342 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Future Schedule w/ Pitt and 'Cuse
ACC: http://www.theacc.co.../020312aaa.html

[BSLChrisStoner]

I'd still like to see the ACC add two more schools, and resort the divisions.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Syracuse and Pittsburgh have agreed to join the Atlantic Coast Conference as the 13th and 14th schools. Whenever they begin play within the league, the ACC will again assume the position as the premier basketball conference. ACC Commissioner John Swofford has been clear in his comments that the ACC is ‘comfortable’ with 14 teams. Would you advocate to Swofford that the ACC should also add Connecticut, and a 16th? (Rutgers, other?)”

Seth Davis / SI: “I’m pretty confident that at some point, the ACC will add two more teams. Whether they’re the two you named remains to be seen. UConn is going to have a hard time getting into this league. Rutgers is a closer call but still a bit of a longshot. I think the school the ACC would really like – the one everyone would really like – is Notre Dame. But of course the Irish would have to agree to bring along football. If they do that, then the ACC will get a bonanza.”

Mike DeCourcy / TSN: “No, there is no purpose of doing that. I do not believe it adds anything to the ACC.”

Mike Miller / NBC Sports: “UConn obviously adds quite a bit in terms of basketball quality. And Rutgers seems to be on the rise under Mike Rice. But I would pass on both.Nobody cares about Rutgers. If the ACC adds the Scarlet Knight, all it’s doing is adding a blasé program for the sake of playing close to NYC. That sucks and it’s beneath the ACC to do so. As for UConn, it’s tough to know what awaits that program once Jim Calhoun retires. He says he was rejuvenated by last year’s national title run, but he’s has myriad health issues and he’s almost 70. That’s enough pause for me.”

Matt Norlander / CBS Sports: “Absolutely. Get it to 16 and essentially become what the Big East used to be. Rutgers doesn’t matter; it will make the tournament once every five seasons, if that, if it goes to the ACC. But UConn’s a huge fish. You bring them on, and you’ve got five of the 10 most important basketball schools in the nation. Or best basketball jobs—however you want to phrase it. UConn wants in. The ACC is the one pumping the brakes right now, because I don’t think it wants 16 until it sees it as a necessary, vital piece to complete the football puzzle. (Which UConn doesn’t play into at all.)”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “When there were 9 schools in the ACC, each team would play a home-and-home with the other 8 universities. If the ACC were to add UConn, and Rutgers, you could have natural North and South divisions for football, which I think could also be carried over to basketball.

ACC North: BC, UConn, ‘Cuse, Pitt, Rutgers, Maryland, Virginia, VTech
ACC South: UNC, Duke, Wake, NCST, Clemson, GaTech, FSU, Miami

With hoops, the Conference schedule is going to increase to 18 games starting next year. If two further teams (beyond Syracuse and Pittsburgh) are ever added to the league, do you think we could ever see a 22 game schedule? This would allow each team to play a home-and-home series against their own division, and one game against each team in the other division. If the league’s Coaches would never agree to a 22 game league schedule, what type of scheduling would you suggest with 16 teams?”

Seth Davis / SI: “I like your divisional setup. I think the jury is still out on the whole divisions thing. On the one hand, it allows you to maintain some natural rivals, but it also limits your flexibility for TV purposes. I was actually surprised the ACC wanted to go to an 18 game schedule. It gives you a lot less opportunity to play quality nonconference games. That’s why I think even if the league adds two more teams it will probably not add any more conference games. It would put everybody at a disadvantage over other conferences.”

Mike Miller / NBC Sports: “I wouldn’t. There’s a lot of freedom in those non-conference games to set up opponents who present easy wins, add to gate receipts and work out roster issues. Nobody wants more conference games. There’s pressure enough with 16.”

[BSLMikeLowe]

Am I the only one who hates the fact that the Terps got stuck with Pitt as a basketball "rival?" It feels as forced as a shotgun wedding. It was obvious with the expansion we'd lose our annual home-and-home with Duke at some point, so I'm not as angry about that. But Pitt....yuck. I would much have preferred either Syracuse (both them and UM draw lots of students from Long Island) or UVA (keep the original ACC schools together, and match the old Big East schools Pitt-VaTech). I'm sure some genius at ACC HQ thinks that the pro sports rivalries involving area teams will somehow make this special (Ravens-Steelers, Caps-Pens), but I don't see how the NFL and NHL have anything to do with college basketball. These games will be a huge yawner unless they are both fighting it out for ACC supremacy, in which case they would have been big games anyway without having to be designated "rivals." And with the Terps currently having trouble filling Comcast for some ACC games, replacing Duke with Pitt isn't going to fix that any faster.

[hallas]

Am I the only one who hates the fact that the Terps got stuck with Pitt as a basketball "rival?" It feels as forced as a shotgun wedding. It was obvious with the expansion we'd lose our annual home-and-home with Duke at some point, so I'm not as angry about that. But Pitt....yuck. I would much have preferred either Syracuse (both them and UM draw lots of students from Long Island) or UVA (keep the original ACC schools together, and match the old Big East schools Pitt-VaTech). I'm sure some genius at ACC HQ thinks that the pro sports rivalries involving area teams will somehow make this special (Ravens-Steelers, Caps-Pens), but I don't see how the NFL and NHL have anything to do with college basketball. These games will be a huge yawner unless they are both fighting it out for ACC supremacy, in which case they would have been big games anyway without having to be designated "rivals." And with the Terps currently having trouble filling Comcast for some ACC games, replacing Duke with Pitt isn't going to fix that any faster.

I hate the entire expansionist mentality in all the conferences. They probably do it for football, but it completely screws up basketball scheduling.

The best solution is probably to add a couple more conference games to give more teams home-and-homes. But that's just a band-aid.

[mweb08]

What I posted at OH regarding the "rivals" in the future ACC:

I would have liked to have seen a 19 game schedule with 6 consistent home and home teams, then there's a game each to play the other 7 schools. Keep many of the traditional rivalries from the conferences along with some logical geographic rivalries.

So something like this:

MD: Virginia, Duke, Pitt, Syracuse, NCST, BC
Virginia: MD, VaTech, NCST, Clemson, Wake, UNC
VaTech: UVA, PITT, Syracuse, WF, Miami, BC
Duke: UNC, WF, NCST, MD, GT, FSU
UNC: Duke, NCST, WF, Clemson, GT, UVA
NCST: UNC, Duke, WF, UVA, MD, GT
Wake: UNC, Duke, NCST, VaTech, UVA, FSU
Clemson: GT, FSU, Miami, UNC, UVA, Syracuse
GT: Clemson, FSU, Miami, UNC, Duke, NCST
FSU: Miami, GT, Clemson, BC, Duke, PITT, WF
Miami: FSU, GT, BC, Syracuse, PITT, VaTech
BC: Syracuse, PITT, Miami, FSU, MD, VaTech
PITT: Syracuse, MD, BC, VaTech, Miami, FSU
Syracuse: PITT, BC, MD, VaTech, Miami, Clemson

[bnickle]

I prefer to keep the home and home with a high number of teams so something like MWeb said above where you have two 7 team divsions where you play a home and home and then 6 games that you play against the other division. I actually agree that you probably don;t want to have more than an 18 game schedule so 1 team a year you are missing from the other division but that's not a big deal IMO.


Ultimately would love to see 2 more teams(UCONN, Rutgers???) added where you break it down with old ACC and old Big East with the only exception being Florida ST in the Big East Divison. That way you have a home and home with 7 other teams and you rotate 4 games every year against the other division.

So for example, as a hypothetical MD ACC schedule:

Duke- home and away
UNC- home and away
Clemson- home and away
GT- home and away
Virginia- home and away
Wake- home and away
NC State- home and away
BC- home
VT- home
Syracuse- away
Pitt- away

The following year you would have the same home and away series with your divisional opponents but as out of division you would have:

Miami- away
Florida St- away
Rutgers - home
UConn- home


You obviously would switch the home and away with the non division teams every time you play them.

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: http://brett-mcmurph...532522/34822810

"The new conference will consist of 18 to 24 members and start in the 2013-14 academic year. It would not only have a conference championship football game, but also conference semifinals. Conference USA and the Mountain West would continue as is for the 2012-13 season.

The new league – which is yet to be named – is expected to consist of Southern Miss, Marshall, East Carolina, UAB, Tulsa, Rice, UTEP and Tulane from C-USA and Wyoming, Air Force, Colorado State, UNLV, New Mexico, Fresno State, Nevada and Hawaii from the MWC. Hawaii would be a football-only member.

Temple also is a possibility as the school was contacted by Conference USA, sources told CBSSports.com, when the Big East last week opted to invited Memphis instead of Temple."

Obviously the league lacks a premier powerhouse, but there are a lot of solid/capable programs there.

[The Epic]

That's straight-up crazy. I can't wait for that ECU road trip to Hawaii!

[BSLMikeLowe]

That's straight-up crazy. I can't wait for that ECU road trip to Hawaii!

Who wouldn't like a road trip to Hawai'i? I'd think schools could probably sell some nice travel packages to fans and alumni to go to that game. Not to mention the fact that any team that does play a game at Hawai'i in a given season is allowed to schedule an extra home game to defray the travel expenses.

[Chris B]

Instead of having several threads, I thought it might be good to just put them all here.

As everyone knows, conference realignment has been a hot topic for a good year now and it still is going. The WAC is about to crumble, and the CAA may be the next conference to dissolve or go through a dramatic change if Brett McMurphy's latest tweet is true:

Jeff Goodman ‏ @GoodmanCBS
RT @McMurphyCBS: C-USA adding UNT, FIU, LaTech, UTSA, Charlotte & ODU in 2013, sources tell @CBSSports http://cbsprt.co/JQoDJo

The additions of UNT, FIU, La Tech, and UTSA are not surprising, but ODU and Charlotte are. Both schools are just starting their football programs, but the CUSA is looking long-term by adding them.

What does this move do to other conferences?
- The WAC is probably done. It may continue to be a non-football conference, but with only 2 football teams left, that section of the league probably folds.
- After this season, the A10 is down to 12 teams. Temple to Big East, Charlotte (back) to CUSA. Obviously the rumors are swirling that the A10 is trying to add Butler, George Mason, and VCU. Will the A10 try and only to two of those teams to keep the league at an even number or will they go all the way to 16 and add another team? Or, does the A10 stay at 12? Unlikely (though I'd personally rather have 12, just not with our current 12) but possible.
- The CAA should be on DEFCON 1. Georgia St. and ODU are now gone. VCU and GMU are exploring their A10 options. They should be in survival mode and should start looking at other universities to add.

[DJ MC]

Just a point of correctness, since it will get on my nerves all night if I don't say something, but it should be "DEFCON 1". The scale is a "countdown" from low threat (five) to total nuclear war (one). So, now that I feel better...

I am really coming to dislike college sports. Conference realignment is only one reason, but that doesn't make it any better.

[Chris B]

Just a point of correctness, since it will get on my nerves all night if I don't say something, but it should be "DEFCON 1". The scale is a "countdown" from low threat (five) to total nuclear war (one). So, now that I feel better...

I am really coming to dislike college sports. Conference realignment is only one reason, but that doesn't make it any better.

Really? Wow, learn something new everyday. I'll edit the OP.

In terms of other realignment, the dominoes keep falling. Andy Katz is reporting that Butler University will join the A10, replacing Temple in 2013. So as of now, for 2013, the A10 will have 13 schools.

[DJ MC]

I've just read too many Dale Brown books in my day

[Nuclear Dish]

I've just read too many Dale Brown books in my day

The longtime coach of the LSU Tigers wrote books? (Sorry, but this is a college basketball thread.)

[Chris B]

Obviously tweets are tweets, so take these for what they're worth.

Mat Shelton ‏ @MatShelton
Just got this in an email about VCU/A10. "It appears you will get your wish, and it's coming quickly............" HOLD ON TIGHT RAM FANS!

http://www.eyesradio... ... o-the-a10/

The website says George Mason will stay in the CAA, which is good for the conference. Looks like there is no implosion.

I think the A10 is a huge winner in this if they get VCU and Butler and remain at 14 schools (losing Temple/Charlotte). I was wary on Mason, simply because they have slowed since 2006 and Paul Hewitt replaced Jim Larranega last year.

[BSLMikeLowe]

On the football side, what a bummer for Towson. They're finally good and now their conference is being gutted.

[Chris B]

On the football side, what a bummer for Towson. They're finally good and now their conference is being gutted.

It's more message board fodder than anything, but a lot of people seem to think that the MAC will target Delaware and James Madison. If they do, could they also look to Towson? With the building of a new basketball arena and with the football finally turning around, I feel like the MAC might want to have a presence in the MD metro area. It would also bridge the (small) gap between UD and JMU.

[BSLMikeLowe]

It's more message board fodder than anything, but a lot of people seem to think that the MAC will target Delaware and James Madison. If they do, could they also look to Towson? With the building of a new basketball arena and with the football finally turning around, I feel like the MAC might want to have a presence in the MD metro area. It would also bridge the (small) gap between UD and JMU.

It's possible, I suppose. With C-USA and MWC forming a superconference, the MAC may want to follow suit to ensure its long-term viability. It's a 2-way street though when it comes to making the leap from 1-AA to 1-A. Remember, Villanova had an offer on the table to join the Big East in football and turned it down. Same goes for Montana to go from the Big Sky to the WAC. While the revenues are greater, so are the expenses when you move up....in some cases so much so that schools can't afford it. But if the financial backing is there, I'm sure Towson would make the jump if invited.

[Chris B]

And it's official:
Jeff Goodman ‏ @GoodmanCBS
C-USA releases statement about adding five members: Charlotte, FIU, Louisiana Tech, North Texas and UT San Antonio. All will join in 2013.

No mention of ODU, so maybe they are holding tight in the CAA or continuing to weigh their options.

This is what the new CUSA will look like:
Tulsa
UAB
Charlotte
East Carolina
Florida Int'l
Louisiana Tech
Marshall
North Texas
Rice
Southern Miss
Tulane
UTEP
UTSA

[BSLMikeLowe]

Heard some talk about UTEP moving to the MWC. Makes sense from a geographic standpoint, although it would only leave CUSA with 11 football teams, since I don't believe Charlotte plays.