"We always keep our television partners close to us," he said. “You don’t get extra money for basketball. It’s 85 percent football money. TV - ESPN - is the one who told us what to do. This was football; it had nothing to do with basketball."
The "ESPN told us what to do" line has sent conspiracy theorists over the edge. Everyone knows ESPN is the bully and power behind college sports, but very few will say it. Now Gene has. In addition to the Big East fans and administrators going nuts, he's also pissed off other schools within the ACC. Of course no one at ESPN Headquarters is too happy with him either.
The people loving it though are the media. CBS, Deadspin, The New York Times, The Daily News, The Big Lead, and Business Journals have jumped on the story. I expect a few more news outlets will join the story soon. ESPN is obviously silent.
Unless this becomes a legal issue -- and you never know when UConn is involved -- I don't see this creating any real pain for BC, Gene, the ACC or ESPN. But he has made himself a target of criticism and ridicule again. BC doesn't need that and he doesn't need that. If our losses keep piling up, look for many to take glee in his failings. I guess my only hope from this is that more checks are put in place to balance out Gene's power regarding the direction of our athletic department.
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How does DeFilippo command such a salary? He seems oblivious at times.
Perhaps the heat will increase on him now. We can only hope.
GDF also publicly pissed on UConn in that same article. Why? What did BC or ACC gain from that? It is fun to read, I guess, seeing GDF smack down UConn, but shows, again, GDF lacks that all important "filter" when dealing with the media in its various forms
A UConn blogger's reaction to the news that BC blocked UConn from the ACC:
http://www.theuconnblog.com/2011/10/9/2479032/acc-uconn-big-east-boston-college
"You know why it was a matter of turf? Because BC is terrible. They are a rotting, fetid corpse of a by-gone era, where the northeast mattered in football and it didn't matter if your alumni didn't go to games and your city ignored you. They're an anachronism. They're Villanova with less football success and a bigger stadium. They won't play us because we're better than them and the don't want anyone to know that we've surpassed them.
* * *
By virtue of the fact that they were traitors before it was cool, BC can block UConn from moving to the Big East, but they're not going to be able to do it forever. People in the ACC want UConn, and if another round of conference expansion comes, there won't be a lot of options other than us. I get why BC is blocking us. No one wants to be the Washington St. of the east coast, but that's where BC is headed if UConn gets into the ACC. That invitation may never come, but if it does the Eagles are in trouble, because there are clearly times when your ability to stab someone in the back on a conference call really matters, but a football or basketball game isn't one of them."
Obviously, I disagree with his vitriol towards BC. But he does have a point: How long will the other ACC schools put up with out losing programs? And how much longer will they listen to an AD who doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut?
For a good chuckle, read this.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7084162/big-east-consider-adding-6-football-schools
You know the way things are going the ACC might be happier with UConn than BC. What are the rules on kicking a non competitive team out of the league like the Big East did with Temple. With their present record in football and their lack of basketball prowess compared to UConn, if I was a ACC leader I'd have trouble keeping BC if I could get rid of them and taking UConn.
This is the first year since our entry into the conference that we have failed to field a competitive squad. I think we get a pass. It isn't like we have had this problem every year.
Lets not forget Gene's association with the Sugar Bowl committee. This could be a blessing in disguise. You could certainly start building a credible case against him at this point
Yeah OK troll, we'll get rid of BC and add UConn to the ACC just because BC is having one bad year in football.
That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. It's probably coming from a UConn fan who is super jealous.
For anyone interested, UConn is 2-4 in football this year, 0-1 in the Big East Conference. Like that's light years better than Boston College (losses to Western Michigan, Vanderbilt, Iowa State and a ranked West Virginia team).
Who's coach was that, leaving a Big East school in the Northeast last year for an ACC school in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic? Oh yeah, it was UConn, i.e. Storrs A&M.
I think the idea that the ACC would kick out BC is crazy. I think we're all just jaded by the recent lack of success of our programs coupled by the expansion environment we're in. Let's not forget that our first year in the ACC we came just a few inches away from winning the ACC basketball tournament. two years ago we beat #1 UNC and #5 Duke in the same week. Last year we came just a few inches again from knocking off North Carolina.
In football we have more ACC wins than every team except VT and GT. We've won the Atlantic twice and were one win away from winning it again in 2009. We need to keep things in perspective. We are not going to get kick out of the ACC. Using the same logic as some are using, you could make the argument that FSU and Miami should've gotten kicked out.
UConn is just pissy because they can't deal with the fact that their program is not what conferences want. Yeah, their basketball team is good, but it is also a walking magnet for sanctions. With Miami and UNC's problems the last thing the ACC wants is another diseased program.
BC isn't going anywhere. We're having a down year, that's it. Let's not overreact.
FWIW Arizona fires 1-5 Coach Stoops. He's gone-no waiting for December.
Well said, Murt. I think it's easy at this point in time in this environment to feel a little panicky, but your points are excellent and calming.
Nevertheless, it doesn't do anybody any good for GDF to be spouting off about how he kept UConn out of the ACC. I don't like UConn and I don't think they should be in the ACC. Their football program may have appeared decent for a year or two there, but that time passed. UConn also does not seem to carry the same academic cache that most ACC schools do. However, one day (possibly not long from now) financial pressures may force the hand of the ACC to invite UConn in. If that happens, and we're still stuck with GDF, he will have BC portrayed as the brat in the corner crying about it. His stance does tend to make BC seem threatened by UConn.
GDF: Have some class, bury your own personal issues w/ UConn, and shut the F up!
UConn doesn't deserve to be in the ACC, but if they end up in our conference, I say, bring 'em on! We do not fear them.
Look at Arizona's history under Stoops. Not stellar. I'm not saying that Spaz's is "stellar" as a head coach at BC, but the guy certainly has more cred than Stoops at AZ. That's a program that rarely goes to bowl games. They are a perennial bottom-feeder in football in the Pac-12.
just imagine for a moment........ your a CEO of a mid size company taking in about a mil. a year, but one of the divisions of your company is having some difficulty, losing about a mil. a year with all indications that next year may be worse. You have no corrective plan of action. You have a present manager who is also making about a mil. a year and not doing very well, and unfortunately you have to continue paying about a mil. a year for another manager you had to unexpectedly release.... you have decided that if you only had better customers your woes would pass, and for the heck of it you decided to make fun of your closest competitor (who also isn't doing very well)..... if this were you and you had a Board to answer to what would happen ??? Keep those donations rolling.
Gene has had a bad month. Why you would say these sort of things is beyond me -- maybe to make yourself feel important? Who knows.
That said, the idea that the ACC is going to kick BC out is high comedy. See the various posts on how good BC has been since joining the ACC, not to mention an unblemished record (how many games did Calhoun have to sit out last year for not "watching over" his program close enough?) and better academics than UConn. Moreover, its unconfirmed as to whether the ACC even has the power to do so.
I'm sick of GDF. His management of the BC Football head coaching job has been pathetic. Firing Jagz and promoting Spaz... wow, that one sure looks good now, doesn't it?! Now there's a constant stream of diarrhea coming out of his mouth. Between the comments about Clemson fans, about ESPN, about blocking UConn... I'm so sick of this guy. Let's can him and let the new AD fix our program.
Jeff
Class of '02
Let's face it: GDF is bush-league. This is the highest profile job he's ever had. We need someone with real experience leading national program. I've had enough of his politician rhetoric, goofy smile, and lofty pie-in-the sky promises. A big-name head coach will come to work for a big-name AD. Time fo this guy to find another mid-major program to rescue. Because, let's face it, that's what BC was in 1997. And we don't need GDF to return us to that state just so he can look successful if he can somehow lead us back to mediocrity.
Edsall is gone. Soon Calhoun will be gone. Their football program is done. Their basketball program will not be close to as successful w/out The Motor Mouth. By the time it becomes an option UCONN will present ZERO value to the ACC.
FYI- Gene's association is with the Orange Bowl and not the Sugar Bowl.
UConn's lack of economic football value, too close to another member, and nowhere northeast location loudly says UConn you are a negative not a positive for the ACC. It speaks louder than ant AD's voice, before you think about trips to lovely Hartford.
It is all just more greed welling to the top from litigious UConn. To save themselves from looking in the mirror they can blame Gene, BC, anyone else they want, but it doesn't change reality. Sometimes it is just you.
Anyone up for a trip to Hartford?
Easy to see why UConn wants in, the money.
It is actually the Fiesta Bowl. A bowl that BC has never ever had a minor chance of going to. You figure it out. I would be impressed if he was "entertaining" people from the Gator Bowl, Sun Bowl or Chic Fil A. But no he is hangin with the Fiesta.
Well at least Gene's connections helped BC get into the Fiesta Bowl in '04, right?...oh wait..
Yeah. Fiesta.
maybe it's time we started a conversation on our "napoleon complex" AD stepping down. This whole Spaz debacle started because our Napolean AD had to publicly air his displeasure with Jags. I am not surprised at all by his ESPN comments - moronic at best. Who teases the tiger? Only a Napoliean like Gene. Way to represent those Jesuit value Gene!
Anybody else get an alumni survey today?
I killed GDF in it, basically saying I won't give the Flynn Fund another cent until he is gone.
Great timing!
Or do I sense they feel what may be coming in terms of less contributions for a third-rate product?
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