I've been thinking about ourconference schedule since the ACC released the new format. The addition of Syracuse and the limited cross-division rotation was the latest reminder that the conference needs to reorganize the divisions along old conference ties. We need to have a "
As the conference continues to grow, we continue to lose identity and history. We are now just a collection of east coast schools that are too good for the Big East and or haven't been poached by the SEC or Big Ten. Pockets of our fanbases are unsatisfied and say they miss the good old days. If you realign, you help reform that history yet still get the financial and voting strength that the larger conference provides.
The move would be fairly clean and still keep things balanced with regard to football strength and potential. Look at this potential mix:
East
Boston College
Louisville
Miami
Pitt
Syracuse
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest
Atlantic
Duke
Clemson
Georgia Tech
Florida State
North Carolina
NC State
Virginia
Obviously the one problem is that there are only six teams with historical ties to the Big East. One ACC school would have to play elsewhere. In this scenario I moved Wake since it helps balance things based on football history and size of school. Other candidates to play in the east could be Georgia Tech and Florida State (since both joined the ACC in modern times) or Virginia (so they could be geographically aligned with Virginia Tech).
But the big thing this does is placate the old school fans in North Carolina who still feel the newbies ruined the conference. I also think it would help the "east" teams with fan and media interest. BC, Syracuse, Pitt and Miami should be playing each other on a regular basis.
The politics of this are tricky and I doubt anyone is going to push a proposal like this forward. It is too bad since a common sense move like this could strengthen the conference short-term and long-term.
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9 comments:
Simple/Incredibly difficult solution:
Add Notre Dame & UConn/Cincinnati
You'd have your 8 East, 8 Atlantic.
From a BC perspective, a horrible, terrible idea.
Alienates us from most of the academically strong and private schools.
Eliminates geographic diversity, which was one of the driving forces for BC's interest in the ACC originally.
The last thing anyone should want to do is create something reminiscent of the Big East, the weakest and worst run major conference league this side of the old SWC.
i agree with the vast majority of EagleInAtlanta's postings....but I must concur w/ you Leather D on every point you made. Bleh...slow media day I guess...I need something exciting to read about!
I like the idea.
I have never been all that interested in games against G'Tech, Wake, Duke, or even Clemson. My only interest in the NCSU game was that TOB was the coach. Going forward, what does BC have in common with NCSU. Not much, if anything (test: did you or anyone you know apply to BC and NCSU? Do you have a single friend, high school classmate, co-worker, neighbor or relative who went to NCSU??)
I'd rather play Pitt, Syr, VT, Miami. L'ville is a meh -- kind of an ersatz WVU.
As for the list, Wake would be a tough sell. This proposal would really isolate an orginal Tobacco Road member. I do not see that working. Maybe swap UVA for WF -- also a tough sell.
Whether we like it or not, we are in the Big East again, it just goes by a different name. Bill's idea of the divisions makes sense.
"geographic diversity" may have been a reason offered for the press releases, but we left the Big East because of money first and foremost. if we weren't getting a bigger annual check, we wouldn't have left.
i like the idea -- would certainly make travel to away games a lot easier. doubt it'd ever happen though.
Todd Fitch named BC WR coach... does that mean Gunnell is out?
"Rich Gunnell still with team as a GA" says EO
Yeah, I'd really like to see Pitt and Miami on the Heights more than once every 12 years.
Don't see it happening any time soon though, unless a group of dissatisfied ACC schools pull a "Catholic 7" to form a more lucrative TV deal.
Get the old band back together!;)
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