As Predicted By Anyone With A Brain, The ACC Is NOT Getting A TV Network

[btstimpy]

The dynamics will change, of course, if Miami comes back on line as a football giant and Virginia, UNC and VT up their game in football....if that happens, an addition of a premier basketball program would be a great get.

I am hopeful that Pitt and Louisville will do well on the gridiron....and, man, if Syracuse could get their football mojo back, the ACC would be flying higher.

This is a down year for ACC round ball....I hope that in future years we see Louisville, Cuse, Duke, UNC, and Virginia maintain in the rankings.

David Cutcliffe rattled some cages and opened some eyes this past season in football. I wanted so bad for them to hang on and beat Johnny Manziel. They came within a whisker of winning the Peach Bowl. We'll have to see if David Cutcliffe can keep it up. It looks like Duke is going to be spending some money on their football facilities. Kevin White came in there from Notre Dame, took one look, and determined that this crappy Duke football won't cut it.

I don't want them to keep beating us, but it's good to see them participating in the football side rather than always losing and finishing last. UVA finished last this past year, but I know we aren't content to just sit in that spot like Duke was for so long.

 

[billybud]

Duke and UCF need to show that they can maintain and reload when they lose a great QB....

 

[BlueHen]

I've presented numerous facts and information here and have been met with tons of stupid responses from posters that obviously don't know what they are talking about but have an agenda.

I have no agenda, but it seems to me that you post your opinion, and then argue it as if it is fact.

 

[SouthronCross]

The dynamics will change, of course, if Miami comes back on line as a football giant and Virginia, UNC and VT up their game in football....if that happens, an addition of a premier basketball program would be a great get.

I am hopeful that Pitt and Louisville will do well on the gridiron....and, man, if Syracuse could get their football mojo back, the ACC would be flying higher.

This is a down year for ACC round ball....I hope that in future years we see Louisville, Cuse, Duke, UNC, and Virginia maintain in the rankings.

I am hoping that UNC finally has gotten hold of a football coach that can get us back to where we were when Mack Brown was here. I like what Coach Fedora has done thus far, and, he seems to be recruiting well. We have to find a way to get by both Tech and VPI before we can think about even making the ACCCG.

 

[Pat125]

You are 100 percent correct. The ACC not taking UConn was a huge missed opportunity. Swofford was ready to invite them.

UConn was originally supposed to be paired with Syracuse, not Pitt, to join the ACC. UConn is a perfect match...academically, and, with a strong Olympic sports program. I believe they have untapped potential for football. They've done pretty well whenever they've faced ACC opponents in the past. Plus, they'd give BC a natural regional rival that the league could build upon.

But, FSU and Clemson led a group that refused to vote for them. The four NC schools, UVA, and, Maryland (IIRC), were all in their corner.

As I've said before, I am an optimist, and, I still hold out hope that they will get in. Maybe it is that optimistic side that believes the ACC bowed to pressure from FSU, Clemson, etc, to take Louisville this time around, in exchange for selecting UConn when/if the league goes to 16.

Its of little consolation to our hosts here, but, thats just my take.

I think the ACC made excellent choices when they added Florida St, Virginia Tech, and Miami. I forgot to add that I was surprised by their next choice. I actually thought that WV would have been a good choice geographically, and there would have been a natural pairing of rivals. But I understand the idea of expanding to different markets and pushing up the northeast. It just seems that UConn or Rutgers would have been a much better choice.

 

[billybud]

The ACC is a conference that has had growing pains and an identity crisis.

When FSU joined the ACC, it was a southern-mid Atlantic league. As the ACC grew and added Boston College & Syracuse in a northeastern move, it created some cognitive dissonance for the deep south schools of Clemson and FSU.

Having Clemson and FSU traveling to Boston and Syracuse while having GT (their relative next door neighbor) in another division made little sense for the fans. Playing GT once every six years (and at GT once in twelve) is a sore point for the Seminoles largest out of state alumni base in Atlanta.

And Clemson is an hour down the road.

 

[Sea Goat]

You are 100 percent correct. The ACC not taking UConn was a huge missed opportunity. Swofford was ready to invite them.

UConn was originally supposed to be paired with Syracuse, not Pitt, to join the ACC. UConn is a perfect match...academically, and, with a strong Olympic sports program. I believe they have untapped potential for football. They've done pretty well whenever they've faced ACC opponents in the past. Plus, they'd give BC a natural regional rival that the league could build upon.

But, FSU and Clemson led a group that refused to vote for them. The four NC schools, UVA, and, Maryland (IIRC), were all in their corner.

As I've said before, I am an optimist, and, I still hold out hope that they will get in. Maybe it is that optimistic side that believes the ACC bowed to pressure from FSU, Clemson, etc, to take Louisville this time around, in exchange for selecting UConn when/if the league goes to 16.

Its of little consolation to our hosts here, but, thats just my take.

Appreciate the sentiment, but I really hope UConn ends up in the B1G - here's why. No question the ACC was initially a better fit than the B1G for UConn. UConn has much simpatico with the excellent public institutions that are the backbone of the ACC. But the ACC lost its way and I hope UConn does not become part of it. First, the addition of BC really hasn't done anything for the ACC and Defillipo crowed about how he was able to keep UConn out in 2011. How could a newbie, underachiever in a historic conference be allowed to sway any one's opinion? Second, if the ACC was serious about improving its NE footprint, it would have recognized that UConn was a much better add than Pitt or Syra.... Third, the Louisville add is the clincher. The ACC sold its soul for some perceived short term athletic benefit and added a school that is woefully deficient in the academic sphere. Having said that, obviously UConn would jump to the ACC in a heart beat to escape Dante Aresco's "Inferno", but here's hoping the B1G calls first.

 

[btstimpy]

I think the ACC made excellent choices when they added Florida St, Virginia Tech, and Miami. I forgot to add that I was surprised by their next choice. I actually thought that WV would have been a good choice geographically, and there would have been a natural pairing of rivals. But I understand the idea of expanding to different markets and pushing up the northeast. It just seems that UConn or Rutgers would have been a much better choice.

I agree on UConn and perhaps WVU. WVU needs a little work though. But keep in mind that the two Syracuse vs Duke men's basketball games this season are two of the top 5 most watched men's college basketball games in the history of any ESPN property. Syracuse has spent most of this season at Number 1 in the AP poll. And Syracuse defeated Minnesota in their bowl game this season. Syracuse is a great lacrosse addition. New York's College team has been a positive addition. Pittsburgh won their bowl game as well. Their basketball team will finish in the top 6 of the league. Wresting won the league. I think Pitt will be fine.

You mention Rutgers, and several here have previously. I don't think Rutgers has been to a NCAA men's basketball tournament in over 40 years. They don't look like a threat to get there any time soon. Rutgers has won 1 NCAA championship in its history in the 1940s. They have been to a hand full of minor bowls in the past decade while playing a Big East schedule. I'm not sure they have dominated the Big East or AAC in any sport ever. What is your attraction? You are not the only one as I've said. I've heard it here before. But I don't see them ahead of any other school that the ACC has invited.

 

[btstimpy]

The ACC is a conference that has had growing pains and an identity crisis.

When FSU joined the ACC, it was a southern-mid Atlantic league. As the ACC grew and added Boston College & Syracuse in a northeastern move, it created some cognitive dissonance for the deep south schools of Clemson and FSU.

Having Clemson and FSU traveling to Boston and Syracuse while having GT (their relative next door neighbor) in another division made little sense for the fans. Playing GT once every six years (and at GT once in twelve) is a sore point for the Seminoles largest out of state alumni base in Atlanta.

And Clemson is an hour down the road.

It's a little thing called the Atlantic Coast. It runs from Maine to Florida. Capturing all the attention of college sports viewers from Bangor, ME to Key West, FL with everything in between on the path between the two is the ACC's identity. There is no identity crisis.

Yes the league's origin is the remnants of the old Southern Conference east of the Appalachian Mountains, but segregation ended in the 1960s, and we can actually unite with northern schools to truly form an Atlantic Coast Conference now. I personally like it.

I hear your complaint about not playing Georgia Tech more, and FSU people complain about that all the time. I don't know why it doesn't get corrected when divisions get discussed in each of these conference meetings. Perhaps Georgia Tech likes what it's doing. I don't know.

 

[NickyNewark]

I agree on UConn and perhaps WVU. WVU needs a little work though. But keep in mind that the two Syracuse vs Duke men's basketball games this season are two of the top 5 most watched men's college basketball games in the history of any ESPN property. Syracuse has spent most of this season at Number 1 in the AP poll. And Syracuse defeated Minnesota in their bowl game this season. Syracuse is a great lacrosse addition. New York's College team has been a positive addition. Pittsburgh won their bowl game as well. Their basketball team will finish in the top 6 of the league. Wresting won the league. I think Pitt will be fine.

You mention Rutgers, and several here have previously. I don't think Rutgers has been to a NCAA men's basketball tournament in over 40 years. They don't look like a threat to get there any time soon. Rutgers has won 1 NCAA championship in its history in the 1940s. They have been to a hand full of minor bowls in the past decade while playing a Big East schedule. I'm not sure they have dominated the Big East or AAC in any sport ever. What is your attraction? You are not the only one as I've said. I've heard it here before. But I don't see them ahead of any other school that the ACC has invited.

Maybe you should ask Delany stimp?Or the B1G's consulting firm that said outside ND RU would be the best add. I've seen this whole subject rehashed on FTT's blog on CR from "10"-"13" and most of you're questions were asked and answered there but like I've said b4 this is not the proper place for this old argument about your distaste for RU.....40yrs? RU kidding?

 

[NickyNewark]

It's a little thing called the Atlantic Coast. It runs from Maine to Florida. Capturing all the attention of college sports viewers from Bangor, ME to Key West, FL with everything in between on the path between the two is the ACC's identity. There is no identity crisis.

Yes the league's origin is the remnants of the old Southern Conference east of the Appalachian Mountains, but segregation ended in the 1960s, and we can actually unite with northern schools to truly form an Atlantic Coast Conference now. I personally like it.

I hear your complaint about not playing Georgia Tech more, and FSU people complain about that all the time. I don't know why it doesn't get corrected when divisions get discussed in each of these conference meetings. Perhaps Georgia Tech likes what it's doing. I don't know.

Exactly the eastern Atlantic megalopolis that instead of BC/SU..UConn and RU would have locked down forever ensuring the ACC stability for the next 100 years instead of outliers up near the Canadian fringes of the NE....heck BC cant even get Boston interested in the dying privates!!

 

[btstimpy]

Maybe you should ask Delany stimp?Or the B1G's consulting firm that said outside ND RU would be the beat add.I seen this whole subject rehashed on FTT's blog on CR from "10"-"13" and most of you're questions were asked and answered there but like I've said b4 this is not the proper place for this old argument about your distaste for RU.....40yrs? RU kidding?

I sure will ask Jim Delany in 5 years if he's happy, but others will get there first to ask him. You can count on that. In the mean time as he's now saying he needs a whole lot of elbow grease.

 

[NickyNewark]

You do realize JoPa(and Glen Mason+others) was trying to get RU/and maybe an SU into the B1G since they considered joining since forced to join the BiG and PSU and RU tried to form an all eastern conference for the big schools instead of the mess than you inherited(BE2) but SU seemed to put there hoop's ahead of the wagon and helped create what never should have been(mishmosh of schools with differing agendas and sizes)!! RU hoops was top notch in the 70s(except for the C.Littlepage fiasco in mid 80s) into the 90s and turned down 2 invites to the BE staying loyal to PSU. How smart does that vision of an all-eastern Alliance or league look now?

 

[BCINGYA]

Exactly the eastern Atlantic megalopolis that instead of BC/SU..UConn and RU would have locked down forever ensuring the ACC stability for the next 100 years instead of outliers up near the Canadian fringes of the NE....heck BC cant even get Boston interested in the dying privates!!

You should choose your battles wisely my friend...Trying to defend Rutgers by slamming fellow North East schools is lame. It does not change a thing, nor does it boost your argument in any meaningful way. That statement only exposes (for me) your true feelings towards Cuse and B.C. which is fine, but Rutgers is not in any way superior to ANY other N.E schools. Save the caddy bullsh@#.

 

[billybud]

It's a little thing called the Atlantic Coast. It runs from Maine to Florida. Capturing all the attention of college sports viewers from Bangor, ME to Key West, FL with everything in between on the path between the two is the ACC's identity. There is no identity crisis.

Yes the league's origin is the remnants of the old Southern Conference east of the Appalachian Mountains, but segregation ended in the 1960s, and we can actually unite with northern schools to truly form an Atlantic Coast Conference now. I personally like it.

I hear your complaint about not playing Georgia Tech more, and FSU people complain about that all the time. I don't know why it doesn't get corrected when divisions get discussed in each of these conference meetings. Perhaps Georgia Tech likes what it's doing. I don't know.

It doesn't get corrected because certain schools demand to play other schools.....And few northern schools want a north-south with Miami and FSU and the southernmost schools together, locking them out of the Florida recruiting market.

As far as "Atlantic Coast being from Maine to Key West"...sure.

Boeheim was famously quoted...."If conference commissioners were the founding fathers of this country, we would have Guatemala, Uruguay and Argentina in the United States."

 

[NickyNewark]

You should choose your battles wisely my friend...Trying to defend Rutgers by slamming fellow North East schools is lame. It does not change a thing, nor does it boost your argument in any meaningful way. That statement only exposes (for me) your true feelings towards Cuse and B.C. which is fine, but Rutgers is not in any way superior to ANY other N.E schools. Save the caddy bullsh@#.

Sorry BCINGYA(you know me) but this is more a personal thing between Stimp and I. Like I've said b4 I HATE slamming any school but Stimp seems to take great pleasure in knocking RU pointedly at every opportunity no matter how much I try to evade this "thing" with him??

 

[NickyNewark]

You should choose your battles wisely my friend...Trying to defend Rutgers by slamming fellow North East schools is lame. It does not change a thing, nor does it boost your argument in any meaningful way. That statement only exposes (for me) your true feelings towards Cuse and B.C. which is fine, but Rutgers is not in any way superior to ANY other N.E schools. Save the caddy bullsh@#.

Nor is BC superior but many of there small fanbase act that way(similar to SU and stimpCuse). I say that because I seen him for years schmoozing there as a member of there #1 site. I have no similar issue with you and have even defended you here.Our schools are what they are and unless pushed(like Stimpycuse does I'll say nothing) and theres nothing wrong with that.The trouble with Boston is its in Boston and if you're a fan your more likely to follow the Irish than BC so that leaves very little for anyone else non-alum for the catholic oriented fan. Good academics and hockey though.

 

[btstimpy]

Sorry BCINGYA(you know me) but this is more a personal thing between Stimp and I. Like I've said b4 I HATE slamming any school but Stimp seems to take great pleasure in knocking RU pointedly at every opportunity no matter how much I try to evade this "thing" with him??

I don't get any pleasure in knocking Rutgers. I just take issue with the belief by some that the ACC really missed out or made a mistake by taking Boston College, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh ahead of Rutgers. I simply don't believe that on any level whatsoever: athletically, academically, fan support, or television market.

 

[NickyNewark]

I don't get any pleasure in knocking Rutgers. I just take issue with the belief by some that the ACC really missed out or made a mistake by taking Boston College, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh ahead of Rutgers. I simply don't believe that on any level whatsoever: athletically, academically, fan support, or television market.

Your feelings here are well known but you insistence on repetitiveness is only now coming to light stimp!! I thought we were gonna lighten up on the bashing? God knows I've given you every benefit of the doubt. I try not to even(unless relevant) bring it up.No credit for the Lax win over #20 ranked Army?But any body say they like the B1G add of RU you jump on?What would you think if it was Va? Hey I can see a UPitt ahead of RU but a small private? Ask a big Chicago or NYC consulting firm and hear the laughter.Temple...really.I wont even elaborate on the others but anyone over a UConn/RU to lock down or enrich a conference on the eastern seaboard to anybody above MD is lunacy IMO.

 

[NickyNewark]

I don't get any pleasure in knocking Rutgers. I just take issue with the belief by some that the ACC really missed out or made a mistake by taking Boston College, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh ahead of Rutgers. I simply don't believe that on any level whatsoever: athletically, academically, fan support, or television market.

Don't give it another though stimp everyones entitled to there opinion but as you know it pushes my buttons from someone whose made it known to see the "groundhog day" effect here. No biggie. But lets consider our hosts.

 

[JayRU09]

Rutgers and UCONN were there, right for the taking, to gobble up NYC as best as any conference could. UCONN would help basketball and RU would have the access to eyeballs and most likely be a solid football member of the conference.

ACC went with Syracuse and Pitt in a 'we want the #2 school in PA and a small private school in southern Canada' move that was clearly basketball first with no look towards the future and what actually drives college sports.

Sure, Syracuse is good now in basketball and brings in some good ratings, but what happens once Jim Boeheim leaves? How many recruits go to Syracuse for him and try to just survive being in the snowiest city in the country? Pitt doesn't even have its own football stadium for cripes sake.

 

[SubbaBub]

Rutgers and UCONN were there, right for the taking, to gobble up NYC as best as any conference could. UCONN would help basketball and RU would have the access to eyeballs and most likely be a solid football member of the conference.

ACC went with Syracuse and Pitt in a 'we want the #2 school in PA and a small private school in southern Canada' move that was clearly basketball first with no look towards the future and what actually drives college sports.

Sure, Syracuse is good now in basketball and brings in some good ratings, but what happens once Jim Boeheim leaves? How many recruits go to Syracuse for him and try to just survive being in the snowiest city in the country? Pitt doesn't even have its own football stadium for cripes sake.

I always thought Syracuse was French for Southern Canada.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

Appreciate the sentiment, but I really hope UConn ends up in the B1G - here's why. No question the ACC was initially a better fit than the B1G for UConn. UConn has much simpatico with the excellent public institutions that are the backbone of the ACC. But the ACC lost its way and I hope UConn does not become part of it. First, the addition of BC really hasn't done anything for the ACC and Defillipo crowed about how he was able to keep UConn out in 2011. How could a newbie, underachiever in a historic conference be allowed to sway any one's opinion? Second, if the ACC was serious about improving its NE footprint, it would have recognized that UConn was a much better add than Pitt or Syra.... Third, the Louisville add is the clincher. The ACC sold its soul for some perceived short term athletic benefit and added a school that is woefully deficient in the academic sphere. Having said that, obviously UConn would jump to the ACC in a heart beat to escape Dante Aresco's "Inferno", but here's hoping the B1G calls first.

BCU had influence at the first add because BCU with Flipper was one of the 4 on the ACC expansion committee before they added Pitt/SU. The other school on that committee was Miami. Miami, being a private school, always wanted to add more private schools to the conference. This is why Miami pushed for BCU and CUSE initially. They wanted more private schools. Since BE sued Miami and Donna Shalalalala after the initial defection, there was much venom towards UCONN and the BE. It wasn't hard for BCU to convince Miami to go along with their anti-UCONN stance during the Pitt/SU expansion.

I believe this mistake will haunt the ACC for a long time. ACC would have been much better off taking RU/UCONN/WVU as many have stated. Pitt and SU are not more valuable. Flagship state universities are always more valuable. I don't even want to discuss UL since that's a total desperation move. I still can't believe schools like UNC/UVA/Duke gave in to FSU on the UL add. Unlike B1G, ACC is no longer an elite academic conference with this UL add. OSU's Gordon Gee stated very clearly that there is no way a conference like the B1G would allow a second-rated commuter school like UL into the conference. If ACC did not care about academics, ACC should have gone after WVU. WVU to me is also way more valuable than UL.

Conference expansion is like a long term marriage, not what you done for me today type of approach. ACC, in its desperation, made huge mistakes by adding SU/Pitt/UL over UCONN/RU/WVU.

UCONN's profile fits much better with B1G than the ACC. ACC is now a conference with couple top flagship schools, bunch of privates, and UL. I can understand why ND would be happy here. I am just not sure about rest of the ACC schools if they have other choices. In the B1G, UCONN would be with its peers and that's the place UCONN should try to get into if there is a choice.

 

[btstimpy]

It doesn't get corrected because certain schools demand to play other schools.....And few northern schools want a north-south with Miami and FSU and the southernmost schools together, locking them out of the Florida recruiting market.

As far as "Atlantic Coast being from Maine to Key West"...sure.

Boeheim was famously quoted...."If conference commissioners were the founding fathers of this country, we would have Guatemala, Uruguay and Argentina in the United States."

I'm pretty sure that Miami wants to be in the North for recruiting of students, at least they used to want that. Most of Miami's students come from the northeast. That's why they wanted Syracuse and Boston College to join the ACC when they did to keep presence in the northeast. We could flip Georgia Tech with Louisville and solve this issue, but I'm not sure Georgia Tech wants to give up playing the teams in the Coastal.

 

[btstimpy]

BCU had influence at the first add because BCU with Flipper was one of the 4 on the ACC expansion committee before they added Pitt/SU. The other school on that committee was Miami. Miami, being a private school, always wanted to add more private schools to the conference. This is why Miami pushed for BCU and CUSE initially. They wanted more private schools. Since BE sued Miami and Donna Shalalalala after the initial defection, there was much venom towards UCONN and the BE. It wasn't hard for BCU to convince Miami to go along with their anti-UCONN stance during the Pitt/SU expansion.

I believe this mistake will haunt the ACC for a long time. ACC would have been much better off taking RU/UCONN/WVU as many have stated. Pitt and SU are not more valuable. Flagship state universities are always more valuable. I don't even want to discuss UL since that's a total desperation move. I still can't believe schools like UNC/UVA/Duke gave in to FSU on the UL add. Unlike B1G, ACC is no longer an elite academic conference with this UL add. OSU's Gordon Gee stated very clearly that there is no way a conference like the B1G would allow a second-rated commuter school like UL into the conference. If ACC did not care about academics, ACC should have gone after WVU. WVU to me is also way more valuable than UL.

Conference expansion is like a long term marriage, not what you done for me today type of approach. ACC, in its desperation, made huge mistakes by adding SU/Pitt/UL over UCONN/RU/WVU.

UCONN's profile fits much better with B1G than the ACC. ACC is now a conference with couple top flagship schools, bunch of privates, and UL. I can understand why ND would be happy here. I am just not sure about rest of the ACC schools if they have other choices. In the B1G, UCONN would be with its peers and that's the place UCONN should try to get into if there is a choice.

I have to laugh when you bring up E. Gordon Gee. He just took over at West Virginia University last week. They are rated worse than Louisville academically. The irony is hilarious. Maybe this is his shot at helping them learn to read and write. LOL.

You think Louisville was a desperation move by the ACC. I know Rutgers and Maryland was a desperation move by the Big Ten. Two financially challenged athletic departments grabbed life rafts. We'll have to see how it all works out in the long run.