The Hate Index rolls along with installment number 9 ... number 9 ... number 9 ...
Two members of the Hate Index -- Boston University and Jim Calhoun -- are up for Hate Index HOF status if they survive relegation after this week. Quite an accomplishment, indeed.
Last Week's Relegation: The Hate Index -- The Hate Index on the Hate Index? Mind. Asplode.
On to this week's list.
- Neighbors (8 consecutive weeks) -- All has been relatively quiet on the Town Gown front in recent months. If you thumb through the Allston Brighton Community Blog, it seems the neighbors have directed their ire towards Harvard in recent weeks. But you know the neighbors are still grinding their teeth over the Stokes Hall construction project, and they are gonna FLIP when they hear BCI wants the school to sell beer at Alumni ...
- Boston University (9) -- Needs no further explanation. One week away from Hate Index HOF status.
- Notre Dame Students (4) -- After BCHysteria tipped the apple cart with his post about the BC-ND rivalry, we now have no shortage of good Hate Index material. Here, a supposed "outsider" reaffirms most, if not all, of the reasons that Notre Dame students make this list. "BC and ND, not in same league, BC is ND wannabe. Speaking from the outside looking in. From here, BC does not appear in the same class as Notre Dame. Not in academics, sports, or anything. I'll bet lots of BC guys tried to get into ND but couldn't - hence the hatred and bitterness if this article. There us no comparison in the academics or their schedules. BCs schedule is nothing compared to NDs. What a joke to even compare them."
- Jim Calhoun (9) -- As part of his abbreviated commencement speech to Dedham High, Calhoun "pointed to the passion of Connecticut point guard Kemba Walker, 'the joy with which he played basketball and the determination that allowed him to graduate in three years.'" Calhoun must be one hell of a coach if he helped his star player graduate in just three years, considering he read just one book in college.
- Bill Simmons (6) -- Once you get past the pic of fanboy Simmons as a BC fan and actually read the New York Times article, your gag reflex gets tested early and often. "Simmons is more than just a fan; he is the fan, the voice of the citizenry of sports nation." Wait, what? And oh yes, there's more ...
"As sacrilegious as it may sound to compare Simmons with the Homer of the American sporting scene, he played a similar role for a generation of readers who grew up in the era of the empowered fan."
"Simmons's relationship with ESPN might be described as dysfunctionally codependent: the Worldwide Leader in Sports needs the byline of America's most prominent sportswriter; America's most prominent sportswriter needs the platform of the Worldwide Leader in Sports."
Ick.
Oh, and Grantland launched yesterday. Maybe this new web venture will force Simmons to submit a column more than once a fortnight now.
- Caulton Tudor (5) -- It's fun to rewind the tape back to 2003 and read some of the stuff this guy wrote about ACC expansion:
1. Virginia politicians have taken control of the ACC's destiny with their strong-arm tactics in defense of Virginia Tech.
If the Hokies are included in ACC expansion, the politicians will have pulled off an amazing coup -- one that should have East Carolina fans rattling every chamber door on Jones Street in an effort to duplicate the same salvation for their Pirates."
East Carolina putting pressure on the North Carolina General Assembly to add ECU to the conference is just laughable in hindsight.
- Having to Graduate (3) -- waterwater is done questioning the validity of the Hate Index, and has moved on to questioning this Hate Index member: "But how is having to graduate EVEN ON THE HATE INDEX? Is it the Peter Pan syndrome...Don't you guys want to go out and carve out your place in the world. CHARGE!!! Go for it!!! Real Life is way better than college life, starting with pay checks and real apartments, houses and vacations!" Yes, this is exactly what this is.
- This Week's Addition: UMass (1) -- UMass' football program is making the FBS leap in 2012. The pro-UMass Boston sports writers are already trying to create a BC-UMass rivalry on the gridiron. Because the world needs yet another FBS football program? Check that. Because the world needs another MAC football program? The plan for the Minutemen's jump to Division I-A includes playing all of their home games at Gillette Stadium, 90 miles from campus. Good luck trying to get the 15,000 / game attendance minimum when Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Ball State and Akron come to town.
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.