Well my prediction last May of a renewal of the BU-BC basketball rivalry was kind of right.
According to Fox Sports' Jeff Goodman, BC and first-year head coach Steve Donahue will head west on Comm Ave to take on BU in a "secret scrimmage," scrimmages closed off to the general public that are used as a tune-up with the regular season mere weeks away.
http://community.foxsports.com/goodmanonfox/blog/page/3
It's not a real game, but let's hope this is a step in the right direction for what could be a halfway-decent rivalry. Lord knows if we're playing BC in anything, it will draw our students out, sad as that fact is.
I can understand why BC is apprehensive of playing BU in basketball -- it's something of a no-win situation. If they beat BU, well congratulations, you're an ACC school beating an America East team -- you're supposed to. But if they were to lose, there'd be scrutiny abound.
While I can understand that, I think this would be a good move for college basketball in Boston as a whole.
I don't know how exactly the closed scrimmages work but I'll go out on a limb and say that BC wins 83-74. We're going to be good this season, and BC won't exactly be setting the ACC ablaze, but at the end of the day they're still an ACC team with ACC facilities and ACC recruits.
God, the season needs to get here already.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Retiring the Nicknames
For those of you who didn't know, I abandoned my tenure as a columnist to be a beat writer for The Daily Free Press, hoping to better prepare myself for what lies ahead journalistically. And by that, I mean unemployment.
I've been working with the men's soccer team for the past couple of months and will be working with the men's basketball team this winter, something that's a great thrill since anyone who follows this blog knows my affinity for hoops, especially BU hoops.
What this also means is that I'm going to have to talk with players on a daily basis, meaning I can't let any of their nicknames slip out of my mouth. I really wouldn't want to imagine the scene that would ensue if I accidentally called Patrick Hazel "Ugly John."
For me at least, the best route to go about this is to just retire these names, meaning others can use them and continue their legacy, but still retire them as a means of me saving my livelihood.
John Holland
For whatever reason, reasons that have escaped me entirely, I never gave John, the best player on the team for the past two seasons, a nickname.
Some people called him JH23, but that's about as original of an idea as Facebook, or so says that movie I just saw. If I had to go with a nickname, though, it'd probably be "HollandOates."
He who giveth, taketh away. HollandOates is retired.
Jake O'Brien
Joke O'Brainless
This is a nickname developed by Frankie Frost and his bitter cunning, and it was a name I was originally on board for. I was still dismayed with his whole "I'm too good for BU, I'm gonna transfer" episode and I always thought most BU fans overrated him a tad bit, at least for a 6'8" guy PF with no post moves, not even a baby hook.
But from all I've heard, Jake's a very nice guy, so the nickname's probably undeserved, although I'm sure Frosty will continue to have it as a benchmark of his prepubescent vernacular.
Patrick Hazel
Ugly John Holland
Alluded to earlier, this nickname goes in the same folder as JOB's nickname: Hazel's a very nice guy from all I've heard, so it's probably due for this nickname to be put out to pasture.
However, the nickname is as mean as it is true...I'm going to have a hard time avoiding this one.
Darryl Partin
Transfer Corey Lowe
Obviously not the most succinct or original nickname on Earth, but he's new, so I just came up with it. All indications are that Partin's a gunner, and BU's gunner quota needs to be filled with C.L. Smooth over in Greece, so it fits well enough.
Matt Griffin
Asher Roth
I'm actually pretty proud of this nickname considering it was developed in the same vein as Partin's: aka on the fly, fringe class style.
Roth and Griffin both are dudes from the Philly suburbs who have carved a niche as white guys in an African-American dominated profession. Roth in hip-hop, Griffin in college basketball. Griffin's got his niche as the distributor as a PG, Roth filled the vacant, Douchy-Frat Boy-Rapper label.
Here's to hoping Griffin's a better point guard than Roth is an MC.
In all honesty, I'd given very little thought to the nicknames of the freshmen either because they're so new or because they didn't really have any characteristics that screamed for a nickname.
Thus, the following freshmen were never bestowed one: Travis Robinson, DJ Irving and Mike Terry. Gentlemen, you have been spared.
Dom Morris
I never came up with a nickname for Morris, but every time I heard his name, I thought of the briefly-lived Dom on Entourage.
The kid's already in a position to succeed: there's no way he can be as bad as the goon that I unfairly associate his name with.
HJ Gaskins
UPS
Gaskins was a classmate and teammate of Morris and Robinson at Teddy's alma mater Friends Central HS, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out he's not the same caliber player as them.
Where Robinson was rated as an 89 on ESPN.com and Morris an 87, Gaskins was a 72. Evidently his dad was an AAU coach or some coach of some kind, so it's pretty easy to figure out that between that presence and the skill disparity, that Gaskins was part of a package deal.
Why not FedEx on this one? Well, has a UPS plane ever crashed into the ocean, forcing one of its employees to live on an isolated island with only the companionship of a volleyball? No, so UPS gets the edge here.
Mat Piotrowski
My Giant
My Giant was a 1998 movie starring Billy Crystal alongside Gheorghe Muresan about Hollywood agent who stumbles upon a 7'7" giant in Romania and tries to get him to enter show business as an actor.
Genius premise aside, Piotrowski's an abnormally tall white guy like Muresan and naming someone after a relatively-obscure late-90's movie is much more creative than just naming him after the person.
I do have to admit, as a final note here, that I'm going against my original sentiments and keeping two nicknames for two players. Self-discipline will be oozing when I talk with them.
Jeff Pelage
The Junkyard Dog
My days of calling Jeff "Junk" are over because that would definitely slip out of my mouth at some point. Also, Junk's got a negative connotation attached to it.
The Junkyard Dog, on the other hand, exudes nothing but respect and reverence. I can't abandon a nickname so perfect as perfect as this one.
Removing this nickname would remove Pelage's identity for me -- I just can't bring myself to remove it.
Malik Thomas
The Classroom
I love this nickname as much as I love this kid.
Chambers: "Malik, what's your favorite place to be on campus when you're not in the gym or in the classroom?"
Thomas: "The classroom!"
I've been working with the men's soccer team for the past couple of months and will be working with the men's basketball team this winter, something that's a great thrill since anyone who follows this blog knows my affinity for hoops, especially BU hoops.
What this also means is that I'm going to have to talk with players on a daily basis, meaning I can't let any of their nicknames slip out of my mouth. I really wouldn't want to imagine the scene that would ensue if I accidentally called Patrick Hazel "Ugly John."
For me at least, the best route to go about this is to just retire these names, meaning others can use them and continue their legacy, but still retire them as a means of me saving my livelihood.
John Holland
For whatever reason, reasons that have escaped me entirely, I never gave John, the best player on the team for the past two seasons, a nickname.
Some people called him JH23, but that's about as original of an idea as Facebook, or so says that movie I just saw. If I had to go with a nickname, though, it'd probably be "HollandOates."
He who giveth, taketh away. HollandOates is retired.
Jake O'Brien
Joke O'Brainless
This is a nickname developed by Frankie Frost and his bitter cunning, and it was a name I was originally on board for. I was still dismayed with his whole "I'm too good for BU, I'm gonna transfer" episode and I always thought most BU fans overrated him a tad bit, at least for a 6'8" guy PF with no post moves, not even a baby hook.
But from all I've heard, Jake's a very nice guy, so the nickname's probably undeserved, although I'm sure Frosty will continue to have it as a benchmark of his prepubescent vernacular.
Patrick Hazel
Ugly John Holland
Alluded to earlier, this nickname goes in the same folder as JOB's nickname: Hazel's a very nice guy from all I've heard, so it's probably due for this nickname to be put out to pasture.
However, the nickname is as mean as it is true...I'm going to have a hard time avoiding this one.
Darryl Partin
Transfer Corey Lowe
Obviously not the most succinct or original nickname on Earth, but he's new, so I just came up with it. All indications are that Partin's a gunner, and BU's gunner quota needs to be filled with C.L. Smooth over in Greece, so it fits well enough.
Matt Griffin
Asher Roth
I'm actually pretty proud of this nickname considering it was developed in the same vein as Partin's: aka on the fly, fringe class style.
Roth and Griffin both are dudes from the Philly suburbs who have carved a niche as white guys in an African-American dominated profession. Roth in hip-hop, Griffin in college basketball. Griffin's got his niche as the distributor as a PG, Roth filled the vacant, Douchy-Frat Boy-Rapper label.
Here's to hoping Griffin's a better point guard than Roth is an MC.
In all honesty, I'd given very little thought to the nicknames of the freshmen either because they're so new or because they didn't really have any characteristics that screamed for a nickname.
Thus, the following freshmen were never bestowed one: Travis Robinson, DJ Irving and Mike Terry. Gentlemen, you have been spared.
Dom Morris
I never came up with a nickname for Morris, but every time I heard his name, I thought of the briefly-lived Dom on Entourage.
The kid's already in a position to succeed: there's no way he can be as bad as the goon that I unfairly associate his name with.
HJ Gaskins
UPS
Gaskins was a classmate and teammate of Morris and Robinson at Teddy's alma mater Friends Central HS, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out he's not the same caliber player as them.
Where Robinson was rated as an 89 on ESPN.com and Morris an 87, Gaskins was a 72. Evidently his dad was an AAU coach or some coach of some kind, so it's pretty easy to figure out that between that presence and the skill disparity, that Gaskins was part of a package deal.
Why not FedEx on this one? Well, has a UPS plane ever crashed into the ocean, forcing one of its employees to live on an isolated island with only the companionship of a volleyball? No, so UPS gets the edge here.
Mat Piotrowski
My Giant
My Giant was a 1998 movie starring Billy Crystal alongside Gheorghe Muresan about Hollywood agent who stumbles upon a 7'7" giant in Romania and tries to get him to enter show business as an actor.
Genius premise aside, Piotrowski's an abnormally tall white guy like Muresan and naming someone after a relatively-obscure late-90's movie is much more creative than just naming him after the person.
I do have to admit, as a final note here, that I'm going against my original sentiments and keeping two nicknames for two players. Self-discipline will be oozing when I talk with them.
Jeff Pelage
The Junkyard Dog
My days of calling Jeff "Junk" are over because that would definitely slip out of my mouth at some point. Also, Junk's got a negative connotation attached to it.
The Junkyard Dog, on the other hand, exudes nothing but respect and reverence. I can't abandon a nickname so perfect as perfect as this one.
Removing this nickname would remove Pelage's identity for me -- I just can't bring myself to remove it.
Malik Thomas
The Classroom
I love this nickname as much as I love this kid.
Chambers: "Malik, what's your favorite place to be on campus when you're not in the gym or in the classroom?"
Thomas: "The classroom!"
The Week That Was
Last week when I did my long-delayed return post, I took the route of making a comprehensive, albeit assorted, list of some quick-hit views on sports and what had transpired for that whole two month period that I was incognito.
Well, it turns out that this is a trend that I actually like more than "Teach Me How To Dougie," meaning I'm really, really on board with this idea to the point of jubilation.
Expect this to become a weekly fixture on the blog, with the segment title TBD.
- First off, congratulations to both the BU men's and women's soccer teams for winning the America East regular season titles. The men had a rough start to the season but have been on fire the past month (like a reversal of last season's fortunes), and the women's team hasn't allowed a goal in their last 11 matches, giving them the sixth longest scorless streak in NCAA history. Incredible, even if you're not a women's soccer fan.
So kudos to both teams and coaches.
- Mark my words: the hatred for LeBron will die down. The second he and the Heat capture a title, he'll be a revered figure again. Hell, if Kobe can redeem his public image the way he did, anyone (except for O.J.) can.
- I get this prevailing feeling in my gut that Boise State's not going to make the national championship. I think Auburn's going to lose at some point, most likely to Alabama in the Iron Bowl, and I think Oregon's bound to lose at some point, although with that offense, I'm not sure. Alabama will win out and make the national championship game: that much is certain. But if Oregon runs the table, Boise will be on the outside looking in once again.
If Boise has an undefeated regular season for the third season in a row, especially after being ranked in the preseason top five and having beaten a series of ranked opponents, I don't think that there's any greater evidence that there needs to be a playoff in college football.
- I take back my prediction on teams for the Scarlet & White scrimmage. An all-freshmen team would get swamped. Look for the three transfers and three returning players to each have a team, with the freshmen being divided up.
- So, after two games, does the NBA hierarchy go like this: Cavs > Celtics > Heat?
- Trend I'm not feeling:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5734494
It's obvious that the student shouldn't have been out there, but this should be a sign that people shouldn't be hoisted up on top of these rickety crane structures that are about as stable as Teddy after a few cans of Four Loco. It's time to build sturdier structures at Division I football programs -- believe me, they can afford them. It's just sad that a young man had to die in order for this to become painfully clear.
- Trend I am feeling:
- Isn't it about time people stop talking about Cam Newton, LaMichael James and Kellen Moore and start talking about Bilal Powell?
Am I a Louisville homer sometimes? You bet, but this guy's one of the top three rushers in the country but yet he gets almost no pub or respect outside of his own conference.
- Fantasy football team's now 2-5, but I'm now putting my hopes on the shoulders of the LeGarrette Blount, the guy most-known for punching out the guy from Boise State. Then again, that was a great punch, the product of some huge shoulders. So those are some good shoulders to put my hopes on.
Plus I probably would have punched that guy too.
- A final note here: Section 118 and Section 119 at hockey games have gotten to the point of being flat and absolutely unoriginal. I think this is still something of a hangover from last season's disappointment, kind of in the same way that there was so much excitement in the early part of last year because of the leftover euphoria from the national title.
But it's got to improve. Also, a note to the band: stop playing "Bad Romance." Aside from my problems with Mr. Gaga, it's just not a good song to play at an athletic event. And stop singing along to it 118 & 119: it's embarrassing.
However, much improved early lineup of songs played before the games. Love Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness" remix (although the original's much better), but also let's get rid of that song with Nicki Minaj.
Nothing good comes from STDs, children.
Well, it turns out that this is a trend that I actually like more than "Teach Me How To Dougie," meaning I'm really, really on board with this idea to the point of jubilation.
Expect this to become a weekly fixture on the blog, with the segment title TBD.
- First off, congratulations to both the BU men's and women's soccer teams for winning the America East regular season titles. The men had a rough start to the season but have been on fire the past month (like a reversal of last season's fortunes), and the women's team hasn't allowed a goal in their last 11 matches, giving them the sixth longest scorless streak in NCAA history. Incredible, even if you're not a women's soccer fan.
So kudos to both teams and coaches.
- Mark my words: the hatred for LeBron will die down. The second he and the Heat capture a title, he'll be a revered figure again. Hell, if Kobe can redeem his public image the way he did, anyone (except for O.J.) can.
- I get this prevailing feeling in my gut that Boise State's not going to make the national championship. I think Auburn's going to lose at some point, most likely to Alabama in the Iron Bowl, and I think Oregon's bound to lose at some point, although with that offense, I'm not sure. Alabama will win out and make the national championship game: that much is certain. But if Oregon runs the table, Boise will be on the outside looking in once again.
If Boise has an undefeated regular season for the third season in a row, especially after being ranked in the preseason top five and having beaten a series of ranked opponents, I don't think that there's any greater evidence that there needs to be a playoff in college football.
- I take back my prediction on teams for the Scarlet & White scrimmage. An all-freshmen team would get swamped. Look for the three transfers and three returning players to each have a team, with the freshmen being divided up.
- So, after two games, does the NBA hierarchy go like this: Cavs > Celtics > Heat?
- Trend I'm not feeling:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5734494
It's obvious that the student shouldn't have been out there, but this should be a sign that people shouldn't be hoisted up on top of these rickety crane structures that are about as stable as Teddy after a few cans of Four Loco. It's time to build sturdier structures at Division I football programs -- believe me, they can afford them. It's just sad that a young man had to die in order for this to become painfully clear.
- Trend I am feeling:
- Isn't it about time people stop talking about Cam Newton, LaMichael James and Kellen Moore and start talking about Bilal Powell?
Am I a Louisville homer sometimes? You bet, but this guy's one of the top three rushers in the country but yet he gets almost no pub or respect outside of his own conference.
- Fantasy football team's now 2-5, but I'm now putting my hopes on the shoulders of the LeGarrette Blount, the guy most-known for punching out the guy from Boise State. Then again, that was a great punch, the product of some huge shoulders. So those are some good shoulders to put my hopes on.
Plus I probably would have punched that guy too.
- A final note here: Section 118 and Section 119 at hockey games have gotten to the point of being flat and absolutely unoriginal. I think this is still something of a hangover from last season's disappointment, kind of in the same way that there was so much excitement in the early part of last year because of the leftover euphoria from the national title.
But it's got to improve. Also, a note to the band: stop playing "Bad Romance." Aside from my problems with Mr. Gaga, it's just not a good song to play at an athletic event. And stop singing along to it 118 & 119: it's embarrassing.
However, much improved early lineup of songs played before the games. Love Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness" remix (although the original's much better), but also let's get rid of that song with Nicki Minaj.
Nothing good comes from STDs, children.
NBA Predictions
One of the most anticipated seasons in the history of the NBA is now upon us, and even though I'm two games behind in some cases, here are my predictions for the season. Playoff seeds, if applicable, are in (), as well as the conference rank:
Eastern Conference
Atlantic
1. Celtics (3)
2. Knicks (7)
3. Nets (12)
4. Sixers (13)
5. Raptors (15)
Southeast
1. Heat (1)
2. Magic (2)
3. Hawks (5)
4. Wizards (8)
5. Bobcats (10)
Central
1. Bulls (4)
2. Bucks (6)
3. Cavs (9)
4. Pacers (11)
5. Pistons (14)
First Round
Heat over Wizards
Magic over Knicks
Celtics over Bucks
Bulls over Hawks
Second Round
Heat over Bulls
Celtics over Magic
Conference Finals
Heat over Celtics
Western Conference
Northwest
1. Thunder (2)
2. Blazers (4)
3. Jazz (6)
4. Nuggets (8)
5. Timberwolves (15)
Southwest
1. Mavericks (3)
2. Spurs (5)
3. Grizzlies (10)
4. Rockets (11)
5. Hornets (12)
Pacific
1. Lakers (1)
2. Suns (7)
3. Clippers (9)
4. Kings (13)
5. Warriors (14)
Playoffs
First Round
Lakers over Nuggets
Thunder over Suns
Mavericks over Jazz
Spurs over Blazers
Second Round
Lakers over Spurs
Mavericks over Thunder
Conference Finals
Lakers over Mavericks
NBA Finals
Lakers over Heat
The Lakers will complete the three-peat, but it will be their last title as Kobe will inevitably start to wear down after this season. Can't really blame the guy considering he's been in the league since before he could buy a lottery ticket.
Didn't feel like explaining the picks, but if there are legit comments/questions to my methodology, go to the comment section.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic
1. Celtics (3)
2. Knicks (7)
3. Nets (12)
4. Sixers (13)
5. Raptors (15)
Southeast
1. Heat (1)
2. Magic (2)
3. Hawks (5)
4. Wizards (8)
5. Bobcats (10)
Central
1. Bulls (4)
2. Bucks (6)
3. Cavs (9)
4. Pacers (11)
5. Pistons (14)
First Round
Heat over Wizards
Magic over Knicks
Celtics over Bucks
Bulls over Hawks
Second Round
Heat over Bulls
Celtics over Magic
Conference Finals
Heat over Celtics
Western Conference
Northwest
1. Thunder (2)
2. Blazers (4)
3. Jazz (6)
4. Nuggets (8)
5. Timberwolves (15)
Southwest
1. Mavericks (3)
2. Spurs (5)
3. Grizzlies (10)
4. Rockets (11)
5. Hornets (12)
Pacific
1. Lakers (1)
2. Suns (7)
3. Clippers (9)
4. Kings (13)
5. Warriors (14)
Playoffs
First Round
Lakers over Nuggets
Thunder over Suns
Mavericks over Jazz
Spurs over Blazers
Second Round
Lakers over Spurs
Mavericks over Thunder
Conference Finals
Lakers over Mavericks
NBA Finals
Lakers over Heat
The Lakers will complete the three-peat, but it will be their last title as Kobe will inevitably start to wear down after this season. Can't really blame the guy considering he's been in the league since before he could buy a lottery ticket.
Didn't feel like explaining the picks, but if there are legit comments/questions to my methodology, go to the comment section.
Monday, October 25, 2010
A Little Background
Just to clarify the nickname I assigned to Malik Thomas, it's in reference to a comment he made on a question Chambers asked him around the 40 second mark of an interview with him.
The kid may not entirely grasp the concept of a question that says "Ok, aside from these things...", but I can already tell he's going to be a favorite of mine.
What Kelvin Madzongwe is to men's soccer, Malik Thomas will be to men's basketball. And so it is
The kid may not entirely grasp the concept of a question that says "Ok, aside from these things...", but I can already tell he's going to be a favorite of mine.
What Kelvin Madzongwe is to men's soccer, Malik Thomas will be to men's basketball. And so it is
Scarlet-White Scrimmage Set
Well, my bold "Never Again" proclamation was about to look really empty there, but my computer got a Trojan and was in the shop for a few days.
I've got to lay off the South American porn.
All things aside, BU basketball came out with an announcement a few days ago that the men's basketball team will be having a first-annual Scarlet and White Scrimmage.
The event takes place on Monday, Nov. 8 at 7 PM at Agganis Arena. I couldn't find an official link on GoTerriers, but here's a link to the Facebook event page:
The first 500 fans get a free BU basketball t-shirt, meaning that it's about time to start the pool on an over-under on how many of those t-shirts will be immediately exiting Agganis Arena. I'm setting the early line at 150.
I'm not sure on how the teams will be divided up, but I would love to see the returning players and the transfers team up against the freshmen -- that would be pretty sweet. If that is the case, here's how I'd see those lineups:
Veterans:
PG- Griffin
SG- Holland
SF- O'Brien
PF- Hazel
C- Pelage
Super Sixth Man: Partin
Freshmen:
PG- Irving
SG- Terry
SF- Robinson
PF- Morris
C- Piotrowski
Sixth Man: Thomas aka "The Classroom!"
Sub: Gaskins
This likely means that there won't be a Terrier Tip-Off this season, but I'm perfectly fine with that. Give me a quality intra-squad scrimmage any day over a glorified, smoke-and-mirrors, dog-and-pony show like a midnight madness event. This will give us as fans a better insight into what this team could look like than a dunk contest or another "On your feet" session would.
Although, I am hoping Chambers rips off the coat and hops on the scorers' table again -- that would be awesome, although the only "scorers" would likely be WTBU giving a play-by-play of the scrimmage.
Hope people show up -- midterms are basically over, hockey's not going on, and it's not a party night, at least for those of us not in CGS.
Come out and show some support
I've got to lay off the South American porn.
All things aside, BU basketball came out with an announcement a few days ago that the men's basketball team will be having a first-annual Scarlet and White Scrimmage.
The event takes place on Monday, Nov. 8 at 7 PM at Agganis Arena. I couldn't find an official link on GoTerriers, but here's a link to the Facebook event page:
The first 500 fans get a free BU basketball t-shirt, meaning that it's about time to start the pool on an over-under on how many of those t-shirts will be immediately exiting Agganis Arena. I'm setting the early line at 150.
I'm not sure on how the teams will be divided up, but I would love to see the returning players and the transfers team up against the freshmen -- that would be pretty sweet. If that is the case, here's how I'd see those lineups:
Veterans:
PG- Griffin
SG- Holland
SF- O'Brien
PF- Hazel
C- Pelage
Super Sixth Man: Partin
Freshmen:
PG- Irving
SG- Terry
SF- Robinson
PF- Morris
C- Piotrowski
Sixth Man: Thomas aka "The Classroom!"
Sub: Gaskins
This likely means that there won't be a Terrier Tip-Off this season, but I'm perfectly fine with that. Give me a quality intra-squad scrimmage any day over a glorified, smoke-and-mirrors, dog-and-pony show like a midnight madness event. This will give us as fans a better insight into what this team could look like than a dunk contest or another "On your feet" session would.
Although, I am hoping Chambers rips off the coat and hops on the scorers' table again -- that would be awesome, although the only "scorers" would likely be WTBU giving a play-by-play of the scrimmage.
Hope people show up -- midterms are basically over, hockey's not going on, and it's not a party night, at least for those of us not in CGS.
Come out and show some support
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Never Again
Wow, my last post was seriously over two months ago? Unacceptable, and while all of about six people actually keep up with this blog, it's time that I get to updating it some more. Much more.
Between the last post and now, the sports world has overseen some changes and been witness to some major events and topics of debate. In the meantime, I've been savoring my last few weeks of freedom back home, adjusting to school and accepting my new life as a beat writer, having abandoned my column in hopes of helping better prepare me for a possible future career in journalism.
Believe it or not, the life of a beat writer is far more time-consuming than that of a columnist, so that could possibly account for the extended absence. Or it might just be that I got tired of doing long, drawn-out posts where I rambled on and went on so many tangents I lost focus. Or because BU Athletics news was at a minimum and I don't feel like expanding much beyond that because then this blog's just like any other out there. Or maybe because I need to spend more time boosting my GPA than working on a blog. I digress.
For the most part, H&V is going to look more like a traditional blog: shorter posts, but still with the occasional long ones. Basketball season's coming up, so more news will be here on that, and hockey's starting to get in full effect, so there's always that too.
Anyhow, as an attempt to make amends for lost time, I'm going to premiere (or re-premiere?) with some assorted thoughts of sports topics from the past month or so, BU related and not.
- Many props to PRP and my dad's alma mater Butler on a play that cracked the Sportscenter Top 10.
Was a player down at some point? Probably, but nonetheless, pretty awesome. Kentucky high school football, represent.
- This backlash at LeBron is really starting to get disturbing. Racial slurs and threats directed directly at him via Twitter? Really? I understand that everyone's big, bad and tough when they can hide behind an internet persona (trust me, read some of the comments on my FreeP columns, a bunch of regular BAMFs right there) but even this takes it too far. Sports are important and exciting, yes, but they should never be that important or bring out that kind of passion. Shows we still have a long way to go as a society in our views on race. And yes, I'm starting to feel bad for LeBron.
- Getting over BU choking away that game against UMass, a team widely picked to finish last in Hockey East. Blowing a 2-0 lead in the third period's unacceptable especially after showing such early dominance. Maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves by annoiting BU a top-10 team. That said, though, they look exponentially better than they did last year, and have certainly exceeded my expectations so far
- Vinny Saponari to BC? Don't feel as strongly about it as everyone else here evidently is. Do I like the kid? No, but in all fairness I never really did. He just seemed to embody the smug arrogance and sense of entitlement that so many people display after they've been told how great they are for their entire life. But he got kicked off the team and wants to play college hockey, so he should be free to go wherever he wants. Is there an element of vengence here? Probably, but so be it. The kid's a punk, so he's more than welcome to "get his revenge" on BU while he's on BC's third line.
- Is anybody going to beat BC in hockey this year? My God they look good. Might be looking at back to back titles in Newton.
- Please be quiet James Harrison, I beg of you. First you call Obama a front-runner because he would have invited the other team if they won the Super Bowl (well, duh, that's kind of how it works, my friend) and now all this retirement talk. Here's a better idea: stop doing helmet-to-helmet hits, which are already illegal and have obviously altered your mental capacity in the process.
- Trend I'm not feeling:
http://www.cardchronicle.com/2010/10/18/1759215/quincy-miller-likely-headed-to-baylor
- Trend I am feeling:
- My fantasy team's 1-5. I give up.
- Men's and women's basketball were both picked to win the America East Conference. The women should threaten at running the conference table like they did in 2008-2009 since they're really that good, and young, surprisingly. The men I'm not as sold on. I see this as a transition year, what with seven freshmen and three transfers. The team's going to struggle early on unless they gel at an abnormally fast pace. Besides, they've been picked to win the conference for the past few years and they haven't followed through yet. I'm actually going with UNH this year, but BU's going to own that conference next year and for the foreseeable future.
- Great for Teddy and I to get to go to media day. Obviously nice to get to talk to Greenberg and Chambers, but the highlight by far was getting to meet our personal favorite AE coach, Randy Monroe of UMBC. Strong handshake from a man of unparalleled awesomeness.
Also of note from media day -- Mark Macon was present and did not seem to be stashing any stolen TVs. Also, Will Brown may or may not have been drunk.
- Projected Starting Lineup: Matt Griffin at 1, Darryl Partin at 2, Holland at 3, O'Brien at 4, Junk at 5, with Hazel as the 6th man. Look for Junk to eventually get supplanted by Ugly John.
- Working the men's soccer beat, Neil Roberts is quickly becoming my favorite BU coach -- dry, cynical, with a biting wit. Love it.
- Looks like Hot Dog and Jesus are going into semi-retirement having graduated, thus leaving a void for go-to BU general sports blog. This is part of the reason I'm coming back, because competition has emerged in the form of this:
http://baystateroadsports.blogspot.com/
Nothing against these guys -- I'm sure they're fine young gents, but in the words of Jay-Z: I...WILL...NOT...LOSE
- I'm going to have to show some serious restraint for my preview for the BU-Kentucky basketball game right after Thanksgiving break because if I don't, it's going to make the reaction to my angry Dayton trip recap look like a toddler's tea party.
As an aside to all those UD fans, I'm still remorseful over that post: the parking situation threw me off and you all seemed like a great, and underrated group of fans. So apologies again to everyone...except for the guy who said "Sucks to BU." No soup for you!
- As a final note, I've developed a full-fledged man crush on Charlie Strong. I know it's early, but I really think we've got something special.
Between the last post and now, the sports world has overseen some changes and been witness to some major events and topics of debate. In the meantime, I've been savoring my last few weeks of freedom back home, adjusting to school and accepting my new life as a beat writer, having abandoned my column in hopes of helping better prepare me for a possible future career in journalism.
Believe it or not, the life of a beat writer is far more time-consuming than that of a columnist, so that could possibly account for the extended absence. Or it might just be that I got tired of doing long, drawn-out posts where I rambled on and went on so many tangents I lost focus. Or because BU Athletics news was at a minimum and I don't feel like expanding much beyond that because then this blog's just like any other out there. Or maybe because I need to spend more time boosting my GPA than working on a blog. I digress.
For the most part, H&V is going to look more like a traditional blog: shorter posts, but still with the occasional long ones. Basketball season's coming up, so more news will be here on that, and hockey's starting to get in full effect, so there's always that too.
Anyhow, as an attempt to make amends for lost time, I'm going to premiere (or re-premiere?) with some assorted thoughts of sports topics from the past month or so, BU related and not.
- Many props to PRP and my dad's alma mater Butler on a play that cracked the Sportscenter Top 10.
Was a player down at some point? Probably, but nonetheless, pretty awesome. Kentucky high school football, represent.
- This backlash at LeBron is really starting to get disturbing. Racial slurs and threats directed directly at him via Twitter? Really? I understand that everyone's big, bad and tough when they can hide behind an internet persona (trust me, read some of the comments on my FreeP columns, a bunch of regular BAMFs right there) but even this takes it too far. Sports are important and exciting, yes, but they should never be that important or bring out that kind of passion. Shows we still have a long way to go as a society in our views on race. And yes, I'm starting to feel bad for LeBron.
- Getting over BU choking away that game against UMass, a team widely picked to finish last in Hockey East. Blowing a 2-0 lead in the third period's unacceptable especially after showing such early dominance. Maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves by annoiting BU a top-10 team. That said, though, they look exponentially better than they did last year, and have certainly exceeded my expectations so far
- Vinny Saponari to BC? Don't feel as strongly about it as everyone else here evidently is. Do I like the kid? No, but in all fairness I never really did. He just seemed to embody the smug arrogance and sense of entitlement that so many people display after they've been told how great they are for their entire life. But he got kicked off the team and wants to play college hockey, so he should be free to go wherever he wants. Is there an element of vengence here? Probably, but so be it. The kid's a punk, so he's more than welcome to "get his revenge" on BU while he's on BC's third line.
- Is anybody going to beat BC in hockey this year? My God they look good. Might be looking at back to back titles in Newton.
- Please be quiet James Harrison, I beg of you. First you call Obama a front-runner because he would have invited the other team if they won the Super Bowl (well, duh, that's kind of how it works, my friend) and now all this retirement talk. Here's a better idea: stop doing helmet-to-helmet hits, which are already illegal and have obviously altered your mental capacity in the process.
- Trend I'm not feeling:
http://www.cardchronicle.com/2010/10/18/1759215/quincy-miller-likely-headed-to-baylor
- Trend I am feeling:
- My fantasy team's 1-5. I give up.
- Men's and women's basketball were both picked to win the America East Conference. The women should threaten at running the conference table like they did in 2008-2009 since they're really that good, and young, surprisingly. The men I'm not as sold on. I see this as a transition year, what with seven freshmen and three transfers. The team's going to struggle early on unless they gel at an abnormally fast pace. Besides, they've been picked to win the conference for the past few years and they haven't followed through yet. I'm actually going with UNH this year, but BU's going to own that conference next year and for the foreseeable future.
- Great for Teddy and I to get to go to media day. Obviously nice to get to talk to Greenberg and Chambers, but the highlight by far was getting to meet our personal favorite AE coach, Randy Monroe of UMBC. Strong handshake from a man of unparalleled awesomeness.
Also of note from media day -- Mark Macon was present and did not seem to be stashing any stolen TVs. Also, Will Brown may or may not have been drunk.
- Projected Starting Lineup: Matt Griffin at 1, Darryl Partin at 2, Holland at 3, O'Brien at 4, Junk at 5, with Hazel as the 6th man. Look for Junk to eventually get supplanted by Ugly John.
- Working the men's soccer beat, Neil Roberts is quickly becoming my favorite BU coach -- dry, cynical, with a biting wit. Love it.
- Looks like Hot Dog and Jesus are going into semi-retirement having graduated, thus leaving a void for go-to BU general sports blog. This is part of the reason I'm coming back, because competition has emerged in the form of this:
http://baystateroadsports.blogspot.com/
Nothing against these guys -- I'm sure they're fine young gents, but in the words of Jay-Z: I...WILL...NOT...LOSE
- I'm going to have to show some serious restraint for my preview for the BU-Kentucky basketball game right after Thanksgiving break because if I don't, it's going to make the reaction to my angry Dayton trip recap look like a toddler's tea party.
As an aside to all those UD fans, I'm still remorseful over that post: the parking situation threw me off and you all seemed like a great, and underrated group of fans. So apologies again to everyone...except for the guy who said "Sucks to BU." No soup for you!
- As a final note, I've developed a full-fledged man crush on Charlie Strong. I know it's early, but I really think we've got something special.
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