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."
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40 comments:
Amen.
Clifford is an individual who is in the highest tradition of BC not athletics but the university. You have to know what he is saying. There is a cancer in BC athletics but it sure does not come from Clifford. He is great and BC is in trouble. The cancer comes from the psychopaths that BC has been recruiting from the liberal left. Did you watch the St. Mary's v Gonzaga game? The first thing of note is Joe Rahon who traipsed across the country to realize a dream that will not culminate in Eli Carter's NBA journey. He was all about God and country and community. BC has lost it and needs to find it. St. Mary's recruits Australians. Gonzaga recruits internationally. The Lithuanian elder Sabonis was a tool of Russian Communism. He is a tremendous role model for the university and for God and country. BC has Clifford who is trying to say something. Eli Carter is a manipulative psychopath and Christian gave in to him. Rich Gunnell is the greatest thing "since sliced bread". BC has lost the ability to differentiate. Life on the Heights has led to an atmosphere of rarified air. The black community has a differentiation of morality just like any other ethnic group. BC needs to support the upward mobility of such as Rich Gunnell who in my opinion is a hero of Clifford proportions. Eli Carter is a slug.
I just think poor Dennis didn't want to say there were none. So he froze until that answer popped into his head. I wish it had turned out better for him and that his late showing allows him to keep playing, as the announcers of the last game surmised it might.
Hey jbq, got any more drugs?
In all seriousness delete JBQs comment - don't need people seeing this garbage.
i liked rich gunnell and all but was he a hero? id say no.
JBQ's most recent post must surely violate some guideline and should be removed. It is not appropriate for adults to make personal attacks on student athletes in such terms.
One would hope that JBQ, upon sober reflection, would delete his post in the best interests of our alma mater and his own reputation.
Forget JBQ.
Dennis is a Milton Academy, Massachusetts local. Boston College was a stretch for him athletically; he was recruited by the Ivy League mostly. He also had several injuries and saw a lot of attrition between the coach who recruited him and the guys who are now playing at Arizona, St. Marys and Boise State ie. programs that are having a lot more success than Boston College. I don't know if Dennis knew Dick Kelly well but Mr. Kelly was very close to the basketball program and Boston College also lost him during Dennis' time. Point being, it was tumultuous time for Dennis and the basketball program the last 6-7 years.
Dennis worked hard and was focused.
Actions speak louder than words.
If only BC's commitment to athletics even approached Dennis Clifford's commitment to BC. Instead, the university is content to embarrass itself, it's alumni, and, most troublingly, student athletes like Clifford while it pockets the ACC money and lets the college sports world pass it by.
Today, BC is a laughingstock. But the public doesn't know why or who is responsible. So, instead, they laugh as Barstool and ESPN alike mock a kid who has given 6 trying years to the Heights. Every adult involved with this debacle deserves scorn. Clifford, by contrast, deserves adulation.
JBQ, those comments aren't appropriate for BC board. There's no place for subtly racist theories and outright libel on a student.
This can't have been much of a different feeling for Eli than Dennis. He's had to deal w/ all kinds of disruptions. His once very promising career ends in shambles. The coach asked him to play the toughest spot on the floor, which he is playing for the first time,w/ a bunch of guys, mostly freshman, who he's never played w/ before. For some reason the fans decided to make him the poster child for this years futility. I feel for the guy. I'm also glad none of you folks piled on to JBQ's twisted crap.
It's ironic that JBQ calls Eli a psychopath, because that post is the most psychopathic thing I've read in a good long while.
I'm backing JBQ to the hilt. The rest of you gutless drones are vivid examples of what's wrong with our college campuses today. Freedom of speech is permitted as long as it's politically correct liberal free speech. This is why Trump is gaining traction. We are fed-up with this PC crap. JBQ simply told the truth. You go boy!
The 7:05 commenter a BC grad?
Anyway, he or she is a shining example of what happens when you don't play any brain games during your life. Give that guy some Sudoku. Close those synaptic gaps.
I'd bet money that Carter is none of those things. I'd bet money the commenter is.
I think it all started with Suntrup. Poor fellow. Could have been the next Foley. Run off because he was just too good. A world of St. Louis potential but a football career equivalent to a Chipotle bathroom.
I need another Suntrup post.
My God - how sad that was. Clifford is still just a kid. It was just an innocent remark to what was really a complex question for him under the circumstances. Hats off to Christian for saying what he did. I wish Clifford success in whatever he does and despite everything - I hope Christian and his staff get to work, persevere and make substantial progress. As disappointing as it was for us - it had to be horrible for the players and coaches. But keep perspective folks - it was just a supremely shitty BC sports year. That is probably the least of anyone's real problems this year!
Georgia Eagle, I don't think what JBQ said is the Christian way to talk about people. But what do I know, with 16 years of Catholic schooling and church on sundays? You just keep believing whatever reinforces your bias.
CT
Somewhere in his past rambles, I believe 7:05 mentioned that he's not an alum. It might have been the one to do w/ Pat Ewing and the pigeon English.
freedom of speech still exists, just expect to get called out for being a dipshit racist coward when you are one
Let me step back a smidge. I agree calling someone s psychopath without sound medical evidence is over the top and groundless. However, where does it say in the First Amendment that an African-American athlete is immune from criticism? Playing the race card is getting old. Carter has been a selfish, ineffective hired-gun. No arguing that point.
If you can't read between the lines of that post (the "good" kind of black in rich gunnell vs the "bad" kind in Eli carter), I don't know what to tell you. Turn in your degree
There is no 1st Amendment protection on a private blog cum message board. This site is maintained by Atlanta Bill and subject to his guidelines and rules, which he chooses to enforce as he sees fit. No one has a right to participate or say what ever they please.
Further, the site is hosted by another private entity, Blogger, which, itself, has guidelines and rules.
This is not a government forum. It is the internet equivalent of "private property" and, as such, is subject to the owners oversight, which is why I called upon Bill to remove the offensive post about Carter, a student athlete, who has committed no crime or offense and should not be subject to the vicious criticism of so-called "adults".
If you want to explore why BC has difficulty getting student athletes to attend and participate in our programs, you might keep in mind that the kids can read anything written here.
Hello everybody. Made an account to comment on this. JBQ's comment doesn't have to be deleted. It should be shown so people know that, while it is excellent to be able to say anything you want to say, people still reserve the right to hold you responsible for the words you say.
Georgia Eagle: Criticizing Carter is fine. He was hard to watch at points this year. Criticizing Carter because he is black is not ok. I don't think JBQ meant to do that, but this sentence, "The black community has a differentiation of morality just like any other ethnic group" is what brings race into the conversation.
JBQ: I am one of the psychopaths from the liberal left. Like it or not, there is more than one way to judge a person's character. It is possible to be a God fearing bad person just like it is possible to be a good person who doesn't believe in God. Look at the Catholic Church. I was raised Catholic and I happen to know first hand that there are bad Catholics and good Catholics. Just think before you type next time. Feel free to say whatever you want, but ultimately this is not a public forum. It is run by ATL and by Google. You are also still subject to the judgments of the other commenters who seem to be mostly against you.
JBQ has a long history of writing this kind of stuff on here. I refer again to the Pigeon English post. Yes he's mentioned Suntrup more, but this is by no means the first time he's chosen to go down this road.
JBQ (and Observer College before him) is a troll, plain and simple. These comments are his (?) performance art, complete with hot takes and scare quotes that are designed to provoke. You should all just skip any post by JBQ as they really add nothing to the discussion.
mod34b:
JBQ made his comments about race when he said: "...The black community has a differentiation of morality just like any other ethnic group. BC needs to support the upward mobility of such as Rich Gunnell who in my opinion is a hero of Clifford proportions. Eli Carter is a slug...".
This is an inappropriate comment on a board about BC athletics--both as to racial characteristics JBQ approves of and the choice of language to describe a BC student.
If you were a student or prospective recruit reading JBQ's post, would you feel welcomed to BC by this type of remark?
JBQ is not a troll, just out there sometimes
Observer College is not a troll but a Satirist and can be funny at times. Although I rarely make it all the way through his posts as my attention span is not what it used to be.
mod34b:
Odd...your quote is quite different from the post I'm looking at. Are you paraphrasing the post in an attempt to "translate"?
Better question: is JBQ just "BIG PETE" back in another incarnation?
JBQ, you need to take a course on how to win hearts and minds.I did my best to defend your right to voice your opinion to a controversial subject, but the liberal PC police were out for your blood. Show a little more tact and restraint next time, my friend.
Not a liberal and not "PC police" which is a stupid knee jerk trumpian reaction to criticism for stupid comments. It's pretty obvious what JBQ is saying, (dumb) satire or not
Can't believe I just wasted this much time defending Eli carter who was brutal this year
Point is - what does the "black community" have to do with anything here? If you can't answer that coherently, that's then point
I'm surprised any of you were able to glean any meaning from JBQ's post. His entire post was basically just a jumbled word salad that I lost interest in halfway through.
I'm of the belief that the 7:05 guy should write in quattrains. A thousand years from now, some poor soul will spend the better part of his life interpreting them to mean something coherent when they actually don't.
This blog needs more politics. Said no one ever.
From 7:05: BC is in terrible shape in basketball and football. There have to be causes and effects. Eli Carter ran the team and Christian was basically the team mascot. I have a history of high school basketball coaching of black players. Basically, Jack Nicholson said it best in "A Few Good Men". The truth, you can't handle the truth. Rich Gunnell is a high class individual who took on Jimmie Clausen on national tv. I say that he is a hero. He was a very good receiver as well. He has class and Carter does not. BC has a history of very good black athletes. Where are they now? The biggest problem for Christian and Addazio is that they can't recruit whether it be black or white players. Towles is a good one year pickup at 6 ft 5. The rest of the qb litter are rejects and all around 6 ft. Look at how Notre Dame is recruiting. Look at how Gonzaga is recruiting. Both show you that BC is coming apart at the seams. The blame is on Bates and if neither Leahy nor Fish will do anything then the ship will sink and BC will have to leave the ACC. You can make criticism of Carter as racist all you want. The tipoff is when he went 0-10 on threes against NC St. With 24 seconds left, coach called a timeout to set up a play. Carter immediately took the rock (Dick Vitale) and clunked another one. Christian refused to discipline him and played him for most of the tournament game against Florida St. while he benched Milon who didn't even play against NC St. He scored 12 points against Florida St. It takes discipline and Christian doesn't have it. Addazio is just a joke and uses scapegoats such as Suntrup to build up a lack of expertise. @BacaRuda: Do you even know what a psychopath is? @blist: So, what did Carter get his degree in? I'm betting that he doesn't. Gunnell was a graduate assistant and is working his way up the ladder. @Ryan: Do you even know what "differentiation of morality means". It means that there are good and bad in every group of people. Gunnell was a team player. Carter was out for himself. Tom O'Brien treated every player the same with his Marine mentality. Christian can't do that. Basically, he is afraid of the black players. This would not even fly with a character like Jared Dudley. He didn't have a father and wanted discipline. Look at all of the black players that jumped ship from Addazio. Just what do you think that will do to his recruiting? You have to know that the word is out among the black players that something is wrong with Addazio.
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