Greenstein's Pat Ryan Story (TONS of info on UM/ND chasing Fitz)

[gocatsgo2003]

While there's plenty of interesting information on Pat Ryan's importance to NU football in Teddy Greenstein's latest piece (seriously, it's a good piece about a great man: LINK), it's almost as much about Fitz turning down some of college football's "blue bloods" to remain in Evanston:

Northwestern, with two 10-win seasons since 2012, is now among the nation's most stable programs. Fitzgerald turned down Michigan in 2011 after Ryan assured him the school would aim to build a gleaming, A-through-Z lakefront facility that would boost practices, training, nutrition and tutoring for numerous NU teams. And, of course, recruiting for football.

Notre Dame can be a sensitive topic for Northwestern alumni of a certain age. Ara Parseghian left Evanston for South Bend and won two national titles. Notre Dame officials met with Barnett before hiring Bob Davie after the 1996 season and expressed interest in Fitzgerald after dumping Charlie Weis in 2009. Fitzgerald attended Parseghian's funeral in South Bend, a gesture that actually has some believing he will one day succeed Brian Kelly.

After firing Rich Rodriguez in January 2011, then-Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon ventured to the Chicago area to try to meet with Fitzgerald, offering $3million a year and the marvel that is the Big House. Fitzgerald was making $1.1million and Northwestern had the Big Ten's worst football facilities, as rated by ESPN.com.

​

Yes, the interest was real. Yes, Fitz turned down a real live Michigan offer after assurances that better facilities were on the way (in addition to better resources for his staff and operations). Yes, we can all stop debating the veracity of all "Fitz turned down XXX to stay in Evanston" stories.

 

[FeliSilvestris]

While there's plenty of interesting information on Pat Ryan's importance to NU football in Teddy Greenstein's latest piece (seriously, it's a good piece about a great man: LINK), it's almost as much about Fitz turning down some of college football's "blue bloods" to remain in Evanston:

After firing Rich Rodriguez in January 2011, then-Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon ventured to the Chicago area to try to meet with Fitzgerald, offering $3million a year and the marvel that is the Big House. Fitzgerald was making $1.1million and Northwestern had the Big Ten's worst football facilities, as rated by ESPN.com.

​

Yes, the interest was real. Yes, Fitz turned down a real live Michigan offer after assurances that better facilities were on the way (in addition to better resources for his staff and operations). Yes, we can all stop debating the veracity of all "Fitz turned down XXX to stay in Evanston" stories.

You may need to re-read your own quotes. According to a NU INSIDER the Michigan AD traveled to Chicago interested in talking to PF about the Michigan job...and he at some point mentioned to someone (TG did not say whom/when) the kind of money Michigan could pay to the selected candidate...from this you conclude that Michigan actually MADE AN OFFER to PF. If your reading was correct, Michigan would have decided to offer PF their job without even interviewing him...which only someone madly infatuated would believe.

Even if one accepted TG's account word by word (the account would be more believable coming from a Michigan insider, obviously, since it was THEIR job and THEIR money) one could NOT conclude that Michigan got to the point of making an offer to PF...you may speculate that if they had in fact met PF (apparently they didn't), PF would in fact had gotten the job...speculate all you want...for whatever reasons they NEVER interviewed PF about the job and NEVER made an offer to him (even if they at some point mentioned to someone the kind of money they WOULD offer if they DID DECIDE to make the job offer).

Sorry about raining on your parade.

 

[hdhntr1]

You may need to re-read your own quotes. According to a NU INSIDER the Michigan AD traveled to Chicago interested in talking to PF about the Michigan job...and he at some point mentioned to someone (TG did not say whom/when) the kind of money Michigan could pay to the selected candidate...from this you conclude that Michigan actually MADE AN OFFER to PF. If your reading was correct, Michigan would have decided to offer PF their job without even interviewing him...which only someone madly infatuated would believe.

Even if one accepted TG's account word by word (the account would be more believable coming from a Michigan insider, obviously, since it was THEIR job and THEIR money) one could NOT conclude that Michigan got to the point of making an offer to PF...you may speculate that if they had in fact met PF (apparently they didn't), PF would in fact had gotten the job...speculate all you want...for whatever reasons they NEVER interviewed PF about the job and NEVER made an offer to him (even if they at some point mentioned to someone the kind of money they WOULD offer if they DID DECIDE to make the job offer).

Sorry about raining on your parade.

No, you are not. And often when an organization reaches out to someone in that way, they have a pretty good idea of what they want to do. Also higher ups such as Ryan would have inside information, especially when NU comes to them for what it is going to take to keep the HC.

 

[7levery7]

You may need to re-read your own quotes. According to a NU INSIDER the Michigan AD traveled to Chicago interested in talking to PF about the Michigan job...and he at some point mentioned to someone (TG did not say whom/when) the kind of money Michigan could pay to the selected candidate...from this you conclude that Michigan actually MADE AN OFFER to PF. If your reading was correct, Michigan would have decided to offer PF their job without even interviewing him...which only someone madly infatuated would believe.

Even if one accepted TG's account word by word (the account would be more believable coming from a Michigan insider, obviously, since it was THEIR job and THEIR money) one could NOT conclude that Michigan got to the point of making an offer to PF...you may speculate that if they had in fact met PF (apparently they didn't), PF would in fact had gotten the job...speculate all you want...for whatever reasons they NEVER interviewed PF about the job and NEVER made an offer to him (even if they at some point mentioned to someone the kind of money they WOULD offer if they DID DECIDE to make the job offer).

Sorry about raining on your parade.

 

[7levery7]

Yet again...

 

[Hungry Jack]

You may need to re-read your own quotes. According to a NU INSIDER the Michigan AD traveled to Chicago interested in talking to PF about the Michigan job...and he at some point mentioned to someone (TG did not say whom/when) the kind of money Michigan could pay to the selected candidate...from this you conclude that Michigan actually MADE AN OFFER to PF. If your reading was correct, Michigan would have decided to offer PF their job without even interviewing him...which only someone madly infatuated would believe.

Even if one accepted TG's account word by word (the account would be more believable coming from a Michigan insider, obviously, since it was THEIR job and THEIR money) one could NOT conclude that Michigan got to the point of making an offer to PF...you may speculate that if they had in fact met PF (apparently they didn't), PF would in fact had gotten the job...speculate all you want...for whatever reasons they NEVER interviewed PF about the job and NEVER made an offer to him (even if they at some point mentioned to someone the kind of money they WOULD offer if they DID DECIDE to make the job offer).

Sorry about raining on your parade.

Feli,

Your argument contains just as many assumptions about the situation as the OPs.

Sorry to rain on your requiem.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

You may need to re-read your own quotes. According to a NU INSIDER the Michigan AD traveled to Chicago interested in talking to PF about the Michigan job...and he at some point mentioned to someone (TG did not say whom/when) the kind of money Michigan could pay to the selected candidate...from this you conclude that Michigan actually MADE AN OFFER to PF. If your reading was correct, Michigan would have decided to offer PF their job without even interviewing him...which only someone madly infatuated would believe.

Even if one accepted TG's account word by word (the account would be more believable coming from a Michigan insider, obviously, since it was THEIR job and THEIR money) one could NOT conclude that Michigan got to the point of making an offer to PF...you may speculate that if they had in fact met PF (apparently they didn't), PF would in fact had gotten the job...speculate all you want...for whatever reasons they NEVER interviewed PF about the job and NEVER made an offer to him (even if they at some point mentioned to someone the kind of money they WOULD offer if they DID DECIDE to make the job offer).

Sorry about raining on your parade.

Oh hey! Look who showed up to put forth an argument just for the sake of argument!

You're the one misreading. $3 million/year was Michigan's opening offer. I was in the office. The offer was made. I saw it happening. I don't have to take anyone's word for anything, this is just the first time I've seen the offer(s) plainly reported.

 

[NJCat]

Sorry to rain on your requiem.

Let it rain, Let it rain,
Let your love rain down on me,
Let it rain, rain rain.....

 

[DkeCat]

Oh hey! Look who showed up to put forth an argument just for the sake of argument!

You're the one misreading. $3 million/year was Michigan's opening offer. I was in the office. The offer was made. I saw it happening. I don't have to take anyone's word for anything, this is just the first time I've seen the offer(s) plainly reported.

Not doubting you, but why would an RA sit in the room during this discussion? Unless you are saying you watched the meeting happen in Fitz's office from outside...

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Not doubting you, but why would an RA sit in the room during this discussion? Unless you are saying you watched the meeting happen in Fitz's office from outside...

Never said I was in the room, apologies if that weren't clear -- by "the office" I meant the football offices.

I did sit right at the entrance to the offices and it always catches your attention when the head coach's agent walks through the doors unannounced and heads to his client's office without saying a word to anyone.

 

[chicagocatfan24]

Oh hey! Look who showed up to put forth an argument just for the sake of argument!

You're the one misreading. $3 million/year was Michigan's opening offer. I was in the office. The offer was made. I saw it happening. I don't have to take anyone's word for anything, this is just the first time I've seen the offer(s) plainly reported.

 

[DkeCat]

Never said I was in the room, apologies if that weren't clear -- by "the office" I meant the football offices.

I did sit right at the entrance to the offices and it always catches your attention when the head coach's agent walks through the doors unannounced and heads to his client's office without saying a word to anyone.

Got it.

You may have also been around for this one. I heard a rumor that I always thought was B.S., but the person swears by it - any truth that a certain SEC team tried to "convince" Fitz to leave head coach of NU to become a coordinator for them? Would have been around the Alamo Bowl years or prior. Put "convince" in quotes as I don't know what it entailed, but even if was a intro call to gauge interest still offensive (and speaks to SEC arrogance).

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Got it.

You may have also been around for this one. I heard a rumor that I always thought was B.S., but the person swears by it - any truth that a certain SEC team tried to "convince" Fitz to leave head coach of NU to become a coordinator for them? Would have been around the Alamo Bowl years or prior. Put "convince" in quotes as I don't know what it entailed, but even if was a intro call to gauge interest still offensive (and speaks to SEC arrogance).

Yes was around. Haven't seen that one reported, but will just say that Fitz was a very popular name around 2008 and 2009.

 

[freewillie07]

Yes was around. Haven't seen that one reported, but will just say that Fitz was a very popular name around 2008 and 2009.

But that was before he had two 10-win seasons and two bowl victories to his name! Why isn't he as popular now?

 

[mikewebb68]

But that was before he had two 10-win seasons and two bowl victories to his name! Why isn't he as popular now?

Long- term contract extension and a general perception among the community that he will be here for a long, long, time.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

But that was before he had two 10-win seasons and two bowl victories to his name! Why isn't he as popular now?

When you turn down other offers, sign an extension into the mid-2020s, and have your desired lakefront facilities under construction, plus are an alum to boot, other schools figure "why bother?"

 

[Hungry Jack]

Anyone notice from the article that our own MRCat has another fan?

 

[Deeringfish]

When you turn down other offers, sign an extension into the mid-2020s, and have your desired lakefront facilities under construction, plus are an alum to boot, other schools figure "why bother?"

also, it doesn't do a program's reputation any good to be turned down. You really don't want that out there and PF has shown very little interest in doing anything different from what he has been doing.

 

[Turk]

While there's plenty of interesting information on Pat Ryan's importance to NU football in Teddy Greenstein's latest piece (seriously, it's a good piece about a great man: LINK), it's almost as much about Fitz turning down some of college football's "blue bloods" to remain in Evanston:

Northwestern, with two 10-win seasons since 2012, is now among the nation's most stable programs. Fitzgerald turned down Michigan in 2011 after Ryan assured him the school would aim to build a gleaming, A-through-Z lakefront facility that would boost practices, training, nutrition and tutoring for numerous NU teams. And, of course, recruiting for football.

Notre Dame can be a sensitive topic for Northwestern alumni of a certain age. Ara Parseghian left Evanston for South Bend and won two national titles. Notre Dame officials met with Barnett before hiring Bob Davie after the 1996 season and expressed interest in Fitzgerald after dumping Charlie Weis in 2009. Fitzgerald attended Parseghian's funeral in South Bend, a gesture that actually has some believing he will one day succeed Brian Kelly.

After firing Rich Rodriguez in January 2011, then-Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon ventured to the Chicago area to try to meet with Fitzgerald, offering $3million a year and the marvel that is the Big House. Fitzgerald was making $1.1million and Northwestern had the Big Ten's worst football facilities, as rated by ESPN.com.

​

Yes, the interest was real. Yes, Fitz turned down a real live Michigan offer after assurances that better facilities were on the way (in addition to better resources for his staff and operations). Yes, we can all stop debating the veracity of all "Fitz turned down XXX to stay in Evanston" stories.

Stoops will be the next Notre Dame coach. There is no doubt. Period. Fitz isn't going anywhere and he wouldn't be first on the list anyways for Notre Dame. BTW, Notre Dame is falling from grace anyways. Why would anyone go there?

Fitz is a good coach but he hasn't shown the ability to make tough decisions to fix problems. Hopefully, he will learn from the error of his ways and stop handicapping his own talent (talent to be a great coach) and our football program. Our players, especially QB's and RB's deserve better from him. Our OL sucks donkeys and has for years because he doesn't do the right thing.

Unfortunately, Fitz is doomed to ever win even a division, let alone a Big Ten chamipionship as Barnett and Rock have. Stinky OL who have no technique won't attract quality OL. Let's just hope we win 6 games this year. Sorry.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Stoops will be the next Notre Dame coach. There is no doubt. Period. Fitz isn't going anywhere and he wouldn't be first on the list anyways for Notre Dame. BTW, Notre Dame is falling from grace anyways. Why would anyone go there?

Fitz is a good coach but he hasn't shown the ability to make tough decisions to fix problems. Hopefully, he will learn from the error of his ways and stop handicapping his own talent (talent to be a great coach) and our football program. Our players, especially QB's and RB's deserve better from him. Our OL sucks donkeys and has for years because he doesn't do the right thing.

Unfortunately, Fitz is doomed to ever win even a division, let alone a Big Ten chamipionship as Barnett and Rock have. Stinky OL who have no technique won't attract quality OL. Let's just hope we win 6 games this year. Sorry.

... none of which is pertinent to the post to which you responded.

 

[elgatoloco]

When you turn down other offers, sign an extension into the mid-2020s, and have your desired lakefront facilities under construction, plus are an alum to boot, other schools figure "why bother?"

Could be wrong, but my impression is that coaches such as Fitz become hot when 1) they have a breakout year at a perceived stepping-stone institution (P.J. Fleck) or 2) decide to be a hot candidate by having their agent float their name.

 

[mickbula]

Stoops will be the next Notre Dame coach. There is no doubt. Period. Fitz isn't going anywhere and he wouldn't be first on the list anyways for Notre Dame. BTW, Notre Dame is falling from grace anyways. Why would anyone go there?

Fitz is a good coach but he hasn't shown the ability to make tough decisions to fix problems. Hopefully, he will learn from the error of his ways and stop handicapping his own talent (talent to be a great coach) and our football program. Our players, especially QB's and RB's deserve better from him. Our OL sucks donkeys and has for years because he doesn't do the right thing.

Unfortunately, Fitz is doomed to ever win even a division, let alone a Big Ten chamipionship as Barnett and Rock have. Stinky OL who have no technique won't attract quality OL. Let's just hope we win 6 games this year. Sorry.

Just out of curiosity, what do you and other posters think of the possibility that John Gruden might be the next coach of the Irish? I read a story that was pro-Irish that seemed to allude to the theme that JG was experiencing the itch to coach again and would be open to the HC job for ND. He would bring automatic credibility to that program and might turn it into another Alabama with Saban as that program's leader. I thought- evidently erroneously, that PJ Fleck would succeed Kelly at ND. But I remember way back in the BDavie days at ND when all the students were putting up signs on campus that all they "wanted for X-mas" was JGruden as their next head coach. My opinion is that if given the opportunity, JG just might go for it. Any thoughts?

 

[aquacat]

Let it rain, Let it rain,
Let your love rain down on me,
Let it rain, rain rain.....

Purple rain, purple rain...

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Could be wrong, but my impression is that coaches such as Fitz become hot when 1) they have a breakout year at a perceived stepping-stone institution (P.J. Fleck) or 2) decide to be a hot candidate by having their agent float their name.

... or you take a program rightly or wrongly regarded as a place where it's difficult to win to two straight winning conference seasons and competitive bowl games within your first four years of becoming a head coach and are still not yet 35 years old, while also maintaining very high standards for academic and social conduct off the field.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Stoops will be the next Notre Dame coach. There is no doubt. Period. Fitz isn't going anywhere and he wouldn't be first on the list anyways for Notre Dame. BTW, Notre Dame is falling from grace anyways. Why would anyone go there?

Fitz is a good coach but he hasn't shown the ability to make tough decisions to fix problems. Hopefully, he will learn from the error of his ways and stop handicapping his own talent (talent to be a great coach) and our football program. Our players, especially QB's and RB's deserve better from him. Our OL sucks donkeys and has for years because he doesn't do the right thing.

Unfortunately, Fitz is doomed to ever win even a division, let alone a Big Ten chamipionship as Barnett and Rock have. Stinky OL who have no technique won't attract quality OL. Let's just hope we win 6 games this year. Sorry.

Why would anyone go to Notre Dame? You are not serious are you?