They Said It Wouldn't Last, And They Were Right: Syracuse and Pitt Bolt for the ACC
by Rubie Q on Sep 18, 2011 8:55 AM CDT
Email
PrintIn the end, the conference built on sand came tumbling down in an unexpected way: at the hands of one of its founding members. This morning, we learned that the presidents of the Atlantic Coast Conference unanimously approved the addition of Syracuse and Pittsburgh as the 13th and 14th members of the ACC, as the Orange and Panthers pursued the all-too-familiar path of "screw tradition and rivalries, we gotta get PAID" that's overtaken college athletics.
If this story sounds like deja vu all over again, that's because the ACC has raided the Big East's pantry before: a little more that five years ago, the ACC ripped Miami and Virginia Tech and Boston College away from the Big East, decimating the conference's football pedigree. The Big East rebounded after that raid, of course, adding South Florida, Cincinnati, Louisville, DePaul and, most importantly, Marquette, becoming the 16-team college basketball behemoth we've come to know and love.
But it doesn't seem that there's going to be a "The Big East is dead, long live the Big East" resurrection this time: with 'Cuse and Pitt gone and rumors swirling that UConn and Rutgers will shortly follow, and with the conference's leadership preposterously unaware that there were teams actively contemplating a move elsewhere, things look terribly bleak for the BEast right now.
We'll have more on how this impacts Marquette as the week goes on. (As a tease: for myself, and only myself: I think we're going to be OK. It's going to be rough for a little bit, but we'll find our way.) For now, we turn to Bone Thugs to say goodbye:
31 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Was Marinatto high when he said this?
“I continue to believe the BIG EAST Conference is well positioned for the future and that the events of the past 24 hours will unify our membership,” he said. “We have been working steadily to solidify and strengthen the BIG EAST Conference and position us for our upcoming TV negotiations, and I am confident that we will again emerge from this situation and remain strong.”
Really? Really. REALLY?
/Miz’d
Restoring carousel. Come help.
Dude is more delusional than Saddam Hussein’s spokesman.
by lab_warrior on Sep 18, 2011 5:19 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
And now
The ACC commish is saying they’re “open” to adding MSG to their hoops tourney rotation.
Why not just say “We hope the Big East dies a horrible death?”
Restoring carousel. Come help.
by Brewtown Andy on Sep 18, 2011 10:18 AM CDT via iPhone app reply actions
Madison Square Garden:
“Go F*** yourself, ACC.”
Why play in NYC, when you can keep it in the fermented armpit of Greensboro ?!
by lab_warrior on Sep 18, 2011 5:11 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
According to Wikipedia
ACC is going to Phillips Arena in Atlanta this year, and then the next 4 are in Greensboro.
So why John Swofford is going on about something that can’t happen AT LEAST until 2017, I have no idea.
OH, THAT’S RIGHT, IT’S BECAUSE ANDY KATZ HAD TO ASK ABOUT IT.
As I asked on Twitter a moment ago when I found out that it was Katz that asked: Does Katz do ANYTHING at all that’s not aimed at fucking with Marquette’s future?
Restoring carousel. Come help.
by Brewtown Andy on Sep 18, 2011 6:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Boooooooooooooo
Where does this leave us? Does Marquette split to another conference? Its unlikely that the Big East will retain its glory with just basketball, that too without Pitt and Syracuse, probably WVU and UConn….we’d have to absorb like Kansas/Mizzou/KState if the Big12 split
signature
My fingers are crossed for a Big 12 implosion
Raiding their pantry would be a good move for the BEast, at least as far as basketball goes, and quite honestly I don’t give a rat’s ass about football. I’m not ready to panic…yet.
Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.
by Little Miss Trouble on Sep 18, 2011 2:13 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Countin' on you, Oklahoma.
We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.
by Rubie Q on Sep 18, 2011 6:09 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Looking likely
With the word tonight that Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Okie State are packing their bags for the Pac… 16? Whatever. The important point is that the Big XII is doing its best impression of the Planet Krypton
We all have to chase one rabbit. If we try to chase two rabbits we won't catch either of 'em.
by Mr. Kensington on Sep 18, 2011 6:21 PM CDT up reply actions
UGH
I hope we don’t have to take Iowa State to take Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri.
Restoring carousel. Come help.
by Brewtown Andy on Sep 18, 2011 6:29 PM CDT up reply actions
Don't forget Baylor!
I’d actually be OK with them and ISU if it meant we could have KU and Mizzou. I am indifferent on K State.
We all have to chase one rabbit. If we try to chase two rabbits we won't catch either of 'em.
by Mr. Kensington on Sep 18, 2011 6:40 PM CDT up reply actions
Honestly
I really just want to make fun of Frank Martin.
Restoring carousel. Come help.
by Brewtown Andy on Sep 18, 2011 7:12 PM CDT via iPhone app up reply actions
He doesn't need to be in the conference to do that.
He’s a national treasure.
We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.
A Big East Conference with Marquette, Nova, St. John’s, Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, DePaul, Xaiver, Notre Dame and perhaps Butler and / or St. Louis would do fine. That is at least a consistant five bid conference in the largest markets in the country. Can still have tourny at the Garden as the league will have a presence in NYC. Marquette is in better shape than some of the football schools right now.
I agree with this post...
it seemed like only a matter of time before the basketball only schools would be split off or left in the dust. however if the BE can not drop too many more teams and then absorp KU, KSU, Mizzou etc we might be able to survive with some football teams. but if the acc and pac-12 goes to 16 and the sec expands to 16 then you would expect the Big 10/11/12 to expand as well again and maybe KU, KSU would be targets for them. who knows!
by Soft Pretzel with Cheese on Sep 18, 2011 5:54 PM CDT up reply actions
A Sound Theory
However, I think we might be looking at Iowa State and Baylor. I think Mizzou is going to draw interest from the SEC and The B1G. And if the B1G doesn’t get em, I could see them looking at KU and KSU. They’re not likely to sit by and watch all the other conferences get richer and not get in on the action.
Oh, and I also wouldn’t be surprised if the SEC took a good long look at West Virginia.
We all have to chase one rabbit. If we try to chase two rabbits we won't catch either of 'em.
by Mr. Kensington on Sep 18, 2011 6:28 PM CDT up reply actions
Hmm.
I wonder if teams will be reluctant to join a conference with Baylor, given their “WE’RE GON’ SUE EVERYYYYONNNNNNEEEE!” histrionics after A&M bailed for the SEC.
We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.
Well there's that...
And there’s also the thing where Baylor kind of sucks and has no real clout in anything but women’s hoops.
Not a lot of schools falling all over themselves for the chance to rub elbows with the Bears.
We all have to chase one rabbit. If we try to chase two rabbits we won't catch either of 'em.
by Mr. Kensington on Sep 18, 2011 8:03 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Don't know if I'm overly excited about this theory
This is more of the “when all else fails” direction
This is a huge boon for the ACC...
we all remember all the huge bowl games both Pitt and ’Cuse have won in the past 20 years, right?
/crickets chirping
/far away coughing
/crickets chirping
Yeah, that’s right.
by lab_warrior on Sep 18, 2011 5:08 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
/far away crickets chirping and coughing
We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.
by Rubie Q on Sep 18, 2011 6:04 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Not to mention all those Final Four appearances by Pitt
……
What if this is just an elaborate scheme by Pitt to come up with a reason to fire Jamie Dixon?
Restoring carousel. Come help.
by Brewtown Andy on Sep 18, 2011 6:26 PM CDT up reply actions
We all know how well this worked out for BC...
/checks yesterday’s NCAA football scores
/checks last 5 years’ NCAA basketball bids
OH. oh.
by lab_warrior on Sep 18, 2011 5:16 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Not to mention
How being in the ACC has helped Seth Greenberg get his VATech Hokies into the NCAAs.
What’s that? VaTech’s bubble bursting has become an annual joke? Oh, dear.
Restoring carousel. Come help.
by Brewtown Andy on Sep 18, 2011 6:25 PM CDT up reply actions
Where is all of this urge to join the Pac10 coming from?
Stack up the Big12 against the Pac10 in both football and basketball, I would guess the Big12 is a substantially bigger hitter in both sports when compared to the Pac10.
Hmmm. I guess Kim Kardashian has way more pull than I realize
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Anonymous Eagle
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
