NOW EQUIPPED WITH THE FLYING MARYLAND FLAG OF DOOM

As always with Maryland, the proper response is, "Oh. Wow."

The day is coming when Under Armour does something crazy with us, isn't it. Like, full stained-glass Jesus on the helmet?

(via.)

LAWYERING: MARYLAND GOES ONLINE DEAL STYLE, BC WILL GET BLAMED

Exhibit A: today's Living Social deal for the Baltimore area included a deal for upper end zone seats for the Maryland-BC game coming up in two weeks time.

Exhibit B: Maryland supporters ran out a successful coach the season after he nearly got the team into the ACC championship game.

Exhibit C: Maryland is 2-3, just one more win than BC (and it was over half of a Miami team that the Eagles also face this season)

Argument: This will be the third time this season BC fans will be able to get a discount on tickets through an online, daily deal site like Groupon and LivingSocial. Last month, when the home games hit Labor Day weekend and had in-state FCS UMass as visitors, BC Marketing took that approach to try and fill seats. Some people kind of hated it, used it as an opportunity to point out the pro market is killing BC's fan base and that it never should have left the Big East where it fit better as a regional athletic institution. BC can't fill seats because of who it is as a local, private school with a small population.

Cross-Examination: College Park, like Chestnut Hill, sits just outside a major metropolitan area, and has a second mid-to-large sized pro-market just 40 minutes away. It is a large state school that had success here and there over the last twenty years, as well as some pros hit the big time. 

Verdict: BC joining the ACC six years ago will somehow get blamed for this.

*Aside, best line from a friend in response to the copy in the ad (emphasis his):

I like how even the description mocks us: "Get a firsthand look at one of the NCAA's premiere football teams with today's... "

BC Football and Pessimism: Has it Been a Good Run or is There Something Left?

It's been, what, five days since BC lost a game by going against everything in the past few years that's kept the football team competitive...and there is definitely a tremor in the force among BC faithful by way of it. Stay away from the message boards unless you want to see pessimism at its finest - believe me, even pre-season the term "Henningesque" was being thrown around (never a good thing). Stay away from Twitter unless you are looking for others with whom to discuss Firing Spaz. While this is the vocal set, it does begin to feel that the question of doom is floating over the program, "Is this the year where BC's decade of football relevance ends?"

I bring this up now because September is the bright spot on the Eagles' tough ACC slate this year - and a loss in Orlando this Saturday means that the Eagles are at best looking at 3-2 heading into three straight away games in Clemson, Blacksburg and College Park. The bowl streak is important to the diehards, and losing that this year would certainly hurt, especially because it will take an act of God to get GDF to swallow his pride and part ways with Spaz over performance.

Not everyone is driving the car off the cliff. ATL Eagle positively discussed how BC has a relative track record bouncing back from opening season losses (most recently, coming off a similarly poorly-managed and uncharacteristic home opener against Wake Forest in 2003). Going into Happy Valley - and this is not meant as a slight to UCF fans - is a slightly more daunting task than Orlando at night in September. A win Saturday may not be enough for everyone, but at least the good vibes could get turn again to get to 4-1 going down to visit the Tigers in October. 

So what say you - has the train already left the station or is there something left in the BC football program?