by Joe Tichy

Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois has never been known as a school that people attend for a chance at winning a national football title or college basketball championship.  For example, the school has never made it to a college bowl game in three straight years in its 128 year existence.  It has also never been a part of March Madness.  Most students go there for the chance at becoming a doctor, lawyer, dentist, etc.  There is one man there, however, who is making athletes think twice about which Big Ten school they would like to attend.  His name is Pat Fitzgerald.

Pat Fitzgerald played linebacker on the Northwestern squad from 1993-1996 and recorded nearly 300 tackles, forced five fumbles, and grabbed three interceptions.  More importantly, he was the leader of a defense that led the nation in scoring and would eventually end up in the 1995 Rose Bowl.  That storybook 1995 season would warrant him the honors of Sports Illustrated and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and also the Bronko Nagurski award given to the nation’s top defensive player.  Did I forget to mention he broke his leg in the second to last game of the season? So Fitzgerald is no stranger to being a leader on the sidelines or to overcoming adversity.  After Randy Walker’s sudden death in the summer of 2006, the Wildcats Athletic Department wouldn’t have to look far to name Walker’s successor.  One of their own was waiting in the wings to put on that headset and lead this team back to the Promised Land.

Since Fitzgerald’s hiring in 2006, the Wildcats have gone 27-23 with two Bowl games under their belt.  One of those Bowl games was a New Year’s Day game, which was their first since Fitzgerald was a player in 1997.  Due to Fitzgerald’s almost instant success as head coach, the school and Fitzgerald agreed to a contract that would keep Fitzgerald there until 2015.  His team’s “November to remember” added to the list of reasons why Fitzgerald belongs on the sidelines as a head coach.  In November of 2009, the team handed fourth ranked Iowa their first loss of the season, defeated their in-state rival Illinois, and then returned to Ryan Field to defeat number sixteen Wisconsin in the season finale.

by Derf

Most of you heard the absurd remarks by this week's ZERO of the week, Brandon Phillips, who said how much he hated the St. Louis Cardinals, and called them Bitches! Not a good word to call a bunch of guys, much less a pro sports team. Then leading off the game the next day, he did his usual act of 'respect' by tapping the Catcher's Shin guards with his bad. Except the Cardinals catcher, and the rest of the team did not take it 'affectionately'! A huge fight broke out, as one might expect. Meanwhile the Cardinals swept the Reds to take over first place in the Division. Not sure what Philips was thinking, but it probably did not work out like he figured!

On a happier baseball note, this week's HERO is Buck Showalter. Buck took over as Manager of the O's a couple of weeks ago, and had lead them to an 8-2 record. Okay, they're not going to win the Division, and probably won't next year either, as it's the toughest Division in baseball. However it's good to see this once very proud, successful franchise doing a little better. With Showalter, assuming they can get some decent players, they should be a lot better in coming years. Another good thing about Showalter, he's a huge Andy Griffith Show fan!!