I Like the FSU President

[OrangePA]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...-eric-barron-outlines-pros-cons-acc-alignment

It's nice to hear some discussion on academics.

I would really like the talk to just stop already.

 

[rrlbees]

he sure puts out a lot of statements for a school that has never even thought about moving.

 

[sufan]

Florida State president Dr. Eric Barron has written a memo that includes four key points that would support a move from the ACC to the Big 12 and seven longer key points that argue against it:
I want to assure you that any decision made about FSU athletics will be reasoned and thoughtful and based on athletics, finances and academics. Allow me to provide you with some of the issues we are facing:


Sorry: didn't see full full statement link in OrangePA's post.

 

[Guinness]

Either FSU stays in the ACC or they end up with a new president because it doesn't sound like he has any intention of moving FSU to the big 12.

 

[OrangeChris]

The faculty are adamantly opposed to joining a league that is academically weaker

Oh wow. You don't make that statement if you think there's any chance you're joining that conference... At least not if you want people to talk to you at the Big 12's Presidents' meetings.

 

[uconnric]

he sure puts out a lot of statements for a school that has never even thought about moving.

FSU is just waiting for an invite and a traveling partner to the Big Twelve. The conference mess is not over yet, and the northern schools are really not in charge of their own destiny.

http://outkickthecoverage.com/how-c...da-state----miami-departure-be-to-the-acc.php

 

[OrangePA]

FSU is just waiting for an invite and a traveling partner to the Big Twelve. The conference mess is not over yet, and the northern schools are really not in charge of their own destiny.

http://outkickthecoverage.com/how-c...da-state----miami-departure-be-to-the-acc.php

That is not the sense I get.

 

[sufan]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...-eric-barron-outlines-pros-cons-acc-alignment

It's nice to hear some discussion on academics.

I would really like the talk to just stop already.

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1) The talk is not likely to stop anytime soon.

He is creating the basis for a discussion within the FSU student, alumni, donor, faculty community, which is essential given the diversity of views and the long term nature of the ACC contract; and given the recent interview by the BOT chair.


2) Barron is "former dean of the University of Texas at Austin".

"When fans realize that Texas would get more dollars than FSU, always having a competitive advantage, it would be interesting to see the fan reaction."

3) "The faculty are adamantly opposed to joining a league that is academically weaker -- and in fact, many of them resent the fact that a 2% ($2.4M) deficit in the athletics budget receives so much attention from concerned Seminoles, but the loss of 25% of the academic budget (105M) gets none when it is the most critical concern of this University in terms of its successful future."


4) In some ways he may be opening the door to a discussion with the SEC and Big 12, by listing his concerns, even as he makes the case for the advantages of the ACC.


5) "Given that the Texas schools are expected to play each other (the Big 12 is at least as Texas centered than the ACC is North Carolina centered), the most likely scenario has FSU playing Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, and West Virginia on a recurring basis and the other teams sporadically (and one more unnamed team has to join to allow the Big 12 to regain a championship game), we realize that our sports teams can no longer travel by bus to most games -- the estimate is that the travel by plane required by FSU to be in the Big 12 appears to exceed the $2.9M difference in the contract -- actually giving us fewer dollars than we have now to be competitive with the Big 12 teams, who obviously do not have to travel as far."

"Few believe that the above teams will fill our stadium with fans of these teams."

So any deal would need to include traveling partners, plus additional revenue beyond the expected Big 12 contract with 10 teams.

 

[Orangemen]

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5) "Given that the Texas schools are expected to play each other (the Big 12 is at least as Texas centered than the ACC is North Carolina centered), the most likely scenario has FSU playing Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, and West Virginia on a recurring basis and the other teams sporadically (and one more unnamed team has to join to allow the Big 12 to regain a championship game), we realize that our sports teams can no longer travel by bus to most games -- the estimate is that the travel by plane required by FSU to be in the Big 12 appears to exceed the $2.9M difference in the contract -- actually giving us fewer dollars than we have now to be competitive with the Big 12 teams, who obviously do not have to travel as far."

.

At the end of the day, isn't this the only thing that matters.

They will not make more money in the Big 12, and they will have to pay >$20M up front to get there.

Why is this even a discussion?

 

[Admiral Koga]

On #5...I thought that FSU wanted WVU in the ACC. The FSU prez sure didn't make a flattering remark IMO.

 

[sufan]

Either FSU stays in the ACC or they end up with a new president because it doesn't sound like he has any intention of moving FSU to the big 12.

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Some have suggested the recent interview by the current Chair of the FSU board may have been coordinated to open up the issue.

Seems more likely there are some strong differences of opinion.

The fact that the current board chair was so uninformed about ACC 3d tier rights implies he probably didn't discuss this issue either with Barron or the AD. And it seems equally unlikely he even discussed this with all his fellow trustees, despite his statement the trustees are unanimous in wanting to explore this issue.

Seems more likely that as outgoing chair, with his last meeting scheduled in June, he wants to set the agenda to open up a full discussion of FSU optionds which would include formal contacts.

The statement by the current board chair that academics is unimportant is another reason to believe he and Barron see this issue in very different ways.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Sounds to me that it's a university with alot of dissension within. Academics vs sports vs BOT vs Administration and the splintered leadership is still seeking a university identity. I imagine it's a conflict and balancing act inherent in most university settings. Funny how the BOT chairman views the problems as externally driven by conference affiliation instead of an internal issue of priorities, prior decision making and fiscal responsibilty in these tough economic times.

 

[sufan]

Oh wow. You don't make that statement if you think there's any chance you're joining that conference... At least not if you want people to talk to you at the Big 12's Presidents' meetings.

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He's responding to the current Chair of the Board of Trustees who said in his interview that: "Conference affiliation really has no impact on academics."

 

[HtownOrange]

There remains the possibilty that the BOT Chair was making statements to turn the heat up under Swofford (one can hope!). It is clear that there are now more football schools than hoops schools (yes, Pitt and Syracuse love hoops but we love our football too and want a good balance, not Duke/UNC oriented conference).

 

[arbitragegls]

Last year FSU initiated a committee on expansion and how FSU would fit. I believe that a number of above issues have been discussed internally at FSU and some people, including this BOT Chairman did not like the outcome. I still want FSU in the ACC, but fact is their academic standing, their lack of football lustre over past 10 years has not brought much to the ACC...if they leave best wishes to them...NEXT.

 

[Orangello]

Anyone who would jump into a conference with Texas is nuts. All that additional money sounds nice down the road but won't mean squat when they bolt for the BiG/Pacwhatever or go the ND route. It will happen.

 

[44PRIDE]

Sounds to me that FSU just made their pitch for joining the SEC...

 

[OrangePA]

Sounds to me that FSU just made their pitch for joining the SEC...

The SEC has become a monster.

It dominates college football.

And it's turn-off.

 

[Guinness]

Last year FSU initiated a committee on expansion and how FSU would fit. I believe that a number of above issues have been discussed internally at FSU and some people, including this BOT Chairman did not like the outcome. I still want FSU in the ACC, but fact is their academic standing, their lack of football lustre over past 10 years has not brought much to the ACC...if they leave best wishes to them...NEXT.

It is not about FSU leaving. It is about who they talk into going with them. The ACC can handle losing FSU if it still has Miami, VT and Clemson to hold up the football side of things. If 1 or more of them decide to follow FSU out the door then we have real issues.

 

[OrangeChris]

-----------------

He's responding to the current Chair of the Board of Trustees who said in his interview that: "Conference affiliation really has no impact on academics."

I don't think so. Barron saying that the Big 12 is a weaker academic conference than the ACC doesn't really address Haggard's assertion that conference affiliation has little to do with academic standing. In fact, it completely ignores it.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I don't think so. Barron saying that the Big 12 is a weaker academic conference than the ACC doesn't really address Haggard's assertion that conference affiliation has little to do with academic standing. In fact, it completely ignores it.

One other major point, that I saw someone else make - the sports dollars are dwarfed in comparison to the other money that the university has to fund operations. Florida State is trying to overcome a $100M+ revenue shortfall from the state. An extra $3M for sports is nearly irrelevant against that backdrop. The only people who care about the $3M instead of the $100M work in the athletic department or in the sports media.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Last year FSU initiated a committee on expansion and how FSU would fit. I believe that a number of above issues have been discussed internally at FSU and some people, including this BOT Chairman did not like the outcome. I still want FSU in the ACC, but fact is their academic standing, their lack of football lustre over past 10 years has not brought much to the ACC...if they leave best wishes to them...NEXT.

They are a great football brand, though. It seems to me that eventually Florida State, and then Miami, are finally going to get back to being excellent football teams. There is just too much talent in that state, and they have too much brand value to not get it right eventually.

 

[Guinness]

The only people who care about the $3M instead of the $100M work in the athletic department or in the sports media.

I would add all the fans that don't have any actual tie to the university other than being a fan of the football team.

 

[riskylogic]

I can see a borderline case for FSU to the B12, but I really can't see anyone else wanting to go with them. Clemson is part of the historical and geographic core of the ACC. If FSU leaves, Miami will have ACC Florida rights to themselves AND be in a northeastern league. VT, do they really want to be lumped with WVU instead of UVa again? I think not.

Sooo... if FSU wants a travel partner, it's going to have to be Southern Mississippi. And then it's come on down Huskies.

 

[sufan]

I don't think so. Barron saying that the Big 12 is a weaker academic conference than the ACC doesn't really address Haggard's assertion that conference affiliation has little to do with academic standing. In fact, it completely ignores it.

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Barron is stating that academic affiliation is extremely important: "The faculty are adamantly opposed to joining a league that is academically weaker".

Could he have stated his views more clearly?

He's not going to get into a debate with Haggard; he's stating his view in his own way.

On this issue:

"Source: Miami unlikely to consider move to Big 12"

"With reports surfacing over the last few days that Florida State would entertain conversations with the Big 12, a member of Miami's board of trustees doesn't see Miami considering a similar move. "It's highly unlikely," the BOT member, who wished to remain nameless, said. "I'm not sure Miami's academic standards are a good fit in the Big 12."