Bye Bye Birdie
So much for that “live life for the important” stuff I preached yesterday. Today I am crying. Its official, Tom O’Brien is out, headed off to ACC rival NC State. As fans rejoice here on the Heights, I will NOT be included among them. Tom O’Brien was one of the best coaches BC has ever seen. 6 seasons of at least 8 wins. The nation’s longest bowl winning streak at 6. A chance for a 10 win season this year.
But he never really got the respect he deserved. In 04 a late season loss kept them out of the Orange Bowl, last year UNC, and this year a loss at Wake Forest. People said he couldn’t win the big one, but what about all the games he did win? This year they were 6-2 against bowl bound teams, and beat two conference champions and two 10 win teams. I can’t say enough about how much he has meant to this program, especially one that doesn’t reload with talent every year, doesn’t red shirt often, and graduates 96% of its players. Just a class guy, will truly be missed.
It thought BC was his last stop. I discussed this with my dad during the Thanksgiving break. We agreed that TOB would likely stay here and likely retire in a few years. Maybe that was naïve, or too hopeful, because we agreed that Tom was a godsend to this program.
Who knows what direction the program takes from here. If they make a move internally, offensive coordinator Dana Bible is the likely replacement. Next year was supposed to be their year, with Matt Ryan and many of the players returning, but I don’t see this team making it that far with a coach who couldn’t put together any semblance of an offensive line against Miami. The one gamer on the O-line, Josh Beekman, is graduating and off to the NFL, so who knows what kind of pressure Ryan will deal with in 07.
Best of luck in the future TOB, we wish you had stayed. The only problem I have is that he is going to a program which is been maligned by mediocrity as much as BC, even when they had golden arm Phillip Rivers.
The figures of the deal haven’t been reported yet, and its probably all about the money. Ehh, if it makes him happy, as Jimmy V would say.
Dave
posted by WaveNation @ 9:54 PM
2 Comments:
This is so depressing. I am 21 and have been going to Boston College games since I was in second grade. I was there when Coughlin and Foley were, I sat through the Henning years, and I grew up with Tom O'Brien. He is the greatest coach to ever coach on the heights and BC letting him go is a travesty. Your telling me that Boston College, with one of the largest endowments in teh country, couldnt produce a few hundred thousand dollars more a year. Im more sad than angry because I like Tom O'Brien and like the direction the program was heading. I just hope that they hire within the program, either Jerry Peterkuskie or Frank Spaziani who have both been with O'Brien for many years would both be excellent choices. Both are much more animated and lively than O'Brien and could be a nice change of pace while also keeping the head coach in the family.
The one positive, hopefully he takes Dana Bible with him so we can escape the miserable play calling that has been associated with Boston College over the past few years.
This is truely a sad day in Boston College Football history.
This has nothing to do with your post but I'd just like to say happy birthday to the basketball jesus larry bird. Larry Legend turns 50 today ... he left us with so many great memories its tough to say what my favorite was but in watching the suns nets game today my roomates and i started talking about quadruple doubles and i remembered how larry legend had 30 pts, 12 boards, 10 assists, and 9 steals through 3 quarters against the jazz, and then chose to sit out the 4th quarter because the C's were winning by so much. How many superstars would do that today? Thanks for all the memories Larry ...
-DD
Post a Comment
<< Home