I've always hated Senior Day.
Sure, I love the chance to honor seniors who have poured their hearts and souls into Boston College basketball for four years, working their you-know-whats off to squeeze out as many wins as possible - and certainly, Jared Dudley and Sean Marshall can never be accused of not giving their all for a win.
When Craig Smith and Louis Hinnant walked onto the court to standing ovations for last year's Senior Day, you couldn't help but feel the pride they took in what they had accomplished in their four years.
Dudley and Marshall, as well as Tyler Neville, deserve to feel the same way on Saturday.
But as much as I enjoy saluting the seniors one final time, I've always been a person who looks ahead, toward the next day, the next game. When the Eagles lost to Duke and North Carolina last week, it was heartbreaking, sure - but when Dickie V. and Digger had left and all that was left were a few gold T-shirts left on the seats, I could still say to myself, "Hey, we've still got one more home game, one more chance to make some new memories of BC victories this year."
So when Senior Day comes along, with all its celebration and festivities, I feel sad.
There are no more chances, no more games. It's over.
It's the last time I'm going to see basketball in person for nine months (and for the seniors, who knows when they'll return to Conte after graduation) and the last time anyone will see this year's team take the home court.
After Saturday, the next time I will walk into Conte Forum to see the Eagles take the court, Tom Brady will be a father, the Red Sox season will be over, and winter will be right around the corner. That seems very far away right now.
So, when Clemson comes to town on Saturday for the 1 p.m. game, I would hope that all the Superfans are recovered from Friday night's adventures in time to be there for the pre-game festivities.
This is perhaps the most successful senior class in BC basketball history, or at least in recent memory.
Even Smith and Hinnant didn't go to four NCAA tournaments, as Dudley and Marshall are on the verge of doing.
The list of accomplishments for Dudley could go on forever. No one in BC history has been on the court for more minutes than number three.
The mark of 2,000 career points is on the horizon. A likely ACC Player of the Year trophy will be on display in Conte soon.
Forget about the missed free throws last weekend - without him, BC would more likely be going to the NIT.
And Marshall - well, the numbers may not be as glamorous as Dudley's, but you've got to admire the guy.
Many BC fans have criticized him over the years, calling him out for his inconsistent play, for constantly chirping at the refs and for his poor foul shooting. Many BC fans simply refer to him as "Clank."
But Marshall has ignored all the criticism, no easy task in today's world of message boards and Facebook. But through it all, Marshall has persevered and has been a key contributor for years. Fans have been quick to criticize when Marshall misses an open shot, but there was little praise for his game-winner against FSU last month. Saturday is a chance for fans to show Marshall some of the love he deserves.
This is one last chance to give out the love until Thanksgiving.
Enjoy it.
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