New Top Cat at Northwestern

After the sudden death of Randy Walker, the University of Northwestern hired one of their own last Friday…Former All-American linebacker Pat Fitzgerald. I know, I know, this happened over 96 hours ago, so nice of me to catch up with times, right? What can I say, I live in a cave with no DirecTV & slow Internet dial-up….Welcome to my world, yes cavemen really do still exist. Although not bad when you consider Fitzgerald only played for his Purple & Black just back in 1995. So I guess that would make him in his early 30’s if my math skills still work properly?

Actually Coach Fitzgerald is 31 to be exact. “Wow, 31 and a head coach, isn’t he too young to be one of those?” I get a kick out of this all the time…Like none of us were too young when we first snuck in to see a rated “R” movie at the theater, or how everybody waits until they’re 21 (the legal age I might add) to get their first taste of alcohol. So what’s the big deal? What, is there some unknown formula that Athletic Directors use in the interviewing process which involves plugging in the candidates ages to see whether or not they’re fit for the job? Why wouldn’t it…Everything else in college football has some ridiculous, scientific way of figuring out shit! You know, actually the whole resume idea is way overrated anyway…Why it has all of your past failures on it. Besides the formula method speeds up the process. So what if Pat Fitzgerald is only 31-years old…What’s your concern? Funny, I didn’t know we all turned into Mark Murphy, Northwestern AD. For he’s the only one that has to sleep in the bed that he has decided to make…Not us. But then again, don’t we know Pat better than Mark does…Guess Mark’s formula wasn’t working last Friday, I mean he’s only 31.

Apparently Murphy is already aware of this situation, “He's 31. That's just a number," Murphy said.” Good to know NU has such a smart AD. So Pat is 31 and Bobby Bowden & JoePa are over 75. Lets see here, who would I rather play for? An old geezer who doesn’t have a clue about what the F&% $## is going on or somebody that’s new and fresh and brings a lot of youthfulness energy to the field. Give Pat 50 years, he’ll be in the same breath…For he’ll be 80 too. "He only played here 10 years ago, so he knows what it's like," senior linebacker Nick Roach said. Thanks Mr. Roach for stating the obvious…I don’t think we had to attend the fine academic of Northwestern to figure this one out? So should Coach Fitzgerald be labeled as a player’s coach? Who the hell knows what that mean anyway…Nobody does, just like having your game face on…What’s with that? All I know is Bobby Bowden’s & JoePa’s gamefaces really don’t strike the fear of God into me…I can tell you they’re not going to make me want to run through a wall any time soon.

What to expect from Northwestern this season, well who knows? However, we do know this…

Athletic director Mark Murphy said that when he was negotiating with Walker for a contract extension earlier this year, Walker told him Fitzgerald would be his choice as successor. Northwestern was 37-46 under Walker, were 7-5 last season after a 50-38 loss to UCLA in the Sun Bowl. The Wildcats shared the Big Ten title in 2000 and went to the Alamo Bowl. Northwestern also went to the 2003 Motor City Bowl. Fitzgerald, who won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation's top defensive player in 1995 and 1996, will now attempt to repair the fractured wounds left by Walker’s passing: "While this has been my goal from the moment I began coaching, this is also bittersweet. We've all had a difficult week with the loss of Coach Walker, my friend and mentor," Fitzgerald said. "But I'm determined to continue Coach Walker's legacy and build upon his successes. Northwestern will continue to have a football program built upon great work ethic, attitude and investment."

Judging and labeling a coach strictly by their age is absurd… That’s almost like judging the female gender on their look, and we know we all don’t do that. Well at least those of us whose house isn’t surrounding by cute, white picket fences. However this story ends, it can’t be any worse than being forced to believe how great the BCS is for College Football. Can’t wait to get forced fed those formulas for the next five months…Maybe Murphy can help this situation too? On second thought, it’s to the point of beyond helping!

Source

• LastRowSports.com

Date

Tue 07/11/06, 8:19 pm EST