Also, earlier this week, the College Football Hall of Fame announced that former Eagle Mike Ruth would be inducted into the Hall. Ruth, at times, is the forgotten man of BC's success in the 1980s. He had a short NFL career and then dealt with numerous struggles off the field and in his personal life. Those issues have kept him in the background. You won't see the school trot him out for interviews and fundraisers like they do with Flutie or Ryan. But the BC Football alums have been providing support to Ruth for years. I don't know where Mike is in his life now, but hopefully the Hall honor is another step towards stability. And hopefully BC can use this moment to remind people of what he did on the field.
Friday, January 13, 2017
BC doing the right thing with retired numbers and Ruth
Earlier in the week, BC announced they would honor John Bagley and Dana Barros with jersey retirement ceremonies. It is a real simple gesture, but an important one. BC doesn't do enough to promote its own history and athletic success. I also don't think BC Basketball nurtures a community and legacy like other BC sports do. While players and coaches are the key to continued success, if we want better fan support and more attention locally and nationally, BC needs to promote their history and build a true winning culture. Getting guys like Barros and Bagley around and honoring their accomplishments might start that change for BC Basketball's culture.
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The problem is that there really aren't any accomplishments to celebrate with these guys in basketball or football.
That's harsh, Craig. You should reconsider those comments.
Yeast infection.
Long overdue to honor some more hoops guys. I think the most recent player to have his number retired before this was Michael Adams.
Not really familiar with Ruth...what were his issues?
The original poster is kind of right. There isn't really a lot to celebrate with the football and basketball programs.
Ruth was a great player for BC. Not sure I always bought the religious angle played up. Never had the NFL career some thought; injuries also limited him post BC. Steroids always were a concern and the elephant in the room. Not judging but there is always a price to pay. I remember Romonowski called him out in press during time at BC. Ironic considering Romo history in NFL. Personal issues related to jobs and he had nasty and public divorce back around04-07 ish. Accusations on both sides.
I actually find it a bit sad that in the press release for HOF induction he said it was the greatest moment of his life
So the Bagman was at BC for 3 years
The first year was the year after the point shaving
His sophomore year he was Big East Player of The Year
BC went to the Sweet 16 and if Jay Murphy doesn't miss a layup they are Elite Eight
His junior year he was Big East 1st team with Chris Mullin, Pat Ewing and Ed Pickney
BC lost in the Elite Eight to Phi Slamma Jamma 98-95
He was 3rd team all american
He went pro
What would be his senior year BC lost to Ralph Sampson UVa in the Sweet 16 95-92
If he had stayed probably Final Four.
BC made the Sweet 16 4 out of 5 years during the Big East Golden Years then Jim O'Brien blew it up
I would argue he had the best career in BC Hoops history and other than Flutie what Football/Basketball athlete had more success. Matt Ryan won jack during a soft ACC time
Plus he was a good pro.
The PG Skinner got from Minnesota probably had the best numbers at BC(was drafted in the 1st round and is now a boxer).
The PG from Virginia that won the Israel league last year a couple years ago did really well
Dana Barros and Michael Adams were very good.
Best Players at BC from the last 35 years
1)Michael Adams
1)a) Billy Curley
2)Bagley
3)Dana Barros
4)Minnesota
5)Virginia
6)Sean Williams
7)Craig Smith/Jared Dudley
8)Danya
9)Huckaby
Malcolm Hucka-three was my favorite player from BC growing up
Michael Adams was amazing at BC. Saw mostof the games when he was playing. Georgetown and Syracuse in the old Boston Garden were shootouts and classic Big East rivalry games.
It would be good to see BC get back to this relevance.
For my money I would be hard pressed to pick between Bags and Michael.
Mike Ruth was outstanding at BC. He came shortly after I did. I watched him dominate offensive linemen. As far as chemical enhancement there were a lot of guys using back then. In retrospect I would have as well having the knowledge I do now. I suggest watching Chris Bell's documentary "Bigger Stronger Faster" for a better perspective. I'm not a big fan of # retirement. However if it benefits the program I have no issue.
I was fortunate to have watched Bagley in a lot of games. On the surface he never appeared physically impressive. On the court he was a great one!
The guy from MN is Troy Bell. He put up a ton of stats but was maddingly inconsistent. Failing to make the tournament in his senior year truly was the epitome of his entire career. I'd put him at the bottom of your list.
This basketball game is hilariously bad. 2 steps forward, 4 gigantic steps backward.
Maddingly inconsistent? Wrong.
Dome shooting is tough. First trip to shitacuse for Bowman et al. Not surprised. They will win 3 or 4 more conference games this year.
Falcons rule! Ryan MVP
@Georgia Eagle: You beat me to it. What would have happened if Matt ran the option? He is exciting and does it with flair. He puts fannies in the seats. He is exciting and humble per a recent interview on NFL Network while his family, dad and sister, waited patiently to give him a hug. That is BC. Screw Addazio. TC was signed by Jacksonville and he won't be bringing his reform act to the Heights. Those with any semblance of reality are waiting for the AD decision. The Dazzler is a hot mess resulting from the apex of TC in 93 through the gambling scandal of "Chad" Henning to TOB, the magnificent Marine, to Jags, now with five mouths to feed, and then to Spaz and finally to the crustacean Addazio. The Yawkey Center is filled with photos of BC highlights which include Matt the Magnificent. The Doug E. statue is only one more notice that BC has the highest motives of what is best about college football. Frank Leahy put them on the map and Spaz and the Dazzler took them off of it. JBK said "by any means necessary", bring out the torches and storm the citadel.
Glad to see my classmate Dana Barros receive this honor. I ran into him a few times on campus and I remember he was a very quiet, but nice guy. There was a forward on the team who was absolutely hilarious and roomed with Barros. He was as loud as Barros was quiet. They were an interesting pair. Barros was also a very decent pro player.
Dana Barros and John Bagley (especially Bagley) were great players. However, like someone else said, its nicer to appreciate the past when the present is creating its own good memories. Right now all they can do is sing "Yesterday".
Imagine if the greatest basketball player from Cambridge Mass chose to joint Bagley? Yes. Patrick Ewing's final 3 choices were BC, Bu and GT.
https://www.google.com/amp/www.nydailynews.com/amp/archives/sports/lone-star-abuse-ends-patrick-ewing-somaybe-s-aloof-article-1.936459?client=safari
Of course when Ewing had to chose in 1980, the point shaving scandal emerged. Yeesch.
I recall one theory someone offered was that SI ran an article on the scandal the same week Ewing was to decide and this pushed Ewing to GT. . I wonder if there is any truth to that Sounds like bs.
So it goes......BC was on the cusp of becoming "elite". It was not to be
Saw Knuckehead's ratings, seemed rating based on flash/stats, instead of all around game (including Defense, rebounding, passing), and success.
The Curley, Eisley, Huckaby, Abrams (Gerrod) quartet did eventually do well, but took a little time to get there. Dudley was successful much quicker, and that team deserves more credit.
Here is my list Best Players at BC from the last 35 years
Tier 1 - Difference makers to the program
Michael Adams, Bagley, Jared Dudley, Dana Barros, Billy Curley
Tier 2 - just a cut below Tier 1, not quite good enough to lead a program, but very good
Troy Bell (had a lot of very good complementary pieces), Olivier Hanlan, Craig Smith, Roger McCready
Tier 3 - very good complementary players, needed other strong players for them to succeed
- Howard Eisley, Jay Murphy, Antonio Grainger, John Garris, Danya Abrams, Sean Williams, Huckaby, would like to pick one player from 27-4 team with Troy Bell, but they seemed to be a group of equals after Bell
- Scoonie Penn would have made the list if he didn't transer to Ohio State
- Biggest disappointments (unfulfilled potential) - Sean Williams, Ryan Sidney, Brian Edwards, Rakim Sanders
Robinson and Bowman will have off nights. They do not have enough of a balanced roster of skilled players to win when those two are struggling. Games like last night will happen a few more times this year.
Hope that some other younger players can continue to develop, and Turner and Popovic seem like they are the next two on the rise. Tava and Jeffers are done after this year. They need 3-4 more players of talent level of their current top 4 and then can realistically look at .500 in ACC.
Would be nice to get 4 more league wins, with one upset against a top team included in the mix. That would be a big step forward from last year. And they almost beat UNC last year in their winless season, feel like they can pull one off this year.
Craig - Disagree completely with your view on BC hoops. If you define success as An NCAA title, then very few teams in country are successful. Assuming that's not your measure of success (and if so, you have very little company with that view)
1981 - 1985, team made Sweet 16 4 out of 5 years, including an Elite 8 appearance
1994 - Elite 8 appearance after knocking off #1 UNC, then Indiana, close loss to Florida
2006 - Sweet 16 appearance, lost to Nova in OT, toughest to take because they had the most balanced and skilled roster in BC's history and could have played with ANYONE in the NCAA and probably would have beat any of them in a 7 game series.
There are plenty of other tourney appearances, and BC hoops has a long and storied history of competing at a high level against top programs (GTown, Nova, St Johns, UConn, Syracuse), and were competitive early in ACC tenure against top ACC teams.
In my opinion, this program has had a lof success that has kind of flown below the radar and not been really recognized over the years. Understandably, recent years performance has put a damper on the program, but I see it as a program that is waiting/ready to be rejuventated, not a program that has seen its best days and is going to keep trending downward.
They have been in a major conference for their entire existence and you want to celebrate a couple of sweet sixteen appearances over the course of 40 years? That just proves how pathetic the program is and has been. Thanks for proving my point kid.
Craig- go back to the rock you live under. Are you a BU graduate? I find your opinion pathetic
Actually I am a UNC grad.
Go have fun with a coed and say it was all just a joke and misunderstanding. UNC the last bastion of integrity.
It's better than BC in academics.
You keep telling yourself that. Eventually you will believe it - given your education experience. North Carolina - living the Civil War for over 150 years.
Typical BC loser mentality
Don't you have to ask people if they want fries with their dinner?
UNC = Liars, cheaters and rapists. But damn they make up for it with low academic standards.
BC's standards were too low for me. That's why smart people go to UNC. People that I know that didn't get in at UNC went to their safety school... BC.
BC standards are too low? How about screwing your cousins. That's always a good pastime down south. Go away. Ask your parents for movie money so you can get out of the basement or double wide.
I don't live in the south, nor am I from the south. I grew up and live in Boston. I wanted to go to a better school than my siblings. They went to BC. I went to UNC. For my undergrad that is. BC is a total safety school.
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