The Mt. Rushmore of Boston College Athletics

Brian: Today we unveil our BC Mt. Rushmore. But first, let’s take a look at the final standings from our reader sidebar poll:

1. Doug Flutie – 201 votes (85%)
2. Jerry York – 166 votes (70%)
3. Matt Ryan – 125 votes (52%)
4. William J. Flynn – 85 votes (36%)
5. Troy Bell – 70 votes (29%)
6. John "Snooks" Kelley – 37 votes (15%)
7. Bill Curley – 30 votes (12%)
8. Frank Leahy – 30 votes (12%)
9. Tom O’Brien – 26 votes (11%)
10. Al Skinner – 24 votes (10%)
11. Write-In Vote – 21 votes (8%)
12. Charlie O’Rourke – 13 votes (5%)
13. Art Donovan – 10 votes (4%)
14. Mike Mottau – 8 votes (3%)

Thanks to our readers for the over 200 votes we received on this poll. So the reader’s version of Mt. Rushmore ended up being Flutie, York, Ryan and Flynn.

• Doug Flutie – mmb1980 wrote "... there's no way Flutie doesn't make the cut."
• Jerry York – Christian wrote "As good as some guys like Gionta, Gerbe, and Mottau were, they were only on for a max of 4 years. York has led BC to 2 National Titles and 5 title game appearances in the past 9 years. He IS BC hockey."
• Matt Ryan – furrer4heisman wrote "I'm an outsider, but I would vote yes simply because Matt Ryan made me question my belief in God."
• William J. Flynn – Ed wrote "If the criterion is impact on Boston College athletics, Flynn is #1 and #2 is not even in the picture. The reason there are blogs about BC sports, multiple internet message boards about BC sports, and Big Least fans bitter about BC moving to the ACC, is because of Bill Flynn. If not for Bill Flynn, BC is Holy Cross."

An admirable mountain of four, but my largest gripe with this list is the inclusion of Matt Ryan. Readers were split on voting Ryan onto the mountain. In the pro-Ryan camp, mmb1980 wrote "To me, Ryan's a no-brainer. But some may argue against having two former QBs."

In the anti-Ryan camp, Lally wrote "I'd view the BC Mt. Rushmore as a testament to who built the school's sports and solidified their reputation. Therefore, while Ryan is on the short list of the 'Best Evers' when it comes to BC, I'd have to place Snooks Kelley on the mount ahead of him."

Reader Erik added to this anti-Ryan sentiment: "I would like to put up a "VOTE NO" on Matt Ryan argument. I haven't thought it all the way through, I love the guy and he was really good here, but there's gotta be 4 better in the history in the entire school. If he makes it, its only because of the additional off-field achievements related to hype, PR, draft success, etc."

It's a tough call for Ryan. I’m just not sold on the impact Ryan will have on the football program going forward ... even if ESPN's Merrill Hoge thinks Ryan will be the most dominant athlete over the next 10 years.

Jeff, you and I had some lengthy discussions about who to include on the mountain. Never did we question including Flutie or York and much of the debate revolved around the final two BC greats.

If I had to construct my own BC Mt. Rushmore, it would have been:

• Doug Flutie - again, a no-brainer
  
• William J. Flynn - saved the football program from going the way of the dinosaur and Boston University football
  
• Al Skinner - the most successful men's basketball coach in program history
  
• Jerry York - accomplishments speak for themselves
  

I was not very sold on including Al Skinner, given the relative importance of Boston College basketball over the entire life of the athletics department. I could have easily replaced Skinner with "Snooks" Kelley. Kelley not only won the National Championship in 1949, but he also coached Len Ceglarski and Jerry York, thus beginning our succession of three great, great BC ice hockey bench bosses.

I ultimately settled on Skinner over both Matt Ryan and Troy Bell. Skinner has proved that he can do it more than once without Troy Bell, recruiting Craig Smith, Jared Dudley and Tyrese Rice and sustaining great success in both the Big East and the ACC. Judging by the fan vote, Skinner would be a controversial pick given that he finished 10th in the fan voting.

Jeff: If I were posting my own BC Mt. Rushmore, it would go something like this:

• Doug Flutie – Flutie for obvious reasons. It is ridiculous that he wasn’t 100% in our poll.
• Al Skinner – Skinner for bringing BC men’s basketball to a sustained level of excellence never seen before at BC
• Jerry York – York for bringing 2 national championships to the Heights along with many Frozen Four appearances.
• The entire Hasselbeck family?? Tom O’Brien?? Probably a football player?? Spaziani??

I am not placing an athletics director on my Mt. Rushmore because an AD is rarely the face of your athletic department. Stars are the face of your AD. Coaches nowadays are stars too as they have become household names with the internet and ESPN. Hell, even assistant coaches are household names now. Coaches also last longer than 4 years.

Brian: I agree with what you said generally about ADs but I feel like Flynn is our George Washington/founding father. Without him, like Ed said, we are Holy Cross. For that, I can make an exception.

Jeff: My Mt. Rushmore is very modern perhaps because of my ignorance of not knowing the former greats at BC. But it was thought out and I think anyone's Mt. Rushmore should be frontloaded because BC is currently going through its greatest era of sports ever - only one losing season in the three major sports since 2000 and two men’s ice hockey national championships.

Brian: Since life is all about compromise, we agreed on 3 of 4, and you couldn’t make up your mind on the fourth BC great, we settled on these four BC greats to be chiseled onto the Mt. Rushmore of BC Athletics. Drumroll please.

Doug Flutie, William J. Flynn, Al Skinner, Jerry York

To a fault, perhaps we went too heavy on the coaches and administrators, but at the end of the day, student athletes only have four years max to make an impact on the university. And really, all Boston Coll. student athletes live in the shadow of Doug Flutie. Coaches and administrators have a bit of a leg up on athletes given that they can leave a more lasting mark on the school and our athletics programs.

Thanks for everyone's comments and contributions to our BC Mt. Rushmore. Also, special thanks to Christian for the Rushmore graphic. Feel free to chime in on our mountain in the comments section.

Mt. Rushmore: Write-In Vote

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

We've nearly come to the end of the road. We are set to unveil our BC Mt. Rushmore on Monday.

In the meantime, we thought we'd profile those BC sports greats who, while they didn't make the final list for our reader poll, nevertheless deserve some consideration. The list of our snubbees, in no particular order ...


Brian Gionta - I am going to guess and say that a majority of of the side bar poll votes (8%) were for Brian Gionta. Gionta was the greatest hockey player we have ever seen play for the Eagles. In our opinion, he certainly should have won at least one of the Hobey Baker Awards for which he was a finalist (his sophomore, junior and senior years). Individual awards aside, Gionta helped guide the Eagles to an unprecedented four straight Frozen Fours. Those Frozen Four appearances included two heartbreaking overtime losses to Michigan and Notre Dakota, a loss in the semifinals to Maine, and capped with a 3-2 OT victory over North Dakota for the program's second national title. And five goals in a period is about as great a performance as we have ever seen by a BC Eagle.

Mike Holovak - Holovak was a star running back for the Eagles from 1940-1942. He is regarded as one of the best running backs in Boston College history, having left school as the career leader in career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Holovak's teams went 26-5 in his three years. The Eagles finished #5 in the final AP poll of his freshman season (11-0), and #8 after his junior year (8-2). Holovak was a first round, 5th overall pick in the 1943 NFL draft. Holovak was on HD's Mt. Rushmore of Boston College football, so we've tried to tell you something about him other than text lifted directly from the BC media guide.

Len Ceglarski - Ceglarski played both varsity hockey and baseball while a student at BC. He was a member of the 1949 National Championship ice hockey team and batted .429 as the Eagles' starting second basemen. When legendary coach Snooks Kelley retired in 1972, he took over behind the Eagles bench. Over twenty seasons, Ceglarski guided the Eagles to over 400 wins including a runner-up finish in the 1978 National Championship game (a 5-3 loss to the dropkick dogs). He would retire as the NCAA Division I leader in career coaching victories with 689.

Mike Ruth - Also on HD's Mt. Rushmore, Ruth is Boston College's only Outland Trophy winner (nation's best offensive or defensive interior lineman). His senior season, he was also selected as to the AP's first team All-American and All East teams. Ruth played for the Eagles from 1982-1985. As a dominant defensive lineman, Ruth registered over 300 tackles and 29 sacks (a BC record). Along with Flutie, only 1 of 2 players to have his number - #68 - retired by the school. Helped guide the Eagles to their 1984 Cotton Bowl victory over Houston and a Tangerine and Liberty Bowl apperance.

David Emma - Emma, along with Mike Mottau, is one of the school's two Hobey Baker Award winners (1991). Emma finished his four year career as the school's leading scorer with 239 points, and is second on the all-time goals (112) and assists (127) list. Two time first team All-American selection. Emma was also awarded the 1991 Walter Brown Award (best American-born player in New England) and was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dana Barros - First BC Eagles basketball player to score over 2,000 points in his career (finished with 2,293). Barros was selected as Big East Freshman of the Year in 1985-1986. Led the Big East in scoring during both his junior (21.9 ppg) and senior years (23.9 ppg). Inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2005.

Craig Smith - Smith finished his career with 2,349 points, behind only Troy Bell. He is one of less than 100 players in NCAA Division I history to tally over 2,000 points and 1,000 boards in his career (joining Danya Abrams as the only Eagles on that list). His senior year, Smith was selected to the first-team All ACC team and the third-team All American team. Broke the team's freshman scoring record with 617 points. Played in seven NCAA Tournament games, registering 122 points, 75 boards and 53 field goals (BC records).

J. Donald Monan, S.J. - Father Monan served as the school's president for 24 years, the longest tenure of any Boston College president. Under his leadership, the school built Conte Forum, renovated Alumni Stadium, doubled the size of the 'Plex, and was a founding president of the Big East Conference. Monan was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1985, and also awarded the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame's Distinguished American Award in 1996. The Distinguished American Award to a person who over a long period of time has made significant contributions to the betterment of amateur football in America.

Gene DeFilippo - This might be an unpopular honorable mention at this point depending on how you feel about how he handled the Jagodzinski soap opera, but the fact is that GDF has been the AD during an unprecedented string of successful Boston College athletics programs. Guided the school and the program from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2005. GDF was also instrumental in the building of football's Yawkey Athletics Center. Has seen the BC hockey team and sailing teams win multiple National Championships, as well as tremendous athletics success in football and basketball.

Any other write-in votes we missed? Last chance to state your case for one of these honorable mention candidates or someone we missed ...

Mt. Rushmore: Art Donovan

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...


Name: Arthur "The Bulldog" Donovan
Born: June 1925 (age 83)
Sport: Football (defensive tackle)
BC Era: 1946-1949

Standings: Finished in 13th place with 4% of the vote, ahead of only Mike Mottau (3%)


Why He's In

• Four year letterman for the Eagles as defensive tackle from 1946-1949
  
• His teams went a combined 19-14-3 in his four years on the team
• In his last game as an Eagle, the team defeated Holy Cross 76-0 ... which is A-OK in our book. I mean, it is no Georgia Tech over Cumberland, but we'll take it.
  
• Inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1970, and one of seven players to have their jersey retired by the school
• Yes, this honor was for his professional career (which we said wouldn't count), but this is impressive nonetheless: Donovan is one of only two Eagles to be inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1968 (the other is Ernie Stautner)

Maybe Not?

• The best he could do at Boston College was second team all-New England
• Teams weren't all that good ... 6-3 as a freshman, 5-4 as a sophomore, 4-3-2 as a junior, and 4-4-1 as a senior. But then again, how much influence does a DT have on a game?
  
• Never played in a bowl game ... played during the bowl-less streak between 1942-1982
• Lack of college football statistics from back in the day make it hard to understand his impact on the field
  
• Known more for his dominance in the NFL, which included two NFL Championships with the Baltimore Colts (1958 and 1959)
  

X-Factors

• "I was 17 pounds when I was born. My mother couldn't walk for about three weeks."
  
• Badass extracurricular activity. Donovan was also guest commentator for the WWF's 1994 edition of King of the Ring alongside Gorilla Monsoon and "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

YouTubage ... Heeeeeeeeere's Johnny!

You wouldn't deny a guy who's nicknames are "The Bulldog" and "Fatso" now, would ya?

Yeah, we agree. Kinda weak case.

Mt. Rushmore: Charlie O'Rourke

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...


Two profiles left before we unveil our Boston College Mt. Rushmore. These last two candidates didn't get much love in our side bar poll, but as equal opportunity bloggers, we profile them here nevertheless.

Name: Charles O'Rourke a.k.a. "Chuckin' Charlie"
Died: April 2000 (age 82)
Sport: Football (quarterback and tailback)
BC Era: 1938-1940

Standings: Finished in 12th place with 5% of the vote, ahead of only Art Donovan (4%) and Mike Mottau (3%)


Why He's In

• Led the Eagles to a record of 26-3-2 (.839) over his three year career
• O'Rourke was a triple threat who played tailback for the Eagles during the 1939 season, a team that finished 9-2 and made their first ever bowl appearance against Clemson in the Cotton Bowl
  
• During his senior year, beat Georgetown 19-18 to snap their 22 consecutive game winning streak in a game called the "greatest college football game ever played." With BC leading 19-16 with 2 minutes left in the fourth, ... "O'Rourke raced back to his end zone, eluding tacklers for almost a full minute before taking a safety. He then punted BC out of trouble and preserved a 19-18 victory."
• Quarterbacked the 1940 team to their 11-0 season, a Sugar Bowl victory over Tennessee, and a claim of the "mythical" national championship
  
• "It was O'Rourke's 24-yard run late in the fourth quarter which gave the Eagles a 19-13 victory over Tennessee in the 1941 Sugar Bowl, staking BC's claim to the national championship. A photo showing O'Rourke in mid-scamper became a staple of BC Athletic Association publications and materials."
• Although most of his QB records were later broken by Eagles greats like Doug Flutie, Glenn Foley and Matt Ryan, when he graduated he had broken nearly every school passing record there was (69 of 150 passes for 1,108 yards and 14 touchdowns over his 3 year career)
  
• All-American selection in 1940 after his senior year
• Inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1970, and one of seven players to have their jersey retired by the school
  
• Inducted to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1972
  
• After O'Rourke ended his career at BC, experts persisted in proclaiming him "the greatest football player" in the school's history

Maybe Not?

• Largely overshadowed by those Eagle quarterback greats that came after him - Doug Flutie and Matt Ryan - and hurt by the absence of college football television coverage, or should I say, playing college football before TV was even invented (the Flutie "Miracle in Miami" on CBS over Thanksgiving and the ESPN-Matt Ryan hype machine)
  
• How much of the 1939 and 1940 Eagles teams' success is the direct result of O'Rourke's contributions and how much was the result of the arrival of Frank Leahy?
  
• Just how many quarterbacks can one mountain hold?
  

X-Factors

• Last year, the Boston College Gridiron Club memorialized O'Rourke's name with the creation of the O'Rourke-McFadden Trophy, to honor the 1940 Cotton Bowl matchup between Charlie O'Rourke and Clemson's Banks McFadden. The trophy is given to the annual winner of the Boston College-Clemson game.
  

No other Boston College quarterback can claim that they led the team to an undefeated, untied season. If you didn't vote for Frank Leahy because he bolted for Notre Dame, how about the quarterback that got the team to 11-0?

Mt Rushmore: Al Skinner

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

Name: Albert L. Skinner
Born: June 16, 1952 (age 56)
Sport: Men's Basketball
BC Era: 1997-present (head coach)

Standings: Finished the fan voting in 10th place with 8% of the vote, behind nearly everyone, including TOB to our surprise. If we were chiseling a basketball-only Mt. Rushmore, he's in for sure.


Why He's In

• Coached the Eagles to a 2001 Big East tournament title and the #3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, as well as three Big East regular season titles
• BC's all-time winningest head doach by a large margin - 229-145, a .612 winning percentage
  
• Coaching hardware - awarded the 2000-01 National Coach of the Year award (Chevrolet/CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, USBWA, and Eastern Basketball) and the 2004-2005 Big East Coach of the Year award
  
• Guided the Eagles to 7 postseason berths from 2001-2007, including six NCAA Tournament berths and one NIT bid
• Coached the 2004-2005 Eagles squad to a 20-0 start, the first Big East team in history to start a season 20-0
  
• Skinner has led the Eagles to the winningest two-year (53, 2004-2005), three-year (72, 2003-2006), four-year (98, 2004-2007), five-year (117, 2002-2007), six-year (143, 2000-2006), and seven-year (164, 2000-2007) stretches in program history
• Started the "diamond in the rough" recruiting method by bringing in Troy Bell from Minnesota and followed that up by recruiting Craig Smith, Jared Dudley, and Sean Williams
  
• When I took my tour of the campus before entering BC I was told to buy football and hocket season tickets because they are tough to get. That quickly changed and student basketball tickets became the hottest ticket for students during the 2000-01 school year.
  
• Students have not stormed the field for football in a long time but Al Skinner has provided two home victories worthy of storming the court. Syracuse in 2001 and Duke last Sunday.
  
• He has always been a New England guy playing at UMass and then professionally in NY and coaching at Marist and URI prior to BC
  
• Has shown loyalty to BC
  
• Why vote for Skinner over Troy Bell? Troy Bell's team failed to make the postseason his freshman year and only made the NCAA tourney twice, never making it past the second round. Also, without Al, Bell never comes to BC.

Maybe Not?

• Several close calls for making the NCAA tournament resulted in NIT berths where the team made no noise including most notably in 2002-03 season after the Eagles had won their division of the Big East and got left out of the dance
  
• In the NCAA tournament the Eagles never made it past the Sweet 16 including an OT loss to Villanova after leading the entire game
  
• More recent critiques of Al have been defensive breakdowns, an inability to break a full-court press, and lack of in-game coaching adjustments

X-Factors

• Just how successful has Al Skinner been in the ACC? Since the Eagles joined the ACC in 2005-2006, only Duke and North Carolina have a higher winning percentage in ACC play
• No one rocks a mock turtleneck like Skinner - "Coach Handsome" is always impeccably dressed with the latest offerings from Eastern Clothing of Watertown
• Plays basketball at the Plex during lunchtime every day and will play with students or staff.
  

Does the most successful basketball coach in BC history make the mountain?

Mt. Rushmore: Frank Leahy

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

Name: Frank Leahy
Died: June 1973 (age 64)
Sport: Football
BC Era: 1939-1940 (head coach)

Standings: Finished the fan voting in 7th place with 13% of the vote, behind Flutie, York, Ryan, Flynn, Bell and Kelley.  Apparently if there was a J.V. Boston College Mt. Rushmore squad, Leahy makes the cut.


Why He's In

• Two year head coach of the Eagles football team, posting a 20-2 record, the second highest winning percentage ever for a BC head coach (will again become the best winning percentage after Spazche unceremoniously loses his first game of the 2009 season)
• Guided the 1939 team to a 9-2 record and an apperance in the Cotton Bowl, the Eagles first ever bowl apperance (a 6-3 loss to Clemson)
• In 1940, coached the Eagles to a 19-18 victory over Georgetown in front of 41,700 fans at Fenway Park.  The win snapped Georgetown's 22 game (3 season) unbeaten streak.
• Coached the 1940 "Team of Destiny" to an 11-0-0 record, a Sugar Bowl win and a mythical national championship (the NCAA doesn't recognize BC's claim to the national title this year)
• The 1940 Sugar Bowl victory over Tennessee 19-13 marked the program's first ever bowl win.
• During the 1940 season, his team outscored opponents 339-65 in 11 games, 6 of those games shutout victories

Maybe Not?

• And you thought the TOB and Jags breakups were messy ... from Wikipedia:

Although he had recently signed a contract renewal at BC, Leahy accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater, Notre Dame. He tried without success to get out of his BC contract. He pleaded to the school's vice president. When that didn't work, he went to the mayor of Boston. Then the governor of Massachusetts. Then, at a press conference, he told 50 reporters what the South Bend Tribune called "the biggest lie of his life". Leahy stated: "Gentlemen I've called you all here today to inform you that I recently received my release from my coaching contract. With the release went the good wishes and benediction of Boston College." Leahy stepped away, and the buzzing group of reporters battled for phone lines. A phone call came in for Leahy, and he took it.The vice president of Boston College was on the line. "Coach Leahy," he barked. "You may go wherever you want, and whenever you want. Good-bye."

• After coaching at the Heights, went on to coach the Fighting Irish to 4 National Championships (1943, 1946, 1947, and 1949) in 11 seasons, including 6 unbeaten seasons and 2 unbeaten and untied seasons.  Ahh, what could have been ...
• Played collegiate football for the Fake Irish (played tackle for Knute Rockne)
• Did I mention he jumped ship for Notre Dame?

X-Factor

• Although largely inducted for the gaudy 87-11-9 record he posted at Notre Dame, Leahy was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970

Any love for a Notre Dame grad?

Mt. Rushmore: Bill Curley

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

Name: Bill Curley
Born: May 1972 in Boston, MA
Sport: Men's Basketball
BC Era: 1991-1994

Standings: Bill Curley finished tied for 8th place with 11% of the fan vote. Tied with Tom O'Brien.


Why He's In

• Highly sout after local recruit - a 1990 McDonald's All-American - that chose Boston College over Notre Dame, Duke, Villanova, North Carolina and Connecticut
• Awarded the 1991 Big East Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 12.6 points per game his freshman year
• Twice selected as a first team All-Big East during his junior and senior seasons
• A four time team MVP, Curley led the Eagles on a sort of basketball renaissance in the early 1990s. His teams only got better year after year ... 11-19, 17-14, 18-13, and 23-11 his senior year (to his credit and something that didn't happen with four years of Troy Bell. Bell's teams seemed to peak his sophomore year.)
• As a senior, led the Eagles to an Elight Eight appearance with victories over the nation's No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (75-72) and Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers (77-68) in the NCAA tournament
• Selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-American third team after his senior year
• Finished his career as the program's second highest all-time scorer behind Dana Barros (2,102 points) ... both Troy Bell and Craig Smith would eclipse Barros' mark of 2,342 points
• His coach, Jim O'Brien, called him "one of the best players ever at Boston College."
  
• 1994 BC Eagle of the Year Award
• Inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame on November 12, 2006

Maybe Not?

• Led team to only one NCAA Tournament appearance his senior year ... over his sophomore and junior years, led the Eagles to a 3-2 record in the NIT
• Doesn't hold any BC statistical records, and there certainly have been other, more accomplished BC hoops stars over the year (Bell, Smith, Dudley, Bagley, Austin)
  
• 1993-1994 wasn't the only time the Eagles made the Elight Eight in the NCAAs
  
• Same reasons why a basketball star might not make Mt. Rushmore specified in Troy Bell's profile

X-Factor

• Sports Illustrated cover boy: Take That, Tar Heels ... "But it was another senior, 6'9" center Bill Curley, who scored 10 of BC's final 11 points, spinning to the basket past Eric Montross and Rasheed Wallace. The game ended on a telling note: There was Wallace, a freshman who hadn't shot a three-pointer all year, trying to make a trey to tie the game against the Eagles, whose senior sharpshooters had wrung from that shot everything they could. Wallace's effort clanged off the rim." - Giant Killers, Sports Illustrated, March 28, 1994

Bill Curley? Troy Bell? Any basketball stars on the mountain?

Mt. Rushmore: Tom O'Brien

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

NOTE: While reading the below, please refrain from throwing rotten vegetables at your computer screen. They may stain your monitor. We are simply providing an equal opportunity to explain the candidacy of great BC sports figures ... Let us proceed.

Name: Tom O'Brien
Born: October 1948
Sport: Football
BC Era: 1997-2006

Current Standings: Tom O'Brien is currently tied for 9th place with 8% of the vote. Only ahead of Art Donovan (3%), Mike Mottau (3%), and Al Skinner (6%). Tied with the Write-In vote, which is presumably the Brian Gionta-David Emma love child or something.


Why He's In

• Boston College's all-time winningest football coach, compiling a 75-45 (.625) record over 10 sesaons on the Heights
  
• Won 8 or more games for six consecutive seasons for the first time in BC football history, and won 7 or more games for eight consecutive seasons
  
• Cleaned up the mess of the three years of the Dan Henning era (16-19-1 record over 3 years and a sports betting gambling scandal) and turned BC football into a very successful college football program in the 2000s
• After his team got pasted by Colorado in the 1999 Insight.com Bowl, rattled off 6 straight wins in mid-level bowl games and compiled the nation's best active bowl winning streak (6 ... would go to 8 before this year's Music City Bowl) ... the biggest of those wins coming in the 2001 Music City Bowl against a ranked Georgia team
  
• His 2002 team would go to South Bend and upset the then-undefeated, fourth ranked Irish 14-7
  
• The 2004 squad went 4-2 in the Big East and won a share of the Big East championship (not withstanding the fact that it was a very, very lame four-way tie and we backed into said four-way tie)
  
• His program won the American Football Coaches' Association's 2004 Academic Achievement Award graduating 100% of his players, as well as maintaining one of the nation's highest graduation rates throughout his 10 seasons as coach
  
• 2005's team was the first since 1984 to be ranked in the top 25 in at least one of the two major polls from start to finish
• 2005 Eagles led the ACC in total offense (387.8 ypg) and in rushing defense (90.8 ypg)
• His candidacy is strengthened now that the program has been Jagodzinski'd?
  

Maybe Not?

• Unceremoniously parted ways with the program in December 2006 before our bowl game against his alma mater and split for a divisional rival
  
• Prone to the Tom O'Brien patented WTF loss, particularly when BCS bowl berths or a spot in a Conference Championship game were at stake ... Syracuse 2004, North Carolina 2005, NC State 2006, Miami 2006 ...
  
• Check out the BC football media guides from 2006, 2005 and 2004 ... dude is never smiling! I mean, I'm sure he's a nice person and all, but was he ever having any fun?
  
• Associated with Dana Bible offenses, a.k.a. let's see how many consecutive downs we can run the ball on the opponent's 1 yard line
  

X-Factor

• Recruited Matt Ryan
  

Use the space below to either support the Disciplinarian's candidacy or ... (more like) tear it down.

Mt. Rushmore: John "Snooks" Kelley

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

Name: John "Snooks" Kelley
Died: April 1986 (age 78)
Sport: Baseball (player) and Men's Ice Hockey (player, manager, coach)
BC Era: 1925-1927 (player), 1932-1942 and 1946-1972 (coach)

Current Standings: Coach Kelley is currently in 6th place with 17% of the vote. Trails Doug Flutie, Jerry York, Matt Ryan, William J. Flynn and Troy Bell.


Why He's In

• Like York, also a Double Eagle (a star hockey player at B.C. High)
• Dedicated more than 60 years to Boston College - served as a hockey team manager for three years, a "player-manager" during his senior year, and five years after graduation became the head coach
• Kelley's commitment to the Eagles ice hockey program was only temporarily put on hold when he served in the U.S. Navy from 1942-1946 during World War II
• Some of his teams records are downright filthy ... 13-1 in 1940-1941 ... 21-1 in 1948-1949 ... 17-4 in 1953-1954 ...
  
• Led the Eagles to the 1949 National Championship with a win over Dartmouth becoming the first eastern team to win the title. The 1949 title game was only the second National title game ever played.
• Also guided the Eagles to a national championship runner-up finish in 1965, losing to Michigan Tech 8-2
  
• Earned nine NCAA Tournament and ECAC Division I Playoff berths
  
• Won eight New England Championships, eight Beanpot titles and 1 ECAC playoff championship
  
• Guided the Eagles to a career 501-243-15 mark in a 36 year career. While both Coaches Ceglarski and York also surpassed this mark in career victories, both coached in many more games per season.
  
• First NCAA Division-I men's hockey coach to achieve 500 career victories, all with the Eagles (against, of course, Boston University 7-5 on Feb. 23, 1972 ... B.U. would go on to win that year's National Championship)
  
• In 1959, won the Spencer Penrose Award (college hockey's coach of the year)
  
• Inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1970, the inaugural year of the Varsity Club
• Nickname is the "Dean of American College Hockey Coaches"
  

Maybe Not?

• Both Jerry York and Len Ceglarski also led the Eagles to nine Frozen Four berths, and it was much harder to make the Frozen Four in the Ceglarski and York eras than it was during Kelley's era ... from 1948-1976, the NCAA Tournament was only a 4 team field.
  
• Towards the end of his coaching career, didn't enjoy the sustained success that someone like Jerry York has sustained (Kelley's last two teams posted losing records)

X-Factor

• While we have two other legendary BC men's ice hockey coaches to consider, worth noting that Coach Kelley coached them both as players - Ceglarski from 1948-1951 and York from 1963-1967
• The Eagles home ice bears his name

York, Ceglarski, or Kelley? Two of three? All three? Thoughts?

Mt. Rushmore: Mike Mottau

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

Name: Mike Mottau
Born: March 1979 in Quincy, MA
Sport: Men's Ice Hockey
BC Era: 1996-2000

Current Standings: Currently in last place with 4% of the vote.

Place	Individual	Votes	Pct.
1	Doug Flutie	142	88%
2	Jerry York	117	72%
3	Matt Ryan	88	54%
4	William J. Flynn	61	37%
5	Troy Bell	47	29%
6	Frank Leahy	26	16%
7	John "Snooks" Kelley	25	15%
8	Bill Curley	22	13%
9	Write-In Vote	16	9%
10	Tom O'Brien	15	9%
11	Charlie O'Rourke	10	6%
12	Al Skinner	9	5%
13	Art Donovan	7	4%
14	Mike Mottau	7	4%

Why He's In

• One of only two Eagles to ever win the Hobey Baker (the other David Emma in 1991)
• Part of the resurgence of the Eagles men's ice hockey team. During his four years, won 99 games with the Eagles after the team went through multiple losing seasons
• Two Hockey East Tournament Championships, three Frozen Four appearances and twice played in the NCAA Title game
• 2000 Hockey East Player of the Year and Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman
• All Hockey-East first team selection (1998, 2000) and second team selection (1999)
• Hockey East All-Rookie selection in 1997
• American Hockey Coaches Association All-American first team selection in 1999 and 2000 and second team selection in 1998
• Back-to-Back Walter Brown Award winner in 1999 and 2000, only the fourth player to win the award multiple times. Walter Brown Award is given to the Top American born hockey player on a New England team
• All New England selection in 1998, 1999, and 2000
• Awarded the Boston College Eagle (Athlete) of the Year in 2000
• Holds the school record for most career assists (130) surpassing the mark set by 1991 Hobey winner David Emma
• Team assists leader during the 1998-1999 (39) and 1999-2000 seasons (37)
• 20th on the all-time Total Points list (remember, he was a defenseman)

Maybe Not?

• Came oh so close, but didn't win a National championship ... the team endured a heartbreaking 3-2 OT loss to Michigan in the 1998 championship and a 4-2 loss to North Dakota in the 2000 title game
• While his accomplishments are impressive, other than the Hobey Baker, his accomplishments really don't seem to distance himself from the rest of the pack of BC hockey greats such as Reasoner, Gionta and Gerbe
• His coach is probably on the mountain and has won two titles since Mottau graduated
• Full disclosure is that Mottau graduated a year before Jeff and I enrolled at BC. We think the greatest hockey player we've ever seen play for the Eagles was Brian Gionta and can't really speak to Mottau's greatness
  

X-Factor

• Winning the Hobey Baker Award and beating out two other Eagles that year (Jeff Farkas and Brian Gionta)

So throw some love/votes to a Hobey Baker winner?

Mt. Rushmore: William J. Flynn

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

Name: William J. Flynn
Died: June 1997 in Brighton, MA (age 82)
Sport: Three Sport Athlete (football, baseball and hockey)
BC Era: 1935-1939 (student), 1957-1991 (A.D.)

Current Standings: Currently in 4th place with 35% of the vote. Trailing Doug Flutie (93%), Jerry York (78%), and Matt Ryan (60%).

Why He's In

For all you young Eagles fans out there, if you only know the name "William J. Flynn" because its the name of the 'Plex or the name of our student-athlete scholarship fund, you are doing yourself a disservice. This man did his fair share of good things for the Boston College athletics department.

Full disclosure: I didn't know nearly the number of things Flynn did for Boston College until I started researching this post ...

• At B.C., Flynn was a three-sport athlete, ultimately earning 9 varsity letters
• Became the first BC hockey player to score 20 goals in a season
• Captain of the 1938 Eagles football team during his senior season
  
• Returned to the University in 1945 as a mathematics teacher and assistant football coach
  
• Appointed Athletics Director in 1957 and served in that position for 35 years
  
• In 1957, the future of our athletics programs was in question: the basketball teams played in a quonset hut, football played games off-campus and at Fenway Park, and the hockey team played its games on Huntington Avenue
  
• The football team's off-campus playing fields became unavailable in 1957, and instead of shuttering the program, Flynn helped raise $370,000 to build Alumni Stadium
  
• In the 1960s, oversaw the construction of a new hockey rink (McHugh Forum), a basketball court (Roberts Center), and a new baseball field
  
• Raised money to build a new student recreation complex; the 'Plex was opened in 1971 and dedicated to Flynn in 1979
• Presided over renovation projects for Alumni Stadium in 1971 and 1986
  
• In 1988, raised funds and oversaw construction of Silvio O. Conte Forum, which replaced the old McHugh Forum and Roberts Center
  
• Expanded the number of women's varsity sports from four teams in 1972 to 15 teams in 1985
  
• Served as Athletic Director during the Kelley/Ceglarski hockey years, the 1960s golden years of basketball with Bob Cousy as coach and the Flutie era of B.C. football
• Under his watch, the Eagles were one of the founding members of the Big East conference in 1979
  
• Also in 1979, elected to serve as President of the NCAA (at the time, only the second school A.D. to hold that post)
• Inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1971

Maybe Not?

• The only thing we can come up with was that Flynn also presided over the Athletics department during one of the darkest periods of BC history - the 1978-1979 basketball point-shaving scandal
  

X-Factor

• After graduation, the man worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation during World War II, so he probably had dirt on everyone

YouTube ... not yet invented.


So does a Boston College A.D. of 35 years who helped shape the Athletics Department into what it is today make our Mt. Rushmore?

Mt. Rushmore: Troy Bell

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

Name: Troy Bell
Born: November 1980 in Minneapolis, MN
Sport: Men's Basketball
BC Era: 1999-2003

Current Standings: Currently in 5th place with 30% of the vote. Trailing Doug Flutie (95%), Jerry York (81%), Matt Ryan (60%), and William Flynn (35%).

Why He's In

• As a freshman, averaged 18.8 points (rookie scoring record and team leader that season), 3.1 boards and 2.1 assists per game and awarded the 1999-2000 Big East Rookie of the Year award for his efforts
• During the 2001-2002 season, led the Eagles to a 27-5 mark (a school record for wins), a Big East tournament title and a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament
• Named 2001 Big East Tournament Most Valuable Player (David Gavitt Trophy)
• After his sophomore season, was named Big East Co-Player of the Year with Notre Dame's Troy Murphy
• 2000-2001 and 2002-2003 consensus All-American second team selection
• Named the 2002-2003 Big East Player of the Year, making him only the fifth player to win the award multiple times (Troy Murphy, Richard RIP Hamilton, Patrick Ewing and Chris Mullin) ... also won the award over Syracuse freshman phenom Carmelo Anthony
• 2003 Boston College Eagle (Athlete) of the Year and team MVP for all four years
• For his career, averaged 21.6 points, 4.0 boards and 3.5 assists per game
• Left campus as Boston College's all-time scoring leader with 2,632 points (good for 21st all-time at the time), breaking the previous mark set by Dana Barros
• Other Eagle records: career field goals attempted (1794), career three-point field goals (300), free throws made (810), free throw percentage (86.8%), single season scoring (781), single season free throws made (227), single season free throw percentage (89.4%)
• As an unheralded recruit out of Minnesota (was a finalist for Mr. Minnesota basketball in HS), possibly set the mold for the Al Skinner "diamond in the rough" recruiting philosophy. Jared Dudley, Sean Williams, Sean Marshall and Craig Smith would follow ...

Maybe Not?

• This doesn't just apply to Troy Bell specifically, but to hoops in general: I'm torn on having a basketball star on a Mt. Rushmore. Our Mt. Rushmore of BC athletics is meant to be a testament to the four individuals who built the school's athletics programs. Of the three major sports programs, in my opinion basketball comes in a distant third to football and hockey in terms of the history of the school. Basketball has the least storied history. The program has never been to the Final Four (oh so close in 2006?). There were significant periods of time where basketball wasn't very relevant on the Heights: the school didn't field a team from 1907-1910, 1911-1916, and 1925-1945, the program was marred in scandal (1978-1979) or the program just plain stunk. In addition, there are already a bunch of school legends in hockey, football and the athletics department, so I'm not sure if there's room for a hoops star on the mountain.
• While the hoops team dramatically improved over Troy Bell's four years in Chestnut Hill, the program seemed to peak in only his sophomore year. In 2001-2001 the Eagles went 20-12 (and lost in the first round of the NCAAs as an #11 seed) and his senior year the Eagles went 19-12 (receiving an NIT berth)
• Never made it past the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament
• The school has another Big East Player of the Year in John Bagley (1980-1981)

X-Factor

• Until Rice went off for 46 against North Carolina last year, Bell's performance against Iowa State back on December 11, 2001 was one of the best single game performances we've ever seen from a BC hoops player. Bell finished the game with 42 points, 5 of 8 from behind the arc, and 17 for 17 from the charity stripe
• Guy was money from the free throw line
• If we don't put him on the mountain, will he knock us out?

YouTubage

This was certainly a team effort, but witness the exact moment of Boston College basketball resurgence under Al Skinner ...

So ... si o no a Troy Bell?

Mt. Rushmore: Matt Ryan

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

Name: Matt Ryan
Born: May 1985 in Exton, PA
Sport: Football
BC Era: 2004-2007


Why He's In

• October 25, 2007 - Boston College 14, Virginia Tech 10 ... engineered one of the greatest comebacks in B.C. history (Eagles trailed 10-0 with 2:11 remaining)
• November 17, 2007 - Boston College 20, Clemson 17
• Didn't end up getting an invite to NYC for the Heisman Trophy presentation, yet trophy case still respectable: 2007 ACC Player of the Year, 2007 Manning Award, 2007 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
• Led Boston College to its highest mid-season ranking in the AP Poll - #2 - in 2007
• Matched program's highest single-season win total (11 wins matchinh the 11-0 1940 team)
• Eclipsed the school's single season passing yards record by over 1,000 in 2007 (4,507 yards)
• Also left school as Eagles leader in single season passing touchdowns (31 in 2007), career completions (807), single season completions (388 in 2007), single game completions (40 vs. Wake Forest 2006), and single season total yards (4,509)
• Finished career with 9,310 passing yards and 56 touchdowns
• Led the Eagles to 3 straight bowl victories (2005 Humanitarian Bowl on the blue turf, 2006 Meineke Car Care Bowl, 2007 Champs Sports Bowl)
• Career record as a starter - 25-8 (.758)

Maybe Not?

• One of the few guys on the Mt. Rushmore short list to actually get a 'NO' vote from a commenter:  "I love the guy and he was really good here, but there's gotta be 4 better in the history of the entire school.  If he makes it, its only because of the additional off-field achievements related to hype, PR, draft success, etc."  Ouch.
• The Eagles got just as far this year as they did during Matt Ryan's senior year (ACC Atlantic Division champs and ACC Championship Game runner-up)
• November 27, 2004 - Syracuse 43, Boston College 17 ... was thrown to the fire in his first start, quarterbacked the team to one of the most devastating losses in program history, but really, was it his fault?
• Plus the 2007 ACC Championship game, that's 0 for 2 in games that could have wrapped up a BCS bowl berth
• Someone had the brilliant idea to start Quinton Porter over Ryan to start the 2005 season!
  
• Is there room for two Eagle QBs on one mountain?

X-Factor

• Had a moderately successful Heisman Trophy campaign in 2007 (and a blog and an Athletics Department website were born)
• Takes a hit like no other

YouTubage

So ... yes or no to Ryan?  

Also, keep the votes coming on the side bar poll and use the space below to explain those Write-In votes (11% of votes are write-ins!).

Mt. Rushmore: Doug Flutie

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

Name: Doug Flutie
Born: October 1962 in Catonsville, MD
Sport: Football
BC Era: 1981-1984


Why He's In

• Broke the program's 39-year bowl drought by leading the team to the 1982 Tangerine Bowl, the 1983 Liberty Bowl and the 1985 Cotton Bowl
  
• Defeated Miami 47-45 on probably the most memorable play in college football history
• On his famous "Hail Mary!" pass completion to Gerard Phelan, he threw the ball 65 yards in the air
  
• Led the program to its last major bowl win, defeating Houston 45-28 in the 1985 Cotton Bowl.
  
• The Eagles would finish the 1984 season 10-2 and would match the highest final AP ranking (No. 5) in program history.
• Our school's only Heisman Trophy winner
• Flutie's hardware from his 1984 season also includes the Maxwell Award (player of the year), Walter Camp Award (player of the year), UPI, Kodak and The Sporting News Player of the Year and Davey O'Brien Award (best quarterback)
  
• Left school in 1984 as the NCAA’s all-time passing yardage leader with 10,579 yards and total yards with 11,318
  
• Holds Eagles records for single-game passing yards (520) and single-game passing TDs (6)
  
• Also smart! Rhodes Scholar finalist
  
• Creator of the (somewhat controversial) "Flutie Effect" theory - the phenomenon of having a successful college sports team increase the exposure for a university (after the 1984 football season, undergrad applications surged 16 percent in 1984 and 12 percent in 1985).
• Sports Illustrated cover boy four times (2 times as a B.C. Eagle)
  
• Already has a statue commemorating his Hail Mary pass outside of Alumni Stadium
  

Maybe Not?

• Um ... he never beat Notre Dame?

X-Factor

• Acronym which includes his name reminds unknowing co-eds the order of the four main buildings in the Quad
• (We know we said pro success doesn't count but) Dude's got his own cereal
  

Quote from the movie Rushmore that may or may not lend credence to his candidacy

Mr. Littlejeans: Best play ever, man.

YouTubery

Objections?

Poll Results: You Down with S-P-A-Z?

Yeah you know me ...

Here are the results from our most recent sidebar poll - "Spaziani as the next HC, that cool with you?"  Our readers have spoken and a majority of Eagles fans are happy with the hire of Frank Spaziani.

• Absolutely! - 44 votes (44%)
  
• Shoulda gone external - 37 votes (37%)
  
• I'm indifferent - 19 votes (19%) 
  

Regardless of your feelings on the whole coaching search, it's time for Eagles fans to unite and rally around our new coaching staff.

Our next sidebar poll asks readers to weigh in on our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore.  Vote for up to four different Boston College sports legends and the final results will perhaps sway our final decision ... Perhaps ...

Go Eagles!

Mt. Rushmore: Jerry York

Our task at arriving at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore - Mt. Eaglemore? - starts with what seems to be a non-controversial candidate, Jerry York.

Name: Jerry York
Born: July 1945 in Watertown, MA
Sport: Men's Ice Hockey
BC Era: 1963-1967 (player), 1994-present (coach)


Why He's In

• Double Eagle
• Ranks among the school's all-time leaders in career points, goals, assists, single season points and single season assists
• Led the Eagles to a 60-26 record, the 1965 Beanpot and a second-place finish in the 1965 NCAA Tournament
• Captain, leading scorer, MVP and All-American with the Eagles 1966-1967 squad
• Inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982
• Winningest active coach in NCAA men's division I history (over 800 wins)
• Four Hockey East regular season titles and 6 Hockey East tournament championships
• Eight Frozen Four appearances in eleven years from 1998 to 2008, 6 title game appearances
• 2 National Championships with the Eagles
• One of only three coaches in NCAA history to lead two schools to National titles
• Great recruiter (coached 8 Eagles to NHL first-round draft selections - Reasoner, Orpik, Kolanos, Kobasew, Boyle, Eaves, Schneider, Petrecki)

Maybe Not?

• A lot of his wins that helped him procure a spot as winningest active men's hockey coach came with stops at Clarkson (7 years) and Bowling Green (15 years)
• If you are going to have one ice hockey coach on BC Mt. Rushmore, do you go with Jerry York or John "Snooks" Kelley? Or even Len Ceglarski? Kelley coached the Eagles for 40 years (York for only 15) and won the 1949 National title. Kelley coached the Eagles to 501 wins and the rink at Silvio O. Conte Forum is named after him! Ceglarski has 673 wins.
• Solid recruiter? Doesn't the program sell itself?

X-Factor

• Suit + sweater vest + tie looks hot carved in granite
• Won more national championships for the school than any other BC coach? (Football 0, Basketball 0, Sailing ??)

Quote from the movie Rushmore that may or may not lend credence to his candidacy

Herman Blume: What's the secret, Max?
Max Fischer: The secret?
Herman Blume: Yeah, you seem to have it pretty figured out.
Max Fischer: The secret, I don't know... I guess you've just gotta find something you love to do and then... do it for the rest of your life. For me, it's going to Rushmore.

Objections?

Who Belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of BC Athletics?

Brian: The Worldwide Leader's latest gimmick - something they are calling the "Mt. Rushmore of Sports" - asks readers to nominate four people to represent each US state's make-believe Mount Rushmore.

From ESPN:

SportsCenter, ESPN’s flagship news and information program, and ESPN.com, the leading online sports destination, will combine to present a five-week, fan-based series to celebrate the sports icons from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The series, titled "SportsCenter Mount Rushmore of Sports," will use fan-generated nominations on ESPN.com to identify the top four sports greats in each state/region, and online voting to select the state with the most impressive collection of sports luminaries worthy of being etched in the state’s Mount Rushmore of sports.

The five states with the most significant collection of sports icons will be revealed February 16-20 on SportsCenter.

Why would ESPN subject us to this? Because Titletown U.S.A. and Who's Now? weren't good enough? This whole thing sounds kinda lame ... but that's beside the point. We are convinced the four-letter network MUST have got the idea from golden boy Bill Simmons and his Mt. Rapmore concept. Even if the network and BS have been feuding ...

Even though we cringe at associating ourselves with anything even somewhat related to Bill Simmons (let's be clear, this is a B.C. sports blog and dude has been crying about his Boston Coll. rejection letter for as far back as we can remember), we decided to bite.

The question we started to ask was who would be placed on the Mt. Rushmore of Boston College athletics?

Over the next week or so, we will profile 8-10 candidates who we would consider placing on a Mt. Rushmore of BC athletics. Then after we have revealed our candidates, we'll unveil who should be on BC's Mt. Rushmore (or put it to a reader vote if there's interest, or something).

The guidelines:

• Only considering individuals who have made the most significant contributions to Boston College athletics - fair game would be coaches, athletic directors, school administrators/presidents or players that have come through Boston College.
• Significant contributions to athletics beyond The Heights should not be considered. E.g. if someone goes on to have a very successful career in the NFL, NHL, NBA, or MLB (MLB and B.C.?! Ha!), this shouldn't have any bearing on the decision.
• One of the unique features of the actual Mt. Rushmore is that the four presidents represent different eras of the country's (then) 150 year history. The four Boston College representatives shouldn't merely represent the last 7-8 years of BC sports. They should be more representative of our 146 years as an institution. In other words, you won't see a final BC Mt. Rushmore of Troy Bell, Craig Smith, Matt Ryan, and Nathan Gerbe as they are all very recent contributors to BC.
  

But before we begin unveiling our candidates, we are interested in your thoughts. Who ya got on a BC athletics version of Mt. Rushmore?