Boston College AD playing hardball with Skinner for St. Johns interest

Al Skinner is the plan B for St. Johns, but it hasn't stopped his AD from looking for his next coach. This is the same AD who fired his football coach for interviewing for the Jets job.

The Boston Globe is reporting that Skinner has now been fired:

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleg...skinne.html?localsearch:on:twit:colleges-blog

Go Gophers!!

Meanwhile, Jeff Goodman of Fox tweets that Lavin and St. John's may be getting close to a deal, which will leave Skinner jobless for the time being:

"Sources have told FOXSports.com that Steve Lavin and St. John's will continue discussion today. Deal not done, but getting close."

Go Gophers!!

I don't know how to feel about this one. I kind of like it because of how these coaches can sign these contracts and recruit kids to come play for them and then walk whenever they find something better and not have to answer to anyone. Loyalty is expected from players, fans, but not coaches. Then again, is this guy a loose cannon? Might be hard to find the next coach with these actions.

Regardless, he's definitely old school, Bo Schembechler.

Boston College has gained a reputation for not putting up with dis-loyalty over the past few years when it comes to their coaches. They fired their head football coach a couple of years back for having discussions with the New York Jets and therefore set a precedent which they are apparently following with Skinner.

To be perfectly honest, I can't say that I blame Boston College. When they fired Jeff Jagodzinski, I was actually pretty impressed. It's nice to see a school that expects coaches to honor their commitments to their schools. At a certain level, it can be detrimental for prospective coaches taking a job at BC because it implies that the school won't hesitate to terminate you if they believe there are any discussions going on behind the scenes. Whether that was actually the case with Skinner, I don't know.

Regardless, I wish more schools would follow the BC mold. I happen to like the mindset of "if we aren't good enough for you then you aren't good enough for us."

Some interesting tweets on BC from hoops writers:

Dan Wetzel: "Problem for BC, northeast kids want to play in Big East, move to ACC isolated BC in recruiting."

Jeff Goodman: "Al Skinner and Boston College AD were two contrasting personalities. Two just didn't mesh."

Dan Wetzel: "BC fans (apathetic to begin with) now only turn out for Duke or UNC. Without cheating, BC a much tougher job due to ACC move"

Jeff Goodman: "Skinner wouldn't cheat; didn't make an effort to reach out to the AAU guys that mattered. Program took hit when Coen-Cooley left."

Dan Wetzel: "BC sold out program tho w move to ACC. Used to be really good job, now I think it's fools gold"

Dan Wetzel: "BC underestimated resolve of Big East football, ACC move was defensive. Changed identity of programs. In hoops, not for the better"

Dan Wetzel: "Yes, but lot easier convincing get kids when playing in Big East, drawing home crowds, playing in MSG not Greensboro"

Dan Wetzel: "BC to the ACC only made sense in some white paper, Sports Management grad school world. No common sense vision."

Marcus Fuller: "Skinner is gone at BC. That might mean Kevin Noreen goes elsewhere. Could he end up at Northwestern? Reminds me of taller Coble and Shurna."

Marcus Fuller: "Gophers never really recruited Noreen or offered him a scholarship. That might have been a mistake. He's likely Mr. Basketball this year."

Go Gophers!!

BC had dug their own grave with the quick trigger on its coaches. What top coach would ever consider going to BC. Tubby would have been fired last year!

Al Skinner goes near the top of the list IF the Gophers should find themselves in a coaching search.