[Front Page'd - B]

I can hear the cries now..."Blasphemer!!!", "Banned for life from BCI", "Crucify him, crucify him" (whoops..that was taken out of context!). But is it possible, after all these years, could I actually be convinced to openly root against BC?

Why would I even think such a thing you ask? Well let me explain.

First it wouldn't matter to me if the Eagles were predicted to go 0-12 this year. I love college football and would be excited for the opening weekend of the season no matter what. I will start my Saturdays singing "Comin' To Your City" and won't hang it up most weeks until the end of the Hawaii game. My iPod is chock full of fight songs and highlights...I am a junkie.

But come 3:35 PM on Saturday when toe hits leather for the first time, I may feel a tug. C-A-N-E...(could I actually do this???).

Here's my problem. In a word...Spaz.

I like the guy, I truly do. He was the best defensive coordinator I have ever seen at BC. I didn't and don't always like the way the DBs play off the receivers (sitting in the front row with the band is giving a bit too much cushion), but you can't argue results and a combination of the talent he had on hand and the schemes he created, brought the BC defense to a level I have never seen. This team lead the nation in rush defense?? Multiple times?? That's insane. For what seemed forever, any team with speed at the RB position was a death knell to the BC defense. Those days are a distant memory and Spaz had a lot to do with that.

And he's loyal to BC..almost to a fault. Other than Barry Gallup, I don't recall another football staff member who has spent so much time on the Eagle sideline.

In life though, you are either part of the solution, or part of the problem and in my mind, sorry Spaz, it's the latter. Not only has the program been trending downward, but I don't see that changing on his watch.

Could BC be a bowl team in 2012. Sure, I can see that. As Brian said in an earlier post, if I could pick them to be right on the Vegas over/under line of 5.5, I would do it. But I also think it's a bit more likely that they will fall just short and spend a second straight December hanging stockings and stringing lights and not prepping for a bowl.

And what if they do make it? Will they be 6-6, 7-5, 8-4? This is obviously not an ACC Championship caliber team, so does it really matter?

Most importantly though, is Spaz the guy to turn it around? If you answer 'yes' to that question, that Spaz is the right guy to maximize the brand that is Boston College football, then yes "Go Eagles!!".

A few questions then come to mind. Did GDF's decision to keep Spaz after the 2011 season actually cost Flip his job...was it a firing based on that decision rather than an actual retirement? If you believe that GDF retired, that seems to indicate that the university administration is still behind Spaz as opposed to this, #1 on the Coaches Hot Seat ranking.

Also, what impact will the hiring of a new AD have on the entire football program and in particular, Spaz' future as its leader? Does this person see long term potential or a ceiling with Spaz that he or she finds unacceptable, or even worse, a continuation of the downward trend and will that be sufficient to pull the trigger?

My biggest fear is that I do not believe Spaz is the right guy to maximize the potential of this football program and that a low end bowl game, which appears to be the best the 2012 team can accomplish, will do no more than retard the overall growth of the program by allowing him to remain in the captain's seat beyond 2012. On the other hand, how much faith do you have that the new administration will be able to pick the right successor?

I feel for the players in this scenario. They either aren't being coached up or simply aren't that talented, so it wouldn't be them I was rooting against.

I love Boston College football..and if a losing season will create the impetus to bring in a new head coach capable of maximizing the potential of the program, then that is what I want. Every day that goes by where that goal isn't being competently met, is a waste.

Go C-A-N-E...nah, scrap that GO EAGLES!