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Message: [QUOTE="SU94, post: 4295360, member: 202"] A few random thoughts as I take in this USC-UCLA development and how it might apply to SU: [LIST] [*]If Notre Dame seeks to maximize is "autonomy," which is essentially what it has valued in the last 100 years, that is best accomplished in the ACC. In the Big 10(20), they'd be the Johnny Come Lately among of a leadership team along with (you know the names) Michigan, Ohio State, USC and to a lesser degree PSU, Nebraska and UCLA. Outside of their NBC contract, the Domers would be tacitly aligning with Fox by joining the B10. I am not sure the ideologies of the Catholics (Congregation of Holy Cross) are well aligned with those of Rupert Murdoch. (I suppose you could make some of the same arguments with ABC/ESPN/Disney, but I would argue lesser) [*]In the ACC, they'd be the driver. They'd control much, much more of their own destiny, which [I]could[/I] include which West Coast schools to approach about a PAC/ACC hyperblend conference. I doubt this will happen, but that does not mean it does not have vast potential. Plus, in a vacuum, Notre Dame should want to be aligning with like-minded academically-inclined universities, half of which are private schools, as they are. [*]That said, if/when the Irish chase the monies and the now established continental sprawl of the B10, I find it hard to indict them for their inconsistency. Seriously, they'd be out for themselves, just like everyone else is, most especially since the advent of covid. [*]I do believe that it is important to remember that ESPN has vested interest in the ACC surviving in some form, even if it is as part of a bigger, badder SEC. As Alsacs said (and I hope he follows Brett Farve's lead and unretires again), they are not going to give Jim Phillips and the ACC a life raft for the heck of it. [*]The power players at the SEC and B10 had best tread lightly. If enough state schools are left out, there is likely to be a federal inquiry that could likely prompt unintended consequences. These are not private companies being bartered and traded like franchises, many of these are state universities that, when combined, have invested billions of dollars through the years into their athletic infrastructures. And they represent millions of potential voters at the local, state and national levels. Will national lawmakers in DC sit by idly as various school's athletic futures are severely hindered so a smaller grouping of ego-infested Commissioners/ADs/Presidents/boosters can play a high-stakes game of Risk? I am not sure this goes unregulated or unchecked. [*]I do not see SU in a position of great strength in this game of musical chairs. We do have some things working in our favor, and I will list them quickly: a strong well-recognized brand, an updated, nationally-recognized, on-campus football/basketball stadium (which included significant state funding), SU is a top-50-60 national university with a penchant for having a moral backbone, a ridiculously well-connected Athletics Director, an invested Chancellor (former Chair of the ACC's board, and current member of its Executive Committee), a well-rounded athletics department, a strong athletic history in the I&D space (pre Ben and post Ben), an underrated and boisterous fan base, a top 10 historically relevant basketball program that drives ratings in the 99th percentile (and has natural access to MSG). Lacrosse doesn't hurt, but it does not help either. Otto! (I kid!). ... [*]One quiock point on college basketball: yes, football drives the (let me check ...) bus. Sorry for the cliche, but football is likely 3.5 to 4x as important as hoops in the grand scheme of realignment. But what good, profitable, stable business enterprise poo-poos or ignores ~20% of its product? The answer is none. Basketball should matter in this grand equation more than most here acknowledge. It should absolutely be part of most, if not all, conversations about what the future of college sports looks like. [*]There are drawbacks to Syracuse University too, including being a private university with a middle-range enrollment and our campus not residing in the shadow of the Big Apple. And the lack of research-based, post-grad schools is certainly a hinderance, but in my estimation, not as much as it was 10-15 years ago (I think the B10's CIC/AAU angle is overplayed -- unless it is convenient -- and will be deemphasized to a degree). Also, there is a population decline that is well underway in CNY. [*][B]I do find it extremely hard to believe that the state of New York -- the fourth most populous state in the USA(!) -- will not be directly and tangibly represented.[/B] Nor would New Friggin' York City, [U]the world's hub of finance[/U]. And you can spare me the indignity that Penn State commandeers NYC's ratings and all of that bu!!. Penn State is in the geometric center (aka a cow pasture) of PENNSYLVANIA. You have to go into another state to get to NYC from there. Capiche? [/LIST] [/QUOTE]

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