We should all pray Al is the head coach for the next 5 years

[Eagledom]

You took tremendous issue with my statement that Al Skinner is a GOOD coach, who has underachieved in the postseason and suggested that Al is AVERAGE.

Now, you think that the NBA is going to hire an AVERAGE college coach?

Yes, because the Nets are such a great franchise that make great decisions all the time. There has never been such a thing as a bad hire in pro sports. Never. All hires therefore lend credence to a coaches abilities. Al Groh is a good example. The Jets hired him, so he must have been better than an average coach.

[Dirtywater75]

Gene has a very, VERY poor reputation among head coaches. Pretty much every former BC head coach hates his guts.

I am not debating the prior statement by HJS but does he have anything he can point to that really backs this up? Someone else mentioned the Inglese firing was due to a personality conflict? What backs that up? I know for a fact that Gene does not get into disputes with Al since Gene believes that Al has been taken over by alien life forces and there is nothing he can do until he can prove it.

[HJS]

Gene has a very, VERY poor reputation among head coaches. Pretty much every former BC head coach hates his guts.

I am not debating the prior statement by HJS but does he have anything he can point to that really backs this up? Someone else mentioned the Inglese firing was due to a personality conflict? What backs that up? I know for a fact that Gene does not get into disputes with Al since Gene believes that Al has been taken over by alien life forces and there is nothing he can do until he can prove it.

You need further evidence before believing the statement that Jags and TOB hate his guts. Really???

[BCMcG]

Gene has a very, VERY poor reputation among head coaches. Pretty much every former BC head coach hates his guts.

I am not debating the prior statement by HJS but does he have anything he can point to that really backs this up? Someone else mentioned the Inglese firing was due to a personality conflict? What backs that up? I know for a fact that Gene does not get into disputes with Al since Gene believes that Al has been taken over by alien life forces and there is nothing he can do until he can prove it.

You need further evidence before believing the statement that Jags and TOB hate his guts. Really???

I do. It seems like a ridiculous statement to me. There are 31(?) varsity sports at BC and you point to two football coaches who were forced out as your support.

[Eagledom]

the day that Al takes a job with the Nets will be a GREAT GREAT day for BC basketball.

Why do you post on a messageboard where everyone hates you? I feel as though moist people join messageboards to discuss common interests, not annoy everyone with racist ignorance.

Oh, yes, I am terribly concerned with whether or not you like me. I am going to lose sleep over it tonight.

[Logitano]

If BU was able to grab Pat Chambers, I'm sure BC could do OK.

I hate to break it to you, but BU looks more likely to make the dance this year than BC does. BU is basically a lock to win the America East, which probably helped land Chambers. That and the fact that they pay him fairly, something that BC has never hung its hat on.

I would say Al is paid quite fairly:

At BC, basketball coach Al Skinner received $868,876 in compensation during the 2007 tax year: $689,521 in salary and $179,355 in benefits.

That's pretty low for an ACC coach isn't it?

No, no it is not at all. Until UVA basically blew up the coaching pay scale for Tony B only 3 basketball coaches in the ACC were making over a million. Do you need me to tell me who those three coaches are and why Al should never make more money than them?

[BCEagle74]

BC could hire a terrific, established BB coach. Heck, at the height of the Admissions Scandal and with the entire class defecting and prominent AAU coaches poisoning BC's recruiting waters, BC was still able to land an excellent coach in Skinner. Now, in the ACC (which is the country's premier BB conference), with an incredibly strong 12-year run, BC should be able to hire Jay Wright, Jamie Dixon, Mark Few or Bruce Pearl with very little problem. But, sadly, with GeneD at the helm, what we could get and what we would get are world's apart.

Here's where you lose all credibility (not that you ever had any).

WOW....Pedro beat me to it!!

That was stupid HJS.

Maybe if we offered Calipari Bucks, but these guys don't any part of that underlying current of Jesuit Admissions Horsehit , unless they cna steamroller these BC jerks!

[GreenvilleEagle]

Gene has a very, VERY poor reputation among head coaches. Pretty much every former BC head coach hates his guts.

I am not debating the prior statement by HJS but does he have anything he can point to that really backs this up? Someone else mentioned the Inglese firing was due to a personality conflict? What backs that up? I know for a fact that Gene does not get into disputes with Al since Gene believes that Al has been taken over by alien life forces and there is nothing he can do until he can prove it.

Actually I was the one to bring up the Inglese situation. And I would be negligent in not correcting my previous statement that she was fired by stating that she "resigned" at the end of her career at BC. Regardless my only source to back up the circumstances is a former player. Just a quote to bring the situation to light.

"Inglese owns a 393-253 (.608) career coaching record in 22 seasons as a head coach. Most recently, the Wallingford, Conn. native served as Boston College's head coach from 1993-2008, registering a 273-179 (.604) overall record. The Eagles finished with 20-or-more wins in eight of her 15 seasond in Chestnut Hill. She guided Boston College to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and one trip to the WNIT. Under her direction, the Eagles made three trips to the NCAA Sweet 16 (2003, 2004 and 2006) and posted a program-high national ranking of No. 14 (USA Today) at the end of the 2003-04 season. "

Given the fact that everyone screams about grad rate and on the court success her record speaks for itself. I am not a women's hoops proponent but this was a very awkwardly handled situation. She should still be the coach at BC.

[RegalBCeagle]

Gene has a very, VERY poor reputation among head coaches. Pretty much every former BC head coach hates his guts.

I am not debating the prior statement by HJS but does he have anything he can point to that really backs this up? Someone else mentioned the Inglese firing was due to a personality conflict? What backs that up? I know for a fact that Gene does not get into disputes with Al since Gene believes that Al has been taken over by alien life forces and there is nothing he can do until he can prove it.

Actually I was the one to bring up the Inglese situation. And I would be negligent in not correcting my previous statement that she was fired by stating that she "resigned" at the end of her career at BC. Regardless my only source to back up the circumstances is a former player. Just a quote to bring the situation to light.

"Inglese owns a 393-253 (.608) career coaching record in 22 seasons as a head coach. Most recently, the Wallingford, Conn. native served as Boston College's head coach from 1993-2008, registering a 273-179 (.604) overall record. The Eagles finished with 20-or-more wins in eight of her 15 seasond in Chestnut Hill. She guided Boston College to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and one trip to the WNIT. Under her direction, the Eagles made three trips to the NCAA Sweet 16 (2003, 2004 and 2006) and posted a program-high national ranking of No. 14 (USA Today) at the end of the 2003-04 season. "

Given the fact that everyone screams about grad rate and on the court success her record speaks for itself. I am not a women's hoops proponent but this was a very awkwardly handled situation. She should still be the coach at BC.

What's the story behind the Inglese situation? Personality Conflict is all I've read, but what is the story behind the conflict?

[HJS]

Apparently posters like BCMcG can't believe that GDF could have a personality conflict with anyone. Admins... please delete this thread.

[BCMcG]

Isn't there a difference between "anyone" and "Pretty much every former BC head coach hates his guts"?

[Heights]

Well said. He can't hire anyone bigger than him. I am for Skinner anyway, but the thought of Gene hiring a mediocrity or someone who is beholden to him is horrifying.

[HJS]

Isn't there a difference between "anyone" and "Pretty much every former BC head coach hates his guts"?

Why don't you give the list of former head coaches that he still pals around with? Everyone has already acknowledged that TOB, Jags and Inglese are on the FU list. Who exactly is on the BFF list? Hey... maybe it's the women's hockey coach who was banging the star player even though he was married with 3 or 4 little girls at home?

[bignick33]

Isn't there a difference between "anyone" and "Pretty much every former BC head coach hates his guts"?

Why don't you give the list of former head coaches that he still pals around with? Everyone has already acknowledged that TOB, Jags and Inglese are on the FU list. Who exactly is on the BFF list? Hey... maybe it's the women's hockey coach who was banging the star player even though he was married with 3 or 4 little girls at home?

Umm, of course they don't like him. They were all fired or ousted by him.

[angryty]

We could have Jim Baron tomorrow if we wanted him. He is a phenomenal coach who has won in places that experts have considered impossible. We don't need a Bruce Pearl or Mark Few to become a powerhouse program, we need an energetic coach who will go out and sell the school. The best part about a Baron hire is that he is old enough that his next stop is probably his last.

Coaches have shelf lives. While acknowledging Al's mediocrity, I was and am not on the fire Al now band wagon. With that said, watching the URI game, I have a sense that Al is done. The last couple of performances have been as bad as any basketball I have watched during the Skinner era since the first season.

[bcsouth]

1. Overall, Al has done a good job, and gets his team into the NCAA tournament most years. His tournament resume is underwhelming.

2. Al is not even close to being on the hot seat. In my estimation, barring a real bad three or four year stretch, this program is his as long as he wants it.

3. I agree, the results this year have been poor.

4. this team is not even close to as talented as many posters believe. There is not one surefire first round pick on the team. Not Rakim,not Reggie.

5. The talent level is the repsonsibilty of the coaches, so Al does have some of the blame for this.

6. I find it weird that while Al is widely considered a very good coach by the national media, i dont ever recall another program trying to take him from BC? Strange.

7. If someone like Arizona last year tried to come in and grab Al and pay him say 1.3 per year, Gene would let him go. I dont ever see Gene getting in a bidding war over Al.

8. The suggestions that Bc should be able to get a coach like, Few, Pearl or Wright is completly laughable. Villanova is consistently in the top 10-15 playing ina better conference then BC and Wright is paid a ton of money and has a fertile recruiting are. Pearl is paid a ton and can take any academic flyer he wants. Wont work at Bc.

[buconvict]

If BU was able to grab Pat Chambers, I'm sure BC could do OK.

I hate to break it to you, but BU looks more likely to make the dance this year than BC does. BU is basically a lock to win the America East, which probably helped land Chambers. That and the fact that they pay him fairly, something that BC has never hung its hat on.

I would say Al is paid quite fairly:

At BC, basketball coach Al Skinner received $868,876 in compensation during the 2007 tax year: $689,521 in salary and $179,355 in benefits.

That's pretty low for an ACC coach isn't it?

No, no it is not at all. Until UVA basically blew up the coaching pay scale for Tony B only 3 basketball coaches in the ACC were making over a million. Do you need me to tell me who those three coaches are and why Al should never make more money than them?

Don't take that tone with me. Jerk. I'll dunk on you so fast it'll make your head spin.

[EaglesTalon]

I just wonder if the expectation that BC should make the Elite 8 all the time is a realistic expectation, especially considering the NBA eligibility rules.

If the NBA adopted tougher (NFL-style) eligibility rules, where a player essentially had to play three years of college ball to be able to enter the draft, or if they adopted looser (the way things were a few years ago) eligibility rules, where a player basically just needed to graduate high school to enter the draft, BC would benefit.

But the system in place now encourages one year hired guns. A player who has absolutely ZERO desire to go to class has to go to college for one year. They can load up on the bare minimum # of courses in the fall semester to be eligible to play in the spring semester. And if he knows he's a one-and-done player, there is no reason whatsoever to go to class in the second semester, because by the time he's been declared academically ineligible, his college career is over anyway.

The teams that view anything less than an Elite Eight as a disappointment can take a couple of these mercenaries every year. BC will never, ever, ever recruit these "student-"athletes.

In this respect, is it worth it to fire a coach who routinely exits the tournament in the round of 32 for a coach who will routinely exit the tournament in the round of 16?

[angryty]

Absolutely. Because if you routinely make the Sweet 16 vis a vis the round of 32, it is worth a lot in exposure which gives you the chance to then move beyond that and become a team that has a sot at winning a national title. It is the difference between a place like Gonzaga or Marquette and BC.

[HJS]

I gotta say... I despise comments about BC "never" willing to pay for a coach. BC is not willing to pay for a coach under Gene. I refuse to believe that another AD wouldn't be willing to break the bank for the right coach. BC makes the same amount of money every other conference mate makes. BC makes over twice what it made in the Big East. Yet, BC pays as if they were still a member of the CAA. Jesus, even if you look at NBE programs, BC isn't on the same playing field for salaries. The guy handling the pursestrings as we developed this miserly reputation is GDF.

[Endless Mike]

Gene also fired a very successful coach, Kathy Inglese, because of a personality conflict. The end result has been the hiring of Sylvia Crawley, who is neither qualified and does not have the team behind her because she is a bitch.

What got Crawley hired anyway? Did she have any background with Gene?

[EaglesTalon]

I gotta say... I despise comments about BC "never" willing to pay for a coach. BC is not willing to pay for a coach under Gene. I refuse to believe that another AD wouldn't be willing to break the bank for the right coach. BC makes the same amount of money every other conference mate makes. BC makes over twice what it made in the Big East. Yet, BC pays as if they were still a member of the CAA. Jesus, even if you look at NBE programs, BC isn't on the same playing field for salaries. The guy handling the pursestrings as we developed this miserly reputation is GDF.

I don't think that GDF is the one holding back any coaches' salaries. The biggest issue with a GDF hire is that he won't even consider someone who he feels would ever consider another offer from another school.

[HJS]

I gotta say... I despise comments about BC "never" willing to pay for a coach. BC is not willing to pay for a coach under Gene. I refuse to believe that another AD wouldn't be willing to break the bank for the right coach. BC makes the same amount of money every other conference mate makes. BC makes over twice what it made in the Big East. Yet, BC pays as if they were still a member of the CAA. Jesus, even if you look at NBE programs, BC isn't on the same playing field for salaries. The guy handling the pursestrings as we developed this miserly reputation is GDF.

I don't think that GDF is the one holding back any coaches' salaries. The biggest issue with a GDF hire is that he won't even consider someone who he feels would ever consider another offer from another school.

GDF is the one holding back on coaches' salaries. I don't see how this is under debate.

Proportionately, we paid our head coaches twice as much under Gladchuck as we did GDF. JOB, Coughlin, Millbury... they were all well-compensated at the end of their time here (Millbury's beginning and end just happen to be one and the same). GDF never felt the need to increase the pay of guys like TOB because they weren't his hire and he didn't care if they left. When he did make his hire, he went cheap (Jags) and cheap again (Spaz). I think he does not want to pay too much because he fears that thhe coach will get complacent and he never wants to be in a position where he can't make a move because of finances.

Once again... BC is pulling in $11mm from the ACC (which will go up very soon) and we are paying our coaches exactly the same we were when we were making $4mm in the Big East. UConn can afford Calhoun, Geno and Edsall, yet BC pays its FB and BB a combined total of what ONE of them makes.

[EaglesTalon]

GDF is the one holding back on coaches' salaries. I don't see how this is under debate.

Proportionately, we paid our head coaches twice as much under Gladchuck as we did GDF.

It wouldn't be under debate if Gladchuck and GDF both worked for the same University president.

Unless you've got some intel that suggest what GDF is authorized to spend on coaches salaries and what is spent on coaches salaries are in completely different ballparks.

[Eagledom]

[quote="EaglesTalon"]I just wonder if the expectation that BC should make the Elite 8 all the time is a realistic expectation, especially considering the NBA eligibility rules.
[quote]

"make the elite 8 all the time"?????. How about just once? Nice jump there to try to establish an argument, though?

Not to mention, this is just another version of the "we are what we are" argument. Bottom line is that you are satisfied with medicrity, as is Al. Others are not.

[buconvict]

I just wonder if the expectation that BC should make the Elite 8 all the time is a realistic expectation, especially considering the NBA eligibility rules.

"make the elite 8 all the time"?????. How about just once? Nice jump there to try to establish an argument, though?

Not to mention, this is just another version of the "we are what we are" argument. Bottom line is that you are satisfied with medicrity, as is Al. Others are not.

You are content with mediocrity in the football program, but not content with being the 3rd most successful team in the ACC since 2005. Why is that?

[Eagledom]

I just wonder if the expectation that BC should make the Elite 8 all the time is a realistic expectation, especially considering the NBA eligibility rules.

"make the elite 8 all the time"?????. How about just once? Nice jump there to try to establish an argument, though?

Not to mention, this is just another version of the "we are what we are" argument. Bottom line is that you are satisfied with medicrity, as is Al. Others are not.

You are content with mediocrity in the football program, but not content with being the 3rd most successful team in the ACC since 2005. Why is that?

I am? Interesting. Care to back up that bullshit statement with any quotes from me indicating such? I thought so.

[HJS]

GDF is the one holding back on coaches' salaries. I don't see how this is under debate.

Proportionately, we paid our head coaches twice as much under Gladchuck as we did GDF.

It wouldn't be under debate if Gladchuck and GDF both worked for the same University president.

Unless you've got some intel that suggest what GDF is authorized to spend on coaches salaries and what is spent on coaches salaries are in completely different ballparks.

I don't believe Leahy gets involved in the athletic department... at all. It is a little world unto Gene. The only people with any influence over athletics is the Board. The same Board who was ripshit over GDF not offering Toby more money to keep him from NCS. The idea that Leahy spends 5 seconds on ANYTHING involving the Athletic Department is laughable. The man couldn't be more detached.

[EaglesTalon]

GDF is the one holding back on coaches' salaries. I don't see how this is under debate.

Proportionately, we paid our head coaches twice as much under Gladchuck as we did GDF.

It wouldn't be under debate if Gladchuck and GDF both worked for the same University president.

Unless you've got some intel that suggest what GDF is authorized to spend on coaches salaries and what is spent on coaches salaries are in completely different ballparks.

I don't believe Leahy gets involved in the athletic department... at all. It is a little world unto Gene. The only people with any influence over athletics is the Board. The same Board who was ripshit over GDF not offering Toby more money to keep him from NCS. The idea that Leahy spends 5 seconds on ANYTHING involving the Athletic Department is laughable. The man couldn't be more detached.

so, you're saying that if the Board authorizes GDF to spend x on coaches, GDF just divides by two and spends only half of x?

[EaglesTalon]

"make the elite 8 all the time"?????. How about just once? Nice jump there to try to establish an argument, though?

Recently, I asked you if your opinion of Al Skinner would be changed if his highest seeded tournament team had gone to the Elite Eight instead of losing in the round of 32. You said no.

So, what side of the argument are you taking? That one Elite 8 appearance would change your opinion of Al or one Elite 8 appearance wouldn't change your opinion of Al?