ACC gets ripped by Orlando Sentinel columnist

[CarolinaBuff]

Entertaining column, FSU is urged to lobby for SEC admission.

A few excerpts:

It was just a few weeks ago when I thought Florida State would be foolish to leave the ACC and jump into the SEC, but I changed my mind earlier this week. That's when the ACC once again showed itself to be a bunch of basketball boneheads who have no idea what it takes to build a respectable football league.

That massive clicking sound you will hear soon is TV viewers across the country switching from the ACC Game of the Week between Syracuse and North Carolina State to a rerun of a PBS documentary on "The Plight of the Ring-billed Sandpiper."

Question: How long until the ACC TV package moves from ESPN to Comedy Central?

Three of Florida's four league home games are marquee matchups against other big-time football schools who bring nearly as many fans on the road as some ACC teams draw at home.

Ouch! :lol:

 

[Buffnik]

Here's what stupid about this. The ACC was not going to be able to steal an ACC or Big 10 power. Where does that leave them? They had to be preemptive against a potential expansion sweepstakes and they made a strong move. They got 2 excellent academic institutions that are basketball powers, provide a geographic connection to Boston College, and have shown in the past they can compete for national championships in football. Specifically to football, I strongly believe that it was being in the Big East that was holding them down and we'll see them quickly become 2 of the better ACC football teams.

 

[fervorfactor]

:wtf:

 

[CVilleBuff]

Here's what stupid about this. The ACC was not going to be able to steal an ACC or Big 10 power. Where does that leave them? They had to be preemptive against a potential expansion sweepstakes and they made a strong move. They got 2 excellent academic institutions that are basketball powers, provide a geographic connection to Boston College, and have shown in the past they can compete for national championships in football. Specifically to football, I strongly believe that it was being in the Big East that was holding them down and we'll see them quickly become 2 of the better ACC football teams.

Good point, we'll see. I have to admit I have my doubts. Probably the best choices the ACC could have gotten (WVU's academics are just not an option..), but yawn. A boring football league just added two more Boston College-type programs

 

[CarolinaBuff]

Here's what stupid about this. The ACC was not going to be able to steal an ACC or Big 10 power. Where does that leave them? They had to be preemptive against a potential expansion sweepstakes and they made a strong move. They got 2 excellent academic institutions that are basketball powers, provide a geographic connection to Boston College, and have shown in the past they can compete for national championships in football. Specifically to football, I strongly believe that it was being in the Big East that was holding them down and we'll see them quickly become 2 of the better ACC football teams.

I'm sure you meant the the ACC wasn't going to steal any SEC or Big 10 teams. Getting into the ACC can only help football recruiting for Pitt and SU, but it's pretty clear that they've decided to focus on being the clearly dominant conference in basketball, especially if they land UConn. In their defense, the U has severely underachieved since joining and FSU hasn't done much recently, and Clemson remains a huge underachiever. But it doesn't help your image when over the last 5 years half of the ACC championship game slots have been filled by GT, BC, and Wake.

 

[CarolinaBuff]

Nik, how do you feel that Pitt and SU have been held back by being in the Big East? I can only assume you mean in the recruiting department because aside from WV, Big East champions haven't fared well in recent BCS bowl games, and the only Big East teams to have made NC game appearances are by teams that aren't in the conference anymore. Granted, both Pitt and Syracuse have a very good football history that not many people may be aware of.

 

[Buffnik]

Nik, how do you feel that Pitt and SU have been held back by being in the Big East? I can only assume you mean in the recruiting department because aside from WV, Big East champions haven't fared well in recent BCS bowl games, and the only Big East teams to have made NC game appearances are by teams that aren't in the conference anymore. Granted, both Pitt and Syracuse have a very good football history that not many people may be aware of.

Recruiting. It's a 2* and 3* conference. Pitt has more talent than that, so I guess in their case I'd say it was more Wanstadt's coaching that held them back even though he got their recruiting back into gear. Both programs recruited much better back when I was a kid and they were eastern independents.

 

[MtnBuff]

The only thing the ACC could have done that would have made a substantial difference in improving their football status would have been to lure Texas and a Big XII partner (they probably would have been stuck with Tech.) We all know why they might do this based on Texas promnence and money but we also know why a sane conference wouldn't want anything to do with Texas, especially since the only way they would get them is to give them the keys and let them drive, not a plan for a healthy conference.

 

[GoBuffs08]

Regardless of talent acquired for football, the ACC commish did a great job of preserving the league. ACC expanded and got all the teams to agree to huge exit fees, and did it all without anyone in the media reporting about it until after the announcements were made.

It was clear by the move that they realized Whorn was not going to join, and was simply using them as leverage. With the teams they took and the rumors now floating that TCU will not join, the Big Least conference is all but dead. This will help increase the brand for the ACC in the region.

SEC has said they don't want expansion from an existing state member, so Free Shoes was about 8th on the list of teams that would get an invite.