Jeff: After Wednesday night's debacle of an Orange Bowl, would you want to see Boston College in the same position as Clemson? I can't imagine being a fan as passionate as you and I are, and watching our team get destroyed in a game they were favored and at the end of an extremely successful season without injuries or any other obvious excuse. Watching Clemson go down in flames in the matter of one quarter in a game that fans had been looking forward to was just painful and I had little to nothing invested in Clemson's success.
If BC were to make the Orange Bowl some year I would of course attend and have very high hopes. So, if we had a crystal ball and knew that BC would lose to a Big East team by 37, would you rather BC lose the ACC Championship Game? Or would you rather BC win the ACC at the expense of getting completely embarrassed in their BCS game?
Brian: Is this seriously a question?
If the goal of the program year in and year out is to win an ACC title and play in the Orange Bowl, than this isn't even a question. Of course I'd want the Eagles to still win the ACC title, even if the program proceeded to get waxed in the Orange Bowl. Even against a (non-UConn) Big East opponent, though can't West Virginia technically be considered a Big 12 opponent now?
The final outcome of bowl games have little to no bearing on much of anything. All but one of the bowl games doesn't count towards crowning the sport's eventual National Champion. A majority of bowl games participants have no bearing on the final AP or Coaches Poll rankings. Really, the only thing a bowl game counts for is a W or an L on the team's final season record.
And really, could any other ACC program hold a BC Orange Bowl thrashing against them? This would simply be consistent with all the other ACC BCS bowl failures over the years. Florida State is 1-5 in BCS bowl games and 0-3 in the Orange Bowl. Virginia Tech is 1-4 and 0-3 in the Sugar Bowl. Miami is 3-1 but hasn't even made a BCS bowl game appearance as a member of the ACC. Maryland, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and now Clemson all 0-1.
Getting throttled and losing the program's first BCS bowl game would be the most ACC thing the Eagles have done since joining the conference in 2005.
Big Finish
Brian: Billy Flutie delivered a little more Flutie magic when he saved a choking patron using the Heimlich Maneuver. Flutie, however, wants to keep the event low-key. You impressed?
Jeff: This type of thing happens in restaurants regularly. Hopefully that Applebees, which does Like us on Facebook by the way, comped his meal and will again in the future.
Jeff: Lots of former Boston College players in today's Giants-Falcons NFC Wildcard Playoff game. Are you happy no matter the outcome of the game?
Brian: No. I'll be happier with a Giants victory, though the Falcons keeping it close would probably be the best outcome for me, personally.
Brian: ESPN's Robbi Pickeral profiled BC's Matt Humphrey in advance of yesterday's BC-Carolina game. Any chance this affected his performance and helped lead to his 14 points?
Jeff: Hopefully Humphrey continues to be a solid contributor in league play. He is the only indivdual disappointment on the team so far since we knew nothing about anyone else.
Jeff: The men's basketball is winless in 2012, does the men's ice hockey team at least give us a win today?
Brian: Yes. I like the Eagles chances at home today against Merrimack. No more "sleepy hockey" from the Eagles.
Brian: The ACC closes out its fifth consecutive year with a losing bowl record, going just 2-6. Do you expect the conference to turn things around next season?
Jeff: Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech could have won their games. If the league had not gotten tow BCS bids it also could have been better. It feels like we're close as a league.
Jeff: There were rumors that Bill O'Brien would have been a candidate for the BC job had it opened up at the end of this season. Do you think the fact that he is now Penn State's coach confirms those rumors and are you disappointed he wasn't in maroon and gold before PSU had the chance?
Brian: Not overly impressed with the Penn State hire, though I am a bit bummed Pitt scooped up Paul Chryst.
Brian: Last one. Were you surprised the Eagles were only down 13 at the half of yesterday's Boston College-Carolina game?
Jeff: Yes, I was pleasantly surprised it was somewhat a game for a while. We've looked worse against opponents not nearly on UNC's level.