Did we hire a coach yet today?

[Bryn Mawr Eagle]

yes - ever to excel is the motto of the college (because it doesn't have an engineering school). it's not a realistic motto of the collegiate teams that play in the the minor league sports leagues with their amateur syayus in spite of 80-% - 90% of the competitors choosing to go pro... especially with montgomery c. leahy pinching pennies in the corner office

so i've accepted my alma mater will never rise above the level of meatballs in athletic performance. i don't like it but i recognize it's the truth. may, every some-odd years, the football program can rise to the level of the second half of stripes, but i know better than to expect that they'll rise to the level of the first half of stripes

I'd be happy just to break out of our hoops Groundhog Day.

[StratEagle]

I love how probably the 3 most diehard BC basketball fans left, who log onto a specialized board for BC basketball multiple times a day to post about the job search, are pretending they don't care. If this is all a play on "Meatball," you'll have to forgive me. I'm not entirely conversant on movies that were mildly popular, for a small period of time, over 40 years ago.

I would like to care, but BC basketball doesn't even care about BC basketball.

[eepstein0]

A few points.

1) Kraft was going to fire Christian in January, but the Covid issues delayed things. The stated reason was to shake things up and show potential donors they are serious about upgrading the program. The real reason is Kraft never liked Christian. Oil and water.

2) The Tabbs situation had nothing to do with the program. Other students have been dismissed from school for violating Covid protocols. If Christian was winning and Tabbs was a contributor, then the rules would have been bent, but that is not the case obviously.

3) The search firm was engaged a while back. This is something that Leahy wants. The feedback he got from Kraft and some key people is the program needs more than a coach. It needs a new culture.

4) It does not look like Kraft has anyone in mind for the job. It sounds like he is not even leading the search. He'll just be one guy on a committee. This not like the Hafley hire. It's more like the Christian hire.

Point 4 makes my head hurt.

[StratEagle]

3) The search firm was engaged a while back. This is something that Leahy wants. The feedback he got from Kraft and some key people is the program needs more than a coach. It needs a new culture.

If anyone knows culture, it's Eastman and Beaudine, Inc.

http://www.eastman-beaudine.com/pages/keypersnl.html

[twballgame9]

A few points.

1) Kraft was going to fire Christian in January, but the Covid issues delayed things. The stated reason was to shake things up and show potential donors they are serious about upgrading the program. The real reason is Kraft never liked Christian. Oil and water.

2) The Tabbs situation had nothing to do with the program. Other students have been dismissed from school for violating Covid protocols. If Christian was winning and Tabbs was a contributor, then the rules would have been bent, but that is not the case obviously.

3) The search firm was engaged a while back. This is something that Leahy wants. The feedback he got from Kraft and some key people is the program needs more than a coach. It needs a new culture.

4) It does not look like Kraft has anyone in mind for the job. It sounds like he is not even leading the search. He'll just be one guy on a committee. This not like the Hafley hire. It's more like the Christian hire.

Point 4 makes my head hurt.

Point 4 is dumb and if it were true, should be a fireable offense.

[HJS]

I don’t know what is true or happening with the search.

What I do know is that none of the 26 BC fans have a clue as to who they want to hire... and they no BC better than anyone. There isn’t a layup candidate out there. To that end, I happen to agree that Kraft isn’t looking for just a BB coach. If we had a regularly bad program, you’d simply hire Willard, Cooley, Grant, Ford or Noah based on who you liked best.

But, since we’ve spent a dozen years burying the program, this hire is more akin to a school who has just decided to start a team. No one knows who can accomplish that based on their sideline antics or even their win-loss record. If you don’t find someone with the vision, energy, organization and drive necessary, you might as well hire Eisley as the face of the program and give him a Michigan-level support staff (essentially, spend the money by throwing bodies at the considerable problems as each are too great for one person to overcome).

[TobaccoRoadEagle]

2/25/2021 - no

[innocentbystander]

I don’t know what is true or happening with the search.

What I do know is that none of the 26 BC fans have a clue as to who they want to hire... and they no BC better than anyone. There isn’t a layup candidate out there. To that end, I happen to agree that Kraft isn’t looking for just a BB coach. If we had a regularly bad program, you’d simply hire Willard, Cooley, Grant, Ford or Noah based on who you liked best.

But, since we’ve spent a dozen years burying the program, this hire is more akin to a school who has just decided to start a team. No one knows who can accomplish that based on their sideline antics or even their win-loss record. If you don’t find someone with the vision, energy, organization and drive necessary, you might as well hire Eisley as the face of the program and give him a Michigan-level support staff (essentially, spend the money by throwing bodies at the considerable problems as each are too great for one person to overcome).

I have a thought.

We all know that high school football in Massachusetts (well, really all of New England) sucks. If there is a region in the country where LESS is expected out of high school football players than New England, than I would be curious to know where that is. And I played high school football in Massachusetts.

That said HJS, I am of the opinion that high school basketball in New England is at least "average" for the nation. I'm not saying it is good. It is NOT good. Massachusetts probably has nothing on high school basketball in North Carolina, Indiana, or Kentucky. But Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut, is probably pretty close to about average. Its not dead last the way it is in football. And if its at least average, then I'm of the opinion that BC would be at least "average" (not dead last) in the ACC if BC got ALL of the best of the top, local, blue chip players. Here is the 2020 recruiting list.

Massachusetts Class of 2020
Ranking Recruit Class Height High School Committed School
1 Femi Odukale 2020 6'5" Springfield Commonwealth Pittsburgh
2 Dallion Johnson 2020 6'2" Phillips Academy Penn State
3 Justin Vander Baan 2020 7'0" Whitinsville Christian Boston College
4 Josh Ogundele 2020 6'9" Worcester Academy Iowa
5 Toby Okani 2020 6'7" Cushing Academy Duquesne
6 Enoch Cheeks 2020 6'3" Springfield Commonwealth Robert Morris
7 Prince Moses 2020 6'8" Northfield Mount Hermon Brown
8 Myles Foster 2020 6'7" Brooks School Monmouth
9 Isaiah Richards 2020 6'9" Springfield Commonwealth Louisiana
10 Sam Towns 2020 6'9" Winchendon Ohio

Of the top ten, BC got one. One. And he wasn't the best. Why was Christian not able to close the deal on Odukale or Johnson? Pittsburgh and Penn State? Fuck that shit. Get all 3. That is about all the offers that Christian could make in a year anyway and that would be at least an "average" ACC recruiting class. Its early but how is 2021 shaping up?

Massachusetts Class of 2021
Ranking Recruit Class Height High School Committed School
1 Casey Simmons 2021 6'6" Milton Academy Northwestern
2 Gianni Thompson 2021 6'7" Brimmer and May Boston College
3 Jaylen Murray 2021 5'11" Springfield Commonwealth Bryant
4 Camaron Tongue 2021 6'7" Rivers School Santa Clara
5 Kyrell Luc 2021 5'10" Brimmer and May Holy Cross
6 Aaron Cooley 2021 6'5" Beaver Country Day Brown
7 Gus Larson 2021 6'10" Northfield Mount Hermon Penn
8 George Smith 2021 6'3" Brooks School Penn
9 Bennett Pitcher 2021 6'8" Deerfield Academy Harvard
10 Robert Taylor 2021 6'7" St. Mark’s School

One. And they lose the best guy to fucking Northwestern? And with no HC now, things aren't likely to get much better.
Simmons (and Johnson and Odukale) should ALL be wearing Maroon and Gold, all of them. So how is Roy Williams doing in the one state with the best high school hoops players in the nation?

BIG SHOTS NORTH CAROLINA 2021 RANKINGS (UPDATED: FEBRUARY 2021)
1 Jonas Aidoo 7'0 C Liberty Heights Team Curry MARQUETTE
2 D'Marco Dunn 6'4 PG Westover Garner Road NORTH CAROLINA
3 Dontrez Styles 6'8 SF Kinston Team CP3 | Tea Marie Hoops NORTH CAROLINA
4 Terquavion Smith 6'3 SG Farmville Central Team CP3 NC STATE
5 Lucas Taylor 6'6 SG Heritage Garner Road CLEMSON
6 Bobby Pettiford Jr. 6'1 PG South Granville Team CP3 | Tea Marie Hoops LOUISVILLE
7 Breon Pass 5'11 PG Reidsville Team CP3 | Tea Marie Hoops NC STATE
8 Eric Van der Heijden 6'9 SF Millbrook Team Wall LOUISVILLE
9 Jamarii Thomas 6'1 PG The Burlington School Team Curry UNCW
10 Bryce Harris 6'6 SF Bull City Prep Flight 22 UA Rise HOWARD

That is a little bit better, twice as good in fact. And BC doesn't have UMass nipping at their ass for recruits the way the Wolfpack do to the Tar Heels.

That is really what we are talking about here. BC needs a coach that can simply get ALL of the top local recruits, leave none for anyone else. That shouldn't be a hard sell. BC is supposed to be THE top division-1 basketball school in the state (if not all of New England, and YES better than UConn or Providence.) And it shouldn't be close. But they are not acting like it. The new coach needs to SELL, A-B-C, always be closing. If they recruited locally the way the better ACC schools do, then maybe we could count on BC winning 9 or 10 ACC games a year out of 18. They would be at least average and wouldn't be completely out "athleted" in most of the conference games. They were NEVER out "athleted" in the Big East.

[HJS]

As I will repeatedly say, BC isn't talking to bloggers. And, if they were, the absolute last blogger they would talk to is Mark Blaudschun. If Meatbaum or Kraft is going to leak anything, it would be through folks who routinely attend their conference calls (think Julian Benbow and Rich Thompson). They do not need anything from guys like Goodman or Gumshoe. So, there is no reason to provide them with any sort of scoop. Simply, Mark Blaudschun is too far removed from covering BC for a media outlet of note. His heyday was 2 ADs ago. He doesn't have the sources anymore.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/25/ ... ant-again/

[2001Eagle]

I don’t know what is true or happening with the search.

What I do know is that none of the 26 BC fans have a clue as to who they want to hire... and they no BC better than anyone. There isn’t a layup candidate out there. To that end, I happen to agree that Kraft isn’t looking for just a BB coach. If we had a regularly bad program, you’d simply hire Willard, Cooley, Grant, Ford or Noah based on who you liked best.

But, since we’ve spent a dozen years burying the program, this hire is more akin to a school who has just decided to start a team. No one knows who can accomplish that based on their sideline antics or even their win-loss record. If you don’t find someone with the vision, energy, organization and drive necessary, you might as well hire Eisley as the face of the program and give him a Michigan-level support staff (essentially, spend the money by throwing bodies at the considerable problems as each are too great for one person to overcome).

Willard or Eisley.

[BCEagles25]

Why would we have hired a coach yet? 80% of the candidate pool is still coaching

[Logitano]

As I will repeatedly say, BC isn't talking to bloggers. And, if they were, the absolute last blogger they would talk to is Mark Blaudschun. If Meatbaum or Kraft is going to leak anything, it would be through folks who routinely attend their conference calls (think Julian Benbow and Rich Thompson). They do not need anything from guys like Goodman or Gumshoe. So, there is no reason to provide them with any sort of scoop. Simply, Mark Blaudschun is too far removed from covering BC for a media outlet of note. His heyday was 2 ADs ago. He doesn't have the sources anymore.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/25/ ... ant-again/

We have been pursuing Tommy Amaker for years?

Kind of interesting he points out the success of Amaker (Harvard) and Jones (Yale) while still mentioning we did try and bring in an elite ivy league coach who failed at BC. That coach is back in the ivy league and has beaten both Amaker and Jones in recent history. Minor detail.

[HJS]

As I will repeatedly say, BC isn't talking to bloggers. And, if they were, the absolute last blogger they would talk to is Mark Blaudschun. If Meatbaum or Kraft is going to leak anything, it would be through folks who routinely attend their conference calls (think Julian Benbow and Rich Thompson). They do not need anything from guys like Goodman or Gumshoe. So, there is no reason to provide them with any sort of scoop. Simply, Mark Blaudschun is too far removed from covering BC for a media outlet of note. His heyday was 2 ADs ago. He doesn't have the sources anymore.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/25/ ... ant-again/

We have been pursuing Tommy Amaker for years?

Kind of interesting he points out the success of Amaker (Harvard) and Jones (Yale) while still mentioning we did try and bring in an elite ivy league coach who failed at BC. That coach is back in the ivy league and has beaten both Amaker and Jones in recent history. Minor detail.

The difference between Don and Amaker/Jones is pretty black-and-white.

I think what you should take from the article is that Benbow (who BC does talk to) is talking about us hiring a minority coach. I take that to mean that he has been told that we are laser-focused on accomplishing just that. I think you can start crossing off run-of-the-mill old, white head coaches like Schmidt, Coen and Beilein. I also now think folks like Ford, Rhoads, Moser and Bennett can only be hired if we somewhat publicly are turned down by minority candidate.

I think folks here need to slide Eisley, Grant, Cooley, JT3, Amaker and Williford up the list. Similarly, tertiary choices like Jones, Dawkins, Moton, Shrewsberry become more possible. Btw... Benbow’s suggestion of Moton is excellent. I doubt he’d really be able to seamlessly make the jump to the ACC. But, it would be a heck of a story if he did well.

[BC923]

As I will repeatedly say, BC isn't talking to bloggers. And, if they were, the absolute last blogger they would talk to is Mark Blaudschun. If Meatbaum or Kraft is going to leak anything, it would be through folks who routinely attend their conference calls (think Julian Benbow and Rich Thompson). They do not need anything from guys like Goodman or Gumshoe. So, there is no reason to provide them with any sort of scoop. Simply, Mark Blaudschun is too far removed from covering BC for a media outlet of note. His heyday was 2 ADs ago. He doesn't have the sources anymore.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/25/ ... ant-again/

We have been pursuing Tommy Amaker for years?

Kind of interesting he points out the success of Amaker (Harvard) and Jones (Yale) while still mentioning we did try and bring in an elite ivy league coach who failed at BC. That coach is back in the ivy league and has beaten both Amaker and Jones in recent history. Minor detail.

The difference between Don and Amaker/Jones is pretty black-and-white.

I think what you should take from the article is that Benbow (who BC does talk to) is talking about us hiring a minority coach. I take that to mean that he has been told that we are laser-focused on accomplishing just that. I think you can start crossing off run-of-the-mill old, white head coaches like Schmidt, Coen and Beilein. I also now think folks like Ford, Rhoads, Moser and Bennett can only be hired if we somewhat publicly are turned down by minority candidate.

I think folks here need to slide Eisley, Grant, Cooley, JT3, Amaker and Williford up the list. Similarly, tertiary choices like Jones, Dawkins, Moton, Shrewsberry become more possible. Btw... Benbow’s suggestion of Moton is excellent. I doubt he’d really be able to seamlessly make the jump to the ACC. But, it would be a heck of a story if he did well.

Moton would be an interesting choice. He’s very well respected in North Carolina, especially by Coach K and Roy Williams. I’d imagine he could recruit pretty well down there, but he’d need a strong staff too. He’s done very well at a program that was completely rudderless (remind you of anything?) before he got there. It would be a big leap for him but as we’ve all said, there’s no one for whom this would be an easy job that would take it.

[Dick Rosenthal]

As I will repeatedly say, BC isn't talking to bloggers. And, if they were, the absolute last blogger they would talk to is Mark Blaudschun. If Meatbaum or Kraft is going to leak anything, it would be through folks who routinely attend their conference calls (think Julian Benbow and Rich Thompson). They do not need anything from guys like Goodman or Gumshoe. So, there is no reason to provide them with any sort of scoop. Simply, Mark Blaudschun is too far removed from covering BC for a media outlet of note. His heyday was 2 ADs ago. He doesn't have the sources anymore.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/25/ ... ant-again/

We have been pursuing Tommy Amaker for years?

Kind of interesting he points out the success of Amaker (Harvard) and Jones (Yale) while still mentioning we did try and bring in an elite ivy league coach who failed at BC. That coach is back in the ivy league and has beaten both Amaker and Jones in recent history. Minor detail.

The difference between Don and Amaker/Jones is pretty black-and-white.

I think what you should take from the article is that Benbow (who BC does talk to) is talking about us hiring a minority coach. I take that to mean that he has been told that we are laser-focused on accomplishing just that. I think you can start crossing off run-of-the-mill old, white head coaches like Schmidt, Coen and Beilein. I also now think folks like Ford, Rhoads, Moser and Bennett can only be hired if we somewhat publicly are turned down by minority candidate.

I think folks here need to slide Eisley, Grant, Cooley, JT3, Amaker and Williford up the list. Similarly, tertiary choices like Jones, Dawkins, Moton, Shrewsberry become more possible. Btw... Benbow’s suggestion of Moton is excellent. I doubt he’d really be able to seamlessly make the jump to the ACC. But, it would be a heck of a story if he did well.

Why would you characterize Travis Ford or Mike Rhodes differently than Coen or Schmidt? And why in God’s name would you lump Beilein in that grouping? Ford and Rhodes are no more special than Schmidt or Coen. Ford failed spectacularly in his one foray into the P6 and has been outperformed by Schmidt in the A10 despite coaching at two of the biggest and best funded programs. Rhodes, despite the hype, has pretty much stomped on his own dick as a head coach. Now, in contrast, Beilein has won everywhere as a college coach, been to two Final Fours and has done so using a system that could actually work at a place like BC. He is very far from a “run of the mill white coach”. Bennett and Moser are of a different quality from either Beilein (they aren’t as good) or the other aforementioned coaches (they are marginally better). I actually like Bennett’s coaching chops better than Moser, but neither guy is an east coast guy and I don’t know they could harvest players from places where BC needs to be successful.

In the end, it is probably Howard Eisley, which is fine as long as he has a great staff around him. With that said, I will set fire to Conte Forum if he brings JOB to play a Phil Martelli at Michigan role. I have to think that idea is just stupidity from the usual collection of journo-mid wits, as it seems impossible that Leahy would ever let JOB back after all that ungrateful scumbag did to hurt BC.

[TobaccoRoadEagle]

jumping from nc central into an acc job is even further fetched than ivy or mac. i see an experiment like that blowing up in our face... quickly. nothing against the guy, but ncc is glorified high school basketball - it's just a different game

if we're going to get someone from the meac, it should be from bethune cookman, but only because they are already used to coaching a maroon and yellow bc team

[innocentbystander]

jumping from nc central into an acc job is even further fetched than ivy or mac. i see an experiment like that blowing up in our face... quickly. nothing against the guy, but ncc is glorified high school basketball - it's just a different game

if we're going to get someone from the meac, it should be from bethune cookman, but only because they are already used to coaching a maroon and yellow bc team

this

+5

[TobaccoRoadEagle]

2/26/2021 - no

[HJS]

I think what you should take from the article is that Benbow (who BC does talk to) is talking about us hiring a minority coach. I take that to mean that he has been told that we are laser-focused on accomplishing just that. I think you can start crossing off run-of-the-mill old, white head coaches like Schmidt, Coen and Beilein. I also now think folks like Ford, Rhoads, Moser and Bennett can only be hired if we somewhat publicly are turned down by minority candidate.

I think folks here need to slide Eisley, Grant, Cooley, JT3, Amaker and Williford up the list. Similarly, tertiary choices like Jones, Dawkins, Moton, Shrewsberry become more possible. Btw... Benbow’s suggestion of Moton is excellent. I doubt he’d really be able to seamlessly make the jump to the ACC. But, it would be a heck of a story if he did well.

Why would you characterize Travis Ford or Mike Rhodes differently than Coen or Schmidt? And why in God’s name would you lump Beilein in that grouping?

February 5, 1953
May 3, 1961
February 12, 1963

vs

December 29, 1969
September 21, 1972

The only benefit BC can potentially glean over other ACC programs is getting a coach established ahead of the actuarial tables retiring the likes of Jim Boeheim (76), Coach K (74), Leonard Hamilton (72), Jim Larrañaga (71) and Roy Williams (70). Look... I'm all for Beilein including taking his kid as a package. But, since that is as likely as Bruce Pearl, I think the opportunity for BC is to hire someone in the 50-or-under category.

Personally, I think the program needs to move beyond the three names mentioned every search (Cooley, Coen and Schmidt). There were times we could have hired each... those times have past. For the record, the HCRD of that grouping turned out to be Cooley... not Coen and not Schmidt. So, hiring either run-of-the-mill-old-white-guy is essentially getting who should have been the second choice from a dozen years ago. That is not how you move any organization forward. Decisions were made that were proven wrong... admit them and move on to what is best now (not what should have happened coming off the best run in program history). That is the pre-approved BOT thinking that landed us Daz.

As for the UNCC coach... as I posted, it would never work. Jump is just too great and we saw wildly successful Ivy and MAC coaches fail at it. I was just commenting that the story would be huge and he is the type of guy who could crush it as a face of the program type (saying nothing about his ability to do anything else). I have yet to hear of a potential coach that is a must have. Such a shame that it is impossible for Brad Stevens to ever be on the hot seat. He'd be perfect, but we simply will never be able to match his Celtics-Coach-For-Life status.

[innocentbystander]

Guys please stop mentioning Coen. You are scaring the hell out of me. Seriously. I say that because we don't have a program without the man.

[twballgame9]

Stephens will be fired eventually. Just not in time for BC to hire him. Maybe when Eisley is fired in 4 or 5 years.

[TobaccoRoadEagle]

Stephens will be fired eventually. Just not in time for BC to hire him. Maybe when Eisley is fired in 4 or 5 years.

that's like 8 - 10 years from now if you assume coen for 4-5 and then eisley for 4-5. stephens will lose his affection to wellesley by then

[twballgame9]

Stephens will be fired eventually. Just not in time for BC to hire him. Maybe when Eisley is fired in 4 or 5 years.

that's like 8 - 10 years from now if you assume coen for 4-5 and then eisley for 4-5. stephens will lose his affection to wellesley by then

Shit, sorry, forgot about the Coen era already.

[Corporal Funishment]

How do we even know Brad Stevens likes Wellesley? Maybe his family hates Wellesley!

[TobaccoRoadEagle]

How do we even know Brad Stevens likes Wellesley? Maybe his family hates Wellesley!

and maybe his family hate him and that's why he's making them live in wellesley. i know a thing or two about such actions against family that hates you...

[Corporal Funishment]

How do we even know Brad Stevens likes Wellesley? Maybe his family hates Wellesley!

and maybe his family hate him and that's why he's making them live in wellesley. i know a thing or two about such actions against family that hates you...

Then we should hire his wife. When she fails, he'll be motivated to come in and outperform her.

But BC never plays the long game.

[eepstein0]

I think Eisley would upgrade the talent significantly here. With the right group of assistants and better support from BC it could be very successful.

You’ll still never convince me Williard wouldn’t leave Seton Hall

[twballgame9]

I think Eisley would upgrade the talent significantly here. With the right group of assistants and better support from BC it could be very successful.

You’ll still never convince me Williard wouldn’t leave Seton Hall

Is this son of Holy Cross coach Willard?

[2001Eagle]

How do we even know Brad Stevens likes Wellesley? Maybe his family hates Wellesley!

and maybe his family hate him and that's why he's making them live in wellesley. i know a thing or two about such actions against family that hates you...

Doesn’t that mean he hates his own family?

[HJS]

I think Eisley would upgrade the talent significantly here. With the right group of assistants and better support from BC it could be very successful.

You’ll still never convince me Williard wouldn’t leave Seton Hall

Is this son of Holy Cross coach Willard?

Yes. Ralph Willard is his dad. SHU also has an assistant on his staff named of Duane Woodward. No chance anyone offered better money would stay at Seton Hall.