Takeaways from Addazio's day at ESPN

While many coaches have spent time at ESPN, I cannot think of another who got so much airtime in one day. I also cannot recall any BC figure at any time getting that much attention from the worldwide leader in sports. Regardless of the Tebow nonsense, Addazio's day at ESPN has to be viewed as a huge success. Here are my thoughts and news of the day. 

-- The best moments of the day were his stint on College Football Live and his chat on ESPN Nation. In both forums Addazio was able to focus on BC. He reiterated many of the things we know like his focus on recruiting and his willingness to shape the offense to his talent. In the chat he also mentioned preliminary plans for a new practice facility and that he is taking names off of the jerseys.

-- I cannot recall a BC coach being so engaged with the media. I don't think Addazio is a great quote or has natural TV charm, but he has the right energy and attitude. He wasn't glib or boring or standoffish like some of our past coaches. He was himself. You can see how that same passionate and straight forward personality is paying off on the recruiting trail.

-- Addazio really likes Chase Rettig. I had heard this before through the grapevine, but Addazio was pretty effusive in his praise for our Senior QB. I know Addazio wants to run, but given our lack of depth at running back and talent in the passing game, I think we will throw a lot this season.

-- Addazio needs to do as much as possible to win over fans and media now. I think we are in for a major rebuild after this season (once Amidon, KPL, Rettig, etc graduate). Addazio makes a good case for his vision and BC's direction in these settings. The booster meetings have all been positive too. Load up on the good will tour now while he still has a clean slate.  

"...that's nice but let's get back to Tebow"

Before his media tour of Bristol began I predicted ESPN would focus on Tebow. It was worse than I thought. Mike & Mike, First Take, SportsCenter and The Herd with Colin Cowherd all peppered Addazio with questions on football's most famous free agent QB. I will have more on the actual BC talk in another post, but for now sit back and appreciate how ESPN can turn one guest into a pawn for their narrative.

Addazio TV

Steve Addazio will spend most of Tuesday all over the ESPN family of networks. He'll start the day on Mike & Mike, but also be seen on First Take, College Football Live and SportCenter. I don't know how Addazio will do in his various appearances but this has to be viewed as a positive and a major step forward for BC's Marketing efforts.

Given our location and history with ESPN, you would think BC faces would be on ESPN all the time. Unfortunately that hasn't been the case. And it is not all ESPN's fault. Our coaches and players either have not been accessible or have lacked even the littlest bit of charisma or personality. Showing just a little energy and passion goes a long way on TV. TOB and Spaz were obviously not comfortable doing this sort of thing. Jags had his one ESPN halftime show, but didn't do much otherwise. Other schools have sent their coaches across country to ESPN and ESPN gladly put them on air. In the offseason, ESPN is welcoming to any sort of football content. If Addazio is any good, he could be back on before the summer ends.

These sorts of appearances won't win BC any games this fall, but it will work to change the perception of the  program. Recruits will notice as will the ESPN execs in charge of scheduling. I also think our fans will notice. Passion can be contagious. If Addazio truly spreads the message, he will get a lot of leeway out of the gate.

I will recap all the events late Tuesday. Tune in and give your thoughts as Addazio works his way through Bristol.

Baseball wins Miami series and other links

Baseball won their first ACC game of the season on Friday. Given the talent on the team, they were bound to win an ACC game at some point. However, winning a series -- especially against a team like Miami -- is another story. Miami is not at their best right now, but they are much better than us. The series clinching victory came with plenty of drama as Matt Pare hit a walk-off homer in extra innings.

New Jersey Lineman Juwann Bushell-Beatty is another highly-rated recruit who has BC in his final three.

BC commit Jon Baker may enroll early.

Covie Stanwick made the All-ACC Tournament Lacrosse team.

NC State swept the softball team.

Eagles in Atlanta and Indy and other places

As expected, none of BC's current seniors were selected in the NFL Draft. But when you are a potential late-rounder, being an undrafted free agent is not a bad thing. It enables the player to select a team with a favorable roster.

Nick Clany will be joining Matt Ryan with the Atlanta Falcons. I am obviously biased by fandom and geography, but this is a good fit for Nick. The Falcons are very thin on defense and at Linebacker (yet they didn't draft another LB). Clancy will get a chance on special teams and should probably get a very good shot at the practice squad.

Another team that loves BC guys is Indianapolis, so it was not a surprise to see them sign Emmett Cleary. He joins former Eagles Anthony Castanzo and Gosder Cherilus as protection for Andrew Luck. The Colts had a need at OL and only drafted one lineman. I guess that means Cleary's chances to make the team are decent.

Chris Pantale signed with the Jets. I have no idea who is going to be QB there this year nor how they will use him. I hope he gets a fair shot. If he hadn't been injured this season, I think he would have been drafted.

John Wetzel signed with the Raiders. They are another team with a lot of holes, so hopefully he gets a chance.

This is the first time since 2005 that no BC player was selected.

Tweets of the Week

Just got results back from latest #Cancer check up. MRI and CT show no sign if disease. #4YearsOut #CancerFree. #findyourstrong

— Mark Herzlich (@MarkHerzlich) April 25, 2013

BC grad student Britt Loring takes baby steps toward recovery: on.bc.edu/12nuuww via @nbcnews #BostonStrong

— Boston College (@BostonCollege) April 25, 2013

The May cover of Boston magazine, made of shoes from the marathon: ow.ly/i/1Y6K9

— bostonmagazine.com (@BostonMagazine) April 25, 2013

You can always go to ND, RV w friends or go to Ireland. You will see BC-ND. But BC-ND in Ireland? Once in a lifetime #DOIT @bcbradbates

— Fake Baldwin (@FakeBaldwin) April 23, 2013

Another way to put it RT @mickbergman: @mcmurphyespn @katchak @espn680 and Cincinnati and UConn's worst year gets worse

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) April 22, 2013

This guy's shirt is the truth “@mconwaybc: Way to represent!#WeAreBC twitter.com/MConwayBC/stat…”

— BC Interruption (@bcinterruption) April 20, 2013

Remembering BC's Mr. Irrelevant

BC won't have a player drafted Thursday night. But with Wetzel, Clancy and Cleary all listed as late-rounders or undrafted free agents, BC may have a Mr. Irrelevant this year. It would not be the first time an Eagle ended up as the last player in the Draft. In 1995 the Carolina Panthers selected Michael Reed with the last overall pick.

Little is expected of Mr. Irrelevant, so Reed turning his tenure into two seasons was viewed as a success. He hardly played, but was able to extend his career after the NFL with two seasons of NFL Europe. After his playing days Reed got into coaching. He was on TOB's staff at NC State and recently joined Clemson.

Reed is making a name for himself now as a recruiter (Dabo praised his work on their 2013 class). I don't think his draft-day notoriety means anything to high schoolers, but his NFL background doesn't hurt. If any of our current eagles ever get selected last overall, I hope they use Reed as an example. He turned his one shot into a career.

Shinskie looks back and other links

I really enjoyed this article on Dave Shinskie. The one-time baseball star is really the forgotten man of the Spaz era. He went from flyer to great hope to promising starter to scapegoat all in two seasons. What's fascinating about the article is Shinskie's maturity and perspective. You would think a guy who arrived in his 20s would have understood the opportunity earlier in his football career. It is clear he loves BC, so I wish him nothing but the best.

Darryl Hicks officially joined Donahue's recruiting class by signing his letter of intent.

BC target Nick Carovillano received an offer from Buffalo.

The Heights uncovered Athletic Department salaries based on BC's tax filings. Nothing remarkable although it does shed light on how long we pay off fired coaches. Think of next year when BC will be paying Bates and Addazio as well as Gene and Spaz.

The ACC named Mikaela Rix and Covie Stanwick to its all conference Lacrosse teams.

Baseball lost to St. John's. Softball beat Hartford.

BC Law student Barrett Wilson-Murphy honored Boston while running the London Marathon.

ACC releases basketball rotations for 2013-14

The ACC announced the basketball schedules for next year. We don't have dates yet, but we know who we will play. As we knew, Notre Dame and Syracuse will be our permanent rivals that we play twice each year. As part of the rotation, we will also have two-game series with Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. 

The remaining home games will be Pitt, Florida State, Maryland, Clemson and Duke. The other road games will be Miami, UNC, Wake Forest, NC State and Virginia.

Not knowing how Donahue will finish out his recruiting class, I think this is a reasonable mix. We can win eight ACC games and should be a solid NCAA Tourney candidate. 

From a Marketing standpoint, it is nice to have Duke along with Syracuse and Notre Dame. There are enough elite teams to sell to our fickle fans.

Gene's role in conference shuffle, BC-ND in Ireland? and other links

This is a good rundown of all the crazy moments of conference realignment. Of course Gene saying that ESPN pulls all the strings won't be forgotten.

Irish Central is reporting that BC and Notre Dame are considering a game in Ireland in 2015. BCI is against the idea, but I am for it. Losing out on one road trip to South Bend is not a big deal. For all those BC students who miss the experience, they can instead replace it with an unforgettable trip to Ireland. The only downside for BC is the logistical one. But I am sure we could play it in a slot that works for both teams. We need events like this to get excitement going. I cannot think of a better game for BC than one against Notre Dame in Ireland.

Addazio had a positive outlook on the loss of the Spring Game. It really meant no injuries and more one-on-one time with recruits.

Tuesday's baseball game with Hartford was cancelled due to rain.

Does the Grant of Rights finally secure the ACC?

The ACC agreed to a shared Grant of Rights until to 2027. Many are saying this keeps the conference secure for years to come. I still have my doubts. Let me explain:

The Good
The grant means all of the ACC's content is now pooled. BC's local radio deal, online rights for Wake Forest Field Hockey, or a Duke-North Carolina game all have the same owner and manager -- the conference. No more local, or team only deals. It also protects new media/internet rights. Obviously not all team's rights are equal. Florida State's radio network is worth much more than say the rights to BC softball. So it is a good sign that every team was willing to sacrifice control and that potential revenue in order for it to be shared by the group. (Perhaps there is some allocation method so a valuable property -- like a BC hockey or Syracuse Lacrosse -- might get a reward for performance. We will know more in the coming days.) The deal also creates another trigger with ESPN, so I predict we will hear about the new financial terms of the ACC-ESPN agreement shortly. It also puts us in the same financial and content standing as the Big 12, which neutralizes one conference as a predator.

Finally, it moves the ACC one step closer to an ACC Network.

The Bad
Financially this doesn't level the playing field with the Big Ten, Pac 12 or SEC. The ACC remains in a catch up position. It also doesn't include Notre Dame. Without the Irish and in a secondary money position, any of the big 3, but most likely the SEC of Big Ten could poach an ACC team.

While a new conference partner wouldn't get the new (former ACC) school's home games or radio content, the Big Ten or SEC would still get to market to those cable homes in the new markets and would still get all of their conference away games.

One only needs to look towards Maryland to realize what the big conferences are willing to do and pay for. Maryland's content is not worth the $50 million the Big Ten is paying upfront. But the long-term potential is when you factor in Maryland cable homes. And think of how much more valuable other programs are when compared to Maryland.

What's next?
I think this will cool things off for a few months. The next domino is the SEC's new network and if the ACC is finally willing to get our network on cable. I am glad BC is secure, but I know enough about this process to know it won't end soon.

Learning more about other BC folks injured in bombing

Last week I shared information about a BC couple injured during the Marathon Bombing and the response was very positive. But by highlighting their story I didn't want to overlook the two current BC students also injured in the attack.  Liza Cherney and Brittany Loring are friends and were cheering on another BC grad student at the Finish Line. Brittany is set to graduate with a JD/MBA from BC this May. Cherney is also in the MBA program. I wish both a speedy recovery and hope they know the BC community is behind them.

Addazio lands two recruits in void of the Spring Game

The Spring Game cancellation didn't mean much from a football standpoint. Essentially it is just one less practice. The bigger loss was from a Marketing standpoint. BC invested a lot of effort and money into making it an event for fans and recruits. The fans -- especially BC ones -- understood the cancellation. The question was would recruits? Based on Steve Addazio's Saturday, it seemed like they did.

BC received verbals from Massachusetts Linebacker Kevin Cohee and Massachusetts OLineman Jon Baker. Aside from the continued recruiting momentum, what I most appreciate about Addazio getting these two is the local connection. Through our coaching changes, BC has lost out on local talent and has been seen as a secondary program. Addazio is clearly changing that.

I know there were many recruits who traveled up to BC Friday for the Spring Game. While they didn't get to see our program, they did get a memorable weekend. How could you be on campus for those celebrations and not think BC would be a good place to play? We will never know exactly if or how Addazio incorporated the Boston Strong movement into his pitch, but I am thankful he stayed focused and made the most of the situation.

Spring Game Cancelled

Per BC's press release:


“After consulting with campus, city and law enforcement officials, including the Boston College Police Department, we have decided to cancel all home athletics events scheduled for Saturday, including the spring football game," Director of Athletics Brad Bates said. "Our first priority is ensuring the safety of our student-athletes, coaches and spectators. Our local law enforcement community has done a phenomenal job this past week, and we do not want our events to serve as a distraction.

“Furthermore, now is a time for reflection to honor those who have been tragically killed and injured this past week and to allow our community to heal. The entire Boston College family stands with those who have been affected by this week's events. Together we will persevere and emerge stronger and more unified than ever.”

Tweets of the Week

Watch as all 17,565-strong @tdgarden belt out the national anthem prior to tonight's game: video.bruins.nhl.com/videocenter/co…^TV #BostonStrong

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 18, 2013

Not necessarily the right time to bring this up...but the Superfan shirt slogan next year really should be For Boston.

— Heights and Lows (@BC_Heights_Lows) April 17, 2013

I have been impressed with @tedescoheights and @gjoyce9 since my arrival last October.Great things ahead for these soon-to-be BC Alums!

— Brad Bates (@BCBradBates) April 18, 2013

One day after celebrating his 23rd birthday, Reggie Jackson scored 23 pts for Oklahoma City. That's 50 pts in last three games. #WeAreBC

— Richard Kelley (@kelleyri) April 18, 2013

GiveForward for BC couple injured in Marathon Bombing

I wanted to make you aware that there is a "giveforward" campaign for a BC couple injured during Monday's bombing. Patrick and Jess have a story very familiar to anyone who met a spouse in Boston (like me). Both have long recoveries ahead of them but the support of the BC community might make a little difference in their road back.

Culture change and other links

HD capped off her recent focus on BC with a article on the changing culture. I know what from what has been shared that the players are much more enthusiastic  Now Addazio needs to hold their belief when we hit the inevitable rough patch.

Emmett Cleary is proud of the BC Oline tradition but expects to be a late-round pick or a free agent.

Earlier in the week, HD held a Q&A with Alex Amidon. (Part 1 and Part 2).

Ryan Quigley is still hoping to catch on in the NFL.

Pat Forde thinks Steve Donahue will be on the hotseat next year.

Finally, this is video of invited walk-on Sam Donahue. The kid can shoot.

What to look for during the Spring Game

I've been as guilty as the next fan of reading too much into the Spring Game. This year I can justify obsessing of the minutia! For the first time in 16 years we will have completely new schemes on both offense and defense. I don't think Addazio will play all his cards nor will the team be a well-oiled machine, but here are some things that I will be focusing on during the annual Spring Game.

Blitz!
Don Brown signature is blitzing. This probably more than anything else will be the biggest culture change for BC fans. Gone are the days of bend but don't break. What I want to see during the game is where the pressure comes from. Will it be LBs or Safeties or corners? I also wonder how much we will drop DLineman into coverage and offset it with a oncoming LB or DB.

Tempo
We know the QBs will run this year. The scrimmages reaffirmed it. What we don't know is how fast the offense is going to run. Temple did not use the no huddle exclusively like Oregon, but they did play relatively fast. Certainly faster than BC under Spaz. I don't think we will mimic Oregon yet, but the Spring Game might be a good time to test a hurry up offense under game conditions. The guys are still learning the offense, so asking them to play fast can get sloppy. But Rettig has been so good as picking up new offenses, that this should be a relatively smooth transition.

Fan Support
Despite various Marketing efforts over the years, we never pack the house during the Spring Game. The tailgating and later (warmer date) helps this year, but I didn't expect a big turnout. That sort of changed with the Marathon Bombing. I cannot gauge the mood of the fans on campus right now, but based on the other events around Boston, I think people want to be out and want to be part of a crowd. Think of all those students who wanted to run the "Last 5" this Friday night. Will their energy be redirected at the Spring Game? Who knows, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Old Guys
As a new twist this year, there will be an Alumni Flag Football game too. I don't know whose idea the Alumni game was, but it is a good way to rebuild relations with the football Alumni, many of whom felt under appreciated and ignored by previous department leadership.

Links from the day after

Here are some of the better links I read today. They're not necessarily about what happened, but what it means and how we react.

I loved Leigh Montville's Marathon recollections. He captured the spirit and fun atmosphere of the day. (My roommates and I played a marathon game years ago. I would explain it, but you had to be there...)

EDSBS wrote about the true terror of the aftermath and how we do move on from these things. Like him I am in Centennial Park regularly and never give the bombing much thought. My kids run around that whole area without a care in the world.

Some well-intentioned BC students created the Last 5 walk/race to support those who didn't get to finish the race and those who were impacted. Thousands signed up but the City is asking them to postpone the event to a later date. The crowd control issues, the safety issues, and ongoing investigation all take priority at this point. I am sure when it happens it will be a great event.

Thaddius Smith commits and other links

Pennsylvania athlete Thaddius Smith committed to BC early this Monday afternoon. He is expected to play WR. While his offers are mostly FCS level, I love that Addazio targeted and closed him early.

Although still enrolled at BC, Luke Kuechly is working out in Charlotte the next two weeks.

Donahue is recruiting his former Cornell player Errick Peck hard. He has one year left and can transfer immediately  Although he is only 6'6, he could give us some depth on the front line. I am all in favor of picking up guys for depth who won't impact our long-term scholarship balance. BC is also after some big men for the 2014 recruiting class.

Spaz is spending some time helping Doug Martin at New Mexico State. I would worry about them preparing for BC, but our schemes will be so different from theirs, that it won't be much of an advantage.

The BC community and the Boston Marathon Bombing

I purposely waited a few hours to write anything about the Marathon Bombing. Other than a few friends and in-laws who live in the Back Bay, I am fairly removed from it all and wanted to avoid the typical blogger instant reaction. Like others who have spent time in or lived in the area, I love the Marathon and Patriots Day. This is a tragedy and I will pray for the victims. Other than that, I don't have anything to add.

I do want to use this post to make people aware of the excellent coverage and information coming from BC sources.

Heights Sports Editor Austin Tedesco is providing excellent coverage via twitter.

Luke Russert is not in Boston, but he is sprinkling his BC roots into his coverage.

BC also provided an update.

I will have a sports update later tonight. Sports clearly doesn't matter now, but I know this blog is an escape and distraction for many. If I can take people's minds off the tragedy, it is the least I can do.

Baseball swept again and other weekend links

Baseball lost three straight to NC State. This is stating the obvious and others are already saying it, but this program needs to be examined. As we know from other sports, when you have a historically bad season, it is not just bad luck.

Addazio's early approach paid off with recruit Harold Landry.

Women's Lacrosse beat Brown. The men's team overcame a late deficit against Rhode Island to stay undefeated.

Can Tailgating give the Spring Game the attendance boost it needs?

Select Flynn Fund members will be allowed to tailgate on the surface lots next Saturday during the Spring Game. At other schools that is not a big deal. For BC to actively market tailgating to their most loyal customers is a sign of change.

This is a great opportunity for BC fans, but also comes with a responsibility. If we want to see the tailgating rules and environment change during Football season, we need to take advantage of these types of commitments from BC. Fans need to turn out next week, tailgate and be as cooperative with BC with regards to clean up and getting into the game.

The game might be exciting too. Based on the second scrimmage, it sounds like the team is improving. Addazio is also trying to create some incentives for the players, so that the game has a little more meaning.

If Addazio can split BC into 2 teams, he said he wants to have a victory meal (prime rib) and a loser meal (hot dogs and beans) to have fun.
— Greg Joyce (@GJoyce9) April 13, 2013

I always try to use the Spring Game as a looking glass into the team's future. Maybe this year it is a glimpse of the changing Athletic Department.

Tweets of the Week

Baldwin playing bocce on O'Neill Plaza @bostoncollege twitter.com/chassIII/statu…

— Chas (@chassIII) April 5, 2013

So in a year BC has gone from losing recruits to N'eastern track & Harvard football, to recruits telling So. Carolina "Thanks but no thanks"

— A.J Black (@BCHysteria) April 10, 2013

Thanks to @mdowlingwcvb for mentioning Jerry York as a coach who's won national titles at two different schools when discussing Rick Pitino.

— Richard Kelley (@kelleyri) April 10, 2013

"@gosdercherilus: Look at this skinny freshman!! @anthonycastonzo twitter.com/GosderCherilus…" haha my how things have changed

— Anthony Castonzo (@AnthonyCastonzo) April 9, 2013

Beware 2013-14 @bostoncollege hockey opponents, there shall be no early defections to the @nhl from Coach York's squad this year.

— Warren K. Zola (@WarrenKZola) April 9, 2013

At my first Steve Addazio practice. The intensity level is off the charts for the Oklahoma drill #bceagles

— ERIC HOFFSES (@EAHoffses) April 6, 2013

Spring at last @ the Heights, captured in a BC Minute: youtube.com/watch?v=e-Vjs5… #wearebc

— Boston College (@BostonCollege) April 10, 2013

Lacrosse update and other links

Since I said on the field success was the key to Men's Lacrosse's future, I wanted to make people aware the team is undefeated. They beat UConn Tuesday and take on Rhode Island on Saturday.

With two of our best NFL Draft prospects both from Illinois, it is only natural that the Bears are paying attention.

Softball lost to Maine.

This is not about BC, but is about how Quinnipiac leveraged hockey to raise the university's profile. There are lessons here for our non- or low-revenue sports.

Baseball loses Beanpot opener

Thing were trending the right way for the baseball team. They beat Dartmouth earlier in the week and were facing a bad UMass team in the Beanpot opener. Despite their improved play of late things fell apart against the Minutemen. Now they have to regroup in time for a weekend series with NC State.

Tribute Video for Dick Kelley in honor of his USBWA Award For Courage

Lessons of John Beilein

Michigan didn't win the National Championship, but their run was sort of validation of their coach John Beilein. Since BC's Steve Donahue is often compared to the Michigan coach, I thought it was a good idea to look at Beilein's success in Ann Arbor and how it might apply to what Donahue is trying to build at BC.

Players are more important than systems
During his rise Beilein was known as a system guy. But did you notice he didn't use much 1-3-1 defense this year? The former staple of his coaching was put on the back burner so his talented team could play more man defense. He also adjusted his offense for athletic players who might not be the shooters Beilein (and Donahue) traditionally relied on.

You cannot do it all
In the article linked above, Andy Katz captured how Beilein had a tendency to get lost in all the details. That's human nature for many successful people, and at times I get the sense that Donahue can be guilty of the same thing. To run a big-time program, you need to surround yourself with a good staff and then allow them to do more.

As anyone who watched BC this season knows, just because we run the same offense as Beilein doesn't make us Michigan. The offense is nice but it is only one piece. Hopefully Donahue will prove as adaptable as Beilein has and BC finally gets to the Final Four.

They're back

Our Hockey team should be pretty good next year considering that we are not losing any guys early to the NHL. Gaudreau is the big piece, but Michael Matheson, Bill Arnold, and Kevin Hayes would all have been big returnees just by themselves.

At times we as fans are spoiled with regards to Hockey's success, but I think the players share those expectations too. They didn't like losing this year either. That mentality of unfinished business will hopefully carry them to a Championship next year.

BC adds a QB to the recruiting class

Delaware 3-star QB Darius Wade committed to Addazio on Monday. It is another nice pick up by Addazio. BC will probably target at least one more QB in this class.

Wade's commitment shows that BC is doing a good job reaching guys who weren't on Spaz's radar and building up a relationship with them. Welcome, Darius.

It is entirely possible - nay, probable - that the #BCEagles will have 6+ commits before the end of the month.
— Boston College (@BCEagles247) April 9, 2013

Louisville won't save the ACC

With basketball on everyone's mind, I've read and heard a lot of talking heads and experts say that Louisville  (along with Notre Dame, Pitt and Syracuse) make the ACC the premier basketball conference. Adding the defending champs is nice, but it doesn't mean much when you look at the whole picture. Being the best and deepest basketball conference is a good thing, but football still runs college athletics. 

Things have been silent lately on conference shuffling, but I hope Bates is still working on BC's backup plan. The ACC is now as vulnerable as ever. TV contract windows are coming for the Big Ten and SEC. If they feel it makes sense to go to 16, they will. Maryland is proving that debt and penalty money is not a factor. 

As much as I love the NCAA Tournament, I think its appeal just makes a power conference breakoff that much more likely. If the football factories leave the NCAA, they can create their own basketball tournament and keep all of that TV money. 

While Bates works the backrooms, he also needs to make sure our basketball and football teams get better faster. On-field performance doesn't mean anything (see Maryland, Rutgers) but we want to be as strong as we can be when thing shake out again. 

Recruiting news and other links

Twitter is making recruiting news that much more interesting and equally confusing. Last week Krondis Larry committed via Twitter before he officially had an offer. This weekend, North Carolina DLineman Harold Landry committed and seems excited based on his twitter account. Yet he pulled his original tweet and will still be taking other visits. But he's got Alumni up on his twitter page...so that's good (I guess). Addazio hosted a bunch of recruits including John Wolford. Cincinnati product Nick Carovillano also visited this weekend.

Baseball played Clemson tough on Sunday but still got swept over the weekend.

Lacrosse picked up a big win over Duke.

Softball lost to Florida State. But Tennis beat the Noles.

Finch finally gone and other thoughts on the first scrimmage

Every time there is a coaching change it is a chance for a player to get a fresh start. With Addazio's desire to run the ball, someone like Duece Finch (who has shown potential but also had a star-crossed career) might have thrived in his final year. Instead, he has left the team. No real reason other than "personal." Let's hope he graduates this spring and finds a good place for himself next year.

As important on Saturday was the team's first scrimmage. The good news is that we still passed the ball! Rettig was efficient and they didn't make him run much. Addazio praised Rettig's progression and thinks he is coming along.  And Rettig seems ready to do whatever the coaches want.

More than anything, sounded like Rettig just wants to win, & it doesn't matter to him what plays are called for who. Taking leadership role.
— Greg Joyce (@GJoyce9) April 6, 2013

Anyone who feared Addazio would try to make Rettig into Tim Tebow can probably rest easy. But it does sound like there will be run-oriented packages for Bordner. In general I hate the two QB system, but I am willing to be patient during the Spring.

The other good news is that the scrimmage was packed with recruits. Addazio is getting guys to check us out. Now it is a matter of closing.

Finally, all reports said the tone and intensity was markedly different. The guys were hitting hard. I don't think that a few hard hitting practices changes a programs (in fact, Spaz had some very physicals practices), but it does sound like the guys are buying in and want to win.

Tweets of the Week

Rutgers should act quickly and hire the anti-Mike Rice. Our choice would be Al Skinner.

— mark blaudschun (@blauds) April 3, 2013

What does it say that the BC blogging community is rooting for Skinner to get the Rutgers job? RU should hire him now (of course they won't)

— Bill Maloney (@bcatleagle) April 3, 2013

Hey Rutgers, want the exact opposite of Mike Rice as your next basketball coach? Al Skinner 4 Rutgers.

— BC Interruption (@bcinterruption) April 3, 2013

I'm sure @jareddudley619 has already personally called Rutgers to endorse Al Skinner as their next MBB Head Coach..

— Fake Baldwin (@FakeBaldwin) April 2, 2013

I'm officially starting the "Al Skinner to Rutgers" rumor.

— Warren K. Zola (@WarrenKZola) April 2, 2013

God has truly blessed me

— Ifeanyi Momah (@Imomah) March 30, 2013

Today's Visitor: "The previous staff... seemed like they knew they were out... the new staff is here to win and that's how it's going to be"

— Boston College (@BCEagles247) April 3, 2013

Bubble down, #BCFootball back on the Alumni Stadium practice turf. twitter.com/BCFootballNews…

— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) April 2, 2013

Congrats to the seniors of our decorated hockey program! What an amazing four years of representing BC. Great guys off the ice too!

— Chase Rettig (@ChaseRettig) April 2, 2013

This one's for @bcatleagle: Conan loves Matty Ice i.imgur.com/CAYoHGP.gif

— Red Fabbri (@redfabbri) April 2, 2013

BC Stuff

Every once in a while I go looking for BC stuff online. As you can imagine, I am tempted by any BC tchotchkes but I didn't break down and buy any of these items.


We don't have room for RVs on campus, but if we did, wouldn't you want to cover your wheels with these wheel covers?

I haven't seen fuzzy dice on many cars lately, but maybe "BC" fuzzy dice will spark a comeback.

We have glass on our front door, so there is no room for a knocker. But don't think I didn't think about this.

I'm in the suburbs and have three kids. We buy a lot of groceries and end of using the plastic shopping bags for all sorts of things. But if my wife and I lived still lived in the city and only shopped at the local farming coop, we would totally use this shopping bag.

Is this even a BC approved Eagle logo?

Can anyone explain why this BC belt buckle has an extra "C."

BC beanbag frog? Sure, why not.

Notice the historical inaccuracy here? We didn't have the slanted logo during the 1957 season. Silly Matchbox.

If you wanted something to go with the beanbag doll, how about this?

The Power Bracelet is junk science, but wearing the BC logo is sure to give you a healthy boost.

My hair is short, but I think I might wear these extensions next fall.

Baseball wins again! and other links

The Baseball team beat Harvard Wednesday 8-6 in our oft postponed home opener. Harvard is not particularly good either, but these are the types of wins our team needs. Our next game is against Clemson on Friday.

Johnny Gaudreau is a finalist for the Hobey Baker award.

Addazio keeps targeting local kids and offered Roxbury Latin's Kevin Cohee.

Rutgers probably won't hire Al Skinner but they should. Katz -- a long-time supporter of Al -- mentioned his name for the opening too.

Baseball wins!! and other links

This had been a rough baseball season, so we should celebrate every win we can. Tuesday the guys finally snapped their losing streak and did so in dramatic fashion at UConn. Freshman Chris Shaw was the hero. Maybe, just maybe, the young roster will start to play to their potential and end the season respectably.

Florida running back Krondis Larry verballed to Addazio. He's known for his speed and is another impressive score by our new recruiters. If this staff's evaluations are as good as their early selling, this will be a strong class.

Time to make a difference to BOSTON COLLEGE FOOTBALL
— Krondis Larry (@THEHUMANJET) April 3, 2013

Here is a nice feature on the BC Hockey seniors.  Patrick Brown will be the Captain next season.

Coach Crowley was honored as the New England Coach of the Year.

Lots of Eagles in college sports.

Athlon doesn't think much of Addazio among his ACC peers.

Age is just a number

BC turned 150 today. Well officially April 1 was the day Boston College's Charter was signed. In higher education and especially around the New England, the "age" of a school is a big deal. But as I think about BC, I don't think about how old the school is but how dynamic and changing. The school is not in its original campus. It has expanded its offerings and schools along the way. And over 150 years, the school has growth and changed who it is. What was once a school for Boston area Catholic men, is now an international co-educational university.

I am proud of BC's history and what it stands for, but I am also pretty confident that if BC had been founded in say 1963 (or even 1983), we would still have much for which we would be proud. BC is about our mission, the education we provide and ultimately the BC community. Students, alumni, faculty, staff and families make up an the University. I won't be around for BC's 300th birthday. If I had a time machine, I am sure I wouldn't recognize the campus. But I do believe that the BC community would still share the same spirit that we have today and had in 1863.