Pat Fitzgerald isn’t alone. He’s just the latest one.
The “All-American Boy” who played, coached and “dedicated his life” to the Midwestern institution of higher education that produced “intellectual elites” and “pioneers in journalism” has lost his position on plausible-sounding allegations Works like he and Jon Gruden might be best friends — two mediocre white football coaches accused of having or allowing racism, sexism, bullying and homophobia to run rampant.
The charges against Gruden do not involve bullying, and Northwestern made no mention of homophobia. But when you read all the reports, it wouldn’t be shocking if there were more reports claiming that all of the above happened where these two men have been.
Apart from, player report exist Northwestern goes after whistleblower and member of student newspaper who leaked the story, and Ex-player runs wherever he can stand up for Fitzgerald It only adds credence to the accusations that keep piling up.
White people covering white people is the foundation of America.
“The head coach is ultimately responsible for the culture of the team. The bullying we investigated was widespread and clearly not a secret in the program, which provided Coach Fitzgerald with an opportunity to understand what was going on. Either way, The Northwest football culture, while incredible in some ways, is broken in others.” University President Michael Scheer wrote in a statement.
At the end of the day, Northwestern is a really white school, and how the football team— cheerleaders and baseballAlso does something that has been allowed for centuries in true white space. Really bad and sad. But it’s also very American and authentic.
The worst part, however, is that we’ve seen this movie before. Fitzgerald may not return as head coach of a Power 5 school, but his whiteness will ensure he continues to find work in football.
This is not speculation either, we have evidence.
Now, Bob Hudgens is in the news trying to get his job back, trying to play victim after being homophobic and Drunk driving.Just a few years ago, the Clayton men’s basketball head coach despite play slave master after telling his team“Guys, we have to stick together. We need to step in with both feet. I need everyone to stay on the plantation. I can’t let anyone get off the plantation.”
In football, we saw Urban Meyer get hired in the NFL, get fired and then rehired by Fox to talk about football on TV. DJ Durkin ran a program so dastardly, disturbing and dysfunctional that it was held responsible for the death of Jordan McNair, he is still looking for a job. Art Briles’ time at Baylor sparked what may have been the worst sexual assault case in college sports history, last year he got a job.Iowa head coach Kirk Ferencz still employed by a family For decades, this place has made life difficult for black players and people.
We shouldn’t be shocked by what happened at Northwestern under Fitzgerald’s watch. What we should worry about is that it’s taken us so long to find out.
In the next year or two, Pat Fitzgerald will end up on TV, either as an analyst or because someone is doing a tout/redemption story on him because they feel he” Enough of the pain.” Or, he’ll get a job as a coordinator or consultant at some high-profile school, helping some high-profile coach because they’ve “talked to Pat” and believe he deserves a second chance.
It is this endless and unfair cycle that allows white mediocrity to survive. But if the Pat Fitzgeralds of sports are going to be eradicated, it won’t be because people stop putting them on TV, or because they’re given up the chance to “redeem a tarnished legacy,” It’s because our society has reached a stage where coaches who care more about football than humanity are no longer credible applicants.