bajakian sucks eggs...

[Ilvolino]

More nonsense. I literally said he kept Coaches too long and that was his downfall. I have said in other posts that his stubborn and glib answers were detrimental.

I also believe he is the single most important figure in Northwestern history. Only one guy is close and in that case Fitz was part of that miracle. I don’t shy away from an unpopular opinion even if Bob wants to hammer me. If you have been around 70 years and can’t see that, then there isn’t really a point of continuing the conversation.

All I am really saying is that Fitz was fired for the wrong reason. As my other posts have stated any head coach who won 2 big ten games in 2 years and 4 total games in 2 years should be fired for cause even if he was part of the NU miracle although I think we both agree that 1995 was the miracle season (of which Fitz was a major player contributor). And I really have been around for 70 years actually 77.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

All I am really saying is that Fitz was fired for the wrong reason. As my other posts have stated any head coach who won 2 big ten games in 2 years and 4 total games in 2 years should be fired for cause even if he was part of the NU miracle although I think we both agree that 1995 was the miracle season (of which Fitz was a major player contributor). And I really have been around for 70 years actually 77.

Then we agree. If Fitz had been fired for performance, I would have accepted that. Would have felt he had this season to prove himself. Similar to CCC last year. Congrats on 77, hope I can see that day too.

 

[EvanstonCat]

This is it in a nutshell. Look at the rest of CFB. Heck, look at the NFL. QB is the most important position in all of sports. We hit with Ramsey & Bryant; whiffed with Johnson and Hilinski. Have been unable to recruit/develop a high school QB since Thorson. A great QB hides a lot of warts; a poor QB exposes them. Ultimately it was all the misses that doomed McCall and Bajakian.

Ben Bryant is a decent QB. And we were still 104th in scoring offense this year. Even with Peyton Ramsey, we were 93rd. Those were our “hits.”

Sorry but Bajakian did suck eggs with QB hits and without.

 

[xxxbobxxx]

For many (if not most) people, the general sentiment was that Fitz had screwed up royally (perhaps in hindsight) with the JON hire. It is undeniable now that he took the proper steps to correct that mistake.

But the thing that enraged most of the "pro-Fitz" crowd was the knowledge that Fitz bled purple and had done a lot for the university and did not deserve to be treated as "off-the-charts" poorly as he was by Schill and Gragg. There were some, including you, who fanned the flames relentlessly. Most of those people have backpedaled, retreated or moved on. That does not eliminate the stench that lingers from Northwestern's breach of contract - the disgrace that Schill (nd others) brought upon the university.

Fitzgerald's performance as head coach had undoubtedly been marred by his last two seasons. Those of us who respected him and what he was trying to do were able to look past that, hoping he could turn it around. It seems pretty clear now that this would have happened.

I won’t disagree I was and am quite vocal. But not quite like coral. And every thread to date speaking highly of Braun requires some PPKr throwing praise for the PF hire. Of course, those in favor of PF like you, don’t notice or care. But when folks like me respond in kind, we’ll, that’s why I’m PPK enemy number one.

I, too, look forward to the day that PF is a rare reference like walker and the Saint. The BC / CcC wars raged a long time. And like BC, PF is never coming back. I’ll take that as my ultimate trump card.

And I think until the litigation ends, this banter will remain. If any of it goes to trial, the ultimate STFU may finally come out in evidence. Of course, some around here are almost flat earth level believers when it comes their hill to die on.

 

[xxxbobxxx]

Head coach ultimately gets the brunt of the blame and credit. But Fitz’s primary role in recruiting was in relationships as a “closer,” not in talent evaluation.

Is this a dance around the question?

 

[xxxbobxxx]

I like loyalty. Loyalty is a quality that separates classy people from losers. You make a commitment to someone, you honor it. You know who isn't loyal? Weasels.
Stubborn? Probably.
You know who is stubborn? People who think about things and decide on a path, then trust themselves to be right in the face of detractors, who are often weak and uninformed. Its okay to be stubborn. You just have to be right.

Fitz acted properly with JON. Bad hire. Bad year. Gave him a 2nd season. No better. Fired him.

I'm glad you think Ryan Day is a buffoon, but why would you cite a buffoon's decisions as something to respect? A buffoon is a buffoon. What do respectable people do in the same situation?

This is a game but if we apply your approach to character evaluation, wonder what happens in the hospital environment, the battlefield, the corporate war room. I’ll predict the answer - you don’t need your surgeon to be a nice guy. Which, I don’t need a football coach to be one either.

 

[xxxbobxxx]

Not Bob Groseth or Jimmy Tierney.

Couple of pretty good coaches.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Is this a dance around the question?

Not at all.