For a guy who listed “Played NBA Jam” as a qualification for doing color commentary on a Northwestern basketball radio broadcast, NU football coach Pat Fitzgerald did a darn fine job Wednesday night.
And it’s not as if Northwestern gave him much material: The Wildcats shot 32.2% in their 79-54 loss to Michigan.
If Fitzgerald had a signature call ready for an NU dunk, he’ll have to wait for the next time Joey Meyer needs a night off.
Fitzgerald was positive without being overbearing, spoke just the right amount and had the lingo down, at one point mentioning that Northwestern’s poor weak-side rotation yielded a Jon Teske dunk.
And he showed familiarity with the NU players, alternately referring to forward Jared Jones as “JJ” and “Jonesey.”
Here were Fitzgerald’s 10 best lines:
More Top Picks Best Dog Ramps For Cars
1. After play-by-play man Dave Eanet asked Fitzgerald if he would have wanted tough guy and former NU forward Sanjay Lumpkin on his football team: “I’d take (Pat) Spencer right now. I think Jared Jones has tight end written all over him. Give me (Pete) Nance on a fade.”
2. On his basketball career at Sandburg High School: “They kicked me off the team after I couldn’t shoot.”
3. After the officials called two moving screen violations in a span of 36 seconds: “I’m not allowed to say this, but nobody came to watch you call fouls. Let the guys play a little.”
4. After Eanet noted the Wildcats did not take advantage of Michigan’s 0-for-11 start from the field: “You feel like you had four red-zone possessions and you only got three (points).”
5. After Jones faked out Michigan’s Austin Davis with a crossover before swishing a short jumper: “Confidence is killer, he’s feeling it right now. … He’s got to be our most improved player … energy, effort. … We’re going to have to give him some bigger shorts next year.”
6. Asked how many times he has witnessed Northwestern basketball: “Hundreds. … In the old place we’d stand up in the end zone. Absolutely loved that view.”
7. Asked about former NU forward Vic Law, who signed a two-way contract with the Magic and is averaging 19.3 points in the G League: “I wish he was here for the (NBA) All-Star Game. Soon, right?”
8. After Miller Kopp and Boo Buie combined to miss 11 of their first 12 shots: “MJ said you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Keep shooting, boys. They are our guys.”
9. After Eanet opened the 1994 NU football media guide and read a note that Fitzgerald played basketball: “It also says I’m 6-4 and I’ve never been taller than 6-2. Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story. … I really did enjoy baseball until the spring of my junior year when it was like 12 degrees every day.”
10. After the Wildcats fell into a huge second-half hole: “Might have to do something a little extreme, maybe a three-quarter-court press to create some turnovers.”
After Eanet commented that basketball coach Chris Collins might be listening, Fitzgerald shot back: “Trust me, Dave, the last guy he needs to listen to is me.”