Local news is garbage.

Who can argue otherwise? Have you watched it lately? What do you actually learn in that 22-minute block?

Take, for example, the recent story about the “suspected Craigslist killer,” who also happens to be a BU med student named Philip Markoff. The local NBC affiliate, WHDH (Channel 7), opened its newscast with breaking news that Boston police had identified the man in the recent homicide at the Marriott Copley. This supposedly “serious” news program featured visually appealing logos and colors that looked futuristic and exciting. You can watch it here.

Then they bring in three reporters stationed, respectively, outside police headquarters, on the BU medical school campus, and outside the killer’s home in Quincy, Mass. Each reporter is supposed to add to the story, to develop the details for viewers. We think we’re watching, after all, to learn about important happenings in the world.

The first reporter, the one at police headquarters, tells viewers little of significance. A few three-second sound bites from Police Commissioner Ed Davis and another officer, a few photos recycled several times during the report, and, as a result, a wildly entertained audience. You think you’re learning, but learning never used to be this exhilarating. The constantly-changing images, the bright colors, and the brief sound bites feel more like Entertainment Tonight.

The second reporter does her stand-up from the med campus, announcing that “shockwaves” hit the school. She interviews three students who didn’t know the suspected killer. “I knew someone who had a class with him and he seemed normal,” said one of the future docs from BU. The other two had just as little to say.

For those of you keeping score at home, that’s two live reports, and zero new information of value to viewers.

The third time’s the charm, though, right? Wrong. If this were baseball, then Channel 7 struck out looking on a fastball down the middle.

The third reporter is live outside the alleged killer’s home. Her report features video and sound bites from neighbors of the alleged killer. One guy says, “He came over the other night and had a few beers and seemed like a nice guy.”

Earth-shattering stuff, really.

Three reports later we’ve learned that the Craigslist killer a) was taken into custody, which the anchors already told us, b) seemed normal and c) likes to hang out and drink beer.

This would be no problem if it were labeled as entertainment. The problem is that television programs such as this one are called news. That’s what Neil Postman says in Amusing Ourselves to Death, a highly influential book written in 1985 that remains as relevant as ever in today’s world of Internet ubiquity. Postman writes that Americans constantly seek to be entertained, which is a problem when it comes to understanding serious matters. Our understanding of the world is composed of fragments that don’t form together into an in-depth understanding of anything; as a result, we know everything about the last 24 hours yet nothing of the past 24 years.

This is exactly why newspapers cannot die. Think about the last time you read the newspaper. I apologize for jogging some readers memories with this mental exercise. When reading the newspaper, think about the amount of depth you receive, the minute details that you discover, and the tidbits of information you absorb that you would normally forget 10 minutes after watching the same story on the local news. Reading promotes long-term learning because you retain information better when you read it rather then watch it. The value in this cannot be overestimated.

Most of us aren’t even aware that we’re letting in the garbage and letting the good stuff die. Otherwise, we’d come to our senses and recognize what a huge mistake we’re making.

These poor kids had no idea what they were getting into. They thought that some BU grad students would come teach them about exercising and eating right. Instead, they got COM Professor Jo O’Connor (wearing red, in the front). Just look at the poor kid 50 seconds into the video.

This past Monday, a group of BU students in Prof. O’Connor’s community relations class spent a couple of hours with elementary school kids in Dorchester. The interactive workshop, called “Small Feet, Big Steps,” intended to help the students at Roger Clap School qualify for a grant to so that the kids can have gym class.

Remember gym class? Gym was my favorite subject in elementary school, with recess a close second. I distinctly recall playing capture the flag, dodgeball, volleyball, basketball, and other games my gym teacher, Mrs. Maine, appeared to make-up.

My friends and I were highly competitive. After the annual fitness challenge, we barely spoke to each other. And when we did talk, it was about how awesome we did in the one-mile run. Not any Joe Schmoe can run a mile in fewer than 12 minutes.

I can’t imagine not having gym class. Not only did we stay healthy, but we bonded and created memories. Like the time Frank hit Joe in the head when playing dodgeball. Or the time Jeff broke his arm jumping over the boards while playing hockey. Or when John didn’t win the mile run because a girl beat him.

The students in Dorchester are not creating these bonds. They’re not creating these memories. They’re not learning the benefits of a physically active lifestyle.

For one day, at least, about 20 COM students changed that, and helped them with their goal of establishing a physical education program. Not only did the COM class spend the afternoon with the elementary students, but it wrote a check for $300 and presented more than $5,000 in additional donations.

“It was so generous of BU to come out and choose Roger Clap since we do not have a physical education program,” said the school’s principal, Mary Tormey-Hamilton. “The BU students were really enthusiastic and patient and had a great time with the kids. The students loved going home with T-shirts, a nutritional snack and prizes.”

The kids heard a motivational lecture from Terry Holland, Australia’s Women’s Skeleton Team Head Coach for the 2010 Olympic Games. Yeah, I had to look it up, too. Skeleton is when you ride a sled face-first down an icy track. The students also went through soccer drills, hip-hop lessons, stretching exercises, and a food pyramid seminar.

“It is important that my students be able to share their talents and knowledge with others while giving back to the community,” said Prof. O’Connor, the one torturing the kid in the video.

Anyone from around here knows Dorchester as one of the poorest neighborhoods in Boston. Many BU students come from well-off families who don’t worry about gun shots when they walk out their front doors. Through one event, one day at the elementary school, a few COM students could help these kids live healthier lives by funding the establishment of a physical education program.

Now that would be no small feat.

Photos courtesy of Alexandra Herendeen

Photo credit: Jim Rosvold

Getty Images Photo

You know the story by now. With under a minute to go in the national championship game, BU found the back of the net twice in 42 seconds. An unthinkable comeback.

Then, about 12 minutes into the overtime period, Colby Cohen’s deflected slapshot gave the Terrier hockey program its fifth national title.

Putting this game into proper historical context can be difficult in its immediate aftermath. But who’s going to argue that last night’s title game wasn’t the best collegiate hockey game ever played?

Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe opened his column with this: “It simply had to be the greatest college hockey game ever played.”

Coach Jack Parker, who’s been at the helm for 36 years, said it was the best he’s ever seen.

“Wow. What a hockey game. What a finish. All I can think of is it’s the greatest comeback I’ve been involved in.”

Parker equated Nick Bonino’s game-tying goal to Red Sox outfielder Bernie Carbo’s game-tying home run in the sixth game of the 1975 World Series. Carbo’s homer set the stage for one of the most famous World Series moments, Carlton Fisk’s game-winning home run off the left field foul pole. Bonino equals Carbo. Fisk equals Cohen. Just as Fisk’s home run was anything but ordinary because it hit the foul pole, Cohen’s goal was similarly unique because the deflection threw everyone off… most notably, Miami University goalie Cody Reichard.

I’ve been a Boston sports fan all my life, but BU winning is better than a Patriots, Celtics, or even Red Sox championship. This is our school. We have a sense of ownership in this title, even if we didn’t skate a second on the ice. We have a lot more in common with the guys on the hockey team than we do with the professional athletes that some of them will become.

Last night, about 1,500 of us sat in Agganis Arena in shock. Miami University had just scored its third goal. Was this really going to happen? Were we going to win everything else this season, from the Ice Breaker tournament in October to the Hockey East tournament in March, only to have the most prized victory elude us? I began the grieving process.

Time ticked away. Two minutes remaining. 1:45 remaining. 1:30 left. Less than a minute to go. Even at this point, scoring one goal was unlikely.

The first goal was met with mild applause at Agganis. Still no reason to get too excited. But as the offense attacked in the Miami zone, hope grew. A silent, stunned arena 43 seconds prior erupted like Mt. Saint Helens when Bonino’s goal restored our view of the 2008-09 BU mens hockey team. These guys always find a way to get it done.

Under their sweaters, the players wore “Burn the Boats” t-shirts, which stands for the 100-percent commitment made by each of them this season. The phrase originates from Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez, who ordered the destruction of his boats so that no one in his fleet could bail once they reached Mexico.

The best season in Terrier history was capped with the best college hockey game ever played. On Tuesday, we celebrate with a parade down Comm. Ave. On Duck boats. Someone keep the matches away from Jack Parker.

I’ve met some fascinating people in college. I’m sure you have too, or if you’re not in college yet, that you eventually will meet people with whom you never anticipated crossing paths.

But I never anticipated meeting Uncle.

In my sophomore year, my first year at BU, I played pick-up basketball at FitRec to stay in shape, to compete and to meet friends. Little did I know that the basketball courts in the gym, between the hours of 4-7 p.m., double as a recruiting center. For this is where I, and many others, met Uncle.

Let me paint a picture of this man, whose real name my friends and I believe is Mark (or Gary). Uncle is a 40-something-year-old man who, at maybe 5-foot-9, probably shouldn’t calculate his Body Mass Index in his head. He sports a shaved head with some gray hair showing, as well as a goatee. On the court, he maintains a low center of gravity to box out anyone looking for rebounds, and he can often be caught cherry-picking on the offensive end of the court. Defenders hate guarding him, as any contact with him makes you feel like you just took a dip in the Charles River.

But the basketball is virtually insignificant. It’s the relationships that you form along the way.

For Uncle, basketball is his way in. He greets a new crop of freshmen every year, offers to buy them alcohol, and boom—he’s in. Next thing you know you see him at college parties, drinking beer, smoking weed (and who knows what else), and having the time of his life.

Except he’s at least 20 years older than anyone else in the room.

Not only do you see him at FitRec and at off-campus parties, but he makes appearances in the dining hall, in dorms, and at hockey games. Rumor has it that he lives in Coolidge Corner and works at a law firm downtown. I’m skeptical.

But I’m highly entertained. One time, while working at my part-time job at Fitrec, I saw Uncle running on a treadmill. Even if I hadn’t seen him first, I surely would have heard him running on the treadmill. Some people like to sing in the shower; others like to belt out the lyrics to “Hey Jude” in the gym. But one of Uncle’s fellow gym rats on the rowing machine apparently didn’t appreciate the baritone bellows, and yelled “Shut Up!”

How often do you think Simon Cowell wishes he could say this? Far and away this was the funniest moment I’ve ever had while working at FitRec.

I told Uncle that I played baseball, and we would talk about the Red Sox from time to time. Since then, I’ve been known as ‘baseball Chris.” He once told me that “spring training is like a blind date; you can’t wait til it gets here, but once it does you can’t wait for it to be over.” This is just a sampling of the witty ways of Uncle, a man I never imagined meeting.

So you get the weekly newsletter, quickly glance at the table of contents, then go to the one or two new items that strike some interest.

This week’s newsletter featured a few new items, but none qualify as a bigger waste of time then the announcement of COM Named Scholarships.

On the surface, my claim sounds blasphemous. Who, especially in this economic climate, would not apply for a scholarship? After all, of the 16 that are available, chances are you fit the bill to win one. Scholarships mean more money at a low cost; writing an essay of no more than one page explaining why we deserve the award is the easiest task we’ll undertake all semester. We’re COM students, so writing is what we do. And promoting ourselves? Need I mention how many of us are in public relations? If we can’t sell ourselves, how can we expect to sell someone else’s ideas, products and services?

But we have been mislead, through no fault of our own. BU puts up a wonderful facade, creating the appearance of a system that rewards hardworking, successful students by easing the burden of paying for this school’s education.

Here’s the catch: ever since President Brown has been in charge, not a single COM student has received a dime from these scholarships. The truth is that the entire process creates more work for students who don’t receive any direct benefit. The only plus to receiving one of these scholarships is a line on a reséumé — but is one of these awards really going to make a difference in getting hired? I doubt it.

Let me illustrate my point with an example. Last year, I received a COM scholarship. I was thrilled. My essay must have been effective, and I earned a scholarship that would ease the burden my parents and I face paying the BU bills.

Then I went onto the StudentLink to check out the Financial Aid section, and what I saw baffled me. The amount of my award, $1,500, had been deducted from my grant. That must be a mistake. I asked around, called Financial Aid, and quickly realized this was a zero-sum game. I was mystified. On one hand, I was proud to win the award. On the other hand, I wondered why I even bothered.

The kicker came in September. I received an e-mail from the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. The e-mail requested that I send a thank you letter to the secretary and treasurer of the fund that awarded the scholarship to me. Sounds like a reasonable request so far, no? But here’s what got me. They wanted me to send the letter so that they can learn about “the recipients who benefit from their philanthropy.” The letter closed by saying “thank you for helping us show our donors how much of an impact that their charitable contributions have on students at Boston University.”

Am I missing something here?

At best President Brown is lacking in transparency, at worst BU is creating its version of the old Russian Potemkin Villages.

BU’s explanation, which I discovered after a meeting with Financial Aid, is this: Students are awarded grant money as “placeholders” until the scholarships are awarded, and the “endowed funds” increase the amount of grant money the school doles out.

But the application system is flawed and needs to be changed. In the meantime, don’t waste your time trying to win one.

It’s that time of the year. The winter doldrums are upon us. Just when you think spring is right around the corner—a 55-degree day last Friday in the final days of February will convince you that warm weather is coming—boom! Another storm hits and quashes our hopes and dreams.

“Eight to 12 inches of snow will pummel Massachusetts and most of southern New England,” say the local meteorologists, who are about as popular as the IRS this time of year.

Now is when we collectively say “enough is enough already.” It’s been cold since November, meaning we’re four months into New England’s worst season. Bitter winds slam snow into our faces. Below zero temperatures lead us to second-guess our decision to leave our room. Slush and sleet make walking down Comm. Ave. feel like crossing the Bering Strait.

Gone are the days when a snowstorm meant you had to shovel the driveway, but gone too, are the hopes of snow days. The T is the traditional yardstick for determining if a snow day will happen—if the T shuts down, BU closes. BU never opened on Monday, so snow days do happen in college; but they are as infrequent as a BU basketball tournament appearance.

On top of the snow are midterm papers and exams. It’s difficult not to feel stuck, as we’ve been doing the same things for months now. Classes, homework, papers, exams. Same roommates, same walk or ride to classes, same weekend routine. Summer is still too far away to get excited.

The only bright spot is that spring break is right around the corner. In a few days, some of us lucky students will depart for sunny shores and crashing waves . We’ll break out the sunscreen and beg for a glass of ice water for refreshment.

I read Andrew’s post (“On Turning 20-something”) and can relate with many things he said. But let me offer a different view of life after 21.

First, Andrew says that “there are so many unknowns in the coming months it’s hard to balance an excitement for wide horizons with a concern for smothered dreams.”

I am someone who hates uncertainty, so this statement could not be more true for me. With so many things up in the air, still left to be worked out — from where I’ll work to where and with whom I’ll live — it can be scary. A fear of the unknown can hinder the ability to enjoy the final months at BU.

Despite this, I’m not worried. Bad economy and all, I’m ecstatic to move on the to next stage of life. Every day is a balancing act between enjoying the current moment and preparing for a vastly different life in three months.

Since the end of my junior year, when life beyond BU first appeared on the horizon, I’ve noticed that a lot of people I know who are out of school are miserable. They hate their jobs; no longer do they have dreams of accomplishing much. It’s the same crap, different day.

Does this happen for everybody? I’ve always been an optimistic person, and I can’t envision myself holding such a negative view of life. Maybe it goes back to what Andrew wrote, being stuck in your 20s and nobody being impressed. Maybe you reach a point when you no longer have a huge community of peers. Maybe you do the same boring stuff at work, you live by yourself or with a roommate you don’t like, and you barely have enough money leftover after paying bills to do anything fun with your life.

I, however, refuse to believe that things are all downhill after college. Sure, I’ll have tens of thousands of dollars in loans to pay back. Working every day will be an adjustment. My social life will be different.

But for once in my life, I won’t have homework. Instead of paying to do work, I’ll be receiving the check for my efforts. After a promotion or two, I’ll be able to afford classy dinners at places like Capital Grille and Davio’s. I’ll meet lots of new people through friends I make at work, on the baseball team I’ll play for, and by exploring all the new “adult” social places called bars.

And just because you leave college doesn’t mean you lose all your friends. Your friendships will grow, and one of the upsides of being in your 20s is the number of weddings you’ll attend. This will probably mean traveling to places in the country where you’ve never been, hopefully warmer climates during the winter months.

The opportunities are endless after college. You can live wherever you want. You can change careers like you changed majors. You can live with whomever you like (cue T.I. and Lil’ Wayne). It’s not all doom and gloom as many people might suggest.

P.S.: By coincidence, “No Woman, No Cry” by Bob Marley came on Pandora while I finishing this post. The lyrics “Everything’s gonna be all right!” could not be more appropriate here.

I’ll admit it–I’m obsessed with Ted Kennedy. His life, his celebrity, his family all fascinate me.

My obsession started during the fall of my junior year at BU. As a lifetime New Englander, I had, of course, known who Senator Kennedy was. But only once I started interning in his Boston office in the fall of 2007 did I begin to understand how much he has accomplished for the people of Massachusetts.

Everyone needs a hero, someone to emulate. Besides Jack Bauer, there’s no one better to look up to than Ted Kennedy.

Yes, I know about his baggage. In fact, I was in Chappaquiddick last November and took pictures of the bridge he drove off. He’s not perfect. As far as I’m concerned, he’s more than made up for his downfalls.

When Kennedy was young, his father told him–as well as his bros John and Bobby–not to worry about earning money and instead focus on giving back to other people. His father set up a 1 million dollar trust fund for each of them, so, clearly, money was never an issue for the closest America gets to a royal family.

Ted Kennedy’s lifelong dedication to public service often makes me think about starting a career in public service myself after graduating in fewer than three months. The idea sounds fulfilling and completely worth pursuing. Yet I constantly think about how I can possibly accomplish this. The practical interferes with the ideal.

Successfully running for office requires three things: money, education, and connections. Kennedy had two of the three from the day he was born, and because of both he received the best education available (undergrad at Harvard, law degree from Virginia).

I, like many of you, will graduate with none of these. To be sure, we will have a start on the education part. But the majority of elected officials–in the U.S. Senate it’s 56 percent–hold a law degree. This is attainable too, but then the money category takes a hit. And while connections can be made, making inroads in this department often depend on sheer luck, no matter how good at networking you are.

No matter what your situation, everyone starting a new job ought to think about what they will really achieve. Those who work in government sacrifice higher salaries in the private sector because they usually believe in serving the people. U.S. Senators earn fewer than $200,000 a year when they could be earning triple that running their own firms. In 2009, the utility infielder for the Boston Red Sox will take home a larger salary than President Obama.

Elsewhere, healthcare workers can feel good about the work they do everyday. Even lawyers, from time to time, are fulfilled when they assure justice for their clients. Professors and teachers go home with their heads held high knowing they made an influence in a student’s life that will last forever. Who doesn’t remember their third grade teacher? For better, or worse.

Other professions serve nothing but the bottom line and have little redeeming social value that the individual employee can clearly identify at the end of the day. While taking a course in the School of Management last year, I quickly realized that most people there primarily care about making as much money as possible, other values be damned. (I know I’m generalizing here, but when SMG students wear shirts saying “sex, money, greed: any questions?” it’s easy to pick up on a code of values.)

Even in COM, if I’m going into advertising, do I feel good about myself at the end of the day because I helped some random company sell some random product that may or may not be necessary?

In the sports industry, what’s the social value in helping an organization win a championship? Sure, a Celtics playoff run provides a nice distraction for the city of Boston and makes us happy. But it also depresses people in Los Angeles when the Lakers lose to Boston in the NBA Finals. What about the people in Charlotte? The Bobcats? They may as well stay in bed. If I’m a utilitarian, then Boston, New York, Chicago or LA should win in every sport every year.

My point is that sports is a great distraction, and I’m as guilty as anyone for getting caught up in it. Every time. But for a career? I have some trouble resting assured that I’m contributing in a meaningful way.

Kennedy’s parents would not allow him or his siblings to become “rich, idle bums.” While none of us have a trust fund worth a million bucks and a father who tells us to forget about earning money and “devote our lives” to giving back to the people, what would you do if you did?

Even Jack Bauer can feel good about his work at the end of the day.

You know it’s the day of the Beanpot when, after the automated voice over the intercom on the outbound B-line train informs riders of its terminus at Boston College, most passengers scream “SUCKS!!!” at once.

You know it’s the day of the Beanpot when an underdog Harvard squad jumps out to a 2-zip lead in the second period over the premiere team in the tournament — perhaps in the country — Boston University, and plants a seed of doubt in the minds of Terrier fans.

You know it’s the day of the Beanpot when Northeastern fans outnumber and outperform the Harvard faithless — a full two hours before the Huskies would take the ice against Boston College. 

And finally, you know it’s the day of the Beanpot when you start making plans for where to meet before next Monday’s game. As is usually the case, BU won its opening round match-up to advance to the Beanpot final next week with the chance to win title No. 29.  This is the 57th year of the tournament.  Do the math. There’s a reason some have nicknamed the tournament the BU Invitational.

Two Mondays in the dead of winter should not be this exciting. 

A sea of Scarlet and White Terriers jerseys filled 10 sections of the balcony at TD Banknorth Garden late Monday afternoon, as fans occupied seats typically reserved for Celtics and Bruins aficionados. As the afternoon turned to early evening, the tide turned for the Terriers as two third-period goals lifted BU to victory.

You can find plenty of game stories online, so I won’t waste your time with yet another.  Instead, let me take you inside the Garden, and inside the BU student experience at the annual tournament.

In addition to the action on the ice, there’s another high-level competition going on in the stands. As you can see from the accompanying picture, the Terriers travel well.  And by travel, I mean walking maybe 40 seconds to the nearest B-line stop for a half-hour train ride downtown. 

Once we take our seats at the Garden, we sit and wait for Harvard fans to show up.  We wait some more.  Then we think that Northeastern followers read the schedule wrong. The Huskies play the Eagles at 8 p.m., not the Terriers at 5 p.m. But the Northeastern fans are ready, even if those in Crimson aren’t. When Harvard scores a goal halfway through the first period, virtual silence shakes the foundation of the building.  When Harvard scores in the second frame, increasing their lead, Huskies fans pick up the slack in the balcony.

Where else can Northeastern students do something better than those Harvard brainiacs?

After the game, it’s a guarantee that you will be crammed into a T with your fellow Comm. Ave. denizens, from North Station to Blandford Street and beyond.  Terrier fans actually hijack the train for that ride — and it’s like the game never ended.  Chants and ridiculing BC continues. 

This year, however, BC is not the subject of our vitriol (or at least the main subject). Instead it’s the Huskies of Huntington Avenue. Northeastern is hungry. Last year the Huskies lost to Harvard in a first-round upset. 

NU is ranked third in the country and beat BC, 6-1, in the nightcap Monday.  The title game next week now pits No. 1 BU against No. 3 NU, which means the cheering sections have fewer than seven days to create clever material for the battle of the balcony.

It’s the Dog Pound (BU) versus the Dog House (NU), and some of the classics are sure to surface. 

When NU asks:  “Where’s your cam-pus?!?”

BU answers: “Five-year pro-gram!” (OK, so that doesn’t exactly answer the question…)

NU responds: “BU foot-ball!” 

BU answers: “Un-de-fea-ted!” 

This is nice and all, but it’s time for some fresh stuff. 

Northeastern came up with a new one for ‘09. It plays off the Subway commercial:

“Five.”

“Five year.”

“Five year prograaaaaam.”

Not only does Northeastern claim new material, but in a clear act of war, its band played BU’s signature victory song, “Hey Baby (Won’t you be My Girl).”

It’s time we step up our (off-ice) game. If you’ve got some suggestions, please add them below.

And if things go well where it really matters, next Monday and beyond, the BU train could roll all the way along to the Dog Pound & friends’ much-preferred destination:  the Frozen Four. 

I can think of some better suffixes to attach to this final stop. 

After what felt like the shortest winter break of my college career, I present you with a list of the 10 most exciting events that will occur before mid-May. Some of these are unique to BU students, while others are applicable to a wider population. These are not rank-ordered but simply listed chronologically.

10. The Inauguration of Barack Obama. OK, this one already happened. But what better way to kick off a new semester than by replacing a controversial, lame-duck leader of the free world with the first black president and someone who has restored optimism to millions of people? I know many, many college students went to D.C. for this event, and thousands of others skipped class, gathered around the TV, and turned it into a national holiday.

9. The Killers concert at Agganis Arena. Some well-known names, from Santana to the White Stripes to the Dropkick Murhpys, have performed at Agganis. (Obama even spoke there in spring 2007.) The Killers are touring to promote their new album, Day and Age, and lead singer Brandon Flowers says his band “could become bigger than U2.” It starts with a sold-out show at BU.

8. The Super Bowl. Heading into the game, I know the outcome will not come close to matching the disappointment this area felt after last year’s defeat. That’s a positive. After I get over the fact that the Arizona Cardinals are actually playing in the game, I’m sure it will be highly entertaining. (I mean, come on. The Arizona Cardinals?!? They defined futility as a franchise for years. They won only nine games in the worst division in football. They didn’t even appear on Monday Night Football this year, which means no one wants to watch you. The NFC should be embarrassed.) A 30-second advertisement is going to cost $3 million this year, up from $2.5 million a year ago, and companies such as FedEx, Garmin, and GM (shocker) refuse to pay such a high price in a dismal economy.

7. The Beanpot.

Two years ago, goalie John Curry led BU to the Beanpot title over BC in overtime.

I talked about the Beanpot in my post titled, “A BU sports primer, for the uninitiated,” and I suggest you take a look back at that once again. This is the most unifying event that happens at this school, and it marks two occasions during the year when you actually look forward to a Monday. It should be a great tournament this year, with Northeastern and BU ranked high in the polls and BC not far behind. Harvard, BU’s first-round opponent, doesn’t carry the record of the other three schools, but, as my barber Louie said, the Beanpot brings out the best in teams.

6. Pitchers and Catchers. Not everyone reading this will recognize the significance of those three words, but the unofficial start of spring in New England occurs February 16. This is when Red Sox pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. While we’re entrenched in the doldrums of winter, the sights and sounds of sunny baseball fields in Florida produce a harbinger of the summer season.

5. Spring Break, March 7-15. A much-needed break in the middle of the semester when many students leave for warmer climates. But you already knew that. Other students engage in week-long community service trips, called Alternative Spring Break trips. BU’s program is well-run, cheap, and extremely popular. For an entire week’s expenses, you pay less than $300. Run by the Community Service Center, the CSC organizes more than 30 trips that travel to places as far away as Nebraska, Mississippi and Florida.

4. Opening Day, April 6. If you haven’t noticed, baseball’s kind of a big deal around here. The Tampa Bay Rays visit Fenway Park in a matinee contest that marks the Red Sox’ home opener. This day is one of those unofficial holidays in New England. Virtually everyone who doesn’t attend the game in person watches on TV.

3. Patriot’s Day/Marathon Monday. This is an official holiday in Massachusetts and a day off at BU. As I talked about in a previous post Marathon Monday is one of the best days of the school year. This ranks up there with the Beanpot as a unifying BU experience, as the course of the Boston Marathon runs along the southern and eastern edges of campus.

2. Warmer weather. I swear, this does happen. After months of snow and cold, followed by a month of rain, Boston turns warm and sunny. It’s timed perfectly to keep up students’ spirits during final exams.

1. The second after you finish your last exam of the year. This a moment of pure joy, relief, and enthusiasm. Every year after I’m done for the school year, I can’t help but think of Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out.”

Loads of classwork and frigid walks on Comm. Ave. make for a long winter, so be sure to take the time to enjoy these events during the spring semester.