Bowls Pros and Cons

As usual this time of year, the Bowl picture is a jumble. To recap, BC is a bad ticket seller, but a pretty good TV draw. Our 4-4 conference record negates the "BC rule" which means all the eligible ACC teams can be selected ahead of us. The good news though is that Clemson, Miami and Georgia Tech all ended their seasons with a thud and are not expected to buy tickets in bulk. BC is in the mix for the Sun (El Paso), Military (Washington, D.C.) and the Kraftfighthunger (San Francisco). I've covered some of this ground before, but now that we know some of the opponents and new options, I will do a quick Pros and Cons.

Sun Bowl
Pros: Historic. Easily the most prestigious Bowl BC will have played in since the Outback/Hall of Fame with Coughlin. It is sort of a local event in El Paso, so ticket sales are not a big deal. They are more concerned with good TV ratings. We don't have a big alumni base in west Texas, but who knows, our fans in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio might rally. It's got a decent date and TV timeslot (December 31 at 2 PM). There is a rumored SEC opponent.
Cons: It is in El Paso. I've been to El Paso. It has its charm but very, very few BC fans are going to make that trip. It is also down on the list of desirable locations for the players and their families. The rumored SEC opponent is still just a rumor. We could very well end up playing a MAC team. The violence across the border has taken away from some of the seedy charm a trip to El Paso used to have. Fans and players can't wander over to Mexico to check things out.

Military
Pros: It's close. It's near one of our biggest Alumni centers. We might sell a decent amount of tickets.
Cons: We would play East Carolina and Dominique Davis. The BC DC Club fears that the 29th might be a bad date to generate interest and ticket sales. It is a bad date for exams and practice schedules and a less appealing TV timeslot (2:30 PM).

Kraft Fight Hunger
Pros: It is a good date and is potentially against Boise State or Nevada.
Cons: We were just there and it is potentially against Boise State or Nevada.

My opinion
Knowing that we would face East Carolina soured me on the Military Bowl. It is the ultimate lose/lose game. Our fans won't care. The Dominique Davis narrative is overwhelming and I actually think ECU would give us a heck of a game. I don't know if BC fans have noticed but they have a prolific offense. We could slow them down, but could our offense score enough?

I've been in favor of a return trip to San Francisco and the prospect of Nevada or Boise State makes it that much more appealing. In my mind it is a win/win. We would be huge underdogs against Boise State and slight underdogs against Nevada. I actually think that with a month to prepare we would and could beat both. It would be a huge attention getter at the end of the season and end the season on a high note.

The Sun Bowl seems like a decent and safe fit. Ticket sales are not a factor (which screams BC!). We would get it checked off of the ACC rotation (would you rather go to the Sun Bowl this year or in a year where we went 10-2). The biggest plus is that we could face a name yet struggling team like Georgia or Tennessee. For many BC fans the name means more than the ranking.

With all that said, my vote is for the Sun and I hope Gene is working the phones now.

Turn out to watch BC and the Terps

Despite our travel rep, BC fans turn out for Maryland. I am sure that much of that is due to the large alumni population in the DC area. Because of large gathering of Eagles the DC Club is hosting a pregame tailgate. Here is the info:

Alumni Association is hosting a pre-game tailgate inside the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center, located on the University of Maryland campus, from 12:30 until 2:30 p.m. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. The Alumni Center is located next to the stadium.


I don't think I will make it to the tailgate but I will be at the game. I'll be in Section 2, Row FF with my dad and wife. Come by and say hello if you are there.

BC D.C. Club's list of events for Maryland

The Washington, D.C. Club is one of our strongest chapters. They have a list of events planned for this weekend. If you are going to be in the area for the game, consider these options.

BC vs. MD Welcome Reception
Friday, November 9, 2007
7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Ireland's Four Fields
3412 Connecticut Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC
202-244-0860
www.irelandsfourprovinces.com

Please join alumni, family, and friends as the BC Alumni Association and our Washington, DC Chapter host a pregame welcome reception at Ireland's Four Fields on Friday, November 9, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. in preparation for the Eagles' matchup versus the University of Maryland Terrapins. Ireland's Four Fields is four blocks north of the National Zoo and right next to the Uptown Theater, it is located one block south of the Cleveland Park Metro station on the Red Line. There will be appetizers and a cash bar. For head count purposes, RSVP to alumnichapters@bc.edu.



Gridiron Club Event
Friday, November 9, 2007
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
RJ Bentley's
7323 Baltimore Avenue
College Park, Maryland
301-277-8898

For those BC fans who may be in town earlier that day, join the Gridiron Club for a Friday afternoon get together at RJ Bentley's in College Park from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. The cost will be $15 for members and $25 for nonmembers.



BC vs. Maryland Pregame Tailgate
Saturday, November 10, 2007
4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Kickoff: 8:00 p.m.
Inn and Conference Center, East Patio
University of Maryland
3501 University Boulevard
East Adelphi, Maryland

Please join the Alumni Association in cheering on the Eagles and Head Coach Jeff Jagodzinski on Saturday, November 10, at the University of Maryland. The tailgate will open at 4:30 p.m. and will end at 7:30 p.m. to give BC fans time to be in their seats for the 8:00 p.m. kickoff. The pregame tailgate will be held on the East Patio at the Inn and Conference Center on the University of Maryland, which is within walking distance to the stadium. The tailgate includes a buffet dinner and cash bar. Tailgate tickets are $20 per person and can be reserved by contacting Dodds Athletic Tours at 888-373-7376 or online at www.DoddsAthleticTours.com/BC.