Recruiting "gurus"

As I have mentioned, I used to get excited about recruiting. Now I stay aware of the BC happenings, but temper my excitement. Too many busts and too many self-styled gurus have put a bad taste in my mouth. Years ago Evil A and I had numerous run-ins with Mike Farrell. Farrell started covering BC and has turned himself into an East Coast guy for Rivals. He occasionally appears on ESPNews. I could disparage him for numerous things, but ultimately what bothered me about Mike is that he was representing my school and influencing what happens to the team I support in an unofficial and unsanctioned capacity. And his rumored actions were displeasing to this Boston College alum. Who knows what sort of encouragement he may or may not have received from the BC staff? And who knows what truly went on during his phone calls with recruits, but ultimately the whole thing stunk. In my opinion his role as a broker/reporter crossed lines. Hence I don’t support giving these guys money and wouldn’t mind the NCAA getting in and regulating recruiting experts. Why rant now in the middle of summer? Well ESPN the magazine ran a piece about the recruitment of Myron Rolle and it confirmed a lot of my worst fears about the process. Fellow bloggers have already picked it apart (here and here). The article really targets Tom Lemming, but there are many sharks in these waters. (BTW, Lemming has been known to shill for BC too.)

My advice to fans: don’t get emotional and don’t pay for anything. My advice to players and their families: don’t tell the “gurus” anything. Dealing with the coaches is hard enough.

Hockey and hoops news

Two items of interest from Friday’s Boston papers. First, the Celtics signed a new radio deal. Their games will be broadcast on WRKO the sister station to sports powerhouse WEEI. Unfortunately for Boston College, the Celtics will take priority and preempt any conflicting Eagles basketball games. Hopefully, Entercom (the parent of both stations) will announce BC’s radio alternative soon.

The other interesting item was that Boston lost out on its bid for any of the upcoming NCAA Hockey finals. Hockey has not caught on in the Sun Belt, but the Sun Belt cities obviously were aggressive in winning the rights to host the championships. This is a sign that Boston and local area ADs cannot count on hosting the NCAAs every few years.

York has cancer

BC hockey coach Jerry York was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Reports seem optimistic about his recovery. Jerry’s a nice guy, championship coach and has the charisma that other BC coaches are lacking at times. I wish him the best and hopefully he won't miss a beat.

Spring recap/preview Part V

Defensive Backs

BC cannot seem to develop a tall corner. Lenny Walls was a JUCO transfer who fell in our laps and Will Blackmon -- while talented -- did not work out. So now we are a back where we have been the majority of TOB’s reign -- starting two undersized corners that will have to face a series of tall receivers in a pass-focused conference. Fortunately both projected starters are serviceable and our coverage doesn’t leave them too exposed.

Senior Jazzmen Williams is listed at 5’8 but is reliable. His playing time has increased each season and I expect him to be his consistent self this year. Williams is not much of a ball hawk, only grabbing one interception last season.

DeJaun Tribble, while also short at 5’9, showed a lot of promise as a freshman. His play was so strong that he unseated the oft-mentioned Will Blackmon as a starter midway through the season. After getting a DNP and being a nonfactor in the opener, Tribble worked his way into the backfield and saw some time on special teams too. He also grabbed two picks. Like his predecessor, I expect the opponents to challenge Tribble deap. He needs to stay focused and let his speed make up for his lack of size.

Strong Safety is the strength of the defensive backfield. Much was expected of Ryan Glasper and he played well. The real surprise was Jamie Silva, who proved to be a great runner supporter and one of those hustle/energy guys that the team needs. Both should get playing time next year. The BC-issued preview makes it seem like they will split time. I would rather see Glasper move to Free Safety and keep Silva at the Strong spot. Because it is clear both show more promise than the projected starter at Free Safety -- Larry Anan. Larry looked lost at times last year and got attention with some bonehead plays. Maybe he’ll be more comfortable at FS this season. Taji Morris, Brad Mueller and Kevin Akins should all get some playing time this season too.

I worry about this group, because their adjustment to the ACC will probably be the most demanding. The Big East had some passing teams and unique offenses but not the overall depth that the ACC has. Plus last season the defensive line put so much pressure on the opposing QBs that it relieved a lot of the strain on our DBs.

I like our safeties and just hope they can help our corners. I also hope Tribble can develop into an all-conference player. After QB, this is the second biggest area of concern.

Dudley talks; Gurley goes South

Nice Q&A with Jared Dudley on his Under 21 tryout, his summer plans and thoughts on next season. TRay will be disappointed to hear that the guys don’t hang or call each other much in the summer. When we were on the Heights, the hoops players had each other on speed dial.

Newton North hoops prospect Anthony Gurley is going to Wake Forest. It’s a shame to lose out on a guy who played High School ball 15 minutes from campus, but I think the recruiting class will be fine. And in my opinion most Massachusetts high school players tend to be a little overrated.

Spring recap/preview Part IV

Special teams

Inept special teams cost BC wins in 2002 and 2003. Last season was more of the same, however, the improved return game also contributed to a few key wins.

This season I expect the return team to be even stronger. Will Blackmon -- one of the nations leading punt and kick returners -- will now focus exclusively on offense and special teams. As I have repeated, Will has a ton of talent and is very good at finding the holes in the special teams coverage. Without the pressure of playing corner Will should really blossom. Plus after being a washout on defense, this might be his best and only way into the NFL. Dejaun Tribble also successfully returned some punts last season. Look for Andre Callender or one of the wideouts to get a chance to return a few kickoffs too.

Past breakdown on punts could be attributed to poor snaps. That shouldn’t be a problem this year. The consistent long snapper Francois Brochu returns for his final season in 2005. He’ll be snapping to Johnny Ayers. Ayers had a good first season. He only muffed a few and never really cost us a game. A little more consistency and our punting should be fine.

Kicking is the biggest question. Ryan Ohliger was maddening in 2004. Beyond 40 yards he was nearly perfect. Against WVU he had ice water in his veins. Other times he couldn’t make a chip shot. His best play was a fake that he turned into a TD against North Carolina. I am attributing most of his troubles to freshman jitters. If he can’t improve, he’ll get the hook.

Overall I feel good about our special teams. I don’t expect them to win games Beamer style, but as long as they don’t blow it, BC should be okay.

Dudley gets an invite

USA Basketball invited Jared Dudley to the Dallas tryouts for the Under 21 team. I imagine he doesn't stand out in these sorts of events due to size and build, but anyone who watches him on a regular basis knows that he would be a leader and a clutch player on Team USA. Let's hope he makes it and plays well.

More previews, TV and blogging news

College Football News came out with their Boston College preview. In the past this site has been lacking in quality and full of inane comments and polls, so I was very surprised with this solid and for the most part, accurate preview. Hats off to the writer Pete Fiutak.

The Army game will be on national TV. I wonder if ESPN Classic will break out the old fonts and graphics like they did during live basketball coverage.

As I mentioned earlier in the week -- don’t pay for recruiting content. As the Notre Dame signing of John Ryan proved, local papers will get the news to the web for free. Some BC fans were upset about being trumped by the Irish again, but as I have stated before, I no longer get emotional about recruiting wars. I wait until they get on the field to get worked up.

They’re playing football in Canada and BC alums Marc Parenteau and Paul Peterson are getting some snaps.

Michigan Blogger Brian Cook has started a blogger poll. I am participating. We’ll see how it goes. His work has led me to other college sports bloggers like Every Day Should be Saturday, who have interesting things to say about their teams and about BC. Non-BC fans seem to be more optimistic about our chances this year.

The truth about TOB

The Sporting News' Matt Hayes wrote a mailbag that caught the attention of a few BC fans. Asked to make a prediction about the Penn State job, Hayes riffed "...Tom O'Brien will skyrocket to the top of the list after Boston College's successful inaugural season in the ACC.

While I am glad that columnists anticipate a successful first season in the ACC, TOB is not going to Penn State or any other premiere job. Not gonna happen. Ever. He has already been down the aisle with two programs that would have been upgrades (Georgia Tech and Washington). In both cases he lost out when the alumni base was underwhelmed. ADs like TOB. He leaves boosters and fans cold. Just look at BC. The man has done a very good job, but his stubbornness and stoicism has the die-hards hoping that he moves on. A group that knew him well -- UVA -- passed on him and brought Al Groh back. While at UVA Groh hasn’t accomplished much more than O’Brien but perception and demeanor make a huge difference. Plus I think TOB is too smart to take the Penn State job. It is a top program and annual contender waiting to happen, but following Paterno could be tough; especially if Joe hangs around and casts a shadow. Some coaches have all the confidence in the world and think the can outshine the legend. TOB is more selective than that. If he wanted out of BC, he would be gone by now. That is why he only is mentioned when it is a strong program in a down cycle.

The only way he takes over Penn State or gets hired for any other primo job is if we have an amazing Top 5, conference championship type season. And if that happens BC will pull out every thing we have to keep him.

My bet is he is on the Heights until he retires.

No (BC) stone unturned

Summer remains a lean news time, but here are a few items of note.

Akida McClain cut a deal. It looks like he will avoid any serious punishment. This is good news for BC basketball. With Sean Williams’ future uncertain, Akida should get some minutes spelling Smith and Dudley.

Two takes on BC’s preparation for joining the ACC. I don’t love the new slogan, but it is certainly not the worst one to come out of BC sports marketing. I am glad Gene dismissed the exorbitant travel costs claim that the Big East schools threw around. In the article from Charlottesville Daily Progress, they mention an ACC celebration party at Fenway -- another welcome sign of the Red Sox influence.

Brian Curtis, who wrote Every Week a Season, is now a columnist for CSTV.com. In his latest article, he says that even with our departure that the New Big East will not be that bad. I have to disagree. Louisville is one of the best teams in the country, but I expect the rest of the teams to really struggle out of conference.

Nice article on some BC baseball recruits. Looking for BC stuff on the web has confirmed one of my beliefs -- don’t pay for recruiting news. Most of recruits are big names somewhere and in many cases get free coverage from small-town papers. Plus any of the good stuff from the “gurus,” will end up on some message board.

Friday links

Gene D. is trying to mend fences with Syracuse. Some might say adding the Orange back to the schedule is about travel, but I think it is more about recruiting. A charter flight to upstate New York is not that much cheaper than one to North Carolina. But telling kids in New Jersey, New York and New England "we play over half our schedule within driving distance of your home" will counter attack any anti-ACC spin Big East coaches might use against us. While I didn't like the way Syracuse's admins ripped us and certainly didn't like losing with the Fiesta Bowl on the line, it is good to see Gene move on.

Loyal reader LBI Eagle found this ACC preview. I'll continue mine in the next few weeks.

Sportsline created a Hot Seat chart. These sorts of things are pure speculation, but fun to fill the offseason. They don't think TOB is under any sort of pressure. I agree. It will take two losing ACC seasons before firing talk would ever start.

Bowl games, baseball and boxing

Interesting article in the Orlando Sentinel on the implications of the TV deal for the premiere Orlando bowl (f/k/a the Citrus Bowl) and how it will impact all the other second tier bowls. Basically the expanded BCS devauled their offering and so their payout should decline. Which means conferences might switch slots. The Sentinel makes a prediction on how it will shake out. Still doesn't look good for a Disney World trip for the Eagles, but most of the ACC options appear to be in the southeast.

MLB held its draft this week. I normally don't cover much BC baseball but it is nice to see a few kids get drafted. If I had only been tall and a lefty. Future draftees that aren't on the Cape are now playing in the Berkshires.

Finally, an odd note at the end of Ron Borges' column. It seems that former BC lineman Derric Rossy is now a boxer. The heavyweight ranks are so thin now, maybe he can make a run.

Summer shopping

Nice article on Sportsline about Al Skinner's penchant for finding underrecruited and overlooked stars. The article also mentions a chance for Williams to return. If he can be back for conference play in January, I don't think the team will miss a beat. And if the staff finds another star -- even better.

Slow news week

BYU confirmed ABC will pick up the BC game. This is regional coverage, so I imagine it will play in New England and the Rockies. Anyone else who wants to see it will have to get Gameplan or find a sports bar. The game is Labor Day weekend so I'll probably be at the Sports Grill at Carillon Beach (where I watched the Syracuse debacle).

More Flutie-Pats stuff.

Speaking of Doug, Boston College's endowment passed the $1 billion mark. Many attribute the school's ascendancy to Flutie's play. He was a factor, but alumni check books and Father Monan's focused fund raising transformed the school to what it is today.

TRay found another Peterson story. This one focuses on his adjustment to Canada.

Spring recap/preview Part III

Linebackers

This is the easiest section of the recap/previews to write because it should be the strength of the team this season.

Superstar Brian Toal earned Big East Rookie honors and adjusted to the speed of the college game quickly in his first season. His brother got better each year while at BC, so there is optimism that he’ll be even better this season. If his learning curve accelerates, there is no reason to think he can’t make 90 tackles next season. Toal and the other returning starters, Ray Henderson and Ricky Brown, combined for 233 tackles last season.

Ray Henderson had a nice season and made a few big interceptions last year, but he is not a dominant player. He can pick his moments and seems to read opposing QBs well (it doesn’t hurt that he was a former QB). He also comes off as one of those screamer/emotional leader types. I usually want those guys to zip it, but it may be needed given TOB’s stoic nature.

Brown had the most unassuming 80 tackle season you could imagine. He is finally getting a chance to play to his potential. Hopefully he’ll have another strong year.

With the front four applying a lot of pressure last season, these three were able to drop back and wait for action to come to them. They probably won’t have that same luxury this year. Our opponents will probably pass more and our defensive line is not as experienced.

For years, BC fans bemoaned the state of our LB corp. In addition to talent, this season brings depth as both Jolonn Dunbar and Tryonne Pruitt showed ability and aggressiveness in spot duty last year.

Overall I expect these guys to hold the defense together. Spaz plays a frustrating bend but don’t break style and will rarely blitz the LBs. I just hope they can keep up with the more talented playmakers in the ACC and don’t freelance too much.

My tribute to Paul Peterson

I don’t know Paul Peterson. His story -- the unwanted underdog -- is great, but that is not why he is my favorite BC athlete of all-time. In honor of his and his wife’s recent graduation, I thought I would write one final tribute to him.

I was only eight during Doug Flutie’s run at the Heights. While I remember the Miami game and have watched his BC games on ESPN classic, I didn’t really live through them as a diehard fan. Paul Peterson might be as close to Doug Flutie as I’ll ever get. While his accomplishments don’t measure up to Flutie’s, his success and style of play -- given his surroundings -- made Peterson’s nearly as special.

I became a BC student in the fall of 1994 and have watched every game since. In that time we have had some quarterbacks who showed flashes of brilliance and pro potential, but all still played safely within the system. We also had our share of robotic stiffs. Peterson was different. Whether it was his age and JUCO experience or his need to compensate for his size and arm strength, Paul saw the field differently and made choices his predecessors did not. When he first arrived you heard reports of things being different, but TOB and Bible still went with Quinton Porter (who fit their prototype). Peterson saw limited play but couldn’t (or wasn’t given the chance to) unseat Porter. When Quinton went down with an injury, and the season on the brink Peterson played well in a comeback win against Rutgers. This is when I started gaining confidence, but it was the next week against Virginia Tech where he confirmed he was something special. BC was a heavy underdog going into Blacksburg. The team was playing well and Peterson was making the plays to keep drives alive. Then he rolled right on a scramble and flung a ball to Grant Adams in the endzone. A 30-yard TD should not be a big deal, but I jumped off of my couch. That was not what was supposed to happen to BC during broken plays. Prior to Peterson, everyone would come back toward the QB to bail him out. With Peterson, it changed. He turned broken plays into big plays. And had the confidence to take a risk. BC football was exciting again.

Peterson kept up this style of play through the end of the 2003 season and the start of the 2004. Then Wake Forest. He moved the ball, but we just couldn’t get it in the endzone and missed three back-breaking field goals. Wake made a fluke play late in the game to take the lead and eventually win. I was sitting there, stunned and disappointed. As the players walked into the locker room, one guy remained on the field -- Paul Peterson. He was crouched with his helmet in his hands. For the first time in a long time, it looked like a player cared as much as I did. I am sure others have cared more, and as a spectator, I don’t claim to get as emotionally of physically involved as a player. But seeing Paul share my frustration connected with me more than taking a class with a player or hanging out with one in my mod.

The season progressed, with its share of highs (Notre Dame) and lows (Pitt and Syracuse). Regardless of how many clunkers he might have thrown or my frustration with other parts of the team, Peterson made the games fun and gave me the confidence we were never out of it.

When I started this blog around the holidays, I wrote about how I skipped the Tire Bowl out of frustration with the Syracuse loss (in which Peterson did not play). At the time it seemed like the team looked past the Orange or missed the Peterson’s leadership. Well, I decided if they didn’t care, I wasn’t going to care. Of course I still watched the game. I regret missing it in person, because it summed up what made Peterson so special. Although his hand was still hurting, he moved the ball effectively and kept the team in the game. Then, while scrambling, he lost the ball due to the same injured hand. Staying poised, Peterson fell on the ball and got trampled. Broken leg. Season over. Game over. College career over. Many guys would have pouted or at least focused on the injury. But there was Paul watching the jumbotron and cheering as the team converted a fake kick into a touchdown. Big smile on his face. It wasn’t the Flutie pass, but it was a dramatic end to a great run.

Paul, thank you for the joy you brought to this fan. Thank you for making the games exciting. Thank you for caring. Your BC career was too short, but I will certainly remember it fondly. Don’t give up your dreams. (Doug Flutie didn’t stick in the NFL until his mid-30s.) Best of luck to you and Meghan (whom my friend Logitano met at Temple. His assessment: “She’s hot”.) As you follow your path I know you will continue to exemplify our alma mater’s motto -- Ever to Excel.

Friday news and notes

A few things of note for Friday morning.

Sean Williams has a history of trouble. This won't help his cause to be reinstated at BC.

Gordon Watt is headed to Purdue. Best of luck to him.

In BCS news, it looks like the coaches' votes will be public.

Yawkey and talking

The new Yawkey Center is getting rave reviews. Hopefully our Boston correspondent can get some pics before the public.

In other news, McClain's lawyer is claiming that Akida is innocent. What would you expect his lawyer to say?

Williams busted for stupid freshman move

Monday was commencement at Boston College. I planned on posting my love letter to the graduating Paul Peterson. Instead I have to chime in the Sean Williams disaster.

Sean Williams blew it. There may be more to the story over the next few months. He may get his second chance at BC or another school, but this will follow him. This seems like a minor thing (my friends and I did things like this or worse while at BC) but for someone like him -- a promising athlete with a lot at stake -- this was a bad move. The student athlete is held to a higher standard than the regular Joe BC. Others may view this as a double standard but there is a reason for the statement. Most BC students are not public figures. Most BC students are not given as much slack in the classroom. And the biggest difference, most BC students are not recipients of University funded scholarships. These skills/burdens and gifts come with a quid pro quo -- perform and keep your nose clean and the jock will get a platform on which to be seen and an education and network foundation that will last a lifetime.

In Sean Williams’ life, if he works hard and gets better, his talent will prevail. But that may not happen at BC. Since Jim O’Brien’s departure we have not given too many second chances. And now this looks like Al Skinner may be losing control of the team: McClain last week, Watson during the season and Ryan Sidney and Andrew Bryant two seasons ago. Williams may be the sacrificial lamb. Regardless, Al is going to be under a much closer watch.

What does this mean for the team? If he doesn’t return, it is certainly a step back. The lineup can be shuffled, but big things were expected for Williams' sophomore year.

I’ll still cheer for the kid and hope he gets his act together. TRay and the Evil A and I used to joke that we would love BC to become a UNLV-type environment. But in reality this is embarrassing. I don’t want my school going through this stuff. I see it all the time down here in the SEC, and it really takes away from the whole college sports experience. Regardless, I always cheer for BC. Hopefully I’ll be cheering for Sean Williams too.

Look for the interrupted Peterson tribute later in the week.

On a more personal note, congrats to the Entropy Kid, good friend, fellow BC alum and blogging powerhouse. He just added a Mrs. Entropy Kid and hosted friends and family from around the country in a lovely wedding in California. I hope he is reading this from his Hawaii hotel room.

Post script on Akida's fake Benjamins

Looks like Akida might not be in big trouble over the fake money thing. With the trouble that Ryan Sidney and Andrew Bryant got into, I think it would be best for Al to cut any losses and tell the kid to find another school.

"I want my $2"

Great find from TRay on Akida McClain passing bad money off at the Dollar Store. This ends his career at the Heights. No big loss to the team. Hopefully he can get his act together.

Craig Smith made the smart move and decided to skip the NBA draft. I think Craig will have a tough time in the NBA. He is too small to play inside and his outside shooting is not strong enough. And his defense is so, so.

Finally, it looks like the ACC runner up will still go to the Gator Bowl. If BC ever makes it, I'll be there. However, going to Orlando would be cool.

News and notes

Amelia Island is beautiful. Mrs. ATL_eagle and I spent a long weekend there last December and will be back this year the same weekend as the ACC Championship in nearby Jacksonville. Although we’ll be there for business, we might still go to the game. I think BC will have a hard time selling all of its ticket allotment.

While many of the ACC writers were also in Amelia, the Boston papers were MIA. Here are some articles of note from the past week.

The AJC’s Tony Barnhart writes about the nuances and challenges of the oncoming divisional play. I get the ESPN Gameplan; According to Tony’s other report, it looks like I’ll have a lot of ACC football from which to chose.

The AJC also had an interesting piece on the steps college coaches take to keep their athletes out of trouble. BC fans have numerous complaints about Tom O’Brien, but for the most part his guys stay out of trouble.

Jon Solomon of The State seemed to have the most comprehensive coverage from Amelia Island. His reports included this piece on the workings of instant replay.

Jon also had the latest on the flag controversy in South Carolina. As long as the flag is an issue, Greenville will not host the ACC Baseball tournament. This only increases the chances of playing the games at Fenway Park.

Fortunately it looks like the push for five years of playing time is losing steam. I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking, watching and reading about college sports, but I would like them to maintain some semblance of amateurism and academia. Extending playing time beyond four years would have been just another step towards official minor league status.

Sad, strange news

A BC rower died Saturday in Philadelphia. Junior Scott Laio collapsed from an apparent heart attack during a crew competition. According to reports he was seemingly fit. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

An assortment of eagle links

Some good work coming out the Columbia State on the ACC meetings. First an article on the machinations of the second tier bowls. It appears that the Big 10, Big 12, SEC and ACC are working out deals to mix and match teams in the Florida January 1 bowls. This sort of power move from the major conferences shows why we are a long way from a playoff. The NCAA would never let them have this much control.

The State also has an article on the challenges the added game puts on Thanksgiving weekend.

Looks like Paul Peterson will be protected by a BC man in Ottawa.

I like Kiwi, but Scout.com is getting a little overboard. And look where they slot Blackmon. Pretty high for a return man.

Tim Hasselbeck signed with the Giants. Now he and his TV wife can be in the same city.

More preview stuff (from ESPN this time)

ESPN weighs in with its ACC Spring recap/preview. I agree with their
Fall Questions, but disagree on the Spring Answers. No Quinton Porter rust? Fans questioning the backfield? Nine out of 10 BC fans feels better about our RBs than our QB.

Spring recap/preview Part II

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends


Entering the 2005 season, I think the wide receivers and tight ends are the most intriguing part of the team, simply for the fact that they are mostly unknown and are some of the better athletes on the team.

All three of last season’s starters -- Grant Adams, Joel Hazard and Dave Kashetta -- are gone. And the trio accounted for 42% of BC’s receptions last season.

I am not sure who will start this season. Given TOB and staff’s penchant for rewarding seniority, I think you could see the two seniors Larry Lester and Will Blackmon start. Interestingly both are converted defensive backs. Of the wide receivers Larry Lester caught the most balls (35 in eight games) last season. Larry is undersized but has speed. His hands are okay but he is probably best known for his overtime fumble against Pitt. He also has been prone to injury. Fortunately he has had his better games with Quinton Porter. Larry is a deep ball threat too, which we will need to stretch the offense.

Will Blackmon might be the most talented athlete on the team. Too bad he was not our best corner. His mental lapses and gambles last year cost him his starting CB job. But as he shown on special teams -- when he has the ball -- that he is very allusive. His conversion to offense has been the main story of the offseason. If he can catch he can have a big season. If he can’t than he’ll only see the field on kicks and punts. Hopefully Bible will use him in the occasionally end around.

Chris Miller is the projected starting tight end. He caught 20 passes (two for TDs) last year. He is serviceable but not a game breaker. I think he fill any void left by Kashetta.

Then there are the unknowns. I really like JR Tony Gonzalez. He caught the game-winning TD against Notre Dame. He has never shown anything spectacular, but he has reliable hands -- which we have been lacking. Jason Lilly and Kevin Challenger have also shown potential yet have never received much playing time. Redshirt freshman Brandon Robinson was highly touted and reportedly had a strong spring. And backup tight end Trey Koziol will also see more playing time.

I would like to throw the ball more this season. But given an untested receiving corp, Quinton Porter’s return, and a talent group of running backs, I don’t think we’ll see as much passing as last season.

Monday morning news items

The Eagle Action forum had these two links of interest. First, a preview of the ACC meetings. It mostly discusses future bowls and hoops tournament issues.

In the second item from this Globe article, Bill Griffith brings to light the aggresive stance the Fenway Sports Group is taking with WEEI and other local media. The Sox have the power in Boston and partnering with them seems like a good idea so far.

And then Yahoo! News provided this short story. More Fenway-ACC chatter from Florida.

Bad legal advice

The Big East-ACC lawsuits were a big mess. Since BC was the defendant I also thought the suits were frivolous. It appears the state of West Virginia did not come out ahead. I hope the voters take action. And once again, the Big East really needs to examine its leadership.

Pointless polls: movement in sportsline predictions

The offseason can be a tough time for college beat writers. There is not a lot of news and only so many features. That said, I understand looking for things to do or say. But churning your season previews repeatedly in the spring is kind of lame.

Is linking to it on your blog even lamer? It doesn't really explain BC's slight drop.

News, notes, spin, and my two cents

The ACC and Big East announced a settlement in the Big East’s lawsuit. This officially clears any final hurdles for BC joining the ACC.

What is interesting is that first report came out of Hartford (where the Connecticut AG -- who started the suit -- likes to grab headlines). Southern papers had a slightly different spin. Then the ACC came out with a rebuttal to the rumors. Spinning all around. What we do know is that the Big East settlement is $5 million or less. That won’t even cover the legal fees that the States Attorneys General have already accrued from Skadden Arps. So where is the big Big East victory? Maybe they saved some face publicly by getting a few ACC schools to agree to future dates. They have a loose hold on their BCS slot. And they were dumped by the Gator Bowl. The conference is in shambles. Thankfully, the mess is now behind BC.

The basketball team is getting a transfer. Tyrelle Blair had run of the mill numbers at Loyola, but should add some depth to the frontline once Smith leaves.

In other news, the Heights takes the lead over Eagle in Atlanta in the race to see who can show more love to Paul Peterson.

Finally, the AJC's Tony Barnhart wrote his ACC football spring recap.

Spring recap/preview Part I

Now that official football practices are wrapped up, I thought I would give my thoughts on each area of the team. I’ll start with the offensive line since that is probably the area of least concern.

Offensive line play has been the foundation of TOB’s success. The strategy seems to be recruit big kids, bulk them up and coach them up. Last year was probably the most the offensive line [as a whole] has struggled in the past five years. Jeremy Trueblood dealt with nagging injuries most of the season and Cherilus got pulled periodically due to inconsistent play. Plus, as I have often repeated, I don’t think they got much help from the backfield or tight ends.

This season the entire unit returns. While TOB won’t list a final depth chart until late August I think it is safe to say these guys will be the starters:

LT, Jeremy Trueblood, SR, 6-9, 330
LG, James Marten, JR, 6-8, 313
C, Patrick Ross, SR, 6-4, 295
RG, Josh Beekman, JR, 6-2, 320
RT, Gosder Cherilus, SO, 6-7, 310

SO Ty Hall (whose Dad wears the funny hat) also received significant playing time last season.

If Trueblood plays well and stays healthy he could be a first-day draft pick. I think Ross also has pro potential. Hopefully both will be focused and lead the unit.

There was no significant news out of this group during Spring Practices.

I expect the team to run more than last season, so pressure will fall on the line. Two years together, depth and good coaching -- there is no reason they should not be able to handle it.

TOB talk; Skins cut THass

BCeagles.com hosted a chat with TOB Wednesday. Nothing too revealing. A few joke questions got through. He does explain the Porter decision and talks about running back by committee.

In alumni news, the Redskins released Tim Hasselbeck.

Lids and things

I’ve lamented before that I am not a fan of BC’s current logo. It really cuts down on anything I would think of wearing or buying. So when I found this hat,
Best BC Hat Ever 

at Sports Moments & Memories in the Perimeter Mall I had to buy it. No angry chicken. No italicized letters. Simple. Adjustable-fitted. Perfect. It might be my all-time favorite hat.

Moments & Memories is filled with all sorts of SEC and ACC tchotchkes, but not a lot of BC stuff yet. That is probably best since I don’t have to fight the temptation to buy a BC chips and salsa tray or a BC style miniature stock car. Much to my surprise they did have a foam mascot hat like these (sorry, couldn’t find a pic of the BC one). So if anyone is interested in the foam hat or the perfect hat, let me know. I might be willing to ship. Or you could just call the store yourself.

Good pub, bad research

My former colleague Stewart Mandel thinks BC will adjust well to the ACC. Nice pub, but there was one glaring error (which may get corrected by the time you click the link) -- he lists Blackmon as coming back as a CB. I am sure other fans will let him know.

The week that was

With exams and a new job at work, I’ve been busy and haven't had time to post, so here are the BC sports tidbits from the past week.

First, earlier in the week, the BCS made some adjustments for Notre Dame and the Big East. The Big East will remain in the BCS for now. Notre Dame fans were upset over the reduction of Notre Dame’s upside in the BCS. I agree with the Irish fans. Why take the $1 million guarantee when the real money is in the $14+ million payout. Who knows how this BCS stuff is going to end?

While the Big East is still in the BCS, BC is free to leave its old conference. Final settlement was not disclosed.

Gene D. and TOB do not like the 12-game schedule. Expect home games with local DIAAs like Northeastern, UMass, Maine, URI, etc.

The Alchemist and many other fans were lived with the announcement that Quinton Porter won the starting job based on spring drills. This article was BC approved, so it didn’t say anything enlightening. However, this one ends with this telling quote “Quinton understands now that there's a performance clause in all of this. You still have to perform to keep your job. It's the same for everyone looking to win a starting job on this team." Like I’ve said earlier, TOB is big on seniority and loyalty. There was no way that Porter was not going to be named starter. But TOB also knows that the bar has been raised -- by the ACC move and by Peterson’s play. If Porter struggles I expect a quick hook.

Doug Flutie is back in New England. Paul Peterson is adjusting to Flutie’s old stomping grounds.

In hoops news, SI’s Seth Davis talks about the college 3-point line debate. Moving it back has to help a team like BC, which has trouble defending the 3 and doesn’t depend on it offensively.

Exams are over Wednesday, so look for my Spring recap later this week.

Atlantic outlook; Parsing Porter

I came across two good links. First, the straight forward -- the Florida Times-Union preview of the Atlantic division. Surprisingly BC is predicted to finish second to FSU.

Then I came across this interview with Quinton Porter. Most of it is bland, but he did say this when talking about Peterson running Bible’s offense:

“…I was here with [Brian] St. Pierre who really ran things by the book. But, Paul comes in and all of a sudden he's just doing things and throwing routes that you would never dream of throwing in a certain play because Coach [Dana] Bible would not be happy. But, he made it work. So after watching him, I've learned how to just go out there and cut it loose and forget about the strict rigidity of an offense.”

Quotes like that will add fuel to the Bible-haters fire. I fear that the offense will be less dynamic next season. But as I wrote previously, the offense has been pretty stable (and frustrating) under Bible.

Comings and goings

Long weekend for Dave Kashetta and Tim Bulman. Neither were drafted. Fortunately they were both signed to free agent deals Sunday night. Tim with the Cardinals and Dave with the Redskins. Best of luck to both.

BC held its annual Spring Game over the weekend. Parsing through the reports, I am concerned about Quinton Porter. Rust is natural, but the picks worry me. Even though it was BC vs. BC, he should tear up these scrimmages. Matt Ryan was a little more accurate with fewer attempts. Knowing this staff I guarantee Porter will start this fall even if outplayed this summer. I also predict a return of the “first series of the second quarter” substitution pattern for Ryan. Mediocre play will not cost Porter his job. He’ll have to bomb to get the hook.

In hoops news, Steve Hailey and Gordon Watt announced their intentions to transfer. Both sited lack of playing time. Hailey had his moments, but I don’t think he’ll leave much of a void. Their departures are softened by the announcement that Tyrese Rice signed with BC. Welcome to the Heights, Tyrese.

Bad news for ACC, good news for BC

In less than surprising news, the core of North Carolina’s championship team is departing. Add the other teams’ departures and it looks like it will be a wide open year in the ACC. Earlier this week, ESPN.com Eagle supporters Andy Katz and Pat Forde both wrote articles touting our chances next season.

Getting a better understanding of BC hoops

I've been focusing on football, so the great Kenpom beat me to some analysis of BC's stats. However -- inspired by his earlier work on blocks -- I wrote about Sean Williams' potential for a big soph year right after our season ended.

Kenpom offered good feedback on some of my earlier stuff. Hopefully he'll be able to offer some insight on BC as I dig deeper using some of his stuff and some of Dean Oliver's formulas.

ATL_eagle Scouting Service (look out Mel Kiper)

With the NFL Draft coming up, I thought I would give my own amateur and biased scouting report on the two Boston College players most likely to get drafted. (The fact that we are only discussing two draftees, shows the imperfection of recruiting. BC’s 2000 and 2001 classes were much lauded, yet produced fewer NFL prospects and about the same number of wins and losses as many of TOB’s earlier teams.)

Tim Bulman, DT, 6-3, 294. Tim had a good combine and a solid NFL workout. He is a little undersized to play the interior, but not fast enough to play the ends. Playing next to Kiwi the past few seasons helped free him up and he took advantage. His motor and drive should overcome any size issues. He needs to play a little more under control. Stupid penalties are not tolerated from second day of the draft guys. I could see him going fourth or fifth round. I think he’ll be a solid NFL contributor for a few seasons. Good luck Tim.

Dave Kashetta, TE, 6-3, 247. Kashetta’s career at BC was a letdown. He was highly-touted coming in and never lived up to the hype and in my opinion his potential. He has good size and athleticism and pretty good hands, but never became a difference maker. He would get lost -- and we run an offense that incorporates Tight Ends! Even now -- when you would expect hype -- the coaches still seem lukewarm on him. Although you would expect a BC TE to be a good blocker, Dave was mediocre and a drop off from our recent TEs. I don’t know Dave. He may be a nice kid, but he never showed much heart or desire out there. It never all came together in one game. I think it just might be a case of a big athletic kid who played because he was good at football, not because he had the desire to be the best. I wish him luck. Maybe it will all come together in the NFL. Right now he is a second day pick and a backup Tight End.

A guy who didn’t have Kashetta’s size, but twice as much heart just signed on with the Ottawa Renegades. Good luck Paul. If given the chance, I think he can make it happen in Canada.

ACC news and notes

The ACC confirmed that they will use replay next season. The Big Ten used it successfully this season, so I see no reason why it shouldn’t work this year. I am all for it as long as the right calls are made.

In other news, the ACC initially opposed the expansion of the regular season to 12 games, sighting concerns for the students. I won’t get into numerous hypocritical aspects of that silly stance. Later in the week the conference softened its position. I imagine this will go forward soon. What does it mean? Will the conferences expand their schedules by one game? That would make most sense as it would keep the money in the family. But as mentioned in the linked article, it wouldn’t surprise me if the teams feast on Division I-AA schools.

I am surprised the ACC was the only conference to object to expansion. I would have thought the eight-team conferences would have realized a longer season benefits the big guys more. Larger conferences can easily fill the game and get more TV money. With only seven conference games, the eight-team conferences could potentially have a harder time scheduling. We’ll see how the agendas, egos, timeslots and schedules play out, but I am sure it will get approval, which means more football for me.

Moving...ups and downs

My musings on BC-ND generated a few emails saying that BC will be a permanent cellar dweller in the ACC. I think BC will be a middle of the pack team in the ACC, winning 6 to 8 games every season. My gut told me that good teams remained good, mediocre remained mediocre and bad, bad after conference switches. Looking to support my hypothesis, I went back to examine the records of teams joining major conferences since the Pac 10 expanded in the late ‘70s. I looked at the teams’ five years prior to joining the conference and their first five years in their new conference. I excluded teams joining the Big East since it was a completely new conference and did not include Miami and Va. Tech’s recent moves since we only have one ACC season to measure (although it should be noted that Va. Tech won the conference). The numbers sort of burst my bubble. Take a look. (The winning percentage is in parentheses.)[SCROLL TO SEE TABLES]

Pac 8 expansion

	'73-'77	'78-'82
Arizona State	43-16 (.729)	41-17 (.707)
Arizona	36-20 (.643)	28-26-2 (.519)

Georgia Tech joining the ACC.

	'74-'78	'79-'83
Georgia Tech	30-25-1 (.536)	15-38-2 (.283)

Penn State becoming the 11th team in the Big 10.

	'85-'90	'91-'95
Penn State	42-16 (.724)	49-12 (.803)

Florida State joining the ACC.

	'87-'91	'92-'96
Florida State	53-8 (.869)	54-6-1 (.900)

SEC expansion.

	'87-'91	'92-'96
Arkansas	38-22(.633)	25-29-2 (.463)
South Carolina	31-23-2 (.574)	26-28-1 (.481)

Remnants of the SWC getting swallowed by the Big 8.

	'91-'95	'96-'00
Texas	34-22-2 (.607)	39-20 (.661)
Texas A&M	51-8-1 (.864)	37-23 (.617)
Baylor	34-24 (.586)	11-44 (.200)
Texas Tech	34-24 (.571)	33-25 (.569)

Of these examples, only three teams (Texas, Penn State, Florida State) improved their winning percentages in the first few seasons in the new conference. The average winning percentage declined by 10%. And most fans would point out that the three schools that improved were already established, traditional powers.

Most disconcerting was Baylor’s decline. Many opponents and columnists have mocked BC saying that we’ll be “the Baylor of the ACC.” And while there are similarities between the schools, I think the situations are different enough that our fate will be different. Baylor is a private school in a mega-conference filled with state schools. Also, Baylor is in a football hotbed where high school athletes have numerous choices. BC will be in a conference with a mix of public and private schools, with many of the public schools being like-minded academically. Although the Northeast does not generate as many football players as Texas, BC will remain a unique and appealing option in an underrated recruiting area.

So what does it all mean? The numbers say BC will experience a slight decline. I’ll hold out hope.

BC-ND: past, present and future

There is little news coming out of Spring practice, so Barry Gallup Jr. signing with Notre Dame fired up a lot of Eagle fans. Why the fuss over an undersized Massachusetts wideout? Part of the furor is because Barry Sr. is a former Eagle standout and current BC assistant AD. But if Barry Jr. had signed anywhere else no one would have batted an eye. It was the Irish aspect that sparked calls for Barry Sr.’s head and questioned our ability to recruit vs. the new Irish regime. However, I see nothing wrong with kids going to schools other than the ones that employ their parents. Gene D. and Jerry York both sent children to Notre Dame. BC benefits from this open-minded philosophy too, as the Eaves brother served as the recent core of our Hockey team. If they followed the no place but where dad works mantra they would have been scoring goals at Wisconsin instead of the Heights.

So clearly the fire was all about the Irish. For those uninitiated, here is my somewhat long but hopefully thorough take on BC-Notre Dame.

Past
The Eagles and the Irish had separate identities for most of their existences. BC was the Jesuit school in Boston providing an education to the middle class Catholics of the Northeast. Notre Dame was a small school in Indiana that rose to national prominence on the shoulders of its football program. BC changed with Father Monan’s term as BC Pres and Doug Flutie’s attention grabbing play. The regional Catholic school transformed into a national university competing for the same student who applied to Notre Dame and Georgetown.

Athletically the schools’ paths rarely crossed. The Irish remained independent and developed rivalries with Michigan and USC. BC played mostly Eastern Independents and eventually helped found the Big East. As BC athletics thrived, our original rival Holy Cross deemphasized sports and left BC without a traditional gridiron rival.

As an independent, Notre Dame prided itself on its “national schedule” and in the late ‘80s agreed to a series with the only other Catholic school playing Division IA football -- BC. The series seemed perfect to both sides. The Irish got a series where they received more home games, played in a major East Coast market and got to play a school that shared their perspective on the student athlete. (The contracts were signed when the “Catholics vs. Convicts” were getting national headlines, fights were breaking out in the tunnels and Irish fans were getting pelted with garbage at the Orange Bowl.)

BC got to rub elbows with the Irish and use the national platform as a recruiting tool. Then a few things happened. First Irish fans were dismissive of BC, pissing off Eagle fans everywhere. Then Holtz ran up the score in the first meeting. Then BC coach Tom Coughlin used that slight to motivate his team for the next year, which culminated in BC upsetting No. 1 Notre Dame in South Bend. The loss ruined ND’s 1993 title run and many fans point to Gordon’s kick as the demarcation point in the current decline in Irish football.

Those two games changed BC fans forever. Notre Dame was now THE biggest game of the year. And Notre Dame’s continued arrogance and flippant response to any rival talk fueled the fire. BC followed the 1993 win with another upset this time in Chestnut Hill. Although the Irish dominated the next few seasons, the game still meant something to BC. (BTW, my roommate T-Ray was the first to disrupt an Irish pep rally.)

1997 brought new coaches to both schools. And while Bob Davie was unable to bring consistent performance to South Bend, Tom O’Brien was able to turn BC into a consistent winner. O’Brien’s stubbornness and charisma void was overlooked by BC fans as he started beating the Irish on an annual basis. Frustrated by mediocrity, Notre Dame booted Davie, mishandled a coaching search (George O’Leary) and ended up with Ty Willingham. Willingham got off to a bang. The Irish were undefeated and thinking National Title when BC returned to South Bend. Despite his shortcomings, Willingham knew his history and warned his team not to overlook BC. Then he did the unthinkable -- he broke out the green jerseys. The green jerseys are part of Notre Dame lore and by donning them against BC, he nonverbally acknowledged the importance of the game. BC upset the Irish again and Ty’s time at the Golden Dome was never the same.

With every win, BC fans gloated and taunted ND fans (mostly via message boards), savoring the victories and Notre Dame denials. Irish fans responded with the type of bile they normally reserved for Bo Schembechler, Jimmy Johnson and O. J. Simpson, referring to BC as Backup College and Fredo. (Irish fans were also furious over BC players pulling turf off the field in 2002.) This became the most heated “non rivalry” the Irish had. Add the Irish meddling in BC’s move to the ACC and recent upset of the undefeated hoops squad and there is plenty of bad blood.

Present
Notre Dame has a new coach and a new president. Irish fans have got their admins thinking more about their BCS rankings rather than the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings.

BC is off to a new conference, the ACC. Fans are thrilled about the new opponents. The administration is thrilled with being grouped with like-minded schools like Duke, Virginia and Wake Forest.

With a two-year respite in the football series and the schools in other conferences, BC and ND will have fewer opportunities to take the rivalry to the field. Both fans are saying “good riddance” and “we don’t need them.” But the Gallup episode shows, both sides still care.

Future
BC’s future is certain. We are in the ACC and will have an opportunity to compete for quality bowl games and be seen on national TV in all sports. BC no longer needs Notre Dame for cash and recruiting platforms.

The Irish’s future is more uncertain. Regardless if Charlie Weis succeeds of fails, Notre Dame will always draw attention and be a desirable opponent. But much of their athletic schedule is tied to the fledgling “New Big East.” If the conference falls apart, will the Irish save it? Join the despised Big Ten? Or look to recreate their Big East deal with another, more viable conference. Independence is primary to most Irish fans, so I imagine a partial membership or alliance with the ACC is more appealing then any other scenarios. But what would be in it for the ACC and who would bring the Irish to the negotiating table? It seems like BC would be the logical candidate.

We’ll see what happens. In the meantime this BC fan will miss the Irish over the next two seasons. It is one less win we can count on!

Early preseaon predictions

I am really optimistic about next year’s basketball team. If Craig Smith returns and many of the marquee players in the ACC leave, there is no reason we can’t compete for a top spot in conference. After getting overlooked last year, the national columnists also like our chances. Here is a collection of their thoughts.

ESPN.com’s Joe Lunardi thinks we are a 3 seed. His colleague Andy Katz has us in the top 10.

While not in his top 10, SI.com’s Luke Winn groups BC in his others to watch category.

Sportsline’s Gregg Doyel ranks us at No. 12.

Trying to make sense of BC’s offense

I loved watching Paul Peterson play. His ability to keep plays alive with his feet and willingness to throw balls downfield gave me a feeling that we were in every game. And his 11-2 record as a starter, proved that when he was around, we were. Yet, our raw offensive numbers were not dramatically better this season. In fact, even with the shorter season, there was a decline in Total Offense. Was it due to the drop off in talent at Running Back? A lift from the good special teams play? The poor output against Syracuse? The inability to finish off a few key drives? I am not sure, but plan on using the offseason to figure out. In the meantime look at the key numbers of the last five seasons for Boston College’s offense under the much maligned Dana Bible. [SCROLL. TABLES ARE FUNKY IN BLOGGER.]

Year	Total Points	Total Offense	Total Passing	Total Rushing
2004	347	4625	2944	1681
2003 (13 game season)	370	5255	2888	2367
2002 (13 game season)	392	5074	3010	2064
2001	317	4361	2071	2290
2000	347	4564	2353	2211

Unexpectedly our best offenses don’t correlate to our best records. In fact you would say the most accomplished and talented squads were the 2001 and 2004 teams. So were do I go from here? I am going to do my best to figure out what makes a difference in record, in play and in talent. Because on the surface it would appear that the players are interchangeable and Dana Bible’s teams are good for 340 points and seven wins every year. (I’ll also try to factor in defense, special teams and strength of schedule.)

I just think there has got to be a reason Peterson won and our other QBs have been slightly above average. I'll post any progress as I dig deeper.

And if anyone has access to drive BC drive charts or play-by-play logs, send me an email.

A little of this and a little of that

Slow times for BC sports. Later this week, I’ll post a stat piece on BC’s offense under Dana Bible. In the meantime, here are some links to tide readers over.

Gene D. was added to the Massachusetts Sports and Entertainment Commission (second item on the link). This is another sign of his growing influence in the area. Perhaps he’ll be able to bring some additional college events to Boston and Foxboro.

The AJC reports that the Atlanta Sports Council is delaying its pitch for a second Atlanta bowl until next year. I hope this goes through because a game including the 6th or 7th place ACC team has BC written all over it. After following the team across the country, I am all for easy drives and hosting out-of-town friends for bowl games.

A writer in North Carolina captures what many BC fans have been thinking with this succinct headline.

I have a hetero, man-crush on Paul Peterson. But it looks like Meghan still has his heart. Hopefully he can catch on in Canada. I’ll post my farewell to Paul and explain why he is my second favorite athlete when he graduates. (Good work by the writer, Kevin Armstrong.)

Here is a fluff Q&A with O’Brien on Spring Practice. He confirmed that Will Blackmon is moving to offense. Not much else there, but when you are starving, you savor any morsel you get.

Signs of Spring

Spring practice began March 29 so there is a spike in football talk (but not coverage in the Boston media). Tom O’Brien is the lead of the ACC Insider on ESPN.com. There was nothing new, but it is nice to see BC get the publicity. Of course TOB and BC Sports Information worked in the talking points. For new readers, the talking points are “TOB’s amazing rebuilding effort,” “the bowl streak,” and “discipline/graduation.”

Let the Duke hating begin

Living in Atlanta, I am surrounded by a bunch of Dukehaters. I never felt strongly about the Blue Devils (however Jason Williams taunting Walls in 2001 showed they are not all Angels). And while the Packer/Vitale/media love affair with Duke turns my stomach, I give Coach K credit for 1) winning 2) using the media. Both are tough and he does it well.

All that said, the Coach K Amex commercials are getting noticed. The AJC ran a story on the ad Tuesday. In the article they get quote from UGA’s Dennis Felton (which you would expect in an Atlanta paper), Georgia Tech Coach Paul Hewitt (who often whines about Duke) and finally a quote from Al Skinner(?!?). The Skinner quote was innocuous but I was just surprised that the writer sought him out and that he agreed to give a quote. Who knows, maybe Al will be more vocal in the ACC. Or he is just joining the majority of the conference in whining about the Blue Devils.

Blocks, blocks, and more on blocks

Although he is already a fan favorite, some BC fans are worried that with Nate gone, Sean Williams increased minutes will stunt the scoring. I disagree and will dig deeper into the offensive issues later in the offseason. But even if our offensive numbers suffer, the defensive numbers should improve dramatically with Williams increased minutes.

First, for some background, let me relink blogger Kenpom’s post on blocks from earlier this season.

Now look at the top ten college defenses at the end of the regular season and you’ll see that the average blocks per game was 4.58 with UConn (the nations’ top D) averaging a whopping 9.1 per game. (By Sportsline’s rankings BC was 47th in D.) BC averaged 4.1 blocks per game. Williams alone accounted for 2.3 of that 4.1. And a block itself is not the only impact of a shotblocker. An inside force can alter shots, keep people from driving, enable double teams and force your opponent into lower-percentage, outside shots.

Now here are some conservative assumptions to project next year’s output. Sean made a big impact with limited playing time averaging .1375 blocks per minute. Next year, given Al’s short bench I project him to play 30 minutes per game. I’ll assume that with the increased minutes Sean won’t keep up his torrid pace (or else he’ll foul out of every game). So let’s say that his block production per minute declines by 25%. And I’ll forecast a 30 game season (assuming some success in preseason and ACC tournaments).

Williams' projection: Williams’ 2005-2006 projection would be (.135776[avg per minute]*.75[Decline with increased minutes]*30[minutes per game]*30[games per year]) = 92 blocks. That would shatter the school record that he just set and probably make him one of the top 10 individual blockers in college basketball. That increase would also cover any potential shortfall from Nate Doorenkamp’s defensive absence.

Team projection:Without Nate and Sean the team averaged .8 blocks per game. I’ll assume that that the rest of the team will fill at least a portion of Nate’s 28 blocks (say 50%) and maintain their 2004-2005 contribution.

So the team’s season projection would be: 92 [Williams’ expected total] +(28*.5)[50% of Nate’s production] + 24 [.8*30] = 130.

Even going conservative the increase is 5% over last season’s total. So even if Williams does not progress offensively his increased minutes should help BC in many other ways.

Season ends in second round

Saturday was pretty painful. Like last year, I thought that if we just pulled through in the second round we would have gone far. Yet in both cases we lost close games in the final minutes. Fans are gripping about the chokes and sloppy basketball, but ultimately I really think it was both teams playing to their strengths and UWM avoided mistakes with the game on the line.

I look at college sports through maroon and gold colored glasses, but really this team should be disappointed in the way it closed the season. They accomplished quite a bit -- best start in league history and co-regular season champs. Ultimately it was a team with one well-rounded player -- Dudley; one player who brings a lot of upside but has some limitations -- Smith; and then a series of role players who are very limited in certain aspects. We needed better ball handlers Saturday and we don’t have them. The most disappointing aspect of the game was the play of the two seniors Watson and Nate. But neither has played well for weeks.

Next year should be solid. We return most of our production and I expect Williams to mature offensively.

Now that the season is over this blog will change. I’ll add my two cents about Women’s hoops and the Men’s Hockey, but I expect to fill the space with background and stats pieces.

I’ll conclude the 2004-2005 basketball season with this quote from Al in Sunday's Herald "Eventually, we keep knocking on the door (and) it's going to happen for us."

UW Milwaukee preview

In my last scouting report I said BC should go inside. Instead the team shot the lights out from outside. So what do I know? I am glad we won and sometimes you have to take what the other team gives you, but hopefully this team won’t have to rely on Marshall and Watson to go far. Here is my take on the UW-Milwaukee game:

BC on offense: I expect UW-Milwaukee to do what Penn did -- double Smith and Dudley inside. But I don’t see Marshall being as big a factor in this game. UWM will press and that usually means Sean sits. So if the Panthers double and press, look for Craig to force a few more shots and for BC to work the clock and try to get some midrange looks for Dudley off of screens and movement. Watson should get a lot of minutes, so I expect him to score off of some open looks. Nate will have his chances too, but he has played so poorly lately that I would not count on him. I think scoring will be much tougher this time around and we will need strong rebounding from Smith. We didn’t need many second chances against Penn. We will need them Saturday. BC was sloppy with the ball in the first round. Fortunately the Quakers were as bad. BC will need to make better passes and decisions on Saturday.

BC on defense: We haven’t faced many teams that will push the tempo like UWM. We have faced plenty that will try to light us up from outside. After making 10 3-pointers in the first half of their win, there is no reason to think that the Panthers won’t try it again. We need to play tight on the perimeter, disrupt their pace periodically and rebound. When inspired -- like Syracuse and Penn -- Craig can be a great defensive rebounder. So hopefully he can do it again.

Prediction: BC wins 75-70. The pace should be fast, especially if we allow them to control early. I feel good about the way the team is playing and our talent level. If BC can slow it down and exploit their physical advantage I think they will win.

Post game thoughts

BC came out better than I expected and won 85-65. So much for my suggestion of going inside. The team was aggresive from outside right from the start and played their best 20 minutes of the season in the first half. They didn't sustain the momentum in the second and let Penn chip away. Sloppy ball handling and some foul trouble made it interesting before they regained control late in the game. Sean Williams had his best game of the season so I am feeling good about Saturday's matchup against Milwaukee-Wisconsin. I'll post a preview Friday.

Other Eagles in Cleveland

There’s a nice feature on Boston College grad and UW-Milwaukee coach Bruce Pearl in the AP’s coverage of the Cleveland site. Hopefully he’ll land a high-profile job this offseason.

Penn preview

My sister graduated from Penn, so under any other circumstance I would be rooting for them to be this year’s Cinderella. While the Ivy rep has not won a first round game in nearly a decade, I don’t think BC should take the Quakers lightly. Onto the preview and what BC has to do:

BC on offense: Once again, the team needs to go inside, inside and inside some more. Although Penn can probably handle the physical style better than most, I am really most concerned about high-percentage shots and coming out flat. Instead of Nate setting the early tempo it should be Dudley and Smith -- our best players and the most difficult matchups. Also, I expect Penn to follow West Virginia’s model and try to kill us from outside. If they do, we can’t try to match them. I think that was our mistake in a few games this year. Get Dudley inside and get him to the line. Forget about the three until you really need it (like WVU).

BC on defense: Penn will try to come out and take advantage of our porous perimeter. As many have said the majority of perimeter defense is effort. We need to stay tight on the passers and cannot leave people open. And we must do a better job on defensive rebounding. Penn rebounds well, so even if Craig struggles scoring, he can make the difference on the boards (which he hasn’t done since Syracuse). With Watson being a question mark I don’t know if we will be able to use the 1-2-2 like we did in the second half of the schedule.

Prediction: 64-50. Neither team will have much of a crowd there, but if Penn gets going early, the neutral fans will quickly jump on the underdog’s bandwagon. BC needs to come out strong and not try to match their strategy. There is no reason this team cannot go far, but they cannot look ahead.

Blogger bracket

Here is my bracket from Yoco’s blogger challenge. No surprise I picked BC to win it all. While in my heart I want BC to win, deep down I don’t think they will. But this, and most pools, will be filled with UNC and Illinois so I’ll be the contrarian. I used to spend hours analyzing each matchup only to watch someone with no basketball knowledge win every year. So the past few years I’ve gone with my heart.

Also, found this nugget this weekend. Arizona’s 97 team is the last title winner to close their season with more than three losses in their final 10 games. BC’s record in its last 10: 6-4. While these are independent events, the close of the season has been a strong indicator off championship success. Pray that BC is another outlier.

Hot topics

I haven’t posted much the past few days because Mrs. ATL_eagle and I were in Florida for a short getaway. Seems I missed a lot of hurts feelings about our 4 seed and tons of speculation about the Jermaine Watson story.

To reiterate, we faded down the stretch and deserve a 4.

As for Watson, the whole thing sounds funny. And Tuesday, the landlord came out to dispute Jermaine’s version of what happened. Some of Al’s players have had offcourt problems in the past so this might be more of the same. However, I give very little weight to what the landlord says. The typical landlord for student housing around BC cannot be trusted and will do or say anything to make a student look bad. Hopefully this is not a larger issue that will blow up in the coming weeks. I expect things to be swept under the rug and for Jermaine to play as if nothing happened. The team can win with or without him. I am just hoping for a happy conclusion.

Look for my Penn preview and full bracket Wednesday. While in Florida, I read Dean Oliver’s Basketball on Paper, an awesome Bill James-like book. I’ll crunch BC’s numbers after the season.

Gut reaction to seed

BC was given a 4 seed in the Chicago bracket. If they advance to the Sweet 16 they'll face No. 1 Illinois. I am not happy with the 4, but the team played (or stumbled) its way into the spot. I'll put up more detailed previews once I have a chance to read more about the teams. My gut reaction is that we have the toughest time against guard lead teams that shot well from outside...and our Bracket is full of them. But I think we can beat Illinois and do well. It depends all on which team shows up. The first step is beating Penn.

Post loss tidbits

Great article from Adrian Wojnarowski on the Big East’s unfair treatment of BC.

Also, it looks like Gene D. and Mike Tranghese put on a good face after their spat. Regardless of what they say, I think there will always be bad blood.

From the post game articles it looked like Al got upset (as upset as he gets) at halftime and appealed to the team’s pride. Fortunately they showed it. Who knows what will happen next week?

Door hits BC on way out

While the minor sports will play a few more games and tournaments in the Big East, for all intents and purposes, Thursday’s loss to West Virginia marked the end of BC’s affiliation with the Big East. And what a way to go…

In the subhead of this blog, I say that I am capturing the highs and lows of being a BC fan. This game was a microcosm of that experience. I was very low as WVU made 3 after 3 and left us for dead at the half. My heart raced as we crawled back in the second half (at 64-58 I really believed we were going to steal it). And at the end I was left disappointed but optimistic.

I never thought we would win the Big East Tournament for a litany of reasons. Like Syracuse fans, I share the “Big East Tourney is nice, but we really only care about the NCAAs” attitude. Down 22 at the half, I thought this team had peaked in January and was mailing it in. Yet the spark and guts they showed climbing back in the second half has me believing again. Success in the Big Dance will clearly depend on our draw. If we play a team that can shoot from outside, we could go home early. I think we are a 3 or 4 seed now which means will probably play a plucky team looking to be this year’s Cinderella. After this loss, I want them to lick their wounds and get ready to play the whole 40 minutes.

Congrats to West Virginia. They came ready to play and didn't fold as the pressure mounted. Hopefully they can knock of the winner of Pitt-Villanova.

Offseason football coverage

Short story in the The Roanoke Times. Nothing new, but glad someone is covering BC Football this time of year. One tidbit of note: O'Brien credits some of the recent success to down times at Syracuse. Now that we are in different conferences and the Orange have a new coach will that advantage grow or become meaningless?

West Virginia preview

BC takes on West Virginia on Thursday. WVU destroyed Providence in the first round of the Big East Tournament. Everyone is still calling them a bubble team but against Providence the team seemed highly motivated and ready to take on anyone. Here is my take:

BC on offense: Against Rutgers last weekend, BC went back inside and made an effort to get the ball to Dudley. I think they should do more of the same against the Mountaineers. While the team controlled the second half against WVU in the previous two games, WVU comes into this game hot from the outside making 12 3s against Providence. BC cannot fall into the trap of trying to match them from outside. Control the tempo, work the ball for good shots and go to Dudley and Smith all day.

BC on defense: Our perimeter defense has been a weakness. Hopefully Al will throw out the occasional 1-2-2 and try to disrupt their flow. If WVU keeps trying to bomb away we just need to make sure we rebound well (while making 12 they missed 19). Our interior D is stronger than Providence’s so I don’t see the WVU shooting .460 from the floor again.

Prediction: BC wins 66-57. And I think a BC win locks up a 2 seed. West Virginia is a good team and deserves to be in the NCAAs regardless of the outcome of our game (how did they lose to Seton Hall?).

More hardware for Skinner

Al was named Big East Coach of the Year for the second time Tuesday. Hopefully he’ll pick up a few national awards too. Jared Dudley was named Most Improved.

As I've mentioned, Mike Shalin of the Boston Herald has been picking up steam lately. There were an unprecedented four BC articles in Wednesday’s addition of the Herald! One on Skinner and Dudley’s awards, two features on Skinner, including his future (everyone thinks he’s staying at BC), and a BC angle on the WVU-Providence game.

The Globe only had two articles on BC. And Blaudschun had a general Big East piece.

Explaining what goes on behind closed doors

Great article from SI.com’s Seth Davis on the selection process. He explains 10 things he learned after hearing a presentation from the NCAA’s Greg Shaheen. I’ll address the points that impact BC’s selection this year:

1. The RPI matters a lot. Just not in the way you think it does. Basically your RPI doesn’t matter, but your opponents’ RPI does. BC should fare pretty well in this regard due to the relatively strong schedule and some good out of conference wins against UCLA and Holy Cross.

2. Margin of victory does count. Sort of. This has more to do with losses than wins. Which helps BC. We didn’t blow people out and were only blown out once.

5. Head-to-head matchups mean something. Here is where Seth loses me a little. He says that when things are equal a head-to-head matchup becomes important. If this is true how can anyone explain the 2003 snub when BC was left home but an NC State team we beat in Raliegh got off the bubble.

6. The committee members and NCAA staff are free to do their own investigating. This has to do with the whining and/or selling of the program. BC has not be one of those schools that campaigns for a bid and therefore I think we’ve suffered (3 seed in 2001, playing Texas in Dallas in 2002, 2003 snub, etc.). Maybe the move to the ACC will help our future pitches.

9. Technically speaking, the number of teams per conference means nothing. But then Davis goes on to quote an unnamed source about how it does matter. Really this should only impact bubble teams. Not important to BC this year, but critical in after the ACC move.

With all that said, this is my prediction on BC's seeding. Win the Big East Tournament and we are a No. 1. Advance to the Semis and we are a 2. Lose on Thursday and we are a 3.

All Big East

Congratulations to Jared Dudley and Craig Smith for being named First Team All-Big East. Sean Williams made the All-Rookie Team.

Snubs and success indicators

Mike Tranghese’s snub of the men’s basketball team got BC AD Gene DeFilippo fired up. You can argue the merits of rewarding the trophy on the road, but I really attribute Gene’s outburst to the build up of the last two years. Since the ACC talks began, Trangeshe has taken many jabs at BC and Gene -- while being less critical of Miami, Va. Tech and Syracuse. Gene remained silent until now. Who knows why the remaining Big East teams sit on the sidelines as Tranghese continues to plays petty games with ABC/ESPN, BC and other conferences? The inevitable split of the Football and Basketball schools will be messy under his management.

All the talk over regular season titles and trophies got me thinking: what is a better indicator of NCAA success –- Big East regular season titles or Big East tournament titles? Turns out there is not a strong correlation with either. BE Tourney winners advance further (on average), but the mean for both is the Sweet 16. And the correlation between winning the Big East Regular Season title, Big East Tournement Title and the National Championship is very small (.17).

Big East Co-Champs

Congrats to the Men’s team for winning a share of the Big East Regular season title. By virtue of our defeat of the Huskies we also earned the No. 1 seed in the Big East Tournament. We’ll play the winner of the Providence-WVU game on Thursday. My preference would be Providence since WVU will be highly motivated and fighting to get off the bubble. The upside is that we played well against both this season. If we move on, we’ll face the winner of Villanova-Pitt, so I remain pessimistic about our chances to win the Big East Tournament. I’ll post previews later in the week.

On this blog, I’ve focused mainly on Men’s football and basketball and have ignored our other sports. But let me congratulate the Men’s Hockey team for capturing the Regular Season Hockey East title. Also, the women were upset by Villanova in the Big East tournament, but have been ranked most of the season and will hopefully have a strong showing in the NCAAs.

More early football press

It looks like the national media is more optimistic about BC’s 2005 football season than I am. Sportsline ranks us at No. 19. I’ll stick with my early judgment The big questions will be Quinton Porter.

After basketball season ends, I’ll dig a little deeper into our pluses and minuses heading into the new season and new conference.

Rutgers preview

Rutgers' season has been over for weeks. Yet watching their game against Notre Dame, I saw a team trying to win. Instead of rolling over, they were still in it late in the second half. That resolve scares me a little heading into this weekend’s game at the RAC. Here is my short preview:

BC on offense: Get Dudley the ball. When Smith struggled, the team kept coming back to him in the following games. This time Dudley is coming off his worst game of the season and the team as a whole has been flat since Syracuse. Last time out, Rutgers played a fair amount of zone. By getting the ball to Jared in the gaps, he can get some easy baskets, energize the team and take pressure off of our guards.

BC on defense: BC should be well rested after having the whole week off. Rutgers will continue to bomb away from outside. In their last five games, the Knights have hoisted 98 3-point attempts. Look for more of the same this weekend. BC will probably counter by putting Hailey and Hinnant on the court at the same time. Tight perimeter defense and rebounding off the misses will be the key.

BC needs this game. To assure the regular season title. To break out of their recent malaise. To get the swagger back. Rutgers can make their season and everyone else in the Big East smile with a win. I expect a hard fought game. And the RAC is a tough place to play.

Prediction: BC wins 71-62.

The game is not on TV and I won't be following online. Mrs. ATL_eagle and I are headed to the BC club of Atlanta's wine tasting. Very collar up.

More mail

A few Pitt fans sent me email after the drubbing. Most of it was the usual trash talking. One reader did stumble over a fair point, which I will address.

“You BC guys whine about the referees but don’t even realize that some of them do ACC games. What do you think is going to happen when you play Duke and North Carolina. BC will never get the calls…”

He rambled about a few other things, but I wanted to address the ref complaint. Big East basketball is physical and always has been. Yet Al Skinner has never used that style and is stoic on the sidelines. That combo leads to us getting roughed up and our fans complaining about non-calls. But complaining about calls is not unique to BC fans. Everyone does it, especially when the number of calls are lopsided. In our losses to ND and 'Nova, impartial commentators even questioned the calls. I've already admitted that Pitt beat us fair and square.

Next year, you’ll hear BC fans complain about calls in the ACC. Duke and UNC get the calls because they are Duke and UNC. It is just par for the course.

College sports in Boston

It is often said that Boston is not a college sports town. Some challenge the theory and excuse it with various contributing factors. I agree with the critics. BC has a strong core audience and when the team plays well the locals take note, but day-to-day there is not much interest from the casual fan.

The latest example of lack of interest is media coverage. Exhibit A: articles on BC sports in the Boston Globe and Boston Herald on Thursday, March 3, 2004 (not exactly the offseason) = 0.

Articles in my local paper the Atlanta Journal-Constitution = 1.

Articles on Sportsillustrated.com = 1.

Neither article is earth shattering, but it is positive coverage. In the AJC article Tony Barnhart, one of the premiere college writers, gives capsules on all the ACC football teams.

The SI.com article is from their on campus series and was written by a Heights writer, Kevin Armstrong. Good for him.

News and notes

BC scored well in the NCAA graduation rankings. Shalin took it as an opportunity to laud BC’s athletic department.

Also, BC got a small mention in a Sportsline blurb (scroll to No. 6). Doyel wants to see us play Minnesota in the tournament for the Dudley-Coleman storyline.

Picking up the pieces after Pitt

I was in class and followed the game online and assumed by the nature of the gameflow and our past history with Pitt, that we just got beat up. But after watching it on TIVO last night, I realized we got beat and Pitt exposed major flaws on both ends of the court.

Our defense has been strong this season. We play an ameba-like matchup-zone, with lots of switching. That style has created a lot of turnovers and a good rebounding margin. Yet we don’t have a one-on-one defensive stopper, especially on the front line. Last night Pitt cleared space and allowed their big men to kill Nate, Smith and Williams in one-on-one situations. This created momentum and they made some outside shots too. We needed to stop them and couldn’t. After narrowing the score to 34-32, Pitt scored on eight-straight possessions. Forget about the "physical play," "a must win for Pitt," or any other explanation/excuse –- you have to make defensive stops to win.

On offense, we needed more from Dudley and we were too quick to rush outside shots. Craig Smith was getting off shots –- some good, some bad. But too often no one was there to grab the misses. With the guards not hitting anything and Jared not creating for himself, we should of sent it to Smith every time and ask Dudley to crash the boards.

BC won’t win the Big East Tournament. I think we are now looking at a 3 seed in the NCAAs. However, I think this team can win it all. They will have a battle against physical teams like Villanova or Pitt that disrupt the motion in our flex, but they have time to bounce back. Will they?