Tuesday, December 04, 2012

The timing is never right for BC and Al Golden


Al Golden should've been BC's coach years ago. But our timing and his was always a little off. Despite this most recent flirtation, I am afraid the timing is wrong again.

When TOB left, Golden was untouchable. He had only been the head coach at Temple for one season and finished 1-11. If he hadn't risked everything to rebuild Temple and stayed at UVA as Defensive Coordinator, he would have gotten the BC job. He had a good relationship with Gene. He knew enough of the BC staff and culture to make the transition. Heck, even with the stinker of a season, he was more of a serious candidate than anyone realized at the time. But it wasn't meant to be.

In 2009, he could have had the job again. He knew what went down between Gene and Jags, yet was still willing to roll the dice with Gene just for the chance to coach at BC and take over a BCS program. But Gene went with Spaz for reasons that had nothing to do with Golden.

When he got to Miami I thought the Golden-BC shipp had finally sailed. But then the Shapiro scandal blew up and Golden's name started floating again. Was this finally the time?

Some coaches shoot from the hip. Golden is a planner. I don't know if he ever saw himself at Miami, but he certainly planned on being at an elite program at this stage in his career. If Miami wasn't falling apart with the NCAA hammer hovering, he wouldn't entertain a BC offer. But our problem is that we are not the only option for Golden now. He is a real candidate for Tennessee. But the Vols are not on the same timeline we are. This is where the conflict comes into play.

BC narrowed its field already and is moving to the final stages. Golden will have to make a decision on his status with BC without knowing his chances at Tennessee. He also can stay at Miami and hope to salvage one more season before sanctions make winning an impossibility. This won't be about the money. It will be about which opportunity Al Golden feels is the best for his long-term career.

I don't think Golden is coming to BC. As much as he is a planner and strategist, he's also a confident coach. I think the chance of Tennessee is enough to keep him from saying yes to BC when we finally make an offer.

18 comments:

Btoal said...

I live in Knoxville. Golden will not be offered the job, boosters want a bigger name. Gundy and Chuck Strong seem to be the final candidates....maybe Fedora from NC. Locals are expecting an announcement later this week.

Btoal said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I hope you are right first and toal, we need Golden to revive this program. Come on Al, we need ya!

EL MIZ said...

Bates now in a dangerous waiting game. will Diaco talk to other programs, or be put off by us waiting for Golden? will Golden pass to either stay in Coral Gables or head to Knoxville and by the time we get to Diaco he's already engaged elsewhere.

this is not the time for timidity -- bates needs to make a decision and make sure we get one of our top 2 candidates.

Unknown said...

I may be wrong about this, but after TOB went to NC State, wasn't there a rule made by the ACC that one school cannot take the coach of another ACC school? Or am I just imagining things...?

EL MIZ said...

i think TOB had a clause in his NC State contract that he can't coach in the ACC for a certain amount of time after leaving NC ST, but i dont think its a broad, league-wide rule.

JBQ said...

Pat Fitzgerald would be the best candidate possible. There are negatives with both Diaco and Golden. Hopefully, Leahy will be able to sort this out. In addition, WPL is on a close working relationship with Shalala (Lebanese Catholic like Flutie). She was instrumental in bringing BC into the ACC. If it is Golden, then this is the way it would be done or not done at all.

BCAlum2000 said...

Pat Fitzgerald is not leaving his alma mater which he has steadily built into an actual contender in the Big 10. Golden is the ideal candidate for BC. He is young and can relate to kids, a good recruiter, a great planner/organizer, has BC connections/roots, and is a winner. I agree, it wont be about the money entirely, but BC better be ready to dish our $2 million if they want him

C. Scanz said...

How about those prescient comments on the 2006 link for Spaz, eh?

AA said...

Quick! Someone tell Al Golden that the Boston Pops play in Boston and not Knoxville! That will most certainly seal the deal.

As I mentioned last week. BB should never have waited.

ccw said...

Winning an impossibility at Miami? BC fans are so ignorant of college football.

Miami is looking at most 1 more bowl ban and scholarship reductions around what USC got.

Winning will be much harder? Yeah, that's true. Winning is an impossibility? Assenine statement.

They're recruiting VERY well with the uncertainty of sanctions. Once those come down Golden will have fewer scholarships but be in an even better position to sell the program. Less depth equals more playing time for the S. Fla studs.

BCAlum2000 said...

Are we going to hear, come early August, how this is the year the "U is back" ... for the 10th straight year ...

Seriously, just give this corrupt program the death penalty and put them out of their misery.

ccw said...

College football is more interesting when ND and Miami are good.

Nobody cares about us.

Joseph said...

AA= SEC mentality

BCAlum2000 said...

Silly monkey, no one cares about Miami. It is a forgotten, corrupt, cess-pool of a program that took advantage of a culture that allowed for rampant cheating. It was and always will be a small, private school for rich kids from the northeast which just so happens to be located in a hot-bed of football recruiting talent. Unfortunately for Miami, the only way they can attract this talent is by cheating constantly. Despite all of that, they still suck. Their 20 year window of relevance is 10 years shut at this point and they are about to be hammered yet again by the NCAA. So again, Miami is a completely irrelevant program. The college football world has long since moved on which is evidenced by the fact that no one even gave a rats ass when they announced yet another "self-imposed penalty" this year.

NEDofSavinHill said...

BC owes Miami big time for picking it to join the ACC. If the U wants to keep Golden then BC shouldn't bother. The best choice is the Army strong Ranger Sullivan. A West Point grad tutored by Coughlin.

AA said...

Yes, I have a SEC mentality. I guess I want to win. Looks like Diaco has emerged as the fave.

It could work. Need to open up the NJ pipeline. BC has sucked ever since Rutgers and Schiano closed it off.

ATL_eagle said...

ccw:

How is that less depth thing working out for Lane Kiffin? If they are hit somewhere in between PSU and USC, Golden will be looking at 17 scholarships a year for four years. That is a big factor.

There is no rule on ACC coaches switching teams. BC would have to pay for his buyout -- which is big. (He has seven years left on his Miami deal.)