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Message: [QUOTE="pfister1, post: 38750, member: 285"] In reading that Boston Globe article on BC putting the kabosh on UConn to the ACC, it seemed to give Coach K a lot of credit or at least suggest he had a fair amount of influence on the expansion decision this time around. Thinking about this along with last week's discussion about Brand vs. Head Coach, I wonder if K got a back channel soft commitment from JB that JB would continue at the helm for a period following the move to the ACC. Syracuse just doesn't seem to me to be a guaranteed strong contributor to future conference strength as we sometimes like to give it credit. While there is significant history on the football side, past success is not a guarantee that it can be replicated in the future. What do we truly have going for us that makes real success on the gridiron in the future more likely than not?? Facilities? Rabid fan base? Hot bed recruiting area? Alumni money? We have played the connection to NYC for all its worth...in some respects I think the SU administration (to their credit) has probably played it for more than it's worth. SU has potential, but so too does Rutgers. The question is who will be best able to capitalize on that potential. Would seem that the big differentiator is the basketball program and what that can bring to the ACC basketball brand. I just wonder if the ACC feels the same way about SU if it were in the midst of a coaching transition. While we are clearly a top program in basketball, what happens when JB steps down? Will Hop be able to maintain the program at its current level? A large part of JB's success, and SU's, is JB's personal makeup and drive, things that are innate in him and that can not be learned. That leaves when JB leaves. Maybe Hop has similar qualities, and maybe he doesn't. You can't know until he is the position. If Hop were to take the reigns at the time of the transition, it would make an already difficult job (replacing an SU legend) - more difficult. I would also think it would make his likelihood of success more questionable. I don't mean to say that he won't be successful, just that the change in conference affiliation would be one more variable in the equation that would have to be overcome in maintaining the program at its current level. Makes me wonder if part of what the ACC bought in SU, was some form of soft commitment from JB to stay at the helm for a period??? [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?