Looked like Fitzball to me.

[NUCat320]

I don't understand how posters can endlessly churn on Fitz, Jon, Bragg. Schill, hazing, no hazing, McCall, NIL, etc, etc. It pretty much all has been said five million times already. For me, it is striking how little detailed football discussion there is on Saturday's game. I would love to see posts, for example, such as how the new right tackle, Wrather, performed since pre-game there were concerns. But I am not a football guru so I comment around the technical edges looking for the savants to engage. From my perspective as a medium long term subscriber, this type of engagement has declined dramatically over the years with 90% of the comments now some form of complaint about the coaches, administration or the NCAA world. Boring.

Is there *more* football talk and analysis on The Rock? My theory has been that the split of paying and non-paying members has generally detracted from the football discussion here, because most of the football-smart folks are willing to pay. This leaves just the doofs like me and @phatcat here. And phatty’s interested mostly in travel plans.

Also, I think discussion tends to be better after road games, just because fewer people are watching with their phone during and after.

As for the program, I am still in awe of where it is after how far they’d fallen. To have two seasons of totally unwatchable football followed by a scandal, a fired coach, and a total greenhorn installed, and to have it *work* has just been such a joy.

I can’t help but think that Fitz saw a little bit of himself in Braun. Because, frankly, Braun reminds me of 35-year-old Fitz. He’s energetic and optimistic. And Braun speaks honestly and from the heart, it seems. And that seems to be connecting with recruits.

Braun seems to have nailed his hires thus far. It was a mature decision for him to hand over the DC role, and he was wise to harken back to the Hank regime to rekindle what had worked here. Meanwhile, the offense had to change, and he went outside of the program to find someone with whom he was familiar, and who has previously given him a tough time.

Meanwhile, the Harlin Barnett (I just realized his name is Barnett, ha!) hire was a smart one. A veteran. An NFL guy. Someone who knows one of our key recruiting areas well. And a guy who, only for a short time, has been a head coach.

So, yeah, I love where the football program is today. And with this recruiting class reasonably full (tho who knows what the new roster limits will lead to), NU is already recruiting to kids who will spend all four years in the country’s best practice facility and the country’s best stadium. Onward and upward.


As for the other stuff…I’ve got no interest in rehashing the discussion either, but will challenge statements that suggest that the scandal was made-up. In our world where so much truth is under fire, it’s important to recognize that facts exist.


Go Cats Go Cats Go

 

[hdhntr1]

I don't know what the hell Fitz was thinking about when he hired Jon. Thank Gawd for Braun hire. Can someone pls ask Fitz about his rationale to hire Jon when you meet him?? I will do the same. 🤷🏻‍♂️

He was looking at the combination of College and Pro and recruiting and thought the combination would work with the other guys we had McGargle was probably not quite ready so he brought in JON He actually made the decision that he was the wrong guy fairly quickly.

 

[Ilvolino]

He was looking at the combination of College and Pro and recruiting and thought the combination would work with the other guys we had McGargle was probably not quite ready so he brought in JON He actually made the decision that he was the wrong guy fairly quickly.

I thought he just hired his friend and you should have been suspicious of the hire when Michigan State ran the ball for 75 yards and a Touchdown on the first play of the first game. And it went downhill from there as we were blown out week after week.

 

[hdhntr1]

I thought he just hired his friend and you should have been suspicious of the hire when Michigan State ran the ball for 75 yards and a Touchdown on the first play of the first game. And it went downhill from there as we were blown out week after week.

He wasn't hiring just because they knew each other. There was a point to the hire. But his system could not really work here and it turned out to be a bad hire

 

[Ilvolino]

He wasn't hiring just because they knew each other. There was a point to the hire. But his system could not really work here and it turned out to be a bad hire

The point whatever it was resulted in unmitigated disaster

 

[techtim72]

Is there *more* football talk and analysis on The Rock? My theory has been that the split of paying and non-paying members has generally detracted from the football discussion here, because most of the football-smart folks are willing to pay. This leaves just the doofs like me and @phatcat here. And phatty’s interested mostly in travel plans.

Also, I think discussion tends to be better after road games, just because fewer people are watching with their phone during and after.

As for the program, I am still in awe of where it is after how far they’d fallen. To have two seasons of totally unwatchable football followed by a scandal, a fired coach, and a total greenhorn installed, and to have it *work* has just been such a joy.

I can’t help but think that Fitz saw a little bit of himself in Braun. Because, frankly, Braun reminds me of 35-year-old Fitz. He’s energetic and optimistic. And Braun speaks honestly and from the heart, it seems. And that seems to be connecting with recruits.

Braun seems to have nailed his hires thus far. It was a mature decision for him to hand over the DC role, and he was wise to harken back to the Hank regime to rekindle what had worked here. Meanwhile, the offense had to change, and he went outside of the program to find someone with whom he was familiar, and who has previously given him a tough time.

Meanwhile, the Harlin Barnett (I just realized his name is Barnett, ha!) hire was a smart one. A veteran. An NFL guy. Someone who knows one of our key recruiting areas well. And a guy who, only for a short time, has been a head coach.

So, yeah, I love where the football program is today. And with this recruiting class reasonably full (tho who knows what the new roster limits will lead to), NU is already recruiting to kids who will spend all four years in the country’s best practice facility and the country’s best stadium. Onward and upward.


As for the other stuff…I’ve got no interest in rehashing the discussion either, but will challenge statements that suggest that the scandal was made-up. In our world where so much truth is under fire, it’s important to recognize that facts exist.


Go Cats Go Cats Go

Not that much happening on "The Rock" either. My impression is that in past years the free board has had more game and player discussion. Combines both groups. Get a lot of fan enthusiasm. Seems like some of the individuals who really brought their analysis are either "retired" or hanging back. If I was more capable I would offer more. First game. We'll see.

 

[curdog]

I don't understand how posters can endlessly churn on Fitz, Jon, Bragg. Schill, hazing, no hazing, McCall, NIL, etc, etc. It pretty much all has been said five million times already. For me, it is striking how little detailed football discussion there is on Saturday's game. I would love to see posts, for example, such as how the new right tackle, Wrather, performed since pre-game there were concerns. But I am not a football guru so I comment around the technical edges looking for the savants to engage. From my perspective as a medium long term subscriber, this type of engagement has declined dramatically over the years with 90% of the comments now some form of complaint about the coaches, administration or the NCAA world. Boring.

Old man yelling at cloud vibes here. There are multiple active law suits between the university, former coaches and players. The hazing and Fitz firing ( and no other parties held accountable) are newsworthy. If you want to start a thread about how the right tackle played, by all means,

 

[techtim72]

Old man yelling at cloud vibes here. There are multiple active law suits between the university, former coaches and players. The hazing and Fitz firing ( and no other parties held accountable) are newsworthy. If you want to start a thread about how the right tackle played, by all means,

When you have something new to add, perhaps you can highlight it in some way. Right now I pretty much just ignore all the same back and forth. But by all means continue to do you.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

Lou and Matt did excellent reporting that validated that hazing was persistent and real. People who pretend that there wasn’t hazing and that it was a media creation, by extension, accuse Lou and Matt as being part of the pitchfork mob.

They weren’t. They’re journalists that helped tell a story that NU — embarrassingly — tried to bury.




Braun’s class looks a lot like Fitz’s. And has already gotten commitments from two A-list quarterbacks — something Fitz couldn’t do in his last decade.

You’re 0-2. Keep swinging though.

 

[curdog]

When you have something new to add, perhaps you can highlight it in some way. Right now I pretty much just ignore all the same back and forth. But by all means continue to do you.

Oh don’t you worry, I will continue to bang the drum that there are allegedly players and coaches on the team that participated in hazing. No one seems to care which leads me to believe this was all a nothing burger.

Looking forward to your analysis of the QB/center exchange

 

[CMcCat]

Only if you think Lou and Matt were on a mission to get Paddy Fitz fired.

If Fitz, Gragg, and Schill had come up with any suspension with any teeth, Fitz would he head coach still.

Thankfully, they handled the situation like dolts and we are left with a head coach who is everything Fitz was 10 years ago, a defensive coordinator who would have gotten the job if Fitz had hired on merit and not the buddy system, and a new AD who actually knows how to support and engage with college athletes.

The hazing scandal is forgotten, Fitz is the past, and NU’s stadium — with reference only to the future — is one of the bigger stories of a quiet college football weekend.

With respect, you speak thankfully as a simple fan of a simple football team.

As one curious about the truth, I continue to find the “hazing” scandal utterly perplexing. It has directly influenced my thinking about what NU has become and it has impacted my willingness to pay to see and root for NU. It’s a chink in the purple armor that colors the entire project for me, a longtime alum and 25-plus-year season ticket holder.

Maybe others are willing to dismiss it and move on to happy times with a new coach and elite stadium under construction. I am not yet there.

Equally perplexing is your reference to Lou and Matt. I don’t know why you would suggest they had such a mission. I do find it remarkable that egregious behavior has been assumed to occur but the only penalty that has been leveled is on those who did not see the assumed behavior. I didn’t go to Medill and I know they teach a different kind of journalism there now than when I was at NU. It seems there is a LOT left unknown by the public of what was a major scandal.

 

[NUCat320]

Equally perplexing is your reference to Lou and Matt. I don’t know why you would suggest they had such a mission. I do find it remarkable that egregious behavior has been assumed to occur but the only penalty that has been leveled is on those who did not see the assumed behavior.

They had no mission. They told the story. The facts led their reporting.

If one thinks there was no hazing, then one thinks that Matt and Lou are liars. They aren’t.

 

[NUCat320]

You’re 0-2. Keep swinging though.

What are my misses, dear friend? There were more than two opinions stated in the post to which you responded.

I’ve been waiting so long for you to tell me what reallllllly happened.


Anyway, never thought I’d say this three years ago, but I’m so happy Fitz is no longer directly associated with the NU football team. Onward and upward.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

The story is still being written. In fact, I suspect we aren’t through the first 10 chapters of a 20 chapter book.

Get used to skipping threads.

 

[CMcCat]

They had no mission. They told the story. The facts led their reporting.

If one thinks there was no hazing, then one thinks that Matt and Lou are liars. They aren’t.

So you are satisfied that you know “the story”?

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

Oh don’t you worry, I will continue to bang the drum that there are allegedly players and coaches on the team that participated in hazing. No one seems to care which leads me to believe this was all a nothing burger.

Looking forward to your analysis of the QB/center exchange

Double nothing burger with cheese.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

What are my misses, dear friend? There were more than two opinions stated in the post to which you responded.

I’ve been waiting so long for you to tell me what reallllllly happened.


Anyway, never thought I’d say this three years ago, but I’m so happy Fitz is no longer directly associated with the NU football team. Onward and upward.

On the Rock. Not for public consumption.

 

[curdog]

What are my misses, dear friend? There were more than two opinions stated in the post to which you responded.

I’ve been waiting so long for you to tell me what reallllllly happened.


Anyway, never thought I’d say this three years ago, but I’m so happy Fitz is no longer directly associated with the NU football team. Onward and upward.

That’s the whole point that is glossed over by most people, including the NU admin. We have no idea what really happened. The longer this goes with no public reporting of what happened, the more skeptical i
Am that anything happened.

 

[CatManTrue]

You’re 0-2. Keep swinging though.

@NUCat320 is a noted history buff. Ask him about when the Germans invaded Pearl Harbor.

 

[catfans5]

My goodness, people have to let it go. We are in year 2 for some players which had to be traumatic for them. We have a young coach who was thrust into a situation which he handled with aplomb. The team last year was incredible.

On Saturday, I did not notice many false start penalties or completely blown assignments on defense. All, in my opinion, the ear marks of a well coached team. NU beat Miami which is a pretty good team. Very happy with the start.

As to folks wanting to discuss what happened in the prior regime, it is in the past. Move on, You will never know what happened. However, there not a mass exodus from the players in the program and there never has been which should give everyone a factual basis to legitimately infer that the players and their families were comfortable with what was occurring.

Right now, the Cats give something to cheer. My group was entitled to 4 tix, but we bought 2, got parking and bought at least 8 tix for OSU and Illini. I am going on Friday. Our seats are in the end zone. Not thrilled with that, but if I ponied up the contribution, my wife would be pissef. I am a short, fat balding man. My wife is a good cook and she makes dinner 4 to 6 days a week. The option was help the Cats or not piss off ny wife, It not hard. Shrimp and calamari in a white garlic sauce is wonderful. Go wife, Go Cats!

 

[CMcCat]

As to folks wanting to discuss what happened in the prior regime, it is in the past. Move on, You will never know what happened. However, there not a mass exodus from the players in the program and there never has been which should give everyone a factual basis to legitimately infer that the players and their families were comfortable with what was occurring.

In my humble estimation, your wife is to be credited for the restraint she imposes upon your inclination to give NU free cash flow. My wife is a(n) historian who studies things that happened centuries ago. Such people are the reason we understand people and the world as it is.

To your point above, is that not the greatest mystery? A culture of hazing, developed over many years, including truly depraved behavior of a sexual nature conducted in an organized, methodical manner by student athletes?

The truth is revealed and nobody leaves but the coach who didn’t see it while the players and their families go on…as if it did not occur.

 

[hdhntr1]

Not that much happening on "The Rock" either. My impression is that in past years the free board has had more game and player discussion. Combines both groups. Get a lot of fan enthusiasm. Seems like some of the individuals who really brought their analysis are either "retired" or hanging back. If I was more capable I would offer more. First game. We'll see.

Over the years they have chased off a lot of people

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

In my humble estimation, your wife is to be credited for the restraint she imposes upon your inclination to give NU free cash flow. My wife is a(n) historian who studies things that happened centuries ago. Such people are the reason we understand people and the world as it is.

To your point above, is that not the greatest mystery? A culture of hazing, developed over many years, including truly depraved behavior of a sexual nature conducted in an organized, methodical manner by student athletes?

The truth is revealed and nobody leaves but the coach who didn’t see it while the players and their families go on…as if it did not occur.

They didn’t see it; because what you claim didn’t happen. 🤡

 

[CMcCat]

The didn’t see it; because what you claim didn’t happen. 🤡

Sure seems like it, doesn’t it? There were corroborating reports about the cheerleader’s claims and we now see what happened with those. I suspect all the lawsuits will be settled before we learn anything more. It’s up to the press. Where are they?

 

[hdhntr1]

The point whatever it was resulted in unmitigated disaster

No one is arguing that point, Just that it was nothing other than a buddy hire.

 

[phatcat]

And phatty’s interested mostly in travel plans.

I'm actually kind of local now (Wisconsin) but I am still a doof

 

[gocatsgo2003]

.

I mean… yeah. Braun is basically a mini-Fitz in both scheme and personality.

 

[phatcat]

It not hard

It's like trying to find a blind man in a nudist colony

 

[IGNORE2]

Dude take it easy. If this was such a horrible episode, why aren’t they doing any “reporting” on who committed these dastardly deeds? I mean, isn’t hazing worse than not knowing the hazing took place?

They are both on this board. Ask them. Demand a response or just keep accusing them of making stuff up.

 

[curdog]

They are both on this board. Ask them. Demand a response or just keep accusing them of making stuff up.

They were repeating what they were told by the whistleblower. And the summary report said the claims were “largely supported” by the evidence. Ok great, any info on the who, what, when? Zippo.

I am fully aware that we will likely never know what really happened. It’s just shocking to me that these events actually happened and no one seems to care to know who did it. Are we cheering on violent assaulters every Saturday? Who knows.

 

[olshin]

Not even CLOSE to a Haiku! Wow

LMFAO
That comment made me chuckle
I will up my game.

 

[SmellyCat]

Right now, the Cats give something to cheer. My group was entitled to 4 tix, but we bought 2, got parking and bought at least 8 tix for OSU and Illini. I am going on Friday. Our seats are in the end zone. Not thrilled with that, but if I ponied up the contribution, my wife would be pissef. I am a short, fat balding man. My wife is a good cook and she makes dinner 4 to 6 days a week. The option was help the Cats or not piss off ny wife, It not hard. Shrimp and calamari in a white garlic sauce is wonderful. Go wife, Go Cats!

Love this. My only problem with it is I don't like shrimp. You have your priorities straight!

 

[FeralFelidae]

They were repeating what they were told by the whistleblower.

And an ex-employee source, if I remember correctly.

 

[peatymeanis]

I mean… yeah. Braun is basically a mini-Fitz in both scheme and personality.

Let's not insult Braun. By his later years with the program, Fitz had become entitled in his personality and stale in his scheme. Braun is his own man and we should all hope he doesn't become a mini-Fitz.

 

[EvanstonCat]

He was looking at the combination of College and Pro and recruiting and thought the combination would work with the other guys we had McGargle was probably not quite ready so he brought in JON He actually made the decision that he was the wrong guy fairly quickly.

Why are you such a Fitz apologist? JON had no record of being a successful DC at any level of the game. His record in the NFL was worse than anyone who didn’t have a record because of how god awful his defenses were and how they underperformed each time he took over relative to before he arrived. His putrid performance at NU could have been and was predicted by some. And Fitz made a decision that he was the wrong guy fairly quickly? Guys lose their jobs after a game like our first game under JON. We went two years with that fool. Quickly my foot.

 

[curdog]

Let's not insult Braun. By his later years with the program, Fitz had become entitled in his personality and stale in his scheme. Braun is his own man and we should all hope he doesn't become a mini-Fitz.

So we don’t want braun to take the cats to 2 BIG championship games and become the all time winningest coach in school history?

 

[CMcCat]

So we don’t want braun to take the cats to 2 BIG championship games and become the all time winningest coach in school history?

Absolutely not for fear he may one day not see something that might be there that would be very bad if it were, if fact, there to be seen.

 

[IGNORE2]

Lou and Matt? What are you talking about? It was the Daily Northwestern and National media

You have missed Lounciting his own independent sources confirming the hazing. His words. So…what do you have to say about Lou and his sources?

 

[IGNORE2]

Lou and Matt had a story where an anonymous ex-employee corroborated that there was hazing and stated that it was well-known within the program.

I have no idea who the anonymous source was and whether or not he was disgruntled and had an agenda. Anonymous sources are inferior to named sources for those reasons, but I guess an anonymous source is enough to publish a story.

Was not an anonymous source to Lou. Simply Lou honored request not to disclose the identity.

 

[TerraCat]

What you have to realize is that some of this stuff definitely happened. But the question is was there abuse of players perpetrated on them against their will? I know players, who have told me things like the Car Wash happened, but they walked by and did not participate and they were respected. But the point that continues to be made here, is if what happened is a fireable offense for Pat, why have there not been players implicated in these offenses? It's a fair question, that certainly casts a shadow on all of the "reporting" on these matters. Where are the Woodward and Bernsteins? No names? No perpetrators? Two investigations paid for by the University? Just allegations of wrongdoing? Sorry, no Pulitzers being handed out here, and I don't see any of these articles as particularly helpful.