Monday, July 14, 2008

Headlines: Two Differing Season Previews and Ranking ACC Stadiums

Brian: Jeff, predictably J.P. Giglio of the News & Observer's ACC NOW blog predicts that BC will finish last in the Atlantic Division behind the local NC State Wolfpack.

"Even a fired-up Eagles team will be hard-pressed to win six games and get to a bowl to continue their impressive streak."

Your thoughts?

Jeff: Did our schedule change and I wasn't informed? How does BC not get to 6 wins this year?? Notre Dame still sucks and they are coming to the Heights this year. Our other out-of-conference games I think are definitely Ws. Then when we get to conference play we have Georgia Tech and Maryland at home and North Carolina and North Carolina State on the road. How do the Eagles not get to at least 6 wins???

Brian: I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the News & Observer newspaper is based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. Here is a more favorable outlook on the season from the NY Times blog The Quad. NY Times has us coming in at #46 and say that 8-4 (5-3 ACC) is a more realistic prediction on the season. Worst case scenario is 6-6 (3-5 ACC).

Jeff: This is a more realistic outlook. Let's talk about 8 wins for now and if Boston College can start off the season with 2 impressive wins we'll think about more optimistic possibilities after that.


Jeff: In this ranking of ACC stadiums and game-day atmospheres BC only beat out Duke, Miami and Wake Forest. Pretty pathetic, huh? But probably accurate. The only stadium I'd put us ahead of is maybe North Carolina’s Kenan Stadium.

Brian: No argument here with the stadiums listed below BC’s Alumni Stadium (although admittedly I haven’t attended games at those three stadiums). Of the stadiums ranked higher than Alumni, of the ones I have attended – Clemson, Virginia Tech and Maryland – I only disagree with ranking Maryland’s Byrd Stadium higher than Alumni. Putting aside the outcome of the game (last year’s 42-35 loss to the Terps), the description of the Terrapin’s stadium is spot on. They place visiting fans in the top corner of the triple deck side of the stadium, providing new meaning to the term “nose bleed.” In fact, off in the distance you could see the dome of the US Capitol building. You are that high up. Contrast that with Clemson’s Memorial Stadium, where the visitors are seated practically on field level. This fall we’ll see if North Carolina State's Carter-Finlay Stadium is that much better of an experience than that of Alumni’s.

1 comment:

Adam said...

NC State isn't too bad - they give you a corner in the lower bowl. UNC they give you the side seats above the endzone.

Wake was kind of sad since it wasn't bowled at all when I last went so the sound completely escaped.