Do you remember Mike Bobinski? His name was floated for the BC opening when we hired Bates. Since then, he left Xavier to take over Georgia Tech. Wednesday, word got out that he's leaving Tech after just a few years to become Athletic Director at Purdue. This is important for BC since Bobinski was one of the big proponents of the ACC playing two Power 5 teams out of conference annually. Aside from the logistical nightmare and questionable business strategy for the new ACC Network, Bobinski's exit probably means the new out of conference mandate is probably dead.
However, Bobinski's departure does raise the issue of Brad Bates' tenure. Bates is a Midwest guy with Big Ten connections. Why wasn't he mentioned for the Purdue job? His name was floated by Blauds for the Mizzou job, yet they went with a less experienced AD. After Michigan passed on bringing Bates back to Ann Arbor, you have to wonder how long Bates will be at BC.
When he was hired, I predicted a short run at BC for Bates. I figured this was his final preparation for the Michigan job and that BC wouldn't mind a short tenure after Gene overstayed his welcome. Now that he's not gaining traction for other openings, I think Bates may be at BC for a while. He's nearing the end of his original deal, so some sort of decision is needed. The conference is more stable, so there are fewer pressing issues there. The major projects remain fundraising and executing the practice facility and the baseball/softball transition. While Bates' hires have left a lot to be desired and his fundraising hasn't generated a massive windfall, there is no pressing reason not to renew him. I imagine a generic announcement and a multi-year extension will come soon. Or maybe BC will wait it out and see how Addazio and Christian do this year. Why not? No one else is coming to take Bates away.
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In what fantasy world does it make sense to renew an AD who hired the football and basketball coaches who drove both those programs into the ditch? I remember hearing the phrase "ever to excel" somewhere. So much for that.
After last year's debacle, no major program will touch him until he has demonstrated an ability to successfully run revenue sports and raise money. Can you imagine the alumni feedback at some school that hired a guy who couldn't win a game in either major sport? He makes way too much money to be rewarded an extension for such a mediocre performance. To whom much is paid - much is expected. Having said that - it would be par for the course for BC to reward him with a nice extension. "Ever to Have Low Expectations"
"there is no pressing reason not to renew him" what sort of logic is that? there is no reason TO renew him. he has done nothing to merit an extension. please can we get a BC guy in there.
I am not understanding the logic -- I don't think there is any reason to renew him. Just cause he can't get another job we have to renew him?-- that makes no sense.
Let his contract run and get him out of here.
The main issue, is still front and center, winning games! Till Leahy goes I have zero confidence that BC will get any decisions right in the athletic area.
Bates' economic handling of the Dazzler with an overall 8 year deal was very bad. He also was given a loan of 150K per info on this site. 2.6 million per is 3 times the base salary for Brian Kelly. If FB and BB "fall of the edge of the cliff" once again, there would be no choice. The chair of the board of trustees, John Fish, runs Suffolk Construction which is in the top 200 economic business entities in the entire country. So, you have to ask why Bates is allowed to throw money around like he has.
There are no pressing reasons to not renew him?
You have the worst basketball and football programs in the country, stand alone.
Taken together they were the worst football and basket tandem in modern recorded history last season.
I look at this 180 degrees. If the money making programs are successful(playing mid-level bowl and making NCAA tournament) consistently then the money, fundraising and building take care of themselves.
Part of the job is hiring good coaches that fit your school and program. Boston College has failed at this terribly over the past 15 years. They have not hired a single good coach in 15 years.
Ridiculous post.
Much as BB does not deserve an extension, I fear ATL has got his finger of the BC pulse
To hire a new guy with spark, he/she wants to know about BC's commitment toward facilities improvements, game experience improvements etc. what is BC doing to move forward?
This means the Jesuits will have to step out of the cocoon and start showing how things are going to improve - i.e. money will flow. I don't see that happening. They got a yes-man with nice hair who cares about academics more than sports. Perfect
I think the BC BOT just prefers the status quo for sports for a few more years with Bates, Daz, Christian. Let it Slide for a few more years
I'm not saying Bates needs to be renewed, but to be fair, he FIRED, not hired the two coaches who drove our football and basketball programs into the ditch. He didn't do a whole lot with his replacement hires, but it does take longer to turn a program around than it does to bottom out.
If you are a good recruiter and hire well either as an AD or as a coach the results are obvious early on. The turnover amongst the players on the basketball team and football team show the coaches don't know how to recruit players that are right for Boston College. The coaches failure to get the right players and retain them proves that the AD has a lack of judgment in his hiring practices.
It is a systemic problem.
Ultimately when the graduation rate is impacted, assuming it will be when players leave and don't graduate, the coaches will be held accountable. They SHOULD be held accountable sooner than that. They are paid tons of money, middle of the pack in the ACC, and they need to produce mid-level bowls and ncaa tournament appearances(not asking very much). At the very least there needs to be an obvious increase in the teams capability to win. Neither the basketball team nor football can claim they have done anything to improve their own program or the school academically over the last 3-4 years.
Those two programs are utter and complete failures.
Addazio was an embarrassment to the school and himself during the end of the Wake Forest game.
The basketball program is in complete shambles. The only chance it has to ever finish in the top 5 in the ACC ever again is to hire Howard Eisley or Jared Dudley when he retires. A stiff from BU via TCU is not going to cut it. The program needs some NBA credibility.
he's been fine but for his two biggest responsibilities - football coach and men's basketball coach. If this year shows one or both need to be replaced, then Bates should be replaced too
. . . If you cannot meet the existing standards then lower the standards.
blist
and if he is replaced it'll be by Leahy who would then choose his successor. This process didn't work last time, why would expect anything different in round 2.
He cannot leave because other schools don't want him. We cannot fire him because no one else wants our job, of quality. Classic catch 22. Remember number 22?
Bates should not be renewed. He should leave with an arm around each of his coaching hires.
Turning the football and basketball schedules into trays of cupcakes will only result in a Potemkin Village of a program.
The alumni should storm The Heights if Bates contract is renewed and the head Jesuit should be required to spend a football season at Notre Dame and a basketball season at Gonzaga. Learn how to win, dammit!
@Georgia Eagle: Well said.
I'm going to my boss tomorrow and tell him that because no other firm wants me, I want a big raise. Bizarro world.
Ever to Excel my ass. Two major bowls in 73 years. At this pace we get to a real bowl game next in 2027.
A client of mine is a BC football legend and hall of famer. He's been taking his grand son to BC events since the kid was born. Kid goes to a catholic HS, is a very good student, plays multiple sports and had a life long dream of attending BC.
BC if course rejected him (he's now at Providence), and the BC hall of famer has told BC he will never have anything to do with the school again.
Zero loyalty. Nice culture they've established at the heights.
TGS, you just nailed the problem at BC
A culture of athletic mediocrity. The BC community has come to accept and expect it. Pathetic.
Kid went to a Catholic HS and should automatically go to BC bc he's a fan and has a famous grandfather? Not sure I get the outrage. Unless, of course, being a fan gets you extra essay points on the SAT.
Loyalty? Even if undeserved? You mean, lower the standards? That should be ur argument then. Completely different.
GE
I'd settle for mediocrity at this point. It's a long way up from putrid, particularly in hoops.
TGS, Who gets in and doesn't get in is a tough subject. I was connected through direct family to two congressmen in Virginia. I went to a catholic high school in boston, hit 1290 on the sat and had a 3.5 gpa. Schools weren't giving away A's to everyone then(whole other issue). Was told I was getting into UVA. Got snubbed even with formal written endorsement of the congressman.
I hit the numbers for the bottom %50 of the entering class without the endorsement and still didn't get accepted.
I also interviewed for a couple jobs that I didn't get that I was qualified for.
I got an economics degree for BC and an MBA in finance and make $100k all in as an analyst for a tech company in cambridge. Have a clean home in a nice neighborhood 8 miles outside of Boston. I can pay my bills, eat 3 meals a day if I want and take a few days off from work every once in a while.
It has worked out.
Not sure UVA would have given me any different results.
Remember there are kids who wanted to go to Providence who are now at Fairfield.
Knuckle
Great perspective, what's got into you, haha. I have 4 kids they all got into BC, and only 1 went. Of the other 3 only 1 got into their top choice. One month in at the schools they chose to go to, they had long forgotten about the schools they were rejected from. The parents get much more worked up about this than the kids, and hence the problem. I know I'm of another generation, but I just don't get the whole BC Ivy wannabe mentality. I just want to win some dam games!
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