Bon voyage, Rakim Sanders; John Gallagher, we hardly knew ye

And here I thought today was going to be a quiet day of BC sports.

Rakim Sanders, once regarded as a star recruit for Boston College, has decided that he's not going to play for new coach Steve Donahue and will transfer to a new school for his senior season.  Of course, he would have to sit out a year, but the fact that he is unwilling to play out his last season at BC says something.  I have no idea where he'll end up but I doubt it will be a major-conference program.  Word from Andy Katz is that it will be Ed Cooley's Fairfield, but who knows at this point.

Rakim was a name that I think, when he arrived on the Heights, we were all looking forward to seeing what he could do.  Over time, however, the bloom came off the proverbial rose.  He never became that dominant player we thought he was going to be, having issues with suspension, being out of shape, and playing lazy defense at times.  It's a shame that he never took off at our school.  I wish him luck, which he will evidently need.

I will, however, make one thing abundantly clear: I would not want any players here that don't want to be here.  I don't know what Rakim's reasons are for leaving (but I can guess).  If you don't want to play here anymore, fine, then don't.  If your convictions are strong enough that you're going to transfer out so you can play one season at a lesser program, then that's your call.  It's obvious that the coaching change is responsible for this, so I say this: thank you for your service to the school, but if you can't take the heat, then by all means, show yourself out the door.  Donahue is getting what he wants: in other words, people who want to be here and are willing to play within his new system.  I approve.

I didn't think anyone was going to leave, but now that Rakim has done so, I think there might be more, but I think they may be recruits.  Kevin Noreen and Papa Samba Ndao are the most likely candidates.  I would hope that Brady Heslip, already being at BC and getting into shape for the new season, would have the sense to stay, considering how he'll play a key role in this exciting new offense.

Next, John Gallagher is going to take the head coaching job at Hartford, just days after being named to Steve Donahue's staff at BC.  Um, bye.