[NU Sports] Fitz and Penn State

[Beamsley, Jeff]

Dennis,

I don't think that Penn State is going to go outside to replace Joe.

If they did, they would likely lose a significant number of the
long-time assistants who are really running the program these days.

You can certainly appreciate the ego around going out and bringing in
someone like Fitz, but it's going to be Tom Bradley who is a PSU grad
and has been on Joe's staff for 30+ years.  With someone like Bradley
the program will not miss a beat.  Bradley has also already demonstrated
his loyalty to PSU by turning down plenty of HC offers over the years.
PSU does not want to become one of those schools that shakes up the
football program every four years.  They love the tradition that Joe Pa
(who was also an inside hire) brings.  Tom Bradley is the best choice to
continue that tradition.

The only scenario that I could see that would cause them to go outside
is if the program appeared to be in serious decline.  That would call
into question not only Joe but also the staff.  That doesn't appear to
be the case.  They are a young team that has gotten better as the season
progressed.  They rediscovered their running game. Freshman Silas Redd
looks even better than Evan Royster.  They are bowl eligible with a
winnable game against Indiana this weekend and a big game against MSU to
finish out the season.  They will likely be 7-5 with a shot at 8-4.  Not
bad for a team that started a freshman QB this year.

The smart money is on Bradley and the rest of the talk about Fitz and
others is just window dressing to satisfy the masses and massage the PSU
ego.

Jeff


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From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com]
On Behalf Of Dennis W. Brandt
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2010 8:23 AM
To: Northwestern Wildcats
Subject: [NU Sports] Fitz and Penn State

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! 

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