There is only one thing in the world that I hate more than terrorism, SUVs. Robin Williams, copy machine jams, Drew Bledsoe and Rosie O'Donnell, and that's Duke and their annoying fanbase. So this was particularly painful for me to watch. About midway through the 2nd half, I started getting flashbacks to the mother of all Boston College losses, the senior day football flattening by Syracuse in 2004 with the Fiesta Bowl on the line. This wasn't that bad, and toward the end I was thinking it was more like when West Virginia was waxing the Eagles 2 years ago in the opening round of the Big East tourney, and then BC made a gallant comeback. The late run in this one, and especially the effort involved in it, did make me feel a little better. A little. But I'm still pissed. I don't know how anyone can come out so flat at home against a marquee opponent on a national stage. And people around here wonder why BC doesn't get any respect.
The heroes (no real ones, just the kinda sorta variety):
1. Ty Rice. More evidence that he's become a big time player, I take solace in that, and at the beginning of the game it looked like he was going to run roughshod over crappy white boy Greg Paulus. Good scoring night (22 points), but he had way too many sloppy turnovers (6) for this to be an A game for him.
2. Sean Marshall. Yes, he filled it up (23 points). However, most of his points came with BC way down, he was pretty quiet when Duke was building the big (and insurrmountable) lead. On the glass he was just as bad as everyone else (2 rebounds).
The villains:
1. Jared Dudley. If you kiss him when he's good, you gotta spank him when he's bad. The guy's had a phenomenal season and a great career, but let's face it, he sucked tonight. Clearly the worst game of the year for him. He had some bad turnovers, missed the front end of two one and ones during Duke's big run, and committed some really dumb fouls. He was also MIA on offense -I know Duke had something to do with that, but c'mon, if you're gonna be ACC POY you gotta get your points no matter what they throw at you.
2. John Oates. What can I say that I haven't said already? Enought with the crazy treys. And the "ole" defense? Made me wanna throw up in my mouth watching that turnstyle usher in layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup after layup. Sit down, Oates!
3. Shamari Spears. Disappearing act on both ends of the floor, especially the glass (0 rebounds for a power forward?).
4. Marquez Haynes. I've said it before, but I am really disappointed in this kid. I thought he was going to have a breakout year, but he's looking more and more like an America East player, not an ACC guy. And when he's playing point, he is a turnover machine. Hated that foul at the end on Scheyer with the shot clock almost all the way down.
5. Al Skinner. I love Skinner, but a terrible game for him, the worst in years. I would have benched all the starters for a couple of minutes just to send a message, and I would have zoned it up a little more. And were there any halftime adjustments? The beginning of the second half was worse than the end of the first, which was atrocious. And the slow hook on Oates is inexcusable. I'm OK with starting Oates, he's been a good soldier and he's kept his nose clean (unlike some others we know), but you gotta get Blair in there a helluva lot earlier, especially when Oates' man is destroying BC for dunks and layups. I really think it might have been a different game had Blair been in there from the 12 minute mark or so of the first half. And Al has to call some timeouts. It's not his style, that's well documented, but you have to break up those 18-2 runs, even if it's just to give your guys a breather. I'm hoping this is the Al Skinner clunker of the year.
This was one of the worst efforts I have seen in a long time, terrible defense, godawful rebounding, bad decisions, mouthing off at the refs, sloppy turnovers, etc. But BC has to get their heads on straight and fast for UNC. You don't get two bites at the apple very often, but the Eagles thankfully get a second chance to redeem themselves and make a splash on national TV this weekend. They need a big game from everyone, there is absolutely no margin for error with the Tar Heels.
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John Oates has got to be the worst "D-I basketball player" I have ever seen. I don't think he even qualifies as a player. I thought Nate Doornekamp was as bad as it gets but he's Michael Jordan compared to Oates. That performance tonight was absolutely disgraceful. Everyone in the arena knew that after Oates hit his first 3, he would continue to jack them up like there was no tomorrow. And that he did, taking awful shots and not even coming close on any of them. And defense, well let's not talk about his "defense." He just stood there in the middle of the key while McRoberts took him to school. He couldn't move his feet and everyone blew right by him. And on offense, I noticed that no one on Duke covered him. They let him sit on the three point line near the sideline. They jammed down low and double teamed Dudley so he couldn't touch the ball as a result.
And by far, this was the worst coaching performance I have ever seen in my life. Al Skinner is truly the worst in-game head coach I have ever seen. He didn't make one adjustment the entire game! In the FSU game, BC was outscored 30-13 with Oates in the lineup and outscored FSU 55-37 without him in the lineup. And then he starts Oates today? Are you kidding me? As Mike Patrick said, Duke probably had more layups today then they did all year. He single-handedly cost them the game. And after the 18-5 Duke run and 12-2 runs, look who's still on the court. It's John Oates! I don't know what game he was watching but a blind mouse would have benched Oates after the first 5 minutes of the game. Guess Al didn't learn his lesson from the last Duke game when McRoberts crapped all over Oates. Once Oates was benched, BC went on a 27-9 run! Duke scored 9 points in 10 minutes and McRoberts didn't score a basket the rest of the game! Al displayed absolute pure idiocy today. His "patience" is costing BC dearly. Give a 3 year old girl the team and she could probably coach better than Al. And now watch Al trot Oates out on the court to start against UNC, and watch Tyler Hansbrough absolutely crap on him again. Watch him get 20+ minutes and watch BC lose as a result. Al is very overrated and shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as the phrase "Coach of the Year." Give BC any other coach in the ACC and I guarantee you that they win tonight by 15 points. What a joke
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