Forget about the cultural fit or if Leach could work with the powers that be at BC. The biggest reason that BC nor any BCS program will hire Leach is because of the ongoing ESPN lawsuit. That makes him untouchable. No smart school is going to alienate their largest PR arm, their biggest source of revenue, and the outlet that controls its kickoff times like that. The ACC will also strongly pressure any ACC school to avoid Leach as long as the suit is open and our TV deal is still in the works. Is that fair? Probably not. Is it illegal? Maybe but don't see BC taking a chance on Leach when there are hundreds of other options. Because even if Leach was a sure thing and a winner, the ESPN factor and his difficult to manage reputation would not allow BC to move forward. This isn't just a Gene thing either. No one associated with BC will take this risk with this hire.
Monday, October 03, 2011
Mike Leach will never coach BC
Mike Leach would be awesome at BC. I think he would put fans in the seats, engage the Boston media, have us competing in the ACC annually and graduate his players. There is a movement among some BC fans to generate interest in the Leach-BC marriage. I hate to rain on parades, but Leach at the Heights will never happen.
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46 comments:
Leach would be so much fun! This arch consevative biz, is great for religion and education, but not sports or life! C'mon GDF take some chances.
Can you imagine the GDF-Leach conversation.
Leach: Mr. DeFilipino, I am a man. A MAN. I am 45 years old.
GDF: My name is DeFilippo, ok? Yes, i know you are a man. YES, A MAN.
GDF: But are you lonely like me? I want to be your BFF. Is that weird?
Leach: I think you are a worm and you are not a MAN.
"No smart school is going to..."
I don't see how that relates to the BC athletic department.
mod34b, that was Mike Gundy.
I know ATL has his sources, but I don't buy this. ESPN isn't so almighty that a lawsuit against it is going to blackball him from a whole profession. And that lawsuit isn't going to last forever anyway.
thanks for the insight, ATL.
do you have an idea of a handful of people who would be attractive to Gene and the rest of the administration?
best case scenario for this team is 3-9 (wins over maryland and NC state, losses to everyone else including at least one horrific loss, likely something like a 52-3 stomping next week against clemson). i'd put the odds of spaz being fired in december at 80%. so who can we expect to at least get interviewed?
mod34b,
You're thinking of Mike Gundy. A Mike Leach conversation might include something about pirates. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBxe3cprocQ
ATL, You are much too tough on Spaz.
The Eagles remain well coached.
Spaziani has a pedigree, developing superb defenses for years as a coordinator at BC under TOb and Jags.
And let's not forget that Jag's sudden departures damaged two of BC’s recent recruiting classes, players who would now be in their third and fifth years in the program, respectively.
Current defensive coordinator Bill McGovern worked under Spaziani, and players like Luke Kuechly, Donnie Fletcher and Kevin Pierre-Louis have grown under his tutelage.
On offense, sophomore quarterback Chase Rettig is better than he was a year ago, a young receiving corps is improved, and a patchwork offensive line continues to progress.
The coaching is there. The experience is not.
Oh wait!!!. did you believe any of that? I did not either. I cut and paste this from a barf-inducing article that Spaz himself seems to have written.... BARF ARTICLE
Darius - Do you know anything about the Bruce Feldman ESPN feud that started because he co-wrote Leach's book??? If not, read his interviews after he switched from ESPN to SI earlier in the fall. Long story short, they approved his working on the book, then suspended him when it was published. They then denied he was suspended, quietly reinstated him, but told their people that he was not to conduct any interviews or travel, thus rendering him completely incapable of reporting and forcing him out the door.
I know Jags was a bit of a shyster, but I do miss those heady days from 2006-2007. Remember when Jags's "who??" comment?. Remember when we made ballsy plays like the fake kickoff after scoring against FSU? Remember when we were ranked #2? That 2007 season was awesome.
there are several tarnished coaches i wouldn't mind seeing at the heights
Mike Leach
Jim Tressel
George O'Leary
Josh McDaniels
What better place to coach than a catholic institution. confess your sins and be forgiven
I'd love to see a big name, proven winner come to the heights and get us back on track. Sadly I think we all know it'll end up being someone like the quaterbacks coach from Akron. Get excited Eagles.
How great is it to read Grobe trying to buck up Spaziani?
oops! I've mixed up by Texas/Oklahoma loons!
ATL,
Obviously, you're right and this will never happen. But, let's dream for a moment. Leach obviously wants to coach again. He graduates players.
What if Gene D offered him a contract, but on the condition that he drops/settles the ESPN lawsuit and agrees to an ironclad clause in his contract that he will not criticize ESPN or he can be let go w/o a buyout. Something along those lines, that would have to assuage the ACC's concerns, no?
If a change is made, they need a name coach. Someone that had success but then was given the boot somewhere but can do it again. Like how Tommy Tuberville moved on from Auburn, how Dennis Erickson keeps getting jobs and doing okay. We'll need someone with a brand. I don't think the up-and-comer will be able to fill seats until we've already had an 11-win season in the books, and that will take too long and he'd probably get a different job at that time (BC fans problem).
Uraban Meyer is obviously out for $$. Mangino hit a player, I think. Weis is an ass. Tressel brings a tough reputation to sell BC execs on. RichRod, Friedgen, Fulmer? Seems like a short list, which is why we likely need to wait until December to get rid of Spaz. Doing it now could lead to embarassment of a long long search where articles come out about being turned down and interview habits of GDF. We need it to happen fast and basically have our guy ready the day Spaz is fired.
What about Pat Hill from Fresno State? I've always admired his "we'll play anyone, anywhere" approach. He's not afraid to schedule the tough games.
I'd love to see them go after Randy Shannon. He knows the conference, has recruiting connections on the east coast, holds his players accountable and coaches fundamentally sound football. Can't blame him for the mess down in Miami. Was going on before he got there.
The most important point about our speculation is that this time there has to be a true "nation-wide" search for a new HC. There must be as much transparency as legally possible during the process; i.e., no more "one man in a room" by GDF.
If GDF were crafty, he would spread the pain by coming up with a "Flynn Fund Advisory Committee" or "Joint Student-Alumni Chowder & Marching Advisory Committee" to participate int the interview process.
All of our comments suppose that Spaz will be gone. This may be a rash assumption, given the masochistic tendencies of BCAA and BC Admin. We can only hope and harp on the process to be used to select the new HC.
Danny Ford is available. He won a national championship. Half his team was on salary with benefits, but everybody's doing it. Let's go after Tressel. The biggest con artist of the Midwest, who won a national championship only because Clarett was paid handsomely for his big thighs and Miami was called for a bogus pass interference penalty on the last play of the game. And who is, you know, a lying cheat. Or Randy Shannon. Who couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag, but recruits really well. In, you know, Miami. Or Rodriguez, who would instill some real discipline by requiring 24/7 practices 365 days a year. And, who knows, we might get another 180 lb QB to run the spread. And maybe O'Leary, if you can find him, since he may or may not be at CFU, depending on what his finely tailored resume says these days. That could've been just a cardboard cutout we saw on the sidelines during that impressive 27 pt road loss to a very tough bunch of Fla/FSU/SEC rejects. Or The Friedg, half of whose team couldn't find a classroom and the other half couldn't understand his playbook.
Does York know anything about football? We could get him to double dip and save some money to pay off these awesome contracts that Jags and Spaz have.
I'd let GDF coach at this point. You know he probably wants to. He could bring in all those pie charts at halftime that show how much more money BC is making in the ACC and use that to motivate Kuechly to make even more tackles. Our defensive philosophy under GDF would probably be too conservative for this blog, you know, cushions, loyalty, and tailgating experience trumping qualities like speed, tackling, and pass rushing.
They should go after the coach who just beat them this past Saturday.
It does appear that the search has started before the Christmas rush!
I hope the next BC coach is someone I've never heard of, but who is young and hungry.
I want someone old and angry. This season has been so frustrating, that I'd like a soap-opera disaster type scenario to mix things up. Could crazy and terrible be worse than boring and terrible?
TOBs seat has got to be getting toasty. Anyone for a mulligan?
What about Petersen at Boise State? Want to win a BCS title? Do it at BC! (yeah I know, but let's dream a little)
While we are talking about HC's, it's also nice to see Castonzo (Colts) and Trueblood (Bucs) playing on Monday night. Oops - Castonzo just got hurt.
Anyway, to have a BC rookie starting shows how bad Devine might actually be. It seemed as though the big guy didn't play all that well under Devine's system - at times anyway.
Coach Devine - move on!
Steve Logan or Butch Davis are the two likely candidates.
If they hire Bob Davie or Tommy Bowden then I will quit BC football.
By virtue of the "Spaz Theory," which states that the most pessimistic and demoralizing predictions about BC football will always be way more optimistic than the eventual soul-crushing reality, I'd say its pretty much a guarantee that no prediction in ATL's comment section will ever foresee the eventual (and exceedingly disappointing) hire.
York would be great for the program right now. True, he might know nothing about football, but York could actually be trusted to hire competent assistants and hold them and himself accountable. That's what the team needs more than anything. Any team can go through rough patches, but the blaming and refusal to accept any responsibility is the only thing that's absolutely unacceptable about the whole thing.
EagleManhattan....you nailed it. I dunno if this is the grand unveiling of the "Spaz Theory," but it is my first encounter with it. Well played.
Would love to see Logan as HC at BC. He was the one pulling the strings during 07-08 anyway.
Eaglemanhattan, you mean according to Spaz theory, I'm bound to be even more disappointed than the hiring of the qbs coach from Akron!
I want to note that Leach seemed keen on the idea on the radio. It was brought up in conversation when he was interviewing Flutie on Sirrius XM's College Football Playbook with Mike Leach and Jack Arute about a week and a half ago. Flutie said something in the order of "coach I loved watching your teams at TTech, I think maybe a move up to the northeast would be good for you" to which Leach reacted vaguely positively to.
Good stuff, DougBush
Class of 06 right?
I was listening to Bill King on satelite radio on my drive this morning and he and a caller were talking about Clemson's chances even beyond the ACCCG and the Orange Bowl, etc.
Bill began his answer by stating that "they are playing a Boston College team this week that is just AWFUL!"
We have been trending down for several years, but this year - in Spaziani's turnaround year - we have crashed to the bottom.
Let's keep these HC speculative discussions going. BTW - why is Clemson so much better this year? Dabo fired his OC, and hired a much better one. Spaz and Gene prize loyalty over that. We really need a house cleaning.
Big question of the week... will atl pick against the Eagles?? I don't believe I've seen it in the few years I've been reading the blog. I think weather postponing the game is a more acceptable prediction for this weekend.
1331--I know about Feldman, and I'm not defending ESPN. In many ways, they are the Microsoft of sports. But we're talking about BC hiring a coach, not ESPN hiring a writer. A guy's history of bad blood with a media outlet shouldn't be the determining factor in whether he'd be the right coach for the job.
If addressed at all, maybe take the approach that Rob does--resolving the legal case and classifying anti-media or anti-ESPN rants as "conduct unbecoming" that could be grounds for termination of his contract. BC coaches don't get the opportunity to bash the media anyway. The flow of information is always so tightly regulated.
I like guys like Pat Hill and George O'Leary too, but among the many reasons they may not be right for the job (like we couldn't pay them enough--both already make appreciably more at non-BCS schools. Peterson too), they're old. We need a young, excited coach. Maybe he'd bolt after putting the program back together, or maybe he wouldn't. There's only one way to find out. Hiring an old retread isn't going to ensure loyalty. The only way to ensure loyalty is by treating people right. Once upon a time Frank Beamer and Bobby Bowden were upwardly mobile young coaches, semi-risky hires. They built programs worth never leaving. That's what BC needs.
I don't accept the argument that there are coaches out there that we just can't afford. That's balderdash! How much more money does the university make with a winning program? I'm not just talking ticket sales or merchandise, but sponsorships and applications from across the country. There is no amount of money to large to ensure a highly successful football program.
it will never happen
Here's what BC needs as a coach. A young person with prior college coaching experience who will buy into the idea that BC is the type of school he would like to stay at forever. BC has a lot of unique things to offer a coach. It's part of a very active sports city although it will always be delegated to a back road because of all the professional sports morons who won't lower themselves to look at college sports. But the coach can hobnob with the Belechicks an other team skippers. It is one of two Catholic colleges playing 1A ball, the other located in nowhere Indiana. It is part of a good league and has a few of its players in the NFL.
Don't forget BC had a coach whose winning percentage of .864 is the second best in NCAA Division I football history. His only coaching experience before was that of a college line coach but he came to BC when he was 30 years old. The bottom line is it is very hard for kids to play for guys who look and act like their grand dad; bring in someone who's more like a DI who will bring out the best in them.
I don't know why I even bothered to write this. The fact that we have Spaz at all shows we'll never be bold, and, he'll be here forever anyway.
What are the pros and cons and "never-will-happens" for Randy Shannon.
On the personal rectitutde front, recruiting side, and defense too, Shannon seems to have a lot going for him. Not a lot of media pizzazz, but still an impressive coach with an appropriate bearing. While others seems to dismiss Shannon out of hand as a BC HC (but don't say why).
As others have mentioned, I do not think the present Miami-Shapiro scandal is his doing. In fact, I think during his tenure he put a stop to all connections with Shapiro. Most of the Shaprio stuff dates to before he arrived.
So what's the deal with Randy Shannon as a possibility?
Something like children by 4 different women, to none of whom he is/was married. That's the first thing BC would have to overlook about Shannon.
No established coach will come here for the type of money we will pay and have to deal with Gene. The only person out there is his son. Maybe Spaz is keeping the seat warm for him.
If that's the case then we really can't take it! :-)
Cant --
a lot of coaches will come for $2,000,000 or even $1,500,000 per year.
and really, beyond GDF myth from the blog-o-sphere, what has GDF done to interfere with the football coaching?
Only GDF-control point I have ever seen mentioned is GDF asking Jags to take Spaz as DC and/or telling Whipple he had to keep Spaz and could not bring in his own DC. BC had a top defense at that point, and it sounds like a reasonable request then. Who even knows if it was a 'demand' or simply a reasonable request accepted by Jags.
Jack -- I think Shannon had those kids when he was young and stupid -- high school/20's. His kids are older now. Seems to have changed now... I think.. Can't really hold that against him. it is not like he molested an altar boy. oh wait.. oh never mind
Is Spaz' screen name Eagle Manhattan? Wouldn't surprise me Spaz is a damned yankee fan.
I think BC should a longevity clause to their head football coach contracts going forward.
If he stays at BC for 10 years, and presumably he has won .600 of his games, been to 7 bowls, graduated 85-90% of the kids then he gets a millon dollar payout plus interest(interest rates on mmmarkets are .0001% so Gene should be all over this part) after year 10. He would still get the annual bonus that TOB et al have received.
Seems like this would definitly entice a coach in his 30's to stay at BC. It doesn't mean we have to keep him either
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