BC Fires Al Skinner
by Brian Favat on Mar 30, 2010 8:47 AM EDT
in Boston College Basketball
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PrintAl Skinner's time on the Heights has come to an end. The Boston Globe is now reporting that the BC basketball coach has been fired. There will be a press conference today at noon ET.
Skinner was informed of the decision last night, and a coaching search will begin immediately. Rumored candidates include Richmond coach Chris Mooney, Cornell coach Steve Donahue, Harvard's Tommy Amaker and Northeastern's Bill Coen.
After 13 seasons on the Heights, Skinner finishes as BC's all-time winning coach with a record of 247-165. He took home National Coach of the Year honors in 2001 and was a two-time Big East Coach of the Year. However, pressure has been mounting to put a winning product back on the court. Over the last three seasons, BC has finished under .500 twice, missing the postseason altogether.
Reading the tea leaves, it sounds like Steve Lavin will be introduced as St. John's next basketball coach as early as today, with Skinner and Rhode Island coach Jim Baron running a distant second and third.
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Sad Day for Eastern Clothing of Watertown
Now in the market for a new spokesperson. Tear.
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BC sticking to their guns?
Now I know this isn’t entirely similar to the firing of Jags, since the basketball program has been struggling… but is this maybe just a precedent they’re trying to set more than anything else? “You even think about going for another job, you’re done.”
No precedent here
The difference between the Jagodzinski issue and the Skinner issue is that Al asked for permission to interview for the St. John’s job; Jags didn’t. GDF granted permission to interview with SJU thinking that it was a “win, win” if he got the job. But now that he hasn’t gotten the job, the school and the program have no confidence left in Skinner.
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i hope not
that’s a dumb philosophy to have, but they want someone who’s dedicated. From what i heard, we were also unwilling to extend his contract, so i think they both just cut their losses and said let’s start over now rather than in two seasons.
It won't play like this nationally
But I don’t see this as the Jags situation. It wasn’t really that he was fired for looking elsewhere. It was that the athletics department was souring on him so therefore he looked for another job. Both parties hoped he would get the new job but since it became apparent he wouldn’t, they had to fire him.
I hope it is an amicable split
Skinner has done so much for our BC Basketball program, we tend to forget that with the lack of success we have had over the past 3 seasons. I wish him the best, and hope that we never have to play against that pesky flex.
Am I surprised this happened, yes and no. I didnt think Gene would make this move, but commend him for moving in a different direction. I’m not sure Skinner could get more out of these guys, and it seemed like he had worn out his welcome with the players. There comes a time where players if not successful, just dont respond to coaching. He had 3 years with this junior class and in my opinion underachieved.
Where does Gene look to now?
Would i love to see Bruce Pearl return to his alma mater, yes. Do i think it’s a long shot, hell yes. But never underestimate the power one’s alma mater has, i mean people still donate to BC after being robbed in tuition money. So crazier things have happened.
Also i hope we hire a coach and staff that is focused on recruiting talent for their system. I think we got away from that these last few years. Here’s hoping its a smooth transition for the players and the athletic dept.
Bruce Pearl to BC is about as likely as Tom Izzo to Oregon. Not happening.
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BC doesn't have the money to get Pearl, unfortunately.
I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg
by Bill Potter on Mar 30, 2010 10:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Do you think Pearl would accept my first born child to coach here
Just wondering, could be a good looking little kid…
by BigRedDog42 on Mar 30, 2010 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions
What do we have to do to convince Jared Dudley and his most athletic hands to retire from the NBA and coach the Eagles?
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by Brian Favat on Mar 30, 2010 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Hmm
For that, I’d probably give up third born child and a beloved family pet.Though I can be haggled upwards.
by BigRedDog42 on Mar 30, 2010 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Pearl already has four kids. One plays on the Vols. Why would he want more? Ha.
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by Brian Favat on Mar 30, 2010 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Hmm true
How about a gift basket them? Some toffee and muffins should convince him.
by BigRedDog42 on Mar 30, 2010 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Former players and incoming recruits
Seem pretty disappointed about this, at least judging from the reaction on Twitter.
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former players....
they love skinner. But thats because they most likely didnt endure too many losing seasons. It will be interesting to hear from the current team, outside of O’Canada. (He didnt play for skinner, honestly).
Wow… While the exit of a long-standing coach is never a fun transition, this does give BC now the chance to have that “fresh blood” from a mid-major or be able to bring in a seasoned vet (good luck on that Bruce Pearl idea, though!). Chris Mooney or Steve Donahue would probably both be good fits to bring life back to The Heights.
But what a bad time...
To fire a coach, it seems. Many of the job-jumpers have moved on, unless they want to bring Coen back from Northeastern. Donahue has been in the freaking Ivy League, and Mooney might cost a little, since I thought he just got an extension (not sure if he signed).
Maybe Skinner can come to NY and be an assistant. I suppose that’s ridiculous, given his experience. but a man can dream.
The East Coast Bias - St. John's blog with midwestern interludes.
From a Wake Forest fan
This is a pretty surprising move from my viewpoint. Skinner has been a fine representative of Boston College basketball for many years. He has made them nationally relevant and it seems like the administration is undervaluing what he meant for the team.
I hope all the recruits stay in place and Boston College can return to where they were a couple of years ago. It would be a great hire if y’all can lure Donahue there.
Wake Forest '12
Mother So Dear
Hire Bill Coen
He was able to win at Northeastern, even being in the CAA. He recruited Dudley, Smith, et al, from some of BC’s better teams.
Bring him in as Head Coach and bring on an assistant with ties to Boston’s AAU program (Dana Barros, a BC alum) to keep some of the talented kids from leaving.
I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg
Yeah, I gotta believe Coen is the top candidate out of the aforementioned. He knows the system on top of knowing how to put a competitive team on the floor. I’m thankful for all Skinner has done, but he just hasn’t put talented, winning teams together in the last few years.
by Justin_Bobo on Mar 30, 2010 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree.
Early, I’m backing Coen (or Fairfield’s Ed Cooley, who hasn’t been mentioned). But would he keep the Flex? Does Northeastern run the Flex?
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by Brian Favat on Mar 30, 2010 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions
That, I do not know.
But according to this message board (link), he runs the flex in spurts, as does Cooley.
I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg
by Bill Potter on Mar 30, 2010 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Statement by GDF
Says the split was mutual and decided last Wednesday. Kept it quiet out of respect for Al. Seems like a best case scenario given the situation. I’ve wanted Skinner gone for awhile but I don’t have any ill feelings towards the man. Glad it could end like this.
Skinner
You guys know I was in the fire Al camp starting back in mid-January. For BC’s sake I hope this is a thorough coaching search that extends beyond just hiring Coen (which is initially what I’m hearing). But here are some reasons why I think it needed to happen:
1) Success
a. We’re 8th in the ACC record wise in the last 4 years (which is a pretty decent sample size) and we’re trending downwards
b. Money is made in the post-season and for a BCS school to make 1 Sweet 16 in 13 years under one coach is unacceptable. Considering he’s never beaten a single digit seed I don’t see it changing much either.
2) Recruiting
We have 6 scholarships available in the 2011 class and there isn’t even a peep of anyone we’re going after. We’re losing half of our team and there is zero progress of replacing any of them.
It’s been very well documented that he doesn’t recruit, which is the lifeblood of a program.
3) Apathy
This unfortunately pervades all levels of BC basketball.
Skinner: He brings absolutely zero energy to the program in a sport that is driven by energy on all levels.
Players: there’s a distinct lack of caring on their part. While their coach doesn’t pep them up before a game, they are unable to get up for games 30 times per year which have resulted in the Harvard x2, Robert Morris, Maine, etc…
Alumni: while I know DBS has been a disaster but all levels of seating have experienced poor attendance.
Students: I went from Dudley’s senior year where you had to be 30 minutes early or you were standing in the back of the student section to my senior year where I could show up for any game (outside of Duke) 5 minutes before the start and get 1st or 2nd row seats.
4) Conduct, you guys know it’s been 7 years since we started a season without a player suspended? Just think about that. That doesn’t even include the dismissals of Akida, Sean Williams, etc…
Overall I’m happy.
Here’s a list of all the talent we’ve lost to transfers and suspensions. It’s kinda mind-boggling.
http://www.bcinterruption.com/2010/3/14/1372465/the-basketball-talent-drain
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by Brian Favat on Mar 30, 2010 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions
Al Skinner : Danny Glover
May go down as the best BC-celebrity look-alike pair in Eagles history …
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by Brian Favat on Mar 30, 2010 11:17 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Maybe the new coach
Will bring in Midnight Madness for the fans.
Soaring to Glory: Come for the BC sports, stay for the asinine rants.
by SoaringtoGlory on Mar 30, 2010 12:13 PM EDT reply actions
Hah
If Umass can do it, why not?
by Jiftastic on Mar 30, 2010 12:15 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I don’t think Al was the one blocking Midnight Madness …
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by Brian Favat on Mar 30, 2010 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I guess it’s just not part of GDF’s “vision” for the program
Soaring to Glory: Come for the BC sports, stay for the asinine rants.
by SoaringtoGlory on Mar 30, 2010 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Pipe dream, I think.
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by Brian Favat on Mar 30, 2010 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions
a stretch
why shouldnt we make a stretch for some coaches, I hope we are patient with our coach search.
Butler’s Coach- i was hoping for, but then they went to the final four. We wont pay the money he’d demand at this point.
Xavier’s Coach- why not?
Bruce Peal- extending an interview opportunity wont hurt
Bill Coen- successful in a tough conference
Jim Baron- put together a solid Rhode Island squad
Extreme Reaches: Jay Bilas? Jared Dudley? Jay Williams? Robert Morris’ Coach? Wojo (from duke)?
I believe next season is a wash, so let’s get a guy to build around.
I have to laugh at some of these names. Seriously? The only plausible one is Bill Coen.
I don’t even want to go down the URI route again. What is URI? Like BC’s NBDL franchise? Breeding ground for BC coaches?
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hey cincinnati did it
with central michigan for football, why cant we.
URI comes up short against UNC tonight in a very competitive game.
Why do you say that?
If I were a coach, I’d rather coach for a competitive ACC team then a competitive A-10 team.
by Jiftastic on Mar 30, 2010 4:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Agree. Xavier > BC right now.
At Butler or Xavier, you can own the A-10 for the foreseeable future. BC is always going to be viewed as a second-class ACC basketball program.
Plus you know have the Gene factor – taking a job where you know he’s already pushed out four successful coaches (TOB, Inglese, Jags, Skinner). I’m not saying the reputation is deserved, but it definitely comes into play when taking on a job like the one at BC.
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I'm ok with the TOB and Jags references but not the Inglese one
Jags is most similar but still very different because of the short tenure.
TOB had shown over an extended period that he could not win the big games to get over the hump but he was able to land a job for more money than BC was paying. Skinner won’t be able to do that.
Comparing women’s basketball to a coach making ~$2 million in 2008 just doesn’t work for me.
Disagree.
Inglese might be the best comparison to the Skinner situation, not the worst. Spent 15 years on the Heights, 8 20+ win seasons and came off a 21-12 record in her final year. Inglese and GDF didn’t see eye to eye though so he cut her loose.
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Several Reasons:
At Xavier, basketball is the #1 sport, here it is 3rd.
At Xavier, they are able to fill a new 10,000+ seat arena on a consistent basis. We can barely attract 4,000.
At Xavier they’ve been to 3 consecutive Sweet 16s, we’ve been to three in 28 years.
Only coach in the ACC
that has done a worse overall recruiting job than Gary, but just like Gary gets a lot out of who he recruits- Rice, Sanders, Raji
Is there an AD worse that DeFlippo?
Thank you Mr. Gasper for stating the case like it is. BC fans whine and complain but they refuse to spend the bucks to go see the Eagles play. What is that about? Gene DeFilippo is one of the worst ADs in college sports – and that is not even including his bonehead move to the ACC. Sure, BC is getting more money right now – which the Eagles turn around and spend on travel – but ACC negotiations for a new contract aren’t going so well and no one in the ACC understands why the Eagles joined. If DeFlippo was supposed to deliver the Boston market to the ACC’s regional footprint, well, it hasn’t happened yet. DeFilippo wants fans in the stands but never bothers to listen to them. He refuses to make the football game day experience enjoyable and will never create the atmosphere the other ACC schools have. Additionally, he allows the program to schedule nobodies but expects fans to pay big bucks to see them. BC’s NCAA posted attendance of 35,700 per home football game is pathetic along with its 3000+ for basketball. These are not the kind of attendance figures to keep a program in the BCS. But today DeFilippo represented his program the way he usually does by engaging in an act of braggadocio and ill-conceived economics with just a hint of racisim with the firing of Coach Skinner.
Ahh, the timeless travel argument
FWIW, places like DePaul, Marquette, Louisville, and South Florida are just as far as Miami, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Clemson. The Big East vs. ACC travel argument is overstated and not very well quantified.
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Attendance
It’s a problem, yes, but your hoops numbers is way off. Basketball home attendance was north of 5,000 this year, not 3,000.
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