Fritz plans to retire here

[tumbuuh]

Ed Daniels got the scoop today that Fritz plans to stick around and retire from Tulane. "I would love to be able to be here through 2030, that would be fun."

https://twitter.com/WGNOsports/status/1 ... sFO6Q&s=19

On edit: just realized it was mentioned in another thread, but honestly I feel like this deserves its own

[WaveProf]

I mean what’s he supposed to say? It’s certainly a more likely end result than it was in November, and I’m out saying he isn’t leaning that way, but I’m not laying bets.

[1309th WAVE]

In a universe where Tulane wins a Cotton Bowl which already demolished most of my priors, heck, I'm definitely willing to take a guy's word for it if he actually wants to hang out with us for another decade. Don't be such a battered greenie, teach!

[DCGreenie]

That makes perfect sense. He is a local sports hero, he is 63, he probably will continue to have winning seasons, he doesn't need to chase money (he will keep getting raises if he wins), and having a long-term home probably produces a great sigh of relief for his family as against being uprooted over and over.

[tumbuuh]

I mean what’s he supposed to say? It’s certainly a more likely end result than it was in November, and I’m out saying he isn’t leaning that way, but I’m not laying bets.

I just don't think it's normal for a coach in any position to be so direct and unequivocal though. Even for a coach who really is planning on staying, the usual path is to play coy and be noncommittal to at least get some negotiating power. For Fritz to outright say he and his wife decided that they want to stay here and retire from Tulane is a level of verbal commitment that FBS coaches very rarely give at any stage. My first thought when I saw the clip was "oh his agent is gonna hate that he said that on record." Like at the very least I'd think a coach who says that would add something like "as long as we can work out a deal."

[doc]

I prefer to take him at his word. There are still people “out there you can trust,” although lately they are fewer and farther between. Maybe I am wrong.

[PeteRasche]

For Fritz to outright say he and his wife decided that they want to stay here and retire from Tulane is a level of verbal commitment that FBS coaches very rarely give at any stage. My first thought when I saw the clip was "oh his agent is gonna hate that he said that on record."

At some point late in their careers, most coaches probably tell their agents to get them one last good deal and that's gonna be it. Especially "salt of the earth midwestern" guys like Willie Fritz. He's getting millions of dollars per year and probably lives a lifestyle that requires less than $100K. His kids are grown and professionally successful so he probably doesn't feel quite the need to "set up his family" that many young-to-middle-age coaches would. And let's be honest, long-time-happily-married guys (like Fritz) actually consider their wife's thoughts, and Willie right here said that he and his wife discussed it. THAT'S the part you don't hear said often, which makes this seem authentic. I've seen (from the wife's side) coaches make decisions to move to another place without consulting with their wives and it doesn't go well (and that's an understatement as you'd expect).

I would hope that when an older coach says something like that and the agent hears - or he tells his agent directly - that agents understand (or at least take it as a clue that they can stop working so hard for that guy and focus on some new young up-and-comer). An agent's job is to be cutthroat and get their client the best deal, but only until the client says stop. I'd think at this point, the directive is likely to get the best deal they can, probably back-loaded with lots of incentives and higher payments at the very end, so they can send their client off into the sunset and move onto the next young gun.

[ml wave]

I mean what’s he supposed to say? It’s certainly a more likely end result than it was in November, and I’m out saying he isn’t leaning that way, but I’m not laying bets.

I just don't think it's normal for a coach in any position to be so direct and unequivocal though. Even for a coach who really is planning on staying, the usual path is to play coy and be noncommittal to at least get some negotiating power. For Fritz to outright say he and his wife decided that they want to stay here and retire from Tulane is a level of verbal commitment that FBS coaches very rarely give at any stage. My first thought when I saw the clip was "oh his agent is gonna hate that he said that on record." Like at the very least I'd think a coach who says that would add something like "as long as we can work out a deal."

Even if the deal's not done (I'd guess that it is, for all intents and purposes), he doesn't need any additional leverage from noncommittal comments. Actually these comments might help more than being noncommittal...can you imagine the backlash on Dannen if he didn't get a deal done not only after the incredible season/Cotton Bowl/etc. but after Fritz said he'd retire here?

[nolasilver]

https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/1 ... ame=iossmf

ALOT of love from the Reddit CFB community (which is a huge, diverse and very active community) for Tulane and Fritz.

[Carolina Greenie]

At some point late in their careers, most coaches probably tell their agents to get them one last good deal and that's gonna be it.
[/quote]

Kinda like when Bob McKillop decided to keep it running at Davidson after Steph Curry left. He had many suitors, esp back in metro NY- but I think he looked around Davidson and said…. Ummm …. This is a good gig. When he can pleasantly walk across the street to work, it’s a good gig.

I’m glad he’s done so. I think he and Tulane are better for it.
More time for Natty Lights at the pool…..

[ml wave]

After actually reading the story/hearing Fritz talk, he says that he and his wife made the decision "a couple years ago" and it was full of ambiguous phrases like "I plan to". Not saying he won't retire here, but I put next to zero stock in this story.

[gerryb323]

The best laid schemes of mice and men...

[speckled trout]

After actually reading the story/hearing Fritz talk, he says that he and his wife made the decision "a couple years ago" and it was full of ambiguous phrases like "I plan to". Not saying he won't retire here, but I put next to zero stock in this story.

I can remember a younger Nick Saban saying “I am not going to be the head coach at Alabama.” …. Of course we all know how that worked out

I do think there’s a good chance Fritz will stay long term. Tulane is a much better job than it used to be (mostly because of Fritz). He could also be getting to that point in his life where he would rather not deal with the stress of starting over from scratch somewhere

[Baywave1]

I think Fritz does plan to retire here as long as A, B and C are done and such will be enumerated in contract extension. If not executed then he can bail quickly and cheaply.

Age matters. He could easily get a P5 Tech rebuild job but I doubt he could get a reload job. At Tulane, he has reasonable shot at Peach Bowl next year and CFP afterward. Tech and 20-30 similar P5 rebuilds are three years + from NY6/CFP.

So age math works in Tulane’s favor.

He left Ga southern when AD did not finalize new contract timely.

I think he stays but ball is in Tulane’s court to do what it will contractually say

[WaveProf]

Look, all the logic for why y'all think he'll stay is true, and every year he's here it gets more true, and I'm confident part of him thinks that way or else he wouldn't still be here. But y'all are deluding yourselves if you think 2 months after him being one GT doesnt both something hire away from him being gone that it's now a done deal.

I don't know where the bar is for where he'd go, how good of a program, how good of a location, how much money, etc, but there is "a" bar out there. The bar was raised when he turned down GT. It was raised again with the Cotton Bowl. Tulane can raise it some more by paying him more, his assistants more, and building and IPF and/or a ops building. And every year he gets older the bar raises some more as well. So, sure, gosh willy he likes the idea of staying. An, sure, it's very much in play. But it isn't a done deal and if you think it is it's homerism.

He's a good coach, and good coaches know how to push productive narratives, and right now the productive narrative is "I'd like to retire here." I'd be embarrased for him if he didn't say it. Doesn't mean that if Bama wanted to hand over the reigns next November he wouldn't take them. luckily, that isn't a fear. Only Willie Fritz knows what it'd take to get him to leave, and hopefully Tulane does what it can to make that list of places he'd go shorter. We need to do what *we* can.

[ml wave]

I think Fritz does plan to retire here as long as A, B and C are done and such will be enumerated in contract extension. If not executed then he can bail quickly and cheaply.

Age matters. He could easily get a P5 Tech rebuild job but I doubt he could get a reload job. At Tulane, he has reasonable shot at Peach Bowl next year and CFP afterward. Tech and 20-30 similar P5 rebuilds are three years + from NY6/CFP.

So age math works in Tulane’s favor.

He left Ga southern when AD did not finalize new contract timely.

I think he stays but ball is in Tulane’s court to do what it will contractually say

The understanding is that the GT job fell through because he (admirably) wanted to coach the conf championship game. Barring that, he'd be gone...so I don't think your rebuild/reload equation is that much of a factor in his calculus. He left Ga Southern for money and he could leave us for money just as easily. Every year he stays is a higher bar, as prof said well, but if we stack another 10+ wins next year on top of the Cotton Bowl he will then be much more palatable to an incoming fan base.

[Baywave1]

The clock keeps ticking. He is literally running out of time so yeah I thought reload vs rebuild and immediate vs deferred gratification matter.

He left for money in hand from Tulane vs money to be finalized in extension by GSU.

I agree he could easily leave. It’s just path to somewhere “greener” may in his own view just be “green” so he stays

As noted, the clock is not his ally here

[nolasilver]

Gsu fans say the ad wouldn’t give fritz more than a year extension on his expiring deal- this he left. That’s different than leaving for the money. Thats job security and not getting along with the AD ( who I believe was fired a year later).

[WaveProf]

The understanding is that the GT job fell through because he (admirably) wanted to coach the conf championship game. Barring that, he'd be gone...so I don't think your rebuild/reload equation is that much of a factor in his calculus. He left Ga Southern for money and he could leave us for money just as easily. Every year he stays is a higher bar, as prof said well, but if we stack another 10+ wins next year on top of the Cotton Bowl he will then be much more palatable to an incoming fan base.
[/quote]

I do think he wabnted to coach the CG but I don't even think that's what sailed it. That leaked one of two ways: Either the GT AD dept leaked it trying to force him to leave early after he said he wanted to stay for CG or a disgruntled booster or coach leaked it trying to blow up the hire before it was a done deal. Either way, I'm Willie Fritz and I realize I'm walking into a landmine. Either an AD I can't trust who wants to intimidate me or a slew of boosters already out to get me. And I think that's what put the kibosh on the deal.

[ml wave]

The understanding is that the GT job fell through because he (admirably) wanted to coach the conf championship game. Barring that, he'd be gone...so I don't think your rebuild/reload equation is that much of a factor in his calculus. He left Ga Southern for money and he could leave us for money just as easily. Every year he stays is a higher bar, as prof said well, but if we stack another 10+ wins next year on top of the Cotton Bowl he will then be much more palatable to an incoming fan base.

I do think he wabnted to coach the CG but I don't even think that's what sailed it. That leaked one of two ways: Either the GT AD dept leaked it trying to force him to leave early after he said he wanted to stay for CG or a disgruntled booster or coach leaked it trying to blow up the hire before it was a done deal. Either way, I'm Willie Fritz and I realize I'm walking into a landmine. Either an AD I can't trust who wants to intimidate me or a slew of boosters already out to get me. And I think that's what put the kibosh on the deal.

Sure, but either way he was going to leave until then.

[ml wave]

The clock keeps ticking. He is literally running out of time so yeah I thought reload vs rebuild and immediate vs deferred gratification matter.

He left for money in hand from Tulane vs money to be finalized in extension by GSU.

I agree he could easily leave. It’s just path to somewhere “greener” may in his own view just be “green” so he stays

As noted, the clock is not his ally here

He had enough time on the clock 8 weeks ago (or whatever)...I think we're kidding ourselves if we think 44 more weeks will change anything. If we have the kind of season we want, he'll be up for better jobs than GT. Stay vigilent!

[nolasilver]

Yes and no. Without stepping on the toes of my elders here. . . There are some psychological milestone that hold significance in the psyche of fans and employers (for football)

21- you’re a kid who at best is an intern

30- somewhat reliable and has some skills

35- 60: Prime

65- turning the corner, is he receptive to new ideas ? Can he keep up with trends ? Does he have the energy for a rebuild?

70- how are the grandkids ?


I think 65 has a symbolic nature that precludes a lot of good coaches from new opportunities. It will be interesting if WF’s misspeaking about the triple option for years and that leading to an inability to recruit an average aac QB will guarantee our own Tulane Bill Snyder. With Ty Keyes, Lindsay Scott, pigrome or an average aac qb I think we are winning 8+ games for several years and willie is long gone.

In the most recent avengers movies (showing my age), dr strange looks into millions of potential timelines. Upon looking at these timelines he is asked: “In how many timelines do we win ?” Dr strange holds up a single finger: 1.

That’s how I feel about our Cotton Bowl Win and where we are today. In some crazy way it’s all led to this.

[Luvs da Wave]

How many of these posts were written by people who actually know Willie Fritz well? I suspect none. This kind of speculation is meaningless.

[Luvs da Wave]

My point is, take the man at his word. He has always been a very thoughtful speaker.

[GSx]

The understanding is that the GT job fell through because he (admirably) wanted to coach the conf championship game. Barring that, he'd be gone...so I don't think your rebuild/reload equation is that much of a factor in his calculus. He left Ga Southern for money and he could leave us for money just as easily. Every year he stays is a higher bar, as prof said well, but if we stack another 10+ wins next year on top of the Cotton Bowl he will then be much more palatable to an incoming fan base.

And GT was having issues paying his buyout; despite those gaudy TV deals, a lot of the schools still have major $$ issues.
As for Southern, yea, salary, and a better league, better school, better city and an overall higher profile job.
Yea, he still may leave. But I still see only a small niche of schools where he really fits (of which GT was one); although that widens as he is more successful here, as you said. So be it.
My main goal is for the 2022 football season to have lasting impact. That means continuing to win at a high level and facilities and money infusion (more than fixing locker rooms).