Thursday, June 19, 2003
Well.
Apparently, there is a rumored invitation to Virginia Tech to join the ACC along with Miami, Syracuse, and Boston College. I'm not sure what to think, though we definitely don't want to be left out in the cold. If the other three switch and we have the opportunity, we should probably take it. Again, I do think that Notre Dame will be the big loser in all of this, as they were lumped in with the Big East for bowl purposes. I'm told that the Big Ten doesn't want them, meaning that they're left with Conference USA and the Big East if the new major conferences decide to freeze them out. The networks are big fans of people playing ND; other teams regard it as something of a pain in the backside. Conceivably, they could try and pick up WVU, Marshall, Pitt, Louisville, and a few others and form a Mountain East Conference or something, though that would be a pretty desperate move. A thirteen-team ACC would have rivalries of UNC-NC State, Miami-Florida State, and UVA-VT, along with a conference championship game and quality teams such as Clemson, Maryland, and Georgia Tech. If they also pick up Connecticut, they further enhance their basketball position as well. I suppose it's too bad we might leave the Big East, except that it never really felt all that great. West Virginia and Pittsburgh are wretched hives of scum and villainy. Temple and Rutgers were never any threat. Syracuse and Boston College are quality teams, and Miami is always a powerhouse. A thirteen-team ACC would have quite a few quality football teams, and only a few dregs, such as Duke and Wake Forest. Presumably, you'd divide the teams up so that Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, and Clemson are in one division and Syracuse, Boston College, Maryland, UVA, and VT are in the other, with the teams in North Carolina being divided up either East-West or North-South in order to cut down on travel costs. If we were to play UVA, Maryland, Syracuse, Boston College, and, say NC State on a yearly basis, with visits every two or three years by Miami, Florida State, UNC, Clemson, and Georgia Tech, our strength-of-schedule would finally be considered adequate (though games against Miami, Pitt, UVA, LSU, and Texas A&M didn't do much for us last season). If the offer is extended to us, then we're in good shape. If not, and the other three teams bolt, we've got to hurry and pick up the pieces.
UPDATE: Techsideline points out a scenario where the ACC expands to twelve by adding Miami, Tech, and Notre Dame. That'll be an impressive coup if they can pull it off.
Apparently, there is a rumored invitation to Virginia Tech to join the ACC along with Miami, Syracuse, and Boston College. I'm not sure what to think, though we definitely don't want to be left out in the cold. If the other three switch and we have the opportunity, we should probably take it. Again, I do think that Notre Dame will be the big loser in all of this, as they were lumped in with the Big East for bowl purposes. I'm told that the Big Ten doesn't want them, meaning that they're left with Conference USA and the Big East if the new major conferences decide to freeze them out. The networks are big fans of people playing ND; other teams regard it as something of a pain in the backside. Conceivably, they could try and pick up WVU, Marshall, Pitt, Louisville, and a few others and form a Mountain East Conference or something, though that would be a pretty desperate move. A thirteen-team ACC would have rivalries of UNC-NC State, Miami-Florida State, and UVA-VT, along with a conference championship game and quality teams such as Clemson, Maryland, and Georgia Tech. If they also pick up Connecticut, they further enhance their basketball position as well. I suppose it's too bad we might leave the Big East, except that it never really felt all that great. West Virginia and Pittsburgh are wretched hives of scum and villainy. Temple and Rutgers were never any threat. Syracuse and Boston College are quality teams, and Miami is always a powerhouse. A thirteen-team ACC would have quite a few quality football teams, and only a few dregs, such as Duke and Wake Forest. Presumably, you'd divide the teams up so that Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, and Clemson are in one division and Syracuse, Boston College, Maryland, UVA, and VT are in the other, with the teams in North Carolina being divided up either East-West or North-South in order to cut down on travel costs. If we were to play UVA, Maryland, Syracuse, Boston College, and, say NC State on a yearly basis, with visits every two or three years by Miami, Florida State, UNC, Clemson, and Georgia Tech, our strength-of-schedule would finally be considered adequate (though games against Miami, Pitt, UVA, LSU, and Texas A&M didn't do much for us last season). If the offer is extended to us, then we're in good shape. If not, and the other three teams bolt, we've got to hurry and pick up the pieces.
UPDATE: Techsideline points out a scenario where the ACC expands to twelve by adding Miami, Tech, and Notre Dame. That'll be an impressive coup if they can pull it off.
