Soaring Rhetoric: Boston College Baseball’s Living Nightmare

Joe: When your team is 5-25, I suppose the term “spark” is relative.

I think most of us who have been plugged in to BC sports over the years have been discouraged with fan support across the spectrum, and the baseball team gets next to none (the official attendance figures on the box score have in the past been extremely generous and likely counted people who walked past and stopped and looked for a few moments). New facilities would aesthetically bring us up to par with the rest of the ACC, but not necessarily for us: for the players. Part of why BC can’t attract great talent has to do with location, and there’s nothing we can do about that, but BC plays its home games in a field that has poor drainage, just a couple rows deep of bleachers, and no lights. Most BC folk know it as a football tailgating lot, not a baseball park. That’s not very appealing.

Do you think this program is getting to a crossroads or do you think a few bad years have just clouded our view?

Kyle: Just like LBJ thought he saw a “light at the end of the tunnel” in the Vietnam war effort, I think any faith in Boston College baseball improving is silly. Unless something spectacular happens, like the Angels getting Mike Trout after 24 teams passed on him, unlikely. Southern teams will always rule baseball and unless Boston College switches conferences, the Eagles will continue to be in the doldrums of the ACC. I don’t think the prospect of “rebuilding” will attract any can’t-miss recruits that can bring a turnaround.

I hate having to criticize a Boston College athletic team this much but I’d be honestly lying to you, Joe, if I told you any differently. This is a Boston College program that is headed by Marlins-level mediocrity and a sparring partner as talented as Spider Rico.

Photo credit: Dave Pullig

Joe: Changing conferences isn’t much of an option, so that’s out, but at least I can say that since graduating, I have seen BC field a competitive baseball team. Now, is the chance of having a competitive team once every so often worth it? I don’t make those kinds of decisions, but what I do know is that right now this program is, as Gordon Ramsay would say, “in the s–t” on a couple different levels. Interesting times are ahead — note that I said interesting, not necessarily good.

Finally, as far as this disastrous season goes, do you expect it to get any better, or will this contend for the title of worst season in program history?

Kyle: No, this season is going down the toilet like Adam Sandler’s recent movies. Neil Young once said that it’s better to burn out than to fade away, but this BC baseball team is going straight into the black. The fact we look as hopeless as Kenny from South Park in these ACC games is not promising. There is unfortunately nothing to look forward to. It’s kind of like being a San Diego Padres fans. Nothing will go up and hoping for anything exciting in the future will be futile. I wish I could say something different but I would have to use your Gordon Ramsay wisdom on this one.

Joe: I propose a new TV show: Ramsay’s Baseball Nightmares. Gordon tries to turn around failing college baseball teams. He arrives and watches a game, shouting from the dugout “oh f— me, how do you not know how to throw a f—ing curveball? Are you stupid? Wake up and get a f—ing grip!”

Anyway, you’re right as far as this season goes, and this isn’t a quick fix. We’re going to remember this season for all the wrong reasons, most likely.