I’ll get to more on the increasingly insane latest bit of expansiopocolypse and what it means for Pitt in a bit. This is just a short thing that’s been gnawing at me.
One of my dad’s favorite cliches that he reaches for when trying to decide on a big economic thing — buying a new car, moving, changing jobs, replacing large appliances, etc. — is: “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.” My father, as you can imagine, is very financially conservative.
That phrase, though, keeps echoing in my head as expansiopocolypse continues. Albeit in a flipped on its head to be: “Better the devil you don’t, than the devil you know.” Everyone is completely willing willing to risk the devil they don’t know for the money. And because they feel that they know the devil they know just that well.
Beyond the money there is no football school in the Big East that wouldn’t run screaming to another conference, because they know that Providence-based leadership just that well by now. They know how incompetent, late to react, and how little they actually care about football — and thus the conference doesn’t provide any help, support or growth for the football schools. If the Big East was able to get $20 million/year for football schools I would still want Pitt out of that conference.
The Big 12 has seen 4 members leave in the last couple years. So sick of a conference structure that was dominated by the wants and desires of Texas. Everyone of them on the way out the door has made it clear that the problem was with Texas. Even if, ultimately, the money per school between the Big 12, the Big 10, the Pac-12 and the SEC will all end up being surprisingly close. The only way the Big 12 has stayed together — beyond simply because Texas and Oklahoma have decided to stay — is with a shotgun pushed in the back of all schools with the grant of rights. The system by which all member schools give their TV rights to the conference for the duration, regardless of whether they are part of the conference or not. A nuclear-level stick to keep the teams in place.
At the same time, because of Texas and Oklahoma are such football schools, the money for the conference keeps rolling regardless of the instability and absolutely no other marquee programs/markets. Making it easier than anyone would have thought to bring in new members from rival conferences. To the point where FSU, Clemson, Miami and Virginia Tech fans are all saying, “Yeah, Big 12! Sure it’s geographically awkward. Sure we keep hearing these things about Texas. Yeah, we’d rather go to the SEC, and if we sign with the Big 12 we are tied for over a decade regardless. But the money is good, and we can make it work. Besides, we’re football schools and that is what the Big 12 is about.”
Those ACC schools are obviously wanting to make sure they get the bigger money. Afraid of being left behind. But they also speak — a lot — of the problems with the devil they know in the ACC. The leadership beholden to the North Carolina/basketball power structure.
FSU aint freakin jumpin. The detriments of jumping to the little big 12 would keep their football program in mediocrity. How many fans want to travel to TX, OK, OK ST, Kansas and/or Iowa? Yes if they are in the same division as TX/OK those would be some great games but those teams are regular top 10 programs. FSU at this point aint a regular top ten program. It makes no sense for FSU to cut its ties to schools in the SE/ACC to go to the little big 12 pond that has two big fish with one carrying the cards to beat the others in line.
I would be totally shocked if FSU jumped. Remember that all of the schools that left the little big 12 did it for a reason. Texas wanted them to be their bitc*es/lap dogs. In the little big 12 its the Texas way or hit the highway. FSU IS NOT JUMPING…
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Far better than the ads for Penn State distance learning!
Good Lord, Nordy and Stevie finally do one right, and this crap happens.
I would like to think everyone is staying put, but some of the stuff out there, makes you wonder.
Yes, anyone can post anything, but a lot of people think FSU to Big 12 was a done deal before, now, the nail in the coffin.
I myself thought the 20M exit fee would be a deterent, but several articles out there say that’s just an inconvenience if Texas and the Big12 really want them. They’ll loan them the money to get out just like they did with WVU and they have coffers of cash to do it.
Nordy and Steve gotta feel like SCHLEPROCK!! I know I do!! LOL
Maybe nothing will happen. Ya, right!!
Sorry, it just burns my ass anytime anyone even hints that any football program might be getting slighted or deserves any sympathy. Football rules the roost across the country — and the other sports must change conference, traditions etc at football’s whim.
Its the way of the world and I’m at peace with it. I’m a Pitt football fan, dont get me wrong. I’m just a a b-ball first guy who, like a lot of non-football first people have been politely, patiently watching changes occur that we (basketball people) have no say in whatsoever.
We’re being good sports about it. But we’re practically prostrate over here, please dont make us bow even lower by having to pretend football gets slighted by the BE and deserves any sympathy.
*steps off soap box, sheepishly leaves area*
This is extremely minor compared to life, family and work.
However, as this is a college football blog, most people will give opinions on the certain subject matter that Chas posts for us.
This post is about the recent developments over the past few days, and some of us are commenting our opinions about it. That’s all, no big deal.
SECOND POINT. I hope you’re right, and everything just stays the same.
You are correct about internet bloggers and people pushing their agenda on the internet. Yes, a lot of it could be nothing more than b.s..
There have also been many example of where there is smoke there is fire. (Texas A&M, Missouri, Utah, Colorado, WVU, TCU)
Nebraska, Pitt and Syracuse, no one saw coming.
I can only speak for myself, but no fretting or worrying here. Just some b.s.’ing during some lulls in the day.
I mean, it’s not rocket science to figure out, that if the ACC is left out of a “Big 4”, nor given a chance to compete in a playoff, I believe some “football” schools would definitely be looking to be included in one the the Big 4 conferences.
Also, if those conferences are where gigantic payouts to top tier bowls, semi-finals and final games are, and say the ACC champion gets a second tier bowl, then they’d be looking also.
I get your point, it’s all speculation. But, brother, that’s what these blogs are for right, to bs to each other on subjects.
Hail to Pitt, and a good day to you!!
This instability has me worried.
What does the ACC leadership need to do to prove that football comes first in the conference?
Maybe Swofford needs to be replaced with a non-NC football guy. Maybe the ACC HQ’s needs to be moved from Greensboro. Maybe the schools get to keep all their bowl money.
Something has to change.
I don’t want to go back to the Big Least.
I’m not chicken little either. Hopefully the ACC all stays together.
A lot will have to do with the playoff format. If they say the 4 conference champs are in the semi-finals, then there are going to be problems.
I forget who, but someone on here that knows a bit about law, said, they’ll have to leave a slot open, or lawsuits from the other 60 teams will be coming against the “Big 4” conferences. Don’t know how true that is.
If they leave a slot, then it’s up to the individual teams to go undefeated and get in the top 4 rankings.
That will be another topic. Who is doing the rankings in the future?? How will they determine that??
What really would stink, is if FSU and Clemson would go. Those are probably the two teams I wanted to see the most at Heinz.
Maybe it is all hot air. A lot of money on the table to be in the Big 4 though.
Hope I’m wrong.
I don’t even care if we aren’t in the “Big 4”. I love the ACC. Just don’t want to lose anyone before we even start playing them.
Your points are well taken. A lot of bs out there.
Good to have lots of opinions. Hey, you might not have seen me too much either, kinda of hit and miss during the summer.
Have a good evening.
with bouth strong in BB and weak in football and we will be screwed agein.
Play hoops tourney in MSG and set up game against ND if ND does not play for NC (and they won’t). If not ND, then play PAC 12.
Quit whining guys…it’s our move…always want the last move.
WE WOULD HAVE MORE BIG EAST TEAMS THAN THE BIG EAST ORGINAL TEAMS ANY WAY .
On the other hand, I don’t really care who leaves the ACC. As long as it has no basketball-only members and is East Coast centered, IMO it is still the best place for Pitt.
The only non-East Coast centric league I wouldn’t be unhappy to see Pitt a member of is the Big 10 because there are enough teams physically close enough to Pittsburgh in that league (PSU, OSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, and Northwestern) for it to make some reasonable geographic sense. The B12 makes no sense at all unless, IMO, unless it were to add a slew of teams closer to Pitt like Rutgers, Cincinnati, Louisville so that an entire easternmost division (with WVU and Cuse) could be created.
A hypothetical better opportunity to contend for the MNC in a conference with Texas and Oklahoma makes absolutely no sense to me regardless of money because the route to the MNC game really would not be easier because of the tougher competition.
“White” album zombie, put on the headphones, get the pipe out of storage and listen to Lennon shred his guitar on ‘Back in the USSR’!
best Lennon guitar work ever!
Now if I was in bad funk like some over Pitt football, I would listen to Grand Funk Railroad’s song “Walk Like A Man”, Two songs Robin Trower’s “Bridge of Sighs” album and Cream’s “Strange Brew”.
GFR’s “Walk Like A Man” would instruct me to buck-up and quit whining.
Trower’s “Too Rolling Stoned” would remind not to get too high if you now what I mean.
Trowers “Little Bit of Sympathy” would be a clarion call to the “Star/Recruitnics” to give me a little sympathy and calm down the rhetoric.
Finally, Cream’s “Strange Brew” is an elixir which will kill the “Star/Recruitnics'” need to fret over things they cannot control anyways.
Of course a few Real Brews aint too bad either in fighting the fretting disease but don’t drink to much or you will just start again…
