…now what?
By Joe Micik
If you saw Finding Nemo like I did so many years ago, you’ll get the reference.
This isn’t about allusions to films, however, this is about a new basketball coach for the BC Eagles. There are a number of names being floated right now (and I don’t honestly believe it will be a “national search” for Al Skinner’s replacement — probably more like a regional search).
The names we’ve heard in the discussion are Bill Coen, Pat Duquette, Ed Cooley, Tim O’Shea, Tommy Amaker, Chris Mooney, and Steve Donahue, amongst others. I am going to break these names up a couple different ways.
The Thanks-For-Playing Division
-Duquette: No experience and would, I fear, be nothing more than Al 2.0
-O’Shea: One win at Bryant this year; he’s not coming to BC
The Meh-Whatever Division
-Cooley: Coaches at Fairfield and has done decently, used to coach for Al, but I know little of him
The Pump-the-Brakes Division
-Amaker: Has barely had success at big programs; probably more suited for a school like Harvard
–Mike Jarvis: Let this be the last time his name is mentioned for this opening
The Acceptable, But-Not-Without-Flaws Division
-Mooney: Has had one notable season at Richmond
-Donahue: The Ivy League and ACC are two totally different things
The When-Pigs-Fly Division
–Bruce Pearl: He’s not leaving an Elite Eight program for BC, and Gene’s not going after him…maybe. If this happened, I would build a monument to GDF in my backyard
The Possible-Frontrunner Division
-Coen: Former Al coach with a good reputation, but with only two decent seasons at Northeastern
Not every name on this list is bad, but not every one is an upgrade over Skinner. I would love for BC to make a big splash as much as the next guy, but it’s probably not happening. One thing is clear, however: BC must upgrade and not just hire a poor man’s Al Skinner, which would defeat the purpose of having dumped him in the first place. Unfortunately, I don’t know what BC will do, and I can’t say I’m full of optimism given recent coaching searches at this school.