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BC Hits High Note at Fenway

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Fenway Bowl: Boston College 23, No. 24 SMU 14

Thomas Castellanos rushed for two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Eagles rallied past the Mustangs in Boston.

Castellanos ran for 156 yards on 21 carries and logged 96 of his 102 passing yards in the second half to lead Boston College (7-6), which lost its last three regular-season games.

SMU (11-3), which had a nine-game winning streak snapped, was shut out 13-0 in the second half and gained just three first downs in the fourth quarter.

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Pop-Tarts Bowl: No. 25 Kansas State 28, No. 18 NC State 19

Avery Johnson found Jayce Brown for an 11-yard touchdown to cap the clinching drive in the fourth quarter as No. 25 Kansas State defeated No. 18 North Carolina State 28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday in Orlando.

The Wildcats took the ball with 10:12 left in the fourth quarter and kept it for 7:24 on the decisive march, which lasted 15 plays and covered 72 yards.

Kansas State (9-4) had only one quarterback on the roster Thursday, limiting the Wildcats’ use of Johnson in the running game. He still finished with 71 yards on seven carries to go with 14-of-31 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

North Carolina State (9-4) was seeking its second 10-win season in program history (2002). Brennan Armstrong was 14 of 28 for 164 yards and one interception. He led the Wolfpack with 121 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground but ran for only 7 yards in the second half.

Pinstripe Bowl: Rutgers 31, Miami 24

Kyle Monangai rushed for 163 yards and a touchdown, Gavin Wimsatt added two short scoring runs and the Scarlet Knights rallied in the second half to top the Hurricanes in New York.

Wimsatt completed 7 of 15 passes for 84 yards for Rutgers (7-6), which beat Miami for the first time in 12 meetings. It marked Rutgers’ first bowl victory since 2014.

Jacurri Brown was 20 of 31 for 181 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his first start for the Hurricanes (7-6). He also ran for two touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

SMU in Enemy Territory at Fenway Bowl

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – No. 24 SMU aims for its 10th consecutive win when it treks north to meet future Atlantic Coast Conference foe Boston College in the second-ever Fenway Bowl on Thursday at Boston’s beloved Fenway Park.

The Mustangs are 11-2, beating Tulane 26-14 to win the American Athletic Conference championship — their first crown since 1984 in the Southwest Conference — following an 8-0 record in league play.

SMU has outscored opponents by more than 23 points per game and has logged 466.2 yards of offense per game. The Mustangs’ only two losses came at then-No. 18 Oklahoma and TCU, which played for the national championship last January.

Despite the success, SMU was not selected for a New Year’s Six game.

“The bottom line is we’re still celebrating (a conference championship) and we’re not going to let things that maybe we don’t agree with overshadow that,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said of the bowl announcement.

After star sophomore quarterback Preston Stone broke his leg in the regular-season finale against Navy, SMU turned to Kevin Jennings for his first career start in the AAC title game. The redshirt freshman threw for 203 yards and a touchdown.

The Mustangs’ balanced offense has accounted for 32 passing and 28 rushing touchdowns. SMU has eight 300-yard receivers, led by RJ Maryland’s 518 with seven touchdowns. Jaylan Knighton has 720 rushing yards and seven scores.

SMU ranks second nationally in sacks with 47, behind Elijah Roberts’ 10. The Mustangs are sixth in scoring offense at 40.6 points per game.

Lashlee, who was UConn’s offensive coordinator for a 2017 game against Boston College at Fenway Park, knows the significance of finishing the season on a high note.

“We haven’t won a bowl game here (since 2012), we need to try to accomplish that,” Lashlee said. “Getting (win) No. 12 to tie the school record would be big time. Whether or not we win or lose, that game’s not going to really validate or diminish this team’s accomplishment, I think it’s pretty cemented.”

The Eagles (6-6) look to the bowl invitation as a fresh start after losing to Virginia Tech, Pitt and Miami consecutively to end the regular season, following a five-game win streak that was their longest since 2010.

Thomas Castellanos ranks third in the country for rushing yards by a quarterback with 957. The UCF transfer threw for 15 touchdowns – including seven to Lewis Bond – and ran for 11 during the regular year.

Coach Jeff Hafley feels that Castellanos is throwing the ball as well as he has as an Eagle.

“He’s got a chance to be special,” Hafley said. “I think we’re only seeing the very surface of it.”

The bowl will offer a glimpse of Boston College’s future. Team-leading linebacker and captain Vinny DePalma (87 total tackles) is one of only three graduate students listed as a definite starter on the depth chart.

“That’s rare around college football right now,” Hafley said. “The guys that are gonna play in this game, maybe less than five are leaving. I think it’s really important to keep building.”

The Eagles have been bowl eligible four times since 2018, but only the 2020 Birmingham Bowl was actually played due to weather or COVID-19 protocols during that stretch.

Louisville beat Cincinnati 24-7 in the inaugural Fenway Bowl in 2022.

–Field Level Media

Boston College with Comeback Win

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Liam Connor’s 42-yard field goal with 2:11 remaining helped Boston College overcome an early two-score deficit to beat visiting Virginia 27-24 in Saturday’s Atlantic Coast Conference contest in Boston.

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Thomas Castellanos shook off a pair of first-half interceptions and finished 16-of-26 passing for 183 yards and touchdowns to Joseph Griffin Jr. and Lewis Bond in the third quarter. The scores highlighted the Eagles’ (2-3, 1-2 ACC) 17-point run to erase a 21-7 deficit.

BC outgained the visitors 176-12 in the third, ultimately taking the lead on Bond’s 33-yard touchdown reception at 1:04 of the quarter.

After BC scored on four straight drives, the Cavaliers forced back-to-back fumbles but only managed to tie the game on Will Bettridge’s 44-yard field goal with 7:10 left in regulation.

Bond logged a game-high 104 yards on seven receptions. Pat Garwo accounted for 87 of BC’s 203 total yards and a touchdown on the ground. Castellanos also ran for 78 yards.

Virginia (0-5, 0-2) quarterback Tony Muskett was 22 of 34 for 247 yards and three touchdowns in his first start since suffering a shoulder injury in the season opener against Tennessee. Malik Washington (9 receptions, 97 yards) and Malachi Fields each caught touchdowns for Virginia.

Star BC receiver Ryan O’Keefe was carted off the field after colliding with Virginia cornerback Malcolm Greene early in the fourth quarter.

BC first cut into its deficit when Connor drilled a 42-yard field goal to complete an 11-play, 63-yard drive over the first 5:10 of the third quarter.

After forcing a 3-and-out, BC needed just four plays to score on Griffin’s 4-yard, over-the-shoulder catch with 6:09 left in the third.

Elijah Jones hauled in BC’s first interception of the season on the following series, and Bond’s go-ahead score capped a 9-play, 65-yard drive.

Muskett led a 10-play, 75-yard drive off the opening kickoff, finding Mike Hollins out of the backfield for a 5-yard score 4:35 into the game.

The Cavaliers forced a turnover on downs and intercepted a Castellanos pass on BC’s second and third series, respectively, before doubling their lead on Washington’s 18-yard touchdown with 12:11 left until halftime.

Castellanos got the Eagles moving as a 34-yard strike to Bond along the sideline set up Garwo’s 2-yard rushing score with 47 seconds left in the first half.

Fields hauled in a 39-yard Hail Mary touchdown as the first-half clock expired to give Virginia a 21-7 lead.

–Field Level Media

BC’s Tough Task | Red Bandana Game

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After a pair of dominant performances to start the season, Florida State finds itself among the top three teams in the nation for the first time in six years.

But the third-ranked Seminoles believe they haven’t reached their ceiling just yet, and they will look to continue climbing the ranks on Saturday when they face Boston College in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener at BC.

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Florida State (2-0) rose to No. 3 in the AP poll thanks to a 66-13 shellacking of Southern Miss last Saturday. It marks the Seminoles’ highest ranking since 2017, when they started the season as the third-best team in the country.

Through two games, FSU has outscored opponents 111-37. The Seminoles kicked off the 2023 campaign with a 45-24 victory over LSU on Sept. 3.

Although he is pleased with the progress his team has made just two years removed a stretch of four straight losing seasons, Florida State coach Mike Norvell is focused on avoiding complacency.

“Somebody says that we’re highly rated or highly ranked, whatever you call it, or not. None of that matters,” Norvell said. “It’s about what we’re willing to do when we show up and when we go to work.”

Norvell is eager to begin ACC play with a victory, but he knows that it won’t be easy.

“We understand what we want to achieve and what we want to do. This is a first step when it comes to coming into conference play,” Norvell said. “This is a big game up at BC.”

The Eagles (1-1) will have plenty to play for against FSU.

Saturday marks Boston College’s annual Red Bandanna Game, which honors alumnus Welles Crowther.

Crowther died during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He was in the South Tower, where, with his red bandanna covering his nose and mouth amidst the smoke, he helped others evacuate the building before it collapsed.

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“We talk to our players about 9/11, about Welles, about the Red Bandanna Game,” BC coach Jeff Hafley said. “We teach them about … why we wear those jerseys. It’s not just to put on a new look. It’s way bigger than that.”

Boston College is bracing for its toughest opponent yet, as the Eagles opened their season with a 27-24 overtime loss to Northern Illinois before bouncing back to pull off a gritty 31-28 win over FCS Holy Cross last Saturday.

“They’re as deep as they’ve been,” Hafley said of the Seminoles. “They’re deep at wide receiver. … Every time you turn on the film, there’s a new guy who looks just as big and just as fast. They’ve got depth at running back.

“And then the quarterback. He’s just gotten better and better. If you turn on the tape from when we played him two years ago, he was young, then he got better and now he’s probably one of the best players in all of college football.”

That quarterback Hafley speaks so highly of is Jordan Travis, who has already thrown for 517 yards with six touchdowns against one interception.

Florida State has won 15 of its 20 all-time meetings with BC.

–Field Level Media

Boston College Holds Off Holy Cross

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos threw for two touchdowns in his first game as starting quarterback, helping the Eagles hold off FCS No. 5 Holy Cross 31-28 on Saturday.

Castellanos was 17-of-23 passing for 204 yards and had 16 carries for 69 yards. George Takacs and Jeremiah Franklin were on the receiving end of the passing scores.

Kye Robichaux (19 carries, 94 yards) and Ryan O’Keefe also rushed for touchdowns for BC (1-1), which scored on all four first-half drives and led 24-14 at intermission.

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The UCF transfer quarterback earned the starting job after both he and returnee Emmett Morehead saw action in BC’s season-opening overtime loss to Northern Illinois last week.

Jordan Fuller and Matthew Sluka each rushed for two touchdowns for Holy Cross (1-1), which had won 18 consecutive regular-season games.

Sluka rushed for 131 yards on 19 carries and was 10 of 15 for 130 passing yards.

With Holy Cross set for a potential game-winning drive, a lightning delay halted play for over two hours with 1:58 remaining. Sluka opened the series with a 35-yard sideline run, but his fumble — recovered by Vinny DePalma — three plays later allowed BC to hold on for the win.

Sluka’s 8-yard run got Holy Cross in the end zone on five plays to begin the second half.

The Crusaders went on to force BC’s first two punts, but the hosts’ lead increased to 31-21 on Franklin’s 5-yard reception from Castellanos in the opening seconds of the fourth.

Fuller’s tough 15-yard run brought Holy Cross back within one score with 7:26 left.

A tidy first quarter featured just one offensive series — and touchdown — per team, but BC took a 10-point halftime lead after three combined scoring drives in the final 3:38 before intermission.

The Eagles strung together an opening 14-play, 85-yard series that ended with Robichaux taking a 3-yard run into the end zone, his third early carry.

Holy Cross’ response was a Fuller 2-yard touchdown run, capping a 15-play drive that spilled four seconds into the second quarter. To set up the score, Sluka ran for gains of 17 and 21 yards and hit Phoenix Dickson for a 17-yard completion.

On another 14-play series for the Eagles, O’Keefe found the edge for a go-ahead, 14-yard score with 7:06 left in the half.

Castellanos hit Takacs with a 2-yard score over the top to make it 21-7 BC, but two penalties set the visitors up at midfield and Sluka cut the deficit in half with an 8-yard run with 46 second left.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | NCAA College Football in NYC & The Hub

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While We’re Young (Ideas) for September 3 

CHESTNUT HILL: The Boston College Eagles opened the 2023 NCAA/ACC Conference football season this weekend.

By TERRY LYONS

CHESTNUT HILL – If this column were to be written from hometown New York some 15 years ago, the opening of the College Football season would NOT have registered as a major sports weekend. New York City is not a college sports town. Yes, there are plenty of taverns that welcome college football fans to congregate for their school’s games – they call it LSU HQ or ACC Football Hub and dozens of other bars that establish themselves as the place to be if you’re from Faber College and you’re looking for your game.

To the extent of anything you might call Division I NCAA College Football in New York is few and far between. Columbia University provides the IVY League experience while Fordham University plays in the sub-division (FCS) and is a partial member (just for football) in the Patriot League. (Otherwise, for most sports, Fordham toils in the A-10).

After that, you’re looking at trips to Staten Island (Wagner), Long Island (Stony Brook), or points much further away and mainly Upstate NY (Albany, Buffalo, Cornell, Marist (Poughkeepsie), Colgate (Hamilton, NY) or Syracuse.

Here in Boston, the city’s College football fans face much the same problem. Although Boston is home for some 35 colleges and universities and more than. 154,320 students descend upon Boston every August/September, Boston remain a pro sports town with a lot of colleges. If you look at Massachusetts as a whole (as in counting the likes of Holy Cross in Worcester, Wellesley, Springfield, UMass in Amherst), the State’s population grows by some 483,488 from college students studting in the Commonwealth.

Yes, that’s a half-million Red Sox fans created every year.

Boston College rates highest in the Boston area college football meter, playing a highly competitive schedule in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). This weekend, Alumni Stadium in Chesnut Hill played host (and LOST) to Northern Illinois University in a non-Conference game vs FBS club with a devastating loss as the Eagles opened 2023 with high hopes but a realistic viewpoint when looking at a schedule that includes: No. 8 Florida State, and ACC tough Miami, Virginia, Louisville, Virginia Tech and Syracuse, among others. With a rotating ACC schedule, the Eagles were spared match-ups vs the likes of Clemson, North Carolina, Duke, NC State and Wake Forest.

Geez: Even next week’s opponent – Holy Cross – is a challenger.

Believe it or not, very soon, BC might face SMU, Cal or Stanford in the 2024-25 season as ACC school presidents and chancellors voted to allow the westward expansion Friday. That’ll make the ACC register 18 schools while the Pac 12 was reduced to the Pac 2 (Oregon State and Washington State), rendering the Pac 12 Network useless.

Looking elsewhere back in Boston, you can see Harvard compete in the IVY, or the UMass Minutemen play as an independent FBS school. Holy Cross plays in the Patriot League while Tufts always fields a competitive Division III team over in Somerville where you can see Bates, Williams, Colby and Wesleyan (New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is a proud alum).

Before Notre Dame defeated Navy over in Dublin, it was 32 weeks of the year without college football. This weekend, it’s open the floodgates.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: USA Today sprang a list of the “Ten best colleges for sports fans” this week. The paper touted, “From game day thrills to championship victories: Experience college sports like never before,” although every year, it’s sort of the same, isn’t it? The list (with commentary by WWYI):

  1. Connecticut – Guess they missed football?
  2. Florida State – Once upon a Time?
  3. Alabama – ‘Roll Tide
  4. Florida – Bad start this week
  5. Indiana – Fans, yes, BIG TEN football championships – Nada
  6. LSU – Should be #1?
  7. Wisconsin – Don’t the Sports get in the way of the Partying?
  8. Penn State – Called on the account of White Out.
  9. Michigan – Good enough for The Big Chill, Good Enough for the List
  10. Notre Dame – Should be No. 2

USA BASKETBALL UPDATE: The USA Basketball 5×5 Men’s senior national team, competing in the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila, will play its second round match vs Lithuania today, Sunday September 3 at 8:40am (ET). For you Saturday night bulldog edition readers, that means “Get Up” tomorrow and for you Sunday morning readers, “Turn on the TV.”

In their most recent game, the USA was losing to Montenegro, 39-38, at halftime, trailing for the first time in this World Cup tournament. A much-improved second half secured the win, as Anthony Edwards scored a team-high 17 points – all in the second half. Edwards leads the U.S. A. in scoring, averaging 16.5 points per game. Improved team field goal shooting made the difference. The US shot 13-for-37 (.351) in the first half, but responded with a 17-for-36 (.472) performance in the final two quarters. The U.S. also shot 1-for-9 (.110) from “3” in the first half before going 4-for-10 (.400) in the second half.

The U.S. is seeking its sixth FIBA Men’s World Cup gold medal.

3×3: In addition to the senior men’s national team for 5×5, the 2023 USA 3×3 U18 national team finished atop Pool B at the 2023 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup on Friday. The U.S.A. joins seven other nations who will play for the gold medal on Sunday. The Americans went 2-0 in pool play after defeating Brazil and Germany on Thursday.

Notice basketball isn’t only distinguished by “men’s and women’s” anymore? Now-a-days, you need the 5×5 (five on five) or 3×3 (three on three) to be added for FIBA ball.

USA FOUNDATION: The USA Basketball Foundation made an important announcement this week as the second Torch Leadership in Sport Mentoring cohort will be staged. A fully funded program, Torch Leadership will run from this September to May 2024.

Torch Leadership provides opportunities for minority students to be mentored by USA Basketball executive staff with the goal of empowering the next generation of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) leaders in sport by introducing them to opportunities at USA Basketball and other sports-related entities.

“It is an honor to welcome our second Torch Leadership cohort to the USA Basketball family,” said Jennifer Lynne Williams, USA Basketball Foundation chief development officer. “The application process was extremely competitive with 130 students applying to be a part of this special program. The 120% increase in applications is a direct testament to the importance and value of Torch. I look forward to working with each student as they develop their leadership skills and learn more about the business of sport,” she added.

TIDBITS: Readers surely have heard the term, “Once in a Blue Moon.” That’s a true statement when it comes to this columnist receiving the No. 1 draft choice in the annual SWFL Fantasy Football League, known nationally as the best league with the best team captains and best rules which includes the game-changing, ultra-difficult requirement of TWO active quarterbacks and THREE wide receivers and/or tight ends. The challenge of the TWO QBs changes draft strategy, especially in the 1st and 2nd rounds, will make my No. 1 pick (this Tuesday night at 7pm ET) a choice between the quarterback trio of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes or Philly’s Jalen Hurts – with Buffalo’s Josh Allen receiving consideration. … NFL Insider Adam Schefter has my club, the LOVETRONS (in honor of the late Darryl Dawkins residence on earth as it is in heaven), selecting Mahomes who was a clear 30 points higher than the others and the top overall scorer in the SWFL for multiple years. … Next week, I’ll list the club and that’s about all you’re gonna read about Fantasy Football, unless something is incredibly newsworthy.

A RARE – MUST WATCH – TV SPOT: The PepsiCo/Frito–Lay ad, certainly worthy of clearing the high bar as a Super Bowl-level commercial is seeing airtime this week as the NFL opens its 2023 regular season come Thursday night when Detroit travels to Kansas City for an 8:20pm (ET) tilt on NBC.

The theme of “retirement” is a great idea but “coming out of retirement” might not be so great idea for many players, including the inclusion of the show-stopper at the finish. Pepsi broke the bank by pulling some of the greatest recent stars together for the shoot (or series of shoots). No spoilers here in the intro. It’s a MUST WATCH!

BC Loses Opener to Northern Illinois

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Rocky Lombardi’s 1-yard quarterback sneak in overtime lifted visiting Northern Illinois to a 27-24 victory over Boston College in the season opener for both teams Saturday.

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Liam Connor’s 39-yard field goal put Boston College ahead after the first series of the extra session, but Lombardi led the winning four-play drive to give the Huskies (1-0) their second Week 1 win over an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent in three years. Northern Illinois defeated Georgia Tech in 2021

Lombardi ended the game 13-of-29 passing for 165 yards.

Antario Brown accounted for the first two Northern Illinois touchdowns, catching one and throwing for the other as the Huskies led 14-0 with 10:33 remaining in the third quarter.

Quarterback Thomas Castellanos led a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives to help Boston College (0-1) overcome a 21-7 deficit and force overtime. Castellanos hit J Williams on a 30-yard scoring pass with 1:44 remaining in the game to forge a 21-21 tie.

The UCF transfer was 12 of 28 for 138 yards and rushed for 67 yards on nine carries, taking over for Emmett Morehead for the majority of the game after the first quarter.

After JaVaughn Byrd intercepted Castellanos’ final pass of the third quarter, Brock Lampe broke through for a 1-yard touchdown with 9:24 remaining in regulation to put NIU up 21-7. The 12-play drive, aided by a pass interference call on a fourth-down attempt, took 7:04 off the clock.

A 2-yard Castellanos run with 5:59 left brought BC back within 21-14 before Williams’ TD capped a 6-play, 83-yard drive in only 1:39.

Ten penalties for 95 yards hurt BC in its second straight season-opening loss.

NIU scored the game’s first points with 2:44 left before halftime. Justin Lynch’s 7-yard screen pass to Brown got the Huskies in the end zone to cap an 8-play, 60-yard drive that also included Chris Carter catching a 32-yard pass over the middle from Lombardi.

The visitors doubled their lead at the end of a 10-play drive in the first 4:27 of the third quarter. Brown’s 2-yard run to the right resulted in the touchdown.

A big defensive play helped set the Eagles up to make it 14-7 with 4:58 left in the third. Khris Banks recovered a Lombardi fumble, leading to a five-play series that ended with Castellanos and Bond connecting on an 11-yard pass.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Dec. 11th

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While We’re Young Ideas with the 2022 End of Year “Diggies”

 

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The global pandemic killed 6,649,490 million people and counting. It stopped every sport in nearly every nation. Temporarily it put “Digital Sports Desk” and 147 million either unemployed or out of business, and it ruined great traditions that we celebrate together. Sadly, there will be those 6.649m empty chairs at the Christmas dinner table this year, but thankfully, many of us are settling back to our lives as we knew them in 2018-19.

With that in mind, our popular Digital Sports Desk “DIGGIES” are back and this column will introduce the first of the 2022-23 editions, celebrating what we’ll call the Gems of the sporting calendar. After the first two, the DIGGIES are listed in no particular order. Please note, two of the great 2022-23 DIGGIES occurred this weekend and there’s a bit of a Boston-focus on this year’s winners.

  • No. 1: The Boston College vs Boston University hockey rivalry: As retired BC ice hockey coach said in his “Jerry York Night” speech on Friday, “the BC vs BU rivalry is the best in college hockey. They call it the “Battle of Comm Ave” in Boston and this past Friday night’s 9-6 Boston College Eagles victory took the match-up to new heights. BC’s Freshman forward Cutter Gauthier scored two goals and added two assists in the 288th edition of the rivalry. … The Eagles made their legendary coach proud as he was honored between periods and gifted with two First Class airline tickets and an all-expenses paid vacation trip to the Hawaiian Island of his choice. The potty-mouth BC fans made York cringe as the packed house, and the Conte-Crazy student sections were acting like they’d never been there before. The rivalry deserves some R.E.S.P.E.C.T. The players displayed it with a center-ice handshake line after the brutal battle of BU’s size and strength vs BC’s scoring, speed and agility. It’s a good thing the BC student sections couldn’t skate. 
  • No. 1-A: The annual ARMY vs NAVY game – usually played in Philadelphia – is a bucket list event for every sports fan in America. The patriotic pageantry is on display all day long, starting with a Noon (ET) “March On” ceremony that stops every fan in their tracks, but the stark reality while watching the cadets and midshipmen assemble is that some of the talented football players for both ARMY and NAVY might be laying their lives on the line for their fellow Americans someday all too soon. It is the best college football and it ranks on top of the list of DIGGIES Sports Gems. Please note: Boston fans are on call as the ARMY vs NAVY game will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro on December 9, 2023, the first time the event will be staged in New England. If it weren’t for the need of the extra 20-25,000 seats, the game could’ve been scheduled for Fenway Park.
  • The 2022 ARMY vs NAVY was a classic, a 20-17 double-overtime win for ARMY. Every play mattered. It was and always is stunning!
  • The Army alma mater: “And when our work is done // Our course on earth is run // May it be said, “Well done” // Be thou at peace.// E’er may that line of gray // Increase from day to day // Live, serve, and die, we pray // West Point, for thee.” (It was sung second this year as it has been in five of the last seven years).
  • Continuing in NCAA College Football, the gems are polished every year when the following institutions play each other, usually alternating home field advantage:
    • Harvard vs. Yale – also known as “The Game.”
    • Ohio State vs Michigan
    • Alabama vs Auburn – The “Iron Bowl.”
    • There are plenty of other great college football rivalries, like Notre Dame vs USC or Oklahoma vs Texas, which dates back to 1900. They all receive honorable mentions for a 2022 DIGGIES award.
  • The Travelers at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, near Hartford, Connecticut. Surely, The Masters and The Players, Pebble Beach and all of the Majors deserve mention, but The Travelers is the hidden gem hiding in plain sight each June. The event falls a week after The U.S. Open, so you might expect a light field, but The Travelers draws all the top-ranked players, largely because of a great golf course, vibrant crowds of spectators and the volunteers who represent The Travelers insurance company and the local Greater Hartford community.
  • The Breeders’ Cup thoroughbred horse races best the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness and The Belmont Stakes. “Seven World Series games in one day,” says sports pundit and enthusiast Chris Brienza who loves to attend the event, no matter where it’s staged. In 2022, it was at Keeneland (Kentucky). As of December 11, 2022, we’ll need to wait 326 days until the Breeders’ Cup runs at Santa Anita in Arcadia, California.
  • The Boston Marathon – Best day of the year in Boston and surrounding suburbs where the Carnegie Hall of road races is held each April. The race also coincides with the traditional 11am Patriots’ Day start for the Boston Red Sox.
  • BIG EAST Friday and Final Four Saturday ranks as the best two dates in NCAA College Basketball. The 30-minutes before the tip of the semifinals of March Madness just might be the best half-hour in sports.
  • Of course, The Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Series and Stanley Cup Final all rank high in must see events, but the rivalries in the major North American sports have waned. For the DIGGIES, it must be a hidden Gem, so all the majpr sports events are assigned Honorable Mention for this year’s list.
  • In Europe, the super rivalries of Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona, known to all as “El Clasico” futbol is the best of the best. That said, you might want to pack your riot helmet for the Panathinaikos vs Olympiakos games in both soccer and basketball in the Greek League deserve honorable mention. “El Clasico” wins the DIGGIE.
  • Lastly, the college basketball rivalry of Duke vs North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference gets a DIGGIE as the best school vs school rivalry in North American sports. Circle Saturday, February 4th at Duke (Durham, NC) and Saturday, March 4 at Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC) for the 2023 renditions, with only a slight chance they’ll meet again in the ACC Tournament or during March Madness.

WELCOME HOME BRITTANY: How is it possible that a decorated U.S. Olympian, NCAA and WNBA champion’s return to the United States after an unfair, wrongful and excessive detainment in Russia can become a political volleyball? Yet, that’s what’s happened since Brittany Griner was released from a Russian prison. On December 8, in a now highly controversial prisoner swap authorized by the US State Department and the President of the United States, political chess players upped the ante of debate, doing exactly what the Kremlin planned, further dividing the USA voting public.

Here’s some background to consider as you contemplate your own opinion of the story that is quite terrible all-around. For some, you might’ve seen this post on Facebook. If not, please read on:

We must applaud the sentiment of the family of Paul Whelan as they commented this week on the useless and somewhat preposterous – call it – “either/or” commentary on the release of Griner, as though USA diplomats had a choice of whether to trade a known Russian arms dealer for Door No.1 or Door No. 2.

It was NOT a choice of one or the other but is being depicted as such, by those as important in US government as presumed 2023 Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy.

Here are the players:

1). Brittany Griner: A two time Olympic gold medalist (4 time gold medalist, if you count World Cup), 3-time Big 12 Player of the Year, 2012 NCAA Champion for Baylor, and 2014 WNBA Champion.

OR

2). Paul Whelan, a Canadian-born citizen who also has citizenship in the UK, Ireland and the USA where he served the USA as a Marine Corps Reserve (1994-2002) and Marine Reserve SGT, (2003-08) until he was discharged after court martial in January 2008 on larceny charges, making false statements, illegal use of another’s social security number and given a bad conduct demerit upon his discharge. … BTW: Regardless of the charges, his service remains admirable.

Let’s underline the point, the USA was not given a choose one or “the other” scenario. Our Diplomats and National Security Council have been negotiating on Whelen’s behalf since he was detained in Russia back in December of 2018. Then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: “We’ve made clear to the Russians our expectation that we will learn more about the charges, come to understand what it is he’s been accused of and if the detention is not appropriate, we will demand his immediate return.” On January 4, 2019, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “We don’t agree with individuals being used in diplomatic chess games… We are all extremely worried about him and his family.”

In 2019, Konstantin Yaroshenko – who was accused by the USA as a drug-smuggling pilot and jailed – was released to Russia in return for American Trevor Reed, also a Marine who was arrested for getting in a fight with Russian police/military authorities.

The complexity of the situation made me curious about all of the details, so it time to delve into the story after Whelan’s brother, David, said in his family statement: “There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed and for them to go home. The Biden administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn’t going to happen.”

Paul Whelan’s sister, Elizabeth, during her appearance on a live interview broadcast Dec. 9 on CBS News from Martha’s Vineyard, explained a lot in her interview transcribed here after the first question probed at the general public commentary, social media postings and mounting controversy surrounding Griner release but Whelan still detained. … “They infuriate me, said Elizabeth. To begin, where have all those people been for the last four years since my brother has been held? Where were their good ideas. I hope they’re sharing them with the National Security Council.

“The way I look at it, once a hostile foreign nation has taken an American citizen as prisoner, we need to do what ever it takes to get them back. Then, we need to use punishments and deterrents to stop it from ever happening again. I welcome anyone to share their ideas. They can send them to me. I’ll pass them on,” she added.

“I can’t tell my brother (Paul) everything that is going on. I can’t tell anyone everything that is going on. This is difficult. It’s not an easy thing to solve. We have a country – Russia – who is trying – purposefully – to cause trouble over here. They weren’t going to send both Paul and Brittany home at the same time and give our President “the win.” We need to figure out a way around that. I don’t know what the solution is.

“The charges against him (her brother) are as ridiculous as it comes. This is a story they (Russian govt) have concocted. They planted the USB drive on Paul and then arrested him five minutes later to gain leverage over the US. They treat Paul’s case differently from that of (former Marine and released detainee) Trevor Reed or Brittany.

“The foreign governments that are taking Americans like this, is that they are not taking them for being the specific persons. They’re taking them because they want to get back in some way at the United States. I do have hope (in US government). The folks that were first working to get Trevor and Paul back, and trying to get Brittany and Paul back, they are going to all lengths to make that happen.

“Any wrongfully detained American that comes back is a win for America.

(On Griner family stating Dec 8th that they would become very involved in Whelan family efforts)

“When I saw Cherrelle (Brittany’s wife) say that their family was going to fight for Paul, and keep the attention on his case, that was the first “emotional crack’ (in Elizabeth’s public posture) to see their support.”

The moral of this post: Read up before tossing shade.

TID-BITS: Rest-in-Peace Grant Wahl, 48, former Sports Illustrated reporter who died suddenly while covering the World Cup. … Busy night for the NHL Deans of Discipline as Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak was suspended for three games, without pay, for an illegal check to the head of Washington Capitals defenseman Alexander Alexeyev during a game at Washington, D.C., on Friday, Dec. 9. … And, Buffalo Sabres forward Jeff Skinner was suspended for three games, without pay, for cross-checking Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel during their game at Buffalo on Friday, too, … The WSJ is reporting that Venture Capitalists are seeking ownership in the Phoenix Suns, with a $3 billion price tag being floated via financing from Pay Pal founder and tech giant Peter Theil who was the first outside investor in FaceBook. … In FIBA – not FIFA – news: No.1 ranked Strahinja Stojacic was crowned MVP of the FIBA 3×3 World Tour 2022 regular season by a panel of fans and players. The Ub Huishan NE star has had a golden season and led the No.1 ranked team to four straight Masters titles, when he won three of the four tournament MVPs. Stojacic aka ‘Doctor Strange’ dominated the players’ vote with a whopping 32.7% to finish clear of his brother Stefan, who finished second with 15.4%. Next best were Riga superstars Karlis Lasmanis and Nauris Miezis at 11.5% and Antwerp’s Thibaut Vervoort with 9.6%. … The Baseball Winter Meetings ended with a flurry of free agent signings, including former Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts signing with the San Diego Padres. … We’ll take a look at the old Hot Stove happenings next week.

TD Boston Garden (Photo by T. Peter Lyons)

NHL POWER RANKINGS: As promised from last week’s column, here’s the WWYI Power Rankings for the National Hockey League, as of December 10:

  1. Boston Bruins – 14-0-1 at the TD Garden
  2. New Jersey Devils – Tied with Boston with 43 points.
  3. Las VegasGolden Knights – 20 of 29 in the win column = 41 points
  4. Toronto Maple Leafs – 8-0-2 in their last 10 games
  5. Tampa Bay Lightning – 35 points, and always dangerous as reigning champs
  6. Winnipeg Jets – 8-2-0 over last 10 games, 10-3 at home
  7. Dallas Stars – NHL-Leading 105 goals for, but in second place in West-Central
  8. Log-Jam in the East-Metropolitan – Carolina, Pittsburgh, NYI and NYR

There’s a long, long way to go.

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: Everyone’s favorite part of this column takes a somber turn as this song is posted in memory of Grant Wahl. It is performed by my NYC music bud Rich Pagano with ultra-music-hoops bud Jeff Kazee on the keys and the talented John Conte on bass. They make up “Early Elton” in between gigs, with Kazee usually backing Southside Johnny and the Jukes.

Kazee will be performing a Christmas-themed SOLD OUT solo act this Wednesday, in New York at the Rockwood Music Hall. It will resemble the Living Room Lounge shows which guided so many of us through the global pandemic when it seemed it would never, ever end.

Last year, his set list included:

THE HOLIDAY SHOW

Christmas Time is Here

The Christmas Song

Go Tell It On The Mountain

Blue Christmas

White Christmas

Feeling Great (Kazee)

Everyday Is Like A Holiday (Jeff & Sophia)

Merry Christmas, Baby/Bells Will Be Ringing

Chinese Food For Christmas

A Cradle in Bethlehem

We Three Kings of Orient Are

Nut Rocker

Grownup Christmas List (Sophia Kazee)

This Christmas

O Holy Night

Run, Run, Rudolph

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | October 9

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While We’re Young (Ideas) – Clemson, Boston College and the Underrated in Sports

By TERRY LYONS

CHESTNUT HILL – When we last left you, it was in memory of the late Boston College student-athlete Welles Crowther, aka the “Man in the Red Bandana.” The spirit and anticipation leading up to the game here Saturday night was tangible. As gobs of BC students filed into Alumni Stadium to lead 42,138-strong, the excitement of a big, nationally televised Atlantic Coast Conference game, they had hopes of repeating one of the great upset wins in a decade and a half of BC football, a 37-31 win over No. 9-ranked USC back in 2014.

That very first “Red Bandana Game” was the last time a Boston College football team defeated a Top 10 ranked team. This week, the No. 5 Clemson Tigers made sure that the September 2014 upset remained as BC’s badge with a decisive 31-3 dismantling of the Eagles.

The description of the game can be likened to a high level heavyweight prize fight, one opponent highly skilled and well taught in the art of boxing while the other a dangerous challenger fighting with emotion in his hometown.

Last night, the scorecard read 10-3 at the half, as BC’s defensive unit played outstanding football to match the bigger, better, battle-tested Tigers. The energy of the first half gradually dissipated as Clemson wore-down Boston’s defense as though a disciplined boxer was jabbing, jabbing, jabbing the Eagles into a a haze of pain and fatigue.

Tigers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei threw three second-half touchdown passes while BC was unable to establish any kind of running game to base their control, deliberate offense. Without running backs Alex Broome, Cam Barfield, and Alec Sinkfield, Boston (2-4, 1-3 in ACC) could only muster 34 rushing yards on 30 attempts.

BC’s primary threat, wide receiver Zay Flowers caught eight catches for 75 yards against a suspect Clemson secondary.

Boston College has a bye week upcoming before traveling to Wake Forest in two weeks.Clemson (6-0, 4-0 in ACC) will play at Florida State this coming Saturday.

 

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: A popular and regular function of While We’re Young(Ideas) has been passing along the estimated valuations of pro sports franchises as tallied by our friends at Sportico.

This week, take a look at the Top 10 of Sportico’s Major League Soccer franchise valuations:

  1. Los Angeles FC, $900m
  2. LA Galaxy, $865m
  3. Atlanta United, $855m
  4. Seattle Sounders FC, $725m
  5. Toronto FC, $705m (US)
  6. DC United, $700m
  7. New York FC, $690m
  8. Portland Timbers, $685m
  9. Austin FC, $630m
  10. InterMiami, $585

The value of the Portland Timbers should remain solid despite the NWSL scandal that involved front office staff who ran both the Timbers and the women’s Thorns.

Keep in mind, the then-expansion New York FC came with a franchise fee of a “record” $100 million back in 2015. Similar, but not quite as miraculous rise in value, the MLS is beginning to mirror the NBA in quick, soaring increase in franchise valuation.

The 1988-89 NBA expansion (Charlotte, Miami, Minnesota and Orlando) brought with it a bargain $32.5m fee for each of the four teams. The NBA’s most recent expansion saw the Toronto Raptors and then-Vancouver Grizzlies pay $125m each. Today, the Phoenix Suns are on the market as disgraced team governor and managing partner Robert Sarver looks to move his club for an NBA record rate. That means the Suns would have to sell for north of the $2.35b that team governor Joseph Tsai paid for the Brooklyn Nets (2019), or restauranteur Tilman Fertitta dropped $2.2b for the Houston Rockets (2017). Those sales followed the $2b franchise game-changer when SteveBallmer bought the LA Clippers in 2014.

Sarver bought the Suns for a then-record $401m in 2004 from a multi-owner group headed by Jerry Colangelo and can now seek some $2.4-$2.5b for the Suns and WNBA Mercury.

DIAMOND DUST-UPs: Heading onto postseason, I must say I liked the chances of the Toronto Blue Jays, swept out by the Seattle Mariners yesterday in the biggest comeback in MLB Wild Card history. It was also the biggest road comeback win in playoff history and baseball’s largest rally to clinch a postseason series. The Mariners were down, 8-1, in the 5th Inning. Overall, you’ve got to believe this year’s MLB playoff format favors the four teams with Wild Card round byes, as they had a brief few days to align their starting pitching while resting pitchers, catchers, bullpen and all. They are: (AL: Houston and New York; NL: Atlanta and the Los Angeles Dodgers).

PREDICTIONS: While trekking to New York, Sirius-XM and Chris “Mad Dog” Russowas interviewing Boston Red Sox team manager Alex Cora who was quite frank with his thoughts while others might be leery of burning bridges with his baseball industry friends.

Cora, too, liked the way the Toronto Blue Jays were playing down the stretch of the last month of the MLB season, but he warned how dangerous the Cleveland Guardians might be in the wild car and ALDS. In the NL, he liked the Atlanta Braves the most.

Cora didn’t go on an “all-out” predict-fest, but he did indicate there would be no surprise in his mind if Atlanta and Cleveland met to determine the 2022 World Series champion.

NOTES: Congratulations to former BIG EAST conference administrator Tom Odjakjian on his choice to retire from the AAC Conference. Odjakjian served sports fans quite well with a stint at ESPN and then the work at the two college conferences, especially during the difficult time when the BIG EAST and American split, with the BIG EAST going basketball only while the AAC went knee deep in college football. … Meanwhile, a fellow ESPN colleague of Odjakjian in Rob Simmelkjaer was named by the New York Road Runners, the organizer of the TCS New York City Marathon, to its top post as CEO. He’ll assume the new role on November 15, 2022.

TID-BITS: The reigning Premier League champions Manchester City went to the top of the ladder after beating Southampton 4-0 at The Etihad Stadium as 22-year-old Erling Haaland is taking the Premier League by storm and tearing-up the history books as he goes. The Norwegian striker has now netted 15 goals (in nine games) in the Premier League and 20 goals overall on the season in all competitions.

Haaland became the first player to score a hat-trick in three consecutive home games in the Premier League – against Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United – although that run is over with his single against Southampton. Earlier in the season, he became the first player to score in his first four away games in the Premier League.

In other news, the United States women’s national team lost to England, 2-1, in a friendly played before 76,891 at Wembley. The USAWNT is playing in Europe last week and this while reports of abuse and misconduct in the women’s national program and the US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) surfaced in the Sally Yates report, an independent investigation published this week. The USAWNT goes on to Spain for a game this Tuesday.

UNDERRATED in SPORTS: Not seeking to create a comprehensive listing here, but the start of the MLB Postseason brought thoughts of some underrated stars in Baseball, even though they might be All-Stars. For instance, Cleveland Guardiansthird baseman José Ramírez might be considered underrated, as his teammate Oscar Gonzalez. … Gorgeous New England football Saturdays and Sundays are underrated. New York Strip steaks are underrated. Penne Ala Vodka and Spaghetti alla Puttanesca are vastly underrated. Puttanesca, by the way, is loosely translated to throwing everything in the cupboard into cook; or a while bunch of sh*t into the pot. … Good tires on your car are underrated. As a parent of little ones of (1997 and 1999) who each grew to be incredible young women, the Diaper Genie is vastly underrated. … Dogs are underrated, while cats are overrated. You get it, right?

Here are a few pro players that might be considered underrated. They are listed in no particular order: Michael Cooper (LAL), Lance Alworth (then SD Chargers), former NYY Bernie Williams, soccer phenom Erling Haaland is underrated, but not for long. … the late Jerry Sloan was an underrated NBA defensive star, although the Chicago Bulls were smart enough to retire his No. 4 in the old Chicago Stadium. … Brooks Robinson, the human vacuum of the glory years for the Baltimore Orioles was underrated. … I always thought NBA legend James Worthy of the LA Lakers was underrated, although he warranted the nickname “Big Game” James which indicated his performances were well noticed. … Steve Smith, NBA vet and Olympic gold medalist was underrated, even if you just count the way he set picks. Yogi Berra was underrated and he’s a Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Famer …. The late Mike Bossy was underrated.

Pitcher Virgil 🔥 Trucks, great grand uncle of famed guitarist Derek Trucks was underrated. For that matter, Derek is underrated as is his guitar-playing vocalist wife Susan. They keep on getting better. Google it. … Keith “Jamaal” Wilkes was underrated and you can just think of his 37 points, 10 rebound performance in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals as an example. Wilkes’ great game was over shadowed by Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s MVP performances in the series, including the fact he jumped and played center in a game Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was unable to play. … Red Sox right fielder Dwight “Dewey” Evans is still underrated.

UNDER-RATED ROCK BANDS and MUSICIANS:

(Listed in no particular order)

  1. The Guess Who
  2. Faces
  3. Rockpile, headed by Nick Lowe and Dave Edmonds
  4. Dire Straits, headed by the great Mark Knopfler
  5. Little Feat
  6. Warren Zevon
  7. Delaney and Bonnie & Friends
  8. Leon Russell
  9. Dave Mason
  10. Paul Butterfield Blues Band, for the Chicago Blues fans out there
  11. Yardbirds
  12. The Animals, highlighted by the incredible soulful voice of Eric Burdon and theincredible keyboard play of Alan Price.
  13. Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
  14. Savoy Brown Band
  15. The Kinks
  16. Eric B. & Rakim
  17. Schoolly D
  18. Ten Years After
  19. Traffic
  20. The Eurythmics
  21. Link Wray and the Wraymen
  22. Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac

To finish this week’s Part Deux Sunday Sports Notes off with a performance you might not have seen, nor rememebered.

Clemson Rocks BC, 31-3

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff Report with Official News Release) – The Boston College Eagles fell, 31-3, on Saturday night at home against No. 5 ranked Clemson in the annual Red Bandanna Game, a tribute to 9/11 victim Welles Crowher, a BC lacrosse player.

Embed from Getty Images

Phil Jurkovec finished the game completing 19-of-40 passes for 188 yards. He completed passes to seven different receivers, led by Zay Flowers’ eight catches for 75 yards. Jaelen Gill and Pat Garwo each logged three catches on the night.

Clemson got the scoring going at the 11:28 mark of the opening quarter with a 35-yard field goal. The Eagles had a chance for the equalizer a little over six minutes later, but the 35-yarder by Connor Lytton sailed wide left.

Lytton began the second quarter with a 30-yarder between the uprights, tying it at 3-3. Clemson’s Will Shipley scored the game’s first touchdown, finding the end zone from a yard out with 45 seconds remaining in the first half, making it 10-3 at the break. Clemson extended its lead to 17-3 with 11:50 left in the third quarter and tacked on two more TD’s in the fourth quarter.

Kam Arnold led BC with eight tackles (six solo), including a sack. Jason Maitre made five tackles – four solo and two for a loss, including a sack. The loss dropped the Eagles to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. Clemson improves to 6-0 and 4-0 in ACC play.

After a bye week, Boston College returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 22 at Wake Forest at 3:30pm (ET) on the ACC Network.