Pitt and syracuse going to the ACC.

[cybok0]

Maybe

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2011/09/17/sports/ncaafootball/syracuse-and-pitt-in-talks-with-acc.xml

Now the ACC wants to grow.

 

[Derwin0]

Wow, we're finally getting Syracuse. The ACC wanted them instead of VT during the first expansion, but the Virginia governor forced UVa to block any expansion that didn't involve VT.

Pitt's a surprise though. Course I knew WV would never be asked, even the SEC frowns on their academics (and there's no one to champion them).

I wonder if this is to balance out a Texas/Texas Tech move and bring things to 16.

 

[SamCdbs]

Makes perfect sense.

Syracuse applied to move up in the last great move up. It was set to go until Virginia politicians made the ACC take Virginia Tech in its place. Boston College wanted a northern partner, and Miami (which is a private school that gets most of its students from the northeast, not Florida or the rest of the ACC area, wanted an annual appearance near NYC.

Pitt is more questionable. Pittsburgh, and more importantly and starkly the steel towns around Pittsburgh, is emptying of people. But it is still TV market #24, and has a claim in a few more places (Johnstown, Erie, etc) and there you go.

This kills the Leastleftovers in football. Now the Lesserleastleftovers. Again they raid CUSA, this time taking maybe ECU and UCF, and try to tell us it is BcS worthy?

 

[cybok0]

The ACC should be a powerhouse in basketball with Pitt and syracuse going there.

 

[Derwin0]

Makes perfect sense.

Syracuse applied to move up in the last great move up. It was set to go until Virginia politicians made the ACC take Virginia Tech in its place. Boston College wanted a northern partner, and Miami (which is a private school that gets most of its students from the northeast, not Florida or the rest of the ACC area, wanted an annual appearance near NYC.

Pitt is more questionable. Pittsburgh, and more importantly and starkly the steel towns around Pittsburgh, is emptying of people. But it is still TV market #24, and has a claim in a few more places (Johnstown, Erie, etc) and there you go.

This kills the Leastleftovers in football. Now the Lesserleastleftovers. Again they raid CUSA, this time taking maybe ECU and UCF, and try to tell us it is BcS worthy?

Pitt actually has quite a few fans in the Harrisburg/York area as well. Probably due to a lot of grads in the area. So it gets the ACC visibility in the State, beyond those of us in Southern York county that can get Baltimore TV and ACC tv through WJZ being in Maryland's market. While the Pittsburgh market isn't huge, the Philly market is, and Pitt gets the ACC onto Philly tv's.

 

[SamCdbs]

Pitt gets the ACC onto Philly tv's.

I don't know about that. In football, simplified, there are two packages at play here, as games on the ESPNs are national anyway. One is the first choice package. The game seen regionally on ABC, and either on an ESPN "reverse mirror" and/or Game Plan and WatchESPN (nee ESPN3, nee ESPN 360) computer feeds elsewhere. The Big 10 conference contract requires the Big 10 game be on in Philadelphia. Even if Pitt were playing NC State, the ABC station in Philly would have to carry Nebraska-Ohio State. The other is the last choice syndicated package. The 12 noon game syndicated to either local stations or an RSN. This certainly would clear a Philly station.

It is great to see Pitt grow a pair. In the last move-up, it cowered in the corner along with WVU, wanting to rule a cupcake filled conference. Now it is finally being proactive and is moving up to the ACC.

 

[salsadancer7]

I have never been into this conference lovefest of "my conference can beat up your conference"...but there is no doubt what conference will be the strongest basketball conference. WOW! UNC, Syracuse, Duke, Pitt...that is scary!!!

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I have never been into this conference lovefest of "my conference can beat up your conference"...but there is no doubt what conference will be the strongest basketball conference. WOW! UNC, Syracuse, Duke, Pitt...that is scary!!!

and maybe UConn....

 

[salsadancer7]

and maybe UConn....

The only reason I did not mention them is because it's still sort of up in the air. I was just talking about the definates.

 

[Derwin0]

and maybe UConn....

A news report I read out of Atlanta says UConn is pushing hard for an ACC invite. Ironic, as they were one of the biggest in pushing the lawsuit last time.

I'd rather them than Texas & Texas Tech. Get UConn & Rutgers and the ACC owns NCAA Basketball (Lousiville & West Virginia won't get invited due to low academics).

Even makes a nice 4 pod setup:
Northeast - Boston College, Syracuse, UConn, Rutgers
Mid-Atlantic - Maryland, Va Tech, Virginia, Pitt
Tobacco Road - UNC, Duke, NC State, Wake Forest
Southeast - Clemson, Ga Tech, FSU, Miami

 

[dvrexpander]

A news report I read out of Atlanta says UConn is pushing hard for an ACC invite. Ironic, as they were one of the biggest in pushing the lawsuit last time.

I'd rather them than Texas & Texas Tech. Get UConn & Rutgers and the ACC owns NCAA Basketball (Lousiville & West Virginia won't get invited due to low academics).

Even makes a nice 4 pod setup:
Northeast - Boston College, Syracuse, UConn, Rutgers
Mid-Atlantic - Maryland, Va Tech, Virginia, Pitt
Tobacco Road - UNC, Duke, NC State, Wake Forest
Southeast - Clemson, Ga Tech, FSU, Miami

I'm not too fond of the pod setup... rotate teams out of division and keep it 2 divisions as it is just going now to 6 teams vs 4.

 

[Derwin0]

I'm not too fond of the pod setup... rotate teams out of division and keep it 2 divisions as it is just going now to 6 teams vs 4.

I like the pod, as you play everyone at least every other year. Even with 2 divisions of only 6 (with a perm. cross rival), it can go 3 or 4 years before playing everyone. I rarely get to see a GT/Maryland game now. With 2 divisions of 7 or 8, it would be even worse. At those numbers, it might as well be 2 different conferences.

Evidently the Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma St. are Pac-16 bound, and they're going to do 4 pods as well.
http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1266871

Pac-16 Pods
Pod 1 - Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St.
Pod 2 - Arizona, Arizona St, Colorado, Utah
Pod 3 - Washington, Washington St., Oregon, Oregon St.
Pod 4 - California Schools

Each team will play it's pod mates every year, and 2 teams from each of the other 3 pods.

 

[dvrexpander]

I like the pod, as you play everyone at least every other year. Even with 2 divisions of only 6 (with a perm. cross rival), it can go 3 or 4 years before playing everyone. I rarely get to see a GT/Maryland game now. With 2 divisions of 7 or 8, it would be even worse. At those numbers, it might as well be 2 different conferences.

Evidently the Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma St. are Pac-16 bound, and they're going to do 4 pods as well.
Orangebloods.com - Sources: Texas focusing on 'Pac-16'

Pac-16 Pods
Pod 1 - Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St.
Pod 2 - Arizona, Arizona St, Colorado, Utah
Pod 3 - Washington, Washington St., Oregon, Oregon St.
Pod 4 - California Schools

Each team will play it's pod mates every year, and 2 teams from each of the other 3 pods.

How do you play out a conference winner thru pods though when you clearly have a 1/4 of teams that never solidify their spot as conference champs when half the teams in their own conference get play each other? I think the current route of them rotating a few teams in and out of divisions works well and would continue to work with a few more teams.

 

[Derwin0]

How do you play out a conference winner thru pods though when you clearly have a 1/4 of teams that never solidify their spot as conference champs when half the teams in their own conference get play each other? I think the current route of them rotating a few teams in and out of divisions works well and would continue to work with a few more teams.

Best 2 pod champion records.

Not like everyone in the divisions plays the same non-division schedules now. For example, VT has an easier non-division schedule than Miami this year, yet only one of them will be division champ even though the Hurricanes play Maryland & FSU while the Hokies plays Clemson & Wake Forest (both play Duke).

 

[mdonnelly]

If the ACC wants to own NCAA basketball, they should be courting Kansas.

 

[salsadancer7]

If the ACC wants to own NCAA basketball, they should be courting Kansas.

Syracuse, Duke, Pitt and UNC. You cannot do anything better than that UNLESS you add UConn.

 

[Ramy]

I would have figured the ACC would be one of the conferences to lose a bunch.

 

[Derwin0]

I would have figured the ACC would be one of the conferences to lose a bunch.

Nah, tobacco road along with maryland and the va's kept them intact.

SEC didn't want FSU, Miami, Clemson, or GT (due to the UF, UKy, USC, UGA gentleman agreement). So who else was there? Even the ACC didn't want VT last time (already had the DC area due to Maryland). SEC won't want them, as it would require taking UVa as well. WV would be a better target (as it comes with no strings and is close to both the DC and Pitts markets).

So unless the Big Ten poached GT or Maryland (both are AAU members), the ACC was safe. Plus it rakes in a crapload of Basketball money, so that helps keep the football schools in line.

 

[hancox]

Basketball $$$ doesn't mean jack. The Big East brought in more, and was increasing, due to more bids. How did that work out?

 

[Derwin0]

Basketball $$$ doesn't mean jack. The Big East brought in more, and was increasing, due to more bids. How did that work out?

true, but the BBall money for the ACC is coupled with it's fairly good amount of football money. The 2 together made them solid.