Boston College Varsity Club Hall Of Fame: Romanowski, Leetch And DeFilippo Highlight 2011 Inductees
by A.J Black on Jul 28, 2011 2:00 PM EDT
in Boston College Football
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PrintIf you are a BC season ticket holder like I am, you would have received the BC Athletics Annual Report in your email yesterday. It is chocked full of useless information -- that we here at BCI might dissect at a later time, natch -- including a very interesting interview with Gene DeFilippo. Near the back of the report is a list of former BC athletes that will be inducted in the Varsity Club Hall of Fame. Many of them I've never heard of because they come from the non-revenue sports, and others are from times well before I existed.
The list goes as follows:
Cara Blumfield '03 (softball)
Jack Farrell '50 (football/baseball)
Scott Gieselman '85 (football)
Jay Hutchins '84 (soccer)
Amber Jacobs '04 (women's basketball)
Tom "Tank" Meehan '58 (football)
George Ravanis '78 (baseball)
Katie Ryan '02 (cross country/track and field)
Bernie Teliszewski '57 (baseball and football)
Peter Olivieri '65 (administration)
Congratulations to all those athletes on such a high honor.
In addition, there were three other Varsity Club HOF inductees that really stuck out for me:
Bill Romanowski '88 (football)
Gene DeFilippo (administration)
Brian Leetch (hockey)
Brian Leetch is a hall of fame hockey player and without a doubt is one of BC's most famous hockey alums.
I totally agree that DeFilippo should be celebrated and named into the Hall of Fame. All snarky jokes aside, look at all the great work he has done since he came to Boston College from Villanova. Three National Championships in men's ice hockey, 12 straight bowl games for the football team and a great turn around from the basketball program.
The one I have a problem with is Bill Romanowski. BC is all about character, correct? That is how they select recruits and what the program prides itself on. Then why the heck are we celebrating Romo? True he was a stellar athlete while at BC, but look at all his transgressions after he left the Heights:
-- 1995 -- Romo is suspended for kicking Larry Centers in the head.
-- 1997 -- In a vicious helmet to helmet hit, Romo breaks Kerry Collin's jaw
-- 1997 -- After taunts from J.J. Stokes, Romo spits in his face.
-- 2003 -- Romo is implicated in the BALCO steroids investigation, and later tests positive for steroids in November of the same year
-- 2003 -- Romanowski rips off the helmet of backup tight end Marcus Williams and punches him crushing his eye socket. Williams is forced to retire from the injury.
-- 2005 -- Romanowski admits on 60 Minutes to using steroids.
Honestly, this is the kind of guy BC wants to honor? Look at that track record! What kind of message is this sending our players and fans when BC is saying "Hey Romo, it's okay that you cheated in the pros and maliciously injured other players. Come join our Hall of Fame!"
Boston College prides itself on running a clean program, and here they are honoring one of the most egregious cheaters in football? Come on Varsity Club, keep him out. And Romo, I will never honor you, and I certainly won't be cheering for you when they announce your name during a BC football game this season.
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Good comment on WTF they took in Romo
I think Romo is a classless cheat tooo. Up there with Steve DeOssie (is he in the hall?)
Here is what Romo did to his teammate toe dn his career:
"BCI is the best" - WaterWater
Good Issue Raised
As a life long Denver Broncos fan and one that watched Romo help bring the Broncos a couple of Super Bowls, I still am disgusted by his behavior. As great a player as he was, it kind of boggles my mind that he even attended Boston College. Maybe they can start a new wing in the Varsity Club Hall for him and Mark Chmura and let them conduct the tape cutting ceremony.
Even though Chmura's choice of party locales / the company he kept was highly questionable ...
Those girls did make up the whole rape charge, FWIW.
Editor, BC Interruption
Honestly, no issue with this
Sorry, but despite his roid rage issues, Romo deserves the recognition. Steroid use is a bad thing, but also tragically common (though undected since no major US sport seriously tries to catch people). Doesn’t rise to the [OJ] level of a disqualifying issue.
And fights, even among teammates, in the NFL? C’mon.
Fights Among Teammates?
That’s a little more than a fight. He fractured the dudes face.
Writer at BC Interruption SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
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OJ is still on the Bills Wall of Fame
As he should be. It’s a Hall of Fame not a Hall of Morally Upstanding Individuals
"An offensive lineman from BC comes with a guaranteed pedigree stamp" - Wash. Post
Right. But this isn’t USC, this is BC. As I said in the post BC prides itself on “morally upstanding individuals”, and they are a catholic institution too. But then again, I don’t know Bill personally, maybe he has changed from the lunatic that played in the NFL.
Writer at BC Interruption SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
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I think BC should factor in the “moral upstanding-ness” of a person only to a certain degree. Unless it is really really bad, it shouldn’t be something that keeps a player out of the hall of fame.
What did Bill do? He played dirty at times and admitted he took steroids (shocking). To me, that’s not even close to enough to consider blocking him. Also, none of this (as far as we know) happened at BC.
Even if Bill took roids in college, he definitely was not the only one who did it at BC. While he hasn’t admitted it, there have been allegations that Mike Ruth took PEDs while at BC. Nobody is clamoring for his jersey to be taken down off the wall.
"An offensive lineman from BC comes with a guaranteed pedigree stamp" - Wash. Post
Good point
Valid point. Pete Rose and Mark McGuire are locked out of the Hall of Fame. Romanowski was a great player. The issues raised should have disqualified him from consideration for any honors at BC. In addition, I have never heard of any remorse. I think that Father Leahy should review this and then overrule DeFilippo.
did he do steroid while at BC?
if not, the Rose and MCguire examples do not hold b/c their bad conduct occured while MLB players. If he was a steroid guy while at BC, then he should not get honored. If not, then I guess so.
But commenters here are correct, upon reflection. If no roids at BC and no murders after BC, he deserves it, as he won the “Thomas F. Scanlan Memorial Trophy . . . an award given by the Boston College Varsity Club to the senior football player outstanding in scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability.”
I just don’t care for the man, but who cares I do not give out the awards and honors
"BCI is the best" - WaterWater
What Romo did after he left BC shouldn’t have any bearing on whether or not he should be in the Varsity Club HOF. He should be judged for his accomplishments while at BC.
One thing that irks me about BC fans is that some are so quick to disown former players. I recently was involved in an argument with a BC fan who pretty much said Charlie Davies was dead to him for his poor decision the night he got into the accident. Give me a break.
"An offensive lineman from BC comes with a guaranteed pedigree stamp" - Wash. Post
It is over the top
but it is typical of BC fans. The second someone does something morally questionable or reprehensible, they act like he never went here.
I’m getting sick of the “we’re BC so we hold ourselves to some insane standard.” Bill never did anything to hurt the school and you’re acting like we’re trying to honor Rick Kuhn.
"An offensive lineman from BC comes with a guaranteed pedigree stamp" - Wash. Post
did an old girlfriend from BC break up with you or what?
You really got the wrong idea about BC.
But, i must say, BC people do hold themselves to a higher standard and that is one of the special bonds among alum. But we are not always so high minded, like now for example:
If you don’t like BC or its folk then:
not an Editor, BC Interruption
“not an Editor, BC Interruption” but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night?
Editor, BC Interruption
I’m not acting like we’re trying to honor Rick Kuhn. I didn’t even write this post.
Just playing Devil’s advocate.
Editor, BC Interruption
Pardon me, I was using a general “you” to apply to people who are upset about Romo getting into the HOF.
And waterwater, I’m a soon to be double-eagle and my ex-girlfriend didn’t go to BC. I’m not from Boston originally but part of the reason I chose to go to law school and hopefully begin my legal career here is so I can be around the school and root for BC.
I’d also like to add that you were the guy that went on a crusade here calling everyone who was angry about Herzlich not getting drafted delusional homers.
"An offensive lineman from BC comes with a guaranteed pedigree stamp" - Wash. Post
You sound jealous
"An offensive lineman from BC comes with a guaranteed pedigree stamp" - Wash. Post
Of being a lawyer??
hee hee. Don’t be silly. Nobody is jealous of a lawyer. Other emotions come to mind
not an Editor, BC Interruption
when he was at BC
I spent 4 years with the guy WHEN HE WENT TO SCHOOL HERE. He worked hard, a leader, allot of hoops in the plex, just a good guy. That is what matters.
Is Kevin Stevens a bad guy? Do you know what he did? Yeah I guess I never saw BC prominent BC athletes doing drugs, everybody was clean. C’mon man.
The guy had 18 tackles in the Cotton Bowl as a freshman and he was a skinny dude, the guy could play.
End of story.
BTW: If Sean Williams defends the rim in the 2006 Sweet 16 and BC goes on to win it all would one person give it back the next year after he got tossed.
Please
when he was at BC part 2
Bill was my neighbor at BC. One of the all time nicest guys you will ever meet off the field. It would be an honor to have him in the BC hall of fame.
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