The Dennis Clifford Rorschach test

Dennis Clifford's answer to an innocuous press conference question has gone viral. Here is what he said after being asked about his best Boston College memory and and below is a video of the exchange.

“Going out to eat.”

Some are saying this is a sly shot at Chipotle. Some say it is pathetic that his best memory is not basketball related. Some think it is a sad example of how far things have fallen...that he has no good memories on the court. Others think Clifford represents all that sports is about. I really didn't view it as any of that.

In general I try to be on the side of the players in all BC things. Coaches and Administrators come and go, but the players are the actual BC students. Most will graduate and always be Eagles. Even if you are not an athlete there should be something relatable to all these guys to anyone who was ever a student at BC. What Clifford is going to miss and what he most fondly remembers is hanging out with his teammates. It is the hanging around and bonding, teasing, and sharing that goes on during all the times away from the court. Is that any different from any other BC student? Are your strongest memories what you did in the classroom or what you did back in the dorm? Is it your grades or your time in the Dining Hall? If any of you were involved in any sort of club or activity, you know it wasn't the performance or work that made it special, it was the people.

I can barely remember what I did yesterday, but I can vividly remember the stupidest and funniest things I did with my friends and roommates while at BC. Even the stuff I did with WZBC, it often isn't the actual broadcasts I remember, it is the arguments and BSing we did together before and after the shows. And those bonds last. There are BC people who I haven't spoken directly to in years, but one little photo or Facebook notice can open up a flood of great memories. Like everyone else, I am putting a lot into Clifford's simple statement, but I think it is an opinion we would all share.

Flutie and Phelan have an easy answer to their best BC memory, but I bet if you were to get them away from a microphone and talking about BC, it wouldn't be the Hail Mary they talk about. It would be the stuff from the dorm room or the lockeroom that brings it all back. I hope everyone leaves BC or any college with great memories about "going to eat."

Full roster for NC State game?

Contrary to some message board rumors, Dennis Clifford is playing at NC State. Yet in some potentially good news, A.J. Turner and Jerome Robinson did travel with the team and are expected to play. Both were seen in pregame taking part in shoot-arounds against Georgia Tech. Even with some rust or conditioning issues, both would be huge additions.

Regardless of who is healthy and who plays, BC remains an underdog at NC State. But the depth gives Christian a few options and can help in a tight game. Getting a win is the priority, but things are so bad I just want a little hope. Maybe Turner and Robinson can provide it.

More bad basketball

I hope a year from now, we can look back on this time as just an extended growing pain. That is my only hope as we keep watching this version of BC Basketball. Saturday was another ugly loss to Notre Dame. 

One of the things we heard during the Donahue days was that a healthy Dennis Clifford would have made a huge difference. Now that he's getting extended playing time, I think we know things wouldn't have been much different. Clifford had a rough day and got in foul trouble in the first half. 

In the second half no one on the team could buy a shot and their effort (and awareness) on Defense fell apart. Diallo followed Clifford into foul trouble.

I never thought we would go winless in ACC play. Now it feels like an inevitable conclusion to a terrible sports year. 

A philosophical basketball preview

Jim Christian doesn't have a set style. He's not married to any offensive or defensive philosophy that he must stringently implement regardless of his players or opponent. Given his talent this year, that's probably a good thing. If he's smart, he will just give the ball to Olivier Hanlan and get out of the way. 

Hanlan is a versatile offensive player with the requisite skills, speed and build to be a great player. He will be the best player on the court in most of BC's games this year. His talent alone should carry the team to 14 wins. But it is not always that simple. Hanlan couldn't carry last year's team to 14 wins. But the reason for my optimism is that I believe Christian is smart enough to put the pieces together and maximize this group of players.

Hanlan as the offense instead of Hanlan within the offense

For all of our frustrations, Steve Donahue ran a consistently efficient offense. The scheme wasn't dependent on any one player and allowed flexibility in tempo that should have enabled BC to compete with anyone. We know it didn't. But not only did the team not win enough, there were many times where it felt like the movement and patience restricted what the players could be. Think of how many first halfs we had where Hanlan was a non-factor. He would start the offense but never see the ball again. He could drive to the basket at will, yet instead we would eat clock looking to move the ball around the perimeter. In this new era I expect Christian to allow the players more freedom. Hanlan can score if it is there. The offense will also start with him driving and creating instead of waiting. The offense won't be as statistically efficient, but the mindset and aggressiveness should help in the win-loss column. 

The other guys will get their moments, but it will be as complimentary players off of pick and rolls or kick outs. And as long as they adapt and understand, they should be fine.

Defense, defense and more defense

Christian is also not some defensive whiz, but we cannot get any worse. There was very little effort or emphasis put on defense in the old regime. Now practices are defensively focused. Now guys like Owens and Brown will get minutes based off of their D. And then there is Dennis Clifford. Even if he will never be what he once was, he hasn't shrunk. Adding a legit 7-footer will impact rebounding and other teams' ability to score in the paint. Clifford wouldn't have been enough to save Donahue's job, but he will make Christian's life easier this season.

Survival instinct

When I was underwhelmed by the Christian hire, I wrote that he feels like a place holder. He's never been anywhere that long and seems like he has limited upside. My thoughts on him haven't really changed, but I think he is the type of guy who will work in this transition year. He's not looking to build something long-term. He doesn't do long-term (he even transferred during his playing days). He's a pragmatic basketball guy who will put the pieces together and install enough basics that our team will be consistently competitive and never terrible. Is that the type of program that will win championships or inspire fans? Probably not, but he's smart enough to keep getting hired. And if he wants to be marketable after BC, then it will be about letting Hanlan, a few transfers and some flawed big men do what it takes.

On the change in attitude and defense alone, I think BC wins 14 games. If Hanlan really gets going we could be .500. If I am wrong about Christian's upside (and even Clifford's upside) then maybe we become a bubble team. Regardless, I just hope for a fun season.

Mihalik & Keyes awarded ACC accolades and other links

Brian Mihalik was named Defensive Lineman of the Week and Josh Keyes received the Co-Linebacker of the Week award from the ACC.  Both had big games on Saturday.  Keyes notched double-digit tackles for the first time in his career.  We will need that continued effort on Saturday to stop Clemson.


Keyes and Hayley Dowd were named Eagles of the Week by BC.


Eric Hoffses has been providing some information about the basketball team's practices including a glimpse of how Dennis Clifford looks on the court.  All reports are that practices are intense and that Christian is working the team hard.  This Q&A with Patrick Heckmann touches a little on that and on his efforts to improve his defensive game this year.


Coach York has received a pledge from a class of 2018 recruit, TJ Walsh.  A lot can happen between now and 2018, but it's good to see that a strong recruiting pipeline is being built into the future.

Note to Media covering BC: Stop using Dennis Clifford

This topic is starting to get a dead horse vibe, but after last night's broadcast I felt like Ellis' points shouldn't go unchallenged. Is this team better with Clifford? Yes. Would he have made a difference this year? Yes. But BC's inability to protect the rim or have in inside presence is on Steve Donahue and his staff.

Dennis Clifford's injury issues go back to November 2012. He was a seven footer in a boot and doing water workouts in December 2012. I am not a doctor, but even a casual basketball fan can rattle off the big men who were slow to recover from lower body injuries. And with each injury, Dennis Clifford's recoveries took longer. That should have been a huge red flag to Donahue and his staff. They never should have counted on Dennis Clifford to ever be 100% again. Did they recruit a big man during the 2012-13 cycle? Only very late in the process when they picked up Will Magarity. I was thrilled about Magarity. I knew his game was different from Clifford's but I thought he would at least give us size on D. Yet he hasn't played significant minutes. Is is because he's not good defensively? Is it because the offense is less efficient with him? I don't know. But the failure to use him or have him serviceable is on the coaching staff.

Now if Dennis Clifford were truly the missing piece to this team, then you would expect that the staff would be turning over every rock they could to find another serviceable big man. We have at least one scholarship this year. Yet we are not in play with anyone of note. That is failure. The whole team is coming back next year. If Donahue really believes it is all about having a defensive big man, then why hasn't he locked one up?

Clifford to redshirt

#BostonCollege C Dennis Clifford will miss the rest of the season and will be apply for a medical redshirt, according to HC Steve Donahue.
— Tom Layman (@Tom_Layman) January 17, 2014

Dennis Clifford's short season is already over. He will not play again this year and apply for a  medical redshirt. While this is disappointing for him and the team, I still think it is best. The season is already a mess and while I think his brief appearance showed he might have made a difference, there isn't much to play for.

Big men with feet and leg issues are always an concern in basketball. I don't know if more time off will ever help Clifford regain his old form and reach his potential. I also don't know if his prior issues are tied to his current ankle pain. But more time off might help. Clifford sitting also helps adjust the roster and scholarship distribution.

I hope the time off helps Clifford. We can't count on him ever being 100% but he could be a useful player to the next two BC Basketball teams.

Reading into the Town Hall

Prior to the basketball game, Brad Bates held a "Town Hall." But before it even began he said the meeting wasn't to talk about the season, the coaching, or recruiting. He didn't have the same restrictions when he held the football "Town Hall." I don't blame Bates. He cannot say a coaching change is coming. It wouldn't be right for him to throw his current coach under the bus in a forum like this and he also doesn't want to waste any credibility by making excuses or lying about how he feels. I wasn't there (obviously) but I can read into it just like anyone else. Not defending Donahue or even entertaining criticism verifies all the talk I've heard about Donahue being done.

As for the game, that didn't help Donahue's case either. BC lost a close game to Clemson, but it was only after BC dug out of a big hole in the first half. Hanlan had a chance to tie things but couldn't. The biggest news was the Dennis Clifford played. He looked decent in his 12 minutes. Maybe he will contribute more as the season goes on. I hope he does, since his redshirt is gone.

More bad news on Clifford

It doesn't look like Dennis Clifford is going to save the season. The 7-footer continues to battle knee pain and the recovery from his surgeries is behind schedule. 

Prior to the season, I wanted Clifford to redshirt. I thought BC had enough depth to manage without him and that a full year off might help him finally get healthy. The redshirt would have helped roster balance too. 

Now that the season and Donahue's tenure are on the ropes, I really want Clifford to sit. Sure the team could use him, but by the time he is ready we could be in such a hole that his eligibility would all be wasted. Even in survival mode, I hope that Donahue and his staff consider Clifford's long-term potential when deciding how to manage him this season. 

Spitballing basketball stuff

Just a few random thoughts on basketball...

It is a few days old, but there was some good news out of the BC's private scrimmage with St. Joseph's. Although we trailed when it was starters vs starters, BC won the event and made 14 3-pointers. That type of output should be very exciting. If it is a sample of our mindset we are going to cause every team we play problems. I know chucking 3s is not foolproof. However, if teams clamp down on us, we know Hanlan can penetrate and score at the basket. It should also open up things for Anderson. Maybe this really is Donahue's chance to go "all in." We've got a super tough schedule and an experienced team and an AD who didn't hire him. Why not try to shoot the lights out every night? What's the worse thing that could happen?

...

One rotation guy who is not a shooter is freshman Garland Owens. BC's been a bad defensive team for a long time now. Having one good energy/defensive wing like Owens is not going to change that. But as long as Owens can help slow down the other team's best player, we can go without his offense. 

...

I always seem to come back around to Dennis Clifford, but he's still such an unknown. When thinking about Darryl Hicks' likely redshirt, I started thinking that a Clifford redshirt is probably a good idea too. This team has an effective big man in Magarity. It looks like we will have enough depth and offense and we know Clifford is not going to be healthy enough to start the season. Instead of rushing him back, why not let him sit the whole season and get 100% healthy. It is a move that would certainly benefit Dennis. He could recuperate and hopefully regain his old form. It think it would also help our scholarship distribution. A healthy 5th year Clifford could lead a team after the departure of Anderson and Jackson and others. The only drawback is losing him in this critical season. I am not doctor or basketball coach, so this may be premature or plain dumb (probably both). I just think sitting him is the best long-term decision for Clifford and Donahue.

Will the Dennis Clifford story have a happy ending?

Eric Hoffses broke the news that Clifford is going to have minor surgeries in the next few weeks and may redshirt. All of us who follow BC Basketball have been hedging on Clifford ever making a full recovery. At this point I am not worried about the upcoming season. Fortunately the team is built in a way that they can succeed with or without him (obviously with him is preferred). Whatever happens with Donahue is also now independent of Clifford. After all, he is just one player. My real concern at this point is Dennis.

Clifford always seemed too good to be true. A local, late bloomer (most had him pegged as an Ivy League level player), Clifford just got better after committing to BC. Here was a true seven-footer who moved well, had strength and good offensive skills. He was set to be our best big man since Bill Curley. Who knows what will happen now.

I hope that whatever happens with his surgery or redshirt, Clifford gets better. Not for the team but so he can be the player he was meant to be.

Magarity commits. Is he the final piece?

6'11 Swedish F/C Bill Magarity committed to BC Wednesday. He is eligible to play immediately. While not a program changer, Magarity was a nice pick up late in the process and gives BC some much needed depth on the front line. Magarity also raises expectations too.

Prior to the signing, everyone was hedging on BC's potential progress this year. The narrative had been established. Our scorers are all returning but "no one knows what BC can get out of Dennis Clifford." It is hard to win in the ACC under any circumstances, but when your lone 7-footer is hobbled, you cannot expect to be an elite team. Now BC has another big man. Magarity might not be as impactful as a healthy Clifford, but he fits Donahue's prototype (shooter first, high hoops IQ) and can at least put a body on the opposing team's big men. BC now has a upperclass led team, two elite players in Hanlan and Anderson, they can go big or small, Donahue now has a nearly full roster of scholarship players he recruited, and the team has depth at every position. There are no holes. I don't think BC's roster is loaded, but we have more depth than half the programs in the conference.

I've never doubted Donahue's work ethic or Xs & Os. The unknowns were more about building an ACC level program. I think he now has an ACC roster that fits his schemes. This is a tournament team now and if this team struggles, there are no more excuses.

Basketball blows a chance at a big win

BC showed a lot of heart tonight. I also think they outplayed and outcoached Miami for most of the game. Yet here we are with another loss. You can call it growing pains, but I think it was just bad decisions and a little bad luck via the refs. Here are my thoughts:

Likes

-- Dennis Clifford's hustle and defense. He earned the "C" on his jersey tonight. He's playing smart and moving better and had a real difference against a big team like Miami. I know he won't be 100% this season, but spurts like this would be huge for BC.

-- Hanlan driving. In my opinion he didn't drive enough. Good things happen when he goes to the hoop and he has great touch with his floater.

-- The gameplan. The pace probably wasn't where we wanted it, but defensively we were smart and well prepared. On offense we got plenty of open shots against a long team.

Dislikes

-- Hekmann's decisions. I know he is my whipping boy but tonight he earned his rep. He passed up shots and missed the ones he took. 

-- Playing Rahon as much as we did. He wasn't playing well and had trouble moving and then made a turnover late. I know it was a borderline call, but does he even pick up his dribble if he is not hurt?

-- Missing foul shots. It wasn't just about Hanlan's miss at the end. The other misses were in a sense as costly.

ICYMI: Jags and other links from the past few days

More positive press about Jags' work at Ave Maria. He's saying all the right things and I hope his story has a happy ending.

Earlier this week the basketball team announced that Dennis Clifford had been elected team captain. I always find these things telling. In my opinion, it means Clifford's teammates are expecting a breakout season from the big man.

CBS thinks our best case basketball season would end with an NIT bid.

Hockey picked up a big road win at Maine.

Basketball picks up a win in Spain

The basketball team bounced back from their Monday loss, to defeat Real Canoe Madrid on Tuesday. If you watch the clip above it will reinforce many of the stereotypes you probably have about European basketball. It doesn't look like anyone is playing defense. But I love the way BC moved the ball. There is a crispness and a pace that shows how far the young guys have come. I think when ACC play begins, we will be much improved and finally play at Donahue's desired tempo. I also like that we held them scoreless for more than six minutes. That sort of defensive commitment is key to improvement this year.

Ryan Anderson posted his second blog for BCeagles.com and Dennis Clifford wrote his second blog for the Heights.

Basketball team embraces new media on Spain trip

Who cares if the games don't count or the major media outlets are not there? BC basketball is providing its own wall-to-wall coverage of their trip to Spain. 

Coach Donahue, Assistant Woody Kampmann, and Video Coordinator Dan McDermott tweeted pictures of the team in and around Madrid. 

BCeagles.com has a photo gallery of Day 1 and a Ryan Anderson diary. Anderson even admitted to being a typical American and sneaking a McDonald's stop into his day. The Heights has Dennis Clifford blogging about the trip too. 

The best place to keep track of the comings and goings is probably the Official Basketball team's twitter account. Let's hope the games go as well as the first day did.

Still drinking the Donahue Kool-Aid

BC lost an ugly game to NC State in the first round of the ACC Tournament today. The loss wrapped up BC's worst season in 14 years. It was the type of season that makes you question everything. Yet I am really optimistic about the future. I really believe in Steve Donahue.

The guy can coach...
Basketball can be a tough sport too coach. I always preferred college coaches who found the right players, gave them the right system and then let them play. I think too many coaches overmanage a game. I think Donahue is one of those rare college guys who can make in game adjustments without confusing his players and throwing his lineup out the window. I don't always love his decisions (like his willingness to deemphasize offensive boards in exchange for better transition defense) but you know that they are well thought out, backed up by stats and for the most part worked.

I like our talent...
These guys looked skinny and confused, but there is obvious talent and basketball skill there. Dennis Clifford moves well and has really good post moves for someone his size. As he matures, those skills combined with his height will make him a very good college basketball player. Ryan Anderson has a really good offensive skill set. At little more strength and he'll be All ACC. Lonnie Jackson's upside is more limited, but what he does can be very valuable to a good team. Heckmann is a big unknown. But if he returns, stays healthy and gets stronger, he can also be a very good ACC player. The remaining guys are solid enough and can be good role players on a winning team. Another season together will make a huge difference for all of these players.

Donahue is a hard worker. He's smart. His players seem smart. The biggest challenge he and the players will have is the patience to keep improving together. Losing will wear on everyone. Being together all the time will either create a closeness or resentment. I am predicting the former. The summer trip to Spain should only help.

Donahue's made some mistakes and I think he's got to make some assessments of his approach. But we are on the right path. Pass the Kool-Aid!

Basketball Previews: Meet Dennis Clifford

Steve Donahue said that when he first saw Dennis Clifford, he thought to himself: "he could be a really good Ivy League player." When you are the coach at Cornell that's a great endorsement. When you are the coach at BC, that's the ultimate backhanded compliment. Yet here we are, weeks away from the season and all everyone is talking about is Dennis Clifford. It could be that Donahue's first official BC recruit might turn out to be the biggest surprise. Clifford might turn out to be a really good ACC player. But before we get too far ahead, let's look at where he came from and where he might go.

Then
One of the reasons Clifford didn't generate much high level interest was his level of competition. He played at Milton Academy and AAU ball with the Bay State Magic.

But you cannot teach nor hide height. He is a legitimate 7-footer. That was going to get attention eventually. Clifford is also a decent shooter and has good post moves.

Now
Since Donahue's megaclass hit campus all the talk has been about Clifford. People have been surprised by his agility and how well he moves for a 7-footer. His skill set is stronger than expected. He can play inside and move outside to knock down shots.

But we've heard about plenty of Power Gym superstars before. Clifford is still raw and still untested against elite ACC bigmen. Even if he becomes a good ACC player, he won't be one in three weeks. He'll still be a tall, developing freshman.

The future
I expect Clifford to have an uneven freshman year. He'll have huge defensive assignments and if he shows any offensive skills, he will certainly be the other team's focus.

BC and Donahue obviously have faith in Clifford. They brought him to the ACC media day. We also don't have many bigs so he's going to get serious minutes this year. Who knows if he'll ever be more than a good ivy league player, but it should be fun to watch him develop.