Is there a morning left for me to oversleep without missing something?
It is official. Pitt and Syracuse are moving to the ACC.
“The ACC has enjoyed a rich tradition by balancing academics and athletics and the addition of Pitt and Syracuse further strengthens the ACC culture in this regard,” Swofford said. “Pittsburgh and Syracuse also serve to enhance the ACC’s reach into the states of New York and Pennsylvania and geographically bridges our footprint between Maryland and Massachusetts. With the addition of Pitt and Syracuse, the ACC will cover virtually the entire Eastern Seaboard of the United States.”
The exact timeline is unclear. Big East rules call for a 27 month notice period — and the ACC stressed that they would abide the Big East bylaws. This may mean, a lot like what went down in the Big 12 last year that Pitt and Syracuse are going to have to surrender some extra money to the Big East to make it happen by next year. We shall see on that front.
According to reports, and the teleconference, this came together very, very quickly. Like in less than a week. Both Syracuse and Pitt started talking to the ACC and both sides came together quickly. It makes it harder for conspiracists to make the claim that Pitt helped sabotage the Big East sellout extension with ESPN over the summer. As On The Banks pointed out, plenty of football schools in the Big East pushed back on that one. A deal that would have paid less than the ACC gets and that everyone — including Big East Commish Marinatto — was saying looked smart after the Pac-12 money deal came through.
The fact that Marinatto was completely blindsided by this just points out his incompetency. At least Mike Tranghese knew the ACC was sniffing around Miami and other Big East members in 2003. At least Tranghese knew there was dissatisfaction from the football membership. Marinatto has remained incompetently clueless and footdragging.
There is so much more to all of this. Heck the ACC is already talking about adding MSG to the ACC Tournament rotation. Well, assuming the Big East survives, that may be an issue but last I checked there may be some other arena now located in Brooklyn that could be available.
I expect that WVU, UConn and Rutgers will be fine. In the next couple of years they will likely find their own places in a major and stable conference. Whether it is with the full expansion to 16 teams — thus providing the openings in the ACC and SEC and Big 10. Or even a 14-team conference (WVU to the SEC rumors have not abated).
Teams like USF, Louisville and Cinci are understandibly unnerved. They are looking at having to band together with remnants of the Big 12 — and probably under the Big 12 banner since they have a real TV deal at the moment.
TCU? Well, they look royally screwed.
There will be lots of crap heaped on Pitt. There will be accusations of hypocrisy, greed and betrayal. That is understandable. The fact is, though, is that Pitt and its leadership worked harder than many in the conference to save the conference starting back in 2003. Something I fundamentally disagreed upon even then. The last year or so, finally opened their eyes to the basic, unsolvable problems of this kind of awkward dual-interest league.
Pitt and Syracuse are doing the right things for themselves. Just as all the members have and will do.
In any case I’m laying low on wearing Pitt regalia around Joisey. And you’ll see me donning scarlet at the Pitt RU game next month, RU fans can be downright nasty.
(Would love to see RU be invited to our conference for selfish reasons only)
Personally, I’m pretty psyched about this. More Pitt games within a day’s driving distance for one. I will miss the 10 minute drive to the USF Sun Dome or Raymond James Stadium for USF games though.
Will also miss the Brawl if WVU goes to another conference and we can’t make the schedule work. But I could see alternating home-and-home scheduling between WVU and PSU, so we may get the both of best worlds in the rivalry department, at least on a four year rotation basis.
Some can knock ACC football all they want, but this is a pretty good upgrade IMO. FSU is making it’s way back toward being a power again. Miami will be down short term, but there are too many NFLers and too much money among their alums for them not to be back again. And, Virginia Tech always seems to be tough. So there’s enough high level competition right there to get back Pitt back into the national spotlight if they do well in the conference. Plus there are enough competitive and enough marginal programs to make for a good mix of toss-up and winnable games on the conference schedule.
As far as basketball, the ACC is just as competitive as the BE and has a couple of legendary programs in Duke and Carolina. Plus they’re adding two programs that have made the BE what it is with Syracuse and Pitt. Seems like a win there too.
Like Chas said, other BE football teams have to be looking to bolt too. Knowing that might have goosed Pitt and ‘Cuse to make their moves earlier than expected.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE RIVER CITY RIVALRY TROPHY?!?!?!?
Seriously, this is good for the ACC, Pitt and Syracuse.
Hail to Pitt! Beat ND!
I know. I’m giving him way too much credit.
“Hey Mark (Nordenberg) this is John (Swofford) calling you from N.C. Hope Y’all folks are doing well up there. We were just finishing up our Council of President’s meeting and we all wanted to run something up the flag pole. Would PITT be interested in joining the ACC if an invitation were extended by one of our presidents to you and one other school? You don’t have to answer just yet. Call me tomorrow as I have a few other return calls to make to Morgantown, Storrs, Jersey, Lousville, and Cincinnati to discuss a few things. Please get back to me at YOUR convenience.”
Mark Nordenberg – “Did you say that your were adding two (not 7)?”
Mark Norenberg whispering to Jerry Cochran “Jerry – Didnt WVU and Lousiville say that they had to keep their options open (about the SEC and B12)?”
Done deal! We had no choice. I love the BIG EAST but this one had to be done.
First I applaud all those involved at the University for being progressive and making this bold, albeit difficult, move. Come Monday when Oklahoma and Texas make their announcement and blow up the Big 12, this move will bee seen as even more sensible.
It is obvious, based on the past year, that the Big East is either not concerned (doesn’t care) or going to fold in the next few years. They tried to persuade inferior teams from inferior conferenes (although I think UCF would have been a good catch-they are on the upswing despite yesterday’s loss to FIU and have one of the largest enrollments in Florida)
I would rather them do this now, then in a few years be on the outside in Conference USA or the MAC, begging for the Big 10 to let us in.
This is a great move for the football team. Yes, the ACC does not have many great football powers now, but they have better competition and brand recognition than the Big East, two things the rebuilding Pitt football program needs.
This will also allow Coach Graham better access to the new hotbeds of recruiting (Virginia and Florida) to get players that better fit his spread offense and 3-4 defense.
I am hesitant on the basketball front, however. Arguably the Big East has become the top power in men’s college basketball and I hate to have them leave it. However, if the Big East is the #1 men’s basketball conference, ACC is easily #2 with a great cause for #1.
Pitt and Cuse will easily be among the top teams in the conference right away. My only concerns (esp for Pitt) is changing their “Big East style of basketball”. As we have seen time and time again in the NCAA tourney, Big East aggressive style of play does not go over well with “neutral” officials, and I suspect it won’t go over well with ACC teams/officials. I don’t see us being able to go into Duke or UNC’s courts and get away with what we do in the Big East against UConn, Georgetown, etc.
That being said, I think Coach Dixon can, and will be happy, to adjust his playing and coaching style. Over the past few years he is recruiting more pure basketball players and less of the “athletes that fit the system”. I am not advocating Jaime go out and recruit one and done’s and/or players that put the program in trouble; he just needs to find players that can play pure basketball.
As far as any losing any rivalries that have developed (WVU, UConn, Georgetown) with the recent conference shuffling most, if not all, rivalries are going to either go away or change drastically.
The ship is sailing, and Pitt (and Syracuse) just bought their tickets.
These days, the commisioner of any conference, especially the BE and B12, has no reason to be blind-sided by anything that occurs.
However, this move may not all be positive
http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2011-09-17/move-to-acc-could-destroy-pitt-basketball
Also, that Decourcy article is absurd. Did he really say that Pitt will be competing for 3rd place annually behind Carolina and Duke? Last time I checked, Pitt was winning the Big East regular season…the same league that the National Champion came from this past year. Oh, and anybody remember the last time we played Duke?
Yes, it will be tough to beat those schools because they are top tier basketball programs and teams year in and year out, but so are Villanova, UCONN, Connecticut and Georgetown and we did just fine there.
Status Quo: Remain in arguably the best BB conference (for now) but stay in a FB league that may well lose its BCS status by 2014, either by non-performance or probably by national realigmnent
Join ACC: ensure playing in a respected basketball and FB league in the longterm
I do must admit that there is a large part of me that hates leaving BE BB, but I do understand that when you consider the longterm, it’s a decision that had to be made
- Birch as we know is from Canada.
- Gilbert is from Philly, but was considering all ACC schools except for Pitt.
- Durand Johnson is from Baltimore well within range of the ACC as well as the BE.
- John Johnson is from Philly but also was considering as many ACC schools as BE schools
- James Robinson is from Hyattsvile, MD and was considering more ACC schools than BE schools.
- Adams as we know is from pretty far away from the BE and the ACC.
The point is DeCourcy is a little behind the time. Jamie has elevated the program to the point that he can recruit anywhere. It isn’t your grandfather’s Pitt program anymore.
I think Jamie will be fine and Pitt will be fine. Everyone is worried about Jamie’s style of play in the ACC. It may be that style of play – tough defense, highly efficient ball possession, etc. – actually plays to Pitt’s advantage. Time will tell.
Not saying you agree with DeCourcy. Addressed the reply to you because you posted the link to the article.
I wanted the BE to survive and split into a FB and non-FB two division league. Posted that several times over the past year. However, what’s done is done and I’m sure Nordy and Pedey are looking out for Pitt’s our best interest. It’s time to look forward rather than backward.
Certainly from an academic standpoint, this is a great fit on both sides. Let’s not forget that. Like many of you, I did go to Pitt for the education. The sports was just a bonus.
Typing in a rush. Supposed to take the grandson to the zoo and the wife is getting angry. Bye for now.
I have mixed emotions over this move. We’re leaving possibly the greatest basketball conference ever built in the history of mankind. But, if we don’t pull the trigger now we might be left in a bad situation playing teams like Buffalo and Toledo in a “rebuilt” Big East Conference. I can see Marinatto’s face now, smiling holding a Toledo jersey. /shudders
So, North and South Divisions in the ACC then?
ACC has now positioned themselves into the original ACC (south division) and the old BIG EAST (north division). We all knew that the hybrid relationship in the BE was going to come to an end eventually. We knew that we werent going to keep the BE name in a new football conference as the baskball BE schools would keep it. So moving to the ACC north division is exactly what was predicted. BE football schools divide from the basketball schoools. Call it what you want but PITT and the remaining BE football schools predicted this to the commissioner. Perhaps the BE basketball school are getting what they want after all. The original all catholic small liberal arts basketball league.
Uconn + WVU (or Rutgers) go to the ACC
Rutger (or WVU) + UL, Cincinnati, SF, TCU go with the remaining B12 schools and form the new B12 with an automatic bid to the BCS.
WVU possibly to SEC
Rutgers possibly to Big 10
ACC had a choice. SU and PITT (or UCONN or RUTGER). PITT was more the leverage move since they knew the B10 perhaps would take either off the table once the ACC moved. They knew that the B10 would not go after UConn and thus they could wait on UConn and offer later. They are running the risk by leaving Rutgers out there long but feel that UConn would deliver more of the NYC market so Rutger is a risk. Lose PITT and the ACC loses PA. Lose SU and they Lose NYC. PITT and SU were strategic moves on the chess board played perfectly by Swofford. Next move will be UConn and WVU (or Rutger).
Big Ten just lost out on SU and PITT which likely now appears more attractive to them.
Interesting business moves.
Does anyone else read a lot into the silence that is coming from Morgantown and the WVU administration? I am convinced that they let Pitt know that they are headed to the SEC very soon and that is what helped Pitt move when they did. If Luck and company were not in good shape you would think they would be the most upset of any of the remaining members of the Big East.
One can question Steve Pederson’s words and actions (or rip him another one) but there is no way the administration made the application to the ACC without informing Jamie Dixon, Todd Graham and the head coaches of the other athletic programs. I just can’t believe Mark Nordenberg would not inform them before the process was under way.
I also agree the ACC is not done expanding. the more I think about it Rutgers and UConn will be coming, making a complete 16 team conference with a true Northern Division (Pitt, Syracuse, BC, Rutgers, UConn, Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech) and Southern Division (UNC, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State and Miami, should they survive the NCAA investigation). I think it would be fair to say that the Big East style of basketball will bleed over into the ACC to some degree.
In football terms, when the expansion is done, Pitt will be in a conference with a secure BCS bid and exposure in Washington, DC, Atlanta and Miami. In basketball terms, Pitt will still be playing some old Big East rivals (especially if UConn and Rutgers come along).
I would like to see the ACC set up its own TV network, set up an academic alliance/consortium (like the Big 10 did) and maybe move its headquarters from Greensboro to Washington, DC for a more central location.
Penn State athletics are a rock sinking in a pond. Oh, Beaver Stadium will still be filled, which is a credit to their fans, but they won’t win anything, with the exception of the hockey program they are starting up.
Live on PittsburghPanthers.com tonight at 6pm: Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg and Athletic Director Steve Pederson discuss the University of Pittsburgh’s acceptance into the Atlantic Coast Conference:
For ESPN is the major network player in ALL of this conference realigning and if they didn’t sign off on it…..believe me….it wouldn’t happen.
So to then write this dribble about hypocrisy and greed coming from an ESPN writer, is just so much hogwash. And it is they, especially ESPN that are the hypocrites.
BTW, ESPN and their writers/broadcasters love to portray themselves as some sort of independent group of journalists(some even think of themselves as investigative journalists,lol). Nothing could be farther from the truth.
If OU< OSU & Texas leave the Big 12, ESPN, Fox sports has already said that huge contract they signed for $18-$20 million per team will be void.
And I don't think a league with KU, KSU, Baylor, ISU and whatever remnants of the BigEast join it, will get much of a TV contract, do you?
Our media video player works very nicely.
Mark & STeve on right now !
Hi Dana,
I usually enjoy your columns but this one is
way out of line.
Especially from an ESPN writer. Your network
is THE major player in all of these conference’s.
Therefore ESPN being the benefactor of the money from the subscription fees and the advertising dollars received in the broadcasting of all of these conference’s athletic games is
generating Hundreds of Millions of dollar$ in
revenue.
And ESPN had to have ‘signed off’
on this conference re-alignment. And In fact
helped precipitate the chaos in the Big 12
fiasco by signing on with Texas and creating
the Longhorn Network which is the major point of contention with other Big 12 members.
Again ESPN is the benefactor here and they
are the ones who have precipitated things in
the Big 12 and they are ones who had
‘to sign off’ on Pitt & Syracuse leaving the
BigEast and moving to the ACC.
If ESPN hadn’t ‘signed off’, ……it wouldn’t have happened. And the hypocrisy and greed you write about, is all about ESPN’s hypocrisy and greed. Your employer.
Good ploy though, blame someone else.
Good thing Walt Disney didn’t live to see who
he is controlling his company now.
Geez
That’s hilarious John In South Carolina.
Yea, I didn’t realize we were such a major player that even influenced Texas & Oklahoma. lmao
If OU< OSU & Texas leave the Big 12, ESPN, Fox sports has already said that huge contract they signed for $18-$20 million per team will be void.
And I don't think a league with KU, KSU, Baylor, ISU and whatever remnants of the BigEast join it, will get much of a TV contract, do you?
So if they Big 12 contract becomes null & void, the remnants of the Big 12 would have no option other than to join the BigEast, that does have a TV contract. At least they do until 2012.
Comment by melvinbennett 09.18.11 @ 6:02 pm
Nordy made it very clear that they preferred staying in a BE conference but that something needed to be done.
As I discussed in prior threads, Pitt likely had the same concerns about being iced out. 10 schools inquired about ACC membership.
What if we woke up this morning and found out Syracuse and UConn were bolting. How would Pitt look then?
Let’s call it what it is…the basketball schools destroyed the Big East. The Big East will survive as a Conference USA or A10 type of conference.
They will still have Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, and Notre Dame (there boosters are so delusional they will never join a conference) regardless of what happens to Louisville, UConn and WVU.
The Big East had a chance to keep Pitt and Syracuse. They blew it.
btw, I had no animosity for VT, Miami when they departed it made sense. BC on the other hand was a backstab.
Speaking of BC there is an instant rivalry for former BE schools cause of there whining about how they were treated that final season.
DaveD
If nothing else, the BigEast would still have a viable working basketball league, something the Big 12 (minus TX, OU & OSU & TT) wouldn’t be able to say.
The media, like CBS & ESPN(and their cohorts) are looking to pin this hypocrisy and greed angle they’re playing, on someone OTHER THAN THEMSELVES. Hoping people don’t realize, they are the MAJOR PLAYERS behind the scenes, that are ‘signing off’ on all of these conference realignment deals.
Without the huge payout$ (payoffs) being spread around by these Huge Media conglomerates in the form of Television rights, NONE of this can/could happen. The hypocrisy here is incredible.
Thanks for finishing my thought…that is what I meant 
DaveD
That’s my best guess. I don’t think ESPN will want to pay for two TV contracts when they can pay for one by having the remnants of the Big 12 join the existing BigEast. As the BigEast will still have some value (TV wise) in basketball.
PS. I love “high octane”, but not when it is at the expense of a gassed defense. Coach lost this one.
Didn’t mean to finish your thought, I was just agreeing with you. Thanks though.
This ESPN article has encouraged my rage at media hypocrisy.
While I love what Howland & Dixon have done for Pitt basketball. We did survive Howland leaving and we will more than survive if Dixon ever leaves.
We have had basketball success(late 80′s/early 90′s and of course our Final 4 appearance in the 40′s and Elite 8 in 1974) even pre-Howland/Dixon and that was with a 3rd rate Field House and minimal money spent on the program.
I still believe one day, Sean Miller will return to his roots.
http://twitter.com/#!/colin_dunlap/status/115505893356998656
Remember that Dana O’neil is a Penn State grad. As such, her objectivity when it comes to Pitt goes right down the crapper.
Ever hear of Oregon or Auburn?
Like sweet caroline said, Auburn, Oregon.
Thursday nights game, Miss St, Lsu.
There is only one person who blew that game, with interceptions, fumbles, not being able to get a first down, three five and outs in a row.
Missing a wide open Street for a touchdown with another 5 yard underthrown ball for yet another interception.
You want to blame Graham, go ahead, for playing Tino.
Other than that, you ought to quit preaching if you don’t like it and quit watching. Seems to really be bothering you.
Grahams here, the offense is here, he gets many years to prove himself or not.
Just like the past two coaches got 8 years, and 6 years, and your judging after game 3??????
We all get your point, its the same thing everytime. You don’t like Graham or his offense.
Ok, we get it!!
Anyone who uses Wanny’s initials (David Raymond Wannstedt) as his posting name is going to bash the new coach, regardless of what system he uses.
Plus DRW, like his hero, loves the grind-it-out offense so you’re going to see it over and over and over, regardless of whether it’s successful or not.
Nice letter to O’Neil. It is ironic that an ESPN columnist would talk about greed. But that’s for the business and ad people. She’s a “journalist” and above all that. She’s probably just smarting since she covered BE basketball until her promotion.
Another ESPN columnist/personality, Jay Bilas wrote that with the addition of Pitt and ‘Cuse, the power has shifted back to the ACC as the best basketball conference in the country. He sees the ACC adding UConn and perhaps Rutgers, but he says don’t rule out Notre Dame instead of Rutgers, and as a full member yet. A reach, but who knows with the way things have gone.
So, FRANKCAN: The ACC’s aggressive move and Monday’s decision by OK and TX may force the Big Ten (or whatever number they’re up to) to become the Big 16. They may try to snatch up Kansas, Mizzou and Iowa St., the Big 12′s remaining AAU member schools, leaving them one short of 16. They’ll likely target Rutgers, IMO, the only remaining big AAU school not locked up, I think.
If RU goes to the ACC, not sure what will happen then. They may bend their AAU “rule” like they did with Nebraska and beg Notre Dame to join them. I’d love to see ND demand the same deal they have with the BE though and screw the Big Whatever over. They’re the ones who started all this conference crap last summer anyway, so it serves them right.
Chancellor Nordenberg made it perfectly clear at today’s 6pm media conference, that PITT sent the BigEast a letter in May (over 4 months ago), saying they were exploring all options. Also he put to the rest, the other smear job of him being the current Executive Chairman of the BigEast. The Chancellor said he hasn’t held that position since 2005.
With the way the BigEast under Marinatto was run, it figures they wouldn’t even know who the current Executive Chairman is. Same thing for that slob Jurich down in Louisville. I really hope they end in nowheresville.
Also, the ACC would have tremendous sports in all other areas outside of wrestling. Unfortunately, I don’t believe we have the foresight to do it. Have fun with all those eastern recruits you are going to now get coming your way. If you are a east coast kid and want your family to see you play, why would you go to a school that’s 300 miles east from anyone it plays?
last 6 weeks?
Orbiting the Earth in the ISS?
Thanks for the heads on Little Dana. Did a little research on the biotch myself, she worked for the Philadelphia Daily news and for 7 years her beat was Villanova basketball. AND she’s a Penn State grad. Yes she’s very nondescript looking like so many of the Nittany Cows.
Her antipathy towards Pitt is in a much clearer light now.
Thanks for the headsup again Greg
Thanks for the thumbs up.
I would think being stuck with the big 12 dwarfs would be a more appropriate. Imagine the Little 11 could have had Pitt & Syracuse(two Major Media markets), they might get stuck with Iowa State and Kansas State (nowhere & next to nowhere). Especially in Mizzou goes to the SEC.
If WVU ends up there, there’s no reason the PG needs to report on them anymore or the Pittsburgh TV stations need to bother either.
Wonder if I’ll get a response email from our girl Dane? Ya think ! haha
I called her out for it, I’d like to send a copy to her editor actually and call him out. Of course he more than likely ok’d this attack piece by his little attack dog, Dana.
Yellow journalism at it’s finest !!
If you do get a response, you need to post it here. That would be interesting to read.
She’s writing as a columnist in that piece not as a reporter, so she’s OK stating her opinion. It just happens to be a pretty cynical, self-serving and misinformed one.
As you have found in your research, she has strong ties to the Big East. As many have stated, Pitt and Nordy did what they could to save the Big East over the years, which she uses to admonish rather than praise them. And as many have stated, Pitt was clear in its intentions over a year ago that if the Big East did not strengthen its football competition, they were going to explore their options, which she totally leaves out of her argument.
The Big East has only themselves to blame. The handwriting was on the wall. Pitt and most of the other football schools were unhappy. The Big East made no more than a half-assed effort to appease them, so why would anyone be surprised or upset that those schools are now bolting for other conferences.
I do feel bad for the football schools that will be left behind, but I’m guessing they’re all starting to look for options as well. So, the Big East will become what it wants to be, purely a basketball conference.
Not counting 2nd tier & 3rd tier revenues off of their other ESPN’s.
Let’s see how they report OU & Texas bolting the Big 12 tomorrow and how much greed and hypocrisy is reported then.
Get on there and give him a 5 star rating gents:
Anyhow, tried to use Dan0, allready taken!! ha ha
So, mine is under ddlochness if you want a laugh!!!
Anyone think Notre Dame is going to start to panic now and jump to the Big 10? That’s my feeling, expecially if the Big East dissolves altogether…ND will need somewhere for their other sports to play and a way to get to a bowlgame in non-BCS (ie: every) years, I don’t think the Big 10 will just roll over and let them part way in the way the morons in the Big East did….I predict ND is in the Big 10 by this time next year.
Seems to me they’ll be going to Plan C.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Coast_Conference