Good morning everyone. Have a Happy Halloween Weekend!

Haven’t decided yet, but it is becoming harder and harder to justify going to Ryan field to watch us get destroyed in our final 2 home games. A Saturday tailgate followed by an NU football game has been my favorite activity for many years, and I am sad to be even think about skipping these games. Not only will the games suck, but it is hard to find anyone (at least NU fans) who want to go with me. Maybe I’ll sell my tickets or leave my seats empty. Or maybe I’ll put myself through the pain of being completely surrounded by osu and ill fans over the final two games.

Iowa has put up their average game stats in the first half against us. Not going to watch anymore. Unless Fitz makes some drastic changes it is time to turn our backs on these folks---stop watching, stop supporting

That would have been the best possible outcome for NU

The Woman's soccer team advanced to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament today with a win over Rutgers. The men's soccer team qualified for the Big Ten tournament with an upset win over Michigan State today in East Lansing and both the woman's Field Hockey and Volleyball teams won today. Field Hockey and Woman's Soccer are nationally ranked and the Volleyball team is having an excellent year having beaten 3 ranked teams this season. The woman's Cross Country team recoded their best finish in the Big Ten's in over 30 years this weekend.

My wife and I, who live about an hour away from campus and are Football season ticket holders, enjoy watching these teams when we can. While it may not be practical for everybody, I recommend it for anybody who can make it. It is a lot of fun.

Game has been over for a bit. Been thinking about the program. I’ma fan at the end of the day - a very unhappy one.

I got to thinking about how many times we talk about the adult in the room. Recently in politics. Also recently in school boards. Often with young adults. It’s a norm of sorts.

I think objectively:

• The program has significant losing judging over past several years
• Coach has alienated mainstream media
• Coach is alienating fan base
• Serious questions about quality of various assistant coaches and coach is standing firmly behind
• Ticket sales (incl STH) declining more rapidly than recent times
• Purple attendance down measurably including students
• Other related revenue in decline
• Only publicity is negative and not a good reflection of the university
• Coach that appears obstinately insistent that all is ok

Meanwhile, other revenue sport struggling mightily (your welcome) and over a billion to be and has been spent on revenue sport upgrades. Usual academic protests among non athletic supporting tenured staff.

Really seems like a giant wave has been allowed to grow. At what point does the adult in the room stand up and say enough. Not Ryan - he and his billions will influence according to his whims. But within the school - the AD, the Pres, the Trustees. The people entrusted to protect the name and reputation of the institution.

NU experienced a dark age laughingstock period involving much smaller dollars. Serious money, potential and spent, are involved now. At what point does the university at some level step in and say no more.

I get that PF is the godsend poster child that rescued the program at a time of misery and took to another level. But it is getting severe…again. And not an isolated instance. A full recruiting cycle with the only positive year one with an asterisk. And not because this program cannot, has not, ever enjoyed success.

Many of you despise me because all you remember is my harping on Springer, Cushing, underperformance. I truly love NU - loved seeing our programs rise up out of the dead as I always thought we could. But it’s going back to that place I experienced as a student. The marshmellow days that my whole B1G alumni family (UoI, IU, MI, Pur) found to be embarrassing for me are here again (dark ages did not begin with winless seasons).

And the smug key wiggling - that’s alright, that’s ok, you will work for us someday - so not what I want to represent me as a person. Like PF and his smug, condescending pressers….

Too long, probably won’t read, I’m just the pariah - but when will the adult in the NU room stand up and say enough. We are, and should be, so much better than all this. The tools are there and the smart folks can utilize them to make this, these, programs renown - like many of our academic programs. Is it really too much to ask?

Recruiting was strong this cycle (limit decommits, please!), and running back is the only acceptable position on the roster.

McPherson and McGarigle were our imagined successors. Long has been here forever, including when the defense was good. At the same time, none of them can be held blameless for their units, which are uniformly bad.

Who knows with Smith.

Bajakian’s QBs are bad and his record was built on one season of Jameis Winston in Tampa. His offenses have been a) fine, and b) run-oriented, which was enough for Fitz.

Gentk’s tight ends are fine — maybe the most improved unit, a totally meaningless designation — while he’s got a terrible kicking game and a non-existent return game (though that’s probably Fitz’s fault — returning is risky!).

With Anderson, you are what your record says you are — and his OL is weak despite the ability to leave his LT on an island every game.

Springer is celebrating a decade of incompetence.

Also, Dan and Susan Jones aren’t getting their money’s worth.

This sure is bad.

Impressive win over a solid California program.

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The non-revenue sports keep rolling.

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My friends and I had the opportunity to sit with many of the player’s family members, and see them out and about in Iowa City. They are lovely people who clearly are having rough time of it these days, as we all are. Despite the product on the field, (that is out of their control) they remain steadfast and vocal in their support of our team (their sons). They represent Northwestern with dignity and class.

The paid board ran one of these - but with very limited options. I am opening it up a bit more:

3-1, no problem.

Great win 2-1 over Scarlet Knights!

Wrassler lettered as a true frosh on a top 20 nationally ranked wrestling team!
I’ve never been more proud of Northwestern! We do it the right way! Disregard all this banter about firing coaches! We are an elite school 🏫 with elite professionals on staff!
I’m proud of all the players and coaches! One can learn about the true character of people when one is suffering! Go Cats!

Simple. Fitz changes coordinators or he's fired.

It's probably both right now - the talent isn't good enough because of recruiting, and the coordinators - especially on defense - aren't good enough. If you want to give Bajakian an extra year because he was competent the one year we had a competent QB, but ... was he really?

Can't blame facilities like you could in the Dark Ages. We have some of the nicest facilities in P5. We've had some history of being competitive.

Amazing that it was literally all Coach Hank, or so it seems. Truly the greatest defensive coordinator in NCAA history for what he did.

This isn't really our worst season ever. Obviously there were years we weren't competitive against ANYONE.

But I would argue it's our most EMBARRASSING season ever, given the $$$$$$$$ we have pumped into the program, given our recent success, given all of that. To be the worst P5 team in the country and probably one of the bottom 5 FBS programs with a coach in his 17th season -- that's a bleeping embarrassment. I've never watched so little of the program. Just get a score, get annoyed, move on.

But at least we would never see our players assaulting a guy from the other team in the tunnel. Geez that was a BAD look by MSU.

If fitz hasn’t had conversations with Hankwitz to get his opinion

if fitz hasn’t called Vanderlinden and asked his opinion

if Fitz hasn’t asked Barnett for his thoughts.

fitz has a very small mentor pool but if he has not asked and received feedback then 100% he needs to retire.

Do not post that JON shoould be fired. It is not polite, and will not be tolerated.

You've earned this giant plate.

Fire them all….

Let's say for whatever reason Fitz isn't the HC for NU next year... Would you honestly be upset if this was Fitz's last year coaching NU? Not asking if you would fire him btw wondering how other fans would feel if it happens.