Al Skinner
Encyclopedia
Albert L. Skinner (born June 16, 1952 in Mount Vernon, New York
) is an American men's college basketball
head coach and a former collegiate and professional basketball
player. He was formerly the head coach of the Boston College men's basketball team
.
. While on the freshman team in the 1970-71 season, the varsity team was led by Julius Erving
, in what would be Erving's final season in college. (Skinner and Erving would later play together professionally.) Skinner was also a teammate of Rick Pitino
.
Skinner scored 1,235 points in his three years on the varsity squad. He led the team in rebounding each of those three years, and in scoring in his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he averaged a double-double with 18.8 points and 11.0 rebounds. That scoring average also led the Yankee Conference
. He recorded the first triple-double in UMass history, with 28 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists against St. Peter's on Dec. 28, 1973 in Springfield MA
.
Skinner was a three-time Yankee Conference First Team selection. He led UMass to two straight YC titles in the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons. As a senior in 1973-74, he was the team captain and an All-America honorable mention selection.
His jersey number 30 was retired in a ceremony at UMass on Feb. 18, 2004.
in 1974 NBA
Draft (16th pick of the 9th round). He never ended up playing with Boston. Instead, he joined the New York Nets
in the ABA
, where he reunited with Julius Erving. The pair helped the Nets win the ABA title in 1975-76.
In his total ABA/NBA career, he spent time with the Nets (1974–78, 1978–79), Pistons
(1977–78) and 76ers
(1978–80).
from 1982–84, and then at the University of Rhode Island
from 1984-88.
He was named head coach at URI beginning with the 1988-1989 season, replacing Tom Penders
. Skinner coached the Rams for nine seasons, during which he won the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year award for the 1991-92 season. He is also credited for recruiting many of the players of the Rams' 1997-98 team, which reached the Elite Eight of the 1998 NCAA Tournament
.
During Skinner's tenure, the Rams were selected to two NITs and two NCAA Tournaments. He was inducted into URI's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.
team after Jim O'Brien left for Ohio State
. Nearly all of the Eagles' prominent players followed O'Brien to Ohio State, leaving Skinner with a depleted roster. As a result, the Eagles struggled for Skinner's first three seasons in Chestnut Hill, winning only 12 games in Big East
play and 32 overall.
After the Eagles struggled in Skinner's first three seasons in Chestnut Hill, he guided the 2000–01 team to the Big East regular season title with a 13-3 record—their first regular season title in 18 years. The Eagles went on to win the Big East Tournament
, and earned a #3 seed in the NCAA Tournament
. He was named the season's Coach of the Year both Nationally and in the Big East.
In the 2004–05 season, the Eagles became the first Big East team in history to start a season 20-0. The Eagles were ranked #4 in the AP Poll at the time, and even reached as high as #3 later in the season. Though they won the conference regular season title, the Eagles fell in the Quarter-Finals of the Big East Tournament
. As a #4 seed in the 2005 NCAA Tournament
, they were upset by #12 seed Milwaukee. Skinner was named Big East Coach of the Year in 2004–05.
The 2005–06 Eagles finished with a 28-8 record, which stands as the most wins in a single season in BC history. They also advanced to the Sweet 16, tying the second-deepest NCAA run for an Eagle team. During the season, Skinner also became the all-time winningest coach in BC history, surpassing O'Brien's 168 wins.
Through the 2009–10 season, Skinner led Boston College to seven NCAA Tournaments, and one NIT.
On March 30, 2010, Skinner was fired as head coach at Boston College.
Almost a year to the day after his firing, Skinner took part in a phone interview with Boston Globe sportswriter Mark Blaudschun. Ending a year of self-imposed silence about what transpired at Boston College
, Skinner defended his record, stating, "I ran a good program, I graduated my kids. Everybody has problems, but we addressed them and handled them in a matter that satisfied every one." Skinner continued the interview by noting that he felt had he been at BC during the 2010-11 season, the Eagles would have been more of a factor in the national picture. "I know the potential we had," he said. “We would have had a dog in this fight, and that we don’t bothers me." His remarks, and the fact that his interview ran on the front page of the Sports section of The Boston Globe, demonstrated the ongoing controversy regarding his firing in March 2010.
Mount Vernon, New York
Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It lies on the border of the New York City borough of The Bronx.-Overview:...
) is an American men's college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
head coach and a former collegiate and professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He was formerly the head coach of the Boston College men's basketball team
Boston College Eagles men's basketball
The Boston College Eagles are a Division I college basketball program that represents Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA. The team has competed in the ACC since 2005, having previously played in the Big East. Home games have been played at the Conte Forum since 1988, having previously been played...
.
College
Skinner played at the University of MassachusettsUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
. While on the freshman team in the 1970-71 season, the varsity team was led by Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
, in what would be Erving's final season in college. (Skinner and Erving would later play together professionally.) Skinner was also a teammate of Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino is an American basketball coach. Since 2001, he has been the head coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Boston University, Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996...
.
Skinner scored 1,235 points in his three years on the varsity squad. He led the team in rebounding each of those three years, and in scoring in his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he averaged a double-double with 18.8 points and 11.0 rebounds. That scoring average also led the Yankee Conference
Yankee Conference
The Yankee Conference was a collegiate sports conference in the eastern United States. It once sponsored competition in many sports, but eventually became a football-only league...
. He recorded the first triple-double in UMass history, with 28 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists against St. Peter's on Dec. 28, 1973 in Springfield MA
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
.
Skinner was a three-time Yankee Conference First Team selection. He led UMass to two straight YC titles in the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons. As a senior in 1973-74, he was the team captain and an All-America honorable mention selection.
His jersey number 30 was retired in a ceremony at UMass on Feb. 18, 2004.
Professional
Skinner was drafted by the Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in 1974 NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
Draft (16th pick of the 9th round). He never ended up playing with Boston. Instead, he joined the New York Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the ABA
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
, where he reunited with Julius Erving. The pair helped the Nets win the ABA title in 1975-76.
In his total ABA/NBA career, he spent time with the Nets (1974–78, 1978–79), Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
(1977–78) and 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
(1978–80).
Marist and Rhode Island
After retiring from his playing career, Skinner entered the college coaching ranks. He served as an assistant coach at MaristMarist College
Marist College is a private liberal arts college on the east bank of the Hudson River near Poughkeepsie, New York. The site was established in 1905 by Marist Brothers, and the college was chartered in 1929...
from 1982–84, and then at the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
from 1984-88.
He was named head coach at URI beginning with the 1988-1989 season, replacing Tom Penders
Tom Penders
Tom Penders is a retired college basketball head coach, who last coached from 2004 through 2010 at the University of Houston. He is from Stratford, Connecticut and has a 648-438 career record...
. Skinner coached the Rams for nine seasons, during which he won the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year award for the 1991-92 season. He is also credited for recruiting many of the players of the Rams' 1997-98 team, which reached the Elite Eight of the 1998 NCAA Tournament
1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
.
During Skinner's tenure, the Rams were selected to two NITs and two NCAA Tournaments. He was inducted into URI's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.
Boston College
On April 17, 1997, Skinner was hired to lead the Boston College Eagles men's basketballBoston College Eagles men's basketball
The Boston College Eagles are a Division I college basketball program that represents Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA. The team has competed in the ACC since 2005, having previously played in the Big East. Home games have been played at the Conte Forum since 1988, having previously been played...
team after Jim O'Brien left for Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
. Nearly all of the Eagles' prominent players followed O'Brien to Ohio State, leaving Skinner with a depleted roster. As a result, the Eagles struggled for Skinner's first three seasons in Chestnut Hill, winning only 12 games in Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
play and 32 overall.
After the Eagles struggled in Skinner's first three seasons in Chestnut Hill, he guided the 2000–01 team to the Big East regular season title with a 13-3 record—their first regular season title in 18 years. The Eagles went on to win the Big East Tournament
2001 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2001 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Its winner received the Big East Conference's automatic bid to the 2001 NCAA Tournament. It is a single-elimination tournament with four rounds and the two highest seeds in each division received...
, and earned a #3 seed in the NCAA Tournament
2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 2001 with the play-in game, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in...
. He was named the season's Coach of the Year both Nationally and in the Big East.
In the 2004–05 season, the Eagles became the first Big East team in history to start a season 20-0. The Eagles were ranked #4 in the AP Poll at the time, and even reached as high as #3 later in the season. Though they won the conference regular season title, the Eagles fell in the Quarter-Finals of the Big East Tournament
2005 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
-Games:*1st round: Wednesday, March 9Noon2PM7PM*Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 10Noon2 PM7 PM9 PM*Semifinals: Friday, March 117 PM9 PM*Finals: Saturday, March 12...
. As a #4 seed in the 2005 NCAA Tournament
2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St...
, they were upset by #12 seed Milwaukee. Skinner was named Big East Coach of the Year in 2004–05.
The 2005–06 Eagles finished with a 28-8 record, which stands as the most wins in a single season in BC history. They also advanced to the Sweet 16, tying the second-deepest NCAA run for an Eagle team. During the season, Skinner also became the all-time winningest coach in BC history, surpassing O'Brien's 168 wins.
Through the 2009–10 season, Skinner led Boston College to seven NCAA Tournaments, and one NIT.
On March 30, 2010, Skinner was fired as head coach at Boston College.
Almost a year to the day after his firing, Skinner took part in a phone interview with Boston Globe sportswriter Mark Blaudschun. Ending a year of self-imposed silence about what transpired at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, Skinner defended his record, stating, "I ran a good program, I graduated my kids. Everybody has problems, but we addressed them and handled them in a matter that satisfied every one." Skinner continued the interview by noting that he felt had he been at BC during the 2010-11 season, the Eagles would have been more of a factor in the national picture. "I know the potential we had," he said. “We would have had a dog in this fight, and that we don’t bothers me." His remarks, and the fact that his interview ran on the front page of the Sports section of The Boston Globe, demonstrated the ongoing controversy regarding his firing in March 2010.
Head coaching record
Trivia
- In 1978, Al Skinner was one of four players to play for both teams in a single game. After a protest, a game played earlier in the year was replayed and Skinner, who started the game with the New Jersey NetsNew Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, ended the game as a member of the Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
.
- Skinner was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004.
- During the Boston College basketball season, WEEIWEEIWEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
radio broadcasts the Al Skinner Show. The half hour program hosted by Ted SarandisTed SarandisTed Sarandis is a sports radio personality in Boston. Sarandis, who lives in Winthrop, is best remembered for being the host of the Ted Nation show that was broadcast from 7 PM to midnight weekdays on Boston sports radio station WEEI from 1992 until September 2005...
is taped before a live audience at the Metropolitan Club in Chestnut HillChestnut Hill, MassachusettsChestnut Hill is a wealthy New England village located six miles west of downtown Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Like all Massachusetts villages, Chestnut Hill is not an incorporated municipal entity, but unlike most of them, it encompasses parts of three separate municipalities, each of...
and aired each Thursday.
- Coach Skinner is known for his impeccable dress habits among Boston College fans, earning him the nickname "Coach Handsome". Those who watch closely notice that Skinner only wears a tie for home games, electing to wear either a poloPoloPolo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
or mock turtleneck on the road. It is rumored that Skinner does not wear the same suit twice in a given season.
- Skinner is a spokesperson for Eastern Clothing of WatertownWatertown, MassachusettsThe Town of Watertown is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,915 at the 2010 census.- History :Archeological evidence suggests that Watertown was inhabited for thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from England...
, a prominent men's clothing store near Boston CollegeBoston CollegeBoston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
.