Sunday, January 06, 2013

Lessons from Syracuse

Syracuse is in the market for a new coach and of course people are saying that under different circumstances, Steve Addazio would be in Upstate New York. I know Addazio is not leaving BC right now, but in a way I wish the Orange would come after him and I wish he would go. It might finally wake up those in and around BC who still believe all this "dream job," "love for BC" nonsense. I want my coach to be excited about working and coaching at BC, but coaching remains a mercenary industry and the sooner we start realizing that, the better hires we will make going forward.  I don't think Addazio was hired strictly because he claimed his love of BC in the interview, but I know that passion did win over some.

It will be interesting to see who Syracuse hires to replace Marrone. Names mentioned in our search will pop up. I don't think Syracuse has the money for Mullen, but I could see Roman there. Despite the chance they might pick a great coach, I am not sad to see Syracuse lose Marrone. He was solid and had them headed in the right direction. 

Marrone's slow but subtle success is the best takeaway from all of this. Syracuse's low point was worse than ours, yet solid coaching and recruiting returned them to respectability. If Addazio cannot mirror that same sort of recovery at the Heights, we hired the wrong guy.

20 comments:

Matt said...

Atl, your logic is faulty on this one. It sounds like you are criticizing BC's Addazio hire and BC blundered on taking a coach nobody wanted. At the same time you seem to suggest that if BC didn't take him he would be the HC at Syracuse. Do you understand how you cannot have it both ways?

NEDofSavinHill said...

Did anyone note that of the 12 teams that made the NFL playoffs four ( Houston, Minn, Atl, and Seattle)had QBs from the ACC. The SEC produced one ( Denver). Two of TOB's votaries will start at QB on Sunday in Atlanta ( Ryan and Wilson). 2. Gladchuk had another amazing year. Navy beat Army for the 11th straight time. Gladchuk is the best AD in Navy history as he was the best in BC history.

mod34b said...

ATL, your plea seems like a desire to create - retroactively - a demand for Addazio's services. As in, BC persuades Addazio, a coach in high demand, to come to BC -- a desire for external validation of the worth of Addazio.

But alas, the sad truth is that despite the many, many job openings this year, Addazaio, a coach with an unimpressive W-L record, was not in demand for any other job. In fact, I do not even think he was mentioned as a candidate for any job -- not even the BC job.

As for the 'dream job' nonsense, I do not think anyone believes a word of it. Addazio said Temple was his dream job just two years ago, and then jumped shipped for BC, again claiming with a straight face that BC, in fact, was his dream job. It is just a farce.

Temple DB Abdul Smith said it best about Addazio and the integrity of coaches.

At the end of da day these coaches only look out 4 themselves, they’ll sell u on a lie that only benefits them once everything is said and done

blist said...

I love my job and am working my hardest to be the best at it that I can be. Will I be at it forever? Probably not, but that doesn't change how good am I at it or how hard I work at it. You never, once you have some experience, ever tell a prospective employer 'I plan to be here or there for 4 or 5 years and then move onto someplace better,' even though that is probably the truth. Do professionals in non-psorts job have to say something is their dream job to get it? Usually not, but the unspoken lie employers tell themselves with everyone they hire (again, at a certain professional level upward) is this person will be here for the long haul. Is Addazio bad for saying it's his dream job? Sure, it's less than honest (and why do we believe Cuse is his real 'dream job' anyway - he probably planted that idea with Feldman earlier for the obvious reason). But would we rather hire some guy (like Diaco, it seems) who is free and easy with saying BC isn't the place for me but I'll take it anyway?
Coughlin promised he'd win a national championship at BC - is he a bad guy for leaving after 3 years?

Joseph said...

Well said, blist. Maybe Mod34b can read your post a few times and see how he can be a little more positive.
Anyone that thinks that all employees (including coaches) are as purely motivated as Mother Theresa, needs to spend more time with the shrink. Employee's first obligation is to themselves and their families. That does not imply disloyalty or subterfuge in accepting a job. Circumstances change. I would not want anyone working for me that did not look out for themselves.

Knucklehead said...

Blist,
Hopefully you are not a writer.

Knucklehead said...

The hire of Addazio does create long term stability if it goes according to plan.

Addazio coaches here for 3 years 2-4 or 5 and then R. Day takes over after Addazio moves on.

The plan gets thrown out of whack, similar to what happened at Texas with Muschamp to FLA and Mack Brown, if Day suddenly becomes a commodity and the BRASS here is not able to part with Addazio.

I am not comparing BC's program to Texas' as a whole.

mod34b said...

Knucklehead,

Given Ryan Day's body of work, esp as OC at Temple (ha!), I think BC is pretty safe from Day being hired by another school.

EL MIZ said...

i echo Blist's comments -- its silly to expect these coaches to pass on a more prestigious opportunity or a higher paying opportunity when any member of the work force would do the exact same thing if presented a similar offer. recruiting changes the equation somewhat but every recruit needs to consider the fact that the ppl recruiting them could either be fired or leave, and make their decision accordingly.

i also do think that Addazio wants to be in the Northeast and his enthusiasm for the job was at least in part genuine, as opposed to coaches who really have on preference where they are geographically but will BS that each job they interview for is the job they have always wanted.

Addazio's son transferring to BC is probably the best insurance we'll have him for 3-4 years at least.

hoping Addazio can poach a few Cuse recruits or get another few commits to shore up this current class.

mod10aeagle said...

Hey Ned! How are the sales of those WWCGD (What Would Chet Gladchuk Do?) bracelets going? Has Dan Henning placed another order yet?

Joseph said...

What will it take to make Mod34b act like he wants BC to excel? My guess if go all the way next year, he'll come up with some sort of negative. Addazio is at the Heights. For better or worse he is ours. Would you prefer someone from one of the Sate U football factories that could care less about the kids, but only making people like you happy by winning at all costs?

blist said...

@Mod10aeagle -- I believe Mike Milbury bought out the remaining supply to commemorate his time as BC hockey coach under Chet.

mod34b said...

Doug Marrone, on the fleeting nature of dreams:

"I had said Syracuse was my dream job, and I meant that when I said it," he said. "Having the opportunity to restore the great tradition of Syracuse football made my dream a reality. ... Today I'm experiencing another dream come true.

eagleboston said...

Strange post. I don't really understand the point of it. Blist is right. All employees will say whatever it takes to get the job. As a business owner who has hired hundreds over the years, I don't begrudge anyone for leaving for a better opportunity, despite what they told me at the time of hire. I simply thank them for their service and try to bring in someone even better.

Perhaps ATL is suffering from the same flu that destroyed me last week. 104 degree fevers will cause you to do strange things.

Kevin A said...

Do you make more than 1m per year? If you do, great. Otherwise you have place yourself in bedazzler's shoes. Why wouldn't this be my dream job as a coach? Do I need to win more than 8 games?---no. Do I need to sell 50k+ seats?----no. Do I need to recruit a class with a four star rival average? -----and the answer is, again --- no. I am all for the new career guidance protocols, but why is it so outrageous to believe that the BC head coach position, with the current salary and expectations couldn't be considered a dream job? What coach was last fired by BC?

Joseph said...

You are not serious about firing coaches at BC, are you? Maybe not always outright fired, but refusing to renew contracts or extend options is the same. Ask, Skinner. Ask Jags. Ask TOB. Ask Spaz. Ask Crawley. Ask Inglese?

CT said...

Hey Ned,

NFC, AFC, SEC.

Did you watch men play boys last night?

That line in Vegas was a joke-Alabama laid 7.5 after the SEC champ. game. Easiest bet ever. Hope you put some scratch on it.

I desperately hope BC gets back on track, but anyone watching that game last night can see the difference between winning 8 games in the ACC recruiting out of the northeast and midwest and being serious about your football program.

I don't care what Addazio says about dream jobs. I do hope he takes a trip out to Palo Alto and asks that coaching staff how it's done.

Joseph said...

Please check on admission requirements and graduation rates for the big SEC football factories. Should we emulate them? Vandy has never been in the big one.

Vandy Grad rate 85
GA 69
FL 75
AL 75
ND 97
BC 94
SEC average 66
The domers and Stanford do pretty well but will have a hard time being consistently up there with AA and GA and FL

Joseph said...

Stanford 90

Kevin A said...

Joseph - only point is that bc is a program that still believes in graduating its players, knowing that it is sacrificing wins, and pays bcs wages should be considered a dream. Someone does not have to compromise on their principals if college athletics is there passion. . (tob and jags left on their terms. Something happened with skinner- his last two recruiting classes were brutal)