Fitz's Harvard Degree

[Tolstoy]

Here is what Chris Brown says in a recent report about Fitz:

 

"Perhaps most important is even though Fitzpatrick comes with a Harvard pedigree, he doesn’t wear it like a badge of superiority."

 

Just curious: why is this what is "most important?" Why is it more important than any other qualities? Why isn't it ok for him to be proud of his degree?

 

What bothers me is that this country is so bloody egalitarian and anti-intellectual that we don't appreciate anyone's intellectual achievements. God forbid Fitz should let it be known that he has a Harvard degree (as if that is something he should strut around with for the rest of his life anyhow). No, he must act like a normal dummy because that is what is important. Getting along with the guys. Being one of the crowd.

 

Stupid.

[FightinIrishBills]

Here is what Chris Brown says in a recent report about Fitz:

 

"Perhaps most important is even though Fitzpatrick comes with a Harvard pedigree, he doesn’t wear it like a badge of superiority."

 

Just curious: why is this what is "most important?" Why is it more important than any other qualities? Why isn't it ok for him to be proud of his degree?

 

What bothers me is that this country is so bloody egalitarian and anti-intellectual that we don't appreciate anyone's intellectual achievements. God forbid Fitz should let it be known that he has a Harvard degree (as if that is something he should strut around with for the rest of his life anyhow). No, he must act like a normal dummy because that is what is important. Getting along with the guys. Being one of the crowd.

 

Stupid.

 

+1. He shouldn't rub it in anyone's face, because on the field no one cares if you're from Coe College or a Rhodes Scholar (well, except if you're that kid from Florida State...). But there's a world of difference between condescension and pride. Nothing wrong with expressing the latter for such a fine achievement.

[Nanker]

It's code. It may be hard to believe, but at one time black QBs were looked upon as being intellectually inferior to whites.

Then came a time when just about the only praise a black athlete could get was to talk up how smart and intelligent they were.

The flip of that was for white athletes - never talk about their intelligence - just praise them for their athletic gifts.

It's beginning to even out a bit more now. Athletes can be gifted both athletically and intellectually. Gee. Whooda thunkit?

 

Don't forget also that we're talking about football players here. Harvard isn't exactly a powerhouse in the SEC or Big 10/12/16.

There are likely a bunch of players on this squad - and throughout the league who aren't philosophers-in-training if you get my drift.

I think Chris Brown is just saying - as a human interest story - that Fitzgibbons is one of the guys and fits in. Boo-yah!

[CodeMonkey]

Football has always been, and probably always will be, a primarily blue collar game for both the participants as well as the fans (pansy indoor corporate boxes aside). Lets face it, you aren't going to find too many doctors, lawyers, or CEOs face down in their own vomit at the Ralph on any given Sunday. Chris brown epitomizes that and is acknowledging, in his own way, that there is room in football for someone with more than a "paper or plastic" level IQ ... just as long as he doesn't act superior to the others.

[TPS]

Here is what Chris Brown says in a recent report about Fitz:

 

"Perhaps most important is even though Fitzpatrick comes with a Harvard pedigree, he doesn’t wear it like a badge of superiority."

 

Just curious: why is this what is "most important?" Why is it more important than any other qualities? Why isn't it ok for him to be proud of his degree?

 

What bothers me is that this country is so bloody egalitarian and anti-intellectual that we don't appreciate anyone's intellectual achievements. God forbid Fitz should let it be known that he has a Harvard degree (as if that is something he should strut around with for the rest of his life anyhow). No, he must act like a normal dummy because that is what is important. Getting along with the guys. Being one of the crowd.

 

Stupid.

I think you're reading too much into it. Brown is saying that Fitzpatrick isn't one of those guys who throws his superior intellectual abilities in your face. Much like his demeanor on the field, it shows in his quiet confidence. I think Brown's point is more about a personality trait than any other issue. I am sure we have all met people in all walks of life who we would describe as arrogant a$$holes. Good that Fitz isn't in that category.

 

Btw, did you catch Gailey's PC yesterday? Funny response when asked, Does Fitz let's you know how smart he is? Gailey: "Not in public."

Edited December 21, 2010 by TPS

[rafter]

I didn't see the whole column to get the context, but I would assume he's talking about a trait of Fitz that makes him so endearing to fans and teammates. He's not 'me first'.

[SouthernMan]

Here is what Chris Brown says in a recent report about Fitz:

 

"Perhaps most important is even though Fitzpatrick comes with a Harvard pedigree, he doesn’t wear it like a badge of superiority."

 

Just curious: why is this what is "most important?" Why is it more important than any other qualities? Why isn't it ok for him to be proud of his degree?

 

What bothers me is that this country is so bloody egalitarian and anti-intellectual that we don't appreciate anyone's intellectual achievements. God forbid Fitz should let it be known that he has a Harvard degree (as if that is something he should strut around with for the rest of his life anyhow). No, he must act like a normal dummy because that is what is important. Getting along with the guys. Being one of the crowd.

 

Stupid.

 

 

Maybe he's saying that Fitz doesn't act like a pompous "better than thou" a-hole with his Ivy League education, the way Keith Olbermann does with his pretend Ivy League background.

[N.Y. Orangeman]

Maybe he's saying that Fitz doesn't act like a pompous "better than thou" a-hole with his Ivy League education, the way Keith Olbermann does with his pretend Ivy League background.

 

 

Yeah...that's exactly it...

[muffmonster]

Maybe he's saying that Fitz doesn't act like a pompous "better than thou" a-hole with his Ivy League education, the way Keith Olbermann does with his pretend Ivy League background.

 

Lol, that must be it. The thing is, that we have been watching Fitz now for over a season and at no point has he come across like that. His attitude is more blue collar, hard working, and a team player. So why is Chris Brown still bring that up, we've clearly seen enough of Fitz on and off the field to know that is not him. I hope his career is able to overcome the fact that he is from Harvard, because that is all you hear from the media and announcers.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Here is what Chris Brown says in a recent report about Fitz:

 

"Perhaps most important is even though Fitzpatrick comes with a Harvard pedigree, he doesn’t wear it like a badge of superiority."

 

Just curious: why is this what is "most important?" Why is it more important than any other qualities? Why isn't it ok for him to be proud of his degree?

 

What bothers me is that this country is so bloody egalitarian and anti-intellectual that we don't appreciate anyone's intellectual achievements. God forbid Fitz should let it be known that he has a Harvard degree (as if that is something he should strut around with for the rest of his life anyhow). No, he must act like a normal dummy because that is what is important. Getting along with the guys. Being one of the crowd.

 

Stupid.

 

I follow the advice of the playwright when it comes to intelligence..."Show me, don't tell me". Don't go about insipidly reminding people of how smart you are. Rather, let it bring something to the table.

 

 

Fitzpatrick, according to this article, approaches things the right way. He uses his intelligence to help the team without constantly talking about "Well, back at Harvard...".

[stony]

Maybe he's saying that Fitz doesn't act like a pompous "better than thou" a-hole with his Ivy League education, the way Keith Olbermann does with his pretend Ivy League background.

 

Since when did Cornell get the boot?

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Maybe he's saying that Fitz doesn't act like a pompous "better than thou" a-hole with his Ivy League education, the way Keith Olbermann does with his pretend Ivy League background.

 

In the future, you should try to insult Olbermann without insulting the hundreds of thousands of non-A-holes who graduated from Cornell.

[The Dean]

Fitz has said he is PROUD to have graduated from Harvard. But right now, he'd rather be know for being a fine NFL QB.

 

What the hell is wrong with that? Fitz is merely saying that, in his current job as an NFL QB, "graduating from Harvard" isn't exactly high praise when it comes to describing the QB's strengths. It really isn't all that relevant for his current position. I don't think he is downplaying his academic accomplishments, at all.

[The Senator]

Homo locum ornat, non hominem locus.

 

GO BILLSSS!!!!

 

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!!!!!

[The Dean]

Homo locum ornat, non hominem locus.

 

GO BILLSSS!!!!

 

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!!!!!

 

 

Who you calling a "homo"?

[Magox]

Wow!! Talk about over-reading. Relax sensitive Sally

Edited December 21, 2010 by Magox

[zonabb]

As someone very close to completing a doctorate, I will agree with the "anti-intellectual" comment regarding the current state of mind of this country. We've lost out ability to be rational and intelligent and instead have become more ideological and irrationally emotional. We can't reason about issues or have a legit discussion on something because everyone wants to stand on some moral, normative or ideological platform and not listen to anything that doesn't fit neatly into a narrow ideology. Look at the comment above about Olbermann. Someone doens't agree with Olbermann and his ideology and instead of using some rational argument with facts about why Olbermann might be wrong, he calls his degree from Cornell "fake Ivy League." That's exactly what I mean. Cornell is an Ivy League school, so again, let's not be rational about the facts, let's try to marginalize or redefine it to suit our ideological argument. Idiot.

 

But the point Brown is making is that the degree from Harvard is irrelevant to his current occupation and Fitz is smart enough to know that. Sure it garners respect from his peers as an intellectual achievement. Fitz does not however, nor should he, stand on it and use it as the ultimate proof he's a leader, good football player, good person, good teammate, whatever. He can't use it to demand respect. He has to earned it and a great leader gets respect for who he is and what he accomplishes in the context of his job. Power-playing a Harvard degree to get people to follow you is a guaranteed way to turn people off and Fitz knows it and doesn't care about the degree.

 

The issue is the same as a first round draft pick. If you come in and act like your entitled and people must follow you because of where you were drafted, no one cares. You have to earn it. Same with a Harvard degree.

[SouthernMan]

In the future, you should try to insult Olbermann without insulting the hundreds of thousands of non-A-holes who graduated from Cornell.

 

 

I have family members that are alumni and that wasn't a slam on Cornell at all, but rather on Olbermann, who wasn't admitted to the private prestigious Ivy League Cornell that has very strict admissions standards, yet he tries to act as if he is.

 

My understanding is that Olbermann was admitted to the agricultural school of Cornell, which is not exactly the school of engineering, and has much more leniant admission standards. I don't claim to understand exactly how the two schools are separated, but I think it's like having played for the Cincinatti Swords farm team while claiming to have been a player for the Sabres 1975 Stanley Cup team.

 

Anyway, Fitz does not come of as some pompous blueblood Bostonian with a Hav-ahd Diploma who would shove it in your face. He seems to be well liked and respected by his teammates, and shows it by throwing his body in harms way as a blocker to help gain a few extra yards. He is a blue collar kind of guy who just happens to be pretty damn smart and got the education to go along with it.

Edited December 21, 2010 by DML2005

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

I have family members that are alumni and that wasn't a slam on Cornell at all, but rather on Olbermann, who wasn't admitted to the private prestigious Ivy League Cornell that has very strict admissions standards, yet he tries to act as if he is.

 

My understanding is that Olbermann was admitted to the agricultural school of Cornell, which is not exactly the school of engineering, and has much more leniant admission standards. I don't claim to understand exactly how the two schools are separated, but I think it's like having played for the Cincinatti Swords farm team while claiming to have been a player for the Sabres 1975 Stanley Cup team.

 

Anyway, Fitz does not come of as some pompous blueblood Bostonian with a Hav-ahd Diploma who would shove it in your face. He seems to be well liked and respected by his teammates, and shows it by throwing his body in harms way as a blocker to help gain a few extra yards. He is a blue collar kind of guy who just happens to be pretty damn smart and got the education to go along with it.

 

Gotcha. Though I will say that the Aggies work damn hard too.

[JPS]

Is this the place for football discussion? Sorry, I might have my links mixed up. The OP's comment about Chris Brown is a bit over sensitive, I'd say. Suffice it to say that Fitz never leads with Harvard and only talks about it because reporters do. If Fitz had his way, we would have went to Arizona State or Stanford. He's a football player who received a free education for playing football. And although he's smart, I think he'd identify himself as more of an athlete than a scholar.

 

Do they have a basket weaving course at Harvard?