Tim Russert (1950-2008)

Tim Russert of NBC News passed away today at the age of 58. Born in upstate New York, he went to college at John Carroll but over the last 4 years he became the definition of a BC Guy. We felt a special connection to Russert because he spoke at our BC graduation. One of the biggest thrills that came from writing this blog was when he showed his RFH shirt on Meet The Press with a smile from ear to ear. We got to meet him and take a picture with him at a football game in the fall. Even though we interrupted his time with his family, he could not have been any nicer. BC has lost an adopted son and the world has lost an excellent journalist. Our condolences go out to his wife and son.

Baldwin/Gerbe '08!

2 Eagles need your help, RFH readers.
First, Nathan Gerbe is a finalist for the Hobey Baker and the fans have a say. Click here to vote for #9.
Second, EA Sports is leaving the NCAA 09 "cover model" up to the public. Click here to vote for Baldwin. You can vote once every day until mid-March.

Our Sincerest Thanks...

We have no idea if anyone is still reading this blog but this needed to be done anyway. We should have penned this post about 2 months ago but it's better late than never, so here goes. Thanks to:

Brian (RFH6), Ryan, Brenden, Matt, Dave, Mike, The Beck, Mara and anyone else I am forgetting that was a member of our Chestnut Hill branch office.

Little Russ for taking the RFH campaign national, Luke Russert for letting us crash his parents weekend, Steph T, Ayla Brown, Mike Ryan for raising a model citizen and for his expert photography skills and the members of the 2007 BC football team for making this fall on the Heights so exciting.

Jess, Paul, Kelly, Justin, Becky (I told ya it was a good idea), Tim, Joe, BB, The Parts Wagon, Jeff (the man with three first names), Big Bill, Leanne, Little Bill, Joei, Kopech and Jeff for letting me make a spectacle of the tailgate and for spreading the word.

Everyone who bought a t-shirt and wore it with pride.

Vinny for his awesome video updates throughout the season.

Bill from Eagle in Atlanta for being an inspiration and for giving us more exposure than we ever could have gotten on our own. Our busiest days were whenever he linked and we couldn't have done it without him.

Butch, JoJo (tDFB), Bub (RFH5) and Christie for all of their help.

Cait (RFH4) and Weez(RFH3) for putting up with us and for being there from the start.

Chris (RFH2) for being our partner in crime and for his willingness to work his tail off and to go anywhere. The experiences we had with the RFH campaign are some of our most memorable (VT: did that really happen?) and he was there with us every step of the way.

And Finally, to Matt Ryan. He gave Eagle fans a nice ride and did it with understated class. He was the best ambassador that Boston College could ask for and he was always humble and polite in the process. We wish him all of the success in the world wherever life takes him, both in and out of football.

-Matt (RFH)

Lost in the Mail

The Heisman Trust today announced the 4 finalists invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. Unfortunately, Matt Ryan did not receive an invite. We are not mad, simply disappointed. Matty deserved to be in New York. We fully understand that the trophy is supposed to go to the most outstanding player in the college football and not the most valuable. Say what you want about the other candidates, and they are all fine candidates, but no player meant more to his team this year than Matt Ryan.

68,22,.....12?

We know this is very premature but stick with us for a minute. A while back, RFH2 asked us what it would take for Matt Ryan to have his number retired by BC. Our response was that there is an unwritten rule that in order to have his number retired, a player had to win a major award. Only three (eventually four) BC athletes have been so honored. A number of former Eagles, 19 at last check, have had their jerseys retired in football, hockey and men's and women's basketball. In those cases though the jersey bears the player's name and a BC logo. Only Doug Flutie (Heisman, Walter Camp), Mike Ruth (Outland) and David Emma (Hobey Baker) have had their #s retired. Those three will eventually be joined by 2000 Hobey Baker winner Mike Mottau, currently of the NHL's New Jersey Devils, whose #3 has not been issued since he left the Heights. For some perspective, Brian Gionta's #12 has been issued on more than one occasion since 2001.
When RFH2 asked the original question, we were thinking that Ryan had to win the Heisman to have #12 put in mothballs. When he pointed out last night that the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Foundation may have cemented Matt Ryan's Alumni Stadium immortality, we gave the idea more thought. This season, Ryan set the BC marks for career completions, touchdowns in a season, yards in a season and was the unquestioned leader of BC's winningest class in history as well as its' best team in a generation. So 10, 15, maybe 20 years from now, when Matt Ryan's NFL career is over, he should be back at the Heights for the unveiling of the #12 and he will have possibly the greatest quarterback in NFL history to thank for it.

ACC Championship Game Videos

Matt Ryan, The Man with the Golden Arm

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Foundation has announced that Boston College's Matt Ryan has been named the 2007 recipient of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which goes to the nation's top senior quarterback. Ryan For Unitas!

ACC Championship Game Pics

Orange Bowl or Bust!

Headed to JAGSonville early this morning. May post from there depending upon internet access. We are on the cusp of a championship. We have no doubt that this team can accomplish its' goal. If you are going to the game, be loud, be gold and be respectful. You can't spell BCS without B-C. Go Eagles!

Matt Ryan, (First Team) All-American and Links

-Matt Ryan was named First Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. Only 1 Quarterback is so honored.
-Nice piece about Matt Ryan and Tyrone Pruitt from Pruitt's local paper.
-Ryan was also named 1 of 10 finalists for the Manning Award.

Ryan Joins 2 Fellow Eagles Recognized as the ACC's Best

What school boasts the reigning ACC Player of the Year in Football, Men's Basketball and Men's Soccer? Boston College, of course. Matt Ryan was named the ACC player of the year in a landslide over UVa's Chris Long. Ryan joins Jared Dudley (Basketball POY) and Alejandro Bedoya (Soccer Offensive POY) as the three Eagles honored as the best in their sport.

Wednesday Links

-Matt Ryan has been named a finalist for the Walter Camp Award. Ryan For Camp!!!
-Missed this one, but Ryan was ACC Offensive Back of the Week yet again.
-One bookie has Ryan's chances for the HT at 15/1.
-Ryan is in the also receiving votes category in the nation's longest running weekly Heisman poll.
-Jags lost out on ACC Coach of the Year to a guy whose team got blasted by Wyoming. We bet Jags would still take the ACC Championship as a consolation prize.
-USA Today has Ryan 7th in their Heisman poll.
-A Ryan fan has decided to concede to Tebow. We're not there yet.
-Finally, we just booked our tickets to Jacksonville. Check out what Bill from Eagle in Atlanta has to say about making our presence known here and enjoy this pic that he ran last week: