It's once again time for the weekly BC Interruption Hate Index, volume 11. We're pleased to announce that our friendly neighbors have now joined Boston University and Jim Calhoun in the Hall of Hate. Congratulations.
Last Week's Relegation: Having to Graduate -- Last week, Peter Pan syndrome was relegated in a landslide, picking up 43 percent of the vote. Sure, things may seem great now just five weeks after graduation ... getting up whenever you want, doing whatever you want over the summer. That's great and all, until your parents kick you out and force you to get gainful employment in an economy averaging nearly a double-digit unemployment rate. Good luck with that.
On to this week's list.
- Boston University (11 consecutive weeks) -- Even when the school has no shot at beating the Eagles on the hardwood, leave it to the Terriers to find ways to mess with our basketball program by stealing the only one of Donahue's assistants that has major conference experience recruiting.
- Neighbors (10) -- It seems that the neighbors' Eye of Sauron has been transfixed on Harvard lately, but it's only a matter of time before his gaze turns back towards Chestnut Hill.
- Jim Calhoun (11) -- So you're saying he's not retiring? "I've been convinced since the Final Four in Houston that UConn coach Jim Calhoun wasn't going to retire. I've been around him a few times -- including at the White House, when the Huskies were honored for their national championship -- and saw no sign that he's ready for retirement. [...] UConn assistant coach Kevin Ollie said he has seen no signs that Calhoun is going to retire. He said Calhoun's daily passion indicates he is as driven for a title as he was a year ago." Assistant Kevin Ollie must be one of the few Calhoun hasn't already thrown under the bus.
- Notre Dame Students (6) -- As if we needed more proof: "It must be incredibly frustrating to be a Boston College fan when no one ever cares about your program. You have Matt Ryan, Heisman candidate and future first round draft pick, and after you lose the ACC championship game you get sent all the way to the Champs Sports Bowl. You have to beg your alumni to come back for games. You played consistent winning football for a decade and didn't get to play on New Year's Day once. Are any of those games even on New Year's Eve? It must be a special kind of frustrating to see Notre Dame doted on by the media, playing in primetime game after primetime game when away or with their own network for every home game. They go 8-5 after an extended fallow period, and whoosh, they shoot up to number six in Phil Steele's preseason poll."
- Bill Simmons (8) -- "Bill Simmons' website Grantland shut down this morning. No one made a moderate funny about Bud Selig in the sidenotes. ESPN is not reconsidering why the brand needs a separate website to house Bill Simmons and a smattering of his friends with homogeneous interests, sensibilities and writing styles. It was merely a server issue" via The Big Lead. No word on whether Grantland was also programmed by a Holy Cross grad.
- Caulton Tudor (7) -- Probably thinks this plan doesn't go far enough and should include ECU.
- "Golden Eagles" (2) -- Soaring to Glory knows what's up: "What is this fact, you ask? Why, it concerns BC's very mascot name itself: the eagle. I am going to say this once now, and reiterate it several times over for the purpose of this article: Boston College's sports teams are called the Eagles; no extra words included. Did you get that? Let me say it again: we are the Eagles."
- This Week's Addition: ACC Bowl Lineup (1) -- BC football has been to 11 straight bowl games. You would think that the Eagles would land in a mildly desirable bowl slot one of these years, right? Well, not exactly. This season, every non-BCS ACC bowl game will be played between December 26 and December 31. When your program probably won't make the Orange Bowl and (for all intents and purposes) they are shut out of the ACC's #2 bowl, you are left with the following bowl destinations: Shreveport the day after Christmas, Charlotte, Washington D.C., Orlando, Nashville or Juarez. Orlando seems like a decent enough destination until you realize the Champs Sports Bowl is the undercard for the Citrus Bowl, played mid-week against a team from the Big East.
As a reminder, please add your nominations for the vacated spot in the comments (and/or add better descriptions for the index members you truly despise). The best submission(s) each week will be featured in next week's Hate Index.