Fitz statement

[ricko654321]

The OL, the wideouts' inability to separate and/or catch the damned ball, QB decision-making and accuracy (at times, but inasmuch as some are still calling him "great" after 3 games, I am not seeing it yet), and playcalling (at times, but not as frequent as the "Fire McCall" crowd would believe) have ALL been complicit in producing this piss-poor offense.

Yeah. I would say, in order, the problems were / are:
1. WRs inability to get separation (and sometimes drops)
2. uninventive play calling that does not get people open
3. OL is not good enough
4. QB play - makes some very good plays, but is inconsistent right now with a few too many misses / bad decisions

And this week it was compounded by (5) playing against a very good defense in MSU. When you combine all those things, it results in an offense that has too many errors. And because of 1, 2, and 3 we aren't really able to get the ball downfield - this means that if anybody makes a mistake (could be from 4, 1, 3, and 2) then we get behind schedule and have a very hard time overcoming that. Which means it is far too easy for a drive to stall out - it almost feels like we need everything to go right on a bunch of plays in succession in order to sustain and complete a drive.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

The OL, the wideouts' inability to separate and/or catch the damned ball, QB decision-making and accuracy (at times, but inasmuch as some are still calling him "great" after 3 games, I am not seeing it yet), and playcalling (at times, but not as frequent as the "Fire McCall" crowd would believe) have ALL been complicit in producing this piss-poor offense.

At least our uni’s are nice.

 

[NUCat320]

Hey! Deadspin writeup!

Not criticism, just a commentary on football coaches.

“In his combination of smug and unearned condescension and blustering doofiness, Pat Fitzgerald is just a coach playing his part as he understands it, as broadly as he knows it needs to be played.”

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Yeah. I would say, in order, the problems were / are:
1. WRs inability to get separation (and sometimes drops)
2. uninventive play calling that does not get people open
3. OL is not good enough
4. QB play - makes some very good plays, but is inconsistent right now with a few too many misses / bad decisions

And this week it was compounded by (5) playing against a very good defense in MSU. When you combine all those things, it results in an offense that has too many errors. And because of 1, 2, and 3 we aren't really able to get the ball downfield - this means that if anybody makes a mistake (could be from 4, 1, 3, and 2) then we get behind schedule and have a very hard time overcoming that. Which means it is far too easy for a drive to stall out - it almost feels like we need everything to go right on a bunch of plays in succession in order to sustain and complete a drive.

3-2-1-4 in that order. I sound like the guy who got banned.

 

[NJCat]

3-2-1-4 in that order. I sound like the guy who got banned.

You left out the [PF] though.......

 

[mikero3]

Does anybody see the same pattern I see with the Fire McCall crowd? If you pay attention, all these schmucks also reveal themselves to be closet Fitz haters. imagine that. We finally have one of the best young coaches in the country who bleeds purple, a guy who achieves unparalleled success at NU and does so while running a completely clean program with the highest academic success in college football and these schmucks Pick a beef with him at the first sign of adversity. Morons!

The funny thing is everything I say now about Fitz and Mick I said before the season started. It’s why all you Mick and Fitz supporters went nuts. Although then it was how dare I think we could do better with a different OC!

Fitz is a hall of fame player and probably the best coach NU has ever had. He has improved NU to a respectable program year in and year out. The facilities wouldn’t be there without him. On game days he isn’t a hall of fame coach, but during the week and the rest of the year he does everything with love for NU and does a lot well.

I also have thought for years Fitz is a media, fan hating ego maniac who never holds his coaches as accountable as the players...to whom if you listen closely he throws under the bus too often..and the more pressure he gets to do something...the less likely he is to do it! His ego refuses to believe there might be a better way because he has been successful. His press conferences are a joke as he literally has everyone frightened to ask a tough question.
Stats are for losers when he doesn’t like the stats.

He refuses to see one reason he can’t get/keep fans in the stands is his team lays a boring egg almost every time we have a purple crowd. There is nothing less exciting as a team trying not to lose. Like sitting on a 9 point lead in the 3rd qtr. or quitting in the 4th down 21.

So the one thing you can say is...some of us have had issues with Fitz and Mick for awhile. Losses have nothing to do with it.

The ex players are just saying what anyone who isn’t related to mick or wearing purple glasses thinks...he isn’t very good at his job and maybe the game has passed him by. Maybe we could do better on offense with someone else.

 

[corbi296]

The funny thing is everything I say now about Fitz and Mick I said before the season started. It’s why all you Mick and Fitz supporters went nuts. Although then it was how dare I think we could do better with a different OC!

Fitz is a hall of fame player and probably the best coach NU has ever had. He has improved NU to a respectable program year in and year out. The facilities wouldn’t be there without him. On game days he isn’t a hall of fame coach, but during the week and the rest of the year he does everything with love for NU and does a lot well.

I also have thought for years Fitz is a media, fan hating ego maniac who never holds his coaches as accountable as the players...to whom if you listen closely he throws under the bus too often..and the more pressure he gets to do something...the less likely he is to do it! His ego refuses to believe there might be a better way because he has been successful. His press conferences are a joke as he literally has everyone frightened to ask a tough question.
Stats are for losers when he doesn’t like the stats.

He refuses to see one reason he can’t get/keep fans in the stands is his team lays a boring egg almost every time we have a purple crowd. There is nothing less exciting as a team trying not to lose. Like sitting on a 9 point lead in the 3rd qtr. or quitting in the 4th down 21.

So the one thing you can’t say is...some of us have had issues with Fitz and Mick for awhile. Losses have nothing to do with it.

The ex players are just saying what anyone who isn’t related to mick or wearing purple glasses thinks...he isn’t very good at his job and maybe the game has passes him by. Maybe we could do better on offense with someone else.

What’s your point? When did I say this had anything to do with the losses? Are you trying to say that you’ve always been a Fitz/MCCall hater as opposed to a recent bandwagon jumper? Is that supposed to legitimize your position in any way? All it does is make me question why a guy who dislikes so much about the head coach and the program he runs call himself an NU football fan? In my opinion you are not a fan, you are a serial hater who thinks that buying season tickets gives you a license to bitch and moan non stop.

 

[mikero3]

What’s your point? Are you trying to say that you’ve always been a Fitz/MCCall hater as opposed to a recent bandwagon jumper? Is that supposed legitimize your position in any way?

Yes!

 

[EvanstonCat]

Hey! Deadspin writeup!

Not criticism, just a commentary on football coaches.

“In his combination of smug and unearned condescension and blustering doofiness, Pat Fitzgerald is just a coach playing his part as he understands it, as broadly as he knows it needs to be played.”

A commentary with Fitz at the center. The writer is spot on, of course.

 

[thewildcat2011]

What’s your point? When did I say this had anything to do with the losses? Are you trying to say that you’ve always been a Fitz/MCCall hater as opposed to a recent bandwagon jumper? Is that supposed to legitimize your position in any way? All it does is make me question why a guy who dislikes so much about the head coach and the program he runs call himself an NU football fan? In my opinion you are not a fan, you are a serial hater who thinks that buying season tickets gives you a license to bitch and moan non stop.

Wouldn't bother. This dude spent 2010-2015 ripping on Hank and the D and then disappeared for 4 years. Now he's allowed to have two separate screen names, which is supposedly against the rules except for people who are friends with the mods...

 

[stpaulcat]

The funny thing is everything I say now about Fitz and Mick I said before the season started. It’s why all you Mick and Fitz supporters went nuts. Although then it was how dare I think we could do better with a different OC!

Fitz is a hall of fame player and probably the best coach NU has ever had. He has improved NU to a respectable program year in and year out. The facilities wouldn’t be there without him. On game days he isn’t a hall of fame coach, but during the week and the rest of the year he does everything with love for NU and does a lot well.

I also have thought for years Fitz is a media, fan hating ego maniac who never holds his coaches as accountable as the players...to whom if you listen closely he throws under the bus too often..and the more pressure he gets to do something...the less likely he is to do it! His ego refuses to believe there might be a better way because he has been successful. His press conferences are a joke as he literally has everyone frightened to ask a tough question.
Stats are for losers when he doesn’t like the stats.

He refuses to see one reason he can’t get/keep fans in the stands is his team lays a boring egg almost every time we have a purple crowd. There is nothing less exciting as a team trying not to lose. Like sitting on a 9 point lead in the 3rd qtr. or quitting in the 4th down 21.

So the one thing you can say is...some of us have had issues with Fitz and Mick for awhile. Losses have nothing to do with it.

The ex players are just saying what anyone who isn’t related to mick or wearing purple glasses thinks...he isn’t very good at his job and maybe the game has passed him by. Maybe we could do better on offense with someone else.

I have met Fitz's Dad, and have to say stubborn is as stubborn does. You make a very good point.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Every F*#$&$g thread turns into a McCall thread. Time for me finally subscribe to Netflix.

 

[corbi296]

Wouldn't bother. This dude spent 2010-2015 ripping on Hank and the D and then disappeared for 4 years. Now he's allowed to have two separate screen names, which is supposedly against the rules except for people who are friends with the mods...

I didn't realize he was also posting under multiple screen names. He is not the only one. This board is becoming a bit of a joke.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I didn't realize he was also posting under multiple screen names. He is not the only one. This board is becoming a bit of a joke.

The board always becomes a clown show after NU get’s throttled. It’s not the opinions that are ridiculous but it is the constant need to express the same one in every thread. Rarely, is anything brought up new brought up, and it pollutes even threads that start with nothing to do it’s McCall.

Really, we need a poll to show us that most favor a replacement at OC? That’s just stirring up s#&$ to use in these arguments.

 

[mikero3]

I didn't realize he was also posting under multiple screen names. He is not the only one. This board is becoming a bit of a joke.

Except I’m not posting under another handle. I don’t even know how. Lol. Which just means I have someone out there who thinks like I do. Kind of like the insane purple koolaid crowd.

I did meet Lou once or twice at bowl games and he is a cool dude....don’t even know who the other moderator is. How dare people have free thought!

But if you guys want to take your crayons and go home and quit the board like Webb because he thought McCall was an amazing amazing coach...I understand.

 

[thewildcat2011]

Except I’m not posting under another handle. I don’t even know how. Lol. Which just means I have someone out there who thinks like I do. Kind of like the insane purple koolaid crowd.

I did meet Lou once or twice at bowl games and he is a cool dude....don’t even know who the other moderator is. How dare people have free thought!

But if you guys want to take your crayons and go home and quit the board like Webb because he thought McCall was an amazing amazing coach...I understand.

You have over 4,000 posts under a similar, but different screen name.

 

[corbi296]

Except I’m not posting under another handle. I don’t even know how. Lol. Which just means I have someone out there who thinks like I do. Kind of like the insane purple koolaid crowd.

I did meet Lou once or twice at bowl games and he is a cool dude....don’t even know who the other moderator is. How dare people have free thought!

But if you guys want to take your crayons and go home and quit the board like Webb because he thought McCall was an amazing amazing coach...I understand.

No thanks, i’ll stick around. Speaking of quitting the board, isn’t that exactly what you did? Did you become frustrated that your non stop critiques of Fitz and the program weren’t reconciling with the growing success on the field? You had to recharge your batteries and build back up your reservoir of doom and gloom before coming back to grace us with your constant negativity?

 

[EvanstonCat]

You have over 4,000 posts under a similar, but different screen name.

Here we go again with the unfounded accusations of people posting under multiple names.

Mikero is a long time poster who says what he thinks. I’ve had my beef with him from time to time, but one thing I know is that he’s a true fan who isn’t going to be cowed by the all-is-well crowd into silence. Trying to belittle him as has been done with others who have contrarian views by accusing him of posting under multiple handles is a bit desperate if you ask me.

A true fan would be deeply upset with what we are seeing. Not making excuses and hoping that we retain an OC who underperforms year after year after year.

 

[thewildcat2011]

Here we go again with the unfounded accusations of people posting under multiple names.

Mikero is a long time poster who says what he thinks. I’ve had my beef with him from time to time, but one thing I know is that he’s a true fan who isn’t going to be cowed by the all-is-well crowd into silence. Trying to belittle him as has been done with others who have contrarian views by accusing him of posting under multiple handles is a bit desperate if you ask me.

A true fan would be deeply upset with what we are seeing. Not making excuses and hoping that we retain an OC who underperforms year after year after year.

I'm not trying to belittle him, but he's had two different screen names, which in theory should not be possible according to the mods/ToS. That's all I'm saying on that topic.

https://northwestern.forums.rivals.com/threads/easily-the-worst-fans-in-college-football.9410/

https://northwestern.forums.rivals.com/threads/these-coaches-should-b-fired.10838/#post-113993

 

[EvanstonCat]

I'm not trying to belittle him, but he's had two different screen names, which in theory should not be possible according to the mods/ToS. That's all I'm saying on that topic.

https://northwestern.forums.rivals.com/threads/easily-the-worst-fans-in-college-football.9410/

https://northwestern.forums.rivals.com/threads/these-coaches-should-b-fired.10838/#post-113993

Technicality. He’s not trying to pretend he’s two different people. That handle was last used 4 years ago. He probably forgot his password and started a new account. If you’re going to condemn him for that, then you have to condemn people like MidvaleDave, Gladeskat, SchizoCat — the list is long. None of them are posting under multiple handles at the same time.

 

[corbi296]

Here we go again with the unfounded accusations of people posting under multiple names.

Mikero is a long time poster who says what he thinks. I’ve had my beef with him from time to time, but one thing I know is that he’s a true fan who isn’t going to be cowed by the all-is-well crowd into silence. Trying to belittle him as has been done with others who have contrarian views by accusing him of posting under multiple handles is a bit desperate if you ask me.

A true fan would be deeply upset with what we are seeing. Not making excuses and hoping that we retain an OC who underperforms year after year after year.

There you go, completely misrepresenting the positions of people who disagree with you. No one on this board has said all is well and I challenge you to point to a post where that happened. Secondly, NU fans who understand football realize that there are several factors at play negatively impacting the performance of the offense and it is impossible to definitively conclude that McCall is the problem until you have eliminated those other factors as a potential source of the problem. I realize an informed, logical approach to following NU football is not the one you embrace. You prefer to ride the emotional roller coaster every weekend and rant about firing coaches every time you don’t get your desired result. That’s who you are so by all means carry on.

 

[EvanstonCat]

There you go, completely misrepresenting the positions of people who disagree with you. No one on this board has said all is well and I challenge you to point to a post where that happened. Secondly, NU fans who understand football realize that there are several factors at play negatively impacting the performance of the offense and it is impossible to definitively conclude that McCall is the problem until you have eliminated those other factors as a potential source of the problem. I realize an informed, logical approach to following NU football is not the one you embrace. You prefer to ride the emotional roller coaster every weekend and rant about firing coaches every time you don’t get your desired result. That’s who you are so by all means carry on.

We’ve had 11 years to eliminate all other factors. How many more years do you need?

 

[EvanstonCat]

Technicality. He’s not trying to pretend he’s two different people. That handle was last used 4 years ago. He probably forgot his password and started a new account. If you’re going to condemn him for that, then you have to condemn people like MidvaleDave, Gladeskat, SchizoCat — the list is long. None of them are posting under multiple handles at the same time.

But, of course we get the know-it-alls eager to dismiss him, talking about how the board is a joke after big losses - because of this technicality? Par for the course.

 

[thewildcat2011]

Technicality. He’s not trying to pretend he’s two different people.

Never said he was. My point is two-fold:

• Whenever someone new appears that smells like they might be another poster in disguise just to troll and drum up issues, we are told that it's simply not possible for someone to have two screen names because everything is IP tagged, mods can see it, and mods enforce it because it's strictly against the ToS. What we see time after time (e.g., mikero, every time wrassler or Mr. Jango forget their password, etc.) is that it's very much possible. So there are indeed those who are allowed to make multiple names to troll (e.g., WickerPark/Turk).
• It's incredibly annoying/frustrating/angering that there are long-time vocal critics who were big time posters for many years only to disappear when their criticisms were proven wrong or specious and are now coming back in order to try and prove that they were right based on essentially 1 game. This is especially true because last time around they were criticizing Hank, the D, Jerry Brown, etc. So, realistically, the point is just to complain for the sake of complaining.

 

[thewildcat2011]

But, of course we get the know-it-alls eager to dismiss him, talking about how the board is a joke after big losses - because of this technicality? Par for the course.

I'm not dismissing him because of the new handle, as you'll see above. I'm dismissing him because of my bullet #2.

And I am an eager know-it-all, but I'm also on record with every single person who talks to me about college football and NU in general that if you can't score at least 20pts a game in college football, you can't win consistently year over year. We need to figure out how to score at least 20pts a game (not a high bar).

Where I ultimately disagree is the root cause of the issues, which I've talked about elsewhere.

 

[EvanstonCat]

I'm not dismissing him because of the new handle, as you'll see above. I'm dismissing him because of my bullet #2.

I don’t remember anyone complaining about Hank. Ever.

If they were, they are as batshit crazy as Corbi and Bernie Sanders.

 

[thewildcat2011]

I don’t remember anyone complaining about Hank. Ever.

If they were, they are as batshit crazy as Corbi and Bernie Sanders.

Selective memory then.

 

[corbi296]

We’ve had 11 years to eliminate all other factors. How many more years do you need?

Legitimate critique but your beef is with Fitz on that. You can’t judge McCall until the OL becomes at least mediocre over the course of an entire season.

 

[Bwm57]

Technicality. He’s not trying to pretend he’s two different people. That handle was last used 4 years ago. He probably forgot his password and started a new account. If you’re going to condemn him for that, then you have to condemn people like MidvaleDave, Gladeskat, SchizoCat — the list is long. None of them are posting under multiple handles at the same time.

A lot of people change their screen name for reasons like you stated, but if that’s the situation here then why not just admit it?

 

[corbi296]

I don’t remember anyone complaining about Hank. Ever.

If they were, they are as batshit crazy as Corbi and Bernie Sanders.

The only batshit crazy guys on this board are the posters who jump on this board every weekend riding the roller coaster of emotion after every play of a game they have a very limited understanding of. That would be you.

 

[EvanstonCat]

Legitimate critique but your beef is with Fitz on that. You can’t judge McCall until the OL becomes at least mediocre over the course of an entire season.

I can judge McCall on the basis of 11 years of incompetence. Our offenses are steadily getting worse and worse (despite supposedly better talent). We are 3rd to last in Division I right now. How much worse do you want us to go? Do we have to be dead last? We’ll likely be there after Wisconsin.

 

[EvanstonCat]

A lot of people change their screen name for reasons like you stated, but if that’s the situation here then why not just admit it?

What’s there to admit? He was mikero2, now he’s mikero3? Isn’t the admission in his handle? It’s probably the 2nd time he forgot his password, because there used to be a mikero1.

 

[Bwm57]

What’s there to admit? He was mikero2, now he’s mikero3? Isn’t the admission in his handle? It’s probably the 2nd time he forgot his password, because there used to be a mikero1.

That’s exactly why I was asking.
Why act as if you have no idea what’s going on when a simple explanation would do?

 

[wildelk2]

The board always becomes a clown show after NU get’s throttled. It’s not the opinions that are ridiculous but it is the constant need to express the same one in every thread. Rarely, is anything brought up new brought up, and it pollutes even threads that start with nothing to do it’s McCall.

Really, we need a poll to show us that most favor a replacement at OC? That’s just stirring up s#&$ to use in these arguments.

I offer a solution that we can all agree on. Owlvision sucks

 

[AtlantaCat]

I didn't realize he was also posting under multiple screen names. He is not the only one. This board is becoming a bit of a joke.

I suspected as much, mikewebb/corbi/gcg.....

There is only one AtlantaCat (Board posters breathe huge sigh of relief), but rest assured that if AtlantaCat1 posts it is because I, like mikero, forgot a password.

 

[Alan Smithee]

This isn't a shot at anyone, because I have been EVERY BIT as guilty of this as anyone else, but isn't it odd that we so often devolve into finding the things that divide us? We share some very important things in common, but we'll hunt for (or at least seize upon) those areas where we disagree. I'm not talking about a Stepford sort of world with universal automatic agreement being desirable - just musing over the strong tendency we have to focus on the areas we disagree, and the personalities behind them. It's far from unique to this site or the people on this site - I rather think it's the norm, and I find it interesting that it is.

 

[FloridAlum]

I didn't realize he was also posting under multiple screen names. He is not the only one. This board is becoming a bit of a joke.

Someone is full of crap. mikero is not posting under two names. He had an old name, and when he started posting again had a problem and had to change the one to three, so he is only using one name. One name. It’s kind of irritating when people constantly make accusations and they have no idea what they are talking about. This is happened to other people before . I can give you several examples it is not posting under two names .it is changing your name and using one name only. If you notice, the post quoted under his old name are four years old.
I would not exactly call him a close friend of the moderators, I met him once when he came to a purple party in Tampa At the end of the 2009 season.He is my friend on Facebook. So that makes him my friend. He also wears purple.

 

[AtlantaCat]

This isn't a shot at anyone, because I have been EVERY BIT as guilty of this as anyone else, but isn't it odd that we so often devolve into finding the things that divide us? We share some very important things in common, but we'll hunt for (or at least seize upon) those areas where we disagree. I'm not talking about a Stepford sort of world with universal automatic agreement being desirable - just musing over the strong tendency we have to focus on the areas we disagree, and the personalities behind them. It's far from unique to this site or the people on this site - I rather think it's the norm, and I find it interesting that it is.

I agree. (No, wait, that can't be right....)

 

[FloridAlum]

What’s there to admit? He was mikero2, now he’s mikero3? Isn’t the admission in his handle? It’s probably the 2nd time he forgot his password, because there used to be a mikero1.

Correct. Obviously the same person. Had trouble logging in so had to change his name which has happened to other people. He has only posted under one name at a time and made it perfectly obvious it is the same person. He’s been posting on this board for at least 15 years off and on.

 

[willycat]

Does anybody see the same pattern I see with the Fire McCall crowd? If you pay attention, all these schmucks also reveal themselves to be closet Fitz haters. imagine that. We finally have one of the best young coaches in the country who bleeds purple, a guy who achieves unparalleled success at NU and does so while running a completely clean program with the highest academic success in college football and these schmucks Pick a beef with him at the first sign of adversity. Morons!

What other NU head coaches have not run a clean program and had high academic success? Maybe it's those secret practices that are causing these early bad loses .