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Message: [QUOTE="Jake, post: 17837, member: 86"] As of this afternoon, I think I've figured out Swofford's #1 motivation in adding Pitt and Syracuse. First you have to go back to last year and all the talk when Nebraska was being lured to the Big 10. When rumors were swirling about a massive change in the landscape, schools were all making secret alliances. The one constant that I was hearing about Syracuse, was that we were tied to ND, I think it even leaked publically at one point. The thought was that we were tying ourselves to ND...but I think it was the other way around. ND was tying itself to Syracuse and Pitt - thinking that where ever ND went, they wanted to have at least one other small private school with it and there is also some connection to Pitt that ND has kept sacred over the years. So what Swofford did was take away ND's security blankets and has now put ND on an island...and increased his chances of landing them. This completely explains Swarbick's reaction to yesterday's move. ("This was not any of the scenarios that I had predicted"..because he thought that he was tied to Pitt and SU). There is no doubt in my mind that teams #15 and #16 will come from the very small pool of ND, Rutgers and UCONN. UCONN is doing what it can to be #15, because I think everyone realizes that slot #16 will be held out for ND until the very last minute. Here's why this gets really dangerous for Rutgers...as much as we or Rutgers like to say we carry the NYC market...well the truth is...ND carries it much better..so Swofford takes UCONN at #15 and then has nothing but a win-win situation left for spot #16. I think he knows that there are no scenarios where ND AND Rutgers go to the big ten...because the big ten knows that if they get ND, they have the NYC market and don't need Rutgers and if the Big Ten can't get ND...i'm not sure they excpand at all and take another mouth to feed without adding any revenue. I now think the ND and Texas to the ACC for all sports but football was a Texas bluff in order to get a better deal out of the Pac soon to be 16. Once Texas goes to the Pac 16, ND's chances of staying independant go up in smoke. 64 seats will be in the BCS party...and none of them are going to be willing to hold a special spot for ND now that Texas is in the fold. Now ND has a choice to make. Go to the Big Ten and really be a fish out of water...or go to the ACC where the fit seems much better. As a complete unreleated side note...TCU got by Marinetto. Completely and utterly *cked. They would have probably been a player to get into the SEC with Texas aTm. Feel awful for them...they were rescued from a sinking ship, but their helicopter just crashed. [/QUOTE]

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