Welcome to life as a BC fan

BC welcomed the incoming freshmen to the BC family this weekend. It is a nice gesture and helps build community and pride. While there is so much more to BC than just sports, I don't know if any of these kids know what they have bought into as BC fans. There will be highs and lows and lots of wasted emotion, but ultimately it will be fun. We wouldn't keep watching if it were not fun. And hopefully these new members of the BC fan community will see more success and championships than those fans who came before.

Welcome @BostonCollege class of 2020. You're officially Superfans! Great day to be an Eagle! #BCEagles #BC2020 pic.twitter.com/ertIRV7ste

— #BCEagles (@BCEagles) August 27, 2016

Class of 2020 Photo! #BC2020 #BCWelcome @BostonCollege pic.twitter.com/BGVcX8pA70

— BCbeat (@theBCbeat) August 27, 2016

Big Spenders

This article in Forbes reinforced many of our BC stereotypes, but also left me scratching my head. Long story short: BC has a fraction of the fanbase of other schools when it comes to affinity credit cards, yet outspends every other group by an absurd amount. First the numbers that stood out:

-- BC only has 597 people enrolled on a BC card. Forget bandwagon fans, we don't even have a fraction of what another private, catholic, non-football school like Villanova has (5,538).
-- Those 597 people generated $1.1 million in revenue for BC. That revenue is based on BC's share of the fees. As another point of reference, Stanford has 16,079 enrollees and only generated a $1 million.

Assuming that Mastercard generates 2% in fees and splits it with BC, that means that the average BC cardholder puts $187,000 in charges on his/her card every year. That's the average! In a down economy. Maybe our marketing is all wrong. Instead of trying to sell 45,000 tickets, maybe we should just sell whole sections to a few fans. We can fan them during the game, while they are fed grapes.

Once I got over the average, then the whole redemption thing left me scratching my head. I put everything I can on my credit cards and happily redeem the rewards. Travel, electronics, and even cash back all have their merits. So what can these BC big spenders buy with their 200k annual points? A pair of basketball tickets or some BC t-shirts. Maybe you want to tour the Yawkey Center. That will only cost you 5,000 points, meaning the average BC card holder can take the tour 40 times!

But if you are already spending $200K on your BC credit card, aren't you already buying all the BC tickets and t-shirts you want?

Now I really don't like to tell people how to spend their money, but if any of you big spenders have considered an investment in a media company, I know a great blog you can buy.

Why do BC boosters behave?

With Real Sports about to unload on Auburn tonight and the Ohio State booster-tattoo scandal still gaining steam, I keep coming back to a topic I've long pondered and occasionally touched on: why don't BC fans cheat? Now let me preface this by saying I am 99% sure some BC fans have broken some NCAA rules in the past and will in the future. It wouldn't surprise me if minor violations are occurring as we speak. But in general, I've never heard of the out and out, cash for play, "$500 handshakes," signing bonus nonsense and what not that is all too commonplace at the major football powers.

Unfortunately, my theory as to why BC fans behave comes back to football culture and fans passion, and is less about integrity. We know money is not the issue. There are plenty of BC grads with big wallets and big egos. If the going rate to get a Cam Newton to campus was $180,000, there are plenty of BC grads who could have doubled that. But to even be in on those conversations, you have to really be into BC football and have a lot of excess cash. We just don't have many of those guys. Just look at Donor Based seating -- not enough demand to fill all the spots. Our luxury boxes rotate pretty regularly due to faining interest. The Yawkey Center was driven in part by money freed by the Red Sox sale, not by someone attaching his name and ego to BC sports.

But we also have a culture around BC sports that doesn't really cater to the big donors' needs. Sure the bigger checks get Gene's attention and some nice perks, but it doesn't get you a say in anything (see Greg Barbour's frustration with the coaching transition from TOB to Jags). At other schools, the donors call the shots and run the fundraising. Since we are a private school, the fundraising and athletic budgets can be housed under one roof.

I would also be very surprised to ever hear of BC boosters slipping high school kids cash. Once again, there is just not that much interest. Rival's BC site has less than 1,000 paid subscribers. So there are only a limited number of BC fans/boosters who even know who BC is recruiting. When you have ten times that amount from a SEC fanbase, you increase the odds of a rogue fan showing up at a high school and handing out hard cash.

I also think it is a cultural issue. Our fanbase is still primarily from the northeast and reared on pro sports. So the mentality of supporting the team is more about watching and cheering and not getting actively involved in recruitment. Sox fans may pay top dollar for their seats, but they're not going to go up to David Ortiz and slip him a hundred. In fact they are more likely to call him out for the money he is making.

I love college sports, but I also turn a blind eye to the hypocrisy around it 90% of the time. I like BC's image and culture but would also like our moment in the sun. I know Auburn fans who say the Cam Newton situation was worth it for the championship. I don't think many BC fans would say the same. Whether it is because we hold ourselves to a higher standard or just don't care enough, I will never know.

Can you make the BC Triple header?

This is a challenge to all current students. If you consider yourself a Super Fan, you must attend the basketball doubleheader at Conte on Saturday and then follow that with an evening of hockey at the Garden.

Why is this important for students? Because, as I've mentioned before, the real world is right around the corner. Wasting your day watching two NIT games and the Hockey East Finals is something that can't be replicated. You will get free tickets. You will get to see BC play a decent Big 10 team! You will be able to say "I was there."

BC's 2011 NIT got off to a rocky start. After beating McNeese State the team endured a hellish series of flights in an effort to get home. They deserve a great home game. Be there to support them.

The BC women's basketball team is always overlooked. I understand. This Saturday is a chance to change that. After the BC men play their game, the women will take over the court. If you simply stay in your seat from earlier in the day, you can give the women the biggest home crowd of the season.

The other day on Twitter, I suggested playing the NIT game in Power Gym. My suggestion was not intended to mock the NIT. It was actually the opposite. I wanted the team to play in Power simply for the novelty. Power is not going to happen but you can do your part to make this unique. Get there early and make noise.

I know the hockey game is not on campus, but it is still accessible. Go to the Garden. This will be your chance to watch the best team on campus do their thing.

The NIT stinks. I know we would all rather be in the Big Dance. But the only redeeming aspect of the NIT are the on campus games. Take advantage of this.

I want the athletes to feel your support, but ultimately it isn't about them. It is about making memories...three of them. Go!!!

Please note: I know Hockey needs to win Friday to advance to Saturday night's game.

Show your respect on Wednesday

Thankfully the past few home games have been wins and muted the frustration among the Skinner critics. Unless BC hosts an NIT contest, Wednesday is likely the last home game of the season. With students on Spring Break and Virginia unlikely to generate much bandwagon interest, I don't expect much of a crowd. Another facet of the evening will be "Senior Night" where the school honors Tyler Roche and the student managers.

I don't like to tell people how to behave or who to root for, but I hope fans are respectful Wednesday night. This has been a very disappointing season. I'm a Skinner apologist and I've been frustrated. But that doesn't mean we should air our frustrations publicly. If you have a problem with the basketball team, bring it up with Gene. Boo if you like, buy try not to embarrass the school or yourselves. This is Tyler Roche's night, not ours.

BC fans give the refs some assistance

For those who missed it, here is the clip of a late flag on a pass interference call in the second quarter. The reason it was so late? It came from the stands.

The BC boards are divided about this little incident. Some found it funny (myself included). Others found it classless. I think it was harmless, but don't want to see it become a regular occurrence at homes games.

Marketing that works: Parents Weekend Patsies

As we know the BC season ticket base is relatively fickle. The big games are always packed, but some lesser opponents keep people at their tailgates or even at home. BC cannot play a murder’s row schedule every year, so how do you increase ticket demand for some of the less desirable games? Easy! You pawn them off on BC parents in town for Parents Weekend.

Although I am cynical about this sort of scheduling, it is brilliant in its execution.

Here is why:

1. Parents don’t care who we play. They are in town to see their kids, see the campus, go out to dinner, and sample the BC experience. They hear about the tailgating. They see BC on TV. Now they get a chance to go to a BC game. They are willing to see any game. So it’s not Notre Dame or Clemson. It’s still BC football. And by playing a patsies, a win is highly likely, which sends them home happy.
2. It also serves as our “good for New England game.” When the postseason restrictions on playing FCS programs (fka DIAA) were eased, Gene introduced the good for New England game. He spun that playing a New England DIAA school helped the regions’ football. Like everyone would be talking about the great BC-UNH rivalry if we just played them once every six years. The reality is that we are just playing fodder like all other programs do now. If every college in New England dropped football, we'd still play a FCS opponent. But the bright side of playing the schools in your backyard is that they will actually buy tickets. If we played North-Central Middle of Nowhere State, their fans wouldn’t come. When we play UMass or Northeastern, the stands are full.

So by increasing demand via BC parents and local fans from other schools, BC has made their annual DIAA game an easy sellout.

If BC were the only school playing this type of game, I’d be disappointed. But we were actually behind the curve. When other schools were playing DIAA programs, we were still filling out home dates with the service academies. (In fact if you look back in the '90s, parents weekend games were often against Temple, Rutgers or Army.) Now patsies are just part of a Parents Weekend tradition like Pops on the Heights. Despite my tone, I am not complaining...I am applauding.

To boo or not to boo?

Blaudschun's soap box moment regarding booing has stirred a bit of a debate among the Eagle faithful. I occasionally chide BC fans to do things myself, but I really don't think booing is on poor taste. Swearing loudly and intentionally is poor form. Getting into fights. Hazing opposing fans. Not cool. But booing is fine with me. You are expressing displeasure. I haven't asked, but I bet fans booing on Saturday were pissed at Crane and pissed at the coaching staff for not making a change.

As far as college athletes being off limits from criticism because of their age and amateur status...not buying it. These guys are playing at a high level and receive numerous benefits for their contributions. They sign up for this. And the scrutiny that comes with that -- on and off the field -- is all part of the package.

So if you are upset Saturday, go ahead and boo. At least BC fans are showing a passion for something and are in their seats. You can't boo from a tailgate.

Fashion sense

Memorial Day has come and gone, so now BC fans can wear the following.

And this.

Make a note, you can't wear the suit and pants after the Kent State game.

Show up on Sunday!

WARNING. THE FOLLOWING IS ANOTHER LECTURE FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO CAN BUT DON'T ATTEND THE BASKETBALL GAMES.

Last night's attendance was listed as 5,138. That number seems generous given the photos above were taken eight minutes before tip off. On TV it appeared the crowd arrived late. No doubt this team is struggling and has to fight to get into the NIT, but there is no justification for the lack of support.

If you are current student...go to the games!!! Like my last lecture, you don't realize how much free time you have now. Studying, hanging out, drinking, going out for a Valentine's date...that all could have fit into your schedule WITH the basketball game. This team might not be as good as the ones you've grown accustom to, but they are not far off. They will get better soon. You are missing a golden opportunity to see great basketball, up close, in a potentially great environment for cheap. Go to the games!!! The alternatives are not that great.

If you are a season ticket holder...I won't get on you as much. Work, families, trying to get to campus by seven when the game is on ESPN are all legitimate excuses. But that doesn't let you off the hook. If you have seats -- especially the great ones on the floor -- and are not going to use them, then please get them to someone who will. Friends, family, coworkers. Anyone. Give them away if you have to. I know you bought them to see Duke and UNC. Maybe NC State doesn't excite you. Surely you know someone who would like to go. You bought them for a reason. Now put them to use!

BC plays Virginia this Sunday at 1 PM. A win would put us in the middle of the conference and back on track. Get there early, be loud and take advantage of your proximity. There are thousands of BC fans scattered all of the country who would love to be in your place.

Keep BC out of the Boston backlash

"Who is Kevin Garnett?"

BC’s perfect start is getting lumped in with wave of attention Boston sports are currently getting. With that comes the inevitable backlash. Let me clarify to sports fans who might not know intricacies of the Boston sports scene. BC fans are not exclusively Boston fans and many of the Hub locals have ignored BC for years. There is no BC nation. We are the Palestinians of New England sports. Sure there are plenty of BC fans and students from New England who do live and die with the Red Sox or the Pats, but they are the minority. The majority of BC students and alumni are not from New England. In fact I remember just as many Yankee fans when I was a student.

Belichick doesn't root for the Sox. Why do people assume all BC fans do?

For years the Boston sports fan’s DNA included a fear and pessimism after years of coming up short in painful ways. One World Series and three Super Bowls have mutated that gene into the chest puffing braggarts everyone loathes. BC fans are not part of that…we have come up short over and over. We're No. 2 in the country and still an underdog heading into Virginia Tech.

I bet most of these kids will never see a game at Fenway.

Even the poster boy of the obnoxious Boston fan – Bill Simmons – hates BC. He’s a Holy Cross grad and works in BC digs into his writing almost as often as he drops Jimmy Kimmel’s name. If you are looking for an online example that of BC fans being separate from Boston, look no further than the 700 Level. Enrico runs the premier Philly sports blog and is a BC grad. Even this blogger named YankeeDave supports BC.

Jessica Biel dated a Yankee, goes to Packer games with Timberlake, but is a BC fan at heart.

So if you’re already sick of Boston try not to wish any ill will on BC. We’re not part of the Evil Empire. We’re just a Catholic school trying to make good in the mess that is college football.

Tim Russert is a huge BC fan, loves the Bills and hates the Pats.