Boston College Fires Jags: Justified or Not?

[Donoghus]

A major story in the Boston sportsscape right now is the Jeff Jagodzinski drama going on over at Boston College.  Coach Jags has been the head coach of the football team for the past two seasons leading them to the ACC title game (where they lost both times) in each year.  When he came to BC to coach, he signed a five year contract.

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/extras/colleges_blog/2009/01/bc_fires_jagodz.html

Now, he's about to get fired after two years.  The athletic director at BC threatened to fire Jags if he followed through with an interview with the New York Jets.  It appears he has and now he's about to get canned. 

My question is whether or not, it is justified action by Boston College to fire Jags for exploring another coaching position while under contract for BC?

[nickagneta]

A major story in the Boston sportsscape right now is the Jeff Jagodzinski drama going on over at Boston College.  Coach Jags has been the head coach of the football team for the past two seasons leading them to the ACC title game (where they lost both times) in each year.  When he came to BC to coach, he signed a five year contract.

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/extras/colleges_blog/2009/01/bc_fires_jagodz.html

Now, he's about to get fired after two years.  The athletic director at BC threatened to fire Jags if he followed through with an interview with the New York Jets.  It appears he has and now he's about to get canned. 

My question is whether or not, it is justified action by Boston College to fire Jags for exploring another coaching position while under contract for BC?

Buddy of mine tells me this is more about some behind the scenes personality problems and ideals than it is disloyalty or the interview. The interview is just the excuse both sides needed to separate.

[Finkelskyhook]

Absofreakinglutely, it's justified.  It's time this stuff starting happenning in the entire NCAA.  It's such an extreme disservice to the employer, the student, and the program to hire a coach to a long-term agreement and have them essentially acting like polititians.  Where they're spending their existence campaigning for another job instead of doing their's.

If the coach doesn't want to be in a program that long, they shouldn't sign a long-term agreement. 

Hopefully this becomes a trend.  The programs and athletes deserve better.  It would be even better if every last coach that does this gets Mangini'd.  (Unless Cleveland is crazy enough to hire the rat)

Absolute Tommy Points and kudos to DeFilippo and Boston College. 

[Evantime34]

I understand that to interview for a job while you're under contract isn't the best idea. The problem really was that Jags was not upfront about it. The athletic director asked him if he was going to interview with the jets and he said no, but then interviewed anyway.
As a Boston College student frankly I don't care. He's a great coach and if BC wants to be near the top of the ACC they should have kept him. Coach Spazz is a great defensive coach and I'm intrigued to see if they keep the same offensive scheme and their same offensive coordinator. Steve Logan and Jags seemed to like to spread teams out, where I believe Spazziani is a more smash mouth type coach.

[SShorefan 3.0]

A major story in the Boston sportsscape right now is the Jeff Jagodzinski drama going on over at Boston College.  Coach Jags has been the head coach of the football team for the past two seasons leading them to the ACC title game (where they lost both times) in each year.  When he came to BC to coach, he signed a five year contract.

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/extras/colleges_blog/2009/01/bc_fires_jagodz.html

Now, he's about to get fired after two years.  The athletic director at BC threatened to fire Jags if he followed through with an interview with the New York Jets.  It appears he has and now he's about to get canned. 

My question is whether or not, it is justified action by Boston College to fire Jags for exploring another coaching position while under contract for BC?

Buddy of mine tells me this is more about some behind the scenes personality problems and ideals than it is disloyalty or the interview. The interview is just the excuse both sides needed to separate.

This is exactly how I read it.  The going around the AD's back is systemic of other things and provides an nice out that everyone involved seems to have wanted.

[yall hate]

I hae no problem with it.  They warned him before the interview that if he had it he would be fired.  he went to the interview.  your fired. 

What does that say to recruits if your coach is actively campaigning for other jobs?  it says, dont come play here if the coach is a major draw because he may not be here.  They had to do it. 

we all would be p---ed if Doc went on an interview while under contract.  I am not really sure why people are ok with college coaches interviewing other places during their contracts.  they have a contract.  they are no different then pro coaches.

[BigRedDog423]

As much as I love Jagz, it appears that he was the one acting dishonestly. Not only does it sound like he hid the interview, but I even just heard someone say on ESPN that he was the one who sought the interview. Also, the fact that he knew he would get fired and still interviewed even though he was not a major candidate for the job shows that he really wasn't attached to this job at all.

But I'll still miss him and hope for his success wherever he ends up. And I'd love Spaziani as head coach. Hopefully the defense will stay as dominant with him as head coach instead of coordinator.

[housecall]

Justified...plain and simple  he lied to his boss.

[Chris]

Absolutely justified.  Forgetting about the personal things involved, having a football coach that is interviewing for other jobs this quickly is not good for the program.

Now, I also don't blame Jags.  Clearly he did not want to stay there, and he was doing what was best for him.  Ideally this would never happen, but unfortunately, that is the reality these days. 

[crownsy]

Justified...plain and simple  he lied to his boss.

this is what it boils down to, so they are completly justified. Its not like they bushwacked him. If i went to my boss and had the following conversation....

Boss: If you Do X, we are going to have to let you go.

(a day later)


Me: hey, i know you specifically told me in advance the consequences if i did this, but i did it anyway. no repercussions right?

I would be fired on the spot.

[pearljammer10]

Well they told him if he went to an interview with the Jets he'd be fired...And what did he do...Went to an interview with the Jets...I'd say justified.

[Schupac]

I agree with all, justified.  Too many NCAA coaches jump ship whenever they feel like it.  This way at least it makes it more of a gamble for them to do.