We're getting to close to wrapping up what may be the most casual drafting exercise ever, with picks made every few days after great deliberation among member constituents coming home from a bar at 3 a.m.
The 12 Pack picked up two more excellent academic institutions in Virginia and BC, while delivering the entire Boston media market when the Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, Celtics, and BU Hockey aren't on TV. Apparently that happens once a year in early November. Still, it locks down the missing fourth corner to our tyrannic coast-to-coast reign.
Our new motto: Seattle, LA, Austin, Atlanta, Boston ... and all the hot tang in between.
Rounds 8 and 9 saw some lower tier BCS schools come off the board mingled with upstart mid-major religious affiliates, Christians and Mormons alike, that also happen to play some competitive football.
Round 8
The Twelve Pack (Us): Virginia
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: TCU
Team Speed Kills: Arizona State
Conference TMZ: Utah
The House of a Thousand Sanctions:BYU
The Cult Of Les Miles: South Carolina
Round 9
The Twelve Pack: Boston College
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: Colorado
Team Speed Kills: Oregon State
Conference TMZ: Boise State
The House of a Thousand Sanctions: Vanderbilt
The Cult Of Les Miles: Georgia Tech
Here's the updated USA TODAY rendering of The 12 Pack's burgeoning Atlantic presence:
| 12 Pack | SOTP | TSK | TMZ | HOTS | COLM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1. Texas | 2. Florida | 3. Bama | 4. TOSU | 5. USC | 6. LSU |
| 2 | 12. UGA | 11. PSU | 10. OU | 9. FSU | 8. ND | 7. Mich |
| 3 | 13. U.C.L.A. | 14. VT | 15. Huskers | 16. Cards | 17. Ducks | 18. UNC |
| 4 | 24. Wiscy | 23. Miami | 22. A&M | 21. Sparty | 20. Vols | 19. Stanford |
| 5 | 25. U Dub | 26. Auburn | 27. Zona | 28. WVU | 29. Cuse | 30. Arky |
| 6 | 36. Duke | 35. Kansas | 34. Cal | 33. Terps | 32. UK | 31. Iowa |
| 7 | 37. Clemson | 38. Illini | 39. UConn | 40. Mizzou | 41. Pitt | 42. Okie St |
| 8 | 48. Virginia | 47. TCU | 46. ASU | 45. Utah | 44. BYU | 43. Cocks |
| 9 | 49. BC | 50. Buffs | 51. Beavs | 52. Boise St | 53. Vandy | 54. Ga Tech |
Picking up UVA in the 8th round was a steal.
Virginia is the nation's highest ranked public university and boasts one of the largest resourced athletics departments in the country, with 2009-10 revenues exceeding $81 million.
Hot tang oozes out of Charlottesville. Literally.
From my last trip to Charlottesville /personal archives.
Therefore, we can excuse UVA for ever hiring Al Groh, their decades-long spans of averagey play in football and hoops since Ralph Sampson prowled the quad, and just celebrate how The 12 Pack will dominate yet another manly sport: Lacrosse. Or what Scipio prefers to call "LAX, bra". As our commissioner pointed out, with Duke and UVA onboard, are your LAX titles are belong to us. Lacrosse is actually more important than football in many mid atlantic states if you can believe that.
The Hoos also fare well in other non-rev activities like soccer, baseball, swimming, lawn streaking and Civil War reenactments.
But most importantly, all of their fans truly care. From the trashy to the classy, swords remain crossed at all times in solidarity...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAzaPEgX5Ho
BOSTON COLLEGE
We took a hard look at picking up BC earlier on the 6/7 turn but our commissioner, a BC alum, said "Wait until 8/9. They'll still be there." Sage! Not sure if that's a good thing or he's just a highly educated alum that can predict the results of snake drafts three rounds ahead.
BC gives us another intra-conference rival with fellow ACC mate Clemson, whose well documented 4th quarter antics never fail to entertain, along with some much needed Catholic conviction in our spiritual mix. The Eagles are always competitive in football and hoops, even if they rarely get over the top. But we are nearing the end of the draft and could not be more proud to welcome the Boston College Eagles like a third wife into our home.
Who is left on your big board?