[NU Sports] A Word of Caution (fwd)

[NEONRye at aol.com]

Mike's post is right-on, as usual.  One thought I had:  I  remember well when 
the NY (football) Giants hired Bill Arnsparger, Don Shula's  brilliant 
Defensive Coordinator and right-hand man.  He had an absolutely  perfect pedigree, 
yet failed miserably as a Head Coach.  Same for Dave  Wannstedt and Norv 
Turner, Jimmy Johnson's DC and OC, respectively.  I  realize I am talking about pro 
coaches, but the principle remains the  same:  Good assistants don't always 
make good Head Coaches.  
 
I think Fitz will be a good, and possibly a great, HC.  He is  unquestionably 
a leader and a passionate advocate for NU, and came off as  well-organized at 
the Press Conference  His experience as Recruiting  Coordinator and as a 
Special Teams Coach will be invaluable.  If he  surrounds himself with strong 
Coordinators on both sides of the ball, as well as  good position coaches, I have 
little doubt he can, and will, succeed.  I  like the fact that, as he said 
himself, he has been training to be a Head Coach  (not just a Coach), since his 
playing days.  Also, the reservoir of "good  will" he has to draw on amongst 
alumni and fans of the NU program (as well as  outsiders such as Bill Curry, 
whose article was wonderful indeed) will be  deeper than any other potential 
candidate to succeed Coach Walker.  We want  Fitz to succeed, not only because we 
want the 'Cats to do well, but also because  we want Fitz to do well, since he 
was, is and always will be one of us, and a  Wildcat hero forever.  
 
Here's to a long and successful stint as Head Coach.
 
Paul Levinson