THE PIKE SIGN CHANGES OVER

Aw, it even got the five stars treatment, too:

Meh, we're only two days short of five months. I'm still all for the rotating Jerry York statue next time we change it.

OFFICIAL ON THE SWEATERS: MARK IT FIVE

Spotted in the bookstore catalog, the hockey sweaters will be getting the update we hoped: a fifth star above the nameplate for the championship last April. Now only if we'd finally update the Pike sign (hasn't happened yet, I can report):

(Click to embiggen).

BC HOCKEY SCHEDULE 2012-2013

From HockeyEast (thanks for the head's up, BCI):

10/06/12 vs. NEW BRUNSWICK  (Exhibition)

10/13/12 at Northeastern 

10/19/12 at Massachusetts 

10/20/12 vs. NORTHEASTERN 

10/26/12 at UMass Lowell 

10/28/12 vs. UMASS LOWELL 

11/02/12 at Maine 

11/04/12 vs. MASSACHUSETTS 

11/09/12 vs. NOTRE DAME

11/11/12 at Boston University

11/16/12 vs. MERRIMACK 

11/24/12 vs. DARTMOUTH

11/30/12 at Boston University

12/01/12 vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY

12/07/12 at Providence 

12/29/12 vs. Alab-Huntsville

12/30/12 vs. Minnesota /Air Force (Mariucci Classic)

01/05/13 vs. YALE

01/11/13 vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE 

01/12/13 at New Hampshire 

01/18/13 vs. MASSACHUSETTS 

01/19/13 at Northeastern 

01/25/13 vs. MAINE 

01/26/13 vs. MAINE 

02/01/13 vs. VERMONT 

02/04/13 vs. Harvard (Beanpot)

02/08/13 vs. UMASS LOWELL 

02/11/13 vs. Boston University/Northeastern (Beanpot)

02/15/13 at Merrimack 

02/17/13 vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE 

02/23/13 at Merrimack 

03/01/13 vs. PROVIDENCE 

03/02/13 at Providence 

03/08/13 at Vermont 

03/09/13 at Vermont  

WE LOVE KREIDER: HE DISSES NOTRE DAME AND CANADA

The young Eagle may have flown the nest a year early to get to the Rangers, but he's still true to his school:

After the game, the players posed for a team picture and then headed towards the locker rooms to shower and change....except for one. Chris Kreider saw a kid along the boards waving a pen at him. He skated over and went up and down that side of the rink signing everything handed to him with the exception of a Notre Dame hat and a Hockey Canada hat to which he politely smiled and shook his head while handing it back over the glass.

Swoon.

[via.]

REASONS WE HAVEN'T UPDATED THE BC HOCKEY PIKE SIGN

If you spend a lot of time on the stretch of I-90 between the Brighton and Weston tolls (like I do every single day), you'll notice that the signs coming up to the Newton exit that signify BC's hockey dominance still boasts the 2010 championship - my apologies for the header picture that shows the 2001 sign, but it was what I could find.

It's been three months since the men won their third national championship in five years, and the sign hasn't been updated with the current year. Potential reasons:

• The new sign is still in construction, because it includes a "Days Since Last Hockey Championship" electronic countdown.
• There is only budget for one sign change every year, and with the best coach in the last 15 years behind football, it's best to wait until we just miss making the Military Bowl.
• The Mass Turnpike Authority shot down the idea of a life size statue of Jerry York looking dapper and rotating to follow the path of the sun so it always shines brightly on his face. They thought it was too "Turkmenbashi-esque"
• Until it's up, Johnny Gaudreau just stands there holding a piece of paper over the "0" that says "2" - but since it's been too hot for him to wear skates, he can't reach.

Honestly, I have no idea how long it should take to make the replacement sign. Anyone remember from 2010 or 2008?

JUST TOO MANY PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY PLAYERS

We'd like to name all the Boston College players in these lineups but we have to get to the game.

-Mike "Doc" Emrick during last night's NBC Sports broadcast of the Eastern Conference Finals. Those two teams boast four players between them, Chris Kreider and Brian Boyle on the New York Rangers, with Stephen Gionta and Peter Harrold playing for the New Jersey Devils.

ON THE TOPIC OF THIS ENDOWED HOCKEY COACH DONATION

Anonymous donor.

$5 million.

Jerry York's position, endowed with the biggest gift in support of a single BC athletics team. Ever.

It needs to be said:

"You don't think this has anything to do with making sure that the best program on campus gets insulated from whatever else is happening in the department right now. Do You?"

BEST 11 MINUTES OF YOUR DAY: 2011-2012 HOCKEY REWIND

Created by the Athletics Marketing team. Great video, great memories. Thanks for a great season!

JOHNNY WONDER AND THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

This:



Also, whoever edited this with the Lonely Island is my favorite person.

Champions.

YOUR PASSOVER SEDER GUIDE TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

There are very few BC fans who have conflicts due to Passover Seders happening at the same time as the national championship. We are a Catholic school after all.

However, we are all inclusive, and if you do need to balance the second night of Passover with this in mind, here's your Passover Seder Guide to the National Championship.

*-*-*-*

When Jerry was, in Tampa Land,

"Let my Trophy go."

In the dark years before 1994, the ice hockey players of Chestnut Hill were stuck in years of winningless ways, far from the promised land once held fifty years before. Among them rose a leader, who would free them from their bonds and deliver the people.

The Seder Plate

The matzoh represents the hockey puck and its flat nature. It does not pass well on chipped ice in hot weather climates, either.

The saltwater represents the tears of this poor Minnesota player. Dipping the Parsley in it represents Chris Kreider poking him with a stick.

The egg represents the many goose eggs that Parker Milner has pitched in the heart of trophy season.

The bitter herbs represent the bitterness felt by a junior at BU, going into his senior, who wonders if he will ever see his team win the Beanpot.

The shank bone represents the strength of the backbone that keeps the team together, one Jerry York.

Drink the first Busch Light

Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights after this one, Chris Kreider will likely be wearing a jersey of the New York Rangers.

Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights in which the BCites plays hockey, the Pharaoh Flip is not likely to show up.

Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights, we sit back, watching our sports through our closed hands or just check in on them later. Tonight, we giddily celebrate and watch in joy with friends and alums.

Why is Jerry York different from all other hockey coaches? Beyond his dashing nature, unlike other coaches, he also encourages his team to avoid non-consensual celebrating.

Drink the second Busch Light.

Dip your finger in the Busch Light and put one dot on your plate for each of 10 plagues:

1. Jack Parker
2. UConn
3. The best BC coach in the last fifteen years
4. Hockey in Florida
5. Skinner's Top Button
6. [RESPECT HIS PRIVACY]
7. [RESPECT HER PRIVACY]
8. Montel's Knee
9. Field Turf
10. Logos on Helmets

Pour Snooks' Cup.

And Jerry led the BCites down Commonwealth Avenue, doth splitting it in two, in the middle of which they rode the Green Line for 40 minutes and/or years depending on maintenance. He came down from the Garden with two trophies, doth saying, "There is one more in the Promised Land of Tampa. Go get it."

Shotgun the third and fourth Busch Lights.

(I will now pray very, very, very hard to avoid smiting.)

WHERE IS FERRIS STATE?

Where is Ferris State? The following would be acceptable answers:

• Big Rapids, Michigan
• It's first ever national championship game.
• About to be staring across the ice at the pretty gold sweaters of your #1 Boston College Eagles.

7 pm on Saturday, just one stop left to complete the Drive to Five.

OVERHEARD EVERYWHERE: FROZEN FOUR IN TAMPA?

I feel like this conversation gets it pretty squarely, with just the right touch of sarcasm and cynicism:

Friend: the frozen four is in tampa?

  what brain surgeon made that call

 Me: It's even funnier when you realize the host school is in Alabama.

Because the closest hockey playing school is Huntsville, which flirted with discontinuing its program next year.

 Friend: on what planet....

  youre not going to expand hockey by dropping in 3 college games during the opening week of baseball

  just stop trying

  Me: I really don't think someone at USF is going to go, "You know what, look at this great sport, we need to invest millions of dollars in creating a program" because the Frozen Four is there.

  The last big mistake they made doing this was putting it in Anaheim back in 2000.

 Friend: also

  you pick a city

  synonmous with 'fans who dont give a shit about their teams'

  its just not a sports city

  the rays and bucs cant get anyone to show up

  Me: I really think the NCAA should take the baseball/Omaha approach.

  Let's pick a city in either the upper midwest or in the northeast.

  Put it there permanently. Or alternate.

  Boston. Minneapolis. Boston. Minneapolis.

  Friend: ha

  hm

i feel like toss in like detroit once in awhile

Me: The fact that they haven't done Boston since 2004 is pretty annoying.

Have to reboot the computer, be right back.

 Justin: fear that jerry york gets a home game

FEBRUARY WAS GOOD TO BC HOCKEY

Oh, the honors were strong this month. Let's break it down in bullet form.

• Beanpot Champions
• ...Third Straight
• ...Seven goals in the opener
• ...Kick-in-the-junk overtime win against archrival
• Team Performance
• #1 in both polls
• Seven wins
• 32 goals for, 7 against
• Special teams reigniting the power play and even adding shorties
• Parker Milner
• HockeyEast Goaltender of the Month
• 7-0-0...
• 0.98 GAA
• 9.62 Save Percentage
• Johnny Gaudreau
• Beanpot MVP
• 13 goals, 7 assists

Two points clear with two games to go against Hockey East cellar dwellers, Vermont. 

It's Trophy Season, folks.

NAMING THE ICE, THE COURT AND THE FIELD

Dan Levy over at B/R just posted some great thoughts on the pinnacle of honors in the sports world: namely, getting a playing surface to bear your name. With Dicky V getting the nod for the University of Detroit basketball floor, Levy shows that he's much better at Photoshop than we are, but it also got us thinking about the honors for the different venues at BC's campus.

Don't forget that the hockey and basketball team, while they play in the same building, do technically have different venues. The building is named for Silvio O. Conte, BC Double Eagle and US Senator, but the hockey rink itself is named for the legendary coach John "Snooks" Kelley, who led the Eagles to a 1949 Ice Hockey championship, five of the first 10 Beanpots and hundreds of wins over his 35 year career on the Heights. Perhaps the only argument with the honor: where do you put BC's other legendary hockey coach's name when he finally hangs up the clipboard*. Jerry York Ice at Kelley Rink?

*Jerry: please don't go anywhere. Jerry Wan Kenobi, Help Us, You Are Our Only Hope


To this date, I see no case, whatsoever, for a court-naming at BC. If I talk about Skinner, I'll punch myself for even thinking it (that national coach of the year award is a long, distant and fading memory of luck that completely was undone in the last few years when he gave up). We're not touching Jim O'Brien with a 15-foot pole. Bob Cousy wasn't around long enough (117-38 in six years) and no one would primarily associate him with the Eagles. Steve Donahue: you have an open window here. Just hang around for a decade or two more, maybe get into a few Final Fours and win the ACC half a dozen times. Then we'll talk. Not a moment before.

Which brings us to the most obvious argument ever.

If GDF needs one more Hail Mary to distract everything he's bungled over the last few years, I would in no way, shape or form be surprised if he chose to take a specific route.

Flutie Field at Alumni Stadium. It's going to happen.

Flutie hasn't seen the field since last playing with the Patriots in 2005, and while he did some time with ESPN, it's much more likely to see him in the Plex playing pick-up these days. We are now a little less than three years away from the 30th anniversary of November 23, 1984 and the anniversary of Flutie's Heisman winning season. Flutie will be 52. It'll be the right time.

COMM AVE RIVALRY WEEKEND: PLAYS VIDEO ON REPEAT

And we'll see you tomorrow night for some hockey. Time to right this ship and take it to the Puppies in Conte.

HOCKEY EAST GOES NATIONAL WITH NBC SPORTS

NBC Sports announced its upcoming college hockey season lineup, and while it's discouraging to only see the Eagles make the TV line-up once, the fact that Hockey East playoffs are going to be shown nationally is huge for anyone outside of the NESN footprint. Full schedule below, and you can circle BC at Vermont on February 10th as the BC date:

• Dec. 31 Boston University at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
• Jan. 6 Dartmouth at RPI, 7:30 p.m.
• Jan. 13 Minnesota Duluth at Nebraska-Omaha, 7:30 p.m.
• Jan. 20 Michigan at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m.
• Jan. 27 Yale at Harvard, 7:30 p.m.
• Feb. 3 Cornell at RPI, 7:30 p.m.
• Feb. 10 Boston College at Vermont, 7:30 p.m.; Minnesota at Denver, 10 p.m.
• Feb. 17 Dartmouth at Yale, 7:30 p.m.
• Feb. 24 Boston University at Vermont, 7:30 p.m.; North Dakota at Denver, 10 p.m.
• March 2 Denver at Nebraska-Omaha, 7:30 p.m.
• Hockey East Tournament
• March 9 Quarterfinals 7:30 p.m.
• March 16 Semifinals 5 and 8 p.m.
• March 17th Finals 8 p.m.

HT to BostInno

BC MEN'S HOCKEY: NOW NUMBER 1, DOING WHAT THEY DO

We asked the bartender at the Esso Club to switch one of the TV's to the BC men's hockey team's season opener against Michigan State last Friday night. Since that moment on Friday night, the Eagles-on-Ice were able to rack up double the wins the football team has had all season, were a field goal shy of tying the offensive output and has now climbed above Notre Dame to number one in the polls.

This is Jerry York. Do not question him. Ever.

Heights Week Conversation

DL1: Well, it has been a while since we’ve posted, so, the two of us thought we’d gang up here and do a little back-and-forth on the game this Saturday night along with our thoughts from earlier in the week. Heights week has been a split so far, with Men’s B-Ball going 1-1, Men’s Hockey going 1-1 and the Ladies Hockey team taking the Beanpot. Of those games, probably Wednesday’s Duke game sticks out the most.

DougBushBC: The Maine game was nice, but in reality the two biggest games of “Heights Week” have been a major bust so far. The hockey team looked great in the second and third, just like the hoops team looked from minute 12 to minute 19 of the second half of the Duke game. But in reality we have fallen a bit flat in both of those settings. What really matters, is that its not over yet, and we have two chances to make up for the mistakes of Monday/Wednesday. Can we?

DL1: I think we have two different situations going on here. The Hockey team really outplayed BU for 50-55 of the 65 minutes. The basketball team got embarrassed with a complete lack of hustle on Wednesday. If you are losing the rebound battle and points in the paint, you are going to lose. What bothered me most was the commitment to Oates by Skinner, who never let BC get into the groove early in the game when Duke was on its heels. I think the number one key to the game is to set the tempo against the Heels because they are certainly more athletic than the Eagles. This should probably start with the center not launching brick’s from beyond the arc 10 seconds into the shot clock.

DougBushBC: Another problem with the Hoops game was that we didn’t play our style of ball. We NEVER allow teams to beat us in the paint and beat us on the hustle; it has always been with Skinner’s teams, “if you are going to beat us, you have to beat us by shooting exceptionally behind the arc”. Sadly we tried to shoot behind the arc a lot, and the only one making them was Marshall. That’s another story. Our team is still very individual. They play exceptionally individually, but you need more than one or two guys shooting well to beat these guys on Tobacco Road. This weekend is going to be the test. Skinner will NOT let the guys make the same mistakes this game, they won’t be sloth, they wont be weak inside, but they still need to get fired up TOGETHER.

DL1: I think I was most surprised my Marshall’s line at this game. If you would have told me that Marshall put down 23 and we broke 70 points, I would have said ‘blowout.’ I don’t think Marshall is as crucial to this game. For some reason, Tyrese Rice goes all pre-2006 Peyton Manning against Duke and plays terribly. The opposite can be said about UNC. I don’t know why Duke has BC’s number, but, the Eagles have found ways to compensate for Hansbrough the last two times we’ve played them, both in the state of North Carolina. A rabid home crowd, motivation and national television could mean that Tyler will be invisible on the court.

DougBushBC: Hansborough will never be “invisible” on the court Dave, he’s one of the top 5 players in the country, and he is undoubtedly the best big man in the game. If we had the more experienced Sean Williams here, maybe we’d mitigate some of his damage, and in reality Tyrelle Blair has a chance to do the same thing, but he will have to play the game of his life. We let sub-par big man Josh McRoberts run all over us Wednesday, which HAS to change. Oates cannot be on the court more than 8 minutes if we want to win this. Another factor we need to remember is that last year, we had undersized but overpowered Craig “The Friggin Tank” Smith in the front court and he put it to Hansborough like he was a rag doll.

DL1: In the legendary words of Rick Pitino: Craig Smith is not coming through that door. For the record, let it show that the tournament win over UNC was because Hinnant decided to show everyone that he could hit a basket, and the February game at the Dean Dome was the Sean Marshall Show. I agree, though, that it will not be Oates to slow down Hansbrough on the inside. It has to be Blair and Spears. I said a few weeks ago that the key to our interior defense is forcing the ball back out to the point where the zone can force bad shots. If we leave the lane uncontested, we’re in trouble, but the key to defense is that it does not have to be Swat City Contestation a la the Block Party. The only foul trouble BC wants is on Oates. My final prediction is an instant classic, low scoring game, where BC holds UNC on the final possession for a court-storming win.

DougBushBC: Despite my “bad-cop” persona, I don’t disagree with you. I know that Al Skinner is one of the best coaches in the league, and he will NOT let his team make the same mistakes, and if they can avoid those things they royally screwed up in the Duke game, they have a damned good shot at holding down the Tar Heels and taking this game. Beyond that, if anyone saw any of the numerous interviews with JDud about his performance, you KNOW that the player with the best Basketball IQ in the country will NOT play poorly twice. I want to see a great court storm like Dave and I had to miss out on during the ‘Cuse game of 3 years ago. My feelings, Dudley has a “Look-at-me-I’m-NCCA-POY” type game and BC wins in a close one.

DL1: And, just for giggles, I’m also gonna call another win over Maine and their starting goaltender, Benny Bishop. The production last night from the 2^nd and 3^rd lines was huge, and, I think the momentum is going right. After losing to BU in the Beanpot last year, we rattled off win after win. I see it happening again. Check in after the weekend and we’ll have our thoughts on after the game.

Thoughts on the B-Pot

Three periods, three completely different styles from the BC Men's Boys, and one pre-planned date with BU in the Beanpot championship. Let's take a quick look on this Tuesday morning.

Period 1:
How flat did this team look? A complete collapse at the forecheck and spotty passing left Cory a lot more vulnerable that he should have been between the pipes. Schneids never had a chance on the 2 man breakaway of the Crimson, and the fact that a low far side shot that trickled in through the five hole is the only goal the Harvard got all period was a miracle. There was a significant lack of energy until about 5 minutes left in the first; part of this may have been due to the two early penalty kills but I think you can contribute part of it to the daydreaming about the BU Final.

Aside: The hockey team is going up against the biggest hype in the world next week and was pressure into having to perform to make "Heights Week" a two-sport affair. The Thursday/Friday matchups with Maine would have been days off from Conte if the best the Puckers could do was a consolation game. Now there is even more pressure to start off the week on a blazing note by stealing the Beanpot for the first time since '04.

Period 2: A little bit more progress. Decent passing but the moral of this period of was the special teams, pinpointed by Gerbe's Shortie/Game Winner. You could start the see the aggressiveness of York's squad as they faced Penalty after Penalty, and they knew they would have to catch the Crimson napping. Gerbe - someone called the best skater and hands guy since Tony Voce by members of this coaching staff - had to be the guy.

For the record, the first two goals were from the stellar Sophomore class (the empty netter was just a formality), showing how important it is for these younger players to play well. Boyle will produce, Rooney will produce, but, if this team wants to beat BU next week, Ferriero, Gerbe et al will need to show up.

Period 3: Domination. Fantastic passing, great goaltending, three or four fast breaks. The only thing that really bugged me is that they didn't put the Crimson away until 19:30 of the 3rd with the empty net.

So, you carry the weight of a week on your shoulders, now. Play the way you did toward the middle and the end of the game, and we can hopefully add a Beanpot Trophy to a pair of upsets in the Conte Coffin.

Hot, Lukewarm and Cold

In some weird connective corridor between the Bleachers and Bitterness, Doug and I decided to post an oft updated guide to Boston College sports. This has certainly been one of the most active Decembers that the athletics department has ever seen, so, we thought it would be fun to add a little input of our own. Also, we tend to stay in the loop and will have as much of the first information regarding news and notes for the teams, so, check here for all the updates regarding the new football head coach as well as other stories.

Allow me to kick things off this Tuesday morning with a quick three step temperature scale of the BC teams.

Hot: The Head Coaching Job and Mark Whipple
A lot of interest is being brought about the only man who has been interviewed since Wide-Eyed Tommy took off for North Carolina State last week. Whipple has a fairly impressive track record in the jobs he's had (Brown and UMass head coach, the latter of which he led to a Div-IAA championship, and most recently QB Coach for the Super Bowl Champion Steelers), but has never held a Div-One position.
The greater community of Eagle supporters are warming up to the guy very much. They aren't alone, as this quote from Whip's current boss, Bill Cowher, shows:

“He’s excited about the opportunity,” Cowher said. “I think he’d be a great candidate for that school. What Mark has done has been well-documented. He’s a quality person and a good football coach. He’d be a great asset to any school.”

There is still a list of candidates that include Tulsa's Kragthorpe, former Giants HC and Raven's Offensive Coordinator Jim Fassel, and Richmond's Dave Clawson (who may also be tapped for OC). Some sources are reporting that at least two assistants are staying, and as many as five, including Spaz and Willis, are likely to remain. BC football gets the hot tab for this week.


Lukewarm: BC Hockey
The teams propensity to go win-loss-win-loss all season has made it difficult to get a read on the the #7 (as of Monday) icebirds. The problem could be anywhere, but, take a look at the box for goaltender Schneider for each of last weekend's home-and-home with the Minutemen.

Friday:
Boston College-1 | Cory Schneider (58:41 L) 7 | 9 | 5 = 21 (2 GA)
Saturday:
Boston College-1 | Cory Schneider (60:00 W) 10 | 8 | 4 = 22 (2 GA)Almost exactly the same. Final scores: Friday, L 2-1 in Amherst. Saturday, W, 5-2, in Conte. The question will be whether or not the massive Sophomore class can step up to the offensive plate and deliver when the big guns are shut down. Gerbe and Brockford both scored on Saturday to accompany Boyle's 2G game, but Friday's only BC tally came from Junior Dan Bertram.

Cold: the shoulder that voters keep giving Dudley, Big Time and co.
Yesterday's poll only had 5 votes for the 6-2 Eagles, who dominated ACC rival Maryland on Sunday night. Did the voters not see the game before turning in their ballots? BC won by 11, but with a 50% FT, including a horrendous 1-7 in the last minutes, the win could have easily been by 20 over the previously ranked Terps. That's now two home wins over ranked opponents.
I am aware that both the VT and Prov losses look really bad, but, BigTime was not in for the game against the Catamounts and, even in his 12 block display against the Friars, did not score anywhere near his 10.3 season average.
This is no bubble team, and come Dec. 28th at Allen Field House with Akida back in the line-up, it'll be interesting to see how it all goes down.