[NU Sports] Fitz and Penn State

[Dennis W. Brandt]

Here in Pennsylvania, the big topic surrounding Penn State football 
naturally is JoePa's retirement.  There is a lot of speculation that this 
year may be his last or at best, since he'll have a lot of returning 
players, next year.  Sadly, I have a lot of personal experience watching the 
elderly slide into disfunction, and I see the symptons in Paterno.  He has 
slowed considerably in the last year.  The top two replacement candidates 
seem to be Temple coach and PSU alum Al Golden, and, sorry to say, our very 
own Pat Fitzgerald.  I had lunch with a local sports writer this week, and 
he confirmed that Fitz is number one on Penn State's wish list.  I responded 
with, "Nah!  He bleeds purple, and he's only 35," but the writer knew I was 
whistling in the dark.  Sorry to say that Fitz is an excellent fit for Penn 
State football in too damn many ways, and the brain trust in State College 
knows it.

Don't give us the fits, Fitz!  Stay!