The worst part to me, is seeing Rutgers get their hands on the cash windfall that is the big 10. Credit where credit is due, though. Schiano built something out of complete horsesh!t, and now it's attractive enough for the big 10 to take a shot at it. Oh well.
My main reason for the change in view on Maryland is the under armor guy. For the foreseeable future, he will be funding that entire athletic dept. if Phil knight wanted Oregon to join the big sky conf, they would be out of the PAC 12 in about 10 minutes. Even if the current leadership says no, he'll swing his big checkbook, and in 1 year the new leadership will say yes. This guy clearly has a ton of money, and he wants to see exactly what he can do with it. Breaking a 53 year old tradition is something not everyone can pull off. It's the law of diminishing marginal returns that's wreaking havoc on the ACC right now. Making another $50M, probably won't impress him, or his CEO friends, pulling this off, well, now you've done something.
As far as the aftermath, I think only one name out there can save the ACC from further defections.
Louisville.
It will be a complete power play by FSU and Clemson. UNC and Duke will want UConn, for obvious reasons. Unfortunately for UConn, bringing them in will risk further, much worse, damage to the conference. FSU and Clemson want a football school, and Louisville is as close as there is out there. Sure their academics sucks, but lets be honest, academics mean about as much in this deal as my opinion or yours does.
A a straight up trade, Louisville for Maryland is a win for bball and fball. For the psyche of the conference, it could be irreparably damaged. Hopefully, though, it's salvageable.
Also, Rutgers makes a ton of money on the deal. Well be feeling the effects of that for decades on the gridiron.
My main reason for the change in view on Maryland is the under armor guy. For the foreseeable future, he will be funding that entire athletic dept. if Phil knight wanted Oregon to join the big sky conf, they would be out of the PAC 12 in about 10 minutes. Even if the current leadership says no, he'll swing his big checkbook, and in 1 year the new leadership will say yes. This guy clearly has a ton of money, and he wants to see exactly what he can do with it. Breaking a 53 year old tradition is something not everyone can pull off. It's the law of diminishing marginal returns that's wreaking havoc on the ACC right now. Making another $50M, probably won't impress him, or his CEO friends, pulling this off, well, now you've done something.
As far as the aftermath, I think only one name out there can save the ACC from further defections.
Louisville.
It will be a complete power play by FSU and Clemson. UNC and Duke will want UConn, for obvious reasons. Unfortunately for UConn, bringing them in will risk further, much worse, damage to the conference. FSU and Clemson want a football school, and Louisville is as close as there is out there. Sure their academics sucks, but lets be honest, academics mean about as much in this deal as my opinion or yours does.
A a straight up trade, Louisville for Maryland is a win for bball and fball. For the psyche of the conference, it could be irreparably damaged. Hopefully, though, it's salvageable.
Also, Rutgers makes a ton of money on the deal. Well be feeling the effects of that for decades on the gridiron.
