Father Leahy is very, very supportive of what we do in athletics. He's aware of everything that we do in athletics. He comes to some of our functions. He's very supportive, but he has a job to do to run this institution and that comes first to him, and it should. But I talk with Father all the time. I meet when the vice presidents meet. I meet with him sometimes separately, so he's involved with everything we do and knows about it but isn't necessarily right in the middle of it.
garf112 {l Wrote}:claver2010 {l Wrote}:Anyone want to post the text? It's blocked here
GDF Interview: Part I
This is part one of a two part interview with BC Athletic Director Gene Defilippo. In part one, we talk about the general direction of the athletic department and about the hockey program. In Part II, we'll get into the basketball and football programs. As always, special thanks to the athletic department for setting this up.
Thank you for sitting down with me today. I wanted to ask a few questions generally about the athletic department and then maybe get into a few specific questions about the major sports if that's okay.
Sure!
How has the Flynn Fund been able to weather the economic downturn? Are donations to the BC athletic department down?
You know what, we've been doing very, very well. When we got here in '97, the athletic department was raising about 2.5 million dollars per year. In the last three or four years we've been somewhere between 17.5 million and 20 million every year. In fact, I can get you the exact money. Here are our reports [hands me end of the year report to take home]. Here we are right here, at 17.5. The year before was a little more because we got a large gift, but that's about where we are. So it's been exceptionally well.
You have to understand the other thing is that we have very few tickets which we call donor-based seating. When you go to some of the larger schools, the Tennessee's, the Ohio State's, the Oklahoma's, you know they have as many as 50,000 or 60,000 donor-based seats. Our stadium seats 44.6, or 44.5, and we have approximately 6,000 donor-based tickets so that's why you see here that the Florida States and the Virginia Techs and the North Carolinas and the NC States raising a lot more money; because they have a lot more donor-based seating than we do. Our fund-raising is shoe leather. We're gone all the time...
So what are some of the things that BC Athletics is doing in terms of facilities in order to help BC stay on top?
Well, two things, from the fund-raising end of it. Number one, we want to add to our endowment. We want to grow the athletic endowment to somewhere around 200 million dollars, so that my successor, be it he or she, would have approximately 10 million dollars to start the year. And when you have 17 million from the ACC and 10 million from the endowment, that gives you about 27 million dollars to start the year, before you sell anything at all.
How involved is Father Leahy with the Athletic Department, if at all?
Father Leahy is very, very supportive of what we do in athletics. He's aware of everything that we do in athletics. He comes to some of our functions. He's very supportive, but he has a job to do to run this institution and that comes first to him, and it should. But I talk with Father all the time. I meet when the vice presidents meet. I meet with him sometimes separately, so he's involved with everything we do and knows about it but isn't necessarily right in the middle of it.
What are some things that the Athletic Department is doing to adapt to social media and social networking?
Jamie DiLoreto knows this better than I do. We're on Facebook, and they are communicating to our students through Facebook. We're doing a much better job with our website. Jamie Parker and also Christina Connelly have been doing interviews during and after games. We put those up. We're doing a lot better of a job of securing e-mails from students, alumni, fans; we're communicating that way to them. So our marketing and promotions departments have done a really, really good job, Michael. And being able to reach students, faculty, friends, through Facebook and social media has been great.
So let's talk hockey for a second...What do you think of our chances this year?
You know, as long as Jerry York's here, we never rebuild, we reload. It's about this time, now, as we get closer to the Beanpot...In the next week or two is when our team takes off every year. They get really going and playing well, and I suspect that it will be the same thing this year. We'll be right in the hunt.
What are some things that the Athletic Department can do to build wider support for the hockey program?
Well, you know, I don't know what we can do...First of all, most of our games are either sold out or nearly sold out. We're on radio this year. A number of our games are on television. We're putting players up on our website, coaches up on our website, with game stories or whatever. I think as we keep winning and winning here, there will be more and more people that will be coming to games and following the team. This is a team that's won three national championships since 2001, so they're a pretty good program.
Does Notre Dame moving into the Hockey East change anything?
You know I'm not sure it changes anything but it gives us another rival at home. When we play New Hampshire at home, BU at home, Notre Dame at home...those are great games and our fans love to see those games. So I love the fact that Notre Dame is coming into the Hockey East.
How has outdoor hockey at Fenway helped the program and when will we see a game at Alumni?
(laughs) How has outdoor hockey??? Well, I think the exposure we've gotten both nationally and locally from our two games at Fenway have been outstanding. I think there was more hoopla for the first game of course than for the second game. But the second game they sold 29,000 tickets so it gives more people a chance to see our team, to see how good they are, to get into a great environment like Fenway Park, and to come cheer for the team. So I think it's done a lot of things. We can't really do Alumni because we've got the bubble up, and that would be really difficult for us to do.
...I'd be willing to sacrifice the bubble...
You know...We've thought about how to get it done. (laughs) But that bubble is important to us too, because the last 12 years we've been practicing for a bowl after the last home game, and they need somewhere to practice, you know. That wouldn't leave us a whole lot of time for skating so I think if we continue to do it we'll do it at Fenway Park.
hansen {l Wrote}:DavidGordonsFoot {l Wrote}:claver2010 {l Wrote}:He has been found!
He did an interview at Around the Res (http://www.aroundtheres.com) blocked at work though
Hasn't Gene given them an interview before? Whoever writes that blog must be juiced in.
are you suggested the minions plant stories for other minions disguised as independent bloggers?
nerd {l Wrote}:Gene deserves credit because he arrived at BC and took a shitty basketball team and a shitty football team and several years later, the basketball team was consistently making the NCAA tournament and the football team was consistently winning 8-9 games a year. So, who gets the blame for taking a basketball team that was consistently making the NCAA tournament and a football team that was consistently winning 8-9 games a year into a shitty basketball team and a shitty football team?
ryrob {l Wrote}:nerd {l Wrote}:Gene deserves credit because he arrived at BC and took a shitty basketball team and a shitty football team and several years later, the basketball team was consistently making the NCAA tournament and the football team was consistently winning 8-9 games a year. So, who gets the blame for taking a basketball team that was consistently making the NCAA tournament and a football team that was consistently winning 8-9 games a year into a shitty basketball team and a shitty football team?
This.
HJS {l Wrote}:Hey minions... let Eugene know that I take great pleasure in knowing that he is too scared to hold online Chats (been well over a year) or attend fundraisers (not even ones for the Flynn Fund, like the FoxSports event this time last year). Well... not as much pleasure as hearing rumors of his departure. But, I delight in knowing that BC alums and donors are making the Oompa Loompa's last days in Yawkey as miserable as he has made us (ever since he injected his incompetent self into the sports programs).
Anyone with photoshop skillz want to take a crack at this? Maybe we can use the best one on some T-Shirts... signs... or the front page of FireGeneD.com/FireCoachFlip.com.
on
or
or
or maybe the mirror of
Well, I don't know that. I know Doug just a little bit. I met him when we played Kent State several times. And I met him once when he was at the University of Kentucky, but I was not involved in any of the interviews. I did not know Jim Bollman. I did know Doug Martin. Being a Kentucky grad, when I was at the University of Kentucky I met him. Doug is a good football coach. I mean he's a very, very good football coach and his offense will be very similar to what Steve Logan did here when he was here for two years in '07 and '08. I think the fact that Doug worked for Steve for seven, eight, ten years...their philosophies are very much the same and our offense was very good in those years. And I think you'll see more of us going back to some of the things that we did in '07 and '08 rather than a lot of the things we did in '09, '10, and '11.
Yeah we're a small class to begin with but we're going to sign 18 or 19 players.
You know, every year it's the same thing, that our players aren't five star or, you know, four star, or whatever. If you look at the Virginia Techs, they're never rated high in the recruiting. And we recruit players here that are smart, that are tough, and that will work like crazy. Those are the three things that we really, really look for in players. And if you look at who we've recruited over the past few years...guys like Rositano, Sylvia, Taj Kimble, Vardaro, Gallik, some of our linemen...I think we're recruiting very well.
We might lose some players but we've got some other players that are getting ready to commit here. It's going to be a very good year. It's going to be another very good year. You know, Montel wasn't really, really highly recruited, and look what kind of a player he came out to be. Castonzo...even Luke Kuechly. So, believe me, our coaches do a good job of evaluating talent and they will have a good recruiting class. I know that.
Flipolean {l Wrote}:Last year, you know, was a difficult year for us. As you know, Michael, the difference between winning and losing is so small. I mean, we line up to kick the football from the five yard line and we hit the upright and the ball kicks back. We've got another team deep down in their own territory and all we've got to do is knock down the third pass and it's third and long, we knock down the pass, and we get within an inch of it, you know, and it's complete and so we lose that ball game. We lost four or five games, maybe five games, that were decided by a touchdown or less. We won one of them.
So we've got to do a lot better. And part of it's rebuilding, part of it's injuries. But the fact is that nobody, nobody, first of all me, is happy with a 4-8 season. A 4-8 season is totally unacceptable. We're building this program and we expect to be back and going to bowls...
Yeah we're a small class to begin with but we're going to sign 18 or 19 players. You know, every year it's the same thing, that our players aren't five star or, you know, four star, or whatever. If you look at the Virginia Techs, they're never rated high in the recruiting. And we recruit players here that are smart, that are tough, and that will work like crazy. Those are the three things that we really, really look for in players. And if you look at who we've recruited over the past few years...guys like Rositano, Sylvia, Taj Kimble, Vardaro, Gallik, some of our linemen...I think we're recruiting very well.
HJS {l Wrote}:We might lose some players but we've got some other players that are getting ready to commit here. It's going to be a very good year. It's going to be another very good year. You know, Montel wasn't really, really highly recruited, and look what kind of a player he came out to be. Castonzo...even Luke Kuechly. So, believe me, our coaches do a good job of evaluating talent and they will have a good recruiting class. I know that.
an academically dishonest schill {l Wrote}: Yeah, well, here's the thing, you know, that I want people to remember. When I got here, to Boston College, in the fall of '97, Michael, the football team had had three winning teams in ten years. Three. We put together a string of 12 consecutive winning teams. 10 of those 12 teams won eight or more games. Those 12 teams won nine or more. And we had one 10 win season and an 11 win season. That's probably the best 12 years in our history. It's been a remarkable run.
hinghameagle {l Wrote}:I know that this is a football board, but what in the hell basketball game is he referring to. they made the ACC championship once and lost to Duke. they played a great game and JJ Redick hit some late threes. Bc trailed the entire last minute. hinnant hit a three with about 5 seconds left to cut it to two. then duke hit one free throw and Hinnant threw up a full court heave that hit the rim. they lost by three. there was absolutely no last second shot to beat BC. Never happened.
HJS {l Wrote}:Highlights...
2. We are about to offer every uncommitted player in the ISL:Yeah we're a small class to begin with but we're going to sign 18 or 19 players.
h2o {l Wrote}:The follow up question to this:
What does Doug Martin bring to the table as an offensive coordinator and how will the offense be different under him than it may have been under Rogers?
Well, I don't know that. I know Doug just a little bit. I met him when we played Kent State several times. And I met him once when he was at the University of Kentucky, but I was not involved in any of the interviews. I did not know Jim Bollman. I did know Doug Martin. Being a Kentucky grad, when I was at the University of Kentucky I met him. Doug is a good football coach. I mean he's a very, very good football coach and his offense will be very similar to what Steve Logan did here when he was here for two years in '07 and '08. I think the fact that Doug worked for Steve for seven, eight, ten years...their philosophies are very much the same and our offense was very good in those years. And I think you'll see more of us going back to some of the things that we did in '07 and '08 rather than a lot of the things we did in '09, '10, and '11.
Should have been:
Gene, you seem excited by the move back to the Steve Logan style of offense. What made you choose Spaz over Logan in the first place? Logan had prior success as a head coach at ECU and was interested in taking over as head coach here. Instead you selected Spaz, a career assistant that other programs never showed any interest in at all.
GreenvilleEagle {l Wrote}:h2o {l Wrote}:The follow up question to this:
What does Doug Martin bring to the table as an offensive coordinator and how will the offense be different under him than it may have been under Rogers?
Well, I don't know that. I know Doug just a little bit. I met him when we played Kent State several times. And I met him once when he was at the University of Kentucky, but I was not involved in any of the interviews. I did not know Jim Bollman. I did know Doug Martin. Being a Kentucky grad, when I was at the University of Kentucky I met him. Doug is a good football coach. I mean he's a very, very good football coach and his offense will be very similar to what Steve Logan did here when he was here for two years in '07 and '08. I think the fact that Doug worked for Steve for seven, eight, ten years...their philosophies are very much the same and our offense was very good in those years. And I think you'll see more of us going back to some of the things that we did in '07 and '08 rather than a lot of the things we did in '09, '10, and '11.
Should have been:
Gene, you seem excited by the move back to the Steve Logan style of offense. What made you choose Spaz over Logan in the first place? Logan had prior success as a head coach at ECU and was interested in taking over as head coach here. Instead you selected Spaz, a career assistant that other programs never showed any interest in at all.
Btw, Gene is lying when he said he did not know Jim Bollman.
ATLeagle {l Wrote}:I like that he knows the ins and outs of the recruiting class and has his hands in all sorts of pots regarding football but we are to believe he is completely removed from the interview process when it comes to assistants. I know he was involved with Martin. I heard that Bollman came via a Tranq-Spaz connection.
claver2010 {l Wrote}:ATLeagle {l Wrote}:I like that he knows the ins and outs of the recruiting class and has his hands in all sorts of pots regarding football but we are to believe he is completely removed from the interview process when it comes to assistants. I know he was involved with Martin. I heard that Bollman came via a Tranq-Spaz connection.
See this is why we need an ATL sitdown with hard hitting questions galore
eagle216 {l Wrote}:The good news, I guess, is that this blog (its timing, the "soft" questions, and Gene's defensive answers) illustrates that at least Gene knows that he needs to spin BS. Its clear to me that he knows he has some 'spainin to do and is trying to get it out. Gene knows he is screwing up the department, and he is now scrambling to cover his ass.
So we've got to do a lot better. And part of it's rebuilding, part of it's injuries. But the fact is that nobody, nobody, first of all me, is happy with a 4-8 season. A 4-8 season is totally unacceptable. We're building this program and we expect to be back and going to bowls...
...Starting next year?
Starting next year.
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