Boston College Responds To Steve Lively's Criticisms

by Brian Favat on Jan 18, 2012 4:20 PM EST

That didn't take long, now did it? Here is the full response, via ATL.

Steve Lively's letter regarding Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo is perplexing and unfortunate, and filled with irresponsible and baseless claims. It has caused a number of people, including several of Steve's former football teammates, to express concern for him and his judgment.

Under Gene's leadership, the BC Athletics program has remained true to its traditions and the pursuit of excellence. Boston College has one of the highest student-athlete graduation rates in the country, its athletics facilities have been upgraded significantly, and its athletes have succeeded on the field and in service to the wider community.

Gene DeFilippo has the confidence, respect and support of countless members of the Boston College community, including University President Fr. William Leahy, as well as colleagues in intercollegiate athletics throughout the United States.

Jack Dunn, University Spokesman

Lively and other vocal and influential alumni may very well continue to challenge BC's Director of Athletics, but it's clear that DeFilippo is fully entrenched and has the backing of both Leahy and the Board of Trustees.

Best course of action? Vote with your wallets. Continue to donate to the school (as alumni giving affects the various national university rankings, and indirectly, the value of your degree), or stop donating entirely. Either way, I would make a concerted effort to designate those funds to something other than the Flynn Fund, and let the school know why you aren't donating to BC Athletics.

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BC denial lacking

I notice BC does not deny that GDF engage in sexual harrassmment when GDF touched (unwelcomely) Lively’s man breasts and expressed ‘love’ for Lively. Therefore, it is admitted!

I was standing next to President Leahy when you ran over to me and placed your head on my chest and said "I love you!" I asked you to take your head off of my chest

by eagleosprey on Jan 18, 2012 4:53 PM EST reply actions

Dunn Standard Letter of Response --YAWN.....ZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!

The first paragraph was dead balls right and Lively is an ignorant jackass racist!

The next 2:

My all time favorite… the weak graduation rate card.

I just put on my back-to-back 20 year graduation rate National Champion T-Shirt so I can go downtown tonight to the Rodeo and get trampled to death by the $10,000 for staying on for 10 seconds Bull and die happy.

The last paragrpah is the standard KISS of DEATH support until GDF is eased out the door.

Hopefully I was one year early, since if BC Football does run into a 2011 repeat which is what I am many others think is inevitable, hopefully GDF will be replaced, retired, etc., and that would be the end of the MALAISE and SPAZOO.

Nonetheless, I hope BC uses my football strategy with the talent we have and wins 14.

Dunn = Blah Blah Blah.

by BCEagle74 on Jan 18, 2012 5:28 PM EST reply actions

Countless You Say - That Means Really HUGE Support for Flip

“Gene DeFilippo has the confidence, respect and support of countless members of the Boston College community” Countless means a number so large that it cannot even be reasonably determined. I suppose that includes the janitorial staff at Yawkey as well. What a bunch of nonsense.

Does the alumni count as “members of the Boston College community”? I wish there was some way to take a reasonably indicative polling of alums as to whether they are satisfied with the AD and zing that off to Jack.

by Fukowi on Jan 18, 2012 9:10 PM EST reply actions

Fukie -- What You and I think doesn't Matter!

I told you on the Globe all year!!!

We are worthless alums!!

Just drive the Veals on Wheels Van # 2 and make your deliveries and we will be OK!!!

Jack Dunn speaks with all power when it comes to faith, morals and athletics!

SHAME FUKIE!!!

SHAME!!

by BCEagle74 on Jan 18, 2012 10:32 PM EST up reply actions

Alumni Contact

If people really want to unite as alumni and let the administration know we are unhappy, then we need to reach out to every alumnus through email and social media. As alumni we all have access to every graduates email address online. A simple, to the point email to the Board of Trustees signed by 20,000 alumni would surely wake them up. This is simple to do through an email blast asking individuals for their support. This task could easily be accomplished through dividing up the names and using a blast system. If anyone is interested in doing this, please comment and we can get moving on this.

by Harrow on Jan 18, 2012 10:18 PM EST reply actions

Take a more focused approach

Forget trying to blast email tens of thousands of random alumni — most of them won’t even be able to name the BC football coach or athletic director and will consider your efforts a strange and stalker-ish intrusion into their lives. Instead, go to the BC Athletics Facebook page and see if you can see the names of people who have “liked” BC Athletics. Those people will be more interested in the program. You might even start your own Facebook group calling for change in the athletics department, and try to get people to join the group. You could also try working with the Gridiron Club, the BC football alumni organization, or some other group that clearly is interested in BC football.

You’ll never get 20,000 people on board. But if you can get 100 people to join in a short, intelligent, reasonable letter (i.e. not the childish nonsense this Lively guy sent) then that will get noticed.

by footb on Jan 19, 2012 7:31 AM EST up reply actions

Also, if you want to get media involved, try a letter to the editor of The Heights, the BC student paper. They’ve already published some articles critical of Spaz/GDF, and they can reach a relevant audience (BC students, staff, fans).

by footb on Jan 19, 2012 7:35 AM EST up reply actions

Agreed

Another way you could do it is by blanketing the major BC blogs for support. I know thousands of alumni read BCI, Eagle in Atlanta, or one of the other blogs on a regular basis. If we could solicit supporters through the blogs we would have a solid base to work with. Add that with our twitter accounts, facebook pages etc. and we could be a force BC would have to address.

Writer at BC Interruption SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
Follow me on Twitter

by A.J Black on Jan 19, 2012 9:37 AM EST up reply actions

AJ

I did my part on the Globe this year, and the two other sites, one now defunct, for almost 9 years.

Tens of thousands of shots and these 2 are still standing strong and Spazoo even got a mind blowing extension.

I may have been one year early in predicting their demise and my season of a grim visage was dead balls right, but methinks the end of Gene DeFilippo is now in the works with retirement, or resigning to pursue other opportunities or whatever.

I would not be surprised to see GDF gone much sooner than later and within a year.

Same for Stooge Spazoo with the above 2 options and re-assignment and especially with this next season being very tough to win 7 and the recruiting implosion.

BC blockson facebook since my Season prediction was deleted along with other Spazoo comments of JUST simple facts and his record.

I think all BC posters are here now.

I think the ball is in the court of the weakling Jesuits and Board and most of them do not tailgate or even care?

by BCEagle74 on Jan 19, 2012 9:56 AM EST up reply actions

How about a less scientific but still persuasive approach? Suppose BC Interruption in conjunction with the Heights simply conducts a reasonably well advertised poll of fans, students and alums over a one month period that simply asks whether you feel our AD is performing up to the standards expected for a university employee earning well over a million dollars a year? As some may have noticed – I think its hugely important and fair to always link performance expectations with compensation. One reason I am disgusted with BC is that no way in hell does this guy have the maturity and smarts you’d expect from a manager pulling in that kind of salary. The poll could be preceded by a paragraph of bullets in support and against. And if the result is positive for GDF – so be it. The fact that the poll is even being conducted is persuasive. That is why I’m glad Lively sent his letter. Yes – many aspects of the letter were stupid and completely off base. But the attention and controversy it generated around the AD and his competence was a good thing on balance.

by Fukowi on Jan 19, 2012 9:59 AM EST up reply actions