Dan Shaughnessy is a moron

[apbc12]

Writing for SI, bemoaning (but seemingly celebrating, too) the fact that Boston and New England don't care about college football, he ends his column with this:

After the season in which the Eagles were ranked second in the country, BC head coach Jeff Jagodzinski was fired by athletic director Gene DeFilippo.

The reason?

The Jags wanted to interview him for a job as an NFL assistant. He wanted to go to a place where people cared about the local football team. That's not happening in college in Boston in this century.

Nice job, Dan. Nothing like making your point by showing that you know virtually nothing about college football.

[b0mberMan]

Neat

[twballgame9]

Can't stand Shaughnessy, and stopped reading him years ago, but I am not sure what he wrote there that is wrong.

[DomingoOrtiz]

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6106

[b0mberMan]

Can't stand Shaughnessy, and stopped reading him years ago, but I am not sure what he wrote there that is wrong.

The fact that Jags didn't get fired for trying to interview with the "Jags" (???) for an assistant's job and his motivation was because he wanted to go where people care about football?

[eagle9903]

Can't stand Shaughnessy, and stopped reading him years ago, but I am not sure what he wrote there that is wrong.

The fact that Jags didn't get fired for trying to interview with the "Jags" (???) for an assistant's job and his motivation was because he wanted to go where people care about football?

and i think it was after 2008 that he was fired(since he coached that year) and if cesspool had us at #2, I need to stop drinking, because that information is nowhere to be found in my brain.

edit: I guess even though there was another season in between, Jags was still fired "after" the season in which we were #2, but only an illiterate would write that way.

[EagleNYC]

Can't stand Shaughnessy, and stopped reading him years ago, but I am not sure what he wrote there that is wrong.

1) It was the Jets, not the Jags (though it would have been worth it if Jags coached the Jags);
2) It was the head coaching position, not assistant;
3) He was fired for actually interviewing, not wanting to interview (splitting hairs, but accurate because the ultimatum was "If you interview, then you're fired.";
4) It was not after the 2007 season.

[twballgame9]

Okay, I glossed over the Jags/Jets thing. That's an obvious typo and on his editor. The rest is a columnist making a point that is not far from the truth, and fits his premise.

[rktbrkr]

To expand on Shaughnessy's theme, college and HIGH SCHOOL football are dead zones in NE and NY compared to the rest of the country - thats the big picture, don't shoot the piano player.

It really elevates the challenge for BC to recruit successfully too.

[EagleDave]

Can't stand Shaughnessy, and stopped reading him years ago, but I am not sure what he wrote there that is wrong.

The fact that Jags didn't get fired for trying to interview with the "Jags" (???) for an assistant's job and his motivation was because he wanted to go where people care about football?

Exactly. It's not like he didn't recruit anybody his 2nd year and knew the cupboard was relatively bare right? Or did Shaughnessy actually research the story by interrupting the guys Omaha training camp to ask him before writing nonsensical idiocy.

[EagleDave]

I submitted the following to Dan today to see if he might respond...

Dan,

In regards to the column that you submitted to SI.com, I'm curious what you would say to a local season ticket holding BC alumnus who believes that columns like yours are the reason people don't care about college football locally? Or, that it is because of, and not in spite of, the coverage that you and the Globe (your colleague Mark Blaudschun included) provide that college football generates so little interest?

You and your colleagues have a great deal of clout in determining what people follow. I feel like if Boston College were covered more seriously and the sport as a whole were written about a little less carelessly, you might find that you would draw a larger audience for what has been a pretty solid football program over the last decade. Lambasting BC for it's attendance figures because of lack of interest (as some have done) without pointing out the lack of interest generating media coverage is a distortion of the truth. The Red Sox, Patriots, et al would suffer greatly as well without the year round coverage they are provided.

I'm curious if you'd be willing to respond to any of this.

Thanks for reading,

Dave [omitted]

ps- Coach Jags left after '08 not '07. He was fired for interviewing with the Jets not the Jags for their vacant head job, not the OC job. And he wanted to leave because he recruited horribly his final year at the Heights and left the cupboard bare (as was seen last season), not because people didn't care. These omissions don't help the cause either. -DS

I got this in return and am debating taking him up on it.

Thanks, Dave.
Call this number if you want to talk about it.


Dan Shaughnessy
Sports Columnist/Associate Editor
Boston Globe
Boston, MA 02125
617-929-2584

[twballgame9]

Not sure I agree he wanted to leave because he left the cupboard bare, but kudos to Shaughnessy for suggesting you call him. You should. He probably gets a million obnoxious email, a rational one was worth responding to.

[flyingelvii]

The funny part is also that the Jags have one of the worst fan bases and are always on the verge of having home games blacked out. But why would Shank start letting facts get in the way of an agenda now?

[b0mberMan]

As far as I remember, Shaughnessy and Ryan never actually set foot in the Globe offices. So I'm not sure you'll get him at that number.

[rktbrkr]

What comes first, the chicken or the egg? Limited news coverage bec of limited interest or limited interest bec of limited news coverage, liberal media bias blahblahblah.

You're shooting the piano player...

[Dirtywater75]

I submitted the following to Dan today to see if he might respond...

Dan,

In regards to the column that you submitted to SI.com, I'm curious what you would say to a local season ticket holding BC alumnus who believes that columns like yours are the reason people don't care about college football locally? Or, that it is because of, and not in spite of, the coverage that you and the Globe (your colleague Mark Blaudschun included) provide that college football generates so little interest?

You and your colleagues have a great deal of clout in determining what people follow. I feel like if Boston College were covered more seriously and the sport as a whole were written about a little less carelessly, you might find that you would draw a larger audience for what has been a pretty solid football program over the last decade. Lambasting BC for it's attendance figures because of lack of interest (as some have done) without pointing out the lack of interest generating media coverage is a distortion of the truth. The Red Sox, Patriots, et al would suffer greatly as well without the year round coverage they are provided.

I'm curious if you'd be willing to respond to any of this.

Thanks for reading,

Dave [omitted]

ps- Coach Jags left after '08 not '07. He was fired for interviewing with the Jets not the Jags for their vacant head job, not the OC job. And he wanted to leave because he recruited horribly his final year at the Heights and left the cupboard bare (as was seen last season), not because people didn't care. These omissions don't help the cause either. -DS

I got this in return and am debating taking him up on it.

Thanks, Dave.
Call this number if you want to talk about it.


Dan Shaughnessy
Sports Columnist/Associate Editor
Boston Globe
Boston, MA 02125
617-929-2584

Good for you - I agree. His paper is a large part of the problem. His article had some truths but a lot of nonsense also. Flutie has had zero impact on applications since the mid 80's. The school's academic reputation, campus and location coupled with generally favorable publicity from a big sports program have all contributed. Only a small part of the 30k applicants ever heard of Flutie. The Globe will never change. They have an underlying resentment/cynicism of things Catholic and BC and probably always will with the current staff. Remember the hockey team car accident coverage? Having said that, none of what he said should be an impediment to success with a determined AD and a supportive administration. Fix the parking, improve the game atmosphere, make it a blast to attend games, get rid of Needham and the school buses, make recruiting a science and a huge priority, make it easy for all students to attend games and deliver winning teams - and this article will become an old tired excuse. If we aren't selling out games and getting a lot of regional attention - then we have only ourselves to blame. The correct observations he made only present a challenge to overcome and they can be overcome with a focus on achievement. For example - I understand Boston makes it difficult to increase campus parking for games. So did we just throw in the towel? Or are we working the issue and making it a priority?

[BCFAN94]

Speaking of this century, has Shaughnessy updated his picture for his column this century, to show how much more homely he is becoming with age?

I disagree with him on the pro sports only town. Boston and New England like winners. If BC is winning against respectable competition, there will be plenty of college fans to fill the 44500 seat stadium and the TV ratings will be very good. If they wanted to sell out every week, obviously they would have to make easier access to campus and tail gating.

I remember plenty of Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox games in the early ninetys where you could walk up and get a ticket and there were empty seats all around. The Garden was so quiet during BB games all you heard were the squeaking of the players shoes. Foxboro in the late 80's would be half empty, games were blacked out and nobody cared. Shit, the patriots were thinking about moving to Hartford. After those franchises started winning, they started selling out.

This was the first I heard about Jags, leaving after a year because Boston was a pro sports town that doesn't care about college football. It shouldn't have been a surprise to Jags considering he worked here before and I thought one of the reasons he was hired was to bring more excitment to and interest in the football program.

Shaughnessy must be having a slow day or maybe he is paid on how many emails he gets, so he decided to rattle a few Boston College cages. Guy is an idiot.

[Dirtywater75]

[quote="BCFAN94"]Speaking of this century, has Shaughnessy updated his picture for his column this century, to show how much more homely he is becoming with age?

I disagree with him on the pro sports only town. Boston and New England like winners. If BC is winning against respectable competition, there will be plenty of college fans to fill the 44500 seat stadium and the TV ratings will be very good. If they wanted to sell out every week, obviously they would have to make easier access to campus and tail gating.

I remember plenty of Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox games in the early ninetys where you could walk up and get a ticket and there were empty seats all around. The Garden was so quiet during BB games all you heard were the squeaking of the players shoes. Foxboro in the late 80's would be half empty, games were blacked out and nobody cared. Shit, the patriots were thinking about moving to Hartford. After those franchises started winning, they started selling out.

This was the first I heard about Jags, leaving after a year because Boston was a pro sports town that doesn't care about college football. It shouldn't have been a surprise to Jags considering he worked here before and I thought one of the reasons he was hired was to bring more excitment to and interest in the football program.

Agree - good points re past pro teams. "Athletic success" , defined as sold out BC venues in basketball and football and regional interest/publicity, etc., is all within our control if we are doggedly determined to achieve it by our recruiting, coaching expectations, student access and support and game time atmosphere/organization. It requires a forceful goal oriented AD and a supportive administration and alumni with equally high expectations. We have no one to look to but ourselves. We have a nationally recognized serious academic university in a terrific position and location to succeed on a bigger stage in basketball and football. It is very achievable with the right people and hard work regardless of the sports snobs at the Boston Globe, frustrated BU alums, disinterested Newton residents, successful pro teams, etc .

[Reverend Mike]

Shaughnessy, his book, his newspaper, and his son all stink.

There, I said it.

[bbears22]

He didn't seem to bash BC when his son received a full scholarship for baseball, i played against the kid....completely overrated. Definately helped when he would basically get a whole page dedicated to him if he went 1-4 in a game.

[h2o]

Other than screwing up the reason Jiggsie was fired, the rest of the story is spot on. The reason BC doesn't draw big crowds has nothing to do with parking or tailgating. It has everything to do with Boston sports fans just not caring that much about BC and its sports teams. You are what you are.

[UK Eagle]

Speaking of this century, has Shaughnessy updated his picture for his column this century, to show how much more homely he is becoming with age?

I disagree with him on the pro sports only town. Boston and New England like winners. If BC is winning against respectable competition, there will be plenty of college fans to fill the 44500 seat stadium and the TV ratings will be very good. If they wanted to sell out every week, obviously they would have to make easier access to campus and tail gating.

I remember plenty of Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox games in the early ninetys where you could walk up and get a ticket and there were empty seats all around. The Garden was so quiet during BB games all you heard were the squeaking of the players shoes. Foxboro in the late 80's would be half empty, games were blacked out and nobody cared. Shit, the patriots were thinking about moving to Hartford. After those franchises started winning, they started selling out.

This was the first I heard about Jags, leaving after a year because Boston was a pro sports town that doesn't care about college football. It shouldn't have been a surprise to Jags considering he worked here before and I thought one of the reasons he was hired was to bring more excitment to and interest in the football program.

Agree - good points re past pro teams. "Athletic success" , defined as sold out BC venues in basketball and football and regional interest/publicity, etc., is all within our control if we are doggedly determined to achieve it by our recruiting, coaching expectations, student access and support and game time atmosphere/organization. It requires a forceful goal oriented AD and a supportive administration and alumni with equally high expectations. We have no one to look to but ourselves. We have a nationally recognized serious academic university in a terrific position and location to succeed on a bigger stage in basketball and football. It is very achievable with the right people and hard work regardless of the sports snobs at the Boston Globe, frustrated BU alums, disinterested Newton residents, successful pro teams, etc .

Exalt!

[Endless Mike]

It's spelled MORAN.

[Boston Domer]

Does anyone have a link so I can read this fine piece of sports journalism?

[twballgame9]

Does anyone have a link so I can read this fine piece of sports journalism?

try http://www.si.com. Or http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=dan+shaughnessy+college+sports+illustrated+boston+.