*I am still in a bit of shock. Kudos to TGD.
*One reason I really think this has been in the cards for years is that the ACC places quite a bit of emphasis on "Olympic" sports (aka non-revenue). From the very moment TGD set foot on campus, he has really pushed, pushed and pushed again to elevate our Olympic sports. I don't think it was coincidental. It is one thing to talk about those type of goals, it is another to write the checks for improved coaches, facilities, etc. And that has been done. In the last 7-8 years, SU has transformed itself into a viable Athletics Dept. as opposed to a Football-Hoops-Lax power. There was some serious foresight there.
*Bittersweet moment, but the right move. That said, I personally would have preferred the Big 10, if only for the additional academic bump. But I am not complaining at all. Not. At, All! For us, this ACC/B1G dance was like courting Aniston vs. Jolie. A 9.9 vs. a 9.8 (I am an Aniston guy BTW). We really could not lose and we'd be silly to hold out if one invited us to her pad after midnight. Bird in hand.
*By joining the ACC, the Nationals upcoming OOC series with BC and Georgia Tech are now null and void. Who would you all like to see SU pick up with those slots? My suggestions: Army. And assuming WVU is playing in the SEC and tied to a OCC series with Pitt, I think that we should help our former BE mates such as UConn, Louisville and even Cincinnati. Even a 2-game home-and-home can help them. I always appreciated that BC came back to us, as did VT (although we canceled the 2-game OOC series).
*As we currently know it, we likely have the right coaching structure in place to make this transition. I am speaking of Marrone, Boeheim/Hopkins and Desko. BC did not. Miami did not. Virginia Tech likely did, less so on the hoops side. Here is hoping that Boeheim gets over his initial funk and ushers us into the new era with a smile on his face. I think that is important. But, I have ultimate faith in Hop too. If you match us up with the hoops powers (Duke, UNC), I think we have the best situation to win consistently for the next decade plus. I don't think that Roy Boy or Coach K will be at their respective schools in 2021. Hop will.
*I personally think it is important that Rutgers joins the ACC. Long-term gain vs. short-term spite. Tempting to spit on them, as they would deserve it. But we need that Tri-State/NYC exposure, and let's face it, I think everyone here knows we are 2 years into restoring fitting and historical structure/domination of the SU-RU series. I just think we are better off if Rutgers comes along. That's my $0.02.
*I used to work in the Athletics Dept. at UVa. Expect some snobbery from our new ACC mates. It really is to be expected. Honestly, it comes with higher academic bases. But we hold our own there. Expect to be treated like we treated Cincinnati, USF and, to a lesser extent, Louisville. But it is better than the alternative. And it can lead to good fun. Back and forth. Give and take. Enjoy it. Don't make a fist, make a barb. That'll go a longer way.
*Which of the NC quartet would you most like to see in the ACC North? As presently constituted, one is likely to have to leave its "southern" brethren. My suggestion: ask Virginia and Maryland which they prefer, because really, they are getting “shafted” the most out of the SU/Pitt addition. They lose out on a lot of traditional games/rivalries. Obviously, I gotta think that UNC and Duke are unlikely to separate. So, give the Cavaliers and Terps the choice: Wake or NCSU in the North. My best guess is that they would chose Wake, but it would not shock me for a second if it was the Wolfpack. But really, if the ACC hierarchy allowed UVa and the Terps a serious say, it might quell some of their resentment. Look, we are the newbies here. We are SU, but we also want this to be fun and enjoyable. We are essentially on ACC probation for about a decade. Which is fair and good. Again, we did not look at Cincy and USF as equals, did we?
*I thought we played a heck of a football game on Sat. at USC. We did not deserve to win by any means, but we belonged. And if Barkley goes pro this spring, we will beat them in the Meadowlands in Sept. '12. Mark it down. We win by a TD.
*One reason I really think this has been in the cards for years is that the ACC places quite a bit of emphasis on "Olympic" sports (aka non-revenue). From the very moment TGD set foot on campus, he has really pushed, pushed and pushed again to elevate our Olympic sports. I don't think it was coincidental. It is one thing to talk about those type of goals, it is another to write the checks for improved coaches, facilities, etc. And that has been done. In the last 7-8 years, SU has transformed itself into a viable Athletics Dept. as opposed to a Football-Hoops-Lax power. There was some serious foresight there.
*Bittersweet moment, but the right move. That said, I personally would have preferred the Big 10, if only for the additional academic bump. But I am not complaining at all. Not. At, All! For us, this ACC/B1G dance was like courting Aniston vs. Jolie. A 9.9 vs. a 9.8 (I am an Aniston guy BTW). We really could not lose and we'd be silly to hold out if one invited us to her pad after midnight. Bird in hand.
*By joining the ACC, the Nationals upcoming OOC series with BC and Georgia Tech are now null and void. Who would you all like to see SU pick up with those slots? My suggestions: Army. And assuming WVU is playing in the SEC and tied to a OCC series with Pitt, I think that we should help our former BE mates such as UConn, Louisville and even Cincinnati. Even a 2-game home-and-home can help them. I always appreciated that BC came back to us, as did VT (although we canceled the 2-game OOC series).
*As we currently know it, we likely have the right coaching structure in place to make this transition. I am speaking of Marrone, Boeheim/Hopkins and Desko. BC did not. Miami did not. Virginia Tech likely did, less so on the hoops side. Here is hoping that Boeheim gets over his initial funk and ushers us into the new era with a smile on his face. I think that is important. But, I have ultimate faith in Hop too. If you match us up with the hoops powers (Duke, UNC), I think we have the best situation to win consistently for the next decade plus. I don't think that Roy Boy or Coach K will be at their respective schools in 2021. Hop will.
*I personally think it is important that Rutgers joins the ACC. Long-term gain vs. short-term spite. Tempting to spit on them, as they would deserve it. But we need that Tri-State/NYC exposure, and let's face it, I think everyone here knows we are 2 years into restoring fitting and historical structure/domination of the SU-RU series. I just think we are better off if Rutgers comes along. That's my $0.02.
*I used to work in the Athletics Dept. at UVa. Expect some snobbery from our new ACC mates. It really is to be expected. Honestly, it comes with higher academic bases. But we hold our own there. Expect to be treated like we treated Cincinnati, USF and, to a lesser extent, Louisville. But it is better than the alternative. And it can lead to good fun. Back and forth. Give and take. Enjoy it. Don't make a fist, make a barb. That'll go a longer way.
*Which of the NC quartet would you most like to see in the ACC North? As presently constituted, one is likely to have to leave its "southern" brethren. My suggestion: ask Virginia and Maryland which they prefer, because really, they are getting “shafted” the most out of the SU/Pitt addition. They lose out on a lot of traditional games/rivalries. Obviously, I gotta think that UNC and Duke are unlikely to separate. So, give the Cavaliers and Terps the choice: Wake or NCSU in the North. My best guess is that they would chose Wake, but it would not shock me for a second if it was the Wolfpack. But really, if the ACC hierarchy allowed UVa and the Terps a serious say, it might quell some of their resentment. Look, we are the newbies here. We are SU, but we also want this to be fun and enjoyable. We are essentially on ACC probation for about a decade. Which is fair and good. Again, we did not look at Cincy and USF as equals, did we?
*I thought we played a heck of a football game on Sat. at USC. We did not deserve to win by any means, but we belonged. And if Barkley goes pro this spring, we will beat them in the Meadowlands in Sept. '12. Mark it down. We win by a TD.
