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| DeFilippo: ‘We’re going to pay what we have to pay’ | 03.31.10 at 9:34 am ET |
Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo made an appearance on the Dennis & Callahan show Wednesday morning to talk about the school’s search for a new basketball coach. “Between the office office phone, the cell phone and the home phone, it hasn’t stopped ringing,” DeFilippo said. “I think I’ve reached out to three different athletic directors and asked for permission. I’ve spoken with three coaches thus far. We’re beginning to set up interviews. I’ve got two more ADs that I would like to contact sometime this morning and see if we can fit in an interview.”
As for what he wants in a new coach, DeFilippo said: “I would like to get a coach who is a great teacher, a coach who has a lot of fire — kind of like a Tom Izzo, that’s full of energy and go-go-go. I’d like that coach to build us a team that is going to dive for loose balls, that we’re going to look to see how many guys can take the most charges in a game, in a year, somebody that’s going to play great defense, and, you know what, somebody that’s going to go through the dorms and excite the students, or go into the dining hall and eat with the students once every week or two weeks and really get them involved in our program. I think that’s very important today. … We’ve got to work to get them to come out and really take part and support our teams.”
Asked if Tennessee’s Bruce Pearl, a BC alumnus and Massachusetts native, would be too pricey for the Eagles, DeFelippo said: “We’re going to pay what we have to pay to get the right person. We just really are. This is an important hire for us.” However, DeFelippo said he has had no contact with Pearl and does not consider him a candidate. “At this point, no, he’s not,” DeFilippo said. “That doesn’t mean he couldn’t be at another time.”
When asked if it was more likely BC would land a hard-working rising star in the coaching ranks, DeFilippo said: “I would love to have someone like that, someone that is really full of vim and vigor, and is going to work 24/7 and whatever it takes. … I think that’s fair to say that that’s what we might be looking for, yes.”
In regards to attempting to lure a big-name coach, DeFilippo said: “I think you have to be careful as an athletic director. It’s not really important to win the press conference. It’s important to win in the four, five, six, seven years you’re going to have a coach. … I want to find the person that’s the right fit here. I think having been here — this is my 13th year — I think I know what we need.”
Asked if he had contacted any women’s basketball coaches, with UConn’s Geno Auriemma the obvious candidate, DeFilippo said no, but noted: “There is one women’s basketball coach that could coach any men’s team in the country, and that’s Pat Summitt, at the University of Tennessee.”
To hear the interview, click on the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page.
3 Comments for “DeFilippo: ‘We’re going to pay what we have to pay’”
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March 31st, 2010 at 5:16 pm
I hope Geno Auriemma does not lower himself , going from the Big East to the ACC, let alone, the BC Eagles. The Uconn girls could have wiped the floor with the BC men this year. It was a blessing years ago when the Eagles left the Big east and went to the ACC. Better yet, have Bill Carroll come on back east.
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