Lynch's gift creates another new opportunity for BC

I occasionally whine about our fanbase and bemoan that we are lacking in big sports boosters. But I don't mind that we don't have our own version of T. Boone Pickens as long as we have guys like Peter Lynch. For those who didn't see it, Lynch just gifted BC $20 million to start a new "academy" aimed at teaching leadership to young educators moving onto jobs in the Boston area.

When I give my measly amount to BC each year, I never designate how I want it spent. I figure it is the Board's job to decide that. If I had Lynch's money I would probably give more specific demands on how it should be spent. I just hope that I would spend it in the right way. Maybe instead of getting the football team a private jet, I could just ask Lynch what he would do.

Bicknell honors his father and other links

Bob Bicknell is now coaching with Buffalo and credits his father for most of his success. I hope the Bicknell's patch things up with BC, because it was nice have Jack SR back around when Jack JR was on Jags' staff.

I didn't note this early in the week, but BC announced the newest members of our Hall of Fame. Congrats to all those who were honored.

HD considers Kuechly the 14th most important player in the ACC. Rivals considers him the 78th most important in their 100.

Jamie Silva is hosting his football camp next week in Rhode Island.

Ryan Glasper is trying to catch on with Connecticut's UFL team.

One of Phil Steele's formulas has us going 11-1 this season.

Davies is the US's biggest supporter

Lost in the excitement and controversy surrounding one of the best games in the history of US Soccer, is that the Americans are playing without one of their top goal scorers, BC guy Charlie Davies. Given all he's been through (horrific car accident, hard recovery, followed by disappointing cut from the US team) no one would blame Davies if he chose to keep a low profile and deal with the emotions of this all by himself. Fortunately for us, he's not. He's out in front cheering on his teammates and country men. We obviously miss his skills, but I think the team misses his spirit, hence the flat openings. Hopefully Charlie's cheering section will send positive vibes to the boys for the rest of their run.

If you are on twitter, be sure to follow Charlie during the World Cup and on his continued recovery.

Know your likely BC bowls: Sun Bowl

Since we know BC will never be selected for the top bowls, the only options are playing our way into the Orange or getting sent down to the afterthought bowls. The ACC has some new bowl affiliations this year, so I thought we should take the time to learn about our likely destinations. This will be a series of posts over the summer. Part II is the Sun Bowl.

Bowl: Brut Sun Bowl
Named Sponsor: Brut -- the men's deodorant and aftershave company. BC guy alums from the '90s will have to confirm this, but I think we got a sample of Brut deodorant in one of those welcome boxes from when you check into the dorms. I know they threw in Right Guard at times too, but I think Brut was part of it because I had an unused travel size Brut stick rolling around in my stuff for ages. As for sponsorship, Brut is fine, I guess. We've had so many random companies associated with our games, what's wrong with a company dedicated to making guys smell good?
History: The Sun Bowl has a great history. It is the fourth oldest and continuous bowl and has a strong payout of $1.9M. Although the early games attracted regional teams, many of college football's biggest programs like Alabama, Oklahoma and USC have played in the game. Because of its age and history the Sun Bowl has always had decent TV coverage and time slots.
Opposing Conference: Pac 10. The Pac 10's got good depth yet their fans don't travel. So if we end up in the Sun, we will face a good team in front of a truly neutral crowd. Not bad.
Date: December 31, 2010. The game will be on CBS at 2 PM ET. December 31st day games are not bad, since they won't encroach on anyone's New Year's Eve plans.
Location: El Paso, Texas. Of all the places to go, El Paso is not a bad spot. It has a unique feel, will have decent weather and there is good golf and other things to do. In most years, El Paso would be a fun place to spend New Year's. In the past, those looking for a little fun, something wild, etc could always cross the border for the night. Now...not so much. All that violence you read about in Mexico is butting right up against the border, taking some of the cheesy charm out of El Paso. The real downside to El Paso is that it is hard to get to...even if you are in Texas. El Paso is closer to Phoenix than it is to Dallas. There are very few direct flights from the east so most Eagles will probably have to connect through Chicago, Dallas or Atlanta.
Fun Fact: The Sun Bowl takes place in the Sun Bowl Stadium and is only half a mile from the Rio Grande. The stadium also looks cool on TV as it is built into a hill.
Prediction: The ACC Championship game loser cannot fall below the Sun Bowl, so there is a very real chance we could play here. I actually don't think it is a bad spot -- nice little history, a unique destination, potentially interesting opponent. I just fear that no BC fans will make it to the game. I don't think I could swing it. If the ACC keeps its affiliation with the Sun Bowl, we will end up there eventually but probably not this season.

Things still uncertain in our old home

The surprising thing about the conference shuffle is that you didn't see many posts or articles calling for BC to rejoin the Big East. The "BC back to the Big East" meme is a favorite of the old timers in the media and the spitballing Big East bloggers. This time around everyone assumed the Big East was going to collapse, so BC moving back wasn't even relevant. And it now appears that BC is in a stable, protected conference at least until the next TV contract. Our old conference, the Big East, remains in turmoil. Here is an excellent State of the Conference from USF bloggers Voodoo Five (HT BCI). I feel sorry for Pitt, Syracuse and even Rutgers. They were all poised for bigger and better things and now are back in conference purgatory. The ACC is not perfect, but it's home.

Know your likely BC bowls: Independence Bowl

Since we know BC will never be selected for the top bowls, the only options are playing our way into the Orange or getting sent down to the afterthought bowls. The ACC has some new bowl affiliations this year, so I thought we should take the time to learn about our likely destinations. This will be a series of posts over the summer. Part I is the Independence Bowl.

Bowl: AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl
Named Sponsor: AdvoCare V100. Advocare is a over the counter multivitamin and mineral supplement. Their current claim to fame is that they are not banned by the NCAA! I would hope not. I am guessing the bowl goodie bag will be filled with powders and vitamins that you can only find at GNC. This is a sponsor any Strength and Conditioning coach should love.
History: The Independence Bowl has a fairly decent history. It has been played since 1976 and is the 9th oldest in college football. Although it has never been a major bowl, some of college football's elite programs have made stops in Shreveport along the way, including Notre Dame, Washington, LSU, Georgia and Nebraska.
Opposing Conference: The Mountain West. So we could likely see some teams we have played in recent years like BYU or Colorado State.
Date: Monday, December 27 at 4:30 pm. That's a tough slot to make for anyone. I don't think I would be able to swing it. Fortunately the game is on ESPN.
Location: Shreveport, Louisiana. Let me first state that the goal of this series is not to mock the bowl hosts. That said, Shreveport is a really bad spot for a bowl game. It is hard to get to for most fans on the east coast. It has the chance to be real cold during the game. There are some historical sites to check out and a collection of third-rate casinos, but that's about it. It is not like you could even stay in New Orleans and drive to the game -- they are 400 miles apart.
Not so Fun Fact: Last year when Georgia played in the Independence Bowl, the strip clubs in Shreveport were advertising on the Atlanta sports radio stations...so we have that to look forward to.
Prediction: We are going to the Independence Bowl. I will publish the whole series and hope for an ACC championship, but I think we end of here regardless of our record.

Dust settles on conference expansion for now

Since Texas is staying put, it looks like the conference shake up business is settling down. A few mid majors might move to fill out slots in the Pac 10 or Big XII, but BC is not going anywhere. This is really the best news we could have hoped for. We are part of an ACC with a better TV deal and can continue to grow our ACC roots. If anything, the what if game just reaffirmed we are where we belong. The thought of playing West Virginia again or UConn annually seemed to upset most BC fans (it did this one). The ACC is not perfect and I don't think we will ever be appreciated there, but it is our home...for now.

So how long will this peace last? I only see two things that could force BC's hand.

1. Notre Dame decides to join a conference. This would have a ripple effect across the whole landscape. If the Irish ever decide to join a conference, you can be sure that BC would be rumored to follow. If they went to the Big Ten we would be listed as an appeasement (Catholic, private, rival). If they went to the Big East you would hear talk of us "coming home."

2. The BCS conferences break away from the NCAA. I think the issue is too complicated because of the non-revenue sports. But if the NCAA starts a DIA playoff, you know the BCS conferences would talk of doing their own thing.

Bringing a horn to the Heights

Watching the World Cup sparked an idea. Next season the Super Fans should start blowing vuvuzelas when the other team is on offense. I know this would annoy most of the stadium. The down in front, whale pants crowd would be in an uproar. But the student section filled with the cheap plastic horns could finally give BC a unique home field advantage. Mississippi State fans bang cow bells all game. This could be our thing...yet with only a more international and obnoxious flair. As the BC's jumbotron used to say "Signal Deafening Noise!"

Just when I think I am done, media fires up Big Ten talk

I don't think BC will ever get a Big Ten invite, but it has to be mentioned that today three different articles all picked BC as the best candidate for the Big Ten. Interestingly two of the articles are built on the idea that Notre Dame would be the 13th Big Ten team and we would be their "partner" at 14. Who says that only BC fans consider this a rivalry.

First this short bit from the Courier Post in south Jersey.

The school to go after would be Boston College.

That would bring the Boston TV market to the Big Ten Network and add an instant rivalry. In addition to Notre Dame-Michigan, Notre Dame-Michigan St. and Notre Dame-Purdue, you’d also have Notre Dame-Boston College. And remember, Penn State-Notre Dame has had its moments, too.

Then there was this profile from an Iowa paper. Every one keeps mentioning the academics, but I think that aspect is overblown. If the Big Ten was making decisions based purely on academics they would have invited Mizzou before Nebraska.

This article is all about Notre Dame, but sees BC as a key chip in luring the Irish in.

The conference would then add a 14th school - I vote for Boston College, which would draw the Boston market and add a natural rivalry to entice Notre Dame - and be done with expansion. No need to add Rutgers, Maryland or Missouri if Notre Dame is already on board.

As I keep saying, we are not going to the Big Ten, but it is refreshing to hear BC praised. At times it feels like we are unappreciated in the ACC.

Will probation impact USC in 2013, 2014?

I've been focusing on the conference realignments, so I haven't mentioned the NCAA's sanctions against Southern Cal. The Trojans were hit with a two-year bowl ban and a 30 scholarship reduction (spread over three years). Although USC leadership was whining about the bowl bans, the scholarship issues will be more impactful. But how impactful is the question. Will it even matter by the time we play USC in 2013 and 2014? Let's look at the two most similar cases and how long it took the powers to recover.

Alabama
Hit with scholarship reduction beginning in 2002
2002 record: 10-3
2003 record: 4-9
2004 record: 6-6
2005 record: 10-2

Miami
Hit with scholarship reduction beginning in 1996

1996 record: 9-3
1997 record: 5-6
1998 record: 9-3
1999 record: 9-4

As you can see, the second year has been when the programs bottom out. By that time most of your experienced talent has graduated and your less talented and smaller recruiting classes are more important to the program.

Using the same patter for USC, you would have to expect the 2010 season to be solid with the worst of it coming in 2011. By the time we play them in 2013 they should be back on the upswing. But I do have one caveat in all of this -- I don't think much of Lane Kiffin as a coach. I don't see him as the type that will 1) see this out and stay at USC, 2) have the plan in place to return them to the Carroll glory days.

Regardless of how good they are or who the coach is, I still plan on making the trip out to see BC in the Coliseum. Let's hope the Trojans troubles make for easy wins for BC.

More conference shake up thoughts

With Colorado officially in the Pac 10 and Nebraska all but certain to join the Big Ten, the national game of musical chairs has begun. Although rarely mentioned, BC is a player in all of this. We have a great (yet not threatening) combination of TV/sports/academics. We have ties to the ACC, the Big East and Notre Dame. BC would be a nice piece to any conference, but where will we land? Here is my speculation and thoughts on some of the players and issues at hand.

BC to the Big Ten?
While this is not a strong rumor like "Rutgers to the Big Ten" or "Mizzou to the Big Ten" there are still some whispers about it. If the Big Ten wants to reach that deep into the northeast and hit up as many TV homes as possible, I could see their interest. But I think the Big Ten will approach at least five other schools before they come to BC. If the Big Ten did approach BC, I think we would have to go. The money alone is reason enough, but the long term security of being in the premiere athletic conference makes sense. However, I wonder if our leadership would be willing to go down that path again...

Father Leahy and Gene D
I don't know if many BC fans understand the personal and professional pain Father Leahy and Gene went through during the ACC expansion. They both bet their careers and legacies on the move. They were vilified in public by supposed friends and former colleagues and were sued personally. We and they are fortunate it all worked out. Now it is time again for more politically jockeying and backroom dealing. Are these two still game? If BC were to do something bold like ditch the ACC for the Big Ten, we would look like the biggest money hungry, disloyal school in the country? And Gene would be called every greed inspired insult in the book. I don't think this will become an issue since I don't think the Big Ten will come calling, but our leadership and their willingness to play ball this time around is a factor.

Where do we want to be?
I think given all that could happen, BC would prefer to stay in the ACC in its present configuration. If the ACC falls apart or starts to seriously lag behind the other conferences in revenue, then things could change.

ESPN, The SEC and The ACC
The only way the ACC falls apart is if the SEC raids the conference. As regular readers know, I feared raid as recently as this week. Now not as much. This is all speculation on my part, but I think the logic holds. SEC Commissioner Mike Slive has admitted that their deal with ESPN does allow for more money if the SEC expands. But I imagine ESPN must have protected itself with a provision regarding who they would be willing to pay more for. You have to assume ESPN is not willing to pay a premium for content it already has. So I could see why they would pay more if the SEC secured Texas or Texas A&M. ESPN doesn't have an all inclusive deal with the Big 12, so those programs would be considered new content. However, the ACC and ESPN are already in bed together. ESPN owns it all. Why would they suddenly be willing to pay more for FSU or Miami? Surely they won't let the SEC hold them up like that. Also, ESPN's new deal with the ACC is indirect incentive for the network to keep the ACC whole. If the ACC is raided, ESPN's ACC inventory would be in jeopardy. The Pac 16 and Big 10 have or will have their own cable networks. They are independent of ESPN. There are no other players out there for ESPN to "partner" with. For better or worse, the SEC, ACC and ESPN are all intertwined. If they SEC expands now, I don't see it being at the ACC and ESPN's expense.

If the ACC is raided
Then we are back looking at a leftover conference filled with the remnants of the Big East, Big 12 and ACC. This would probably still be a BCS conference, but it would lack in geographic, institutional, historic and economic relevancy. This would probably be the worst case scenario, but we would survive. We could potentially be a big fish in this small pond, but the money and marketing lost would hurt the athletic department long term.

What do I think will happen
The situations keep changing, but right now I actually think the ACC will be okay. I think we stay at 12 teams and don't lose any members. I don't know how long that will last, but my guess is another five years. Eventually a playoff will come and things will get reshuffled again.

Larmond ready to step up and other links

HD gave BC some more pub...this time with a feature on Colin Larmond Jr. HD is right in that Larmond will be a focal point of the offense next year. I think his upside is huge, but he will need a lot of help. First from Shinskie who will have to start looking off of him on occasion (in order to free him up -- if that makes sense). He will also need his fellow WRs to step up. If he is the only option other teams will key on him all day.

Brady Heslip has made his decision and will transfer to Baylor. Good luck to him, but this whole thing still seems like such a waste.

People keep talking about our easy schedule yet no one is considering the fact that Duke and UVA might be better than the experts think.

Pat Dean was excited about being drafted and now must decided if he signs or comes back to BC.

BC and ND renew deal and what it means

Some good offseason news as BC and Notre Dame agreed to a six-game extension of our Catholic rivalry. This is big news for BC and for college football.

The BC angle
Despite this game being the most popular among our fanbase, Gene D was willing to walk away from the series due to Notre Dame's demands. We would not sign up for a lopsided series (i.e. 4 ND home games vs 3 BC home games). We entertained Notre Dame's desire for neutral site games but once again weren't willing to do it on just their terms. In this arrangement, the series continues with a few breaks in '13-14 and '17. All articles leave the door open for games beyond 2019. Although part of me dreads the Notre Dame fixation among some BC fans, congratulations are in order to the Athletic Department for pulling this off. By securing the series, the Irish help solidify our out of conference schedule, give the program that added emotional boost, and grow our history and rivalry with the only other Catholic school playing FBS football.

The College Football Angle
The commitment to BC is just one more indicator that Notre Dame is not joining the Big Ten any time soon. Would they be signing these future deals (that come with penalties if they are broken) if they were going to join the Big Ten this summer? If the Irish don't join a conference, then the Big Ten might go to 16 teams and start a chain of events that shakes up even the ACC.

I cannot tell you what the college football landscape will be like in 2019. I cannot tell you the state of BC football in 2019. I can tell you we will be playing Notre Dame -- and for better or worse -- that is all most BC fans care about.

Herzy's health (and hair)

The real news of the day was Herzy telling reporters his leg was "80% to 85%" percent back. There was also a nice feature on Mark in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Friday (thanks to George for the link). Now that it looks like Mark has turned the corner, can we move onto the frivolous? Look at that picture above. Does that look like a bad-ass, cancer-beating, All America Linebacker? He looks like he got off early from his summer internship at a Law Firm. Or he's a young Financial Analyst whose office goes casual on summer Fridays. I am glad he has his hair back. I just think it is time for a return of the mohawk! Would it be that weird for him to wear the eyeblack when in public? I don't care that it is hot or summer time -- get the beard back ASAP! Quarterbacks wear light blue polos and hang out with their mothers. You're on defense, Mark! I know...I know. These guys are different...Kuechly wears Clark Kent glasses...Mark goes by Sandon in class...they all study and graduate...blah blah blah. That's nice. But that's not what I think we need. Put the polo back in the closet. Take some clippers to some of those nice new curls and get in kick ass mode. Summer practices are just around the corner. Go BC and beat cancer!

Baseball features, expansion news and other links

Three different BC baseball players were featured in various articles this weekend...

Mickey Wiswall is hoping to get drafted high and see it followed by a good offer. While I would love to see him come back for his SR year, you can't blame these kids for taking the money. School will always be there. You never know when the injury bug could hit.

John Spatola's rise to major league prospect was a little less predictable, but he is also hoping to get drafted and get a shot with some team.

Andrew Del Colle is hoping to end his tough luck cycle this summer in the NECBL summer league.

This article does not focus on BC but it was too good for me not to highlight. It's Yahoo's Dan Wetzel exposing the stupidity and hypocrisy of the BCS and how the participants leave hundreds of millions of dollars on the table by not having a playoff. I haven't harped on it lately but Gene should have been a leader in the playoff push long ago. BC has never and will never benefit from the current bowl system. The playoff only would have gained momentum if BCS participants were driving the conversation. BCS schools who were not benefiting from the BCS should have been leading the charge. Instead we find ourselves waiting for dominoes to fall again...not knowing what the future brings.

Evan Ravenel had a solid season last year, but not the break out performance we had hoped for. His transfer, while a disappointment, was not a surprise. Where he is transferring is a surprise! Evan will move on to Ohio State. I wish him luck and hope he does well. At least he is going to a strong program in a solid conference.

Sailors honored and other links

A day after winning the Coed National Championship, BC sailors Tyler Sinks and Taylor Canfield were named All-Americans. Congrats to both.

A Patriots blogger recapped the Tom Brady event that saw Herzy intercept the three-time Super Bowl winner.

Just when we were getting to know Quinton Alston, he ups and commits to Pitt. It must have been the tour.

Behind the Scenes of BC recruiting tour

New Jersey LB Quinton Alston is one of BC's recruiting targets for the 2011 class. He already has an offer in hand and has made an unofficial visit. Fortunately for us, his mother is documenting the process and posted a video of their day at BC. There is music but no speaking so you can't hear what was said, but from the order and the shots you can tell what BC emphasizes. You'll also pick up on how important the GAs are in the process since they are doing a lot of the escorting. Overall, I think Yawkey, Alumni and the campus show pretty well.

Kickoff times and other links

We now know the scheduled kickoff times for our first two games. The first game against Weber St. is 1PM and will be on ESPN3 (formerly ESPN 360). Once we knew we would open against Weber State, ESPN3 seemed inevitable. What a wasted opportunity to give Herzy the showcase and tribute his comeback deserves. Surprisingly the Kent State game will be on TV. It will kickoff at 3:30 on ESPN U. That should actually be a fun game considering the midday start and good weather we usually have in September. Assuming we start 2-0, Virginia Tech has a good chance to be a prime time game. Notre Dame will also be on TV. The rest of our TV schedule will then depend on our record, ranking and opponent.

Our sailing dominance continued as the team won the Coed National Championship. We cannot be stopped on the water!

Here is Goodman's roundup of the ACC.

Eagle Action posted Part 1 of their annual Q&A with Gene. Not much news so far but he does discuss expansion's impact on the conference.

You can watch Southern Pigskin's preview of BC below.

Reloading on D and other links

This might be one of the better things HD has written this offseason. She takes a look at defensive consistency and notes how well we've done over the past six years. Obviously Spaz deserves the lion's share of credit for that. But it is nice to think we can "reload" each year regardless of who we lost the prior season. Plus I don't think we'll ever have to recover from a Brace/Raji/Herzy like loss again.

Finally a Steele stat where we are in the Top 10 -- career oline starts.

Rivals considers Montel Harris the 96th best player in college. No explanation of their methods or reasoning. I don't really take these silly things as slights but I have a feeling we are going to surprise a lot of people again.

Marcellus Bowman is off to Canada to play in the CFL with Winnipeg. Many BC guys have had nice careers up north. Best of luck to him.

You may have read this already, but Herzy is healthy enough to play in Tom Brady's charity flag football game.

Cory Schneider got a new deal in Vancouver.

Recruiting update and other links

Local Tight End Anthony Fabiano is getting more and more interest from BC and hoping to turn it into an official offer. Spaz's guys are also very interested in Ohio DE Jack Miller.

HD included Herzy in her ranking of ACC players at 25 (the lowest position for anyone ranked). I understand the hedging on Mark's impact...most previews are doing it. But at this point you have to assume a bigger impact. This guy was the ACC defensive player of the year and defined game changer. Even at less than 100%, he's going to be one of the most important players of the season. In my opinion he should be listed alongside Kuechly in any discussion/ranking of BC defensive players.

As most of you know, BC did not make the baseball NCAA tournament, however, UNC did. We have their sympathy, but I would rather have their slot.

Another Phil Steele nugget -- returning tackles. With Kuechly returning, I would have predicted a higher ranking here.