[NU Sports] A Word of Caution

[John A. DeGroat]

In the past we have had a lot of coaches with  lot of experience who got 
us nothing if that much.  Age doesn't matter that much, it's how smart 
and perceptive you are that counts.  In other fields look at Steve Jobs 
at Apple, Michael Dell at Dell and Bill Gates at Microsoft. They were 
younger than Pat when they started their companies and saw things in 
their industries that none of the gray heads could envision.  Pat can be 
at NU what Paterno is at Penn State.  I'm not minimizing the difficult 
job that Pat will have this coming year.

John DeGroat

dpenderg at aol.com wrote:

> 
> I've been following the worshipful chorus of approval for Fitz as the new head coach and fully understand the compelling emotional and sentimental reasons.  He exudes a passion and a commitment which any longtime supporter of NU football welcomes. At the same time, I think Murphy/Bienen made a calculated leap of faith in going with someone lacking any significant coaching experience at the major D-I level.  Their choice was continuity and stability in the program rather than going outside for a newcomer. Fitz was the strongest inside candidate, although that may not be saying much.  
> 
>Bottom line is that Fitz still has not yet demonstrated the ability to organize and manage a major college program.  He's been a position coach.  Period.  Clearly, Murphy/Bienen and many others THINK he has that capability, but we really don't know.  Only the coming season (and the next) will tell us definitively.  I want him to succeed, but as with leadership change in any organization, failure and success are equally possible.  And, without a track record as head or even unit coach, we have little to trust except his undeniable enthusiasm and infectious personality.  I really hope that a few years from now (or earlier), people will not be grumbling that Fitz had been elevated too soon and should have had more grooming.  Just a thought.
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