Coach O’Brien returns to Chestnut Hill for a business trip that a lot of people are interested in witnessing.
Dave Glenn blogs about how fascinating this situation is. As usual, Glenn provides A LOT more information and detail about the things in which readers are interested than the ‘mainstream’, boring media.
Similar to Glenn, Eagle in ATL provides unique insight with a good preview that saves us the time of doing it. Check out the following:
There will be plenty of gushing on both sides about Matt Ryan, but what probably won’t be discussed is the role NC State and their current Tight End Marcus Stone played in Ryan’s path to the Heights. Ryan was not TOB and Dana Bible’s first QB target for the 2003 recruiting class. They wanted and went after Stone ahead of Ryan. It was only after Stone committed to NC State that BC turned its focus to Ryan. Stone flamed out as a QB and is now catching passes. Ryan might be the ACC player of the year. Shows you what a crapshoot recruiting can be.
One of the comments that Glenn makes that has been supported by past EagleinATL posts is related to a component of the TOB vs BC situation over the last few years that I just don’t understand:
There was a severe difference of opinion about the quality of O’Brien’s work at BC. Everyone agreed that it was good, on the field and in the classroom. But many fans ultimately complained about a predictable offense, second-tier bowls and an inability to win the “big game.” Meanwhile, supporters of O’Brien raved about the coach’s ability to churn out nine-win seasons despite high academic standards, mediocre facilities, a modest budget, a relatively small fan base, and the infamously weak recruiting turf of New England.
To me, this is where their fans fall off a cliff. The BC fans get mad at TOB for not taking them better bowls with such strong records. It makes no sense!!! The REASON BC was not going to better bowls with strong records was BECAUSE OF THE FANS…not because of TOB! This is a major part of the reason that he left. BECAUSE of fan support, a 9-3 record at BC gets you to Charlotte…with a risk (before the new rules) of Boise (see a couple of years ago). That identical record at NC State gets you can get you to the Gator or Peach Bowl…certainly no worse than 4th in the league’s pecking order.
The ‘frustration’ in this siutation is completely upside down. If those great BC fans would support their program to the standards of other programs, their team would have played in the types of bowls that their record would have supported. Tell me again why this is TOB’s fault?
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