Back on July 7, I wrote a little piece worrying about whether or not Pat Fitzgerald is truly going to be Northwestern’s football savior.  It was a humbling little experiment; I received only one response.  But I do very much appreciate knowing that someone out there is actually reading my stuff!

So, in lieu of having to boil down the essence of buckets full of responses, I will respond directly to my one reader: Tapan Maniar from Philadelphia, PA.

Here’s what Tapan had to say:

“If you ever meet Pat Fitzgerald, watch him play, watch him coach, watch him teach his players how to win and win the right way, you will have no doubts.  Bill Parcells might have trouble winning at NU, it won't be about wins and losses alone.  NU is loved by many because it goes toe-to-toe against the best programs in the country with guys who are genuine students, not pass-throughs to the NFL.  It takes a special guy to lead that charge. Fitz is that guy.  Don't just count the wins, though there will be plenty, but watch how we play in the 4th quarter, watch how we respond when everyone else gives up on us, watch how we walk off the field after a tough loss or huge win, watch how we graduate kids with a real education and future outside football.  Get to know some NU athletes as well, and you will become an NU fan, and one that believes in the Fitz as well.”

First of all, Tapan, you seem to think that I’m a completely objective observer who wanted to make a point from the outside.  Well, obviously I try to be as objective as I can be but I am actually also a fan and, believe it or not, an alumnus (class of 2000).  Looking back at what I wrote, I realize now that it was a combination of both objective analysis and subjective concern.  That’s probably how I am when I write anything about Northwestern including my column, Purple Ponderings. 

I didn’t mean to say that Fitz is the wrong guy for the job.  All things considered, including the fact that Randy Walker was specifically grooming him to be his successor, tells me that he was, far and away, the most obvious choice for the job.  It happened, unfortunately, too soon.  And while I’ve yet to meet him personally, I have seen him on the sidelines at Ryan Field and his enthusiasm is evident and, yes, infectious.  It somehow seems absurd to think that there might be a “Mr. Northwestern” but, if there is, Fitz is it. 

You’re right, it’s not all about wins and losses.  As for his ability to coach, teach and lead his charges through their academic careers, well, I expect nothing less.  There is a certain standard involved in being a member the Northwestern family and I have no doubts that NU fans and alums and other members of the “family” expect that standard to be upheld.  “Win at all costs” is not a motto we live by.  We believe that certain sacrifices are to be made but to sacrifice academics for athletics isn’t one of them.  Becoming a top-flight human being, is.  Fitz doesn’t seem to be one of those guys who believe that winning and losing is all that matters.  If he was, I doubt Randy Walker would have recommended him and I doubt even more so, that Mark Murphy would have accepted him. 

My problem isn’t with Fitz.  No, it’s with the fans who think that, simply by taking over the reins,  Fitz will fix all that’s wrong with Northwestern’s program, that I have a problem with.  In the past couple of weeks now, I’ve seen stories by distinguished sportwriters proclaiming Fitz as Northwestern’s version of Joe Paterno.  And I’ve seen fan response echo such sentiments.  But really, Fitz as our Joe Pa?  Well, I’ve got about thirty or forty good years left in me, I figure, and if Fitz can bring that kind of success and longevity to the team, that would be wonderful.  I’m all for it.  A handful, or so, of conference championships, bowl games virtually every year and a national championship, or three, would suit me just fine.  The problem is that there is nothing to indicate that he will reach that level of greatness.  True enough, there’s really nothing that says he won’t, either.  So I don’t know how it will go.  I’m nervous for the start of the season to come so we can see what’s really in store for the program.  And I’m anxious for things to work out.  As I said a couple of weeks ago, I guess all we can do is wait and see. 

This is going to be a particularly emotional season for our Wildcats.  We saw how the team basically imploded after the death of Rashidi Wheeler in 2001.  This situation is very similar, in my opinion.  This is not to say that this team will be similarly crushed by this emotional weight, but it might.  True, they might use Coach Walker’s death as a rallying point that will carry them through a tremendous season but, if it doesn’t, then what? 

In the last ten years, the team has done fairly well.  Certainly it has performed better than in the previous two decades or so.  And in that time, Wildcat fans have developed increased expectations of what they want from their team.  That is as it should be, of course.  After last year’s Sun Bowl appearance, I’m sure the expectations for this year’s club will be high yet again.  But what happens if this team, lead by Fitz, suffers what the 2001 team did?  Are we going to be wanting to run Fitz out on a rail? 

Honestly, I do believe that, if anyone can put a winner together at Northwestern, Fitz can.  But I don’t think I’m going to canonize him at this point.  He doesn’t need that kind of pressure.  Anointing him as “our Joe Paterno” seems to me to be nothing more than putting the cart before the horse.  Let’s give him our support, sure, but let’s also a be little bit more cautious about where we think he’s going and how fast he’ll get there.  If we can do that, I think he’ll be just fine.