Boston College Must Pursue Jim Calhoun As Its Next Basketball Coach

Dec 18, 2013; Hartford, CT, USA; Hall of Fame coaches Bobby Knight (left) and Jim Calhoun (right) on the sideline before the game between the Connecticut Huskies and the Stanford Cardinal at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Another strike some Boston College fans put on Jim Calhoun’s record are the sanctions that he did not “promote an atmosphere of compliance” or the lack of a sufficient Academic Progress Rating from his players at UConn. Calhoun would have to adjust to the higher admissions standards at Chestnut Hill.

But Boston College, with its history of scandal in basketball, cannot rightfully project a “holier than thou” image when choosing a Head Coach. Interestingly, Boston College fans ignored the career long taint of Bruce Pearl while calling for the termination of Steve Donahue throughout the season.

Boston College Basketball is at a point in its history where it is at the brink of complete irrelevance. Former Athletic Director Gene DiFilippo felt this was the case when he attempted to upgrade the coaching position in 2010 axing Al Skinner.

The program has fallen so far in four years that some students still don’t know that the school’s basketball head coach position is vacant. Boston College Basketball has fallen into the black sheep status that is usually reserved for a school like Wake Forest in the Atlantic Coast Conference. For a school with such a storied athletic history, there is hardly any interest from the fanbase for good reason.

Jim Calhoun can bring the Boston College Basketball program back to relevance. He can more than adequately recruit the New England region that was so neglected by Steve Donahue. Calhoun can put the fans in the seats, increase alumni donations to the Flynn Fund, and push the Boston College name back into national prominence.

The only kink in the plan is that Boston College Athletics, the Board of Trustees, and the President Fr. William Leahy don’t seem to want to pay up for the finest candidates or facilities. The hiring of Head Football Coach Steve Addazio was shrewd, but comes at a price that is relatively cheap compared to the other coaches in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The first four home games of Boston College Baseball have been either cancelled or moved due to poor conditions at Shea Field. Of course, Northeastern and Bryant University, who despite being in same New England climate, have fine baseball fields evidenced by the fact we are playing these home games at those two locations.

Athletic Director Brad Bates and Boston College need to put the past away and act like an actual member of the Athletic Coast Conference. They need to realize that they will be more than able to pay back their investment in Jim Calhoun by the influx of funds that the hire will inevitably bring. These are the funds that have been missing with the desire to take the foot off the gas and put the car in cruise control.

If Jim Calhoun is sincerely interested in coaching on the Heights, Boston College must make every effort to put Calhoun at the helm.

Advocating for Jim Calhoun may not be the most popular view at Boston College but it is the only solution for the University if it truly wishes to be a relevant member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and be able to fill Conte Forum night after night. If the University is not willing to splurge for the future of the basketball program, they should come out and make it clear to the alumni and fanbase.

Boston College must rectify the mistake it made in 1986 and hire Jim Calhoun as the Head Coach of Mens Basketball.