Sunday, December 08, 2013

BC headed to Shreveport to face Arizona


The Independence Bowl -- currently known as the AdvoCare V100 Bowl -- selected BC for their 2013 edition. We will play Pac 12 at large team Arizona. Despite all my bemoaning of the date and location, this is still a good thing. I will have a lot more on the bowl and Arizona in the coming weeks, but let me share the best aspect of this arrangement: ESPN and Shreveport wanted BC in this game.

For years we've been told how undesirable we are for bowls. How this played out proves otherwise. Even though this is not a major bowl, this is the oldest bowl we've played in since the Cotton. Shreveport has good local support and wants the best possible match-up. It is not just a exhibition by the local CVB to bilk teams into buying tickets and guaranteeing hotel rooms. They wanted BC and they wanted an Andre Williams-Ka'Deem Carey face off. ESPN wanted us in this game too. While Brad Bates and I were loving the idea of BC on New Year's Day, ESPN just looked at it as a wasted opportunity. The Heart of Dallas Bowl gets low, low ratings because of its timeslot and ESPN U. The Independence Bowl kicks off a relatively busy bowl day and the first half of the game will be unopposed. It will get a big rating. We will hear "Williams vs Carey" over and over, especially when ESPN promotes the game during the earlier bowls.

This is good news and should be a good game. Remember if you do go, buy your tickets directly from BC.

20 comments:

Hoib said...

I think this is our best possible outcome. We are playing a quality opponent from a strong BCS conference

JBQ said...

First reports that I read were that BC would play Western Kentucky. Playing Arizona is quite a coup. They are playing the team that stifled Stanford just after they manhandled Oregon. This is quite an opportunity for Andre and the bois. Pick up your "jingle bells" and head for Shreveport which is a heck of a lot warmer than Boston. One thing about football is that the next game is a chance to start over. After all, it's all in the "Chase". "It's a Wonderful Life" and I'm betting that George Bailey will be there. How about you?

Bravesbill said...

Should be a great game. Meanwhile, BC basketball is blowing once again.

Big Jack Krack said...

I got a big chuckle out of those who thought (once we lost to Syracuse) that we would go to a bowl someplace besides Shreveport, LA.

Some people said the loss to Syracuse was meaningless - are you kidding me?

Go BC - beat Arizona.

CT said...

About the best that could've happened.

Um, the basketball team.

9-35 from long distance. That's good. If you're 10.

Out-rebounded by 17. Kinda related to the preceding number. Is there an oompah-loompah league that wants us?

Really looking forward to that Thursday night play-in game at the ACC tourney. Guys should be used to the vibe of that game. The one where you can hear dudes selling popcorn in the upper deck.

hsk said...

good opponent for fball, too bad its in shreveport, but should be a good game..............any way for bball coaching staff to be left behind in LA ??

mod34b said...

First, yay. Big improvement from last year, and exceeding expectations from the start of the season. Good job Dazz.

Second, where and what the hell is Shrevport.?

Quiz: put these cities in order of closeness to Shreveport

A. Hope Ark
B. Dallas
L. New Orleans
O. Jackson MS
W. Houston Tx.


answer: A BOWL (is a bowl!)

Biggest employer: government
Biggest private industry: Riverboat gambling
Not that close to Duck Dynasty land
Birth spot of Terry Bradshaw and Robert Parrish!


Really appears to be a dump. Louisiana's version of Springfield, MA

Go BC! Shoud be a good (and rather early) showcase for Andre!

Erik said...

Can our sign in Alumni Stadium read Independence Bowl and not the corporate sponsor stuff?

dixieagle said...

You can take side trips from Shreveport to both Natchitoches and Nagodoches. For some real excitement, head up the road to Texarkana.

Unknown said...

Great news for BC football ..... Meanwhile the hoops team just racked up another L.

CT said...

Believe Shreveport is in a dry county.





Big Jack Krack said...

This is a great match-up and a tough one.

Arizona destroyed Oregon when they were ranked #5.

Some very big teams have played in this bowl over the years, and the stadium is now 63,000.

Who are we to complain? (I didn't like the destination from the moment we lost to Syracuse) I knew we wouldn't travel well, but maybe I'm wrong.

I know one thing. We had better prepare like hell for this game rather than just being happy to be in a bowl game. We have a chance to shine or to get embarrassed - let's get ready and give it our all.

I'll probably go now, because it's a great matchup.

Go BC - beat Arizona.

Hoib said...

BJK,

I feel your pain about about Shreveport, but even if we beat the Cuse I think this is where we would have ended up. Although entitled by rule to play in Charlotte had we won I still bet the powers that be on Tabacco rode would have leaned on us to let UNC have the Belk.
Football wise I'd rather play Zona than Cini. and I'm really glad we didn't end up w/ N. Teaxas or E. Carolina. You're probably the best traveller on the blog. Will u go? If not u than maybe a few of the players parents will go and that'll be about it. We sure are stuck in a negative feedback loop w/ this bowl thing.

dixieagle said...

I am trying really hard to make a trip to Shreveport happen. However, with the hubby having just been off the entire week previously, and the daughter I could usually bribe to accompany me out of town for the year, it would likely have to be a solo trip. 7 hour car trip or inconvenient airline schedules... not an easy place to get to.

Big Jack Krack said...

Hoib - I was hoping for the Music City Bowl against Georgia or somehow to get to Orlando.

I agree that this was pretty much pre-ordained.

Having said that, my wife and I are thinking about going to Nashville (she's Georgia Tech [and BC]) and then heading down to Shreveport.


One advantage to going to this game is a chance to interact with the players and their families - and the coaching staff. I'm not a groupie, but I like the chance to "get the scoop".

This will be a captive audience on New Year's Eve in Shreveport - watching the games after our own, and hanging out.

What's not to like about that opportunity?

Go BC - beat Arizona and Rich Rod.

Come on - let's pick up the chatter and let's be positive!

Big Jack Krack said...

Dixie - come on over to Shreveport. We'll protect and take care of you, and we can check out Natchitoches and Nagodoches and/or Texarkana before of after the game. :-)

Hoib said...

BJK
You are a true fan. I was hoping for Rutgers to lose and then maybe we could of played Our Lady of Special Deals in the Pinstripe, but as u say it was probably preordained we end up where we did. I hope you'll enjoy it. I love Nashville I'm sure you'll have fun there. Maybe you'll be pleasantly suprised by Shrevport. No matter what it can't be as bad as that 85 Liberty bowl we talked about the other day. I freeze just thinking about it!

Big Jack Krack said...

Orlando was fun for our first bowl in 40 years with Flutie and Bo Jackson.

The next year I was freezing cold watching that Liberty Bowl on TV. We had the game but the TE couldn't squeeze the 2-point conversion (because of the extreme cold - [Scott Geiselman?]).

And I was miserably cold in Dallas for the Cotton Bowl - what a dump that stadium was.

I think it's fitting for the Fighting French to play a 6 and 6 Rutgers Team in NYC. We have a more interesting matchup for sure.

Go BC - beat Arizona.

Go Rutgers - beat Our Lady's.

JBQ said...

I "chuckle" at every posting from BJK. Hopefully, BC will live up to his expectations. Let's zero in on "mod34b". There is a lot of passion expended from a number of commenters. "Hsk" is interesting. "Brakesbill" is always firing. "Dixieagle" would appear to bring a feminine perspective unless the modern Jesuit philosophy of Pope Francis has reached this website. If you set a fire, maybe it will spread. There is absolutely nothing wrong with giving the coaches a "hot foot". BC is great and everyone should know it. Arizona will be tough and there is no doubt. BC had better be ready with Andre the Giant and the Chaser or its back to the "boonies" for another 40 years.

dixieagle said...

BJK - just saw your post (been busy tweeting my delight about Andre44Heisman.) I am seriously considering the trip; I think I'll get a couple of tickets just in case I can persuade a friend to come with me. I am no stranger to long car trips, as I used to drive from Mobile to Massachusetts with my girls until they went off to college. Will catch up with you in a thread somewhere if I am able to make it.