Our BC Athletic Department's Culture of Fear: What insiders know and why we are losing....

• The athletic director stated the following, “I have to kiss Father Leahy’s ass and . . . you must do the same to me . . . ”

• That it is understood that this athletic director’s policy is one person of color at a time as head coach “always keeping one in your back pocket!”

• Stated that he will only keep head coaches around 5-years

• You work for me”

• “I pay your salary”

• “You need to work longer hours”

• “Put your spouse in their place”

• Has caused employees personalities to change

• Has let his ‘POWER’ and his relationship with President Leahy create a climate of fear for the employees

The Exploitation is Clear

We see a clear conflict of financial interest in the athletic director’s compensation; season ticket up charging, donor and gift giving efforts. We also have the attendance numbers detailing the decline of the Boston College fan base. Our losing is a result of what is indicated in the petition not because of the efforts of our BC student athletes.

The exploitation is clear -- money versus winning. Just look at the numbers of great coaches fired and or pushed out of Boston College. Our athletes have an arm tied behind their backs but this athletic director makes $600k to $1 million plus a year because he brings in big donations. One would think you can bring in tons of money and win but that is the failure of President Leahy and this athletic director.

We can hope forever to get the right person in that position to have the needed facilities to compete as a D1A power. Our philosophy must change to competing for national championships in all major sports.

Dear Bloggers,

The Committee for a New Direction in Boston College Athletics petition is pretty specific about issues that have caused the decline of Boston College Athletics. The questions to the BC Board of Trustees are rather specific and the site talks about BC employees past and present as well as BC alum desiring to speak directly to the board of trustees about the reasons for the decline. We love Boston College Athletics and know how the lack of support from President Leahy has lead to the dysfunction under the present athletic director. Please go back and re-read the tabs. The information in the site comes directly from BC Alumni, who have written big checks and walked away, as well as, a former BC Board of Trustee member, and present and former athletic department employees.

We are also quite concern about the cost cutting in the education support services for our athletes. Some great people were let go to save money resulting from declining sports revenues.

Regards,

The Committee for a New Direction in Boston College Athletics

Petition Address: 

http://www.change.org/petitions/boston-college-trustees-end-the-exploitation-of-our-athletes-for-profit

Dear Bloggers:

The debt piece is becoming a major concern as was noted by a former member of the BC Board of Trustees. Additionally, the cost to attend Boston College is now approaching $60K. The Committee for a New Direction in Boston College Athletics is concerned not only with the high debt and the new cost to attend Boston College but we are very concern that President Leahy does not understand that students come to Boston College because of D1A athletics in addition to reputation and location. With respect to letting great coaches exit Boston College we would like to share the following:

· Good business men or women leave demonstrated success alone. The key question in all of this is the breakdown of this athletic director’s compensation.

· The Culture under this athletic director is met to make this athletic director shine not our athletes. You have a D3 former QB who wants to feel like he is a D1A player/athlete and that he has a larger national persona than the great coaches he either fired and or forced out. The Committee now knows that Head Football Coach Tom O'Brien departed BC because this athletic director would not pay the assistant coaches what they were worth. Additionally, the Committee knows that this athletic director called the AD at NC State to speak negatively about Coach O'Brien even after he left BC. So the question here is, "what is the culture like working under this mindset?

Houston We Have a Problem:

§ The steady decline of a historic and significant economic base for the university.
§ The steady decline of the football program.
§ Loss of BC Football Alum financial support for the university.
§ Loss of significant BC Football fan base.
§ Declining BC Athletics ticket sales (gives away free tickets for appearances sake).
§ A shifting away from a traditional Athletics Director’s role to that of fundraiser.
§ A self serving motivation to receive higher compensation on the part of the Athletic Director, i.e. surcharging.

Hard to defend this reality, here it is:

Poor business manager of Boston College Athletics with a self serving financial arrangement (compensation: role of athletic director and role of fundraiser- additional compensation); Current Boston College Athletics Director (Non-BC Alumni) hires at Boston College:

§ Former Head Football Jeff Jagodzinski (11 Wins vs. 3 Losses; ACC Div Champ; #10 Nat'l Poll; Champs Sports Bowl; the Eagles were ranked second in the Bowl Championship Series standings); a winning coach, fired.
§ Current Head Football Frank Spaziani, poor coaching record.
§ Current Women’s Basketball Coach Sylvia Crawley, Just got fired (another medical issue announcement, or is it?).
§ Current Men’s Basketball Coach Steve Donahue, poor coaching record.

Note: Our AD’s public statement - The current BC Football Coach (Frank Spaziani) is the best coach this AD has seen at BC in 15-years (4 Years, 20-19); Where does this leave national championship winning hockey coach Jerry York on his list? What does this statement tell our present student-athletes about Boston College’s commitment to excellence in athletics?

Respectfully submitted,

The Committer for a New Direction in Boston College Athletics

Our Litmus Test Questions

(1) Is Boston College's athletic program better off under a BC President Leahy and this athletic director’s watch or under former BC President Monan and former BC athletic directors Bill Flynn and Chet Gladchuk?

(2) Is Boston College's athletic program under a BC President Leahy and this athletic director a recognized power in athletics like we know it was under former BC President Monan and former BC athletic directors Bill Flynn and Chet Gladchuk?

(3) Finally, can the current BC athletic director stack up in terms of great coaching hires like his predecessors BC Athletic directors Bill Flynn and Chet Gladchuk?

Review the Petition Update tab and see what has been taking place behind the scene. Visit our petition drive at:

http://www.change.org/members/15406828

Hello,

The Committee for a New Direction in Boston College Athletics is a movement that works to provide important information not easily accessible to the public. What is provided under the petition’s update tab is information provided by former coaches, BC sports alum and employees. The BC Board of Trustees has information that provides their ability to speak directly to people providing this information. 

We see a clear conflict of financial interest in the athletic director’s compensation; season ticket up charging, donor and gift giving efforts. We also have the attendance numbers detailing the decline of the Boston College fan base. Our losing is a result of what is indicated in the petition not because of the efforts of our BC student athletes. 

The exploitation is clear -- money versus winning. Just look at the numbers of great coaches fired and or pushed out of Boston College. Our athletes have an arm tied behind the backs but this athletic director makes $600k to $1 million plus a year because he brings in big donations. One would think you can bring in tons of money and win but that is the failure of President Leahy and this athletic director. 

A simple question, ‘is Boston College athletics better off under a President Leahy and this athletic director’s watch?” If you really want the behind the scenes reality of what has taken place go to the petition and read it – all three tabs! 

What the Committee understands is the current culture within the BC athletic department today. We note that present and former BC employees, former BC athletes, and BC alumni have family that may wish to attend Boston College one day. We are protecting family members from any possible retribution. Just ask former Football Coach Tom O’Brien and or former Men’s Basketball Coach Al Skinner about the retribution from the BC athletic department. This is well documented and you will be hearing more about this in the next few months, if not sooner!

The Committee and others knows the behind the scenes details and looks to bring that information into the light. With respect to exploitation the Committee would like to make the following points:

1. When an athletic director can increase his compensation from $600K to upwards of $1 million plus and have three major sports (football, men’s and women’s basketball) declining -- Boston College students, students athletes, and fans of Boston College suffer;
2. When ticket surcharges go out of whack and you blow up your fan base but the athletic director’s compensation arrangement is that of athletic director ‘and’ fundraiser you have now created a conflict of interest;
3. What the Committee knows is the athletic department is cost cutting aggressively;
4. What we know is with the exception of the head coach, BC assistant coaches compensation is at the bottom of the ACC and sinking so there will be a quality issue;
5. We know that four assistant football coaches left in the last two months because of what this Committee knows is taking place behind the scenes. This is why “WE” ask you to visit the petition update tab and look thru the information.
6. We also know that this athletic director has told recruits to refer to him as ‘coach!’ Again, this is part of the tampering issue many are discussing. 

As is indicated by a few bloggers, watch out for other BC sports as revenues decline further. There is already a significant shortage in trainers within the athletic department. Does anyone see the downsizing of Boston College Athletics as the next step?

Regards,

The Committee for a New Direction in Boston College Athletics

URL- http://www.change.org/members/15406828 

The Committee for a New Direction in Boston College Athletics

The Committee for a New Direction in Boston College Athletics believes that both President Leahy and the current athletic director's career at Boston College should immediately come to an end. The Committee for a New Direction in Boston College Athletics is deeply concerned about the many allegations that appear to be backed up by present and former for employees of Boston College, and BC Alum. The BC board of trustees must become more transparent as past BC board of trustees have been. The question is will the board meet its fiduciary responsibilities or will it operate as a rubber stamp for President Leahy. 

We want what is best for Boston College and realize that no one person is larger than the university.

It would be in the BC board of trustee’s best interest to also think of a replacement for President Leahy. BC now carries $700 million plus in debt. Like his athletic director the BC President appears to be a poor business manager.

As people who love Boston College we can blog till we are blue in the face about the ‘what if(s)’ or some other hope.

President Leahy does not like big time athletics that is clear. This athletic director is not a big-time D1A athletic director that has been clear for years. The tragedy taking place for years at the Heights is soon coming to an end beginning with this athletic director's exit however they wish to spin it. History will look back and judge Leahy and this athletic director harshly. Fundraising is what all colleges do but to exploit your (our) student athletes for more dollars and to pay a very controversial athletic director $600K to $1 million who is not D1A quality is the real crime here.  Photo ops with Jerry York and Doug Flutie, and being decked out in BC wear reveals an intent to repair the damage done from recent disclosures – all of these calculated efforts have been noted by BC Alum and fans and is not going to save this athletic director’s job.

Important Fact:

1. Our greatest success in athletics came under the direction of Father J. Donald Monan, president of Boston College who is a sports fan.

2. Please note that two former Boston College athletes and alumni became our most successful athletic directors (Bill Flynn and Chet Gladchuck).

3. The interest of the student athletes were front and center.

4. When you have an emotional tie to something you will protect it.

5. The football team saved Boston College you (the board of trustees) now govern from the legacy provided by Father J. Donald Monan, Bill Flynn and Chet Gladchuck, and our incredible athletes.

6. All of these leaders made modest incomes and yet the university thrived as did our sports programs.

Fact:

Former Boston College Athletics Director Chet Gladchuck Jr. (BC Alum) hired the most winning coaches in BC sports history:

 Former Head Football Coach Tom O’Brien (75 Wins vs. 45 Losses; 8 Bowl Game Appearances with 6 wins 1 loss and 1 tie; Longest winning bowl streak in the Nation); Outstanding coach.

 Former Head Football Coach Tom Coughlin now New York Giants Head Coach; Outstanding coach

 Former Men’s Basketball Coach Al Skinner (210 Wins vs. 137 Losses; in 11- years; 6-NCAA Tournament. Appearances w/1 NIT Appearance), Outstanding coach, fired.

 Former Women’s Basketball Coach Cathy Inglese (273 W vs. 179 L; in 15-years; 7-NCAA Tournament. Appearances w/1 WNIT Appearance; 3-trips to the NCAA Sweet 16 (2003, 2004 and 2006)); Outstanding coach, fired.

 Current Men’s Hockey Coach Jerry York (National Championships); Outstanding coach.

Join our cause:

http://www.change.org/members/15406828

Thx,

The Committee for a New Direction in Boston College Athletics