Andrea Adelson Leaving ESPN?

[Chin Diesel]

Writing is on the wall (or on the blog).

First, she has her week 2 power rankings and has the two pergatory teams ranked 7 and 8 (Syracuse and Pitt).

Then she devotes a whole post of original thought on how Pitt is in no man's land an no one will claim their suckiness. AND, she threw in a tweet by Nick Carparelli ragging on Pitt by saying the BE will be a better football conference on the field next year.

Not toeing the company line means she's on the way out or she's grown a pair.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast

 

[noeynox]

I saw that today, and was surprised. I thought her blog sucked ass last year and stopped reading more than once in a while, mostly for the lunch time links. She has been much better this year and not only for the reason you pointed out, I think she has become more familiar/knowledgeable about the teams she is covering and it shows in her work.

 

[sportsart]

Sounds like a candidate for NBC Sports. Is she sideline reporter material or made for blogging? Never saw her.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

I think she must be leaving ESPiN. There is no way they would let her get away writing something fair about the BE.

 

[FluxTZ]

They also added a second blogger for our conference, Matt Fortuna. Read his post about Aresco and came away pleasantly surprised.

 

[BlueMAB]

She has been more than fair with the big east and has gone out of her way to criticize the leadership for not pushing the facts out to the media regarding the big east's favorable performances compared to the nACC.

 

[whaler11]

I know it's crazy, but some of what people see as a conspiracy is really just groupthink.

 

[CodyJ.]

I wish other blog writers would grow a pair too. not mentioning any names here. im not into slander. but it seems like the companies the writers work for seriously sensor their work. The Boneyard is the only place i've found with real remarks. Wish some were devils advocate though... ;-O

 

[J187Money]

Or maybe the league stinks until we can prove otherwise. Just saying.

 

[CodyJ.]

Or maybe the league stinks until we can prove otherwise. Just saying.

i like the "prove otherwise" part. true. You are what you are. What have you done lately?? right?

 

[2Infinity]

i like the "prove otherwise" part. true. You are what you are. What have you done lately?? right?

Problem is...every time the league does prove itself, like this year's bowl smashing of ACC champ Clemson by the BE's West Virginia, it get's minimized. And we all know how superior the BE's overall bowl record is to the ACC's. In head-to-head bowl match-ups over the last 6 seasons, the BE is 7-5. If you include regular season match-ups as well as bowl games, the BE has an advantage of 25-23. So how does that make the ACC superior to the BE?

 

[uconnfan68]

Not toeing the company line means she's on the way out or she's grown a pair.

Where does that pair go?

 

[uconnfan68]

Problem is...every time the league does prove itself, like this year's bowl smashing of ACC champ Clemson by the BE's West Virginia, it get's minimized. And we all know how superior the BE's overall bowl record is to the ACC's. In head-to-head bowl match-ups over the last 6 seasons, the BE is 7-5. If you include regular season match-ups as well as bowl games, the BE has an advantage of 25-23. So how does that make the ACC superior to the BE?

Way too much logic. Nice job.

 

[2Infinity]

Way too much logic. Nice job.

Thanks UF68...it seems the only way people will begin to acknowledge that the BE isn't as bad as ESPN says it is ...is when the FACTS are actually put out there, instead of just opinions....repeatedly!

 

[RedStickHusky]

the be has a great argument for beng better at the median or mean or whatever the math heads say is the right term - what they haven't had, outside of wvu, which somehow seems not to count, is a team finshing strong on a big stage. wvu should have had a national championship and they blew it against pitt; cinci puked when kelly left them at the alter. One 12-1 season with a big bowl win, eg a top five finish, is what the confernce needs. 7-5, 25-23? Doesn't make support the acc superiority but doesn't force anyone to say look at the BE. Conferences (see SEC) are judged by their top teams - that's the bottom line.

 

[RedStickHusky]

BTW AA is light years better than the guy that was writing that blog before her who wrote that it would be better for the conference if UConn didn't beat USF. Forget his name but man that ticked me off....

 

[noeynox]

Sounds like a candidate for NBC Sports. Is she sideline reporter material or made for blogging? Never saw her.

Blogging material for sure.

 

[FluxTZ]

BTW AA is light years better than the guy that was writing that blog before her who wrote that it would be better for the conference if UConn didn't beat USF. Forget his name but man that ticked me off....

You're thinking of Brian Bennett. However, I think HE was light years better than she. He actually knew the conference since he's a Cinci guy to start.

 

[RedStickHusky]

right, that's the guy - and i liked his blog too until he told his readers to hope UConn didn't beat USF two years ago...

 

[Husky68]

i like the "prove otherwise" part. true. You are what you are. What have you done lately?? right?

Win a BCS game and put 70 on the ACC champ!

 

[2Infinity]

the be has a great argument for beng better at the median or mean or whatever the math heads say is the right term - what they haven't had, outside of wvu, which somehow seems not to count, is a team finshing strong on a big stage. wvu should have had a national championship and they blew it against pitt; cinci puked when kelly left them at the alter. One 12-1 season with a big bowl win, eg a top five finish, is what the confernce needs. 7-5, 25-23? Doesn't make support the acc superiority but doesn't force anyone to say look at the BE. Conferences (see SEC) are judged by their top teams - that's the bottom line.

Good point Seoul! So if we look at things that way...with high final rankings being the most important element to a league's reputation, then the results may surprise you. Looking at the last 6 seasons, just as before, what was the highest ranking achieved by an ACC team in the final AP poll? It was in the final poll for the 2007-08 season, as Virginia Tech finished 9th. No top five finishes at all. How about top 10? Well in the same season, BCU finished tied for 10th and in 2009-10, VT finished 10th. That was it!

As for the BE, the best final ranking was 6th, twice! Once in 2006-07 with Louisville and again in 2007-08 with WVA. Two additional teams finished with top ten rankings. In 2006-07 WVA finished ranked 10th and in 2009-10, Cincinnati finished 8th.

If you broaden the scope to include top 15 finishes, then you would add VT in 2008-09 at #15 and Georgia Tech in 2009-10 at #13. For the BE you would add Rutgers in 2006-07 at #12 and Pittsburgh in 2009-10 at #15.

So if looking at this measure, the BE not only equals the ACC, but actually surpasses them! Two #6 finishes and one #8 certainly trump one #9 finish.

 

[J187Money]

Love it. Arguing why we should be regarded as the 5th best conference. Way to shoot for the stars.

We all know if all of us were in some other conference we would be saying the same things about the BE. Put up or shut up. End of story.

 

[2Infinity]

Love it. Arguing why we should be regarded as the 5th best conference. Way to shoot for the stars.

We all know if all of us were in some other conference we would be saying the same things about the BE. Put up or shut up. End of story.

I think most UConn fans would be happy if the BE was just portrayed fairly by the media, especially ESPN. If so, we would be recognized as the 5th best conference of the Big 6. Obviously, we are not! My post was meant to help state the facts backing that up, not to try making a case as to why we are actually among the top two or three conferences.

As for your remark about "shooting for the stars", my post has nothing at all to do with where I'd like to see UConn or the BE eventually. To be among the elite programs and conferences in the country would be great, but we aren't getting there through a post I make Mr. Money! Unfortunately, I don't have anything to do with our program's ability to "shoot for the stars". You can't get there just by talking about it Money...or maybe that's how you operate...not sure.

Fact of the matter is, my post directly addresses your last point...that the BE HAS been putting up, relative to the ACC, as that is what my comparison was about. The BE isn't some distant and detached sixth best conference as you seem to think. Just out of curiosity, does Mickey Mouse sign your paycheck Money??

 

[UDann]

Writing is on the wall (or on the blog).

First, she has her week 2 power rankings and has the two pergatory teams ranked 7 and 8 (Syracuse and Pitt).

Then she devotes a whole post of original thought on how Pitt is in no man's land an no one will claim their suckiness. AND, she threw in a tweet by Nick Carparelli ragging on Pitt by saying the BE will be a better football conference on the field next year.

Not toeing the company line means she's on the way out or she's grown a pair.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast

Maybe since ESPN and Big East Commissioner will be sitting down to discuss contract numbers ESPN needs to cover themselves and have their stooges say nice things about the Big East...seems everything is orchestrated out of Bristol...sans Lake Compounce lol

 

[J187Money]

I think most UConn fans would be happy if the BE was just portrayed fairly by the media, especially ESPN. If so, we would be recognized as the 5th best conference of the Big 6. Obviously, we are not! My post was meant to help state the facts backing that up, not to try making a case as to why we are actually among the top two or three conferences.

As for your remark about "shooting for the stars", my post has nothing at all to do with where I'd like to see UConn or the BE eventually. To be among the elite programs and conferences in the country would be great, but we aren't getting there through a post I make Mr. Money! Unfortunately, I don't have anything to do with our program's ability to "shoot for the stars". You can't get there just by talking about it Money...or maybe that's how you operate...not sure.

Fact of the matter is, my post directly addresses your last point...that the BE HAS been putting up, relative to the ACC, as that is what my comparison was about. The BE isn't some distant and detached sixth best conference as you seem to think. Just out of curiosity, does Mickey Mouse sign your paycheck Money??

My post was really about the "endless" comparisons about the BE and ACC that this board seems to be obsessed with. Nothing personal about you (although clearly you took it that way given the personal attack back).

I know, I know...it is a message board so if we weren't talking about stupid things that don't matter nobody would be saying anything at all, etc. etc...

But "fairly" means different things to different people. And given the football pedigree of the teams that are IN the conference, NOT leaving, excluding the ones that have not YET joined, we are the 6th best conference. There, I said it. I hope I'm wrong. When the other teams show up (unlike TCU that didn't - meaning they aren't here until they actually ARE here) we can have a different argument.

(and if we ARE the 5th best conference, why is everyone here clamoring for entry to the ACC? - why do we want to join a worse conference?)

(And no, I do not work for ESPN - but nice try)

 

[2Infinity]

My post was really about the "endless" comparisons about the BE and ACC that this board seems to be obsessed with. Nothing personal about you (although clearly you took it that way given the personal attack back).

I know, I know...it is a message board so if we weren't talking about stupid things that don't matter nobody would be saying anything at all, etc. etc...

But "fairly" means different things to different people. And given the football pedigree of the teams that are IN the conference, NOT leaving, excluding the ones that have not YET joined, we are the 6th best conference. There, I said it. I hope I'm wrong. When the other teams show up (unlike TCU that didn't - meaning they aren't here until they actually ARE here) we can have a different argument.

(and if we ARE the 5th best conference, why is everyone here clamoring for entry to the ACC? - why do we want to join a worse conference?)

(And no, I do not work for ESPN - but nice try)

Fair response ...though it was your "...stars" comment that seemed to make your post somewhat attack-like. However, I do appreciate your explanation Money.

The points you've just made do have merit, as to today's league. Have to prove ourselves again this year, just as in past years. It always seems the ACC has higher early season rankings. Typically the BE catches up as it proves itself and the ACC teams fall in the rankings. In the end, it pretty much evens out, though the BE still has had the higher end-of-season rankings in general. This season we'll just have to wait to see if it happens again, though having no WVA may hurt us this year.

As for next year, we'll just have to wait and see if everyone does indeed show up. If the TV contract is good, with a contractual pledge to say being a part of it, I can't imagine the new teams not coming on board.

As to why go to the ACC? I personally believe it's all about stability, though I don't think the ACC is going to be that in the future. Depending on the new contract and it's terms (i.e. - agreeing to stay in the conference for X period of time), the NBE may well offer stability that we haven't seen before. The ACC may on the other hand become the poacher's league-du-jour. The new additions could easily build themselves up in that scenario, just as teams have done after prior league expansions. I won't be concerned about our teams ability to do that, as long as we have closed the exit door. It will truly hinge on the new television contract. With the large TV markets that the NBE will be in, combined with a little time to grow, the conferences programs could really be elevated.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Good point Seoul! So if we look at things that way...with high final rankings being the most important element to a league's reputation, then the results may surprise you. Looking at the last 6 seasons, just as before, what was the highest ranking achieved by an ACC team in the final AP poll? It was in the final poll for the 2007-08 season, as Virginia Tech finished 9th. No top five finishes at all. How about top 10? Well in the same season, BCU finished tied for 10th and in 2009-10, VT finished 10th. That was it!

As for the BE, the best final ranking was 6th, twice! Once in 2006-07 with Louisville and again in 2007-08 with WVA. Two additional teams finished with top ten rankings. In 2006-07 WVA finished ranked 10th and in 2009-10, Cincinnati finished 8th.

If you broaden the scope to include top 15 finishes, then you would add VT in 2008-09 at #15 and Georgia Tech in 2009-10 at #13. For the BE you would add Rutgers in 2006-07 at #12 and Pittsburgh in 2009-10 at #15.

So if looking at this measure, the BE not only equals the ACC, but actually surpasses them! Two #6 finishes and one #8 certainly trump one #9 finish.

I agree, no rational metric supports an ACC superiority argument. As for national perception of the BE though, how many of those top 10/top 15 finishers dropped in the final rankings? To my rapidly declining memory, every time a BE team has had a chance to punctuate a season with an exclamation point, they've fallen flat.

 

[businesslawyer]

I agree, no rational metric supports an ACC superiority argument. As for national perception of the BE though, how many of those top 10/top 15 finishers dropped in the final rankings? To my rapidly declining memory, every time a BE team has had a chance to punctuate a season with an exclamation point, they've fallen flat.

Your last sentence is bizarre for defending an ACC versus Big East comparison. Since the ACC took Miami and VPI, they have once, once, punctuated their season by having their champion win their BCS game. The Big EAst had it happen 4 times (in only 8 tries). Again, you're reaching for an objective explanation that does not exist.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Last year a mediocre team who didn't deserve to be in the Sugar Bowl lost to another mediocre team who didn't deserve to be there either. And the other BCS bowl game was a debacle of epic proportions for their champion.

By the way, Clemson destroyed VT in last year's ACCCG.