Ugh...

Duquesne coach Ron Everhart is not the only one who is sick to their stomach. Last night was one of the sorriest performances in recent BC basketball history. The absence of Jared Dudley, John Oates, and Akida McLain does not justify losing to a team that went 3-24 last season, is playing without their head coach, and held open tryouts to fill a roster that includes four guys still sidelined by injuries from a campus shooting. I keep trying to wake up- is this not just a bad dream...?

The preseason Top 20 Eagles just dropped their second in a row to Duquesne. While, some refer to them as "the Dukes," they should not be confused with the Blue Devils from Raleigh. They don't have Cameron Indoor; they don't have Coach K or three national championships; hell, they don't even have dreams about beating Duke.

Regrettably, I was unable to watch the game because the game was not televised in my area. Therefore, I cannot provide too much commentary on our play (what went wrong, etc). However, the fact that we blew a 10-point lead with under five minutes left supports my hypothesis that we are deprived of fundamental game management skills. Our basketball IQ leads me to believe that we should ride a short bus to games... it would sure save us money on gas.

I would quickly like to address the comments on the message boards about how poor the officiating has been of late. I am constantly offended by the lack of calls that we get, especially after having proven that we are a worthy ACC contender last season.

However, nothing will change in the near future for a couple of reasons:

First of all, Al Skinner's coaching demeanor has gotten him recruited by each of the seven regiments responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace. Simply put, the man is not going to hound the referees like Gary Williams, Coach K, or even an off-duty mime.

Secondly, our team doesn't really live up to the clean-cut ACC image of Duke, UNC, and others. Our guys jump out of buildings to escape gun fights, spend the bulk of their career suspended, rock crazy hair dews, wear uniforms that drape off their bodies like flags, and spend more ink on their biceps then they do on their term papers...

This is the team that BC Fans everywhere has grown to love, but let's be honest- there aren't too many other people cheering for us. The red carpets weren't exactly rolled out for us last year. That being said, we need to stand by our team, and help them put together the kind of resume that will have us playing in March, when everything is determined on the court.

A Black Cloud

Once again, I was unable to sleep on Christmas Eve. This time, however, it was not the anticipation of Christmas that kept me counting the sheep. Instead, I was a nervous for Jared and the boys.

Al Skinner reported in the Globe that there is currently a "black cloud" hanging over the BC Hoopsters. Plagued by injuries, the Eagles recently endured defeat at the hands of the Kansas Jayhawks in front of a national television audience.

BC Bigmen are limping around the court, with Oates injured and McClain sidelining himself just minutes into his season. Most troublesome is the recent setback to Jared Dudley, who has been bothered by his left foot injury since the beginning of the season.

The Eagles will have to rely on the senior leadership of Sean Marshall, and the inside presence of Sean Williams to win the next couple against Duquesne and Northeastern. Hopefully, the other guys will be back to 100% by the time the Eagles dig into their conference schedule in Janurary.

SI reports that Duquesne will be without coach Ron Everhart on Thursday night. Everhart unfortunately suffered a gastrointestinal ailment on Christmas and is expected to remain hospitalized for a few more days.

The Significance of KU

Lawrence is calling, and the Jayhawks await. In two days, the Eagles will be flying into the home of the reigning Big XII Champion. This game is critical for the Eagles, who have been playing inspired basketball of late. Many people have expressed their discontent with the pollers, who refuse to admit Boston College back into the Top 25. The Kansas game is the only opportunity the Eagles have to "wow" the pollers before really digging into their ACC Schedule in the new year. Following the Jayhawks, the Eagles battle Duquesne, Northeastern, and Yale (all perennial powerhouses...)

The boys from Chestnut Hill deserve to spend the holiday recognized as one of the premier teams in the nation, and this weekend will provide the national exposure necessary to win the hearts of pollers.

The Jayhawk is a mythical fusion of a blue jay and a sparrow hawk. The pure-bred Eagles are known for their keen eyesight, enabling them to spot potential prey from far away. Jared and Company's eyes have been fixated on the Jayhawks since last weekend, and BC is prepared to give new meaning to the Pre-Civil War term, "Bleeding Kansas."



In a game that could be as violent pre-Civil War events that inspired the Jayhaw

The Formidable Foe

The Kansas Jayhawks entered the season with high expectations, ranked third in both the AP and ESPN/Coaches Polls. This is rare for a team that has not won an NCAA Tournament game in two years (Bucknell Bison, Bradley Braves). This history of being defeated by weaker opposition has continued into the 2006-07 season, in which Kansas dropped the ball against Oral Roberts and Depaul.

The Jayhawks are definitely beatable, but their preseason ranking was not a gross oversight. Kansas is loaded with talent, and will likely make a run at the National Championship under Bill Self.

The Jayhawks have no seniors on the roster, and their inexperience as cost them early-on. Boston College understands the importance of senior leadership, as Sean Marshall and Jared Dudley have successfully dug the Eagles out of an early hole.

Last year's fab freshmen are now sophomores. Wingman Brandon Rush, guard Mario Chalmers and point forward Julian Wright each are instrumental to the Jayhawk's success. In addition, Kansas' roster features some of the best freshman talent in the country. Darrell Arthur leads the team in scoring with nearly 14 a game in under 22 minutes.

Two areas where Kansas struggled a year ago were turnovers and free-throw shooting. Out of 326 Division I teams, the Jayhawks ranked 228th in turnovers (15.6) and 226th in free-throw shooting (67.2 percent). The team was focused on improving these numbers this year, but little progress has been made thus far. They average 14.9 turnovers a game and a free-throw percentage stuck at 67.2%.

The Jayhawks led the nation in field-goal percentage defense last season, and that tradition has translated into an opponent's shooting percentage of 37.7% this year. That's a scary notion for the Eagles.

This Saturday, it is very important for the Eagles to get out to a fast start.  The
Jayhawks have been tremendous in the first half, outscoring their opponents 389-255.
Both of the Eagle's losses resulted from slow starts, in which they could not battle
back.  Hopefully, this Saturday will be a different story. Look for the Eagles to
embrace the opportunity to play in front of a national audience.  Showtime
Sean Marshall loves the limelight....  There is some serious ESPN Top Ten potential.

Jags Is Coming Back To The Heights

Big news became public knowledge yesterday, as the BC Coaching Vacancy was filled by the man known as "Jags". As always, ATL Eagle, Alex F., and others are following the story with remarkable insight and interesting opinions (ATL EAGLE, For Here Men Are Men, and the Boston Globe).

The Eagles' BBall team continues to fly under the radar after shooting a scorching 80% in the first 20 minutes, setting a record for the most points set in the first half (60), and reaching triple digits for the first time since defeating St. Bonaventure on December 4, 2002.

BC takes on the dangerous Jayhawks on Saturday (AP #11, ESPN #12) with hopes of jumping into the Top 25. I will be travelling today, but will start to frantically discuss this game tomorrow...

Let as all warmly welcome Jeff Jags back into the BC Family.

Blender Guys

Andy Katz has logged many hours following the Eagles in the past few years, and he recently pushed the pen to the paper about Pittsburgh's Levon Kendall. He pegged Kendall as a "blender"-a player who can make a significant difference in a team's season. Katz also sent shivers down my spine by introducing John Oates into the mix:

John Oates, 6-10, Jr., C, Boston College: He takes charges, hits an occasional 3-pointer, makes the entry passes to Jared Dudley and is there for a screen for Tyrese Rice or Sean Marshall. BC coach Al Skinner said if Oates does those types of things, the Eagles have a chance. He doesn't star like shot-blocker Sean Williams, but he can be just as important to making the Eagles fly.

While John does contribute the occasional charge, three-point, and entry pass, Mr. Oates needs to spend some serious alone time looking into the mirror. A bathroom mirror will not suffice, as John needs to examine more than just his burly looks and his unbearable ink job. He needs to walk into one of his female friend's dorm rooms to find a full-size body mirror. This experience will lead to a very critical realization: When John can still only see a portion of his body, he will understand that company's don't manufacture "body-mirrors" with a massive seven-foot, one inch frame in mind.

John's stature is an anomaly- it is a gift. Can you imagine what Jared Dudley could do on a hypothetical Freaky-Friday when he and John switched bodies...?

For every three-pointer that John hits, four offensive rebounds are surrendered as John dances around the arc. For every charge that John takes, an opportunity to turn his body around, press his rear into the opposition, and box a man out is lost. For every entry pass that John makes to Jared, the potential for someone to feed John in the post goes down the drain.

Boston College has a history of the 7-foot point guards and the institution has never recruited Dirk Nowitzki. Canada's Nate Doorenkamp started the trend, and Mr. Oates was the only one with big enough feet to follow in his footsteps.

Don't get me wrong- Oates has an incredible touch for a big man. His ability to stretch the defense with his range is critical to the success of the FLEX offense. However, if John doesn't stop shying away from contact inside, opposing teams will start to assign their shooting guards to our big man... and they will still probably out-rebound him.

Katz is right- John can change the direction of this season with his strong play. In addition to all the three-pointers, charges, and entry-passes, I challenge John to hit the boards. His technical foul following his dunk in the Maryland game is the most fire I have seen from the Junior, and I was thrilled. Keep the emotion, keep playing hard, and you, Mr. Oates, will do just as Andy Katz predicts- make the Eagles fly.




In response to the comment on my last post, Kansas is undoubtedly a statement game in which the team can silence skeptics. However, I want to defer any comments/predictions until after the Sacred Heart game (for an explanation of my logic, please refer to the Vermont and Providence results).

This Week's Rankings

Thank you all for your comments- I really appreciate all the feedback.

I would like to respond to one question I received regarding the Week 6 college basketball rankings. After big victories at home against Michigan State and Maryland, most Eagle fans expected to jump into the Top 25. At the very least, there was an expectation that we would leapfrog the victims.

Much to my own displeasure, neither of these expectations were fulfilled.

In the ESPN/USA Today poll, Michigan State was ranked 23 with 74 votes and Maryland dropped out of the group with 50 votes. Intuition would suggest BC must be ranked in the Top 20. After receiving only 5 votes, however, the Eagles remain on the outside looking in.

A similar story in the AP Poll, where BC's 30 votes were outdone by MSU and Maryland's 52 and 40, respectively.

Rankings don't always make sense, which explains why college football will not have a decisive victor in the foreseeable future and why Boston College is still only considered a "New Ivy" (Newsweek). If the pollsters had the vision that I have, things would be different.

In the meantime, we can try to justify their logic:

Michigan State does have an impressive win over Texas on its resume, along with a decisive victory over the northeastern powerhouse, Vermont (who came into our house and swallowed our pride without chewing). Their only other loss was the doing of a very competent Maryland team on the road.

Maryland fell short against Notre Dame, but did take down the aforementioned Spartans and Catamounts.

As for Boston College- we have two embarrassing losses and two solid victories. Critics would contend that our victories came at home, which plays a very important role in college hoops. I would argue that many of our fans are immune from the ACC fever, and playing at home is more embarrassing for our boys than inspiring.

In any case, the season is very young, and our early missteps have caused the Eagles to re-evaluate their priorities and goals for the season. At this point, the team will benefit from flying under the radar, and Boston College will continue to progress. Hopefully, we won't need to have this conversation in March, when we are poised to make a run.

Life is good in Eagle Country, and a new football coach is about to come watch over the nest...

Zebra Poaching

Don't get me wrong... I love animals. But after last night's officiating display inside the walls of Conte, I can understand why zebras are an endangered species. 8,500 BC faithful were ready and willing to storm the floor, directing their fists at their favorite whistle-blower.

Mis-calls. No-calls. A genuine misunderstanding of how the game should be governed. To be honest, by the end of the game, I would emphatically disagree if the referee announced there were seven continents... it was that bad. I cannot place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the officials, however. Gary Williams was barking at in the refs ears since the opening minute, when leading-scorer DJ Strawberry picked up two fouls in 44 seconds. Here's to Jared Dudley, and the basketball IQ that has Mensa drooling.

In the closing minutes of the game, as the shot clock wound down, Jared stepped back beyond the arc, got his defender into the air and drew a critical foul at a time when BC was struggling to get the ball in the hoop. After the whistle for the foul sounded, Jared immediately pointed to his head, referencing his presence of mind at the game's critical juncture.

With his performance, Jared entered the top-ten on BC's all time scoring list (1,654 points), passing Michael Adams.

Boston College held Maryland to a whopping 24-62 (.387) from the field, due largely to "Big Time" Sean Williams in the paint. Rather than shooting, it seemed as if Maryland players volleyball teammates, setting Sean up for the kill. Williams would effortlessly leap into the air, dodging the rafters of Conte while swatting shots with the frequency of an ultrasound. It was remarkable.

As well as the team performed yesterday on the court, there are a few noteworthy concerns. First and foremost, we need to be more proficient in breaking the press. Turnovers plagued us in the back court, and our entry passes into the post were lazy. Given the emotion that BC brought to the floor last night, it is hard to find fault with the performance.

The "fans," however," are in desperate need of some tough love. As the final few minutes began to tick away, yellow shirts began heading to the door. Excuse my language, but that is bullshit. As hard as our boys played on the court, they deserve your support until the final buzzer sounds.

People often justify their early exit by traffic, etc. Would that be a concern if it was a one point game. I didn't think so. What do you gain by leaving 25 seconds early, when TV timeouts give our cheerleaders a chance to embarrass themselves for multiple 3-minute songs.

You wonder why we had trouble shooting free throws in the last minute. The players were distracted by their supporting cast abandoning them on the floor. I could go on, but I will leave you with this:

The Boston College Eagles proved last night that they can compete with the best of the ACC. Moving forward, I challenge you all to be at each game by tip-off, and to remain in place until the very end. Support our team when we win, and when we lose. In addition to being great athletes, these players are kids too, deserving of your support in good times and bad. Stop being so damn selfish, and be a real fan.

Sacred Heart next...

When the sun sets tomorrow over The Heights, the lights in Conte Forum will be flicked on to highlight one of the nation's top match-ups. The Terrapins of Maryland come to town to battle our Boston College Eagles. After a disappointing loss to Notre Dame in the BB&T Classic, the Terps rebounded against Fordham on Wednesday. DJ Strawberry & Company will hope to keep the momentum going in Chestnut Hill.

The Junkyard Dog, averaging nearly 20 and 10, has been trained to keep trespassers out. Jared will continue his All-American campaign for the Eagles, leading the team that is rebounding like Pamela Anderson after shedding herself of Tommy Lee.

Gary Williams will be the second coach with a national championship on his resume to come to Conte this season. Tom Izzo was the first, and he left without adding to his mounain of career victories.

Tomorrow's game should be filled with emotion, as students take a break from their studies to watch the first game of the highly anticipated ACC schedule. The Terrapins feature 5 regulars that shoot over 40% from three point land. That is critical, because if they take the ball into the paint, Sean Williams will reject them with a frequency akin to the ball-busters working the door at Mary-Ann's.

The schizophrenic Eagles make it difficult to decisively make a prediction on the game. Based on our 14-point flop to Vermont, and Maryland's 18-point triumph, the transitive property of basketball is not favorable. However, this model must be discounted since the Terps only squeaked by Izzo's Spartans by 2.

It will be interesting to see how the game plays out, but my crystal ball suggests that I can sleep easy tonight.

Prediction:

Boston College 67
Maryland 61

back on tr-ACC

Most Boston College Alumni, Students, and Friends are focused on the alleged coaching vacancy at The Heights. With Tom O'Brien out the door, a huge opportunity exists for the program to make a big hire that is positive for the future of the program. Do not fret- GDF will undoubtedly bring in someone who will bring our beloved program to the next level. While there are many things in life you should question, Gene should be toward the bottom of your list. He has the support of Father Leahy, and the resources to bring the BC program to glory.

What cannot be overshadowed is a very uplifting reality... It is college basketball season, and the season is the most highly anticipated in history.

Boston College tips-off its conference schedule at 6:30 on Sunday night, when the Eagles play host to the Terrapins of Maryland. After a rocky start, with unforeseen losses to Vermont and Providence, the refocused Eagles look prepared to successfully replicate a brilliant inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The highly touted programs down on Tobacco Road have received the majority of the press this season, with North Carolina being an early favorite to take the national championship. A ripe class of McDonald's All-Americans join incumbent Tyler Hansborough (a projected mid-first rounder) to help the Tar Heels bring the hardware back to Chapel Hill. But, the ACC-Big Ten Challenge proved that the conference is full of talent, and the Heels road to victory is far from paved.

The Eagles' early struggles were marked by inconsistency, lethargy, and poor decision making. The group is led by seniors Jared Dudley and Sean Marshall, who have more court experience than the late Johnie Cochran. Each has been a member of the starting five since arriving to Conte in 2003.

Jared and Sean each bring a lot of passion to the game, and their emotion shows through in very unique ways. While Jared has earned his "Junkyard Dog" nickname by tirelessly scrounging for loose balls and hitting the offensive glass, Sean is the self-proclaimed "King of the Court" (see tattoo) who actively seeks ESPN Top Ten opportunities. Routine layups bring the chance for Sean to showcase his dunking ability, and each successful attempt is followed with a few minutes of self-advocacy.

Sean returned to the court this year with more accessories than Claires, and a hairstyle that had Indians trying to rid themselves of their Mohawk heritage. It was not the most elegant of "dews," and the team's early performance was equally repulsive.

"Sloppy" is the perfect adjective to describe the Eagles' early performance. Preseason All-ACC Sean Williams and returning letter-man Akida McLean were kept out of action for disciplinary reasons. Akida rocked his full sweatsuit, which appeared as impressive as the full leather and chains I wore to my Goldman Sachs interview. Akida, I didn't get the job...

With Akida on the bench, Tyrese Rice capitalized on the chance to wear his shorts. Our flashy point guard was handicapped as ran down the floor struggling to keep his clothes on. Honestly, I thought it was a Subway commercial (Tyrese lost 14 inches from his waist in just ten weeks...)

The sloppy appearance seamlessly translated into performance. We dug ourselves into deep holes early on in games, plagued by lack of hustle and lazy passing. Battling back was unrealistic at this point, as teams recognized that sending us to the free throw line was equivalent to forcing a turnover.

Poor game management augmented the problems. Down by 12 with less than two minutes left in the Vermont game, we were whistled for a 35-second violation! Are you kidding! Luckily, are early misfortunes taught the team that last year's success cannot be taken for granted.

After losing to Providence at the forefront of Boston College's worst sports weekend in memory, Co-captain Sean Marshall showcased his leadership skills. He wrote individual letters to his teammates, specifying how they could improve and add value to the team. Additionally, Marshall pulled out the clippers and freed himself of the hideous haircut. The team's indifference left with Sean's mohawk, and the refocused Eagles have looked sharp ever since.

Wins over UNH, UMass, Michigan State, and Fairfield have brought hope to Conte Crazies everywhere. UMass has its strongest team since Marcus Camby brought his antics to the NBA, and perennial powerhouse Michigan State can never be overlooked. Sean Williams is back on the floor, reinvigorating the Eagles with his inhuman athleticism. He has hops that keep Jim Koch up at night.

Maryland travels to Chestnut Hill on Sunday, and this is a great test for the Eagles. We are still searching for an identity, but recent flashes of brilliance are cause for optimism. If the Eagles come to play, the Terrapins will be forced to retreat into their shell.