FADEM: Even though the cold is bitter, I can’t wait for winter

My freshman year at Boston University was filled with many ups and downs as a fan. I witnessed a lot more wins than I did losses, along with a lot of ties in 2006-07.

I’m not here to tell you what I hope will happen. I’m here to tell you what will happen, and why 2007-08 will be the highlight of my career as a fan so far.

I think it’ll start in the winter. Don’t get me wrong, I plan on going to some soccer games and, hell, I’ll even cross the river and get myself to a few field hockey games, but I am counting down the days until Oct. 12: the return of Midnight Mania, basketball-style.

I am most excited for basketball season. I mean, come on — this is going to be a great season for BU basketball. I know it, rather, I can feel it. BU will have success in front of a full house more than once this season.

Add on a player who dropped 23 points with 17 rebounds a game in high school (Will Creekmore) and the next Omari Peterkin (Matt Killen) to the mix and you can see this team is building a dynasty. Twin towers like Creekmore and Killen (6-foot-9 and 6-foot-10, respectively) is something completely unheard of in America East basketball.

With Joe Trapani gone from the University of Vermont and Jamar “Being the best player in America East equates to playing 10 minutes with most NBA practice squads” Wilson graduated, I can’t imagine what team could possibly be ranked higher than BU in this year’s preseason coaches’polls. Put on your Dancing Shoes, because this is the really the year we’ll make it to the NCAA Tournament. Or at least have a winning record.

While I could go on and on about the basketball team, I’m equally as excited for the men’s hockey home opener against the University of New Hampshire on Oct. 19.

Looking at this year’s team compared to last year’s, I don’t see that much has changed between the two. Sure, last year we had John Curry, who was expected to have an All-American season (and until the final couple of games, he did). People constantly ask me, “Who is going to be the goalie — who can possibly replace Curry?”

Curry was largely a product of our defense. He did make saves worthy of “the bow,” but you have to remember who was right in front of him on the ice: Strait, Schaeffer, Gryba, Keilt, Sullivan, Gilroy and how could anyone possibly forget, Tom Morrow — I know I won’t; I still am determined to name my firstborn after him. This defense was the second-ranked unit in the nation. Second. Curry was ranked fourth in goals-against average and sixth in save percentage, largely a product of the Terrier defense.

By no means am I criticizing Curry. He got what he deserved — a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the legacy of winning three straight Beanpots, and some breathtaking top-10 moments. However, I give a lot more credit to Jack Parker’s defense than to Curry’s play in the crease.

This nasty defense seems only to have gotten better. It’s very difficult to replace a type of player like Tom Morrow. Not only did he put on great performances on the ice, he put fans in the seats. From an economic standpoint, Agganis Arena will probably miss him the most. However, despite the tremendous loss of Morrow, BU somehow recruited the hell out of the nation.

Our defense this upcoming year will feature the 14th and 45th pick from this years NHL draft – the two highest draft picks that BU currently has. There will be a lot riding on Kevin Shattenkirk and Colby Cohen and I believe (and hope) that they will live up to the hype.

A few of my friends who played hockey in high school played against Colby Cohen. They call him a big kid who loves to fight. And if you check out YouTube.com, you too can see that Cohen is a tough kid. I really hope Parker treats the fans to a Cohen-Gryba defensive line — a line that would set single season records for penalty minutes, fights, game misconducts and ejections. God, that pumps me up. Come on Parker, don’t disappoint.

And finally, one more extremely important aspect of the hockey and basketball season aged like fine wine in the offseason. You got it: the BU Pep Band. I love music, but I’ve never loved music as much as I love it when I hear it coming from the trumpets, tubas, other assorted brass instruments and drums in the “Sound of the Pound.” I received privileged information that the band has indeed built up its repertoire this summer. Expect even greater things than “Shipping Up to Boston” and “The Final Countdown.” Get pumped.

I am looking forward to many games, many new faces, many new friends, many new toppings (for my hot dog, incase you somehow managed to forget) and many wins.

Brian Fadem, a sophomore in the College of Communication, is a weekly columnist for The Daily Free Press. He can be reached at bfadem@bu.edu.