Say It With Your Wallet
by WhoNeedsRudy on Nov 29, 2011 8:09 PM EST
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My humble plan is this:
- Every phone call I get from a BC freshman trying to earn an extra buck and get an alum to donate will end politely and firmly with a "Fire Spaz" (and receive no donation).
- Each oddly personalized email I get for the BC Fund, the Golden Eagle Fund, The Maroon Duck Fund, Mr. Quigley's Personal Fund, etc, will be responded to with a simple "Fire Spaz."
- Each letter I get in the mail? Heck, I'll even go as far as to post it back to campus with a message....."Fire Spaz." I'll add the 41 cents for the stamp to the $125k I shelled out to the school for my degree.
You know when I felt like giving the most? When our coach wore absurd leather jackets and we were (briefly) ranked #2 in the nation in football.
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Precisely
“You know when I felt like giving the most? When our coach wore absurd leather jackets and we were (briefly) ranked #2 in the nation in football.”
This is why hiring someone that would typically be out of BC’s class makes sense. Pay Nick Saban whatever he wants and I believe the school would more than make up for the cost of that salary. There is arguably no amount of money that a successful football program isn’t worth to the school.
by chicagofire1871 on Nov 29, 2011 8:16 PM EST reply actions
Don't Forget!
“It doesn’t matter”
Fire GDF and Fire Spaz
by Leonard E Sienko Jr on Nov 29, 2011 10:45 PM EST reply actions
I highly disagree.
I thought we were a university that was first and foremost an academic institution, who happened to be proud of its athletics?
I’d like to think that my time at Boston College was simply more than the football team. Don’t get me wrong, I loved every Saturday spent in Alumni or watching our Eagles play, but my love and loyalty to the school extend so far beyond the football field.
I will donate this year what I can. I will not donate to the Athletics Program. I plan on writing a letter addressed to GDF stating my displeasure about how he has handled this season. But I refuse to believe that my passion and connection to the school can be based upon something so finicky. The mood of these boards bemoaning our school is so negative, it’s depressing.
I thought Spaz should have been fired, and I was disappointed when he wasn’t. But that will not take away from everything that school has given me, through the four years I was there and beyond. I will continue to support my school, because I do not want to deprive the university and its students the opportunities that I had.
by polarbearbrother on Nov 30, 2011 12:45 AM EST reply actions
I agree.
No need not to give to the school we all love (if you were going to give at all). Those Flynn Fund donaters should redirect those donations to the BC Fund. Simple. We all support the school, most importantly the academics. That allows for both continued support of the school and voicing your displeasure with the wallet to the Athletic Department.
Time for Change here at BC. It should start with Spaz and end with Gene. Enough is enough.
My Twitter @totheights
Supporting the school is everyone's choice
My issue is that BC is not a charity, despite what the mailings say. At $50k a year now, and one of the largest endowments in the country, I think the school is doing fine. The notion that they need my hard-earned money in order to function or so that I can feel pride simply doesn’t fly with me. I will echo the sentiments from other comments – my only connection to the school now are the sports I see on TV and the requests for money I get in the mail. If those are the venues at my disposal, then those will be the ones where I will make my voice heard.
To each his own – BC is a wonderful place and we are all expressly interested in its success. But I don’t buy into the idea that my donations are somehow the difference between BC becoming a Harvard or a community college. I do, however, believe that my money is my vote, and right now the issue that upsets me most is the rapid decline of our football program.
BC has the best sport graduation rate in the NCAA.
by WhoNeedsRudy on Nov 30, 2011 7:13 AM EST up reply actions
The bigger picture
is that the rankings everyone looks at- US News – uses alumni support in donations as one of their ways to get their rank among institutions – the lower our donations are, the lower BC’s ranking and the less prestigious our degree (as if you can quantify the value of a BC degree, but still). I’ll give money to BC this year, but not to the Flynn Fund and I won’t be going to the mat to convince my wife I need season tickets and parking for 2012. I think there are plenty of ways to express our dissatisfaction with GDF and Spaz than to pull back donations from the academic side of BC. We’re BC after all, not Penn State or Notre Dame or any other factory
by Lothar17 on Nov 30, 2011 10:46 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Well said
Continue to support the school, not the AD.
Isn’t there a Chinese wall between the school’s general fund and the Flynn Fund? I.e. – athletics can’t tap into the general fund and vice versa?
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Nov 30, 2011 11:06 AM EST up reply actions
Recommended action items
- No more donations to the Flynn Fund until a change is made. If you’d like to continue donating to Athletics, specify where that money is to be spent (i.e. on other sports other than our struggling football program).
- Reconsider purchasing 2012 football season tickets and parking passes. You’ll be able to get tickets on the secondary market and/or GroupOn for cheap for the non-ND games you want to go to anyway. “Tailgate” at MA’s / Roggie’s / CitySide in lieu of paying outrageous prices for on-campus tailgating next season.
- Or don’t show up to the games at all. Don’t buy any more BC gear for your family this holiday season. Vote with your wallet.
- Write the BOT, Leahy and GDF expressing dissatisfaction with how this season went, the direction of the football program and being told your opinion does not matter.
- Continue to support the school and the current students. Answer those calls from (617) 552- numbers. Even if you aren’t going to donate, talk to the students. See how they feel about the situation. Engage them and find out what the mood is like on campus.
- Write your own BC Interruption FanPost expressing your frustrations, coordinating action items and rallying fans, alumni and students who are frustrated with the status quo. HT: WhoNeedsRudy
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Nov 30, 2011 11:13 AM EST up reply actions
I donate to Pikes Peak. This means the funds stay within the hockey program and can’t be used elsewhere.
Also…. what the heck is this???
I don’t get it. UC Davis?
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Nov 30, 2011 1:54 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
To each his own. I would never discourage someone from donating to the BC general fund. For me, living in California, my only remaining connection to the school is what I get on TV. This season, the product on the field is not worth the price of admission. I donate what I would have spent on tickets and then donate bowl tickets every year to help our rep. I figure I donated to the academic side of things with 4 years’ worth of tuition.
For too long our academic reputation has been used as crutch for our athletics department. When Stanford and Wake Forest can win their conference in football (both academically strong schools) and Duke and North Carolina can win the NCAA basketball tournament (both strong academic schools), I have to ultimately ask what the hell GDF is doing.
by chicagofire1871 on Nov 30, 2011 3:06 AM EST reply actions
The Only Thing They Understand is Money
You should not give at all as it greatly weakens the case. The real problem is the lack of accountability for two of the schools highest paid millionaire employees. In my view, it is evidence of financial mismanagement by the school. Look at all the absurd contract extensions and the resultant unjustified golden parachute type severance arrangements being borne by the school routinely due to GDF’s incompetence. If this is how they manage money in one area – they are probably mismanaging money in a lot of other areas. Have some balls and send a message that it will not be tolerated in any department. Otherwise – you are just saying “fine – here is more of my money for you to piss away as you please”.
If it was revealed that both Gene and Spaz were going to receive no more in compensation this year because of performance shortcomings (like they do in the rest of the real world) than the highest tenured professor earns at BC – then I would feel differently. The impatience with the poor performance is directly linked to the compensation. When you pay these guys each over a million a year – you expect performance commensurate with the compensation.
I like this
When times are tough, CEOs will refuse compensation or get paid a nominal amount ($1) for the year. Sure, they get plenty of stock options but it is a gesture that says they won’t get paid for such poor performance.
Would never happen in this case though.
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Nov 30, 2011 10:28 AM EST up reply actions
By financial mismanagement, do you mean paying our head coach $269,852 a win in 2011?
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Nov 30, 2011 10:30 AM EST up reply actions
venting
My question is this: how long is the fire-Spaz ranting going to last here? IT ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN – which I think most everyone understands and admits – so all we’re left with is venting. Ok, vent. Most of you have been venting for 3+ months, but the AD has UNEQUIVOCALLY stated he is pleased with the coaching and direction of the program and Spaz is back next year. So… what’s the point of the continued argument here?
It’s simple: if Spaz doesn’t win next year (defined as winning record and bowl game, for 2012 anyway), he’ll be fired. Again, I don’t know anyone who thinks, feels or has said differently. If he does win, he won’t be fired in 2012 and we’re on to 2013. If Spaz gets to 2013, your (the fire-Spaz crowd) goose is cooked because we’re going to be pretty good (defined as competing for the Division and the ACC Champ) by then.
Yup, I understand there are many who don’t see 2012 and 2013 as I do, but that’s another argument (which also has been had incessantly here for 3 months). Here, now, this post, this thread, what’s the point? Spaz IS back in 2012.
the AD has UNEQUIVOCALLY stated he is pleased with the coaching and direction of the program and Spaz is back next year.
Of course he is. Spaz was the only coaching candidate that would keep Gene’s buddies employed back in 2009.
Editor, BC Interruption
Regardless Brian...
Spaz is back in 2012. Again, vent all you want – and I understand AJ’s response below – but it isn’t going to change anything.
As you and I have discussed offline Brian, we’re going to be better in 2012, and even better in 2013. Your last chance to “get” Spaz was this year, and you didn’t. So you’re just going to have to be satisfied with BC football getting better. Ugh, the prospect nauseates me (tongue firmly planted in cheek).
My question is this: how long is the fire-Spaz ranting going to last here?
We understand your frustration, but this is going to be our perspective from here on out. If you get tired of reading these posts, here is my advice. DONT READ THEM. We aren’t forcing you to read them.
AD has UNEQUIVOCALLY stated he is pleased with the coaching and direction of the program and Spaz is back next year. So… what’s the point of the continued argument here?
So we should just accept whatever GDF says? WE ARE BC. He is not. We are the ones that have paid thousands of dollars for an education, not Gene, not Spaz. We should push to enact change, not just sadly accept things “as is”. From prior discussions we know that BC Athletics read our blog, why not let them know how the fans feel about their decisions?
Writer at BC Interruption SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
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Ok
But you would agree AJ, would you not, that Spaz is NOT going to be fired this year? Again, I understand you and others feeling that he should be, but it’s simply not going to happen before the 2012 season, right? Or do you think if you, and others, “vent” enough, or do the other things being suggested here (don’t give money, don’t buy tickets – which, by the way, hurt your beloved alma mater and football program REGARDLESS of who’s coach), you can change GDF’s mind and get Spaz fired before 2012?
Keep Venting-- It Builds Pressure
Its bad physics; but good tactics.
The new objective is to fire both Spaz and GDF.
GDF is incapable of not feeding what he thinks are positive themes to his favored reporters. GDf is so tone-deaf that he doesn’t get it about how his remarks affect the fan base and the public. GDF will say a few more strange things in public and he will be gone, taking Spaz with him.
Keeping up the pressure and building the buzz, by whatever means, can reach a point at which even BC can’t ignore the dissatisfaction and dysfunction.
by Leonard E Sienko Jr on Nov 30, 2011 3:12 PM EST reply actions
Or do you think if you, and others, "vent" enough, or do the other things being suggested here (don’t give money, don’t buy tickets – which, by the way, hurt your beloved alma mater and football program REGARDLESS of who’s coach), you can change GDF’s mind and get Spaz fired before 2012?
The thousands of empty seats at Alumni Stadium agree with me.
And I don’t care who is fired. If GDF doesn’t want to listen to the fanbase and fire Spaziani, that’s fine, it just means he needs to go first. RCMBC I think you fail to understand. We the fanbase want our program back. We are tired of being told what is the best for us. Why should we continue to make excuses for these clowns?
Writer at BC Interruption SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
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majority?
or vocal minority? I do understand what you want. I (a) don’t agree, and (b) aren’t convinced you do represent the majority. You just have a public forum to vent and be heard (heard here anyway).
Finally, go ahead, do your thing (it’s your blog), but Spaz will be the coach in 2012 (and likely beyond) and GDF will be the AD.
Fr. Leahy and the BoTs are not stupid people. Quite the contrary. Look at our University over the past 20 years. Quite remarkable.
or vocal minority? I do understand what you want. I (a) don’t agree, and (b) aren’t convinced you do represent the majority. You just have a public forum to vent and be heard (heard here anyway).
Do me a favor…look at attendance. Football or basketball. They may not have twitter accounts or blogs, but they are speaking up themselves. That’s thousands of people who have said “You know what, BC sports isn’t worth my time anymore”.
Wait until the athletic programs start in the red (they were awfully close last year), the BOT and Fr. Leahy will reevaluate the effectiveness of this regime when it starts to cost BC serious money.
Writer at BC Interruption SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
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2 factors
One – winning. People support winning programs. Coaching changes usually result in a rebuilding period – not just at BC, but EVERYWHERE AJ.. Which of course leads back in a circular debate as to why we’re not winning, whose fault is it; should previous coaches have been kept on, etc. But winning puts fans in the seats. This is 70% of the reason. The other…
Two – the economy. 30% of the reason.
Neither of those 2 things mean, necessarily, that those choosing not to attend want a coaching or AD change. Nice leap.
But if we used your argument, if football attendance is down, say 20% (not sure it’s that high, but doesn’t matter for this argument), and we attributed the ENTIRE 20% to your thesis (that it is solely b/c of disatisfaction with the program or HC) then the 80% who still attend must be satisfied with the program and HC…right? That’d make you and Brian, BCI, and it’s commentors here the vocal minority..
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