From the Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy.

When Monday night™s banquet turned into a rah-rah event for Boise State, the Boston College players let it be known they might have a little extra motivation for the MPC Computers Bowl.

After last night™s 27-21 victoryl, it became clear just how upset and offended the Eagles were. BC took offense at Mayor Dave Bieter™s open rooting for Boise State at the banquet, but particularly galling was the fact that MPC Computers CEO Mike Atkins made a running joke of mispronouncing Mathias Kiwanuka™s name.

Kiwanuka (above), whose grandfather was the first prime minister of Uganda, is extremely proud of his African heritage and his family name. The jokes hit him hard.

œI thought the banquet was extremely disrespectful, Kiwanuka said. œI™ve never been that disrespected so much as a Boston College football player, as a person from the city of Boston and as an individual. To see the mayor get up and say some disrespectful things, then to have the CEO of the title sponsor get up and say what he said and attack me personally, that was ridiculous.

BC coach Tom O™Brien was clearly angered.

œWe got to a banquet that turns into a pep rally, he said. œI didn™t have to say anything to this team. I ought to thank the mayor and the people of Boise. They did everything to get this team (ready). I™ve been to 19 bowl games and I™ve never seen anything like that in my life. It was a banquet. The pep rally was the next night. You don™t disrespect the best player on the opposite team by making fun of his name and having everyone in the audience laugh at him. There wasn™t anything I had to do to get this team ready. You all did it for us. Thank you.