrible move.   His first year out
>would be very rough sledding.  With an 'interim' HC
>the recruiting class is going to be difficult --- and
>making him the permanent HC right now saddles him with
>a staff that is less than desirable.    If NU fans
>really want Fitzgerald to be HC one day, they should
>wait.
> 
>The timing couldn't be worse.  It is about 4 weeks til
>freshmen report?    Finding anyone to step in is
>difficult, impossible if the 'interim' tag isn't
>removed.    Brown was already shunted aside while
>still left with about as high a paying job as he will
>find.    Don't worry about hurting his feelings,
>promote Colby or (the offensive coordinator) and bite
>the bullet for this season.    Pray for the best.    
>
>In the best of all possible worlds you find an older
>coach out their with some NU ties that is running out
>the string at his current job and won't piss off too
>many people   with an abrupt July departure.   How old
>is VanDerLinden?     Let someone like him be a
>caretaker for a few months, then hit the ground
>running in the fourth week of November with a real
>plan.
> 
>Otherwise back to Colby.  
> 
> If you get whats-his-name from Cal that does make
>sense.   Worth the flier, let him know that he can
>change his staff at the end of this season.  If, big
>if, he wants to jump now I think it means Murphy is
>going to have to move in a way that all reports
>suggest he is unwilling to do.     i.e. make the
>change close to Walker's funeral; don't tag him as
>'interim'; don't worry about hurt feelings; don't
>worry about pissing off Cal."
>
>BW here again. I offer this as a different view. I do
>agree with much of it, some not, but I do think, all
>things considered, I would make every effort to get
>Mike Dunbar. 
>
>Brad Wilson
>
> 
>    
>
>
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