Friday, July 29, 2016

Are we supposed to be excited about Temple?

BC scheduled a home at home with Temple. The Alumni game will be played in 2018 and the return to Philadelphia will be in 2021. Temple is far from the worst team BC could schedule but in my opinion this is a filler game with little upside. And it continues Bates and Addazio's practice of safe non-conference scheduling.

BC rationalized the series with a little history. Temple was a staple of the BC schedule for years. And they were awful. But that was a time when Temple served as an easy W. These days all colleges schedule FCS teams to pad their win total. An easy win over Temple is harder to justify or shine up. Why play them? They are in a decent recruiting territory and have improved of late, but they are still likely to be bad in 2018 and 2021. No one will care if BC wins. There will be scorn if BC loses (I've sat through a loss to Temple).

If Addazio and Bates are really determined to take it easy, there are other schools we could schedule. Look at private academic schools outside the Power 5. Look at teams outside the Power 5 in markets where we have good alumni populations. Schedule in regions where we want to begin recruiting. Schedule a unique opponent with some sort of cache, would generate a little excitement. Scheduling Temple won't. For decades BC fans viewed the game as an easy win or skippable game. I have a feeling they will see it that way in 2018 too.

27 comments:

mod34b said...

#firebradbates. A no guts turd

CT said...

Yeah. Mod is almost always wrong. Sorry. However. This is a new day. Temple? Let's just lower our reputation more. Wait. What reputation?

eagle1331 said...

Bates has to go. So should Daz. I can tolerate 1 more year of Daz, but Bates has been a ball-less disaster out of his league running athletics into the ground. Something Leahy is probably happy to see.

Geezer eagle said...

Finally, everyone is in agreement. Let's clean house from top to bottom.

Unknown said...

BC hasn't played a hoops or football game in Philly for years, and the local alumni and alumni association have been clamoring for them to play one of the local teams. I thought it would be a hoops game against St. Joe's, LaSalle or Villanova, but I'm happy BC will be coming here. Better this than a football matchup with Rutgers!

TheFive said...

The lack of energy and creativity around the program -- and, for that matter, investment in it -- is astounding. Scheduling Wagner, Temple, UConn, UMass and NO marketable out of conference opponents is a total joke. It's Daz and Bates wanting to be graded on the easiest possible terrain. That desire, for them, trumps the goal (to the extent they even have the goal anymore) or expanding interest in the program. Shameful.

Geezer eagle said...

The goal should be 4-4 in the ACC.doubtful. The rest of the schedule are scrimmages.

EL MIZ said...

another incredibly lame move from Bates. can't wait to be rid of him - when does his contract expire again?

according to the BC website there are about 180,000 total alumni. i would love to know how that breaks down by metro region - does anyone have that data?

just a hunch but i think a good number is on the West Coast, and Addazio said he has tried to recruit more out of CA. it is puzzling to me why they aren't following up on the USC series with schools like Stanford, UCLA, Cal, UW.

Geezer eagle said...

Excellent question, Miz. The only possible explanation is Bates and Daz are terrified of more losing seasons. Dont those bozos realize those big name schools will pack Alumni Stadium?

bceagle91 said...

It looks like all Bates and Daz care about it getting to 6-6 or maybe 7-5 to make it to one of about 40 bowl games we have now. That way, we can play a game on December 28, televised on ESPN 8, buy 20,000 tickets to sell 2,000 and take a financial bath. Ever to excel. Temple won't get us there.

bceagle91 said...

Oops - all they care about is getting to 6-6, etc. Sorry. Contrast this with Jerry York always having a demanding OOC schedule.

Geezer eagle said...

Well put and in complete agreement.

Boston said...

I'm not a fan of Bates and completely agree that the OOC schedule needs to improve. However, I do wonder if part of the problem is that the big name schools look at us the way we look at the MAC schools. Beating BC is expected, and losing is a big upset. How do we get good OOC opponents when they get so little benefit?

mod34b said...

BCI polishing Brad Bates' Apple once again:

"Why Scheduling Temple is a Good Thing"

Hoib said...

I don't think it's so terrible. It's not Wagner, and I wouldn't be surprised if Temple ends up in the Big 12.

mod34b said...

Wagner is this years FCS opponent. Temple is an FBS opponent. I believe when we play temple our FCS opponent is Holy Cross

Happy Hoib?

Lenny Sienko said...

Wagner, Temple, UConn, Mass...

Bates, Fr. Leahy et.al. are de-empasizing sports in general and football in particular right before our eyes and we alums and other supporters are helpless to do anything about it.

I have come to the conclusion that it is time for Fr. Leahy to enjoy his well-earned retirement and be replaced by a BC person; for Brad Bates to move on before his contract expires and take his coaching hires with him.

After 52 years of attending, watching loving and supporting BC sports, I do not wish to go out with the likes of Wagner...

PJeagle said...

There could be a lot worse teams to play than Temple. At least a road trip to Philly might give you a chance to see a Phillies game and/or an Eagles game on the same weekend given the game will be in September. Having said that, I'd much rather being playing home and home against Northwestern or Vanderbilt instead of those Owls or this year Wagner.

Lenny Sienko, I still think I may owe you an email regarding our messages/comments a while back about how we agreed back on the day, nothing beat hammering Holy Cross when that match up was a natural rivalry and crowning the win with a chorus of "Oh Holy Cross". A long time ago. Too bad those Temple Owls don't eat applesauce too.

Guido said...

Very recently , Michigan had to drop a home and home with the University of Arkansas in order to renew their rivalry with Notre Dame. The series was to have begun in 2018 and there were 5 P5 teams that could have accommodated the dates to pick up this series. BC, of course , was one of those schools. I certainly would have loved to see that series take place, but I am sure that Addazio and Bates did not want a power from the SEC on their schedule. As a fan that just dropped a couple of season tickets , this situation represents a major reason for my departure. The fans are never a factor in scheduling. Would have traveled to Fayetteville in a minute - they will have completed an addition to their current stadium (72,000) to 76,000 seats and the rendering is awesome. Have traveled quite often to see BC , but never to an SEC venue. Philly may be attractive to many BC fans , but have been there often and was around in earlier years when Temple was a regular on the schedule. BC and the current ADMINISTRATION is a joke and all fans should boycott football until they "WAKE UP". Are fans going to reinforce the sham taking place at BC -Wagner , Buffalo et al and the thrill of a lifetime with Holy Cross on the future schedule. Shame on all who attend games and reinforce this FARCE.

Geezer eagle said...

I haven't heard a rousing rendition of "oh Holy Cross," since my freshman year at BC, 1970. Of course these youngins have no idea what we are talking about. We haven't had a real rival since them.

Geezer eagle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mod34b said...

Brad Bates body of work

2016: UMass, Wagner, UConn, Buffalo

2017: N Illinois, ND, Cent Mich, UConn

2018: UMass, Temple, Holy Cross, Purdue.

2019: ND, Richmond 2 open slots

2020: Holy Cross, Ohio, Purdue. 1 open slot

ND was on schedule before BB arrived.


Brad, seriously, WTF???



Knucklehead said...

"Safe?" Temple has beaten us more than they "should" have over the last 20 years. They would have crushed us this year.

Arrogant post.

Knucklehead said...

Mod,
Who do you want to hire as his replacement?

mod34b said...

No clue. But Jersey guy saying he might be gone soon

EagleOutDere said...

A former Giants coach might be looking for work.

bceagle91 said...

EagleOutDere, Tom Coughlin took a job with the NFL. At this point in his life, he might not want to be out there glad-handing to raise money anyway. Too bad, as it seems pretty clear BB is way over his head here.