ctchamps
We are UConn!! 4>1 But 5>>>>1 is even better!
- Joined
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I'm not against Gars sentiment here. If UConn moves to the ACC, I think it would be hurt from what it was. Optimally I would've liked to see them stay in the BE as it was, but now I'd love to see them in the ACC. It's going to suck going to the ACC though.
If I could rewind the clock to three weeks ago and start a thread with two hypothetical options:
1)UConn, Pitt, Syracuse and Rutgers going to the ACC and the BE breaking up or 2) The BE stays the same, TCU is added in 2012, and the BE adds fragments of B12 if available, or the military schools, or schools like UCF, Houston, ECU;
I would absolutely have gone for number 1. Only FSU is a realistic football school in the ACC, both in tradition and current ability to attract recruits. Arguments could be made for Clemson and VT as well but they are weak arguments. So if football is driving the bus, and athletic conferences do not mean academic conferences, there really wouldn't be an advantage football wise or $$ wise for UConn, Pitt, Cuse and Rutgers to leave the BE.
The reaction of Pitt and Cuse changed all this. I don't blame them. Too many things could have gone wrong for the BE even if these schools didn't flinch, but I still can't help feeling their bolting was more emotional than logical.
The ship has sailed for UConn's best option. So they will have no choice but to go South. All the bandages many of us are proposing are ok, but Herbst has rightfully made her decision. And for anyone loving the North, South model of the ACC just think of the North, South model of the B12. All the power will be centered in North Carolina and Florida (if FSU decides to stick with the conference). And if people were prickly about the relationship with the Catholic schools, just wait until we see how these new partners treat the northeast schools.
Swofford was smart only in the fact that he made sure that none of the ACC schools (read Wake, NCS) would be outside looking in during this four conference 16 team reconfiguration. But most of all he was smart enough to make sure his conference survived to maintain his commissioner position. He did what Bebe and Marinate couldn't, provide himself with job security.
UConn will survive the switch. So will I. I just will never be convinced the schools that left or threaten to leave understood they had more power and wealth than they thought. We'll never get to prove this because the media contract was still 18 months away.