If Gene avoids a certain type of coaches based on the flex, then he shouldn't be making this hire. Gripe all you want about the flex, but it was a highly efficient offense for BC. You can win running the flex. Maryland competes running the flex. The flex was never Al's problem. If anything we didn't run it enough this year. If Coen and Cooley interview and say they want to run the flex, Gene's response should be: "that's fine. How are you going to improve defensively?" Defense was always Skinner's problem. Not offense.
There won't be another shot to hire Bruce Pearl. Per WEEI: DeFelippo said he has had no contact with Pearl and does not consider him a candidate. “At this point, no, he’s not,” DeFilippo said. “That doesn’t mean he couldn’t be at another time.” Part of this is face saving. Gene doesn't want to be turned down by Pearl publicly, but there will never be another or better time to get Pearl. I hope Gene is just playing CYA. It would be shameful if he really did not reach out or talk to Pearl.
It is not all about the assistants. I would love to see Cooley or Coen take over. I think both deserve a lot of credit for BC's recent success. I also agree with Goodman that Al's current staff was not as strong. But analyzing the assistants while talking about Al's unconventional style is a disservice to Skinner. He won a lot of games at URI and BC. Other coaches may have put in more hours, but few got the same returns. Was it time for a change? Maybe but Al did something right for a long time.
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35 comments:
Yes, I listened to GDF when he appeared on the local boston sports station (weei) this morning.
He's apparently on a PR campaign to spin this story the right way. Frankly, I think he is succeeding in that department.
As to Pearl, GDF gave me the impression it was a no-go and he specifcally dodged a question about paying Pearl $2.3M. Weei guys added that Pearl had an 8% graduation rate. unbelievable. Forget about Pearl. It's pipe dream ATL (even if you, ATL, were able to create a trendy twitter topic on Pearl!!)
GDF spoke fondly of the Butler coach. Interesting.
GDF, some advice from me: reject any candidate with an "O" in his last name (Coen, Donahue, Cooley, O'Shea, Mooney, Dixon) and remember, GDF, we want to enter the post-Skinner era, not Skinner 2.0. Start fresh! No Spaz-like booby prize here, please.
Meter, a weei host, added that he thought Donahue was not a good fit for BC and that he had watched many Cornell/Harvard games (which he announced) and said Donahue lacked pizzaz and his style of hoops was pretty dull too.
Cooley was something like 67-61 and Fairfield, not BC HC stuff.
Good post How about a little help getting word about about http://bringbrucepearltobc.blogspot.com/
Help a BC GUY who wants to help BC!!!
Is there a "Al Skinner with Assistant Coach Dennis Wolf to the Hart Center" blog?
If you listen to Gene during the press conference, it sounds as if he was describe Pearl to a T. He may as well have put the Pearl Signal out in the sky. Not trying to lure Pearl back to the heights would be downright impossible. Just because it may be a tough sell, doesn't mean it shouldn't be made.
With Spaziani's understated approach, and hockey, well, being hockey. Pearl and his brand of basketball could own the campus.
mod34- even if its a pipe dream that's no reason not to explore it as an option.
In response to the 8% graduation rate- I think that's a product of the general mentality of the athletic department at Tennessee. It's a football factory. They are happy just winning basketball games/making the tournament and couldn't care less about graduating players.
Also Pearl has made the tournament 7/9 years as a D-1 coach- very impressive. Why is Gene so concerned about publicly getting turned down by Pearl? I think people realize his situation at Tenn has a lot of advantages compared to BC.
Also wouldn't mind Brad Stevens especially compared to the other names out there. Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack are only Sophomore. Bring them along for the interview and make sure its a package deal ala scoonie penn
Maybe I'm making a huge assumption here, but I'd guess the head coach has very little to do with graduating players, but the entire Learnings Resources for student athletes department who monitors athletes' class schedule and gets them help where needed. It's policy of the athletic department and University to keep kids on track, not the coaching staff.
The head coach's role probably consists of recruiting players who intend to graduate before arriving at the Heights, or suspending a player if he skips class.
You need to at least make a good faith attempt to get Pearl. Granted, it's a long shot, but you don't know until you ask. Worst thing that happens is he says no (not sure why GDF is so worried about the public perception of being shot down, when opinions are relatively mixed already on the Skinner ousting).
Mod34b you clearly don't follow college basketball properly and are just one to read the abstracts but Ed Cooley inherited a Fairfield basketball program in shambles. In only three years did he turn the entire program around and taking Siena into overtime only one basket away in the championship game, one posession away from the NCAA dance. Do your homework next time...Ed Cooley is the only coach perfect for this position. Why don't you go look how well the Eagles did when he was handling the recruiting.
i am all for coen...working with someone does not make them a clone of that person.
both coen and cooley have coached exciting ball the past three years.
It is nice to have someone call BC their "Dream Job," regardless of qualifications.
Now we're rationalizing 8% when if this were a football coach we were talking about hiring BC fans would be all aflutter at the thought of bringing someone in who didn't push the kids through to the stage. We seem to be operating under two different standards here, like we have been in deluding ourselves that BC bball is right behind the football team in class honors.
Pearl would be exciting, no doubt. I wonder if and how much baggage he's got and would hope that GDF knows or at least would inquire as to some of the rumors.
Would Pearl want the Admissions Dept. having final say? He knows the deal already. He'd have to really love BC to want to come back--perhaps taking a pay cut, too. It'd be a Parcells-ian move--off to conquer the challenge. But I agree, even if I don't think it'll happen based on the respective programs (unless Pearl loves the alma mater), that shaking the tree on him is a good idea. By doing so, you sorta also find out where the program is in people's minds who matter.
I'd say Stevens at 33 yrs old is probably the next "it" guy and will have his choice of positions rather soon. BC has conference allure but I'm not sure if it has the cache to pull that one off.
Money talks however.
all good points here.
i am definitely on the pearl bandwagon and while i agree with everyone that it is a huge long shot, the shot needs to be taken. i dont want to bring up bad memories, but i am on board with ATL on how the jags firing/spaz hiring was poorly handled. if gene doesn't reach out to pearl or at least make some attempt to bring him to the heights, i think we need to seriously consider the potential and competency of our current AD...
agreed frank. as an ACC school with a decent recent pedigree, we need to at least have a bigger name in the pool of potential replacements than the ones being bandied about now.
in a big spot like this you want to make sure that the AD is doing everything possible to hit a home run...and the names we are hearing so far are more up the gap doubles than anything else.
I applaud Gene for making a tough decision and hope he finds that enthusiastic coach the program deserves.
I really hope he makes a serious run at Bruce Pearl. Conte ticket sales and Flynn Fund donations would grow dramatically. BC students and alumni (like most fans whatever their affiliation) will support a winner and Pearl has that track record everywhere he has coached.
Bruce might be the King of Knoxville but he seems like a guy who relishes a challenge. He could go from mascot to master of BC. I really believe he could become the first BC basketball or football coach to truly succeed on a national level.
I totally back Gene's decision to fire Jags (Jags was not engaged or pumped about BC his last year). I only wish the particulars were kept out of the press but it appears it was Jag's camp that leaked it to the media.
I think a lot of people bashing Gene have never fired anyone before. In my role, I have had to fire many decent but under performing employees. It is not a fun thing to do and if you enjoy it, you are a sick human being. The difference is I never had to face a room full of cameras after doing so. It takes courage to take tough stands and what Gene did this week was simply acknowledging declining interest in the program and doing something about it.
I agree about Pearl. Although it is extremely unlikely he will move, you need to make him say "no." But it is not the end of the world if we don't get him. Williams, Donovan, Izzo, Self were all unheard of coaches at one time.
Two things:
- shocked no one has created a wise-ass Craigslist post for the opening
- Attention America: the words "Big East" don't have anything to do with whether Al Skinner should have been let go or retained.
Kathyrn -- How dare you! True, I know nothing of Cooley as a head coach other than his record, but so what, who do you know that watches Fairfield basketball?
Actually Cooley has 66-59 record. That stinks.
Cooley also has two o's in his last name.
But remember, there is no "i" in team and there is no "o" in Brad Stevens or Bruce Pearl.
But there is an "o" in Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa coach . . . why isn't he part of the discussion. His record is 89-42 in 4 years (waaaay better than Cooley) and he is young -- 39. Maybe becuase he has 2 o's in his name????
I guess the Bruce Pearl fantasy is like playing lotto -- no harm in dreaming, but no real prospect of success.
by the way, have you see Bruce Pearl's girlfriend. Looks like Bruce truly enjoys the southern life.
MOD34 - i think the northern iowa coach just got locked up for 10 yrs...staying in norther iowa, you could consider that either a prison sentence or a contract. ZING!
What's with this no 'O' crap? Al Skinner doesn't have an 'O' either. And I'm totally with eagleboston on this one too (though I've never had to fire anyone before). Gene was right to fire Jags. He was wrong for hiring Spaz, but that's an argument for another day.
Mod34-- Ed Cooley is 40..one year o0o0o0o..get over yourself and enough with the "o" things that has absoultely nothing to do with a coaching position. Maybe if you had some real topics to discuss...and ya that picture of bruce pearl really looks like a respectable leader..not. Let's get serious here. We need a coach not a socialite.
Settle down Kathryn, I doubt many people passionately follow Fairfield Basketball. Regardless of Cooley's apparent raging ability, we still have to make a play for Pearl for the exact reasons NG21 laid out - national exposure. Instant excitement on the campus and maybe we could lure in some undeclareds sitting around. I think the next coach could feasibly walk into an interesting situation next year - a senior laden team that underperformed. Get the max out of them and be labled an instant hero (granted the following year might stink but let's hope that a big-time coach has success on the recruiting trail and young Mr. Noreen pans out). I'm not happy about 8% graduation rate either, but as has been said already - that's the SEC for you. If/when we strike out with Pearl, I think we go for Donahue or Mooney.
Anyone know anything about Brian Gregory? He was one of the finalists for the Iowa job that eventually went to Sienna's Fran McCaffrey (there's a guy that would have been ideal for BC).
http://bringbrucepearltobc.blogspot.com/
Vinny, I've tried your link a few times, but it does not work for me.
Try putting into a hyperlink.
use the followign format, but replace [ with < and replace ] with >
[a href="URL HERE keep quotes" title="roll over title keep quotes"]hyperlineked words[/a]
I think I got it this time! Thank you!!!
BringBrucePearltoBC
Vinny, yes it works great. Nice job!
But I think if you add the picture of bruce and his southern belle, you'll do better!!!!
Ok that will be my next task! Thank you!
Reports say GDF may have interviewed three candidates today. anyone know who the 3rd is (after donahue & cooley)?
I posted that link Mod. Word is that that is one of the team's managers and not necessarily his gf. Taken on his boat with family all around. More respect if that was his gf, but usually there is a reason why you suddenly divorce a wife of 25 yrs after a bball trip to Europe and she names her new hair salon "Alimony." What do you think?
Gotta think outside the box and not get locked into Pearl.
cross dixon off...if he was ever on.
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