USA Today's Fitzgerald Haigiography

[EagerFan]

Pat Fitzgerald was vilified, then vindicated. His truth comes out at last | Opinion

Pat Fitzgerald opens up to USA TODAY Sports about his firing at Northwestern, hazing allegations and building a future with Michigan State football.

www.usatoday.com

I think this was written by either his biographer or his defense counsel and it's hilariously over the top in adoration and righteous fury...

 

[GECat2]

That’s it! Fitz is now officially off my Christmas card list!!

 

[CatManTrue]

What a ridiculous article. “Had control of the Big Ten”? He never won it

 

[Curdog7]

Just a reminder that this heinous hazing “scandal” has punished one person. No other coaches or players have been disciplined. Carry on.

 

[NU'06er]

I just find the Fitz story really sad.

An absolute program legend who will always be that despite how it ended, but whose legacy here will now also always have that ending attached to it -- and who still doesn't seem to understand that.

He seems hellbent on proving he was right all along, instead of proving what he learned or re-inventing/improving himself. I don't want to dislike a guy that did so much for Northwestern, but his "came out cleaner" Shawshank cosplay is not exactly an inspiring second act.

(And Curdog, you and I have discussed this endlessly on other fora, but 100% wish others had been disciplined too. I'm not in the Schill made too much of this camp, I'm in the Schill made too little of it/tried unsuccessfully to sweep it under the rug with the initial suspension camp.)

 

[UpsetAlert]

Pat Fitzgerald was vilified, then vindicated. His truth comes out at last | Opinion

Pat Fitzgerald opens up to USA TODAY Sports about his firing at Northwestern, hazing allegations and building a future with Michigan State football.

www.usatoday.com

I think this was written by either his biographer or his defense counsel and it's hilariously over the top in adoration and righteous fury...

The truth will set you free!

 

[UpsetAlert]

I just find the Fitz story really sad.

An absolute program legend who will always be that despite how it ended, but whose legacy here will now also always have that ending attached to it -- and who still doesn't seem to understand that.

He seems hellbent on proving he was right all along, instead of proving what he learned or re-inventing/improving himself. I don't want to dislike a guy that did so much for Northwestern, but his "came out cleaner" Shawshank cosplay is not exactly an inspiring second act.

(And Curdog, you and I have discussed this endlessly on other fora, but 100% wish others had been disciplined too. I'm not in the Schill made too much of this camp, I'm in the Schill made too little of it/tried unsuccessfully to sweep it under the rug with the initial suspension camp.)

I’m sure you’d feel much differently if you were wrongly accused and fired by your job.

 

[Anon1756236851]

NU could have fired him for his record the last few years, but is not how WOKE works. I thought his days might be numbered when Phillips and Morty left. Schill and the highly unqualified Gragg had to try and destroy him and his reputation. That is the WOKE way.

 

[UpsetAlert]

NU could have fired him for his record the last few years, but is not how WOKE works. I thought his days might be numbered when Phillips and Morty left. Schill and the highly unqualified Gragg had to try and destroy him and his reputation. That is the WOKE way.

Huh?

 

[NU'06er]

I’m sure you’d feel much differently if you were wrongly accused and fired by your job.

I'm sure I would feel differently if I was fired for cause and then "litigation brought to light highly inappropriate conduct in the football program and the harm it caused" but I was able to spin that as wrongful accusation because Schill was too dumb to cross t's and dot i's in order to get rid of me properly.

Fortunately, I'd have millions of dollars in walking away money, so I'm sure the fans of my old school wouldn't feel too sorry for me.

I don't see a need to re-litigate beyond that, but as I've said elsewhere, "I don't think Fitz knew the extent" is the most neutral summary I've seen of what happened, insofar as some people seem to think that is an exoneration, and I'll just respectfully disagree.

 

[NU'06er]

NU could have fired him for his record the last few years, but is not how WOKE works. I thought his days might be numbered when Phillips and Morty left. Schill and the highly unqualified Gragg had to try and destroy him and his reputation. That is the WOKE way.

Huh?

He's agreeing with you. He saying Fitz was canceled by a woke mob instead of fired on the merits.

(This translation brought to you by: NU'06 eyerolling hard.)

 

[Baz = Heisman]

Fitz absolutely ******* sucks. Dude would have been fired anywhere for his miserable performance the last 2 years. He’s lucky he got another job or would have been waiting around to die. Can’t wait to see him fail at MSU.

 

[CatManTrue]

The truth will set you free!

This article is perhaps the worst piece of slobbery sports journalism I’ve ever seen. It’s absolutely getting murdered on Reddit.

He deserved to get fired for multiple reasons, and I doubt he will turn MSU around given how bad their QB situation is. So he’ll be fired again in 3 years.

 

[NU'06er]

It’s absolutely getting murdered on Reddit.

I do enjoy all the strays Michigan State is catching on that thread:
“if Red got to Zihuatanejo and it was like East Lansing, he’d go the way of Brooks”
lolol

 

[CatManTrue]

I do enjoy all the strays Michigan State is catching on that thread:
“if Red got to Zihuatanejo and it was like East Lansing, he’d go the way of Brooks”
lolol

There were several posts about how USA Today’s reporter omitted the parts where Magnum condoms kept falling out of Fitz’s pocket because of his “oversized massive dong”.

Honestly I was cheering for Fitz for a bit, but these interviews keep showing he has learned nothing and thus will likely keep repeating the same mistakes.

 

[HKKJB]

First, you had me at Haigiography. Not one acknowledgement - by Fitz or the author - that some unacceptable s*** was happening under his watch, as he actively packaged running a clean program. Whether he knew what was happening or not, an accountable leader would and should have said "the buck stops with me". He didn't. Fitz did some great things for the program, but like a lot of talented young people who get promoted too fast, he suffered blindspots and his ego eventually got the best of him. Seems that hasn't changed based on some of the quotes in this article. Some real diva vibes.

MSU will show us whether Fitz is a good football coach, or if our success all those years was actually Hank's doing. Either way, I take our head coach and staff over MSU's, every day of the week.

 

[Curdog7]

I'm sure I would feel differently if I was fired for cause and then "litigation brought to light highly inappropriate conduct in the football program and the harm it caused" but I was able to spin that as wrongful accusation because Schill was too dumb to cross t's and dot i's in order to get rid of me properly.

Fortunately, I'd have millions of dollars in walking away money, so I'm sure the fans of my old school wouldn't feel too sorry for me.

I don't see a need to re-litigate beyond that, but as I've said elsewhere, "I don't think Fitz knew the extent" is the most neutral summary I've seen of what happened, insofar as some people seem to think that is an exoneration, and I'll just respectfully disagree.

The fact that Schill supposedly read the report and then initially gave him a 2 week suspension is extremely telling to me. This was a nothing burger that became something after the daily talked to the whistleblower (who appears to be insane BTW).

This reminds me of the time when NU players wanted to form a union and there was an investigation into the program. All they found was that coaches discouraged players from taking hard classes during the season.

People can believe what
They want to believe about Fitz because the report will never be released. I’ll take the side of the guy whose track record has been excellent for nearly 2 decades over some crackpot.

 

[CatManTrue]

The fact that Schill supposedly read the report and then initially gave him a 2 week suspension is extremely telling to me. This was a nothing burger that became something after the daily talked to the whistleblower (who appears to be insane BTW).

This reminds me of the time when NU players wanted to form a union and there was an investigation into the program. All they found was that coaches discouraged players from taking hard classes during the season.

People can believe what
They want to believe about Fitz because the report will never be released. I’ll take the side of the guy whose track record has been excellent for nearly 2 decades over some crackpot.

Schill admitted he didn’t read the report before the 2 week suspension.

Once he read the report, and re-read it, he decided to fire Fitz knowing the lawsuits that would follow.

It was ugly and there was lots of evidence.

Fitz keeps bringing it up which makes me dislike him more.

 

[Curdog7]

Schill admitted he didn’t read the report before the 2 week suspension.

Once he read the report, and re-read it, he decided to fire Fitz knowing the lawsuits that would follow.

It was ugly and there was lots of evidence.

Fitz keeps bringing it up which makes me dislike him more.

Oh, so you read the report? Again how was
This a fireable offense for the HC but no one else gets so much as a slap on the wrist?

 

[CatManTrue]

Oh, so you read the report? Again how was
This a fireable offense for the HC but no one else gets so much as a slap on the wrist?

I didn’t read the report but Schill admitted that he didn’t before the 2 week suspension.

That being said if you’ve paid attention I know more about the situation than whatever is in that BS report.

The more Fitz keeps talking as if he was the wronged, the more it lingers, and perhaps I can say and do more.

Emailing my lawyers.

 

[Anon1756236851]

Schill admitted he didn’t read the report before the 2 week suspension.

Once he read the report, and re-read it, he decided to fire Fitz knowing the lawsuits that would follow.

It was ugly and there was lots of evidence.

Fitz keeps bringing it up which makes me dislike him more.

Schill said he did not read the report before he gave the 2 week suspension? You believe that? If that is true, that proves how bad Schill was and had a predetermined agenda.

 

[CatManTrue]

Schill said he did not read the report before he gave the 2 week suspension? You believe that? If that is true, that proves how bad Schill was and had a predetermined agenda.

Yes I do believe it. He was awful at his job.

 

[Curdog7]

Yes I do believe it. He was awful at his job.

I don’t believe you know anything. So there’s that.

 

[CatManTrue]

I don’t believe you know anything. So there’s that.

I know far more than I can currently post but will check with the lawyers on what I can talk about and what I can’t.

They liked my documentary idea if I felt like making one, but that was a while ago.

 

[No Chores]

I know far more than I can currently post but will check with the lawyers on what I can talk about and what I can’t.

They liked my documentary idea if I felt like making one, but that was a while ago.

Why on earth would you have to check with your lawyers? You told us a long time ago that you weren't pursuing any claims yourself. Have you actually settled a claim and signed an NDA? If not, you could say whatever the hell you want.

 

[Curdog7]

Why on earth would you have to check with your lawyers? You told us a long time ago that you weren't pursuing any claims yourself. Have you actually settled a claim and signed an NDA? If not, you could say whatever the hell you want.

Just another keyboard warrior.

 

[CatManTrue]

Why on earth would you have to check with your lawyers? You told us a long time ago that you weren't pursuing any claims yourself. Have you actually settled a claim and signed an NDA? If not, you could say whatever the hell you want.

Things change - I volunteered a lot of info and evidence and eventually one joins arms.

I think the NDA only covers certain things. When I brought up my documentary idea the lawyers were very open to it.

I think it would be interesting to pursue why this type of hazing happens - particularly at elite private schools.

The more Fitz keeps yammering like he was the victim and showing he didn’t learn a damn thing… the more I think about it again.

 

[No Chores]

Things change - I volunteered a lot of info and evidence and eventually one joins arms.

I think the NDA only covers certain things. When I brought up my documentary idea the lawyers were very open to it.

I think it would be interesting to pursue why this type of hazing happens - particularly at elite private schools.

The more Fitz keeps yammering like he was the victim and showing he didn’t learn a damn thing… the more I think about it again.

So You actually pursued a claim and received money despite your claims to the contrary. What a jerk.

 

[CatManTrue]

So You actually pursued a claim and received money despite your claims to the contrary. What a jerk.

This coming from a career ambulance chaser is laughable.

Or did you forget what you did for decades? That would just be sad.

 

[No Chores]

This coming from a career ambulance chaser is laughable.

Or did you forget what you did for decades? That would just be sad.

I spent the vast majority of my career defending civil cases and had the highest possible ethics ratings. You, on the other hand. told us repeatedly on this Board that you chose not to pursue any claims against NU or Fitz, which turned out to be untrue. So, in the final analysis you got paid for your one failed year as a bench warmer offensive line walk-on. That's what is sad. I hope you've recovered, though, from the terrible hazing you must have endured.

 

[CatManTrue]

I spent the vast majority of my career defending civil cases and had the highest possible ethics ratings. You, on the other hand. told us repeatedly on this Board that you chose not to pursue any claims against NU or Fitz, which turned out to be untrue. So, in the final analysis you got paid for your one failed year as a bench warmer offensive line walk-on. That's what is sad. I hope you've recovered, though, from the terrible hazing you must have endured.

In the final analysis, you are a bitter old man who never truly succeeded and will likely be gone due to old age soon.

Minds change, and when you see that dozens of younger minds need your leadership behind the scenes - especially on legal calls - then Leaders step up. Which is what I did.

Meanwhile, what I am planning may have a positive impact and live in perpetuity.

Keep on hurling insults on a message board. What I have been planning and storyboarding will be much more fun IRL, as the kids say.

Maybe you’ll live long enough to see what I’m working on. Then you’ll really be pissed off!

 

[No Chores]

In the final analysis, you are a bitter old man who never truly succeeded and will likely be gone due to old age soon.

Minds change, and when you see that dozens of younger minds need your leadership behind the scenes - especially on legal calls - then Leaders step up. Which is what I did.

Meanwhile, what I am planning may have a positive impact and live in perpetuity.

Keep on hurling insults on a message board. What I have been planning and storyboarding will be much more fun IRL, as the kids say.

Maybe you’ll live long enough to see what I’m working on. Then you’ll really be pissed off!

I succeeded beyond your wildest imagination. I'm not hurling insults because everything I said is true. My life has been wonderful, and I'm sure you'll outlive me, but I have no interest in what you're working on now. I hope you use your lawsuit money wisely to benefit your family, and maybe someday you'll come to your senses. Get some counselling Jeff, you have a serious emotional disorder. In the meantime I'm planning to attend my 61st NU reunion in October, which will be my only visit to the new Ryan Field this year.

 

[CatManTrue]

I succeeded beyond your wildest imagination. I'm not hurling insults because everything I said is true. My life has been wonderful, and I'm sure you'll outlive me, but I have no interest in what you're working on now. I hope you use your lawsuit money wisely to benefit your family, and maybe someday you'll come to your senses. Get some counselling Jeff, you have a serious emotional disorder. In the meantime I'm planning to attend my 61st NU reunion in October, which will be my only visit to the new Ryan Field this year.

I already made a ton of money before the past couple of years in my career and I’m half your age.

Stock options in biotech are a wonderful thing when you know what you’re doing.

I’ll also be back, perhaps at Homecoming. Maybe you or corbi will actually work up the courage to say something my face. If you’re nice maybe I’ll introduce you to some of your favorite Wildcat players.

 

[No Chores]

I already made a ton of money before the past couple of years in my career and I’m half your age.

Stock options in biotech are a wonderful thing when you know what you’re doing.

I’ll also be back, perhaps at Homecoming. Maybe you or corbi will actually work up the courage to say something my face. If you’re nice maybe I’ll introduce you to some of your favorite Wildcat players.

It does not require courage to say something to your face. If you're nice, maybe I'll invite you to our tailgate, but you'll have to behave like a normal person. You don't have to introduce me to some of my favorite players because I've already met a whole bunch of them.

 

[CatManTrue]

It does not require courage to say something to your face. If you're nice, maybe I'll invite you to our tailgate, but you'll have to behave like a normal person. You don't have to introduce me to some of my favorite players because I've already met a whole bunch of them.

In most interactions, I am a nice, normal person. I’m glad you have thick skin too.

Unless someone insults my kids, the barbs bounce off my skin. I have survived and accomplished too much to give a **** what strangers on a message board say.

Maybe we should talk on the phone sometime. I think it would shed some new light for you that I can’t disclose on here, and I really hate to keep exchanging mean remarks with a fellow diehard fan.

There are too few NU fans as it is.

As an olive branch, maybe I’ll bring some beers that blow Yuengling away. And that is my go to “regular beer” when I’m not sipping on red wine, Guinness, or something better.

Or I can bring a 12 pack of bottled Yuengling as a peace offering. I won’t insult you or your tailgate with the cans.