Northwestern Fires Fitzgerald

[ToddFlanders]

On hazing allegations in the program. Wow. Now Northwestern will never be good again in my lifetime - and I'm not old!

There were some damning allegations - but also reports that allegations were being exaggerated (as in, the accusers told others that they would exaggerate in hopes of getting the coach fired).

I guess these days you just have to accept that being a coach is a temporary thing.

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...thwestern-fires-football-coach-pat-fitzgerald

 

[Go Gamecocks]

Ryan Hilinski's team.

 

[SC95]

If hazing was as problematic as described, why name the DC interim coach? Get rid of the entire staff.

 

[CockofEarle…]

Eating their own, sorta like us eating Felton 30 yrs gone.

 

[ToddFlanders]

If hazing was as problematic as described, why name the DC interim coach? Get rid of the entire staff.

Exactly. I think this point ends up costing NW most of the $40+ million left on his contract. Firing him is a symbolic publicity stunt if you aren’t firing the other people in positions of authority that also should have known what was happening (every assistant coach and staff member).

 

[vacock]

Exactly. I think this point ends up costing NW most of the $40+ million left on his contract. Firing him is a symbolic publicity stunt if you aren’t firing the other people in positions of authority that also should have known what was happening (every assistant coach and staff member).

The firing should be “termination for cause” so the school won’t have to pay.

 

[ToddFlanders]

The firing should be “termination for cause” so the school won’t have to pay.

That will certainly be the school's position. However, the school's position will certainly be in question when they only fire one person, and not a single other person of authority that "should have known" what was going on. If his behavior rose to the level to where he could be fired "for cause" - then why not anyone else (when quite frankly the assistants would have a better idea of what was going on than the head coach)?

I think to give the school's position any credibility, they have to clean house immediately, and fire anyone on staff that fits the same criteria as the head coach (a person of authority that "should have known" what was alleged and taken steps to report and stop it). The buck stops with the head coach, but every employee on campus has a duty to report and stop hazing.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

It's a shame that Fitzgerald, the winningest coach in NW history, and whose teams were known for playing tough fundamental football, leaves in such a ignoble manner

With that said, cause was given not only by the allegations, but by a independent investigation that collaborated such allegations.

 

[ToddFlanders]

With that said, cause was given not only by the allegations, but by a independent investigation that collaborated such allegations.

Correct, but the findings were that there was not enough evidence to show that Fitz had any knowledge of what was going on, but had opportunities to learn of what happened. And in the President's statement he specifically stated that Fitz was being fired for a “failure to know and prevent significant hazing in the football program.”

So then why isn't anyone else being fired? And why did a two-week suspension turn into termination in a weekend when no new information had come to light? The school is going to have a hard time defending their reasoning.

Ultimately though, Fitz's specific outcome will come down to the "for cause" language in his contract. It could be very broadly worded and provide him with no protections whatsoever. Or, he could have good agents that limited the "for cause" langauge in his contract to only egregious situations (i.e., knowing violations, convicted of a felony, etc.).

 

[18IsTheMan]

I'm sure his 4-20 record the last 2 seasons was totally inconsequential in the decision

 

[CaughtLookin]

If hazing was as problematic as described, why name the DC interim coach? Get rid of the entire staff.

The DC was just hired.

 

[ToddFlanders]

The other part of this: if there was hazing (and the investigation tends to evidence that), then every player that is alleged to have participated in it needs to be kicked out of the school immediately. Or at the very least taken off the team while further investigation is pending.

 

[Uscg1984]

I believe there is probably a grey area between good-natured ribbing and players self-policing teammates, both done in the name of team-building, and actual hazing. But it certainly does feel like a line is crossed when the actions involve nakedness and sexualized conduct. That would be a definite "no" for me. I've only read some of the allegations, but they really sounded bizarre.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Fitzgerald has hired an attorney. Looks like he's gonna fight back a bit.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

Correct, but the findings were that there was not enough evidence to show that Fitz had any knowledge of what was going on, but had opportunities to learn of what happened. And in the President's statement he specifically stated that Fitz was being fired for a “failure to know and prevent significant hazing in the football program.”

So then why isn't anyone else being fired? And why did a two-week suspension turn into termination in a weekend when no new information had come to light? The school is going to have a hard time defending their reasoning.

Ultimately though, Fitz's specific outcome will come down to the "for cause" language in his contract. It could be very broadly worded and provide him with no protections whatsoever. Or, he could have good agents that limited the "for cause" langauge in his contract to only egregious situations (i.e., knowing violations, convicted of a felony, etc.).

With less than a month before fall practice, I would suspect that the Board is very aware there are only so many vacancies they can afford at this time. Does that make it right, No it does not, but the coach is the face of the program, so that is where the spotlight went.
In all probability, with more information, the parties that knew of the hazing will come to light and hard decisions will be made.

 

[KingWard]

Fitzgerald has hired an attorney. Looks like he's gonna fight back a bit.

Dragging the lake for a settlement.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Dragging the lake for a settlement.

Yep. Might as well.

I've read the overview on it. I guess the case against Fitzgerald is that he clapped his hands at practice. Seems tenuous.

 

[Go Gamecocks]

I guess the case against Fitzgerald is that he clapped his hands at practice.

Gee, I wonder what a clap, gallop & air punch gets you?

 

[Go Gamecocks]

If clapping is some kind of hand signal, gotta wonder what this means?

 

[Deleted11512]

This is going to be ugly.

 

[18IsTheMan]

This is going to be ugly.

Yep. One of their top grads and a HOFer. An ugly split for sure. His lawyer said last night that FItzgerald was fired for cause, so they will be challenging that for sure. If the extent of the evidence is "he clapped his hands at practice" that may not hold up. Of course, if he proceeds to challenge it, it will open up everything to scrutiny...emails, text messages, etc. He would have to feel pretty confident about it.

 

[ToddFlanders]

Dragging the lake for a settlement.

Definitely. He's owed over $45M on his contract (and his attorney is claiming even more for future damage to his reputation). So there's probably about a $50M demand from Fitz. I think the two sides come together and he ends up with about $15M to walk away (maybe upwards of $20M).

Neither side wants more scrutiny on the situation in the form of a lawsuit. The school wants to move on (with current players and coaches), but a lawsuit would mean that there would be way more investigation through discovery, players and coaches that are not named now would be, and if the allegations were as far-reaching as they say, the entire program would have to be suspended as they fire all the football staff and let go of half the team.

Fitz doesn't want more investigation because all it will take is one or two players (or coaches) testifying that he knew anything about this (be it true or not) and it blows up his whole spot. Then he's getting $0 and also has the hit to reputation for real.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Definitely. He's owed over $45M on his contract (and his attorney is claiming even more for future damage to his reputation). So there's probably about a $50M demand from Fitz. I think the two sides come together and he ends up with about $15M to walk away (maybe upwards of $20M).

Neither side wants more scrutiny on the situation in the form of a lawsuit. The school wants to move on (with current players and coaches), but a lawsuit would mean that there would be way more investigation through discovery, players and coaches that are not named now would be, and if the allegations were as far-reaching as they say, the entire program would have to be suspended as they fire all the football staff and let go of half the team.

Fitz doesn't want more investigation because all it will take is one or two players (or coaches) testifying that he knew anything about this (be it true or not) and it blows up his whole spot. Then he's getting $0 and also has the hit to reputation for real.

The report said that Fitzgerald "missed significant opportunities to discover that hazing was taking place." That seems tenuous. And a far cry from saying he knew. But, yes, like you said, pushing forward with a lawsuit opens up an entire can of worm...emails, text messages, etc. If Fitzgerald truly didn't know, I hope he sticks to his guns and nails them with this lawsuit. He would have to feel pretty confident about his ability to prove it.

All that said, I guess I'm not 2023 enough, but I've read the articles and I'm not really sure what horrible things were done. Based on terms like "sexual assault" being thrown around, I was expecting some pretty heinous stuff. It seems the dry humping was the worst of it, though. That doesn't make it ok, of course, but people are getting a little crazy about what was done here. Nobody was raped or sexually assaulted or assaulted. Guys were humiliated. One article also breathlessly described how the hazing involved nudity. Nudity! As if these guys don't walk around in front of each other nude all the time in the locker room. The first thing that came to my mind, of course, was an episode of the TV show "Friday Night Lights" when the older players made the new players run the "naked mile".

None of that is to say these practices shouldn't be stopped, they should, but people are lumping this in with sexual assault, which is insulting to those who have actually been sexually assaulted. I mean, back in the day, it was a norm for guys to "rack" each other in the gnads. How would that not be considered sexual assault? We did all sorts of things in the locker room that was just "guy stuff". Does dry humping go a bit far? Yeah, it does. But, I mean, what's next? Will guys be charged with assault for snapping another guy with a towel?

If you peel it ALL the way back, there's ALL kinds of things that go in locker rooms across America that people would find distasteful.