Today is one of the best days all summer as the 2012-2013 Men's Hockey schedule was finally released. If that isn't enough to get you all jazzed up about the season, I'm giving you another reason in my top 5 list why you should all be more than excited for this season.
Reason #5
Reason #4 - BC Sucks
Oh you know, just the most obvious blog post of all time.
For real, BC had its year. It did its thing and won a championships (cool story, bro) but we still beat them at home...twice, against what the nation believed was the best college hockey goaltender...twice.
BC may have current bragging rights on us, but honestly what's better than that? What's better than a rivalry when one team has something to prove more than it usually does? The rivalry is going to be better than ever this year, especially now that the Natty Championships are equal in number.
But in all actuality, aside from that fact that they are Newton fricken University, here's a list of why BC sucks.
- Their fans suck. Evidence of course is present from the dates of 11/13/11 and 12/2/11. Possible reasons for that are, 1) football takes priority, 2) no one can find the rink in Boston, 3) the students picked the wrong school and are completely embarrassed by that fact and thus never attend games unless it's in a piss colored teeshirt and not a jersey because why would they spend good money supporting a school like that.
- No Dumoulin, no Kreider, no Cross. But don't worry, they still have Lil Milzy who will probably get off to a crap ass start again, so bad that BC has to touch upon all of its goaltenders, but will be consistent at the end of the season and thusly all of college hockey will praise him like the second coming of baby Jesus (well, the Catholic schools anyways). The fans (and by fans I mean us) will enjoy this season with Steven Whitney at the helm, the Eagle version of Ryan Kesler/Sidney Crosby/PK Subban. That way when we go visit Conte we can watch two sports for the price of one.
- Jerry York is a horse's ass...Jerry York drinks decaf...Jerry York is too concerned with team mass to coach...all other Jerry York jokes are true and applicable.
- Their band sucks. Unless you think playing Every Time We Touch over and over and over again is 1) pleasant to listen to, 2) appropriate college hockey music, 3) appropriate music at your institution.
- Their T storms suck. I'm sorry, when's the last time you ACTUALLY stopped BU fans from getting to the Beanpot? Stop trying to sell that to everyone. Also, when's the last time the MBTA sent an empty train to wait at the end of the B line so it could pick up all your fans from a ridiculous away game? But you know if getting to the game...5 and a half minutes before it starts is your thing, by all means go right ahead. I'm sure Friar fans could give you some tips.
- Just for reiteration: you are neither in Boston nor a college.
In a completely non-biased way though, there is no reason for BU not to continue to dominate BC this year. As we've proved, we can beat Parker Milner. The only game BU lost to BC when he was playing was the Beanpot and that was only by one goal in the last seconds of an overtime period. Secondly, there isn't a single guy on this team that has won a Beanpot...if that isn't motivation enough than nothing is. Thirdly, let us reminisce on the away games last year, the games that the team couldn't stop talking about. The BC games were where the BU fans finally took over and made Conte our house. That is going to happen this year...and it'll be even better. Sorry to rattle your concentration BC. If you want some classy pointers on how to treat away fans, please talk to Northeastern.
Dear BC,
Hope you had a nice time last year. Please enjoy that National Championship. But more importantly, enjoy your hangover this year. Can't beat a team full of mad dogs who have nothing more to do than prove to the world once again why BU hockey IS college hockey.
Love,
Terrier Nation
88 days.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
One BU
I don't care what the rule books say. I don't care if BU knew about the rules. I don't care what conference BU is competing in - today, tomorrow, or next year.
I care that there are 19 teams worth of student-athletes, full of the kids I go to class with, that have to have their season taken away from them.
As everyone knows, America East has voted to ban Boston University from participating in conference championships for the upcoming season because of their decision to jump to the Patriot League starting in 2013. As many have stated, the bylaws were put in place after Northeastern left that any team leaving the America East conference would be banned from conference post season play. And as everyone has already spat out time and time again, Boston University administrators were aware of this before making their decision.
First things first - what? How is taking away the chance to compete in conference championships, of which winning is effectively the only way BU teams could get an NCAA bid, a viable punishment for such a choice? It was an administrative decision, just like it would be for any other team, and now the kids that are the ones putting it all out there day in and day out are the ones being punished.
Secondly - why does this protect other teams still competing in the conference? I get what America East is trying to do, trying to keep its conference as competitive as possible (which will definitely get less competitive with the absence of BU), but from the student-athlete perspective it's just stupid. If any of the other student-athletes at the remaining America East schools find themselves ecstatic that they have a better chance at the NCAA tournament with BU gone, then they need to re-evaluate why they started their sport in the first place. For the rest of the student-athletes, they know that winning this year is just not going to be as sweet, not without going through BU the entire playoffs and proving that they do in fact deserve it.
But the biggest kicker is for our student-athletes.
There is nothing I enjoy more than going to a BU athletics event and I can name a lot of other people that feel the same way. A lot of other people that aren't part of an official student group on campus, but a rather exist in a mesh of SMG seniors, CGS freshmen, COM males, ENG females and everyone else that identify themselves as The Dog Pound.
But with no conference championships to win, an NCAA bid far off, and a conference that no one wants to call home, why should we really care about this season?
We should care for them. This season is all about pride, respect, and camaraderie.
Those athletes still have Boston across their chest and no matter where they're playing or what they're playing for, they aren't going to forget that. Boston University is Boston's school and the athletes have every reason to keep fighting for that. The fans have every reason to continue to show up to games, matches, and meets clad in their finest Scarlet and White to show support for the group of people that play for us, for our school. Just because they can't hoist up an America East trophy at the end of the season doesn't mean we can't hoist up the BU flag at every single game.
For some, this is the last time they will ever wear their jersey. It'll be the last time they step onto the field, dive into the water, run onto the court. And for everyone else, it's a year that they lose out on a very short four year run for a championship. These are the same people that we go to class with every morning, see in the GSU every afternoon, and will continue to cheer on every night. They are just normal people who take life a step farther and put every last physical and emotional part of themselves on the line just so fans like us can tell everyone that "we won!"
By now, everyone's seen the hashtag #OneBU. I've seen lots of athletes and coaches use it, but it's time for the rest of us to step up and fulfill the meaning of it. These athletes still have a lot to compete for, a lot to prove, and we should and need to be there every step of the way. These athletes have more heart than professionals, more drive than the average college student, and more class than any other college athletic organization in America East and beyond.
This season will undoubtedly be a special one. It's not about the banners but rather banning together for the one thing we all share - love for our school. It's not about what happens at the end of the season but in every moment of it. It's not about proving to others why BU is the best, but proving to BU why our athletes are the best. This season is not just for those on the field, but also for those in the stands watching and cheering them on. Even if those athletes don't get the opportunity to call themselves America East champs ever again, they deserve the opportunity to say they played in front of diehard fans, classmates, and friends all season long.
This season is for BU and BU only.
I care that there are 19 teams worth of student-athletes, full of the kids I go to class with, that have to have their season taken away from them.
As everyone knows, America East has voted to ban Boston University from participating in conference championships for the upcoming season because of their decision to jump to the Patriot League starting in 2013. As many have stated, the bylaws were put in place after Northeastern left that any team leaving the America East conference would be banned from conference post season play. And as everyone has already spat out time and time again, Boston University administrators were aware of this before making their decision.
First things first - what? How is taking away the chance to compete in conference championships, of which winning is effectively the only way BU teams could get an NCAA bid, a viable punishment for such a choice? It was an administrative decision, just like it would be for any other team, and now the kids that are the ones putting it all out there day in and day out are the ones being punished.
Secondly - why does this protect other teams still competing in the conference? I get what America East is trying to do, trying to keep its conference as competitive as possible (which will definitely get less competitive with the absence of BU), but from the student-athlete perspective it's just stupid. If any of the other student-athletes at the remaining America East schools find themselves ecstatic that they have a better chance at the NCAA tournament with BU gone, then they need to re-evaluate why they started their sport in the first place. For the rest of the student-athletes, they know that winning this year is just not going to be as sweet, not without going through BU the entire playoffs and proving that they do in fact deserve it.
But the biggest kicker is for our student-athletes.
There is nothing I enjoy more than going to a BU athletics event and I can name a lot of other people that feel the same way. A lot of other people that aren't part of an official student group on campus, but a rather exist in a mesh of SMG seniors, CGS freshmen, COM males, ENG females and everyone else that identify themselves as The Dog Pound.
But with no conference championships to win, an NCAA bid far off, and a conference that no one wants to call home, why should we really care about this season?
We should care for them. This season is all about pride, respect, and camaraderie.
Those athletes still have Boston across their chest and no matter where they're playing or what they're playing for, they aren't going to forget that. Boston University is Boston's school and the athletes have every reason to keep fighting for that. The fans have every reason to continue to show up to games, matches, and meets clad in their finest Scarlet and White to show support for the group of people that play for us, for our school. Just because they can't hoist up an America East trophy at the end of the season doesn't mean we can't hoist up the BU flag at every single game.
For some, this is the last time they will ever wear their jersey. It'll be the last time they step onto the field, dive into the water, run onto the court. And for everyone else, it's a year that they lose out on a very short four year run for a championship. These are the same people that we go to class with every morning, see in the GSU every afternoon, and will continue to cheer on every night. They are just normal people who take life a step farther and put every last physical and emotional part of themselves on the line just so fans like us can tell everyone that "we won!"
By now, everyone's seen the hashtag #OneBU. I've seen lots of athletes and coaches use it, but it's time for the rest of us to step up and fulfill the meaning of it. These athletes still have a lot to compete for, a lot to prove, and we should and need to be there every step of the way. These athletes have more heart than professionals, more drive than the average college student, and more class than any other college athletic organization in America East and beyond.
This season will undoubtedly be a special one. It's not about the banners but rather banning together for the one thing we all share - love for our school. It's not about what happens at the end of the season but in every moment of it. It's not about proving to others why BU is the best, but proving to BU why our athletes are the best. This season is not just for those on the field, but also for those in the stands watching and cheering them on. Even if those athletes don't get the opportunity to call themselves America East champs ever again, they deserve the opportunity to say they played in front of diehard fans, classmates, and friends all season long.
This season is for BU and BU only.
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