[NU Sports] Fitz tells Michigan he's not interested!

[neonrye at aol.com]

It is interesting to contrast Roy's view of Fitz--which I happen to share--with the saga of Rich Rod.  He, too, was coaching at his alma mater, where he had played.  He was secure and probably beloved and iconic in West Virginia, albeit more experienced and well-traveled than our young Fitz.  He also had a team that clearly was competitive for the national title and was successful in recruiting.  Yet he could not resist the siren call of the Big House, the big stage and the big money.  And now, having been exposed as a quasi-sleaze (both for the circumstances of his departure and his cavalier attitude towards NCAA Rules and the prior regime at UM) and not a "genius", he probably regrets his move "up" to Ann Arbor.

What I like most about the overture to Fitz is the clear emphasis on his attractiveness due in no small measure to his integrity.  What I fear most about it is that maybe there is one school (Penn State? Illinois?) That could possibly tempt our Joe Pa to consider leaving his "home" for a different challenge.  I think the odds are heavily against it, but I never say never.

Paul Levinson
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: "Roy S. Lamberton" <rstetson at capps-assoc.com>
Sender: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2011 08:34:31 
To: 'Jonathan Hodges'<jonathanwhodges at gmail.com>; 'Mike Nolan'<nolan at romaine.tssi.com>
Cc: <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Subject: RE: [NU Sports] Fitz tells Michigan he's not interested!

When I was in high school, we had a gentleman who very successfully coached the football
team.

His name was Joe Cody, Newsday's "cautious crier," so named because every pre-season he
would point out all the reasons why the Frogs wouldn't win their division again. 

Anyway, just about every year Joe Cody was approached by colleges asking if he would
consider taking his winning ways to the college ranks.
 
When asked about moving "up" he used to answer - "Alumni don't fire high school coaches."

Pat Fitzgerald is in that wonderful position of a coach who maybe doesn't have to win a
title every year to successfully keep his job. To be sure, there are alums who are even
now griping about his coaching style, but remember that while NU has allowed a many head
coach contracts to expire, they've rarely fired a head coach for losing seasons.

This year we've heard rumbles about Fitz and N**** D***, State Penn and now Michigan.

Maybe Fitz is on a lot of short lists, but I personally think that he shares something
with the late Randy Walker. 

He wants to stay around Evanston and coach the Wildcats, and in retirement he just wants a
couple of seats in Ryan near the 50, and as an alum, he'd probably pay for them himself. 

rsl
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roy S. Lamberton - Senior Associate & Unix Guru.
Computer Applications & Support Associates
-------------------- Also ----------------------
"Commissioner" Delaware American Legion Baseball
Director Media Relations - Little League 
  Senior League Softball World Series
CTRCS USN/USNR Retired
Northwestern University - Speech 1974 - 
Chi Phi: Pi 1974, KD 1968
Publisher Emeritus: Purple Reign (Fox Sports)
==========  Go Cats -  Beat 'em All  ===========
"...Then I get on my knees and pray,
WE DON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN!" -- Pete Townsend
================================================


-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of
Jonathan Hodges
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 1:01 AM
To: Mike Nolan
Cc: nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Fitz tells Michigan he's not interested!

Unlike rumors in previous years (i.e. last year with ND) I believe Michigan
seriously wanted to interview Fitz and this report came from multiple media
sources (Joe Schad, Teddy Greenstein).  He fit a lot of what they were
looking for (his personality, his defensive-mindedness, and following the
rules both on and off the field).  While it wasn't a job offer it would
definitely have put him on the short list.

Fortunately for us, he has things pretty much set here in Evanston as Teddy
explains here:

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2011/01/greenstein-nus-fitzgerald-not-headed-to-michi
gan.html

I believe Fitz when he talks about his connection with NU, and although
he'll likely keep his options open down the road I think he'll stay around
here as long as he can because he does have it pretty good here and gets a
lot of extra things like his family and extended family.

Jonathan

On Thu, Jan 6, 2011 at 11:20 PM, Mike Nolan <nolan at romaine.tssi.com> wrote:

> > Don't know whether Michigan actually offered Fitz their head coaching
> job, but they at least talked with him about it. Who do they think they are?
> - Notre Dame may have gotten Ara back in '64, but Fitz bleeds purple.
>
> Sounds like:
>
> A.  Someone's pipe dream
> B.  Informed sources who aren't
> C.  Michigan is really desperate
>
> Of course those are not mutually exclusive.
> --
> Mike Nolan
>
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