Nothing like the chaos leading up to a holiday. Kids trying to finish projects, work stuff that needs to be done before a couple days. So, just hit some links and thoughts.
Devin Street and Aaron Donald have no plans to turn pro. Uh, great. Not thinking Donald would anyways, but Street is still a possibility. I hate these questions when there are still games to play. There’s no way to give a good answer. Street probably won’t but there is still a chance.
A few articles on Dorian Johnson’s verbal to Pitt, but only one has the quote that might make me relax a little on the commitment.
“I won’t be taking any visits to any other schools,” he said.
Ahhhh.
ESPN.com ranked Johnson as the #2 OT in the 2013 class (Insider subs).
With Johnson, Pitt gets an athletic looking tackle prospect with a tall, lean frame and with some time in the Panthers weight program he should be able to pack on some needed but good mass. If pressed into action quickly, he could experience some growing pains as he develops his game, but this is a kid with very promising upside. He not only looks athletic, but displays the athleticism to be a good college tackle and that athleticism should help him to adapt and be productive if needed early on in his career which he may be. Johnson displays good flexibility as well as balance and agility. He may not be the biggest kid in terms of mass, but is an explosive and powerful kid who can deliver a pop on contact and drive defenders off the ball. He is not only capable of opening up running lanes at the line of scrimmage, but also blocks well on his feet in space and can deal with second-level defenders with similar type crushing results.
You not only like his athleticism, but also that he displays nastiness as a blocker. He looks to need a little more development in his pass pro, but he flashes the tools to develop into a strong pass blocker. He will need to continue to develop and strive for more consistency in his technique, but this is a player with the tools to develop into a very good O-Lineman at the college level.
So… Heinz Field had a Sunday night game. It has four WPIAL games scheduled for Friday. Then a noon Rutgers-Pitt game on Saturday. That should be fun. Naturally Coach Chyst is just saying, “whatever man.”
So, does Pitt keep the pattern going of back-to-back losses followed by back-to-back wins? Coach Chryst is willing to take it at this point.
”At this point right now, I’d be all for following that 2-2-2 schedule,” he said. ”We’ve got to go earn that one though.”
Hey, some expansiopocolypse stuff. I know I’ll write more later on the issue but here’s some reading material from others.
The Big East is screwed — again.
Louisville or UConn in the ACC. Who ya’ got?
Rutgers and Maryland: failing upward.
Not a lot of love from Big 10 fans on this move. Brian Cook at MGoBlog suggests that the BTN stop wasting time and go to 16 and finish off the traditions. He expands on his feelings more in a great Q&A with Spencer Hall.
Two great reads on the issues. The first from UConn perspective on why the whole expansiopocolypse sucks. This one from Maryland that lays out exactly why Maryland is and should join the Big 10 (hint, it’s all about the money).
Sees Big 12 or Big 14 attempting to poach a couple of teams.
I still think the best retort is to form your own network, based in Charlotte or Atlanta and take the BTN on toe to toe.
As for Chryst, I loved his comment on the field conditions…”what the hell do you want us to say”.
Translated, I can’t control it so I ain’t worried about it and complaining don’t work either.
Haven’t you heard, the SEA is being sued by the Steel girls.
Sometimes, you gotta answer dumb questions with straight talk that “outs” the stupidity.
“Trey (Anderson) and I say we make up for it with our feet,” Voytik said. “We always joke we wish we could exchange a little bit of escapability for a little bit of arm strength.”– Trib Review
Don’t know where the rumor started that Voytik had a really strong arm. Fact is, he never showed it.
Of course, this doesn’t mean he can’t be a good quarterback. But time to be realistic about any expectations of what Chad is and isn’t.
Chapman on the other hand appears to be somebody that you would say has a strong arm.
Savage is someone you might describe as having a cannon.
Whatever the case, at this point I’m anxious to see what any of these guys look like behind center running Chryst’s offense.
Seems Chapman is anxious himself considering he’s committed to graduating early in order to be there in the spring. Got to love that.
Louisville adds new homes in a new region, but not in a large market. The ‘Cuse blogger was right, tho: probably an upgrade over MD in both football and hoops. Dunno/ don’t care if L’ville has a mens lacrosse team or not…
If I was Swofford, my first (and maybe only) phone call would be to U of Houston: expands your brand to the 3rd/4th largest city, great school right in Big XII’s back-yard. Has you in position to pick off the next Texas school sick of U-Texas. And they’re at least as good in football as UConn.
As coachK said… ACC has to circle the wagons and take attendence…
Really, need to ask the current members who they think should be added… I still think ACC thinks basketball first…
Otherwise, Pitt nor Syracuse would have been added to ACC…
Therefore… my picks… in order.
1. Louisville (more of a strategic pick to keep away from Big10 or Big12)
2. Vandy (Nashville)
3. UConn (Big10 not interested so last team to go after)
Obviously its not all his fault.. but 3 years of this nonsense..people are just frustrated… but that kid has never closed a game for Pitt ever.
He is having his best year under Chyrst.. lets hope the other QB’s can develop even more.
i would love to know if pitt went cheap with chryst but i cant get into list maybe my system.
Seems a Southeastern school needs to be in the miz as one of the new additions.
As of September 2012///DMA (designated market area) # of TV households
Rank
Baltimore 27th
Nashville 29th
Hartford 30th
Vanderbilt is an exact fit for the ACC if academics are truly a priority.
UCONN is a Syracuse in the sense that it has a strong alumni base in the NY Metro.
Problem for Vandy is that it would be receiving fewer $$ from the ACC than the big moola from the SEC TV deal. As wealthy as Vanderbilt is, it would be a decision that would favor the Commodores staying in the SEC.
I forgot to list two other markets that have often been mentioned for possible ACC entry///
Cincinnati #35
Louisville #48
Yep, Lousville adds bupkis to the TV contract for the ACC….NOTHING!!!! Way too small.
Syracuse is #84
Pittsburgh is #23..
Its about basketball 1st as Syracuse added nothing regards to TV contract or football.
if you are a college foot ball fan and your team is not playing and you have Lville playing joe blow ans u con playing joe blow who will you watch L VILLE.
Lets us look at BB L VILLE is rated nummber 2 u conn is with out there coach who will you watch
L VILLE.
PLUS you want to keep FS who do you think they want L ville for football.
and as some one said you have the same tv sets with the orange men as you do with u conn.
but L VILLE would be new TV sets.
just saying i dont think it is cut and dryed
that it is u conn.
ACC should use 50 mil wisely to lure ND full time and set up cable channel. No need to immediately add MD replacement. Get ND.
Not sure if this link will work but this is from Nate Silver (political junkies know who he is) and provides an interesting take on the Big 10 expansion.
BTW – Rutgers has a larger fan base than Pitt but I was surprised that Pitt’s is nearly 900k. Penn State has nearly 3 times as many fans.
No they are being considered mostly due to the monthly cable access fees.
Comcast now charges me an involuntary monthly fee as part of my cable bill for the Pac-12 Network, just because University of Colorado was added. Let’s say it’s $0.50/month for “only” 2 million cable subscribers in Colorado, and almost the same for Utah. That’s $20-ish million per year in new revenues. And it doesn’t even matter if I watch the channel or not, or whether the teams stink or not (CU certainly does…).
Now look at Washington-DC & Baltimore (let’s say 8 million cable subscribers between them) and NYC & Metro Jersey (let’s say 12 million cable subscribers between them). That’s $10M per MONTH (or $120 million per year) in new revenues for the B10 Network!!
And THAT, my friend, is why UConn and Louisville, altho better competitively, pale in comparison to getting into Houston or Dallas-Ft.Worth (UH or SMU), Philly (Temple) or Cincy or some such. If it’s a money decision (and Rutgers & MD sooooo obviously are…), then it couldn’t matter less how good the teams are, it only matters WHERE they are! And hoops is far less relevant.
As an aside, we’ll never know, but I still say that if the Big East had thought of football & markets first and added SMU and Houston instead of DePaul and Marquette, they’d still be a thriving business.
Only if those efforts fail does a cold capitalist but his fan’s hat back on and look to big schools in small markets.
UConn is a no brainer, but I’d look to add 2-3 teams. 2 if one believes that ND might someday fully join and 3 if one doesn’t.
My numbers (above) might be off a little, but not much. Just by adding MD & Rutgers, each B10 school will skim off like $10M/year in new revenues, which is more than Big East schools get all-in from their TV package.
However, the ACC just renegotiated their deal, and didn’t do that well (IMO). So they gotta make a splash to bring ESPN or Fox or Comcast or somebody back to the table to try again.
That, plus the new access fees (of $120M/year if it’s Houston and DFW or Philly), plus the ($50M) exit fee, should keep FSU and Clemson from looking around…
espn owns the ACC.
but bye being cheap with the last TV contract
they gave the ACC and makeing them the lowest paid
major conference.
it made they a target for the outher conferences
the only way to stop this and keep there product whole is to bring the tv money up to a par with every one else
our there will be no ACC and ESPN would be the big losser from that so they better come up with more money.
Lots of their recruits come from MD and NJ… and PSU’s selling point was Big10 over ACC/BigEast…
now what are they going to do for recruiting base.. wpial?? I don’t think so.
PSU alum are so arogant… I can see them leaving Big10 to ACC just over the fact of not being able to play Big10 championship, share bowl money, etc.
DAN do you remmber when i bitched abought the 17 million tv contract when the outher conference were geting 20 million.
and every one on here jumped on me becuse we want from 4 millon to 17 million.
but i was right this is all the result of the ACC and ESPN BECUSE OF THE CHEAP TV DEAL. and it wont change untill the money comes in line with the outher conferences lets hope espn is smart enough to change things.
ACC could have brought in Pitt and Rutgers to begin with… instead of Syracuse.
However, Syracuse has a better basketball program and basketball rules ACC…
abut do to the fact that the game is on sat
i will try to think of who should take marylands place.
becuse that is the nummber one problem now not the money or the game they come later.
Pitt doesn’t bring any new charges for TV sets because PSU already does. Example, people in Pgh, whether they like it or not, PSU haters or not, pays the B10 a fee for watching (or not watching, doesn’t matter) B10 Network and PSU. My Dad — who despises PSU — must pay a B10 fee thru his cable bill.
And if Rutgers is added, you’ll pay a B10 fee living in NJ, even if you despite Rutgers and PSU, even if you never watch the channel, doesn’t matter.
Syracuse & Pitt were added becuase they are the best available schools in market states (PA & NY) that currently weren’t penetrated by the ACC brand.
Understood…
but ACC could have brought in Rutgers instead…
B10 is talking about getting onto the YES channel… Yankee channel..
B10 network is not on my comcast dial…. but I do get YES and love watching the Yankees.
I think ACC stuck to their guns wanting good academics and BB program… that is why Syracuse over Rutgers. Rutgers was begging the ACC to take them as was UConn… but ACC was waiting for Notre Dame.
I would rather have Rutgers over Louisville… Rutgers athletic programs are on the rise… major investment in facilities.
See, when we win Saturday Rutgers will have 1 conference loss, same as Louisville (if Louisville beats UConn). Well, on Thursday 11/29 Louisville is at Rutgers. So even if Rutgers loses to us, beatu Louisville and they win the conference clean.
What would be awesome – we beat Rutgers, UConn beats Louisville, Louisville beats Rutgers, and then RU, UL, Cuse, and Cincy all tie for first with 2 losses!
Therefore, we don’t need Rutgers, for the same reason the B10 doesn’t need Pitt, since it has PSU…
We didn’t have the Pac-12 Network here either, not even as a pay-extra option. But we have it now, no opt-in required…
a vote on who the fans wanted to replace
maryland and in first place is cincinnati
it means nothing but there it is the fans pick.
1) Re-open negotiations with ND, either they are all in or get the heck out entirely. Take your 5 game deal and kick it through the arms of TD Jesus.
2) Go to FSU and Clemson and ask them what 2 teams they want added in exchange for an agreement that they will pay $100 million exit fee if they leave over the next 10 years.
3) Re-open ESPN deal and make it clear, either ESPN ups the anty or face the fact that ESPN will be contractually committed to a conference potentially reduced to the football equivalent of the BE.
If ACC gets ND in as full member, the TV market and money take care of themselves, they can pick any other 3 teams to bring them up to 16 and likely result in the largest payout/team of any conference in America.
If the greedy “ND doomers” say “no” then as soon as the BIG is contractully committed to 16 teams the ACC should cut all ties with ND and watch them try to find another conference willing to accept their BS offer of 5 games. ND wants no part of the SEC or Big XII football so they will have no choice but put their unmitigated greed in check.
yes you add two schools to go to 15 then you go to ND and say we are saveing the nummber 16 spot for you but you must be in in all sports in 5 years. they will say yes to that sooner then telling them to do it now if you tell them to do it now they would walk.
The evil emperor is dead. His cohorts scattered or in jail. The brainwashed populous will slowly see the world come into perspective and, I hope, one of the best rivalries, if not the best, in college ball can be rekindled.
I just wish it didn’t seem so distant, but if ND and FSU could put pressure on them, bleed their discontent with the B1G a little… maybe… It would also help FSU and Clemson see the ACC is willing to make a move for football, and hopefully dissuade some of their running urges.
Someone needs to pull an inception like introduction of this thought into Swofford.
Agreed, with ND you could even try to pull MSU away from the BIG (how much fun is it being the little bro to MU). But how do you get ND? Until the BIG is no longer an option, ND will continue to hold out. Hopefully, the BIG goes to 16 teams quickly and then the ACC in in the cat-bird seat.
L ville.
then you must think do we want to go to 15
i say yes we take u conn.
then we get get new TV CONTRACT on par with every one else.
then we tell ND you must come all in
but in that order.
first things first one step at a time but be done before next year.
is a cluse if things change we can go back to espn and re do the tv contract.
so if we pick up 2 teams insted of just one to replace maryland.
that changes things and we were all ready going to talk to espn becuse of the 5 games with ND.
SO IF WE TAKE U CONN AND Livlle
we have made the greats BB CONFERENCE OF ALL TIME
so we say to espn we added l ville for a biger football foot print we are givingg you the best BB CONFERENCE of all time and 5 foot ball games with ND so we want 21 millon per team plus it is in your best intrest to do this and 21 million per team should stop the bleeding what do you all think of that idea.
You stated, “but their tv contracts are coming up for renewal”, and you were right. They all went to 23-25 Million, now Big Ten to 35million???
It does seem on the outside, that ESPN went cheap, and it just may cost them.
Then ESPN can play ball with Notre Dame!!!
What a friggin’ mess!! LOL
Until that actually happens i would rather take Maryland’s cut and redistributed it among the members
What did someone call it the other week
the movie Groundhogs Day …..revisted
When will it ever end !
Double Oy Vey !
P.S. at least with the movie bill murray got to get Andie McDowell on a daily basis. what do we get?
haha 
- Syracuse and UConn would be leaving
- WVU would have still left
- TCU…gone
Meanwhile, the B1G would still have gone with Md and Rutgers. As Imma pointed out, the Panthers don’t add revenue to the BTN.
It would be another crappy schedule next year, recruiting would be set back, etc….
Does Chryst even interview for the HC job?
Heck, I think we should send DeFilippo a retirement gift!
And exactly what TV market would be lost….
Clemson SC. lol
Also there football program had been very mediocre at best the last 30 years until just the last 2 seasons, when they installed FRaud’s spread with the Tulsa OC going there.
If they go to the Big 12 adios, good luck. They’ll get killed on a regular basis just like the Hooopies. (who if u remember scored 70 points on them in the Orange Bowl)
The bIg 12 will fall apart overnite if TExas again decides to entertain thoughts of going to the PAC 12, which will eventually in a 16 conference world, have to add 4 teams. And there’s noone out west that would make sense for them to add. It can ONLY be Texas + 3 consorts.
Meaning the Big 12 is on borrowed time. Not the ACC.
even though I just pointed out the potential pitfalls (like that) of the Big 12 in above post.
If you remember, they (the BIg 12) wanted PITT before the Hoopies. I even made a case on here for PITT joining, if you wanted PITT to play BigBoy football.
Because Pittsburgh is a Top 25 TV market foreign to the Big 12, West Virginia is not a Top tv market . They took the hoopies ONLY because Luck assured them they could join the BIg 12 immediately ( as in tomorrow, lol)
…but no games at noon!
Oklahoma played out there a couple years ago and love the whole experience.
Since the Little 11 (B1G) has just said, by adding Maryland & Rutgers, they have given up in their attempt to lure the whale that is Texas, the only way now for both Texas & Oklahoma (since Okla State & TT are joined to their hips) to gain access to the Rose Bowl is by joining the PAC 12.
That deal came really close to fruition the other year, I think the timing was just off. Since then the SEC has gone to 14 and now the B1G has gone to 14. And ND has signed on with the ACC. So the time could be right now or in the near future for that deal to be revisited.
Anyway that’s my take on it, fwiw .
and u conn both. there is a cluse that espn
must review the tv deal if things change.
and with them 2 added to the BB it is now a super BB CONFERENCE PLUS L ville adds to the foot ball foot print plus the 5 games from ND they have to revamp the tv deal and it would be in there best intrest to bring ue up to a par with the outhers say 21 or 22 million per team. that would save every thing.
Hey how are ya !
ACC can only add one atm since adding two would give you an odd number amount of teams (15)
I don’t think you add anyone at this point unless they can add to each school’s slice of the Revenue Pie. So the questions are :
1) Does Uconn give you anything in TV sets, Cable deals (subscribers, whatever) that you don’t already have in the Northeast with Syracuse & Boston College ? The basketball is irrelevant as we’ve seen with all these conf. additions.
2) Does the ACC want to stoop to the level of Louisville academics ? They didn’t for WVU.
And does adding Louisville add to the per school slice of the Revenue Pie ? (somebody mentioned L-Ville TV market is only #48, that is pretty small.) You would have had to think if L-Ville was a good value, the Big 12 would have scooped them up instead of WVU, right ?
On another subject, as I predicted the other day, both Boise State & San Diego State are considering reapplying back to the Mountain West.
As it makes no sense whatsoever for them to travel thousands of miles to get the same thing they would have in the MTW. As both conf’s will be part of the Gang of 5.
” As the Conferences Turn ”
Or did RU blow off the ACC?
ACC turned there noses up to Rutgers…
they wanted even number… 14…
It’s all about basketball and that’s why Syracuse was asked to join the ACC even though it is a small TV market..WRONG//WRONG//WRONG!!
Mr. JoeD I haven’t the foggiest idea where you live or how much you know about the Noo Yawk Metro Area, however, let me tell you a little secret….Syracuse is the ONLY … repeat…ONLY school in New York State that receives major attention in the Noo Yawk market.
Tons of alumni…largest donors, Noo Yawka’s will travel up the NY Thruway to see the Orange.
When you go in to a sporting goods store in the City, Westchester or on Long Island Syracuse “stuff” is ALWAYS heavily displayed…yes, the #1 NY school is Syracuse.
So, the bottom line Mr JoeD “know it all” is that the ACC jumped to get Syracuse not because it has a great basketball team (remember the money is in football)but because the Orange footprint is heavily tracked through out the Noo Yawk TV market
Do you know how far Syracuse is from NYC…
Kids from Long Island, 5 NYC boros, Westchester county don’t go to Syracuse… some may but many don’t…
Most of those with money will go Ivy or the colleges in Mass area.
Going for Syracuse “DOES NOT” get the NY metro footprint…
IT was basketball…
The original 2 were Syracuse and UConn… both with better, longer term basketball programs than Pitt… Pitt has yet to go final 4 let alone win March Madness.
I know football pays the bills… but don’t kid yourself… ACC is run in Raleigh/Durham or Duke/NC.
Syracuse has I think 14,000 undergrads…
Rutgers has 42,000 undergrads… albeit 1 main plus 2 satelite campus… Newark & Camden.
I don’t see how you pick Syracuse over Rutgers… Rutgers is up and coming in sports as they invested heavily in facilities.
So, the ACC grabbed Syracuse lst to pick up New York and took a flyer with Pitt because believe it or not Pitt’s TV ratings outside of Pa are actually decent. Yep, Pitt has a following (no, I don’t know why). It’s TV that counts, not the quality of the teams…Maryland and Rutgers have both stunk for may years in bb and fball.
The only team worth following between RU and MD is MD’s lacrosse team and that will be lost to the weakness of the B1G which does not feature lacrosse as a major sport in the majority of its schools.
ACC this will be a on going thing and it will go the way of the big east. that is a fact the acc signed a under valued tv deal read forbes mag
and if the acc does not go back and get a lot more money when the tv deal is reviewed this year
then the ACC is done and in 5 years it will be gone just like the big east is now that is a fact jack take it to the bank we will be toast.
In fact, let me really PISS you off…the top teams in the NY Metro are Notre Dame, Penn State and Syracuse in that order. Yep, the Nittany Lions have an enormous following because of Poopy pants JoePa. So, drop your stupidity about Rutgers!!
I live in NJ… and I’ve lived in NYC…
sorry… Syracuse is NOT a major athletic power (your description) in NY Metro…
Now, if I were to pick what colleges NY metro follow (you don’t have to be an alum to follow a team)… it is different depending upon the sport.
NYmetro do follow Big East Basketball… and therefore may adopt a Syracuse…
but college football… Notre Dame… agree on that… Rutgers probably #2…. probably PSU #3…
but they mainly follow the pro teams in NY metro..
Yankees, Giants, Nets, Devils, Rangers,
Mets, Jets, Islanders, Knicks
They are alllll over…
and do you remmber how they shot you and i down
it was all abought security then not the money becuse you and i pointed out the 20 million pay day but we were told but there will be more
security in the ACC every one as tired of the way the big east was raided but once they signed there second ter tv rights the big 12 became the most secure look at us now were is the security.
The NCAA, cartel-like, engineered the whole thing with the hopes of digging out two of its poorest “clients.”
And, finally, something back for the huge annuities RU and others pay to that fine body.
So that would suggest they have lots of NYC metro alumni there. And they do, ever been to the BiGEast tournament at MSG ?
Tons of Cuse ppl everywhere. No question in my mind Syracuse has lots more interest in NYC metro than Rutgers. Rutgers was a laughingstock in football for decades. And they’ve only had a few good basketball years. The last one was like in 1976 I believe.
This year is the best year ever for Rutgers football, yes they’re 9-1 or whatever, but their non-con is an annual joke(Zeise wrote about that more than once in the PG) and they still barely beat teams like Army. Give me a break.
Hopefully PC can get the troops motivated to play this week. Because we have more talent than RU.
Yes I do remember that Frankie. I wanted to play BigBoy football, but we would be destroyed on a weekly basis, even worse than what’s happening with the Hoopies. And they have a more than legit D1 QB who was throwing for 500 yards a game.
Can you imagine PITT with Sir Tino at QB in the Big 12 and PC making his bonehead decisions.
Can u remember 0-76. Ouch that would have been really UGLY. $20 Million/year or no $20 Mil/year.
I suggest the ACC, try to make a splash, like they did when they got Notre Dame.
Go for a whale like Texas again. Why settle for more BigEast retreads. If you got Texas, Notre
Dame would come ALL IN as well I believe.
Then you could get another large fish in somebody like Penn State. I’m hoping Swofford and his war room cohorts are thinking on that kind of scale.
mr sec call it spit balling on expansion says
sec should take north carolina pittsburgh virginia and vt and ncs i think it was tounge in cheek but nice of him to think of pitt.
Plan your Friday because if (when) Pitt beats MI at 9:30 pm tomorrow, Pitt (according to NIT schedule) then plays on Friday at 2:30 pm.
But as always subject to TV.
No, you don’t think do you…..nah I won’t go there.
NIT championship at 4:30 pm Friday.
Sorry
ACC is as strong as its weakest link.
Take whiskeyrebellions advice and read Hank.
Pitt is fine, but thus has got to be way over Cyanide Steves head.
Many of my co-workers are MD alums. I talked to a lot of them this week about the move. As you would expect there were all kinds of opinions but one thread stuck with me. Several mentioned about continually being the “red-headed” step child of the ACC. They were sick of the NC schools running the show and the lack of emphasis on football. They saw being stuck with ‘Cuse and Pitt as an insult. Why should they have to play Pitt in B’ball twice? Why are they being stuck with the Big East rejects? To me it makes sense. If you look at a map, Pitt would be a logical rival. I assume some of this is just sour grapes. However, I started to think down the road and how Pitt may be treated in 5 years by the tobacco coalition. We are a football centric school. Our B’ball team doesn’t play in the pussy ACC way. The next member of the ACC will most likely be another BE team who will be in our section. If FSU or Miami defects, things could get ugly. I am by no means sounding the alarm bells but you better be damn sure I will be looking for the signs.
Pitt moving to the ACC was the right thing to do. Let’s see how we are treated once the honeymoon is over.
Yes, Fordham had the 7 pillars of Granite. One of them was Vince Lombardi.
PITT and Fordham played to several scoreless tie games and were two of the heavyweights of college football back in the 1930′s. Meaning annual Top 10 teams. Rutgers…not so much. lol
the Seven Blocks of Granite.
Joe, again, you’re thinking like a fan and not an ice-cold capitalist. Rutgers isn’t a major athletic power either, and also isn’t IN NYC. But both are close enough, and ‘Cuse has a NY address.
Ideally, if St. Johns or Fordham or Columbia were in the FBS, that’s who you’d grab. But they’re not, so that’s where you choose between ‘Cuse or Rutgers.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the ACC mighta tried to grab Rutgers once the ND dust settled. Certainly brings more than UConn (a school which maybe adds cache but no cash).
But the ACC Network has positioned themselves to charge NYC thru Syracuse, I doubt they need much if anything Rutgers to saturate the market.
Therefore, better to expand into new markets (which is EXACTLY what the B10 Network just did…).
No way Texas is taking a MAJOR paycut, not to mention a serious cut in power, to join the ACC (the Big XIII doesn’t share revenue equally, UT hogs the lions share, which is exactly why TAMU & Mizzou fled).
So you get a toehold into their market: Houston and SMU (even if they stink, doens’t matter, they’re in the right spot). And the poor fools in those cities get to pay fees for both the Big XII and the ACC. And those fees roll in every month whether anyone watches the games or not.
Someone above said Navy, that makes sense (restores the DC/MD market). Temple & Cincy make sense. UConn no. Louisville maybe (marginal). USF no, we already have Tampa-St.Pete covered from FSU & Miami. Boise makes no sense (market too small, bad acedemics).
And these are schools that would take your phone call (Texas would horse-laugh).
Tell your MD pals that MD was lucky the ACC tolerated them with their below average teams.
Because their alums don’t give a s**t, they’re in debt up to their ears. The ACC caused this?
BS
Their kaleidoscope unis will play for a few minutes in the Big Ten but will fade quickly.
I hear you but how is Pitt different (i.e. alums that don’t care, below average teams)?
First off we aren’t BigEast rejects. Maybe refugees but certainly not rejects. We left the BigLeast on our OWN accord, they didn’t force us out or reject us or anything like that. I’m sure you didn’t mean we were rejects. And I hope the twerpies didn’t call us rejects.
Second the ACC isn’t split into 2 divisions for basketball, so I don’t understand their being “stuck with Pitt & Cuse”. Who by the way both PITT & Cuse have better basketball programs than the Twerps. Plus they’re only stuck with one of us in football as PITT is in the Coastal division and the Twerps & Cuse will be in the Atlantic divison. And I would imagine that whoever they make the 14th member would just replace Maryland in the Atlantic Division. As the Coastal already has Miami & Va Tech plus PITT.
One thing I have seemed to note during this Conference Soap Opera and being on their blogs, is fans & alumi of these various schools who have had less than stellar success on the hardcourt or the gridiron all seem to have one thing in common.
They all seem to moan & groan about the conf. they’re in and all their problems on the field are due to the conf. not their lackluster playing or coaching.
I got news for them, they aren’t going to all of a sudden flourish in their new conf. (see wvu, mizzou, tcu, which all had far better football programs than MD.) They’re going to be a doormat like Indiana has been for decades in Little 11 football. (since 1967 I believe for IU) And they will be looked upon as ACC rejects by the snobs in the Little 11. lol
1) We’re not in debt up to our ears…maybe kneecaps.
2) Last I looked, we don’t lose to MD in hoops and even football.
3) Alums? We’re at least behind our basketball team.
4) Coach Chryst has a Golden Retriever
and in bb they may do better but will have no rivlels ijst read a post on maryland bye people from there and they fell this was BULL SHIT
50 PERCENT DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE AND PITT AND THE BIG EAST TEAMS WOULD HAVE CLEANED MARYLAND CLOCK.
which is a way of saying we play better basket ball then you.
Know it’s hard to believe, but Texas and the ACC have had serious discussions in the past about Texas becoming a member. It really shouldn’t be that hard to believe, other than Texas and Oklahoma the others in the Big 12 aren’t exactly football program powerhouses, big on Academics, nor do they play in or are near large metro areas. (sans TCU)
And the ACC academics would be very attractive to a school like Texas that is one of the 8 public Ivies. As the ACC was rated by US News & World Report as having the best academics of all the major conferences.
And like I said in that post, the difference from last year to this year is:
Notre Dame is now associated with the ACC. If you can get ND to come ALL IN…you could get Texas imo
A renegotiated TV contract including ND & Texas would be huge. You could then entice someone like Penn State with money on par or larger than B1G. Now that is solidifying a conf. Not adding 2nd rate schools (hasn’t that what the BigEast has been doing, backfilling like that).
But yes, it’s a long shot, but ND could help.
their games will be played at the skins stadium as OSU, Nebraska travel by the thousands.
In 37 or so tries, MD has beaten PSU one time. Once!
Ditto the story for RU. hello meadowlands where the traveling thousands will make RU look like a visitor.
Money. Matters. Always.
So RU andMD will be able to get money by association.
It is the easy way out if you know you will never be good enough to do it on your own–and both schools know they can’t.
If MD did not like the way they were treated by UNC et al..wait until they get a dose of land grant endowment arrogance!
They are in the big leagues now. Being a well paid whore has its advantages….but you get screwed by those who choose you: not by those you choose.
Bills will get paid, but neither MD nor RU will ever have their own brand.
Pitt has a national brand…if we can out live Pederson we can restore it to lofty heights. But we won’t be able to take the easy route like MD and RU.
But we can’t do it with Pederson. He isn’t a player and he isn’t smart.
https://mobile.twitter.com/TheClubhouseKB/status/271069601989799936
Interesting times. Looks like the ACC may be starting to come apart at the seams.
Rumors yes, non sense yes, but, that Delaney is one SOB. Smart SOB that is.
When you think about it, Big Ten wants the big state uni’s. UVA and UNC fit right in, and geographically along the border, now that Md. is in.
Not to be a sky is falling, but, really, at this point, which is more likely……
a. things stay status quo for awhile, or
b. more non sense in the next year.
Ya, me too, b.
Now, Smiling Stevie is the opposite of Nordy…a dumbass with the interpersonal skills of Atila the Hun! If you want to make changes can Stevie and place Nordy in the Pitt Hall of Fame!!
From the outside looking in, one could argue that the Pederson hire was a mistake. And there’s some logic in that based only on the football fiascos and the current conference mess.
But overall, Nordenberg has been outstanding. Geez, they’re already naming buildings after the guy.
What’s with all the hand wringing? Pitt had to jump when offered a spot in the ACC. Jim Delany and Big Ten didn’t want Pitt, because they felt they already had the PA market covered with Penn State. Remember, Joe PA suggested they consider Pitt in expansion and they just blew him off. Penn State was never considered a real Big Ten team anyway and they didn’t have a lot of input in the decision making.
For the holiday travelers – stay safe on the roads and for all, have a great Thanksgiving.
I’ll be attending an East Carolina Pirates home game on Friday while I’m in Wilmington, NC for turkey day… I’ll let you all know what our new conference is going to be like when the dust settles.
In addition, football makes big bucks for the university which can help increase the academic profile even more if that matters so much to you academics. At the very least our Olympic sports could be supported. Pitt is pathetic when it comes to competing in those areas. Nordy is too much of an intellectual. He needs to think more like a ruthless capitalist instead of the woos he is. I will be glad his reign has come to an end. Ask a Pitt grad over the past 5 years how that Pitt degree is working out for them today. You’d probably have to call their Mom to reach them.
This is all about money. Academics be damned. Our academic profile does nothing. Sure it got us into the ACC but its more about TV sets. The regents and not the snobby presidents are calling the shots now. I’d rather be in the Big 12 and watch some good football. When I tailgate at their schools I don’t feel better because I have the better degree from the higher ranked academic university. That’s Nitter talk. At least they did at one time have both a good football and good academic program. But, Pitt still can’t match Penn State. If Nordy was that great, Pitt wouldn’t still be trailing Penn State. Basketball is the only sport we are better at than our rival for sports and jobs in the Commonwealth. Seriously, kick his ass out to the curb and get both a chancellor and AD that has a goal for a national championship in football and to catch up and surpass Penn State in academic ranking and Olympic sports. Stop drinking the cool aid.
One last comment, I know that being a private school with a smaller alumni base puts Pitt at a huge disadvantage compared to the land grant schools. But Pitt appears to have decided long ago that the focus is on academics and being around like minded private schools. I happen to take a different opinion on how I want my alma mater aligned. If a schools like TCU and Baylor can compete against bigger schools in the Big 12, Pitt can do the same. But, it takes focus and a money committment. Pitt doesn’t have that…yet.
Peace out and H2P.
I haven’t seen anyone on here saying moving to the ACC was the WRONG move!!!
It was an absolute home run!!! Fantastic, teriffic, couldn’t have done better.
I personally was ecstatic!!!
However, we’re like schleprock with the cloud hanging over our head with conferences and football as of late.
Who knows, maybe Swofford will pull something out of the bag.
After reading and following this stuff for a couple of days now, I can tell you one thing…..
Adding Louisville or UCONN to get back to an even number, will not secure the conference one iota!!!
Will add nothing, and certainly no more money to any tv contracts.
Nothing against either school, but, as someone said last night, they’d just be backfill.
What’s next, Florida State leaves, and we start talking about South Florida????
Maryland moving really sucks. Thought it was gonna be quiet for awhile. Bollucks!!!!!!!!!
if some of you were talking about people saying why didn’t we go to the Big Ten instead of the ACC, then yes, you are correct.
No offense to Pitt, but we didn’t add another tv market, we were never in their sights.
So, my apologies if that is what you were countering.
Back when it looked like the Big XII was on its death bed, I think I read that Texas reaps something like $60M per year between the league’s TV package plus its own Longhorn Network. The ACC pays, what, $17M per year?
If Pitt’s AD proposed to leave the ACC and join the Sun Belt Conf and take a 75% pay-cut, I’d join the chorus that Stevie-P must go.
Penn State would be cool, it would resume the rivalry game. The Nits too would take a pay-cut, but at least it wouldn’t be as severe…
If Texas joined the ACC revenue per team would probably increase dramatically as a new deal with ESPN would be worked out. There would probably have to be some concessions regarding Texas’ tv network though. Also, Texas would probably want to bring along some of their little Big XII brothers with them and require ND to join full-time. There would be plenty of additional revenue for all.
Is create an ACC network… basically copy Big10..
make more money…
therefore, won’t lose teams to other conferences.
It’s all about money…
If the money were equal… many teams would not leave..
I like how the two examples of small schools competing with the big boys is TCU and Baylor. TCU is in football crazy Texas and beat up on less motivated schools in a small conference. Now they are in the Big 12 and not doing so well. And Baylor minus the RGIII years has been pretty bad. So yeah they are great examples to point to.
Bigger schools can compete much better in the Olympic sports because they have a lot more money. And catch up to PSU in academics? Pitt and PSU are on the same level a couple spots in flawed ranking in U.S. News doesn’t really matter. It’s not like rankings are BCS polls.
Finally, you say things like “And Texas loves Pitt. Don’t ask me why but they do.” If you can’t see the appeal of Pitt then you might as well give up.
You should really save yourself the angst and pick a new university to root for.
Yep… ACC should have taken Rutgers and UConn… they were begging for a bailout…
That would have made 16 teams and they still could have added Notre Dame as “non-exclusive” and 5 games a year.
Rutgers is a better choice than Louisville.. my opinion… why, the NYmetro loves ACC basketball in addition to Big East..
Anybody know or have a link to an article which outlines what the various conferences pay to colleges??
ACC
Big10
Big12
SEC
Pac12
Northwestern vs. a football power like Alabama or a basketball power like Kentucky you are a doofus!!
If Pitt got into the Ivy League then, how would you like Ivy League football?
Comments?
the goal should be to get on this list. It combines academics with athletics. Pitt’s Director’s Cup standings have tremendous opportunity for improvement. That’s putting it nicely.
In academic rankings, Pitt’s anywhere between 40 and 70 depending on the methodology used and none is perfect. I still don’t think we’ve caught up with Penn State on the undergrad side based on the various rankings that I see, but we are closer than we were 20 years ago and thats a good thing.
In my passionate opinion, Pitt needs to aim higher and become more balanced across all sports and academic programs. Tha’s why new leadership is needed. These are new times and require new ideas and a bold vision.
and there is nothing I would rather see than a return to national prominance in football.
But, Pitt lost focus over the last 15 years and has not devoted the money and resources to the football program. Some of that is caused by the AD’s alienation of boosters. Some is caused by Pitt’s lack of on the field success.
I am hopeful that a new Chancellor will focus more attention on the overall athletic side of the university with particular attention to football. As leader of the university, you have to be comfortable about talking sports and understanding the importance of balance between academics and athletics.
However, one good thing about the athletic department is that they are not operating in the red.
I’m just a believer that you have to raise and spend money using it wisely to generate success. I don’t believe that one can be cheap when it comes to football and have that result in consistent success on the field. Pitt needs to shell out the bucks for better assistant coaches and a recruiting budget that allows them to go back into Florida.
If Pitt isn’t serious in becoming competitive in sports, we might as well apply for admission into the Ivy League or go the Division 1 AA route.
If you were at an IVY, simplistically, I think you could break it down into 3 categories.
1. Don’t care about sports at all.
2. Go to the football games to tail gate and schmooze with other Ivy’s, and maybe you know someone on the team, so, you go, but it’s more an event than a game.
3. You are actually a college football fan.
In this case, you would cheer for your Ivy team, but whoever your main team is that you cheer for (from the town you came from, from where your parents went, from what helmet you liked as a child), would probably be the one that really mattered football-wise.
No, you wouldn’t press your Ivy team to become great, it just happens to be there, and you’ll root for them, but no big deal.
If you grew up being a Nebraska fan, and went to Columbia, your heart would be with Nebraska. If Nebraska was on at 1:00 on the tube, you would not be attending the Columbia game. (Again, pre req, that you are a college football fan. I’m sure many Ivy students could care less about sports.)
Which brings me to Pitt. Great school, love my degree, why I went, and happy to see our academic side growing. No doubts about these statements.
However, I am also a sports fan.
If you come out and tell me, “we’re here to win championships”, call me ad nauseum for donations, including to my office at work about a month ago, send mail and emails soliciting donations, threaten to move my basketball seats if I don’t donate to a higher donation level……….
then you need to produce!!!
If we’re just an academic institution, with sports as a side note, that’s fine, but, just come out and say it, so we all know where we stand!!!
If you’re telling me we’re playing big boy sports, then, people will want you to produce a good product, especially when you’re soliciting for more money often.
If sports aren’t a big deal, just come out and say so. That way, we can just cheer the boys on and root for Dear Old Alma Mater if we want, without any expectations.
If you’re telling me it’s important, and want my money, time, and to invest my heart in the program, then we should be allowed to expect a winning program.
Ivy League football, while not on the level of the FBS programs, still matters to its students and alumni and not just for the tailgating.
Win or lose, I’ll ALWAYS root for Pitt in ALL sports. But, rooting for dear old alma mater is so much less frustrating when your school is a consistent winner.
Yes, I would imagine quite a few do, as do fans at Division II, III and NAIA schools.
I would also expect, that those fans, are hoping their schools are doing everything they can to win the conference championship and national championships if available.
I have a nephew who plays hockey for Robert Morris, and he is as dedicated and given as much time as any other athlete.
Again, that was a beat em’ to the punch before someone told me, “you have your priorities all wrong”!!! LOL
I understand it’s a school first quite well!!!
If you say we want to compete in some sports, then COMPETE!!
Sounds just like an athletic version of the Bank Bailouts. lol
http://businessofcollegesports.com/2011/09/14/texas-to-the-acc-is-it-so-crazy/
Somebody forgot to tell NC State they had a better basketball program than PITT, as some on here suggested. That #6 pre-season sure didn’t last long.
http://www.wralsportsfan.com/oklahoma-state-routs-no-6-nc-state-76-56/11790288/
(with both being ranked back to back in the Top 10)
We can now beat Michigan tonight !
Let’s Go Pitt !
When I watch a college football, I’m not really calculating if this team or that team is making $15 Mil/year on TV, $5 Mil/Year or $30 Mil/year.
Case in point I’d rather watch a Boise State/ Fresno State game than Indiana/Minnesota ?
How about you ?
(only time this person posts btw)
When Twitter done blowed up real good, Weaver clarified his initial statement (which suggested the SEC might “potentially” have some interest in Tech, not the other way around, by the way):
“We’re not in discussions with anyone. We’ve always wanted to be in the Atlantic Coast Conference. We’re there and we’re pleased to be there.
There’s nothing happening in regard to Virginia Tech going anywhere. I don’t know how to say it any clearer than that…
Maybe I’m thinking of someone else.
Besides, Jim Calhoun is retired now….UConn’s FB stadium is small….
1963 and an MA from The University of Pennsylvania 1965.
I am proud of both of my degrees. My Penn degree was well worth the effort because it gave me entry in to the world of broadcasting and a 37 year career in radio advertising..”Fight on Pennsylvania”!!
Pitt is my #1 school in terms of donations and by a wide margin sports interest. I bleed Blue and Gold. I, however, get charged up and emotional when I read the comments of alums like Tx Panther who place sports on such a high plane. The purpose of a University is to educate its students…not to win sporting events. Obviously if winning at sports can be achieved while maintaining and growing academic prestige ….CONGRATULATIONS.
Pitt has a proud athletic history which unfotunately has been in decline in the past decade..Smiling Steve should be fired, however, I will never accept placing academics and sports at the same priority level…NEVER!
I am curious as to whether any of the posters on this board have attended an IVY League College. I am 99% positive that you will understand where my thoughts originate.
PITT and PENN PROUD!!!
So yes I want my degree from Pitt to now be worth something and tied to football success. My degree 20 years ago paid off but how the hell is it working for me today if I change jobs.
Stew on that Ivy leager.
I don’t think you are a doofus… your post never stated you wanted to forego academics for athletics..You want a commitment to both, like the stanfords, michs. even the psu’s.. I’m a doofus because I would have been beaming with pride and screaming to the world I was a pitt alum if we had beat ND..not the fact that we are a top 5 research school..I’m sorry.
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isnore
Now, it is true that I played intramural hockey at an Ivy but not very well.
The difference is level of athletic scholarship support versus other aid.
I recently donated to the Pitt Crew team because I admire what they do with no athletic department support.
Pitt athletics is behind the times. That can change but not as long as it treats it supporters like enemies.
Steve1, is it you by chance???
Those schools are huge and have the larges alumni base in the US and with retirees living across the US, the fan base is wider than the footprint of the schools.
I think Donald can be… but I don’t think Street is or ever will be. But then again, I don’t know what his 40 and shuttle times are.
I would be more concerned about Donald leaving than Street.
And I don’t see why the Big10 thinks they are going to get all this money due to YES network due to Rutgers, etc. YES network didn’t even pickup on Big East basketball which has a VERY strong following in the NYC metro area.
I already see many Big10 games… OSU, PSU, Michigan, MSU…. and who cares about the rest.