Anticipation

Very soon the first PWR rankings will be released and the talk of national championships shall begin again. Last year, Quinnipiac took the initial number 1 ranking and then failed to even make the tournament in one of the worst second-halfs I've seen in years. Early guess is that Yale will be the initial number one sporting a robust 10-1-0 record its hard to argue against. For BC, their fortunes should be high as well. Despite have 5 losses, only one of those is at home and they currently have 2 road victories over a highly ranked Denver team and 2 victories against highly-ranked Maine as well. Early season road wins against a top-tier opponent can carry serious PWR weight, just ask Vermont.

I like what I'm starting to see in this BC squad. It appears that the loss to Vermont a couple weeks ago may have awoken the beast. They have now won 5 of their last six and those 5 wins were by a combined 28-8 (including the 5 goals allowed chaos on Friday night). The reuniting of Whitney-Gibbons-Atkinson has paid immediate dividends as Gibbons boasts a six game point streak and Atkinson has a 5 game streak. When Kevin Hayes rejoins the line-up after Christmas that should give BC two top lines capable of scoring multiple goals every night. If Hayes-Hayes-Kreider clicks the way one would expect two first round and one second round NHL draft pick to click this could be the deepest scoring BC team since 2001 (Lephart-Eaves-Gionta and Kobasew-Kolanos-Voce). It should be a great second-half to the year.

Falling off the bus

Since the beginning of the season everyone has talked about the Boise State bus. I was a happy rider of that bus believing that if the Broncos finished the season as one of two undefeateds they should have a spot in the BCS national title game. I still believe that. Unfortunately for Broncos fans, two missed kicks means no undefeated season. That sting will last quite some time and it looks more and more like BC may be the team taking the brunt of that sting should both teams end up in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (I swear they are just drawing names out of a hat now for these bowls) as many predict.

But then yesterday, Boise got another kick in the teeth (all apologies to Kyle Brotzman for the "kick" reference). TCU is moving to the Big East starting in 2012. I'm not going to go into the idea of a team from Texas being a part of the Big East as geography has ceased to matter in conference affiliations for a while now (Louisiana Tech is in the Western Athletic Conference?? Seriously??). But for Boise this is a disaster.

Going into this season, the Mountain West was on the cusp of attaining auto-qualifier status for the BCS. They had Utah & TCU, two teams that have been to BCS bowls and, in Utah's case, won twice. Another team in BYU which has had stellar seasons in its long history with a legitimate chance to make a BCS bowl in the future. Boise State looked to add itself to this hearty resume and push the Mountain West over the top. But then, Utah leaves for the Pac 12, BYU decides it should be independent and now TCU has left for the Big East. With Nevada and Fresno State coming with BSU to the Mountain West, it has essentially just recreated the WAC. The level of competition is mildly better (Air Force & San Diego State step up every once and a while) but Boise is still going to be kings of a second-rate conference and come no closer to the legitimacy they were seeking by joining the Mountain West to begin with.

So next year will be another year of touting for the Boise bus - complete with new kicker.

Writer's block

I'm not a writer. Ask anyone. I don't write. It was my nemesis when I was in school. In college I intentionally skipped classes that had large writing components. Yet I have this blog. Which I have neglected for a month and a half. Not because stuff hasn't been happening (worst rated World Series in history, Jeter winning another Gold Glove he doesn't deserve, the Dallas Cowboys, the BCS, Cam Newton's pay-for-play), I just haven't been able to write anything. I have ideas at bad times. On the train, driving to the grocery store, as I'm falling asleep. When I find time to write, the ideas are gone. And hence, a month and a half hiatus. My good friend the Pobble can appreciate writer's block. Alas, she is a writer. Does it for a living. But not me. But now I'm back - no diatribe today, just some random thoughts.

- Cam Newton. We are perhaps watching one of the biggest tragedies in college sports in quite some time. Here is a kid with all the talent in the world. Runaway Heisman Trophy candidate at this point. Team in the national title picture which hasn't happened for Auburn in years and it may all be for naught. With the speed (or lack thereof) that the NCAA operates none of the charges will be proven or not against Cam or his increasingly slimy father until well after the season is over. Which means Auburn could go to the national title game (taking a spot from Boise or TCU), win the national title, Newton can be the Heisman winner, and it could all go away. If Auburn paid over $100,000 to get Newton, which is more horrible than I care to express, they will be stripped of the title, Newton will be stripped of the Heisman and Oregon will get a title they didn't earn, TCU and Boise will cry foul for not getting a chance and another Heisman will be left vacant. Part of me wants Auburn to lose to Alabama or South Carolina in the SEC title game just so that can't happen. I hope its all wrong. I hope Auburn paid nothing. But, the more you hear, the more you worry about the truth at the heart of the story. Because if it is true, one of the greatest NCAA D-I seasons in history will disappear for the books like it never happened.

- I want to believe in the BC hockey team, but they are making it hard. Since going to Denver and taking an impressive 2 game sweep the Eagles are 4-4. And not looking very impressive doing it. One of the highest scoring offenses from last season has only scored more than 3 goals twice so far this season. Not inspiring. And they dropped games to Merrimack (who may be better than expected) and a Vermont team that had yet to win this season. Now comes a two game tilt against Maine at home. They need at least 3 points out of this weekend to get some consistency going. The team some thought could win 40 games is going to be fighting for their playoff lives in February if they don't right the ship soon.

- Speaking of believing in BC, there are some bright spots. The football team is now one win from bowl eligibility, something thought impossible after the 2-5 start. However, I think they are starting to gel and Chase Rettig looks better every week. The find of the second half of the season has been Max Holloway who almost single-handedly shut down Duke with a dominant performance on Saturday punctuated by the knock-down of the crucial 4th down pass late in game. Both of BC's final opponents are beatable. Finishing 7-5 would be nice but the reward may be a date with Nevada in a bowl game. Not sure that's what the Eagles want to see. And the women's soccer team has moved on the the round of 16 for the 3rd straight season. We'll see this weekend if they can breakthrough to the final four.

Season opening thoughts

Yesterday started the NHL and college hockey seasons (last weeks Michigan v. Mercyhurst tilt excepted). Tomorrow begins the BC and Bruins seasons. I am dialed in. I'm in DC with MRs. Pike's brother & his wife but I am still dialed in. I have the Miami/UNH game on GameTracker and I am planning on ways to catch the Bruins games in Prague the next two days.

This is my favorite time of the year. All teams have title aspirations. All fans believe this might be "the year". Bring it on.

Some thoughts on recent topics -

- Randy Moss. I'm OK with this. The Pats knew they weren't going to resign Moss, Minnesota desperately needed a receiver and at least they got something in return. I will miss Randy. Despite how the season ended, 2007 was one of the most magical NFL years I have ever witnessed and Randy was central to that success. Now if Brett can pay more attention to the field that to his privates - Moss will probably see a lot more balls than he would have staying in New England.

- Speaking of Favre. WTF?? Who does that? It sounds like the type of thing my buddy would do at a wedding with one of those throw away cameras. If this turns out to be true, I can't think of anything more embarrassing for someone at the end of a HOF career.

- Congrats to Roy Halladay. Though I wish the Red Sox could have gotten him away from Toronto, it was a nice story to see a guy who toiled for years on teams that just had no prayer of making the post-season get a chance to shine. He is a world class pitcher who has always had the "But" attached to him because he had never been post-season tested. Should he power the Phils to another title he will cement his spot in the echelon of the great pitchers of the era.

- Finally - a shout-out to loyal reader Boston Pobble. I was late with the birthday wishes but just wanted her to know that she is missed in Beantown and that her birthday last year, and number 35 ;), were a blast.

Glimmer of hope

I don't know why I do it - but I actually got excited last night when the Sox took the 3-2 lead in the top of 9th against the Yanks in New York. Maybe because I love the Sox, maybe because I hate the Yankees, maybe I just wanted something to really root for after watching the Patriots get lucky against the Bills. But I felt pretty good. Then Papelbon got squeezed, the Yankees rallied, tied the score and all my excitement disappeared as I rolled over and went to sleep, certain of the inevitable loss that followed.

I'm not going to go on a diatribe about how they were still mathematically in it (they were) or get on my soap box about how this game was a microcosm of the season (it was) and I'm certainly not going to turn this into an over-the-top negative statement about the state of the Red Sox. (Just as an aside - did anyone else read that ridiculous article by Dan Shaughn"ASS"y in the Globe the other day. There is no ray of sunshine for that man. None. Everything has to be negative. Even a Mike Lowell appreciation night needs to become something negative with him. He seriously needs to take some happy pills or see a counselor or something. Issues - that's all I'm saying.).

Instead, I will use this moment to be happy. There is a glimmer of hope. College hockey starts on Thursday and the first game that counts is Michigan v. Mercyhurst in Ann Arbor on Saturday. And the Eagles pick up their sticks for an exhibition game on Sunday. So it can't all be bad.

A couple of weekend observations:

- Dave Shinskie is bad. I appreciate all he did last year, gutting it out to get the Eagles to an 8-5 record and a win away from the ACC title game. But he is not good. I hope Marcovetra or Rettig can put something together against the Irish this weekend but it doesn't look good. There is a lot of promise on the BC team but the main pieces are just so young and inexperienced that its going to take a season or two to get back where they were.

- The Atlanta Falcons may be for real. After trouncing their opponent last week, the Falcons went out and followed it up with a solid victory in New Orleans against the defending champions. Yes, they allowed a game tying field goal as time expired in regulation but in overtime they took advantage of the opportunity they were given and finished off the Saints. Makes me feel good to see Matt Ryan succeeding at the next level.