Expansion ?: Is it just me....

[ContactBuzz]

or does anyone else feel uneasy about the tactics that VaTech used to force our (the ACC) hand on inviting? Are political pressure and frivolous lawsuits really qualities that lasting, healthy relationships are made of?

 

[ahsoisee]

ContactBuzz, I am in your corner all the way. I detest the underhanded blackmailing of the ACC by Virginia and Virginia Tech. I detest it as much as I hate the selfishness of North Carolina and Duke.

I wish GT would leave the conference, even it it had to go independent again. I no longer want to be in the conference with those four teams.

 

[bellyseries]

Let's not get too self-righteous, guys. The ACC didn't blink at destroying the BE for money.

 

[Big Buck]

I don't agree with their methods but in this cold ruthless world that we live in we know that political arm twisting and short cuts are the norm. After having said that, It will take me a while to get over both the Virginia political power play as well as the Carolina charade that was nauseating. No one came out of this looking good.

 

[ContactBuzz]

Originally posted by bellyseries:
Let's not get too self-righteous, guys. The ACC didn't blink at destroying the BE for money.

<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">That's not exactly what is happening. The ACC is positioning itself as a stronger conference by keeping up with the evolution of college athletics. The goal was not to seek and destroy the Big East - there just happened to mutual interest from the original 3 (SU, BC, and UM) and VT. Perhaps, not as much mutual interest from SU but UM "required" that SU be involved with the expansion - SU would have preferred status quo but they saw the writing on the wall that the new ACC was a better situation than the remainder of the BE.

The ACC probably gauged for interest behind closed doors but how many business deals, mergers, and acquisitions take place the same way?

 

[ContactBuzz]

Originally posted by Big Buck:
I don't agree with their methods but in this cold ruthless world that we live in we know that political arm twisting and short cuts are the norm. After having said that, It will take me a while to get over both the Virginia political power play as well as the Carolina charade that was nauseating. No one came out of this looking good.

<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">I don't particularly like UNC and Duke's stance on expansion but they haven't really done anything wrong (aside from being stubborn, short sighted, and selfish - and any other Ss you would like to add). UVA had their hands tied once it became a political issue.

I think VaTech is the real problem behind all of this.

 

[MsTechAnalysis]

Correct me if I wrong but outside of forming a conference with an opportunity to expand upon a football championship game, heightened revenues and long term sucessses overall ... we wanted to invite those who brought an academic identity?

I know BC felt this academic identity to GT, Wake, VA, UNC and Duke and stated it in their press release. For them it was that and their sports programs. A connection to what we (the fans of GT) are always talking about - academia.

What a wonderful way to expand - another school like those already here who bring academia and athletics, it's so simple in its thinking that those in charge made it stupid! Politics played A HUGE ROLL HERE but I have a problem with the conference issuing an invite to a school that has a lawsuit pending against you! Blackmail is one thing for Va politics but VT was one of the complaintants!!!!

This conference has "egg on their face" and it's not going to be washed away with soap and water any time soon.

 

[Father WASP]

Don't blame Va Tech - they had a good case and I am glad things worked out the way they did. Time to move on.

 

[MsTechAnalysis]

Originally posted by bellyseries:
Let's not get too self-righteous, guys. The ACC didn't blink at destroying the BE for money.

<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">I know BC was looking to leave years ago ... this was not the ACC's doing as far as they are concerned. They were very unhappy with Commissioner Tranghese and the football vs. the basketball schools. They wanted a conference that had schools with both sports.

They also wanted to align themselves with schools who fit their academic environment. And I do believe Miami had been going through this process for a couple of years as well.

 

[ContactBuzz]

Originally posted by Father WASP:
Don't blame Va Tech - they had a good case and I am glad things worked out the way they did. Time to move on.

<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Please elaborate. Just because you're happy with the results doesn't mean VaTech handled things correctly or even "had a case".

 

[ahsoisee]

Sorry. Father Wasp, I have to take ContactBuss's position here. I do not see that Virginia Tech has a case other than pure blackmail and politics by the governor.

Boston College was the one team that should have been included above everyone. They have aggressively gone after the right to join the ACC as their preferred conference, even at the expense of losing a million dollars and ire from the Big East.

Boston College is part of the true Atlantic Coastline. No other college deserves to be in the ACC any more than Boston College. Admitting Boston College above Virginia was the moral thing to do and best for the overall conference.

Virginia Tech is part of a suit against us on one hand and trying to blackmail us by using Virginia as a lever on the other hand. That is being two-faced, pure and simple.

I have been thinking about North Carolina and their complete action against expansion. Syracuse has a basketball dome, and Atlanta has a basketball dome. I am not sure if Miami or Boston Colloge has one.

North Carolina now has the ACC basketball tournement at the Dean Dome every year. This gives the four North Carolina teams a huge advantage in the tournement with the crowds.

If Syracuse, Boston College, and Miami comes into the league, it will vote sometime in the short future to rotate the ACC basketball tournement among the regions, Atlanta, Syracuse, Dean Dome, etc.

North Carolina and Duke do not want this. Duke does not care about football, so it is still a basketball decision by North Carolina and Duke.

I am still hoping the expansion falls flat as is, and a new conference is formed.

Father Time

 

[calderman420]

Originally posted by ahsoisee:

North Carolina now has the ACC basketball tournement at the Dean Dome every year. This gives the four North Carolina teams a huge advantage in the tournement with the crowds.

If Syracuse, Boston College, and Miami comes into the league, it will vote sometime in the short future to rotate the ACC basketball tournement among the regions, Atlanta, Syracuse, Dean Dome, etc.

<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">I'm not sure what the current rotation schedule for the ACC Bball tournament is, but it was at the GA Dome two years ago.

Any perceived deceit, treachery, underhandedness, etc. seems irrelevent to me because I don't think all parties involved see it the same way. If this deal goes through, it was only a matter of all parties involved looking out for their own best interests. Some won, some lost...

Maybe I'm unethical, or is it amoral? Anyway, from my perspective of absolute football passion this is the best outcome (assuming the NCAA changes the rules for a champ. game).

 

[statelinejacket]

Originally posted by Father WASP:
Don't blame Va Tech - they had a good case and I am glad things worked out the way they did. Time to move on.

<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">I feel Va.Tech should have been involved with Miami and either Bos.College or Syracuse. My choice would have been the Eagles because they are a atlantic coast school and Boston would be a terrific place to visit. This expansion is about football or have alot of you forgotton. Va.Tech is a much better bet to pull down a BCS bid than either the Eagles or the Orangemen. That would be about 8 million dollars extra for the ACC to divide. Anyone else instead of Boston College as #12 would be a rotten turn of events in my opinion but money wise the ACC picks up the top 2 schools. My understanding is Syracuse is probably just as happy to stay where they are so no harm no foul there. Boston College on the other hand is screwed. I dearly hope that the ACC makes it up to them and soon.

 

[swGAboy]

I always wanted to see Va Tech as a part of this. It is strange that they tried to sue the ACC but then so readily accepted when it was offered. I don't like the way it happened, but I think Va Tech will fit nicely.

The real shame is that BC got cheated. I wouldn't blame them if they file their own lawsuite over this. How can stay in the BE now? Where would they go if they left the BE?

 

[JMB]

Originally posted by ahsoisee:

I have been thinking about North Carolina and their complete action against expansion. Syracuse has a basketball dome, and Atlanta has a basketball dome. I am not sure if Miami or Boston Colloge has one.

North Carolina now has the ACC basketball tournement at the Dean Dome every year. This gives the four North Carolina teams a huge advantage in the tournement with the crowds.

<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">To my knowledge, the tournament has never been held at the Dean Dome. Duke wouldn't let the ACC tournament be held at there, much less any other ACC school. I do wish they would hold it outside of NC more often.

JMB