Wednesday, September 21, 2016

How safe is Addazio?

After last week, it didn't take long for some BC fans to build FireDaz.com. At this point I am not onboard with a coaching change and think that Addazio is relatively safe. Unless we go winless in the ACC again, I don't see Brad Bates making a change. 

Some frustrated BC fans will claim that the money owed to Addazio makes him too expensive to fire. That's not the issue. BC has to view the contract as a sunk cost and every miserable season that he is kept on would lead to lost Football revenue, harder fundraising and fewer applications. It becomes too expensive to keep losing, despite what he might still be owed. 

But money won't be the primary factor. I think it is more about Bates' power or lack there of. Because it was his first and most high-profile move, Bates is tied to Addazio. And he hasn't accomplished enough at BC to be viewed as anything other than the guy who hired Addazio and Christian. Bates benefits by giving Addazio more time. If, and only if, Addazio turns things around, will Bates earn back the trust with fans and BC leadership. If Addazio continues to struggle, no one around BC will want Bates searching for another coach.

If Addazio can't win more this year, I think it will be Bates who is fired (or not renewed, however you want to view it). It would then be up to Bates replacement to evaluate Addazio after five years and set the new direction for BC Football. 

So get used to Addazio. I think he's going to be around another year or longer.

28 comments:

Napolean Bonaparte said...

Oy vey.

mod34b said...

So you are saying

2009 Spaz
2010 Spaz
2011. Spaz
2012 Spaz
2013 Daz
2014 Daz
2015 Daz
2016 Daz
2017 Daz

Perhaps this is some form of a self flagellation ritual known only to the Jesuits.

But I call it bullshit.

The power to pick Daz's replacement can be quietly taken from Bates. Or he can also be fired this year.

The "bates problem" is an exaggerated minor problem that is easy to fix (defang or fire him)

Anonymous said...

I don't even watch anymore. Used to never miss a game. They are not good enough to justify the time.

BCAlum2000 said...

Ryan, you sadly summed it up perfectly. There was a time where I wouldnt miss a snap. Now I would rather sit on my deck enjoying a sunny late summer/early autumn day with the fam.

nceaglefan said...

Enough is enough, how much more do you need to see to know that is guy is in way over his head. He is an opportunist, he was lucky enough to be around when Tebow was at Florida and he parlayed that into future jobs. There is plenty of evidence now to suggest he is not a good coach. Get back to what was successful for years, big strong armed QB's who can actually throw the ball and quality running backs. I know this is a big shock, but the key to successful offensive football is balance. We will never be able to get the quality running athletic QBs out of the South, it is a pipe dream, we will always get the second hand guys who may be athletic and can run, but cant throw. I dont know why people dont realize this.

BCAlum2000 said...

NC, I think everyone realizes this, except the coaches and the AD ...

EL MIZ said...

"he hasn't accomplished enough at BC" what has Bates accomplished? Honest question. He delegated the two coaching hires to search consultants, and I don't see any meaningful actions elsewhere.

I agree w/ timing - Bates goes this year, new AD comes in and assesses Addazio in 2017. I still (sadly) think Addazio gets to 6 wins.

If Daz completely whiffs and we wind up at 3-4 wins, I don't see the downside of canning Bates and Daz and then letting the new AD run a search for the new HC

Napolean Bonaparte said...

Sorry to be off topic - but I read recently (as it related to Leahy) that the BOT's would be responsible for choosing the next president of BC. I was surprised by that as I thought the Jesuits made that decision. According to this - it is up to the BOT's ultimately with consultation with the Jesuits: http://sites.jcu.edu/magazine/2014/05/16/lay-leadership/

Although it seems hard to believe that the Jesuits don't have some ultimate legal say in the college's foundation documents if the BOT's decided to appoint someone that the Jesuits found abhorrent to the Catholic mission. But maybe not. According to an article written by a Jesuit priest in 1994 the only lever the Jesuits have is to remove the Catholic identity of the college. His comments as to how all of this developed were interesting:

"I claim that U.S. Jesuit colleges and universities have never been better than they are today precisely because of changes made after Vatican II. The council's discussion of mission strategies, lay ministries, ecumenical relations and religious freedom were especially influential. That radical changes occurred in Jesuit colleges and universities I take to be obvious. Jesuit superiors gave up control over hiring and curricula, the two most fundamental determinants of any college or university's character. Ownership in most schools has been turned over to boards mostly controlled by lay persons. These new boards, as is the practice in U.S. higher education, choose the president, who serves at the board's pleasure--
without a set term. The Jesuit superior general now no longer appoints the president. The president has been relieved of his responsibilities as religious superior of the Jesuits, and the post of superior of the Jesuit community has been created. The Jesuit general continues to appoint the community's superior for the traditional term of six years. This first thesis claims not just that the changes in Jesuit colleges and universities were radical, but that these changes were both inspired by, and defensible by appeal to, Vatican II- -in particular its treatment of missiology, laity, ecumenism and religious freedom."

blist said...

I think the technical independence is a way catholic schools walk the line between church demands and sometimes conflicting federal demands re admissions, non discrimination, health policy. Could be wrong tho

Napolean Bonaparte said...

Later in that same article, the guy writes:

"Many great North American universities, were once clearly and openly religious (e.g.. Harvard, Duke, Syracuse, Boston University). They have become purely secular--indistinguishable from their nonreligious counterparts except for spacious and now largely unused chapels. Catholic colleges and universities run this same risk. Influential clerics have already claimed that particular Jesuit colleges or universities are no longer Catholic. Hence all the recent writing, researching and conferencing about Jesuit (and Catholic) colleges' and universities'
religious "identity" and "mission.""

When you look at the hugely reduced number of Jesuit priests - its at least even odds that the next BC president will be a lay person. And when you look at the history of other American colleges originally founded by religious groups and the current direction/strength/influence of the Church in the United States (in the aftermath of the scandals and cultural/demographic changes), I'd be surprised if places like BC and Georgetown will be identifiable as Catholic universities (as we know it) after say another 25 years or so.

NEDofSavinHill said...

Mod. Do you have any quotes from Ryan, Hasselback, Glennon, St Pierre or Tim Hasselback about TOB's coaching ability? Is Wilson's argument that he learned nothing in his three years as starter at NC St. from his coaches? Anyone can make a hiring error. Daz has proven to be a total incompetent. Everyone at Florida said he couldn't coach. He hires his buddies Loefler, Fitch and Pasqualoni. Assistants who have been canned at other schools for poor performance. If Bates wants to retain his position he must act and act quickly.2. If one wants to see a example of what Jags did look at Barry Switzer. Jimmy Johnson built the Cowboys into a Super Bowl team. He won two titles. He left and Switzer replaced him. They won one title with Johnson's excellent players. AS time went on the team deteriorated under Switzer and he was let go. He couldn't maintain Johnson's success. Look at BC's trajectory after Jag's first year. Nine wins followed by eight followed by seven. Downhill was the direction Jags had the program pointed.

Napolean Bonaparte said...

And if that's the case - then I see BC and BU merging someday as "BU" with our campus serving as the undergraduate campus and the BU campus focusing primarily on graduate departments. I know - sick. But they will have a hell of a hockey team.

JBQ said...

It is my understanding that the contract for Bates expires this year. The answer would be to let it expire and bring in TC on an interim basis to evaluate the program and then act accordingly. Jill Hegarty is the assistant to BB. I met her in the athletic office in March of 2015. BB had a dental appointment. Right! He was out "living the good life" and letting Hegarty run the show. Her email goes by her maiden name and John Hegarty is the Director of Hockey Operations. Ms. Hegarty is the former director of football operations. She has the experience and she has the personality to be given the chance as interim director of athletics while TC is evaluating the program. Who knows? She may turn out to be lots more than just a pretty face with an Irish husband.

Geezer eagle said...

Just to add to the bad news, even if BB and Dazoshit are canned at the end of this season, a new and competent team would require at least three years to turn a losing program around with new recruits, better coaching and instilling a winning spirit. It took nearly a thousand years for Europe to recover from the fall of Rome. Hopefully, BC can do it in less time.

Geezer eagle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mod34b said...

g.e., yes a few years for a full turn around. But a new coach will get BC to 7-5 or 8-4 quickly. and that is a lot better than what Daz can do after 4 years. A new coach will be able to actually recruit at a higher level than the last/worst in ACC Daz has recently produced.

Really, the big problem with Daz is his stubborn love of the run. It does not work. It is a turn off to new recruits. It is a turn off to all fans. It is a turn off for TV programmers.

Just not good. People seem to think the Andre Williams year was good - it was not. BC was #93 in total offense.

one nice little trick Daz used to prop up the D was to hold the ball as long as possible and reduce the time the D is on the field. That approach did make sense, especially when you lack D depth. But as we see from VT, if you can only do 3-and-out or slightly better, you are not helping the D - which was tired and crapped out by halftime

#adzDAZ #bootBATES

Big Jack Krack said...

Just off the top of my head, the best teams we play this year will average 80+ plays per game, while we will put up 50, maybe 50+. Duh!

mod34b said...

good point jack. we are currently last in ACC in total offensive plays run and #111 nationally.

Last year we were last in ACC and #126 nationally.

Guido said...

Explain again - when does Addazio's contract expire ?? I have heard conflicting opinions. Thanks for your help !!! I hope no one ventures to the "Heights" for the "WAGNER SLAUGHTER". Thank God I surrendered my tickets - I am now over the "Pain and Guilt". Maybe would come back with a "TOTAL OVERHAUL".

Geezer eagle said...

After the first half of the Wagner game, BC should ask for volunteers from the stands. This game is a disgrace.im embarrassed.

Geezer eagle said...

After the first half of the Wagner game, BC should ask for volunteers from the stands. This game is a disgrace.im embarrassed.

downtown_resident said...

I posted this on TOS, so to reiterate, Bates is a nice guy but there is absolutely no way I want him hiring the next football coach. Here is his track record in hiring football and men's basketball coaches in his two stints as AD at BC and Miami, Ohio.

BC
(F) Addazio 18-23 .439
(MB) Christian 20-44 .312

Miami
(F) Montgomery 17-31 .354 (fired)
(F) Haywood 10-15 .400 (very successful second season; hired by Pitt and fired shortly after due to DV incident)
(F) Treadwell 8-21 .275 (fired)
(MB) Cooper 48-79 .378

That is an abysmal record, as Haywood is the only one of the six coaches Bates has hired who could objectively be called a success.

bceagle93 said...

I think getting Tom Coughlin involved with athletics and football, even if it is on an interim basis, would be a YUGE win for BC and our alumni base. Hall of Fame executive, motivator, coach, and person. I do not think he would tolerate the clown show that BC money sports has become.

Knucklehead said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Knucklehead said...

The post from ATL makes no sense.

Bravesbill said...

LOL @ Ned. Jags coached only 2 years and took BC to the ACC Championship game twice (he had to work miracles that second year). Then Spaz came along. I'm not sure what your point was.

JBQ said...

Just a reminder, Jags is now the o.c. at Georgia State. They came close against Wisconsin last week and actually scored to go ahead in the fourth quarter. They are now 0-3 but appear to be developing a competent program under Trent Miles. Jags now has five mouths to feed. When at BC, he had only four. To be sure, he manipulated himself into a big payout. However, he is still badly missed for his up tempo personality.

mod34b said...

I am trying to find email for the BOT top 3. here is an educated guess so many can write to these people

John F. Fish, Chair
President and Chief Executive Officer
Suffolk Construction Company

possible emails jfish@suffolk.com and jfish@scci-bos.com



Peter K. Markell ’77, Vice Chair
Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance, CFO and Treasurer
Partners HealthCare System, Inc.
possible email pmarkell@partners.org

Susan Martinelli Shea ’76, Secretary
President and Founder
Dancing with the Students

possible contact siouxchez@comcast.net (sue shea)

let me know if any of these work or if there are better email contacts

the BOT must get involved.