The first mention of Jags:
Jeff Jagodzinski. Offensive Coordinator, Green Bay Packers.
Pros: Great NFL experience. Good line coach and would bring back a focus on the running game. Aggressive recruiter.
Cons: Remember the four straight runs in the closing minutes of the 1998 Notre Dame game? Although it might have been TOB’s call, Jags was on the head set for that.
Bottom Line: Might not want the job as he has been an NFL guy since he left BC.
Jury is still out
Gene Defilippo. In ten years on the job Gene accomplished many things, but never had to fill one of our marquee positions. Jags will be his legacy. Instead of going the safe route with Whipple, he rolled the dice. With a new seating license and growing monotony, Gene needs Jags to win over fans and alumni. Let’s hope he does.
First reactions to Jags after his official introduction:
I am not naive enough to think that Jags will be here forever or that he will not explore other opportunities. But like Coughlin, I think Jags will always hold a special place in his heart for the Heights. And if he has the same sort of success as Coughlin, I'll be sad to see him go, but wish him the best.
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26 comments:
I want Brian kelly as the new coach.
I think we have to remember as this (mercifully) draws to a conclusion how loyal to BC GD has been. He's had chances to jump ship, even to his "dream job" at Tennesee, but remained because he has come to love the school.
Certainly BC is not a destination job in general, but it can be for the right person. I think GD is looking to find someone who sees the school/ job the way he does.
I think Shaughnessy got it right in his column today. The quotes from Gene are very telling. A lot of the commentary about how everyone has a right to better themselves or get a new job miss the fact that a contract is involved. That is not the same as employment-at-will (like most of us working stiffs.) You can't just break a contract without consequences. Now, he hasn't broken it yet because he hasn't take another job yet. However, the lack of communication is inexcusable. If he wanted out, he needed to talk to the AD about a release. He didn't. He did what he wanted to do without any regard to his contractual responsibilities to BC. Contractual being the key word.
I think his complete silence on this matter is a telling indicator of who has the ethical high ground on this one.
I'd like Brian Kelly too. As long as we're talking about people who would never take the job, I'd also like Bob Stoops, Urban Meyer or Pete Carroll.
Many times, Athletic Directors are not around to make a second football hire after a failed first one. Those who are lucky enough to be will only get one more chance. That's where Gene finds himself today after pushing all of his chips to the middle of the table. I hope he went all in because it was the right play and not because he got in an emotional pissing match.
Regardless of whether I agree with how Gene has handled this situation -- there's much we don't know, but on the substance it appears that Gene is right; the PR element, however, has been handled in an incomprehensibly poor manner -- one thing if for sure: if he's concerned with finding a coach who is committed to BC long-term, he sure botched the first hire. BC in 2006 was a very attractive job -- the following season was almost guaranteed to be a very successful one with Matt Ryan at the helm. Finding a coach who would have immediate success was not overly difficult; finding one who would want to stay after that success was the true challenge. And Gene sure failed at that.
I think it is also probably pretty important to realize that there is relatively VERY little likelihood that any of this is going on without the approval of Fr. Leahy. On most BCS Conference football school campuses, the football coach is the highest paid employee. If Jags isn't, I am sure he is close. And there is no way that Gene would be threatening to fire him and leave the school on the hook for the money the prez was firmly on board.
Ry, to follow up on your comment - based on what I've heard, Jags' base salary is far less than the $1 million annually he receives.
BC would only be on the hook for the base, which makes the financial hit far less.
Ok, let's talk contract. Everyone agrees that there is no clause in the contract regarding talking to the NFL. There is a standard buyout. So if Jags interviews with the Jets and they buyout his BC deal, the contract was fulfilled completely legally, right?
Now Gene is playing the "he gave his word" "we had an understanding" card. That is much harder to enforce and much harder to begrudge.
According to Eagle Action Jags is meeting with Flips right now...
While I hate all of this crap, I do enjoy the distraction at work...
TBSBC, while I do think it's unlikely and pretty unrealistic, I don't think its impossible. Kelly grew up in Everett and still resides in Chelsea in his down time... his own TOB carolina palace of sorts...
ATL, I agree its hard to enforce, but I applaud GDF. I think he hired Jags because he said he'd be here for a long time - he lied and GDF was naive. Nevertheless, it indicates Jags desire to get out of BC quick, and by taking the stance he has, GDF is looking out for the future of the program. The guy has a contract, regardless of what it says about interviewing, its a contract and Jags shouldn't be actively trying to get other jobs.
Eagle1331, I agree re: Jags desire to get out of here. If nothing panned out for him this year, you know it would be the same story again next year and so on. Hard to sell a recruit on the program when it all signs point to an imminent regime change. I think Gene wants to make sure the job doesn't become a revolving door...and this is a sort of preventative medicine.
Ry, I don't know if it is preventative medicine. More like cutting off your leg because of a broken toe.
ATL: I agree, to an extent. If it were just the Jets interview, I would think that Gene was going to the nuclear option hastily, as I said the other day. But, if the reports are true, Jags was also talking to Mora about the OC job in Seattle. At that point, this is a guy who clearly just wants to go back to the NFL. I still think GDF could have handled the whole thing FAR better, but it seems more and more obvious that Jags wanted out.
Here's the question that I have: Is Spaz that bad an option? I mean, we're sitting around acting miffed because we're being used as a stepping stone....Spaz would stay as long as we'd have him. Now, the downside is that he's completely overmatched, like Bill Stewart at West Virginia. But, as long as Spaz is aware that he needs to cede control of the offense to a strong OC, I can see him being a solid head coach.
My problem doesn't lie in the fact Jags interviewed with the Jets - I want a head coach who is good enough to get that type of interview.
However, if Jags was putting out feelers to get an OC job, that's where I feel he's violated the trust of BC.
I don't know if Spaz or Logan are a long-term answer, however. Hopefully GDF has used this time to look at all of his options, not just in-house possibilities.
eagle 1331, if TOB had left a week earlier, we would have had Brian Kelly...
Does it really matter that if BC buys out his contract, then technically Jags honored it?
Jags clearly wasn't cut out to be a college coach. If he did, he would have honored at least the 3 year "agreement" and would have actually been recruiting on Saturday (per his quote) rather than packing his bags for NY. This is not cutting the leg off because of a broken toe. This is cutting off the broken toe on an otherwise functional foot.
Now Gene is playing the "he gave his word" "we had an understanding" card. That is much harder to enforce and much harder to begrudge.
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Bill, seriously? You're equating legality with ethics? While Gene may not win a suit for breach against Jags, you don't believe he (and the rest of us) can begrudge Jags for repeatedly lying to him?
The lying and Jags wanting an OC job rather than sticking at BC is all spin. If Jags was such a bad guy and bad coach, why the ultimatum? Like I said, if Gene really felt betrayed and "wanted someone who wanted to be at BC" why not fire him Saturday? Why the second long, heated conversation Sunday?
ATL I think you are giving Jags to much cushin... He is the one that is 100% at fault here. He clearly thought of this job as a steping stone. The fact is GDF does not want that in our coach..
The fact is he wants a coach that is in it for the long run, who won't keep coming in to his office threatening to find another job. BC doesn't have to be a stepping stone school. GDF wants to turn us in to a program that has tradition and attracts coaches. We can be a marquee school.. Look it VTECH was nothing before Beemer! GDF wants to find that man. Jags said he was, he lied!!! THAT IS THE FACTS!!!!
I have to agree with most of the posters on this one and disagree with ATL Eagle (you sound as if abiding another TOB would be ok). Look, it's pretty clear that the two guys really liked each other, as much has been said. GD probably felt like a special bond or friendship was irrevocably broken. Jags may indeed be a good guy, but you simply don't show up at a new job and start looking for another one before you get a parking space. Contract aside, it's poor form. There's nothing wrong with GD wanting a coach who talks about "BC guys" to be himself a "BC guy."
I agree in the preventative medicine aspect in all of this. GD still has TOB's shenanigans in his head and is probably just tired. Can't blame him, really. I'm quite sure it's not just the Jets interview which led to this, but even if it is...so what?
Be a man of your word. Is it really that hard? You're not exactly getting paid minimum wage.
Sure, GD apparently didn't get this hire right. But there's no telling if someone else--especially with ties to the NFL--wouldn't have chosen to do the same thing. When someone tells you he won't, and you choose to believe him, there's not much you can do once you've hired him. I don't put this one on GD--or an alleged naivety--at all. Mind reader GD is not.
As Eagle1331 summed up...Jags lied. It's pretty simple.
Call me whatever, but I think we, BC alums, the school, what it stands for, deserve better than this.
Wow, Bill, I can't disagree with you more on this one. "Spin" for what? They're just being malicious? It's the height of recruiting season and the guy is spending all his time looking for another job. BC didn't want to deal with that and decided they could do without him, but gave him the chance (publicly anyway) to stick around by backing off the other jobs. It's as much his decision as theirs.
Does anyone here have an account for eagleaction.com??
I'd be interested to know what Mike Farrell is reporting about Jim Noel, Dillon Quinn, an outside candidate, and his latest update... but my money went to eagleinsider.com...
Bad choice right now...
AMEN TO THAT!!!!
We should DEMAND better than that!!
And you know what we should be very proud of GDF for having the balls to do what he is doing!! He is being a BC GUY and standing up for our institution!
I don't think that most of us think that Jags is either a bad guy or a bad coach. I don't begrudge him taking a shot at the Jets job, and I don't care for the ultimatum. At the same time, I don't really agree with the argument that our coach interviewing for NFL jobs is good for the program. It's certainly not good for recruiting. I can't imagine that a kid thinking about BC thinks that his prospective head coach feeling out for other jobs is an enticing thing. So, while this was all handled poorly, I think it was handled poorly by everyone. GDF jumped the gun with the ultimatum, yes. But, I happen to still be of the belief that this leak started with someone on the Jags side rather than the BC side. I also think it's ridiculous that Jags spent all of yesterday hiding from everyone. There's plenty of blame to spread around, and none of this is good for BC.
I also wonder, ATL, based on your comments about spin, if you think it's reasonable for GDF to be upset with the way that Jags handled it. I mean, I guess you chalk all of GDF's comments up to spin here, but if Jags had this interview and didn't tell him, isn't Gene allowed to be a little pissed off? Especially if he thought he had a man-to-man agreement that Jags would stay for three years? I guess what I'm wondering is, what makes you give Jags all of the benefit of the doubt?
ESPN Radio just reported a 3 p.m. ET press conference at BC.
ATL, not meaning to pile on, but I'm not sure how you can say that the lying was "spin." Jags definitely lied publicly about this issue and, judging by the actions of the parties, I think it's crazy to believe he did not lie privately to his boss.
First, the public lie: Jags is quoted by the Boston Globe on January 4 as saying with respect to the Jets' vacancy "Well, there's nothing to it. I haven't talked to them and no one has contacted me."
That is obviously a lie.
The private lies must be deduced, but they're readily apparent. Gene went on record on January 4 saying the same thing about the Jags/Jets rumors. It makes no sense that Gene would deny rumors about Jags leaving without some sort of assurance to that effect from the coach, particularly in light of the subsequent ultimatum.
That says nothing about any previous discussions Gene and Jags had on the subject, all the way back to Jags's interview (which, somewhat surprisingly at the time, landed him the job over Whipple).
Perhaps Gene lost his temper when he learned the truth on January 5and should not have issued the ultimatum. But that aside, I continue to believe that Jags's lies to Gene (not to mention the public) caused this ultimate blow-up. And I think we can all agree on this: lying is not a trait associated with a "BC Guy."
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