Boston College Eagles Super Fans

It's Not How You Start

2008-12-01T23:02:00.012-05:00

12.2.2008 12:00AM

It's Not How You Start, But How You Finish
Six Eagles selected to All-ACC teams as BC takes on VT for the ACC Championship
Written By: Boston Sports SID

At the beginning of the year if you said the BC Eagle would be in the ACC Championship game, many Boston fans would have laughed in your face. But the Eagles are the only ones who are laughing now.

After three crushing conference losses to Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Clemson, BC ran the table with four consecutive victories to finish atop the Atlantic division at 9-3. For the second straight year, Boston College will play for the ACC Championship and will have another shot at an Orange Bowl appearance. The only team standing in their way is familiar foe, the Virginia Tech Hokies who are the Coastal division champs.

In preparation for the championship on Saturday December 6, six Eagles were named to 2008 All-ACC teams. Senior defensive end B.J Raji and offensive guard Clif Ramsey as well as junior linebacker Mark Herzlich were named to the first team while seniors Ron Brace, Ryan Purvis and sophomore Anthony Castonzo were named to the second team.

Every championship team has a championship defense and the Eagles are no different. Between Herzlich, Raji and Brace they combined for 152 tackles. Herzlich leads the team with 98 tackles and is currently fifth in the nation averaging 6.17 tackles per game. The BC junior is also one of only three college linebackers to have at least two interceptions returned for touchdowns this year.

Similar to Patriots veteran, Mike Vrabel, Herzlich is sure-handed linebacker, snatching six balls from opposing quarterbacks for fifth in the nation. What makes his six interceptions more spectacular is that he is only one of two linebackers to accomplish that feat this year.

Raji and Brace are a wall for offensive linemen and running backs. No one is going to get by them. They have combined for 54 tackles and 10 sacks - seven for Raji and three for Brace - this season. They are going to make some money next year with a professional football franchise.

Women's Ice Hockey

Tim Thomas is not the only goaltender in Boston having an All-Star season. A few miles west in Newton suburb, Chestnut Hill, junior Molly Schaus has the Eagles atop Hockey East with an 9-3-2 record, a 1.88 goals against average and 457 saves. The Boston Collge junior recently acquired her 10th career shutout for the Eagles with a 2-0 win over Northeastern on Sunday and the awards just keep on piling up.

Last week the Women’s residency program in Blaine, Minn. invited Schaus to attend the USA Hockey’s Women’s Holiday Camp, in the spring, along with teammates Megan Fardelman and Kelli Stack. Coming off her third shutout of the season – 10^th of her career – with a 2-0 victory over the Northeastern Huskies, Schaus and Stack were, once again, honored by Hockey East.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Stack fed on Princeton and Northeastern. On Friday afternoon, the BC forward recorded three assists in the Eagles 3-3 tie against the Princeton Tigers, to increase her total to 14. As the weekend drew to a close and all the students matriculated back to campus, Stack had the game winning goal against the Huskies just 23 minutes into the contest, Sunday afternoon. Her goal and three assists in two games earned the Eagles junior Hockey East Player of the Week honors.

While Stack took the Player of the Week, Schaus retained the Defensive Player of the Week honors. Two weeks ago, the Eagles junior earned the honors with her second shutout of the season against the UConn Huskies with a 4-0 victory on November 20. Schaus followed up a week later with another Huskie shutout, this time defeating Northeastern 2-0, keeping a firm grasp on Hockey East's Defensive Player of the Week.

The BC women return to action on Friday night when they travel to Storrs, Conn. For a re-match with the Huskies.

-- Boston Sports SID

BC Basketball

2008-11-21T14:39:00.006-05:00

11.21.2008 4:04PM

BC LOOKS TO SOAR IN 2008-2009

Last year the Boston College Eagles men’s basketball team got off to a red-hot, 3-0 start against conference foes, Maryland, Wake Forest and Miami but then the tides started to turn. After a crushing 84-66 against the Cavaliers, the Eagles went down a slippery slope. Between January 19 and February 9 of this year, Boston College lost six consecutive games and finished the season at 4-12 in conference play – their worst record since joining the ACC.

Their lack of a post-player under the basket was a major factor in why the Eagles played so poorly last year. Against the weaker schools like Mercer, Florida Atlantic and New Hampshire this flaw was masked by the high powered offense produced by junior point guard Tyrese Rice. But there was no make up to cover up the fatal flaw of the Eagles against the more bruising, powerhouses in the ACC. The Eagles had no option to stop North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough and the tall, lanky forward was able to cruise right through the Eagle defense in Chapel Hill last year.

But do not think for a second Boston College had an entirely bad year last year. There were some great moments from last year’s squad that should not be forgotten. In their second to last home game of the year, the Eagles were up 20-points at the half of the, then, number one team in the nation, North Carolina, behind Rice’s first half 34 points. The Tar Heels clamped down on defending Rice in the second half and held the point guard to 12 points, where he finished the game with a new career high.

Coming into this season, the Eagles needed a big man and might have found one with forward Joe Trapani, who sat out all of last year under the NCAA’s transfer rules. In three games, the Boston College sophomore is second on the team in blocked shots with five. Sophomore Rakim Sanders leads the team with seven blocks. Trapani also provides some spark to the line up as he leads the Eagles with 52 point – eight ahead of Rice – through three games.

Sophomore Biko Paris appears to be the heir apparent to the point guard position when Rice graduates in May. If there is one thing, head coach Al Skinner knows, it is how to properly groom young players. Five years ago, the young Louis Hinnant was waiting and learning in the shadow of all-time points scorer Troy Bell. Then two years later, it was Hinnant’s turn to play mentor to the young Rice. Now Rice is mentoring Paris. It is the circle of life in professional and collegiate sports.

This year’s team no longer will worry about controlling the offense when Rice comes to the bench because Paris looks as if he has control of the Boston College offense. Rice will not have play every minute of every game, the Eagles can rest the senior during the early portion of the season in hopes of getting more out of him when they face the big dogs of the ACC – Duke, UNC, Virginia.

There are a few questions that remain when it comes to the 2008-2009 edition of the Boston College men’s basketball team. And I will try to answer a few of them as best I can.

Troy Bell had Craig Smith. Craig Smith had Jared Dudley. Jared Dudley had Tyrese Rice and Sean Marshall. Who will step up when ACC teams start double and triple teaming Rice like UNC did last year?

There are a couple of players who can take the heat off Rice. Biko Paris, Joe Trapani, Rakim Sanders and Corey Raji. From the first three games of the season, Raji is starting to look more and more like that guy. The sophomore forward reminds me a little of Sean Marshall, an outside shooter, who just keeps shooting and always wants the ball. The Eagles need some of this action to keep defenses honest and protect against the long range jumper. Fellow classmates, Sanders, Paris and Trapani will provide additional support when they are on the court. Look for Paris to act as the shooting guard when the Eagles go small and both he and Rice are on the floor together. Rice will dish the ball to Paris more than any player at the time. Sanders will get his fair share of the jump-shots while Trapani will clean up below the rim.

Who will emerge as the big man or possibly the next Sean Williams?

Josh Southern is my pick for the next Boston College big man. A shot blocker like Sean Williams comes around once in blue moon. Southern still has a lot to learn on the defensive side but has improved immensely from the last year. He still is tied for third on the team in personal fouls but he looks to be favorite to emerge as the big man in the post. Joe Trapani is also a candidate but against stronger competition I think his weaknesses will be exploited.

Lady Eagles

The 2008-2009 season for the Lady Eagles is in full swing. First year Boston College head coach, Sylvia Crawley, takes the helm of an Eagles team that finished 21-12 overall and 7-7 in the ACC last season and they are only expected to get better.

Although Boston College lost two key players in Kaydia Kentish and Rebecca Miles, the Eagles are returning 11 letter-winners including five starters from last year’s squad. Their top two post players, Carolyn Swords and Stefanie Murphy, return for their sophomore season at The Heights. Both players had incredible freshman years as Murphy led Boston College in overall points (464) and rebounds (246) while Swords led the team in points (451) and rebounds (100) against ACC opponents.

The Eagles came out flying against St. Francis University in their season opener at Conte Forum on November 14. Boston College had for players in double digits as the Eagles defeated the Red Flash 99-68. Swords led the team with 18 points while Murphy, senior captain Corey Rusin and junior Mickel Picco recorded 14, 13 and 11 points, respectively. Murphy was just one rebound shy of her 10^th double-double of her collegiate career.

Four days later the Lady Eagles traveled to Worcester in search of their 22^nd win against their Jesuit rivals the Holy Cross Crusaders. Swords’s sixth career double-double led the Eagles to their ninth win at the Hart Center while Picco followed with 19 points and Murphy with 10 of their own. Boston College now moves to 22-7 against Holy Cross all-time.

Boston College returned home this week to face the Hofstra Pride where they collected their third win of the season. The Eagles dominated much of the first half of the game but the Pride tried to make a valiant come-back in the second half that was stopped short by Picco and fellow junior Ayla Brown. Picco and Brown, both, recorded 16 of Boston College’s 71 points as they cruised to the 71-60 victory Thursday night at The Heights.

They women will return to the court Sunday November 23 when they face another long-time Jesuit rival the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame at 2pm.

-- BOSTON SPORTS SID

Chris Crane Era

2008-10-04T12:11:00.001-04:00

Chris Crane and Matt Cassel have something in common.

No they will not be Hall of Fame Quarterbacks. They will probably not even be Pro Bowlers. Crane probably will not even make an NFL practice squad. But what they do have in common is they both know how tough it is to replace a legend.

Cassel is making his name known filling for Tom Brady after the two time Super Bowl MVP and league MVP went down in the first week of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee. Crane, on the other hand, is replacing the best Boston College quarterback since Doug Flutie, Matt Ryan. Talk about pressure.

But the fifth year senior has the high flying Eagles at a 3-1 record. Their lone loss was a bad ACC loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the home opener on September 6. In that game, Crane only threw one touchdown pass to Ifeanyi Momah that was very close to being picked off by Georgia Tech’s cornerback. At the north end of the stadium, Crane looked to his right and threw a jump ball to his left and it was clear the ball was up for grabs but the officials said Momah came down with possession.

The Eagles have a lot of work to do if they hope to even up the score in the win-loss column today against the NC State Wolfpack. There is no doubt all the Eagles will be playing all out today, they want to crush former coach Tom O’Brien for leaving them before their Bowl Game two years ago in December, 2006. Coach Jags will definitely have his team ready to play a big game today.

Prediction: 21-17 Boston College

BC Class of 2008 Looks Bright

2008-05-07T12:00:00.007-04:00

Things are looking up at The Heights, no pun intended.

Nathan Gerbe holding the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey trophy. Gerbe decided to forgo his senior year on May 7, 2008 to sign a 3 year deal with the Buffalo Sabres. (AP Photo)

Eagles men’s ice hockey forward, Nathan Gerbe became the sixth BC athlete to turn to the professional leagues. After helping lead the Boston College Eagles to their third NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship – and second in seven years – the nation’s leading points scorer for 2007-2008 signed a three year $2.55 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres.

The former BC forward over came a lot in his 20 years. Not only did he have to deal with people questioning his toughness because of his physical build. (Gerbe stands just 5’6” above the ground.) But he also had to overcome the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder when he was senior in high school after receiving poor SAT and ACT scores. He may be short but according to a former BC teammate he has no fear and will try to prove himself at the next level of ice hockey.

Gerbe’s announcement to turn professional comes two weeks after three football players were taken in the 2008 NFL Draft led by quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy candidate Matt Ryan. Ryan was joined by offensive line man Gosder Cherilus and cornerback DeJuan Tribble in the 2008 draft class. Like Ryan, the Somerville native, Cherilus was also taken in the first round by the Detroit Lions with the 17^th pick overall. Tribble. Safety Jamie Silva and linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar were signed after the draft as amateur free agents by the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints, respectively.

In the past Boston College has been known to produce a number of young, talented, top-notched offensive linemen who performed well at the next level, including two Super Bowl Champions. New England Patriots center Dan Koppen and New York Giants guard, Chris Snee went from being teammates at Boston College 2002 to foes in Super Bowl XLII. But after seeing a quarterback, a corner, safety and linebacker from BC signed by the professionals, it will heighten BC, even more, on the national radar in terms of recruiting.

Since Gerbe, Ryan, Cherilus, Tribble, Silva and Dunbar have all been signed by professional franchises, there is one athlete who I am surprised has not declared. It is junior point guard Tyrese Rice. After putting up 46 points – 34 in the first half – against North Carolina on March 1, I thought for sure Rice was a goner and would choose to enter the NBA Draft in June. But it has been almost two months since the Eagles basketball season ended and the only hint about next year was Rice saying he expects to be back at The Heights.

Tyrese Rice reacts as he scores 34 points in the first half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Conte Forum on March 1, 2008. Boston College had a 20 point lead at half time against the #1 team in the nation. (AP Photo)

QB Matt Ryan celebrates his fourth quarter comeback against the Virginia Tech Hokies on October 25, 2007. BC was down 10-0 with just under five minutes to go in the game and came back to win 14-0 with two touchdowns in two minutes. (AP Photo)

Jayhawks overpower Eagles

2008-01-05T16:59:00.000-05:00

Kansas senior Darnell Jackson and sophomore Darrell Arthur led the Jayhawks to a 23-point victory, 83-60, over the Eagles in a Saturday matinee matchup at Conte Forum.

For the first nine minutes it looked like it was going to be a defensive game but Boston College’s 14 turnovers appeared to be too great a hurdle to over come. Halfway through the first half, the Jayhawks went on an 8-0 run.

There were not too many highlights for Boston College except junior Tyrese Rice’s and Rakim Sanders’s 20 and 21 points respectively. But both Rice and Sanders gave the Eagles faithful something to cheer for in the first when they nailed key three-pointers to bring the game back within reach. The Eagles won the blocked shots category 8-7 behind Tyrelle Blair’s five blocks.

Saturday’s game saw fatal flaws in the BC men’s basketball game. The Jayhawks clogged the lanes all game not letting the Eagles pass up the middle. When Boston College did try to pass up the middle, it almost always ended in a BC turnover. Also the Eagles were out-rebounded 33-21 while allowing the Jayhawks to collect 13 of their missed field goals.

Boston College returns to action to face the Robert Morris Colonials at Conte Forum on Monday January 7 at 7pm.

Tyrese Rice jumps over Kansas's Darrell Arthur to score two of his 20-points during the Eagles 83-60 loss to the Jayhawks. (AP Photo)

2007: A Year in Review

2007-12-31T18:21:00.001-05:00

2007 for sports in America can be simplified down to: the good, the bad and the ugly. Read below for an overview of the year.

Major League Baseball

THE GOOD: The Boston Red Sox winning their second World Series Championship in four years and becoming the first and only team to win it twice in the 21^st Century. As well as Sox pitcher Jon Lester coming back from a cancer diagnosis in late 2006 to win the clinching game of the World Series.

THE BAD: The Mitchell Report by Senator George J. Mitchell being released in mid-December, naming 86 current and former MLB players including former Red Sox Roger Clemens and Mo Vaughn. It really gives baseball a black-eye.

THE UGLY: Roger Clemens’s denial of steroid usage and Jose Canseco’s coming out with a new book in the Spring of 2008.

National Football League

THE GOOD: The New England Patriots becoming the first team to finish the regular season 16-0 and have the best chance of going 19-0 and winning their fourth Lombardi Trophy. As well as Tom Brady breaking Peyton Manning’s touchdown record and Randy Moss breaking Jerry Rice’s touchdown reception record.

THE BAD: Former Atlanta Falcons’s Quarterback Michael Vick being charged and arrested for dog fighting in April. Upon the guilty verdict, Vick now is spending 23 months in a Virginia penitentiary.

THE UGLY: New York Jets Head Coach Eric Mangini blowing the whistle on his former mentor Bill Belichick after the Patritos-Jets game at Giants Stadium at the beginning of September. It resulted with the Patriots being stripped of their first round draft pick and getting in the wallets of Belichick and the Patriots franchise for a combined $750,000.

Also the Miami Dolphins winning their first game of the season against the Baltimore Ravens in December and ended the season with a 1-15 record.

National Basketball Association

THE GOOD: After winning only 24 games all of last year and losing 19 games in a row at one point, the Boston Celtics are the hottest team in the NBA right now. Trading their fifth overall pick to the Seattle Supersonics for Ray Allen then making a blockbuster deal to acquire Kevin Garnett in July, the Celtics find themselves a top the league at 26-3.

THE BAD: The gambling scandal of NBA official Tim Donaghy for betting on basketball games that he officiated during the previous two seasons. Donaghy pleaded guilty to federal felony conspiracy charges.

THE UGLY: The Miami Heat being 8-23 so far this season when only a couple years ago they were World Champions. Also you have to take into account Minnesota without Kevin Garnett – and with half of ex-Boston players (Al Jefferson, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, Gerald Green, Antoine Walker, Randy Foye and former BC Eagle Craig Smith) sits at 4-25.

College Football:

THE GOOD: Appalachian State beating Michigan in the first week of the college football season as well as Boston College as one of the surprise teams of the year, ending the season with an 11-3 record and 6-2 in the ACC.

THE BAD: The fact that we have two teams with two losses in the season playing for the National Championship. What about West Virginia or Hawaii?

THE UGLY: The historic powerhouse the Notre Dame Fighting Irish getting their second win of the season against Duke on November 17. They finished the season with a 3-9 record and many wondering if this will be Charlie Weis’s last year.

If you noticed that “the good” all have ties to Boston, well this was Boston’s year in the sporting world. And it looks like, with the direction the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Revolution and even Bruins are heading, it won’t be their last year on top.

Here are some high and low points of the past year in sports:

January 12 – McDaniel College Head Basketball Coach Bob Flynn passing away at the age of 49 after a sudden, massive heart attack.
February 4 – Peyton Manning finally gets his ring when the Indianapolis Colts defeat the Chicago Bears two weeks after coming back from a 21-6 deficit against the Patriots.
The Florida Gators defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes for both the NCAA Division I-A Football Championship and the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship.
Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron’s homerun record in August then is indicted by the federal grand jury months later.
Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew becoming the only major league player to be a part of two back-to-back-to-back-to-back homeruns, when the Sox Manny Ramirez, Drew, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek all went deep against New York Yankees starter Chase Wright on April 20. (Drew was a part of one as a Dodger the previous year.)
The American League winning another All-Star game.
The first player to get a hit off of Daisuke Matsuzaka was college outfielder and punter, Johnny Ayers.
Patriots offensive line man Marquise Hill dying in a jet-ski accident in Louisiana in July.
Bills tight end Kevin Everett being temporarily paralyzed after trying to make a tackle on, then, Broncos kick returner Dominik Hixon. Thanks to the knowledge of the Buffalo medical staff, Everett is able to stand and walk on his own four months after being injured.
Redskins safety Sean Taylor dying from a gunshot wound to the leg after catching someone trying break into his house.
Broncos defensive back Darrent Williams being shot and killed less than 24 hours after the Broncos’s season ended on Denver streets at 2 o’clock in the morning on New Year’s Day 2007.
Zach Johnson winning his first Masters Championship on April 8.
Don Imus’s racial comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team in April.
The Virginia Tech Hokies winning the ACC Championship after the a single gunman took the lives of 32 students and faculty.
San Antonio Spurs sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
Roger Federer wins his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title.
Tiger Woods wins his 13^th major winning the PGA Championship.
Phil Mickelson wins the 2007 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for the third time and his second in three years.
Mickelson injures left wrist while playing in a practice round at the U.S. Open at Oakmont due to the heavy rough.
Angel Cabrera becomes the fourth consecutive non-U.S. born golfer to win the U.S. Open. (Retief Goosen, South Africa, 2004; Michael Campbell, New Zealand, 2005; Geoff Ogilvy, Australia, 2006)
Irish golfer Padraig Harrington wins the 2007 Open Championship (British Open) at Carnoustie Golf Links.

BC Men's BBall

2007-12-17T19:59:00.001-05:00

At 7-2 the BC men's basketball team is looking pretty good. They are a young team - five freshmen - but each of them is gaining experience and playing well when put in the game, especially Rakim Sanders.

Sanders is second and third on the team in rebounds (50) and points (94), respectively, behind Shamari Spears (67 boards) and Tyrese Rice (172 points) and Spears's 103 points.

The BC men get back into action on Saturday December 22 against cross-town rivals the 3-5 Northeastern Huskies, coached by old friend Bill Coen

Ryan Answers Questions

2007-12-10T13:39:00.001-05:00

Earlier this college football season New York Times reporter Pete Thamel interviewed Eagles Quarterback Matt Ryan for an article that appeared in the New York Times on September 21, 2007. Read below to see what Ryan said in the interview with Thamel. The link is also below.

http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/q-a-boston-college-qb-matt-ryan/

Q & A: Boston College QB Matt Ryan

By Pete Thamel

Tags: Boston College, matt ryan

Around campus, they already have a new nickname for the Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan: “Matty Heisman.” Deservedly so. No quarterback in the country has led his team to three better wins this season – Wake Forest, N.C. State and at Georgia Tech. Ryan solidified himself as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks when he lit up the Yellow Jackets’ vaunted defense for 435 passing yards in prime time on Saturday night. That earned him a spot in the Quad’s Q&A. Ryan talks about why he backs Barack Obama, the Red Sox, his next cheese-steak stop in Philly and which Eagle best mimics Jeff Jagodzinski’s Wisconsin accent.

“It’s been fun the first couple of weeks,” Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan said of the new season. “We’ve had some success on offense and scored some points, and we’ve moved the ball pretty well.” (Mary Schwalm for The New York Times)

The Boston Herald suggested on the front page that Red Sox fans hit the panic button. There’s been that little Spygate matter as well. Do you think that anyone around here has noticed that you’re 3-0?

I think there’s always been a contingent of Boston College faithful fans. I think our fan base is strong and they’ve done a really good job of supporting us over the years. Recently, I think the support has gotten stronger. I think there’s plenty of people taking notice of what we’ve done as a team. It’s still early. I think we need to win a lot more games for people to really take notice.

Will the Red Sox blow the lead?

Oh man. It looks like it (laughs). That’s probably not the best thing to say around here to get in people’s good graces. It looks like it. They’re struggling now and the Yankees are hot. It will be fun to watch the next couple of weeks.

Your take on Spygate?

I think it’s probably more prevalent in the N.F.L. than just one team. That’s just my opinion. And it doesn’t bother me all that much to be honest with you. It’s so competitive. I think the measures were a little drastic. You saw Sunday night what the Patriots did without it. They’re a pretty good team, so I wouldn’t worry too much.

I know you often stop by the BC Sports Information office to chat politics with Dick Kelley, the assistant athletic director for media relations. What’s your take on the presidential race?

It’s so early. I’m actually kind of a Barack fan. I think I’m a Barack guy. I think it’s a good fit at the right time. I have a gut feeling and that’s the kind of person I am. If they’re reading this in New York, Hillary would probably be a better call, huh?

How much have you enjoyed these last three weeks? You had to digest a new offense and have a lot of new guys fill roles. How much have you enjoyed all that work coming to fruition?

It’s been fun. It’s been fun the first couple of weeks because we’ve had some success on offense and scored some points, and we’ve moved the ball pretty well. It’s nice to see how everyone has come together and picked up the new offense. We still have room for improvement. But I think we’ve made a lot of good strides this early in the season.

With new coach Jeff Jagodzinski and offensive coordinator Steve Logan your offense has taken on a more vertical flavor with an emphasis on big plays. Give me an example of a play call that epitomizes the difference between this year and last year.

Last week, Matt Ryan led B.C. to a 24-10 victory over Georgia Tech. This week, the 3-0 Eagles face Army. (Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

Down at Georgia Tech, we have the ball at our own 3-yard line. Not even. I think it got moved inside the 1 because of a penalty. We went three straight passes out of the gun. We went incomplete on two of them and hit the third for a gain of 5. It was just an aggressive approach coming out in a risky situation where you have to be sure of what you’re doing with the football. We didn’t get a first down. It was that situation where they have a lot of confidence in us. It’s at that point you realize a lot of the philosophies were different than they were in the past.

What was it like seeing former B.C. Coach Tom O’Brien on the other sideline two weeks ago?

It was different. It was definitely different. Now that it’s over, I’m glad I don’t have to play against him again. It’s someone who I have a lot of respect for and wish the best. It was different to see him on the sideline and nice to catch up with him after the game. Obviously, it’s always easier when you win. But it was nice to see him after the game. He wished me the best and I wished him the best. I’m glad that part of my senior year is done.

Coach O’Brien said in the Boston Globe earlier this year that you’re the toughest player he’s ever coached after you played half of last season on a broken foot. A lot of times toughness in sports is associated with a difficult upbringing. Where do you think your toughness comes from?

I think its being the younger brother of an older brother who was an athlete and trying to fit in. Just trying to get picked in the backyard or in the driveway. You just have to keep playing and shut your mouth and know that you can’t complain or you wont’ be allowed to play anymore. I think that’s what it boils down to. I think I’m the same way now. Keep your mouth shut, and if you can play you can play and you keep going and try and stay out on the field.

Thoughts on the happenings in South Bend? I don’t know if you heard, but Notre Dame is 0-3.

I have heard. That’s tough. It’s a tough for anyone to start 0-3. I think they’ll improve. There’s a lot of talent out there and they’re young. I think that Charlie Weis is a great coach. I think he’ll take care of business out there and they’ll turn this thing around.

There’s a Notre Dame tie here, isn’t there? Isn’t the son of your director of football operations, Barry Gallup, a player at Notre Dame?

Yeah. I know that Barry Jr. is out there and he’s a great kid. I’m sure that they have more guys out there that are high character people and they’ll get that thing straightened out and have a lot of success in the future.

You have a bunch of high school teammates from Penn Charter who’ve gone on to success in college athletics. Tell me about them.

Tony McDevitt is down at Duke playing lacrosse. I got an e-mail from him last night that one of our buddies opened a cheese steak place back in Philadelphia. When we got back we’ve got to hit it up. Tony has done a great job down there with all that they’ve gone through in the last couple of years, to continue to have the success they had to go to the national championship game. I know that they’re going to be tough again and hopefully they can pull it out and win the championship this year. I wish them the best. He was a really, really good football player in high school. He was our best guy, our most valuable player, when we were in high school.

Rob Kurz is a basketball player out at Notre Dame. Solid player and a good kid. He was really good high school basketball player. He worked really, really hard and is a very nice kid.

Sean Singletary at Virginia, who I’ve been saying is the best A.C.C. basketball player in the conference. I’ll probably take some heat from that here. We’ve got Tyrese Rice up here who is one of the best point guards in the A.C.C., too. Tyrese knows that I’ve got his back all the time, but I think Sean may pull it out because I played him and I haven’t really got a chance to play with Tyrese. Both of those guys are great players and Sean was a great receiver in high school. I threw to him quite a bit and he made it easy on me as a quarterback.

You got a favorite Steve Logan story? (Logan is BC’s quirky new offense coordinator who was the head coach at East Carolina.)

Oh god, there’s so many. He’s got a ton of one liners. I think the best one he ever gave us as a team… It was in reference to scrimmages during camp. He said as a head coach, you never know how to feel coming out of it. Because if one night the offense played well, all it means is that the defense didn’t play well. He said, ‘It’s kind of like your mother-in-law driving off a cliff in your brand new Cadillac. Some of its good, but dang, I really liked that Cadillac.’

I think people around here probably don’t have a good feel yet for Coach Jags, since it’s his first year here and he came from the N.F.L. If someone has never met him, how would you describe him?

He’s a really personable guy. He’ll get to know you fast and you’ll develop a relationship with him quickly. I think he’s a great head coach, but think he’s an even better person than he is a head coach. He’s got his values and his morals in the right spot. Ultimately I think that’s going to lead a lot of success for BC in the future. It’s been a lot of fun playing for him so far.

Any unsung heroes on the BC offense you want to give a shout out to?

The guys who don’t get a lot of recognition and do an excellent job are our offensive line. Gosder Cherilus is someone who gets a lot of recognition and it’s deserved, he’s a real phenomenal player and he’s got a really bright future ahead of him after Boston College. Ryan Poles, a senior left guard for us whose been a starter for two years, he’s played real well for us and really picked up the new system well. And then we have guys like Rich Gunnell and Clarence Megwa who have stepped up at receiver and played really, really well. It’s nice to see young guys step up and play well.

How have they done it on the defensive side of the ball? They’re fourth in the nation in rush defense after losing three of the best players – Brian Toal to an injury redshirt, B.J. Raji to academic problems and Nick Larkin for a month because of a knee injury.

It’s been incredible to see how well they’ve played and everything that they’ve gone through. They’ve lost three guys that are awesome, awesome football players. And, to see other people step up on the defensive side of the ball. I always thought we were very deep over there and that’s been confirmed. People have gotten the opportunity to play over there and they’ve gone in and made an impact. On the defensive line, Ron Brace has played, really, really well. Guys like Damik Scafe and Brady Smith have stepped up to step in for B.J. and done a great job. I can’t say enough about how well those guys have done and how impressed I am with how they responded to stepping up and filling in for the injured players.

What’s the favorite class you’ve taken at Boston College?

I’d probably say Principals of Marketing with Nick Nugent. I took it as a summer course. He was an awesome professor. He was a really smart guy. He was a Florida State graduate, so he’d always ride us about how good they were. So when we finally beat them, it was nice. He shut his mouth a little bit. He’s a great guy and an awesome professor, and I really enjoyed his class and keeping in touch with him.

Since you already graduated and are taking nine credits this semester, how much has that helped you now that the season has started?

It’s huge. I’ve got class three nights a week, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. You just show up after practice and go over and spend a couple hours in there and get your work done. During the day you have so much time for film work and to get your body healthy during the season and get extra treatment. It’s nice. You kind of wish you’d had that all through college.

Who is your funniest teammate?

Funniest teammate? You ask all the tough questions today. I’d have to go with an unsung guy. We have a walk-on on our team, Mark Maglio. He does the best impersonations of coaches on our team and players on our team and administrators at BC. He definitely has a career in stand-up impersonations. He sounds exactly like the people and has great material of what they’re saying.

Who does he do?

He’s from Wisconsin, so he has Coach Jags’s accent down. He really knows Coach Jags. He’s probably one of the best. He does one of the special teams coach, Don Yanowsky. He does him really well. He does our Director of Football Operations, Barry Gallup, really well. It’s really funny and its all in good nature.

Updates...

2007-12-04T11:53:00.000-05:00

Hello Champs!

With the loss to the Hokies in the ACC Title game the Eagles also lost their chance to play Kansas in the Orange Bowl on January 3 of the new year. But Boston College did get a Bowl game this year, they will travel to Orlando to play the Michigan State Spartans in the Champs Sports Bowl on December 28. Not playing in the Orange Bowl is a crush to Boston College because they will lose out on the added revenue the Orange Bowl brings.

Over Friar-ed

Providence College turned out to be too much for the BC men's basketball team as PC cruised to a 98-89 victory on Saturday at the TD Banknorth Garden. The Eagles looked like Jekyll and Hyde in the game. After going into halftime down 15-points, the Eagles rebounded those lost 15-points in the second half to tie up the game and take it into overtime. But in overtime, the Eagles folded back into their first half ways and were outscored 22-13. Junior Tyrese Rice led the team with 25-points and 6 assists and sophomore Shamari Spears had 9 rebounds in the loss. But to take something positive out of the loss, half of the Eagles rebounds were offensive rebounds, meaning they were doing a good job at controlling the boards during the game.

Notes: Freshman Corey Raji also had 24-points and 7 rebounds with 6 of them offensive...Senior Tyrelle Blair fouled out of the game but before he did he collected four blocks...Freshman Rakim Sanders also fouled out of the game.

NO BLUE FIELD! NO BLUE FIELD! NO BLUE FIELD!

2007-11-30T19:58:00.001-05:00

By this time tomorrow we should know who the 2007 ACC Champion is. The Virginia Tech Hokies have been waiting for this day since they were left with their faces (literally) in mud care of Matt Ryan, after the Eagles's 14-points come from behind win in the last two minutes.

The Eagles clinched the opportunity to play for the Conference Championship by defeating the Clemson Tigers late on November 17 and are coming off an emotional win against Miami. The first time they beat Miami since Doug Flutie's Hail Mary pass to Gerard Phelan in 1984. At the same time BC was playing Miami last week, the Hokies were playing an equally emotional game against the Virginia Cavaliers to find out who would play BC in the championship.

Think about it, the two teams have been members of the ACC for a combined total of seven years and are competing for the 2007 Conference Championship. It is their turn to shine and they, both, have a lot of motivation to win the Conference Title.

A championship in 2007 would bring the enthusiasm and excitement that was lost on April 16, back to the Virginia Tech student-body. After the year that they have had it would not be all that bad to see the Hokies come away with the champions.

On the other hand, there have been many times when the Eagles came so close but were yet so far. Even though they received a Bowl game each of the past seven years, they never a good Bowl game. This year BC has a chance to be playing in January instead of December. If the Eagles win the conference championship they have a very good chance of playing in the Orange Bowl on January 3. (Note: Bucknell played in, and won, the first Orange Bowl on January 1, 1935.)

Virginia Tech has the moral motivation but BC is motivated by past history and they are one hungry beast. If Hokies could not beat Matt Ryan and the Eagles in sloppy and muddy conditions then I do not see Virginia Tech beating BC on a clear field in Jacksonville.

BOSTON COLLEGE 35
Virginia Tech 20

If A.J. Feeley can be an NFL Quarterback, so too can Matt Ryan....

2007-11-26T13:27:00.000-05:00

Completing 64.3% of his passes, A.J. Feeley kept Philadelphia in the game, even giving the Eagles a 28-21 lead a one point. But the Patriots offense was too good for the Philadelphia defense mostly because of Field General Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick in the bunkers.

There were many times during the game where I saw both sides of BC Eagles Quarterback and Heisman hopeful Matt Ryan in Feeley. For the majority of the game, Feeley was Ryan in the last two minutes of the Virginia Tech game but when it really counted, with the Eagles down by three with three minutes left to play, Feeley turned into Ryan of the first 58 minutes of the VT game.

After seeing Feeley play last night I look forward to seeing Matt Ryan playing for an NFL team next year. There is one thing that Ryan has over Feeley, that is when the game needs to be won, Ryan can do that and Feeley can not. He does everything an NFL team looks for in a Quarterback. He can step up in the pocket and take a hit to complete a pass. He can scramble to avoid a hit and he can, most importantly, win the game when it needs to be won. What NFL team does not want a player like that?

I said it last night while watching the game, the Patriots game plan was to make Feeley beat them. The Pats stopped game-changing Running Back, Brian Westbrooke from running away with the game and put the ball in Feeley's hand to be the hero. He came close but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades (and maybe golf if you don't have to putt a six inch putt). There are a lot of college quarterbacks better than Feeley and Feeley's keeping the NFL dreams of each and every one of those quarterbacks alive. Including the dreams of BC and Heisman hopeful Matt Ryan.

Comparisons between Ryan and Feeley

In 2007 alone, Ryan completed 333 passes out of 555 attempts for a percentage of 60.0. He threw for 3953 yards with a rating of 130.72.

Over Feeley's career, as predominately a back-up, spot-starter, he completed 353 passes out of 623 attempts for a percentage of 56.7, throwing for 3850 yards with a 72.2 rating.

If the Philadelphia Eagles take Ryan, they will be saying good-bye to Feeley because Ryan is and will be a better back-up than Feeley has been or will ever be.

ACC Play of the Week

2007-11-19T11:45:00.000-05:00

Vote for Matt Ryan's game winning 43-yard touchdown pass to Rich Gunnell against the Clemson Tigers at theACC.com. On the right hand side of the page there is a section to vote for the play of the week. Click on the word "Vote" and vote for Ryan's game winning TD. Ryan's play is currently 82 points ahead of Wake Forest's Riley Skinner's 62-yard TD game-shifting pass to Jordan Williams.

Ryan's back in the race for Heisman!!!!

Don't Call It A Comeback

2007-11-14T22:01:00.000-05:00

Two years ago it was Craig Smith's team. Last year it was Jared Dudley's team. Now the team belongs to the 6'1" point guard junior from Richmond, Va., Tyrese Rice.

After serving his one-game suspension for a violation of NCAA rules, Rice picked up from where he left off last season with a team leading 21 points and 9 assists against Florida Atlantic. If the Eagles are going anywhere this year it will be because of Rice. Rice along with John Oates and Tyrelle Blair, have to step up their games and show the 5 freshman the way. But it is all going to be on Rice. As a sophomore he was second in points scored, behind Dudley, so it is almost safe to say that he will be leading the team this year. Although I do see sophomore Shamari Spears or freshman Rakim Sanders becoming viable shooters when the Eagles face conference foes Duke, UNC, Maryland and NC State. Those schools will try to double team Rice and will leave, probably, Sanders open for the shot.

Rice came in two years ago when former Eagle Louis Hinnant was the Eagles starting point guard. Coming off the bench as a freshman, Rice learned from Hinnant and now Rice is the teacher. Freshman point guard, Biko Paris looks like he will follow a similar path as Rice. So when Rice leaves, BC will have a point guard to replace him.

Eagles team leaders from the Florida Atlantic game:

Points:
Rice, 21
Spears, 18
Sanders, 11

Assists:
Rice, 9
Tyler Roche, 6
Paris, 2

Rebounds:
Spears, 9
Blair, 4
Rice, 4
Paris, 3
Sanders, 3

"oh those tangled webs we weave...."

2007-11-12T12:04:00.000-05:00

Boston College football went from being #2 in the country two weeks ago to #17 after losses to Florida State and Maryland. On the first of November we were all talking about playing in the National Championship against The Ohio State in January and Matt Ryan for Heisman. We were talking about Matt Ryan possibly being an NFL first round draft pick.

Well today, November 12, BC's National Championship hopes have been flushed down the toilet and looks like Ryan's chances for the Heisman are following the same path. In the last two games Ryan had a combined five interceptions and was sacked four times, those four times coming in Saturday's game against Maryland. Not good numbers for a Heisman Trophy candidate.

This always seems to happen to BC, they get close to getting a Bowl game in January and they end up giving it away. Remember in 2003, the last game of the season against the Syracuse Orangemen or the game last year against Miami. It looks like the Eagles will be playing in December again this year instead of January. As a Eagles fan I am shocked and disappointed in the team. After the great comeback in the last two minutes of the Virginia Tech game I thought they had a chance to get a decent Bowl game, Ryan looked like he was going to win the Heisman but it all was too good to be true.

Hopefully they can win their next two games, one at Clemson and the season finale at home against Miami, to clinch the ACC title game. But I do give coach Jags a lot of credit. He prepared the Eagles so well that for a couple of weeks during the year, Boston College made their way to the top of the national rankings. Matt Ryan will probably be taken in the later rounds of the NFL draft, if at all. The FSU and Maryland game really hurt his chances for that too.

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Speaking of Boston College athletics, did you know that they have 30 other athletic teams? BC men's soccer is the #1 seed in the ACC tournament, playing the winner of the Virginia/NC State game in the Quarterfinals on November 14. Men's golf team has four players on the 2007 All-ACC Academic team. Women's soccer finished their season with 14 points at 11-5-3 and 4-4-2 in the ACC. (And what a shocker UNC wins their 19th ACC Championship, note the sarcasm.)

BC Basketball looks good - for a young team - one game into the 2007-2008 season. With junior Tyrese Rice and sophomore Shamari Spears out for NCAA violations, freshman Biko Paris filled in nicely. Paris played all 40 minutes and had 19 points while fellow freshman Rakim Sanders dropped 22 points in 35 minutes in the 10-point win against the University of New Hampshire.

But men's team still have a long road in front of them. They are a young team, after graduating Jared Dudley and Sean Marshall last year, meaning Rice, John Oates and Tyrelle Blair must step up their game and show the younger players the way. Just like Marshall and Dudley did for them last year. And Louis Hinnant and Craig Smith the year before. If they do that, they will have a pretty good year since Al Skinner was named as one of the best recruiters in the country, according to ESPN.

The BC men get back into action at home against Florida Atlantic tonight at 7pm.