BC wastes crazy comeback in loss to VT

As excited as I was by BC forcing ovetime with seven foul shots, I still feel frustrated by the loss to VT. BC exchanged baskets with the Hokies in OT, but then fell into bad habits (allowing open 3s and forcing bad shots) that led to the VT win. 

Robinson put up 32 and had some incredible stretches. But he also had seven TOs. Bowman finished with 22 and missed a lot of 3s. Chatman had an off night.

Even with the OT, Christian didn't use much of the bench. Reyes actually made a decent stop and moved well, but remains a problem on the offensive end. 

The team has now lost three in a row and needs a win Sunday against VT. 

Controversy turns to "Fighting Irish" nickname and mascot

Notre Dame's Fighting Irish nickname is now under fire from a few prominent Sports TV personalities. This was predictable as the silly leprechaun has always been a straw man during debates about sports nicknames. As someone who is of Irish decent and a Notre Dame hater, I can't claim that I've ever been offended by either the name or cartoon. I don't see it as offensive and not even in the same ballpark as controversial names or mascots within the rest of the sports world. 

I have met a few BC fans over the years who dislike Notre Dame's use of "Irish" but not for the reasons you would think. They claim we are the true "Irish" school given our history and population. I've never taken that argument seriously either. 

As with the debate about Crusaders at Holy Cross, I think it all comes down to common sense. If either school was picking a nickname now in 2018, would they dare pick anything with any negative connotation? Of course not. But that modern sensitivity doesn't mean they should drop ties to their history. I don't even think this compares to the Yawkey controversy from the fall, since Yawkey was an actual person with clear positions that were controversial in his time.

Usually I would enjoy Notre Dame twisting in the wind, but I can't even appreciate the schadenfreude of the moment. This debate is a waste of time and energy and a distraction from the real issues facing colleges, sports and certainly our country. If you are truly offended by the name or the mascot, I can't say I share your pain or even understand it. 

[Full Disclosure: my kids attend a school named Notre Dame and the sports team are the "Irish." However, there is no use of the tough guy leprechaun and the school doesn't use "fighting" in any official communications or branding.]

Should BC copy USF's scheduling model?

BC's Football schedule seems pretty close to ideal. In most years, BC plays a DIAA team, a Group 5 team, a potential challenge game and maybe one elite game. As much as the DIAA game might seem like filler or not worth the typical price. it is not a popular practice. USF's AD dislikes them so much that he is not going to schedule DIAA any more. Maybe BC should consider the same thing?

The DIAA game is basically a scrimmage for BC. Since we restarted playing these teams in the early 2000s, BC hasn't lost. Nor have any of the games been close. It is not fair that BC charges the same price for those games as we do for others. BC does not learn all that much and the W does not provide much respect nor something to sell. 

BC is locked in to our current schedule for a few years. I don't think the average BC fan cares about any DIAA team, but it will be nice to play Holy Cross again. Since I doubt BC will ever be as bold as USF, I think the most we can hope for are DIAA teams that have a history with our program.

Women's Basketball drops another game

The Women's Basketball team got blown out at home by Syracuse this weekend. With the loss they fell to 1-7 in ACC play. Cuse is a fine team but not some dominant power right now. Yet BC can't hang with these teams very long.

I know the casual BC fan barely cares. I can't pretend that I live and die with the team, but we shouldn't be this bad. Like hockey, this is a sport where we can and should be a consistent winner. We will see how much Jarmond cares when the season is over.

Katie Burt breaks NCAA record

The BC Women beat Providence again, but that wasn't the big story. It was Katie Burt. The win was her 115th and broke the NCAA wins record. After her shutout Friday, she is 4th on the NCAA all-time shutout list.

BC is now 17-1-3 in Hockey East play and locked up its 5th league title.

Yiadom's big week

If you are looking to make a name for yourself, the Senior Bowl is a good place to start. Because of the access and proximity to NFL coaches, you can show them how coachable you are and how you fare against the best players in college. As the press reports on this year's standouts, one name keeps coming up: Isaac Yiadom. He exceeded expectations and looks like he is shooting up Draft boards. Here are some of the things people are saying and writing.

I've talked about him before, but BC corner Isaac Yiadom is looking really good at Sr Bowl. Good press, stays on top, clean contact IMO, looks for the ball. pic.twitter.com/oz6CfmMQE4

— Jared Stanger (@JaredStanger) January 25, 2018

Just watched film of yesterday’s senior bowl practices.....proud to report that BC CB issac yiadom had an OUTSTANDING day...finish strong young man !!

— Mike Mayock (@MikeMayock) January 25, 2018

This article focused on his ability to adjust to the ball when it is in the air.

Seattle needs to replenish their defensive backfield and Yiadom fits their mold.

This Falcons' writer thought Yiadom was one the players who improved his draft status the most.

Addressing the coaching rumors

Now that head coaches are set, the staff's version of musical chairs begins. BC is in the mix.

More on Paul Pasqualoni: His name was buzzing in Mobile, based on his past relationship with Matt Patricia. They haven’t spoken yet, but are expected to — about a senior position on the staff — when the #Lions officially hire Patricia.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 25, 2018

Patricia was a grad assistant at Syracuse, so they do have a previous relationship. But as I said on Twitter, I don't see it happening. Pasqualoni left the NFL to come to BC for very specific reasons. Part of it was Addazio, part of it was to be in the college game and part was to be near his family in Connecticut (they have not moved after UConn). I also know the family planned for his current high school senior son to attend BC and be involved in the football team. Is he willing to give that up to go help Patricia in Detroit? Maybe. It would be more money. But the guy is nearing 70. I don't know if money is the main drive to keep doing this. I would be surprised if he passes up the connection with his son. But I don't know the guy personally.

The other rumor is Minnesota making a run at Anthony Campanile. This is another one that would surprise me. Depending on the position Minnesota offers, it might be more money. But I think it would be harder to recruit New Jersey kids to Minnesota than it is to BC. Perhaps the gossip gets him a raise to stay in Boston.

BC looks bad against Syracuse

Before the game, BC fans were talking about this being an important road win for the resume. After the loss, BC fans (or maybe just me) were wondering if we've really progressed at all. The D was terrible. The roster looked real limited when injuries and foul trouble hit. Heck even blast from the past Ervins Meznieks got some minutes. Once he missed a wide open layup, you quickly remembered why he has been buried on the bench.

We can't play 40 minutes of basketball. It is often that simple. As dynamic as some of our players are and as clever as Christian might be drawing up a play or two, we have way too many defensive issues. We have a point guard who turns the ball over a ton. It's frustrating.

Now it is about regrouping. The team is off for a week. They can rest and get better. Because if this ACC schedule falls apart, then you have to question if the early success was just a fluke.

Hockey wins and other links

Hockey beat UMass in a rare Tuesday game.

This recruit claims a BC offer. I don't think BC will honor the commitment given that they kid was just arrested for crack cocaine.

Former BC assistant Dana Bible is joining Chip Kelly's team at UCLA.

Fueling Station is nice, now be leader in athlete compensation

Martin Jarmond opened BC's new athlete "Fueling Station" Monday in Conte. Think of it as sort of a snack bar for athletes that works with their hours and provides more appropriate options than BC's more traditional dining halls. This was one of the things Jarmond noticed BC was lacking when he first came on board. It is all part of the College Athletics arm's race and most of our competitors have some sort of equivalent service. Good for Jarmond on getting this done. But I think like much of the spending spree in college athletics, it misses the point.

What is the Fueling Station other than a form of special compensation for athletes? It is designed for them. It mirrors the type of service and dietary programs used by professional athletes around the world. Our athletes need this support because they are basically professionals too. They compete at a high level. They put in thousands of hours annually. They generate revenue. Yet they don't really see direct compensation for their labors. I know the price of a BC tuition, but how can we continue to make that argument when the salaries of all the administrators and coaches around these athletes keeps skyrocketing? Giving a kid a smoothie after practice is a nice idea. But how about a steady salary or even a signing bonus?

As the college basketball scandal recently confirmed, there is a huge, unfair and unregulated black market for players' services (at least in the major sports). Something needs to be done to bring it out in the open and let the players find their true value. The Alabamas of college sports are not going to do it. They have too much to lose. However, a place like BC could. We have a seat at the table as part of the Power 5, but don't really benefit from the current underground system. I wish Jarmond would use his new position to lead some sort of change. It would be a more meaningful and lasting contribution to all of college sports.

Familiar second half struggles in loss to Louisville

There were times in the first half when I felt that BC might pull away from Louisville. The Cards had a long scoreless streak and Robinson was looking great any time he drove to the basket. But Louisville kept it close and took a slight lead at Half. Then they pulled away in the second half as BC could not answer enough Cards' baskets. BC made a run late, but it wasn't enough as they lost to Louisville 77-69.

As I mentioned above, Robinson looked great. Bowman and Chatman were not as great. They got their points but made plenty of mistakes (especially Bowman's painful turnovers). Kraljevic put in some decent time off the bench. Baker got some minutes when Robinson got dinged up and was ok. I don't expect -- or think -- Christian to expand his rotation dramatically, but some of the young guys do deserve the occasional chance to show what they can or cannot do.

The team is back at it again on Wednesday against Syracuse.

Dayne joins 2018 recruiting class

When Addazio spoke to the media for the Early Signing Period. he made no mention of if BC would continue recruiting until the final National Signing Day in February. Now it looks like they are. Wisconsin Running Back Javian Dayne committed Saturday.

Dayne is the son of former Heisman winner Ron Dayne. The recruiting sites don't think much of him as he is only a two star. It is also surprising that he was basically ignored by the Big Ten given who his father is and that his team won the state championship. I see no downside into giving him a shot. Good luck to Javian. I hope there are a few more surprises before Signing Day.

When Twitter shows a kid is not being recruited well

It is offer season, so it is time for me to address one of my hot buttons again...

At the Early Signing Day press conference, Addazio mentioned that for a school like BC, constant contact and relationship building is key to recruiting. This makes sense. BC is not a typical Power 5 school, nor does it have an Admission's Office that will rubber stamp every coach's decision. In theory, our coaches do a little more homework on a prospect than they would at another program and this extra work pays off when fewer kids flip on their commitment. But what's clear from Twitter is that Addazio and Co. clearly still throw a lot of offers out to prospects even if the kids are never seriously considering BC. The biggest tip off is when the recruit thanks "Boston College University" in his remarks.

Not knowing the school's official name is a sign the kid (and presumably his parents and high school coaches) are not thinking about BC, haven't done any research on BC and are not familiar with BC.

Very blessed to receive a offer from Boston college university pic.twitter.com/CJZDG2oF5g

— Rian "Trouble" Davis (@Trouble_R4) January 19, 2018

I know there are some BC fans who laugh at prospects who do this. I don't. I shake my head at the assistant coach assigned to recruiting this kid. Clearly this was a bit of a shot in the dark. He just got offers from Louisville and Miami, so BC threw one his way too. Where is the homework and relationship building Addazio talks about?

I understand that you have to throw some stuff against the wall in any sales type environment. I know something can come of it sometimes. But if the kid doesn't care enough (or know) to get our name right in his response, then the odds of him ever wearing maroon and gold are long.

Hoops recruiting targets becoming clear

With good players committed for the 2018 class, Jim Christian and staff are using their few days off to target 2019 and 2020 prospects.

Part of the staff was in Texas to see ESPN Top 150 prospect Montavious Murphy. Murphy does not claim a BC offer yet and it looks like he wants to stay local. Maybe our recent success and the chance to play in the ACC will get him up to Boston.

Later in the day, the staff was in Maryland to see 2020 wing prospect Che Evans. He's got lots of impressive offers. BC has a little more time there and our staff's multiple connections to the Maryland area should help.

Reaction to 2018 Football schedule

BC and the ACC released the 2018 Football schedules Wednesday. Here is BC's:

September 1 -- UMass
September 8 -- Holy Cross
September 13 -- at Wake Forest (Thursday night game)
September 22 -- at Purdue
September 29 -- Temple
October 6 --  at NC State
October 13 -- Louisville
October 26 -- Miami (Friday night game)
November 3 -- at Virginia Tech
November 10 -- Clemson
November 17 -- at Florida State
November 24 -- Syracuse

While we have known the opponents for months, this is the first time we are seeing the order. Here are my initial thoughts.

1. Addazio can't plan for a late-season run again. The past two years have seen BC stumble in September and early October, only to rally towards bowl eligibility during the latter parts of the season. I don't think he will have that much wiggle room this year. BC closes with Louisville, Miami, VT, Clemson, FSU and Cuse. Even though BC beat FSU and Lousville this year and even if you assume Miami takes a slight step back, that is a tough, tough stretch of games. If BC truly has ambitions of being a Top 25 team, they need to go at least 3-3 during that stretch.

2. The bye week is well placed. BC gets their bye right in middle of October and before the Friday night game against Miami. I know they don't have control over that, but it did work out. Hopefully the rest will help with injuries and the team gets plenty of time to prep for Miami.

3. Year 6 will really depend on the Wake-Purdue weeks. Although Addazio keeps pushing back the timeline a bit with regards to when the program will be "ready," there are no excuse in Year 6. This team should be a Top 25 squad and the schedule comes with three wins baked in (UMass, Holy Cross, and Temple). The difference between a Top 25 season and another middling 7-6 effort will really come down to back-to-back road games against Wake and Purdue. Both were surprise teams in 2017 and both will probably be tough wins in 2018. But BC should have more talent than both next year. It is up to Addazio to harness that talent and come away with two wins. If he doesn't, we'll be praying for 7-6 again.

BC coaches making lots of offers

With the 2018 Class presumably finished up, Addazio and his staff have used this critical time to make offers to 2019 and 2020 players. Based on their tweets, here are some of the latest targets.

This Rhode Island OLine prospect is getting offers from major programs like Ohio State and Florida. Hopefully BC can leverage our proximity.

Blessed to receive an offer from Boston College‼️ Go Eagles!🦅 pic.twitter.com/YzI7XYAmbi

— Xavier Truss (@xtruss94) January 12, 2018

Florida DB Renardo Green is highly rated but doesn't have a lot of offers yet. Perhaps it is his size. He seemed excited about BC's offer.

Blessed to receive a offer from Boston college @rwb5b @CoachAllam1 @Corey_Bender @OS_Recruiting @osvarsity @DemetricDWarren @Rivals @247fbrecruiting @Andrew_Ivins @CoachAGWaseem @KeiwanRatliff @HamiltonESPN pic.twitter.com/GnGmOuElmD

— Renardo Malcom Green (@nado2times) January 17, 2018

Coach Brian White seems active in Florida, as he also offered DLine prospect Norell Pollard and DB Brandon Hill

Blessed to have received an offer from Boston College 🦅@Corey_Bender @WekivaFootball @rwb5b @coachBwhiteBC pic.twitter.com/xIRuCVU8eh

— Norell Pollard 🤙🏾 (@rell_honcho) January 17, 2018

Very blessed to receive my 5th offer from Boston College 🦅 @Excelspeed12 @Corey_Bender @OS_Recruiting @rwb5b @coachBwhiteBC pic.twitter.com/vlhd2JsVxd

— Brandon Hill (@brandonhill_6) January 17, 2018

Another New England recruit is Avon, CT QB Taisun Phommachanh.

Blessed to receive an offer from Boston College 🦅#Goeagles @EagleInsiders @Day1toD1 pic.twitter.com/XDIDJdMDfo

— Taisun P⚡️🏈 (@tydollaz3) January 15, 2018

Gunnell offered New Jersey prospect Marlyn Johnson.

Blessed to receive an offer from Boston College! 🦅 #GoEagles @BCCoachGunnell @CoachMalleo pic.twitter.com/QgDXCBZz5q

— Marlyn Johnson (@Marlynjohnson21) January 12, 2018

This OLine prospect is in Ohio and has an OSU offer, so it may be an uphill battle.

Thankful to receive an offer from Boston College!! #DecideToFly pic.twitter.com/rOxVSYX5U0

— Ryan Jacoby (@Ryan_Jacoby) January 17, 2018

BC also offered this New York Line prospect.

Honored to have received my 5th offer from Boston College🙏🏽🦅 pic.twitter.com/wxUhjC8qEd

— LII🏴 (@RealBliss52) January 16, 2018

Coach Frye seems to be out in the Midwest making offers.

Thank you to the Boston College Football staff and @CoachJFrye for granting me a scholarship offer #GoEagles🦅 pic.twitter.com/pA4IdsdF5r

— Bryce Kirtz (@kirtz__) January 15, 2018

Basketball takes care of FSU at home

If you are measuring baby steps, Jim Christian passed last year's ACC win total by beating Florida State Monday night. BC dominated the first half with a great defensive effort. There was good rebounding, good movement and plenty of blocks. FSU only shot 26% in the first half and BC built a 16-point lead. The 'Noles chipped away at that lead and made it interesting in the second half. But BC made their foul shots and closed it out.

Popovic had the most notable night. His five blocks helped BC build the lead. He also made some nice plays late in the second half as Florida State tried to force BC into turnovers and bad shots.

You would hope with such a big lead, Christian would have given his bench more minutes, but Reyes and Baker barely played.

While exceeding the two ACC win mark is not really a big deal, I do like the general progress of the team. There should be more ACC wins ahead.

Where did BC fall in CFN's final ranking?

It was a 7-6 year, but it still felt a little different this season. BC found itself in a big hole and then it went on a refreshing win streak. At times the team looked like it could beat anyone. The next week, you were surprised with some of the simple struggles. College Football News seems to have more respect for BC's accomplishments than maybe even a regular BC fan. CFN put BC at No. 28 in their Final Season Rankings.

If you look, some familiar teams are around BC (Iowa, Wake, NC State). I guess another win might have helped perception a little, but clearly not much.

I don't know if BC is a Top 25 team next year, but that should be the expectation. There are plenty of pieces coming back and the schedule is manageable. I don't want to be sitting here a year from now, glad that CFN or some other site almost ranked BC.

BC downs Darthmouth

BC made the most of their last non-conference game of the season by beating Dartmouth on Saturday. It wasn't perfect though. BC started the game flat again and only led by three at half. They cannot take whole chunks of the game off again if they want to compete in ACC games. 

Dartmouth made seven 3s in the first half. In the second, BC adjusted and the Green only made two more.

Bowman scored 19, but it was a balanced effort with five Eagles in double-digits. Baker came off the bench to score nine.

The ACC gauntlet resumes Monday against FSU.

Hasselbeck favorite for MNF and other links

Matt Hasselbeck will call the Pro Bowl with Sean McDonough for ESPN in place of Jon Gruden. It is sort of an audition/tryout for the full-time role on Monday Night Football. It appears Hasselbeck is the network's favorite for the job.

Hockey lost to Providence. They have UNH Sunday.

That'll do it from The Heights. Let's get it back right here against New Hampshire on Sunday afternoon at 1pm. #BCEagles pic.twitter.com/v0XPmLaJGs

— BC Hockey (@BCHockey) January 13, 2018

If you haven' already heard, Hilliman is headed to Rutgers. This was rumored since the bowl game. As a graduate, he will be eligible to play immediately. Best of luck to him.

BC offered a 2019 Rhode Island Line prospect.

Christian lands his biggest recruit yet in Jairus Hamilton

While the talent level has improved under Jim Christian, the program still lacks depth and elite talent. The elite talent is about to change as consensus Top 100 recruit Jairus Hamilton committed to BC Thursday.

The 6'8 Forward is a 4-star with all the services and selected BC over Maryland and Mississippi State. He also had offers from Duke, NC State and Kansas. He's another North Carolina prospect to go with our two current Carolina stars. Christian and his staff's ability to get Tobacco Road players to leave the state is encouraging. One of the ways BC landed Hamilton was by also offering his brother Jared, who just transferred to BC. Jared comes from Georgia Southern and is not an elite player, but sometimes you've got to play the game and if Jairus wanted to play with his brother and we have the room, why not offer them both?

If Hamilton lives up to the hype, BC will have enough talent to compete in the ACC. Let's hope this year ends on a high note, so we continue to generate interest from elite players.

ESPN says Antoine Smith is getting promoted to 10th assistant

According to ESPN, current Football Director Antoine Smith will get promoted to BC as its new 10th assistant. Smith joined Addazio's staff last year as "Director of Football Initiatives."

I have no idea what "Football Initiatives" means. But all of these new, non-recruiting roles don't really have to be defined (at any school). Usually there is a good deal of film study, since there are also limitations on player interaction. But these types of jobs are different from Graduate Assistants, as they typically get paid better and don't have as much grunt work.

According to ESPN, Smith will work with the DLine. The big advantage of adding him is the new foot on the ground to talk to recruits. Smith has history in the region, having played at Maine and worked at Holy Cross. He was at Texas State prior to BC.

Still no official word from BC, so there could be other developments. I expect BC will also add a few more Football Directors this offseason.

UNC kills BC on boards

BC has made a habit of playing much better in the second half of games. That didn't work out so well against North Carolina Tuesday night. The Tar Heels built an early lead by dominating BC on the boards and never looked back. BC mounted a min-comeback in when Bowman hit a few 3s in a row, but nothing ever really serious.

Beyond the rebounding issues, the D wasn't good either. Carolina had a ton of easy baskets and Luke Maye had his way with Pop and JCR.

Whenever we face a team with a defined style (UVA, UNC) it can get messy. We play their way and are depth usually becomes an issue. A high scoring, uptempo game against a talented team like UNC was going to be tough. Our lack of D and bad shots didn't make it easier.

The good news out of the game was Tim Brando mentioning BC's new basketball facility. Jarmond has been talking to donors about it (including Tuesday's Monan Donor call), but there hasn't been a public statement from the school. It would be a basketball dedicated practice facility and would put us in line with the rest of the conference. Like the Football facility, it would show the recruits and basketball world that we are serious about competing in the ACC. Now that the cat is out of the bag, I am sure the school will explain something shortly.

How Georgia provides a lesson for BC

[I am writing this prior to kickoff of the game, so there is a good chance that when you read this Georgia will have been smothered in another clinical Alabama championship game. I don't think that's going to happen, but the outcome is not really the point of this post.] 

The last time Georgia competed for a National Championship was in the early '80s with Herschel Walker carrying the team. A contemporary of Doug Flutie, Walker won the Heisman and was a household name. Like BC, Georgia has had some high points since, but has never recaptured the glory of the Walker years...until now. The reasons for Georgia's ups and downs are many. And Georgia will never be a great parallel for BC due to their different histories, local talent, and fan expectations. However, there is one lesson from Georgia's success this year that BC can apply. It involves making a tough decision on a coaching change.

Mark Richt did nearly everything right at Georgia. He was a model citizen and a mentor. While perhaps a tad boring, he was someone that the fans base could be proud of and the recruits could embrace. High school coaches loved him. The media loved him. He was not some constant malcontent like Saban and became part of the community in Athens. He won two SEC Championships. If a coach won two ACC titles at BC, he would probably be employed for life. That's not how it worked in Athens

Georgia fired Mark Richt two years ago. Their leadership felt a change was needed in order to take their program to the next level. Now they are playing for the National Championship.

It is tough to fire a winning coach. Just ask BC fans. You can spin it to the media and your fanbase, but if the new coach doesn't win at a higher level, the school and its AD look dumb. I don't know what the future holds for Addazio. I appreciate many of the things he has done, but still have real doubts if he can ever rise above his established ceiling. If he keeps going 7-6, will Jarmond -- our whoever is AD at the time -- make the call to replace him? Georgia made the tough call and it looks like it was worth the risk.

What's the early consensus on Landry?

Zach Allen's decision to return to BC was a reminder that another elite BC Defensive End returned for a senior season just a year ago. Harold Landry came back for many of the same reasons as Allen, including the goal of becoming a first round draft pick. Injuries derailed most of Landry's season, but not his chance at the NFL. But did he do enough to be a first-round pick? Here are what the early mock drafts say:

-- Bleacher Report: To Tampa at No. 7
-- USA Today: To Tennessee at No. 21
-- The Sporting News: To Arizona at No. 16

Now these guesses don't guarantee anything, but it does reinforce the idea that Landry's stock is still high. The Senior Bowl, the Combine and individual workouts will give him the chance to move up...or down. He needs to prove he is healthy and that his 2016 season is just a glimpse of what he can do.

Basketball bounces back against Wake

If BC is really a bubble team, then they needed to prove it Saturday in a game against a depleted Wake Forest team. And they did!

Robinson had another big day with 25 points, including 10-10 from the foul line. Chatman also started scoring again after going 0fer this week and coming out cold. Check out Bowman's highlight dunk below.

The bad news is that the team started flat again. They also made plenty of mental mistakes in the first half.

They are back at it again Tuesday against North Carolina.

Watch the #SCTop10 dunk from @JumpmanBowman with both the broadcast call from @ACCNetworkExtra as well as @meatstweets & @dabrams24 on the @BCIMGSportsNet #BCEagles #WeAreBC pic.twitter.com/ZDKlJhEKL8

— BC Men's Basketball (@BCMBB) January 7, 2018

Allen returning and other links

I never thought he was a real threat to leave, but Zach Allen announced he will return for his final year. His goal is to become a first round pick.

As for Darius Wade, if you base it off of who he started following on Twitter, he is talking to lots of teams. The obvious target is his home town Delaware, but he is following plenty of Illinois coaches, plus FAU, plus Kansas and Texas A&M, and many more.

Hockey lost their opener in the Las Vegas Tournament.

Women's Basketball upset UNC, to earn their first ACC win of the year.

The assistant coaching carousel

An ugly problem of College Football has moved up the calendar a bit. It used to be that many assistants didn't switch jobs until after Signing Day. This was so they could lock the kids into their previous employer and then move onto the new one. The recruits got screwed when their lead recruiter or position coach left, but the coaches took care of each other. The Early Signing Day now means more recruiting classes are locked in, so more assistants are free to leave. Former BC assistant Al Washington is leaving Cincinnati after one year to join Jim Harbaugh's staff at Michigan. This is a good move for Al and I hope he has real success there. Doing well outside of BC makes him that much better of a candidate to return to BC in a high level position.

As for BC's current staff, I haven't heard of any pending departures. Anthony Campanile is now a hot name and I could see multiple programs contacting him, but I don't know if he will leave for just any job and I don't see him getting a coordinator role at a Power 5.

Next week all programs are allowed to add to their official staffs, so we know BC will be getting at least one new assistant. Addazio has done a mix of internal promotions and hiring outside guys. I have no idea which way he will go now.

I also know that the administrative staff will get beefed up with some familiar names. I assume BC will announce that next week too.

Comeback against Clemson comes up short

The good news is that Robinson's hot streak wasn't a one-time thing. He played out of his mind again in the second half against Clemson, including six 3s. The bad news is that the heroic performance was wasted in another close loss.

BC was really sloppy and ineffective in the first half and put themselves in a big hole (down 19 at one point). They got no movement towards the basket and were chucking bad perimeter shots. They were also turning the ball over.

In the second half, BC turned it on...but it wasn't enough. Aside from Robinson, the other big game came from Mitchell, who made smart plays all over the court.

Chatman was too quiet for such and important game and Robinson and Bowman have to be more careful with their passes against a good defense.

BC's overall D was good in the half court. If not of Clemson's transition off of our turnovers, BC would have won the game.

Like others I am sick of the close losses. If we just play a little smarter early in the game, we will start winning.

What are the experts saying about BC's bubble?

It is probably premature, but what the heck? The bracketologists are listing BC, so we might as well track their thoughts.

Fox Sports' Howie Schwab has BC as a 10 seed.

Bracketville has us in the First Four. CBS hasn't updated in the new year, but had us in the First Four also.

Last week ESPN had us as 12 seed.

Something to watch in 2018: a coaching change in Women's Basketball

When Martin Jarmond was hired, we assumed that the first coaching decisions he might have to make would be in Football or Men's Basketball. Instead it looks like he might have to address Women's Basketball first. I haven't written about it much, but the current season is off to a disaster. BC sits at 5-9 (0-1) and has shown little promise heading into the heart of ACC play.

Coach Erik Johnson -- who was one of Gene D's last major hires -- is now 66-101 (17-66). I don't pretend that a lot of people care about BC Women's Basketball, but letting the program flounder like this is a wasted opportunity. BC can and should be competitive in Women's Basketball. The cliche challenge we face in Football and Basketball -- recruiting -- is not as much of an issue for Women's Basketball. There is plenty of local talent and you are not battling the one and done mentality (and buying of players) of Men's Basketball.

Jarmond has nothing to lose with making a change and actually can use the hiring/firing to learn how a coaching change actually works at BC. There won't be as much meddling or scrutiny, but it will still deal with the BC politics of the process.

Goodbye 2017

This year involved the usual highs and lows of being a BC fan, however, we did have some moments of hope. Thank you to all the players and coaches who represented BC this year. Thank you to the new Athletic Department leadership. Thank you to the best fans around. I hope we have an even bigger and better 2018.

BC Hoops loses tough road game to UVA

I don't know if this will be a "turn-the-corner" season or just more of the same from other Jim Christian years, but Saturday's loss seemed more encouraging than the typical moral victory. BC went on the road to a ranked UVA team, played UVA's style of game, got an off day from Bowman and nearly upset the Cavaliers.

Jerome Robinson was on fire. He scored 29 of BC's 58 points. It was a real hero game as he drove to the basket, made tough jumpers and a few 3s against UVA's typical disciplined D. The other thing of note as we head towards ACC play is that Christian only played six guys the whole game and Luka Kraljevic only played 14 minutes. This team has no depth but the top guys are clearly ACC-level players. Can he get away with that during the remainder of the ACC season?

If Bowman has his normal game, BC wins. If BC draws up a better inbounds at the end, they win. If UVA's Jerome doesn't nail two NBA 3s late, BC wins. There is a lot to like and the D is improved. Now just turn some of these close games into Ws.

Wade to transfer

BC QB Darius Wade announced his intention to transfer. As a graduate, Wade is free to go anywhere and play immediately. Based on the guys he has followed on Twitter, I assume he will go down to a lower level where he will most likely start.

Beyond getting his degree, Wade deserves credit for hanging around this season. He completed his bachelor's last year, so he could have left already. Instead he stayed with no guarantee of starting and was a contributor this year.

Wade was the guy Addazio wanted to build around and that never happened. Injuries and player development limited him from ever becoming an elite QB. Maybe one last chance will help him reach that potential. Hopefully he has fun in his last year.

There is a rumor going around that Hilliman is set to transfer as a graduate as well. [UPDATE: Hilliman has graduated.] I don't know if he graduated in December or still needs to take classes this spring. Until he is a grad, BC will probably be vague about his status. I will follow it and update as the gossip and news trickles out.

Comparing BC coaches through first five years

You will hear a lot about Addazio's accomplishments in the following weeks, as I assume BC will extend his contract. College Football requires a bit of puffery to keep the recruits coming and the media paying attention. But to BC fans it will feel empty because so many of the accomplishments -- seven win seasons, four bowl games -- are a product of modern college football. The reality is that when you compare him to other BC coaches who have lasted as long at BC, Addazio's accomplishments are similar to his predecessors. And more frustrating, he has not had a real outlying 'high' season, while still having a 'low' season. Take a look.

Here are BC coaches since WWII through their first five consecutive seasons. (I excluded Myers interrupted tenure.) [CLICK TO ENLARGE GRAPHES.]

As you can see, when looking at wins only, Addazio starts and finishes better than most, but doesn't have that one break through season. But it is easier to win seven games when you play 13. Now let's look at the same group of coaches' winning percentages.

The path of Addazio's line on the chart remains the same, but how it compares to others looks a little less impressive. He's now squarely in the middle.

But what about the modern era of scholarship limitations, the FBS/FCS split, TV games, etc? How does Addazio compare to guys like Bicknell and TOB? Take a look.

Once again, Addazio falls into the middle. But I would argue that his first five years are more frustrating because he showed neither the progress of TOB nor the lightning in a bottle moments of Bicknell's early years.

But beyond graphs, here are the simple records of Bicknell, TOB and Addazio through their first five years.

Bicknell --- 36-22-1 (Wn Pct .619)
TOB -- 31-27 (Wn Pct .534)
Addazio -- 31-33 (Win Pct .484)

What do I conclude? Addazio is an average coaching producing slightly below BC's historic norms. He's not special and doesn't seem like the type of guy who will ever break through or capture a special year. He's certainly better than the likes of Henning or Spaz, but the longer he's here the more he seems like TOB.

None of this is fireable. What we don't know is what Martin Jarmond's expectations are. His job gets harder if Addazio keeps winning seven without ever showing signs of anything more.

I will explore this theme throughout the offseason. But after five years, I think it is safe to say we know what we are getting in Addazio and I don't think anyone is excited about it.

Cold end to a roller-coaster season

Bowl games can be tricky things from a fan perspective. The format and setup are such an anomaly, it is hard to put too much into their outcomes. Yet with a month to prepare and it being the final game of the year, you want your team to win. BC did not win and ended the season on a very frustrating note. After dominating the first half, BC only led by seven. In the second half, Iowa looked like a new team and BC couldn't adjust. There were and are plenty of excuses -- the field, the weather, the refs -- but the simple answer is BC lost a winnable game. For the fourth time in five years, Addazio finishes 7-6.

I want to have optimism about the future. I do think there is a ton of talent returning. But right now, I still wonder if Addazio can ever push enough of the right buttons to be more than a 7-6 coach. 

I will have second viewing thoughts and grades up later this week.

Below is my post-game Periscope.

Pinstripe Bowl: post-game Periscope https://t.co/83dvpc4y2H

— Bill Maloney (@bcatleagle) December 28, 2017

In-game comments post: Pinstripe Bowl

It is the last game of the year and a chance for Addazio to get to eight wins. The weather is freezing. The opponent is old school and we are playing in Yankee Stadium. Let's do this!

Leave your thoughts and comments below.

You can also follow me on Twitter.

No Landry in Pinstripe Bowl

According to Addazio and BC, Harold Landry will not play in the Pinstripe Bowl. He is still expected to play in the Senior Bowl. While I am sad that we won't see Landry play one last time, I think this is probably best for him.

BC has played nearly 75% of the season without Landry and when he did play, he didn't seem healthy. We can and should win this game without him. We generated enough pass rush after his injury and shut down Offenses even when he wasn't the focus of the opponent's attack. I don't see this game coming down to one defensive play. If BC can't win without Landry, I don't think they were going to win with him.

If Landry is not 100%, there is no reason to risk further injury to play in an inconsequential bowl game. He took a risk by returning to BC for his senior season. It has not paid off because of his ankle. Yet he is still listed by many as a 1st Round Draft pick. The upside of playing -- moving up higher on Draft boards -- does not outweigh the downside -- further injury, falling Draft stock.

Some might doubt the sincerity of Landry's injury given he is still expected to participate in the Senior Bowl. If he and his family think it is best for him to skip the Pinstripe and are using the lingering injury as their excuse, I don't blame them. He is about to get paid from the NFL. He will get nothing for playing in the Pinstripe. Plenty of players skip bowl games. Until the current model is corrected, they all have every reason to do so. Good luck to Harold.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all. Blogging resumes tomorrow.

BC-Iowa preview

As much as I want an expanded playoff, and as much as I think playing in empty stadiums in random small cities days before Christmas is silly, I have to say, I always get excited about a BC bowl game. I enjoy the fresh matchups against teams we don't often play. I am a sucker for the neutral site aspect and the bowls forcing some sort of local flavor on the game. Finally, it is our last glimpse of BC football for nine months. Even when things are not great, some BC Football is better than no BC Football.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
As of Friday, BC did not officially sellout its ticket allotment for this game, but the school came pretty close. I think the primary reason tickets sales went well is the location. Outside of Boston, the New York area is our largest alumni population. With the demise of the Big East and not playing Rutgers or Army on a regular basis, we don't have a ton of big sporting events in the area. Perhaps Jarmond should look into an occasional neutral site game at the Meadowlands. If it is against a desirable opponent (Notre Dame, Penn State, even Syracuse), I think the tickets would sell.

Three Simple Keys
1. Stop the run. This game will be very dependent or Merritt and Smith clogging up the middle. Iowa runs a lot of zones, so disrupting the line and stopping the cut backs is key.
2. Get big plays from someone other than Dillon. When the offense did explode, it wasn't just Dillon. Both Smiths had sweeps for scores. White had big plays. There are playmakers on the offense. We just need to get them the ball at the right time.
3. Don't waste drives with long field goals. We know how this goes on a cold, sloppy baseball field. I hope Addazio thinks of most possessions as 'four-down territory.'

Gambling Notes
-- Addazio is 1-2 in bowl games at BC
-- Ferentz is 6-8 in bowl games at Iowa
-- BC is 14-11 in bowl games
The current line is BC+2.5

Factoid
While BC has played all the Big Ten East schools, our history with the Big Ten West teams is limited. BC has not played games against Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue, Nebraska or Wisconsin.

Scoreboard Watching
During Bowl season, the most important game for all ACC teams is the Sugar Bowl. We need Clemson to win. I don't get any real satisfaction from watching our conference foes winning, but seeing ACC teams in the National Championship is a nice recruiting tool and point of validation.

I hope to see...
BC get up early and take Iowa out of the game mentally. Iowa fans don't want to be at this game and based on their body language, Iowa players don't want to be there either. Establishing an early lead could take away all momentum.

BC is in trouble if...
Wade doesn't get off the easy passes. As explosive as Dillon can be and as solid as the Oline has been, the offense only opens up if Wade is somewhat of a passing threat.

Bottom Line
I've been confident about this matchup since it was announced. I know the similar styles might make for boring football, but it was explosive teams that gave us trouble. If Iowa wants to grind it out, that will play to our strengths. I think BC will move the ball on the ground, force a few key turnovers and win this one with some cushion.
Final Score: BC 28, Iowa 17

BC needs OT to put away Richmond

The good news? BC won again, to make it five in a row. The bad news? It took overtime against Richmond to do it. This was a game where BC's issues on the front line came back to haunt them. Richmond cleaned up on the boards and converted many easy second chance points. BC established a big lead in the first half and then watched the Spiders cut into it throughout the rest of the game. The good news was the Chatman lit it up and carried the team with 30 points.

Bowman and Robinson were decent, but the rest of the team was bad. Popovic made some dumb plays and had trouble inside. BC also missed some foul shots late that could have put the game out of reach.

They get more time off and then it is back to ACC play against UVA.

Pinstripe preview video

Here is a look at the game from the ACC Network. The BC portion might be familiar, but the Iowa interviews were new (to me).

Throwback logo continues comeback

Take a look at the gear Under Armour gave to the team and staff for the Pinstripe Bowl.

More @PinstripeBowl bowl swag for the fellas from @UnderArmour before the trip to New York City Saturday #BCEagles pic.twitter.com/vA9zWjvUhw

— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) December 21, 2017

That's BC's old logo on just a regular UA pullover. If you've been following this stuff, Martin Jarmond has been sporting some BC gear with the throwback logo too. Does this mean there will be more regular merchandise with the "throwback logo" soon? My guess is yes.

Testing the waters with a throwback logo is a good way to see if BC is ready for a new logo. I personally hate the italics logo. From Day 1 it always felt like something designed in a marketing session. It looks dated and silly. I have plenty of logo stuff, but in general, I prefer BC stuff without the logo. I doubt I am the only one. I think a more classic looking logo -- instead of some sort of cliche 'cool sports marketing' logo like we have -- would actually increase merchandise sales.

As someone suggested on Twitter, a new logo that had a more classic look is the best option. And if you want to be cynical, a new logo would boost short-term merchandise sales. In the mean time work the throwback logo into regular items and see if the fans' dollars back up the sentiment.

Signing Day recap

And just like that, Early Signing Day was anti-climatic for Boston College. Addazio signed his entire class. There were no surprise names. He did not mention or hint at any guys they might add in February. He made only passing reference to recruiting rankings. He introduced the guys alphabetically. It was ho-hum. And that's probably for the best.

In the Q&A portion of his press conference, Addazio did explain some of his process. He made a point of how important it is at BC to get a guy on campus over and over. That way the player can evaluate the coaches and the coaches can really see what the player can do.

Here are a few topics that Addazio did not hit hard that I find interesting:

1. There are two more QBs coming in. With Brown, Perry and McDonald all on the roster, two more QBs coming in makes the depth chart very crowded. I have no problem with Addazio bringing in two guys. For such an important position, you always need depth and making projections from high school to Power 5 football is tough. What this means is there probably won't be five underclass QBs on the roster a year from now. Someone will switch positions or leave. I have no idea who.

2. No one from Ohio. It could just be an off year or a shift in BC's preferences. We are getting more guys out of New Jersey than most. Ricky Brown has Ohio roots, so I doubt we will ignore what was once so critical to BC. However, it doesn't really matter where you get the guys. What matters is that they fit and can play.

3. One kid from "ACC Country." Naples, Florida Joseph Sparacio is the only signee from a traditional ACC territory. When we joined the conference it seemed to open doors in places like Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and help our Florida efforts. Recruiting in these areas also makes sense since your assistants can catch local high school games the night before away games. Like the Ohio issue, this may just be a one year blip. You would think that with our recent success with Florida kids, there would be more momentum.

Addazio mentioned that he will be hitting the road again in January. It was implied that he will be focused on 2019 and 2020. But he also spoke of jumping on opportunities as they arise. With the whole class signed, any addition will just be a bonus.

Early Signing Day Eve

In just few short hours, BC will start receiving official letters of intent for players in the 2018 recruiting class. This will be the first year of the Early Signing Period and every team is treating the day differently. From the messaging in the media, it seems like BC is pressuring/encouraging all their current verbals to sign. This won't benefit the players, but it will benefit BC. With their primary targets locked in, they can use the next few weeks to target any potential uncommitted star and get a head start on the 2019 class. Locking in the guys also allows them to shift the staff's focus on the bowl game.

Roster management is key through this process. BC has a smallish incoming recruiting class, but still has more incoming than outgoing players. My guess is we will soon hear of what current players are not coming back for the spring either due to early graduation, injury or transfer. 

It seems like Addazio won't have to sign anyone in February if all goes according to plan. But my guess is they won't stop after the Signing Day. Once the smoke clears, BC will know who else to target.  

Senior Bowl invites reinforce BC's talent niche

Isaac Yiadom was added to the Senior Bowl, joining fellow corner Kamrin Moore. As BCI noted, the only other school with two corners at the Senior Bowl will be Alabama. However, Moore and Yiadom had very different paths than their Alabama counterparts.

Yiadom earned three stars from Rivals, but his only other offers were from UConn, Bryant and Holy Cross.

Moore was considered a two star prospect and had no other offers. (In fairness, he did commit early, but no other school throwing offers at him was a sign he wasn't considered a top-level prospect.)

Both players deserve credit for developing beyond anyone's expectations. They've been pretty good from Day 1 and both played very early in their careers. Don Brown also deserves some credit since both were recruited by him out of his familiar stomping grounds (Central Mass and Maryland). But Brown has been gone for two years. Addazio and his current defensive staff deserve credit for their development and success too.

Outliers in the recruiting star system have been used as a crutch around BC by coaches who weren't putting effort into recruiting. We all know that BC has won without stars. But that doesn't happen without effort and a plan. Addazio may be overmatched in some areas of program building but I think he has a good feel for talent identification and development. Obviously you go for obvious stars and people who have an affinity to your message. But you also need pockets where no one else is looking, know those pockets well, and turn those kids into stars. It happened with Yiadom and Moore. Now let's hope it keeps happening this recruiting cycle.

BC handles Central Connecticut

I don't know if you consider these game tune ups or win padders or filler, but BC did what it was supposed to do in their win over Central Connecticut. The first half wasn't great. BC couldn't shake CCSU even as BC was killing them on the boards and forcing turnovers. Yet, Central Connecticut kept making the most of their chances and shot well. 

The second half was a different story. BC pulled away comfortably. Beyond the guards, the good game of note was from Popovic. He did all the things pretty well (even D) and was pretty productive. Mitchell had a good game too and cleaned up on the glass. 

BC is off for the week and then takes on Richmond next weekend. 

RIP Len Ceglarski

Former BC Hockey coach Len Ceglarski passed away Saturday. He was 91.

Ceglarski coached BC for 20 seasons starting in 1972. He won over 400 games at the Heights.

Although he got BC far into the NCAA Tournament numerous times, he never won a National Championship as a coach. He was part of a National Championship team as a student at BC.

This guy had a good week

It's Friday, so I wanted to point out an underappreciated highlight from this week. A BC student nailed a 94-foot putt on the hardwoods of Conte for $1,000 in Under Armour gear. Good for him and good for BC to mix up the ingame promotions a bit. Beating Duke will be the biggest driver in attendance this year, but making the in-game experience fun again won't hurt. It was probably the true highlight of the Columbia game. 

Addazio updates on bowl prep

The football team is right in the middle of their bowl prep. That means there is a certain level of drudgery. But Addazio seems pretty confident and remains on schedule. The team has started working in schemes and Iowa specific preparation. The coach took a few minutes to address the media about the bowl and some other season ending topics below. 

Why national awards matter

It is national awards time in college football and BC has been in the mix for a few. Some were expected and others a pleasant surprise.

-- AJ Dillon made the 247 Freshmen All-America Team.
-- Defensive Backs Coach Anthony Campanile was named 247 National DB Coach of the Year.
-- Lukas Denis made the Walter Camp All America Team.
-- Dillon was also named the ACC Rookie of the Year.
-- Dillon and Petrula made ESPN's All Freshmen Team.
-- Nine players made All-ACC teams.

For a 7-5 team, this was quite a haul. The biggest surprises were Campanile's award and Denis getting a nod from the Camp selectors (which tend to pick "names"). While I would rather have wins than awards, the awards can impact future wins. BC can now sell how great the staff is. BC can now tell recruits, "we turn unheralded players into Camp All Americans and turn elite recruits -- like Dillon -- into stars." 

Addazio spends a lot of time talking about recruiting momentum and buzz. Clearly perception is starting to change. Now he needs to win the bowl game to keep the momentum and positivity going.

Basketball shakes off slow start against Columbia

Taking on an Ivy League team after knocking off Duke is always going to lead to an emotional letdown. However, the predictable aspect of BC's start didn't make it any less frustrating. But after things settled, BC went on long runs to end the first half and start the second half in their win over Columbia.

There were some good things. BC shot well from the FT line and from 3. Popovic put together a solid second half.

BC is off until playing Central Connecticut this weekend.

Iowa fans not buying Pinstripe tickets

News came out Monday that Iowa has only sold 1,000 tickets to the Pinstripe Bowl. At this point they hope to sell 1,000 more and think a good chunk of their New York area alumni will buy directly from the bowl or on the secondary market. This is potentially good news for BC...if our fans react.

BC has not announced how many tickets they have sold, but it is rumored to be about 75% of our allotment. I strongly encourage any of you planning on going to buy your tickets through BC. From a perception standpoint, it would be a huge boost to our program if we sold more tickets than a Big Ten team. I know it is tempting to buy from the bowl or in the secondary market, but buying from BC assures you sit with BC fans. If you're going to go, don't you want to count as a BC fan?

Beyond the perception, it is also good that Iowa fans don't seem to care about this game. I hope it represents their team's attitude too. BC needs this win. An unmotivated Iowa team helps get to that 8th win.

Duke win: the day after

Hoffses thinks this game can be a springboard and puts BC in the bubble talk. I hope so.  A major problem of the Christian era has been the inability to build on any significant win or moment.

The Duke media is still trying to figure out how they lost.

I don't know much about what Ky Bowman is really like off the court, but bringing up group project work as part of your Saturday night is a great media response. It is exactly what the media wants to hear and BC fans eat it up too. I hope his group gave him some leeway!

Ky Bowman finished the @BCMBB win over #1 Duke today with 30pts, 10rbs, & 9asts. What’s he going to do to celebrate the big win? “I have a group project meeting tonight for class”, he says. #STUDENTathlete

— Zack Spears (@Zacklopedia) December 9, 2017

Here is behind the scenes of Christian talking to the guys after the game. Let's hope this was a program changer.

"Thank you for giving me a memory of a lifetime." -- #HCJC #BCEagles #WeAreBC pic.twitter.com/LDyU3XE5di

— BC Men's Basketball (@BCMBB) December 10, 2017

Games and atmospheres like that can be great for BC Football recruiting. BC hosted recruits this weekend.

How about @BCMBB with the win over No. 1 Duke!! Way to go fellas 👏👏#BCEagles pic.twitter.com/Ow58EXCknd

— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) December 9, 2017

Down goes Duke

A few days ago -- when the Hawkins news became official -- it seemed like BC's basketball season was over before it even started. Clearly the team wasn't ready to give up. BC upset No. 1 Duke Saturday for the biggest win of the Christian era. Bowman led BC with 30 points, while Robinson went 5-5 from downtown.

Aside from the boost of confidence and respect this win provides, I think the biggest takeaway was the environment. Conte sold out and was loud. Students stormed the court after the win and BC started trending in social media. BC Basketball has become an afterthought and dismissed by our casual fans. A few big wins and a little excitement might get those casual fans back on the bandwagon. This could be a program defining win or just a fluky upset. It will really depend and how Christian and Co. handle the rest of the season.

The lights went out as Boston College stormed the court after upsetting Duke.

This GIF is so mesmerizing: https://t.co/DvOw4ufkmg

— SB Nation CBB (@SBNationCBB) December 9, 2017

I never thought this day would come

The proposal and idea for a new baseball/softball complex on the Brighton campus is over a decade old. Being the cynic that I am when it comes to local objections to BC expansion and BC's inconsistent support of sports facilities, I thought the complex might never come. Yet the project is nearing completion and looks great (see below). Weather will always be a challenge for both sports, but this is the type of facility that should be a game changer. It's exciting.

With @AstroTurfUSA down, the Birds headed across Comm Ave. to see how the new field is shaping up. We can't wait to play there in 2018!!

Full Photo Gallery: https://t.co/u96OxjEXzy pic.twitter.com/Aa6EdijSiW

— BC Baseball (@BCBirdBall) December 8, 2017

Denis makes All America team and other links

Congrats to Lukas Denis who was named to the Camp All America Second Team. I know BC has always developed and scouted well, but I do think Addazio's hit rate on underrated talent has been pretty good. Denis was only a two star and BC was his only Power 5 offer. 

Although there are not many spots left, BC is still in the mix with a few different New Jersey prospects. 

Dillon mentioned among the ACC's best running backs.

If Vine does come back, Addazio will be ready.

Hawkins done for the year

Per Goodman:

BC loses Deontae Hawkins for the rest of the season due to a knee injury, school spokesman Mike Laprey told ESPN. Tough blow to Eagles.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) December 6, 2017

This is another setback for BC Basketball. Although Hawkins was only a grad transfer, he was supposed to provide the sort of front line help that might make BC more competitive this season. Tough loss for Hawkins too, as he was supposed to use this season to prove himself against elite ACC competition.

BC still has talent in the backcourt, but I fear teams are going to kill us on the boards all season.

Hawkins and BC could apply for a 6th year. Who knows if he would want one?

The DEFINITIVE ranking of every BC Bowl game

When Iowa fans turned their nose up at the Pinstripe, while BC fans got excited, I started thinking about BC's bowl history. We've now been to a lot of them. Some were better than others. What I felt was needed was a reminder and perspective on it all. So the following is a ranking of all of BC's bowl games. I tried to rate them on their relative prestige, history and fan excitement (at the time). I also tried to ignore the outcome since that didn't impact our fan excitement about the selection or location or opponent. Obviously I am right about all of these, but you can leave your (wrong) opinions in the comments section. [UPDATED: when I pasted the chart, I forgot to paste the Liberty Bowl. It has been added.]

1. 1985 Cotton Bowl vs Houston. This was the culmination of the Flutie era and at the time one of the "big" bowls.

2. 1941 Sugar Bowl vs Tennessee. BC's only claim at a National Championship.

3. 1940 Cotton Bowl Classic vs Clemson. The "rivalry" with Clemson was born. Historically it is not an important game for either program but the Cotton Bowl was a big deal.

4. 1943 Orange Bowl vs Alabama. The Leahy days. There weren't a lot of bowls, so BC still going to one was a big deal.

5. 1983 Liberty Bowl vs Notre Dame. Flutie vs the Irish. It was big at the time. Would probably be bigger now given Flutie's legend and our history with Notre Dame.

6. 1993 Hall of Fame Bowl vs Tennessee. Coughlin breathed new life into the program. This was the last time BC played in a major, traditional bowl.

7. 1986 Hall of Fame Bowl vs Georgia. This was a major bowl game in the post-Flutie era.

8. 1994 Aloha Bowl vs Kansas State. This was when the Aloha Bowl was a big deal. It was the first game of the season and was on Christmas Day. We had a fun D to watch and got to take on a highly ranked K-State team.

9. 2007 Champs Sports Bowl vs Michigan State. While a letdown after losing the ACC Championship, people were excited about a Florida bowl against a real team.

10. 1982 Tangerine Bowl vs Auburn. This was a minor bowl even then but the Flutie era had a special feeling to it all.

11. 2001 Music City Bowl vs Georgia. BC had a great season and was a surprise invite to face a ranked Georgia team in Nashville.

12. 2014 New Era Pinstripe Bowl vs Penn State. This was the end to a pleasant surprise type of season against and old rival.

13. 2017 Pinstripe Bowl vs Iowa. Right bowl, right place, right time against a real team. General fan and program satisfaction.

14. 1994 Carquest Bowl vs Virginia. This was a newish bowl and a big disappointment given what nearly happened that season. A running theme: BC blew a shot at a major bowl in the final weekend.

15. 2000 Aloha Bowl vs Arizona State. BC took a lot of flack for not being deserving this bowl. But it was still Hawaii against a real team.

16. 1999 Insight.com Bowl vs Colorado. The former Copper Bowl was one of the first to take a DotCom name. Very few BC fans went to Tuscon but there was relief to be back in a bowl.

17. 2004 Continental Tire Bowl vs North Carolina. There wasn't a lot of excitement about this game because we had just blown our shot at a major bowl, but playing UNC in their home state had some novelty at the time.

18. 2005 MPC Computers Bowl vs Boise State. This was one of the biggest slights during BC's bowl streak. However, the whole program and fanbase had a chip on our shoulders and there was the novelty of playing Boise on the blue turf.

19. 2009 Emerald Bowl vs USC. After doing a tour of weird bowls, fans were fine with San Fran again and excited to play USC. But the Spaz era was low enthusiasm in general.

20. 2003 San Francisco Bowl vs Colorado State. This was when San Francisco was fresh for BC and their was still some optimism regarding TOB. Colorado State did not generate much excitement.

21. 2006 Meineke Car Care Bowl vs Navy. It was a return trip to Charlotte against a team we had played many times. Plus we were between coaches.

22. 2008 Music City Bowl vs Vanderbilt. This was the ultimate letdown after losing another ACC Championship game.

23. 2013 AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl vs Arizona. Shreveport? Weird destination but a good opponent. It was nice to return to bowls at the start of the Addazio era.

24. 2016 Quick Lane Bowl vs Maryland. A trip to Detroit against a terrible Maryland team.

25. 2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl vs Nevada. It was back to San Francisco for a second year in a row. Nevada had Kaepernick, but there was little buzz about this game.

26. 2002 Motor City Bowl vs Toledo. This was a letdown season and a terrible bowl.

Pinstripe Bowl reactions

While there are always some gripes, I think most BC fans, players and coaches were excited about the Pinstripe Bowl selection. The media and the Iowa community don't seem as thrilled.

The Big Lead named the bowl one of the worst of the season. Their logic is that the game pairs two conservative, inefficient offenses on a slippery baseball field. 

Kirk Ferentz was Mr. Excitement in this interview. He admits to not knowing much about BC.

Here is Iowa's AD talking. He had to start the Q&As explaining why they are not going to Nashville.

The Iowa players don't seem as disappointed, but they don't seem particularly happy either.

Addazio was about the exact opposite of everyone from Iowa. He thinks this is the perfect bowl for BC.

"Start spreading the news..." BC to Pinstripe Bowl

After some 11th hour worrying, it all worked out for BC in the end. The Pinstripe Bowl selected BC for their December 27 game at Yankee Stadium. BC will face Iowa. This is a pretty perfect setup. It is a winnable game against a respectable opponent in a desirable location near a large percentage of our fanbase. Reviews of BC's last trip to the Pinstripe Bowl were good, so I expect another good showing by our fans in the New York area.

Like BC, Iowa finished 7-5 with some impressive wins but also some head scratching losses. I think it helps that BC has former Iowa staffer Jim Reid to help BC get familiar with their opponent. Addazio needs this win for many reasons. But getting to eight wins the first time in a bowl against a Big Ten team would be a nice way to end the season. Losing to cap another 7-6 season would be a letdown.

The teams and the fans should be excited. I am.

Basketball

Given how the Nebraska game ended, I expected BC to come out firing against Hartford. That's not exactly what happened. They first half was a struggle as the America East team to the lead. BC regained the lead and eventually pulled away in the second half to win.

The big factor was that Hawkins was out again. Gossip is that he's done for the season but that has not been confirmed by the school. Jerome Robinson led the scoring with 23 points and crossed the 1,000 career point mark. Once again BC struggled from 3. That's got to improve or this season will be frustrating.

BC has a week off before taking on Duke next Saturday.

Weird bowl news

Former ESPN reporter Brett McMurphy is still getting paid by ESPN but not allowed to report for them, or anyone else, so he has taken to Facebook. He is still very plugged in and still actively following the bowl shuffle. His latest update is not good for BC. From the update:

"Boston College looks like it won’t be playing in an ACC bowl. The Eagles most likely destination is either St. Petersburg or Birmingham."


As much as Detroit and Shreveport are terrible, I thinking getting bumped out of our own conference's slots is worse. Our bowl reputation is a vicious circle and going to a non-ACC bowl won't help.

In this update McMurphy has us playing FAU in St. Petersburg. The game is December 21 which is a Thursday. I wouldn't expect many to travel and I wouldn't love playing a red hot FAU team in a dome in what would be their Super Bowl. Let's hope McMurphy is wrong.