So what's the bad news?
There is not enough alcohol in the world to deal with this. Hill, Baker, Pressley, and possibly Andre Brown and John Dunlap as well? Why do you smite us so, football gods? Is it something we did? Because we're sorry. We're really, really sorry.
Puttin' the ol' cherry on top of the fuck sundae was the piece of news I saw scroll across the bottom of CSTV after I'd returned to the hotel: "NC State F Johnny Smith out for season (knee ailment)." Damn you, CSTV, is it Johnny Thomas or Tracy Smith?
NC State athletics: out indefinitely (tidal wave of woe).
As for the game...
-- It was fun for a minute there. We'd recovered from Beck's first INT to take the lead 10-7 and force Boston College to punt. Then Beck threw the pick six. That's Wolfpack football for you. Fleeting moments of joy surrounded by vast expanses of despair.
-- I was feeling better later in the second quarter--despite the turnovers, we were in position to either tie the game or at least chip into the lead with a field goal, but of course another Beck INT put the kabosh on that. I figured we were toast at that point.
-- The coaches need to stick with Harrison Beck. He's incredibly up and down but he does make plays; we gain nothing by re-inserting Evans. If the overall performance is going to be the same (not that I think it is), we might as well stick with the bigger talent.
-- The defensive secondary seemed to get its hands on more passes this week, which hopefully means they're getting more comfortable with Archer's zone schemes.
-- I didn't notice during the game, but I see in looking at the box score that Nate Franklin was relieved of his punting duties. It's about time.
-- After this seven turnover affair, we're dead last in turnover margin. Again.
-- As the fourth quarter wound down, BC students started a Tom O'Brien chant, but I couldn't tell if it was of the "thanks for what you did here" or the "you suck and we don't miss you" variety. I think it was the former.
-- My thanks to Austin, who did a great job liveblogging in my absence.