January 4, 2009

[HJS]

In reminiscing about the FSU drive where Chris Crane ran the same play over and over again because the Noles couldn't stop it, I realized that all of BC's recent misfortunes began at one specific moment in history... January 4, 2009 at approximately 8pm.

It was at that approximate time (in the afterglow of BC's huge win over then-#1 (and eventual Nat'l Champs) UNC @ the Dean Dome) that ESPN ran a news banner across the bottom of the TV screen announcing that BC was about to fire Jags and would be hiring Steve Logan to replace him. BC's fortunes forever changed that evening.

January 4, 2009 was the day that Coach Flip found out that Jags' had been lying to him and that he really was planning to interview for the Jets job (an interview he got only as a favor to Favre). It is when GDF back-channelled the interview-and-you're-fired ultimatum to Mort. The very public that ensued resulted in Jags' termination. However, the ESPN news proved inaccurate in that BC did not hire Logan... inexplicably, GDF decided to promote Spaz (over Logan and Bick). That decision mortally wounded BC football, ruined Spaz's reputation, and ended GDF's career (note that if Logan was elevated to head coach, there was a strong likelihood that Bick Jr. would have stayed on as a Coach In Waiting).

As for BC basketball, it began a long painful slide into obscurity (which perhaps reached its nadir with yesterday's press conference). Following the UNC win, BC was 13-2 and ranked #17 in the country. It was the last time that a BC basketball team would be nationally ranked. We then went on to lose the next 4 games (including one against Harvard... which began a streak that continues today). From that moment, we lost 10 of the last 19 games... and lost first round of the NCAAs (to finish 22-12). The following year, we went 15-16 which resulted in GDF employing his reverse-midas touch (i.e. he fired Coach Handsome and hired The Don). The following year was another disappointement. Don (with a senior laden club and the final year of Reggie Jackson) was only able to get BC to 21-13 and a second round NIT loss to Bill Carmody's Northwestern club (which marked BC's last post-season tourney). The rest... is a bad dream.

Football (while still in a very fragile state) has slowly begun to put the pieces back together and start the arduous process of rebuilding once was a solid foundation. Basketball, however, still seems lost in the woods. Ultimately, if everything goes perfectly (unlikely), it will have taken BC a decade to recover from the events of January 4, 2009.

[twballgame9]

I think football will be okay this season and next, and back on track in Addazio season 4, when 3 cycles of talent are on campus and Wade has a 2 years (one starting) under his belt. I don't think it will take until 2019.

Basketball is a disaster, but is also much easier to fix. I tend to agree that the hire sucked, but it really only takes a couple of big local recruits to get it done.

[angrychicken]

From that moment, we lost 10 of the last 9 games...

I agree with most of what you said, but I couldn't let this pass.

Classic 'moj.

[twballgame9]

basketball is always an easier fix. pure numbers game.

[twballgame9]

Fair.

I just think that our basketball program is going to be junk for at least 8 years. 4 with Christian on the Bench and another 3-4 before we can get it turned around.

Hopefully I am wrong.

I would concede that I am not as confident that there will be a basketball fix as I am in football because (a) of the respective hires in each sport; and (b) because BC football has a much easier time getting good players than hoop.

My point is only that while football is more likely to get fixed, it will be harder than the hoop fix.

[MaxxPower325]

I still believe that the introduction of DBS at Conte has played a major role in the demise of the hoops program. From that day forward there has been no life at all in that building.

Probably the most arrogant and misguided decision GDF made in his tenure.

[DavidGordonsFoot]

I still believe that the introduction of DBS at Conte has played a major role in the demise of the hoops program. From that day forward there has been no life at all in that building.

Probably the most arrogant and misguided decision GDF made in his tenure.

DBS in and of itself wasn't so bad, but Gene's failure to grandfather-in longtime season ticket holders was definitely misguided and surely affected the atmosphere at Conte.

[TobaccoRoadEagle]

someone needs to put this down in the conte forum as well. my guess is roonie may have a thought or two on mo-j's ponderings.

also, not for nothing, but does anyone remember how well jags had that team prepared for the vanderbuilt bowl?

[PhillyandBCEagles]

Generally speaking, basketball is a much easier fix because you can turn it around with one great recruiting class. In football you need at least 2-3 quality recruiting classes on par with the 2014 class or the 2008 one (before 2/3 of those guys either suffered career-ending injuries or Spaz decided they were "poor fits"). If we were able to bring in 3 blue chip guys for the upcoming season, combine them with Hanlon and Clifford and you've got a good starting 5 with some decent depth from the returning guys. However in our situation we're looking at a much longer time period to fix basketball simply because we just hired a guy who in all likelihood (hope I'm wrong) is not going to move the program very far forward. The good news I guess is that it'll be basically impossible for Christian to sink the program any further into the toilet, so whoever takes over 4 years from now isn't going to have any worse of a situation than they would if they took over today.

[gallopingghost]

I think Christian will turn out to be a good hire....not a great hire. He has a proven, long time winning record and he will most likely turn the program in the right direction. He has the same advantage that Daz had, in that expectations are very low and all he needs is a little bit of success and everyone will jump on his bandwagon. Did you ever think that people would be excited because a coach went 7 and 6?

[twballgame9]

The excitement with Daz is not the 7-6, it is the 7-6 with that talent combined with the recruiting class.

[EagleDave]

The excitement with Daz is not the 7-6, it is the 7-6 with that talent combined with the recruiting class.

This. That team was BAD. I still have no idea how they nearly won 8 games.

[TobaccoRoadEagle]

The excitement with Daz is not the 7-6, it is the 7-6 with that talent combined with the recruiting class.

and the fact that he slaps the losing coach into a camel clutch as a part of the post-game handshake

[QuailMan]

The excitement with Daz is not the 7-6, it is the 7-6 with that talent combined with the recruiting class.

This. That team was BAD. I still have no idea how they nearly won 8 games.

Andre Williams

[twballgame9]

The excitement with Daz is not the 7-6, it is the 7-6 with that talent combined with the recruiting class.

This. That team was BAD. I still have no idea how they nearly won 8 games.

Andre Williams

Yes, and he was on the team the year before that went 2-10

[MilitantEagle]

The excitement with Daz is not the 7-6, it is the 7-6 with that talent combined with the recruiting class.

This. That team was BAD. I still have no idea how they nearly won 8 games.

Andre Williams

Yes, and he was on the team the year before that went 2-10

And he's just one player. They still needed to block for him, mix up the schemes, etc.

[hinghameagle]

Dazz was a breath of fresh air for this team. He does things well that will allow BC to be competitive, such as recruiting and developing the offensive line. If Brown can be half the genius most claim him to be, then BC football willbe fine in the coming years.

However, this is an unfavorbale position, but I get the sense that Dazz is a very poor game coach and clock manager. and I truly dont believe that is a skill you can acquire. either you know how to handle the clock, are aggressive, or you panic and go ultra conservative.

BC won the Maryland game last year, but they won it in spite of Dazz's clock management. He got the ball back with about 1:30 left and at his own 30 or so. Keep in mind, 2 possessions earlier Rettig hit a 70 yard TD pass to amidon, and there wasnt a DB within 15 yards of the play, so it wasnt like Maryland couldnt be thrown on.

BC runs an injured Williams on first down(your best player and center of your offensive is injured: you shouldnt be playing for extra possessions) and he gets two yards. Same on second down. After second down, Edsall ran 20 yards onto the field to call timeout. He saw Dazz turtling and wanted the ball back, to avoid going to ot. 3rd down, Williams saves Dazz bacon and breaks off a 40 yard run. Williams can barelt get off the filed. BC is at the 38 yard and has time for one play and a timeout. Dazz runs willis or rouse to the left hashfor 3 yards and calls for a timeout. I know he has the best kicker in the country, but he essentially played for a 52 yard field goal, in a game where the last time this kicker went back to kick, he had an extra point blocked and returned for a 2 point conversion. Very low percentage. And it would have backfired, had Edsall not called timeout. Had Edsall not called timeout and BC lost this game in overtime, and then adding in the egregious clock management in the Carrier dome that led to a loss and I think the opinion of Dazz on this board would be much different.

[twballgame9]

Clock management is all experience. He's still raw as a head coach.

[HJS]

I disagree. I think you got it or you don't. In comparison, Jags had less than experience than any head coach ever... and he was a very good game manager. That said, if you are able to do the other things well (which it seems thus far where Daz has shown promise), the game management stuff only shows up once or twice a year (in last year's case a win against MD and a loss against Cuse).

[b0mberMan]

However, this is an unfavorbale position, but I get the sense that Dazz is a very poor game coach and clock manager.

I think this is a popular opinion, actually. Last year I think a lot of the attitude was "happy to be here." Happy to win games. Happy to see the O-Line play well. Happy to hang with teams like FSU and Clemson. I saw some stuff that, had I had expectations for the year, would've driven me nuts. Poor clock management. Indecision in critical situations like the last drive against Cuse. Bungling end of halfs.

I hope he betters himself. I think he could've done better with a Logan-like mentor like Jags had to help him out. Maybe two more years of studying and when I have real expectations for the team, he will have gotten it.

Daz does seem intent on getting better.

[commavegarage]

his clock management was poor. no question about it.

I also thought the gameplans for a few games were quite suspect (particularly vs USC).

I echo a lot of people's thoughts here - we had been so beaten down as a fanbase that 7 wins just felt great again

[twballgame9]

I disagree. I think you got it or you don't. In comparison, Jags had less than experience than any head coach ever... and he was a very good game manager. That said, if you are able to do the other things well (which it seems thus far where Daz has shown promise), the game management stuff only shows up once or twice a year (in last year's case a win against MD and a loss against Cuse).

Clock management being instinctual is super retarded.

[twballgame9]

his clock management was poor. no question about it.

I also thought the gameplans for a few games were quite suspect (particularly vs USC).

I echo a lot of people's thoughts here - we had been so beaten down as a fanbase that 7 wins just felt great again

7 wins with thin talent. That's really the point.

[eepstein0]

his clock management was poor. no question about it.

I also thought the gameplans for a few games were quite suspect (particularly vs USC).

I echo a lot of people's thoughts here - we had been so beaten down as a fanbase that 7 wins just felt great again

There was nothing BC was going to be able to do against USC

[hinghameagle]

clock management I think can also be traced to coaching style. Dazz is always going to be an err on the side of caution guy with regard to these matters. If a qb throws a pick 6 while you are trying a 2 min offense on your own side of the field, everybody says, what was the coach thinking. If he runs the ball three times into the line and goes to the locker room, no points are won or lost, it is the easier coaching move to make. and I for wahtever reason really believe that clock management is either something that either comes easy to you, or it is hard to conceptulize. I just feel, in my opinion that Dazz will always struggle with this. some coaches do. Did TOB ever get better at this? Andy Reid?

[eagle216]

"ruined Spaz's reputation"

I found this to be the most interesting part of moj's missive, in large part because the rest was just boilerplate stuff that we at the EO lounge already know.

While it can not be overstated how horrible Spaz was as a HC, he entered the job as a well regarded coordinator. There are worse things in life to be than a really good coordinator. We can argue over how good he really was (he had a TON of talent; was coincidentally facing FSU and Clemson teams at the same time that they were, for them, talent poor; may have kept the team from having a truely great D), but you can't argue against the fact that he had a good reputation.

Spaz spent his whole adult life coaching football at a high level. Could have gone to his grave knowing he had an outstanding reputation for performing same. But instead, he will singularly be known as worse than Coach Chimp. Especially when Daz rights the ship. Its sad really. This is an angle that rarely gets played. Basically, Gene ruined 2 good careers (Spaz and Jags) for no rational reason whatsoever.

[Reverend Mike]

clock management I think can also be traced to coaching style. Dazz is always going to be an err on the side of caution guy with regard to these matters. If a qb throws a pick 6 while you are trying a 2 min offense on your own side of the field, everybody says, what was the coach thinking. If he runs the ball three times into the line and goes to the locker room, no points are won or lost, it is the easier coaching move to make. and I for wahtever reason really believe that clock management is either something that either comes easy to you, or it is hard to conceptulize. I just feel, in my opinion that Dazz will always struggle with this. some coaches do. Did TOB ever get better at this? Andy Reid?

There was a game this season (can't remember which one) where they cut to a shot of the dazzler just before the end of the first half and he looked exceptionally confused. You could actually see him mouth the words "Are we calling time out?!"