2016 Boston College Football: Ever to Excel

BigMike

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So, is today the official low point or can it get worse?
Low point would be the end of season announcement that Daz is returning. Nothing could match that as a low point for BC football.

Ultimately with Jackson coming up a bit lame, Louisville really took it easy on BC, 52-7 is all things considered surprisingly close
 

BigMike

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Well I will say this. I get the feeling they will hold FSU to 45 max next week. So that would be a real positive
 

berniecarbo1

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Nothing to say.....nothing. In the middle of 2 week disaster ride. Shouldn't be this bad in year 4 of a program but that's where it is. I only hope they don't go to a bowl. Even if they go 6-6 they don't deserve it. There is no marquee win in their schedule and they end up .500 (actually less than that against D1 programs).

I don't see them getting to 6-6. Maybe they beat UConn but Wake is a road game and I think Wake is currently a better team.
 

Doug Beerabelli

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I'm rooting for BC to beat UCONN for the same reasons many of you might root for UConn to beat BC. Amongst his many transgressions of Horribility, Diaco burned the red shirt year of a promising QB prospect with 4 games to go in a losing season. Then proceeded to lose 21-0, with Temple having two passes picked off in the end zone (as in, it could have been worse). Perhaps this path will end with all the non football teams back in the Big East. That's about the best case scenario at this point IMO.

Sooooooo,GO EAGLES!
 

berniecarbo1

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In the past 2 weeks the scores have been 52-7 and 45-7 (with 3 minutes to go). I mean, they are not even putting a fight in these games. And the basketball team loses opening night in a supposed tune up game. How any of these people still have their job is amazing to me.
 

Humphrey

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They had either 10 or 11 three-and-outs in a row. Haven't seen that in quite a while.
 

doldmoose34

impregnated Melissa Theuriau
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I just sent this history to ATL for him to post on his blog, some is historical, and youve heard some before but I've fucking had it and if they lose ME, we're doomed


I'M SICK TO DEATH OF WHAT OUR FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL PROGRAMS HAVE BECOME, AND THATS THE CLEVELAND BROWNS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE WASHINGTON GENERALS OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL

AND NOT SO LONG AGO IT WASN'T LIKE THIS AT ALL

heres a history lesson for the young folks, I'm old, saw my first game in 1962, Navy and Roger Staubach vs Jack Concannon and BC, in the old wooden Alumni, with the track and the clock you couldnt read, I think we lost that one too... My father joined the faculty in the mid 60s and I was there for most of the games in the 60s when when the schedule looked like what we now think of as cupcakes, Villanova, VMI, Buffalo, and of course the Cross. Oh there would be a good game like Penn State, Army, Navy but untill Bill Flynn and Yukika stepped up the schedule to 'play anyone anywhere' the schedule was pretty weak. Then we started with the big games mixed in and while I was in school I was at Sheaffer Stadium for ND in '75, Alumni for Texas in '76, Knoxville for the first time we played Tenn in '77. Too the big boys we were the cupcake then but we played them tough from kickoff to final whistle, and it was a great time to be a fan. Tickets were reasonable, you could drive right onto campus and tailgate wherever you wanted and even though we were going 6-5 7-4 those days there were still good crowds for most games, even after the 0-11 seaason. BC was still the nice northeast school that most teams would schedule for a home and home, and in terms of admissions, a popular school in the New England, NY, NY and a safety school for many who applied to the Ivies.

Then #22 arrived and everything changed for the better, there is no need to recap what Doug did for BC, next to Fr Monan who rescued us from bankruptcy's door in the late 60s I honestly believe that Doug Flutie is the single most important man to go thru BC since 1863. He made us the national University we are today.

and there in is what I think is at the heart of all of our ongoing problems in the athletic department (other then Jerry and the Hockey program) its that there is NO ONE in the BCAA who has any institutional memory of what life was like around here PreFlutie. i've said this tome and again that my biggest fear when Leahy was made President after Monan was that coming from Marquette, with no football there, he wouldn't understand the importance of athletics to the 'BC Brand'. Hey I'm as proud as anyone in our top US News ranking every year, but if the Northwesterns, Stanfords, Dukes, and yes even NDs can field competive athletic programs, why in gods name can't BC???

i'm about to type something I've always hated but thank god for GDF and him getting us into the ACC when he did or else Leahy would've dropped footbal like BU, and we know that Leahy has no problem cashing the ACC checks. But in his own style, GDF is as responsable and the other suspects in the demise of our programs, it all started under his watch/reign of terror. Donor Based Seating, and the insane tailgating prices 'becausse all the other schools are doing it' was his ridiculous reasoning, which drove out the most loyal fans, and for that you got those sweet padded seat cushions. This is what i mean by no knowledge of what and who we are, this isn't Baton Rouge, Gainsville, College Station etc where its the olny game in town and you can get away with it. Even Bob Kraft knew that when he built Gillette Personal Seat Licenses were a non starter. This is a PRO TOWN first and we need someone who knows just where college sports, not just BC but all the local schools fit in the sports/entertainment enviroment.

When he was hired, Brad Bates held 'town hall meetings' for season ticket holders. I was at one of them and the newly hired football coach, wanted to say a few words to us. I like most if not all of us in the room that day bought Addazzio's pitch hook, line and sinker. we were ready to pull on a helmet and go out on the field, in hindsight, I feel like such a fool for buying his spin. Bates did one thing which was brought up in the meeting, and that was opening up Brighton campus to parking, thats it.

Bates has had two major hires in his tenure, and he blew both of them. Addazio is Spaz on the offensive side of the ball, with the same know it all personality, just a bit, ok, much more psycho on the sidelines. He was suposed to be an offensive genius, we all know now why the Gator fans were laughing at us when he was hired. for the 4th straight year, Addazio's excuse after every blowout is that 'we're young'. Ok, that worked the first couple years with Spaz's classes but these are YOUR RECRUITS now, if you're forces to play the youth its because YOUR FIRST TWO CLASSES CAN'T PLAY. So much for Addazio being an ace recruiter.

Bates then let Donnaghue twist in the wind, for a few weeks before whacking him, not getting Tommy Amaker (hey why would he want to leave the other side of the River anyway), and ending up with Christian with whom, rumor has it, he shares an agent with. Then after going 0-18 in ACC play he EXTENDS him when a good boot out the door was warrented.

so what is the point of this history lesson? BATES MUST GO, NOW! if his contract isn't going to be renewed, let him walk today, pay off the rest of the deal. Hire someone with knowledge of what life is like in the northeast, where college sports have a place, but thats not at the head of the table, and in a perfect world a BC Guy. Is there one out there? I don't know. and the sooner the better. We were sitting up in our seats last week, watching the #7 team in the country run ruffshod over BC infront of a half full stadium, and we again were debating getting tickets next year. We're all on the fence, and you know, as much as I love BC, its getting harder and harder to defend with this ship of fools running the big athletic programs.

Let the new AD hire his own guy, and he must also realize that BC isn't a 'destination job' its a stepping stone job, if we can get a young guy for 5 or 6 years to build the program back up and he moves on to bigger and better things, all the better. What we need is Tom Coughlin2.0
 

Ale Xander

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Great post/letter post Moose

At least they're not Rutgers

Just hoping they don't screw up the hockey programs (all 3) and soccer.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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Great post and great article. I didn't like the "BC baseball plays in a parking lot" line, but I guess they do use the field for parking, so. . .

Anyone notice in the Globe today that for the first time in nearly 30 years the Sox are not playing BC in Spring Training? Big slap in the face to the program.
 

Dave Stapleton

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Great post and great article. I didn't like the "BC baseball plays in a parking lot" line, but I guess they do use the field for parking, so. . .

Anyone notice in the Globe today that for the first time in nearly 30 years the Sox are not playing BC in Spring Training? Big slap in the face to the program.
But of all the criticisms the baseball team isn't one of the problems right now. They were one win away from Omaha this past season.
 

BigMike

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But of all the criticisms the baseball team isn't one of the problems right now. They were one win away from Omaha this past season.
And BC has already committed to building what looks like it will be a very nice new stadium for baseball
 

doldmoose34

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No it was some guy named Barber who funded the the head coach position (forget the wording). He got pissed at GDF when he wouldn't let him advise on the post Jags search, which ironically started us on the road to ruin
 

BigSoxFan

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Yes, Greg Barber I believe. Leave it to BC to ruin a relationship with one of the few deep pocket boosters that wants to improve the program. I don't care if they're meddlesome - you have to play ball with these kinds of guys.
 

berniecarbo1

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I feel your pain Moose. My fear is that the ACC will pull a Temple on BC like the BE did 15 years ago and essentially put them in receivership or probation. I know the article talks about obstacles to that but hell those are rules and rules can be changed if there is enough of a consensus.

Obviously the ineptness of Boston College Athletics is now a national story. We have become what Columbia was in the Ivies in the 70s and 80s and Northwestern was in the 70s and 80s till Gary Barnett showed up, doormats in their conferences with questions raised as to whether either school, athletically, still belonged in their respective leagues.

Moose is correct that BC needs a BC guy/gal to run athletics. They need to understand the uniqueness of its place in a pro sports town and how to properly market the programs, hire coaches who can recruit successfulky in this environment, and put out competitive teams, especially in the revenue producing sports.

Brad Bates was the wrong fit from the get go. He never ran a program in a major metropolitan area. His background was at a small midwestern school in the MAC and associate AD positions at P5 programs. None of them had anything remotely close to the challenges BC faces in the world of college athletics. I never really analyzed it at the time. I saw a guy coming from a mid major that had all the sports BC had, had played and worked under Bo at Michigan and figured he knew how to run a program like BC. Obviously I was wrong. BC is not a state university with 100 years of Top 10 football, Final 4 basketball appearances multi billion dollar endowments and rabid, national fan bases. Never has been, never will be. What it is is a mid size top 50 national university with a mid size endowment playing in a P5 conference against predominantly state univeristies and located in a major metropolitan American city that is deeply steeped in pro sports. There is a reason most city colleges, especially in the Northeast and upper Midwest no longer have football programs.

Notwithstanding all that, the first step is send Brad Bates packing. Don't let the door hit you in the ass. We need a strong business person or someone who is a nationally known figure who can drive fundraising, understands sports, can unify the fan base, understands the media and can build a strong team, both with coaching hires and a business team to make this program competitive....and RELEVANT.

If the above is the blueprint, there is only one person who fits that bill......Doug Flutie as Athletic Director. He checks all the boxes, he's uniquely qualified to understand where BC fits in the landscape in Boston and he is involved in college football through broadcasting and advertising. He knows what coaches would work in Boston and soecifically at BC. If I am John Fish I get in Leahy's ear and let Bates go and do whatever they can to get Flutie back.

Out here in CA USC has used this model, mostly successfully, over the last 20 years by bringing USC guys in to run the program (Mike Garrett, Pat Haden and now Lynn Swann). Michigan? It's run by Michigan men. These schools hire people who know what makes these programs tick. Time for BC to do the same. As Moose said, Flutie saved BC in the 80s. The school needs his "Flutie Magic" again.
 

Was (Not Wasdin)

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So mixed on this win today. A win next week pretty much puts them in a (crappy) bowl, which no one will go to. The administration will hang onto Addazio for another year based on this year's "improvement", and the hole that the program is in will only get deeper.
 

Ale Xander

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So mixed on this win today. A win next week pretty much puts them in a (crappy) bowl, which no one will go to. The administration will hang onto Addazio for another year based on this year's "improvement", and the hole that the program is in will only get deeper.
What's mixed? It's a complete disaster
 

berniecarbo1

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I can't get excited about this. They beat a 3-8 non P5 program. Other than giving the seniors a nice parting gift what really has this win done? Thats right, nothing. This is like Oregon State beating San Jose State out here on the west coast. The game went the way it should have.

They go 4-0 against a pathetic OOC schedule. They should have won those games. They are 1-6 against conference opponents. They have been blown out in 4 of those games. The other 2 losses have been to teams with combined conference records of
 

doldmoose34

impregnated Melissa Theuriau
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Diaco was the front runner fr the BC job before he fucked up the interview, shit the two worst coached in college football on the sidelines yesterday, and we pull it out for once

and i must admit a nice turnout of Huskie fans, good job using those tickets you all bought over the summer
 

Ale Xander

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Storrs U fans made it a 2-fer, that's probably a part of the crowd. The hockey team played down the Ave (Comm) at Agganis at night.
 

StuckOnYouk

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I took a bus up or I would have chosen UConn-BU hockey
And of course that's the game UConn wins
I'd love to thank Adazzio for pretty much ending the Diaco era - at least I hope.
Perhaps the craziest most bizarre coach at any level in any sport I've ever seen in my life.
If he stays it's only because his buyout is so large. This guy should legitimately be in an insane asylum because of the stuff he says and the decisions he makes in the game. Like faking a FG on 4th and 18 from the 20 when we haven't scored in 10 quarters.
My take on the day was the stadium was fine the tailgating was awful and the fans were respectful. The hospitality tent ran out of beers 30 minutes in and of course there is no beer sold in the stadium. Big shock to the system since our stadium sells beer and one thing UConn fans needed on Saturday was excessive drinking.
Good luck on that sixth win and don't sleep on our hockey team tomorrow.
Cavanaugh is doing a good job
 

Lose Remerswaal

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Good news Eagles Fans!! BC does NOT have to win this week to get a bowl game invitation!!

Woohoo!

Win or lose this weekend at Wake Forest, Boston College will probably be returning to a bowl game.

The Eagles (5-6) can guarantee themselves a spot with a win over Wake in their season finale, getting the six wins needed to become bowl-eligible. But even if the Eagles fall in Winston-Salem, picking up their fifth win with a 30-0 blowout over Connecticut last Saturday might have been enough.

In the event of an “insufficient number of deserving teams,” the NCAA allows room for schools that have five wins plus a multiyear football Academic Progress Rate score high enough for postseason play. With 64 teams already bowl-eligible going into Week 12, that leaves 16 bowl spots still open.

BC is one of 18 teams a win away from being bowl-eligible. (Army has won six games, but two were against FCS opponents, and it still needs a win over Navy to become eligible). Of those teams, nine are favored to win this weekend, which could leave seven bowl spots for 5-7 teams.

With a 981 APR, BC would easily qualify. The only five-win teams in the country with higher APRs are Vanderbilt (990) and North Texas (984). Duke is sitting on a 4-7 record with a 995 APR, but it goes into Miami as a 15-point underdog.
 

Humphrey

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One thing to go to a bowl because they need a team to go. Another thing if Daz and company start crowing about it. The last straw, really.

You gotta figure it will be the worst opponent (MAC / Sunbelt / CUSA) in the worst possible location on the worst possible date (e.g a day or two before or after Christmas).
 

kenneycb

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4th and 1 and Towles takes a delay of game.

Addazzio also let the clock run at 2 and 2 on their own 40 with 3 TOs left and 45 seconds of game clock. Chickenshit.