I've avoided too much bowl talk because for fear of it being premature. Now that we've become bowl eligible, I'm comfortable stoking the speculation a bit.
For most of the season, the ESPN folks slotted BC to Detroit or St. Pete. More recently focus shifted to the Pinstripe Bowl. Now Fox's Stewart Mandel thinks BC could rise as high as the Music City Bowl. While I am personally excited by the chance to see the team in Nashville, I am not fooling myself into thinking BC is ever going to be a local bowl committee favorite. Given that we are always in the also-ran bowls, these are my priorities for bowls:
1. Good destination for the players. This is still their reward. Good weather and good activities should be our priority. Of this year's realistic crop, the Bitcoin Bowl is probably the best destination. However, it would mean being away from home on Christmas.
2. Opponent. A Power 5 team is always preferred. It generates incremental interest and legitimacy the game.
3. Proximity to BC fans. While the attendance at Gillette was encouraging, I still have doubts about our fanbase travelling to any BC bowl. The Pinstripe would be a good test of that prejudice. The Milatary Bowl might get a decent BC contingent.
4. History of the bowl. Most of these games have been thrown together in the last ten years by a few locals and ESPN. The older, more established second-tier bowls offer a little history and aren't always looking for BC to buy tickets. That happened last year with the Independence Bowl. The same thing might happen this year if we get selected for the Sun Bowl.
We cannot play our way into the playoff or even the Big Six New Year's Games. But that doesn't mean that winning out won't make us more desirable. Now let's go out and shake things up and see where we land!
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11 comments:
If Clemson lost to GT and Wake. If FSU lost to Miami and BC won it's last three wouldn't they win the Atlantic and face Duke for the championship and a spot in the Orange Bowl?
My preference is strongly for the Pinestipe, selfishly I could go to the game. I also think there are allot of others just like me around the tri state area. We've always had great BC turnout at West Point. Another reason is that our team is built for cold weather. Some think we might face Penn State. This would renew and old rivalry. As to destination there is no place w/ more going on than in the Big Apple.
I hate talking about Bowls at this point, and I'm not interested in Shreveport or El Paso - with all due respect to those destinations and bowls. Sure wish we could go to San Diego.
Nashville or NYC - good. We spent Christmas week in the Big Apple two years ago - what a blast.
Annapolis - not too good, although it's a cool town.
Detroit - it's indoors, correct? Still..........
Charlotte - okay. I had a blast there 10 years ago in our victory over UNC. Wow, was that 10 years ago? Frightening.
I'd really like us to beat Louisville and Syracuse, with a strong showing and a chance to win at FSU.
Would that get us consideration to the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando? That would be really something in Year 2 of the Dazzler.
Of course we'd be competing with Duke and Georgia Tech and who knows who else for that spot - even at 8 and 4.
Go BC - beat Louisville.
Love your enthusiasm and optimism, Ned.
I love the enthusiasm/optimism too!
I don't care how far fetched it is, just the fact that there might be a mathematical possibility this late in the season is so refreshing after the dark years of Spaz.
Jamies Winston's university disciplinary hearing is when?
Nov. 17th?
Just sayin'...
I don't care what bowl we go to, as long as we win it. I want to take some momentum into next year.
I agree with you BC2X - but I do draw a line with Detroit.
Detroit would be a fun bowl. It's always what you make of it.
I think if BC marketed the Pinstripe Bowl properly it could be a huge turnout. BC does travel well to West Point and that is with little to no promotion. Obviously the people that read this blog or go on Eagle Outsider, and are in the Boston/NY area are going to go. Its the rest that BC needs to get on board and market it appropriately.
Timing wise, Nashville is easier than Detroit (right after XMas) but both are easy flights, so I would be cool with both of these.
I think if BC marketed the Pinstripe Bowl properly it could be a huge turnout. BC does travel well to West Point and that is with little to no promotion. Obviously the people that read this blog or go on Eagle Outsider, and are in the Boston/NY area are going to go. Its the rest that BC needs to get on board and market it appropriately.
Timing wise, Nashville is easier than Detroit (right after XMas) but both are easy flights, so I would be cool with both of these.
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