ACC, Big East embroiled in a high-stakes power game(Fabiani, Clintonite spinning for Big East)

Philadelphia Inquirer via MercuryNews.com ^ | Sat, Jun. 21, 2003 | MIKE JENSEN

[putupon]

PHILADELPHIA - At its heart, the realignment tug of war between the Big East and Atlantic Coast Conference is a high-stakes, hard-edged national political campaign. Governors are involved, along with high-priced New York attorneys and dueling public relations firms that are adept at politics.

[putupon]

If that sounds like a response right out of the old Bill Clinton war room, it was. The statement was from Mark D. Fabiani, a former longtime Clinton aide who has been hired by the five Big East schools who are suing Miami, Boston College and the ACC.

"I could have sworn I heard him say the exact same thing about the right-wing conspiracy," Sabato said. "The same language."

Sabato said. "For example, there are many legislators who have degrees from Virginia Tech. One said that if (the University of Virginia) dares to block (Virginia Tech's move to the ACC), they would go about killing any legislation that would benefit (the University of Virginia), including, I assume, appropriations."

Kilgore, the attorney general in Virginia, whose office had joined the lawsuit against the bolting teams,

AG Jerry Kilgore, Sen. George Allen (R), along with state legislauture reps, documented strongarming of one state school in favor of another, wallowing in the mud with genuine Clintonista professional spin doctors and other assorted democrats, how low can the RINOs go?

[Paradox]

And what do you know, the University of Miami President is none other than former Clintonite Donna Shalala....

[putupon]

Get ya' barf bags ready before you read this one folks

[billbears]

Virginia Tech is the only one that should be invited anyway. Personally as an ACC fan and a former student of NC State, I don't want the Miami Thugs in the ACC. Ah, but it's progress!!

[tupac]

I hope that the ACC gets all the thugs that it deserves. And it deserves a lot for doing this to the Big East. The schools that go to the ACC are going to be fine company for a pack of scoundrels.

[God luvs America]

How long before the honorable Rev J. Jackson chimes in and says since schools from predominantly black cities like St Johns of NYC or Temple of Philadelphia are being left out it is racism?

Or those hollywood know-it-alls decry that this is a conspiracy to bring down women's crew?

[GaConfed]

As an SEC fan I find all of this to be very amusing indeed. The ACC says that the reason for doing this is to capture the NYC, Boston, and NE market in general. Well, I contend that there is no market up there for college football, no matter the large population. It's a pro sports area all the way, especially in football. Also, Miami, as great a program as it has been, has abysmal attendance at its games, except when FSU comes to town and brings its large fan base with it. Most of Miami's fans are bandwagon types who have never set foot in the Orange Bowl.

It's my opinion that the cardinal definition of a successful college football program is a large and dedicated fan base. With maybe the exception of Vanderbilt, in the SEC you have that at all of its schools. I'd go so far as to say that the two Mississippi schools have a larger fan base than Syracuse or Boston College. In fact, I'll say right now that of all the schools being talked about Virginia Tech is the only school that sells out its stadium on a regular basis, and has a large dedicatd fan base. In the long run, they would be the best choice of all the Big East teams that VT is the only one that would benefit the ACC when all is said and done.

[alrea]

I contend that there is no market up there for college football

you're right. but like all the other liberals, including the university brass and the politicians, they want to go to the northeast! some in the ACC want to expand beyond "southern" and get a national rep.

[David1]

An update for you. They are not the same thug team of the 80's and early 90's. They have cleaned up. Just wanted though I should let you in in the update.

[David1]

Just thought I should let you in on the update.

(A little correction I had to make do to my mistakes for falling asleep as I type.)

[Media Insurgent]

College football definitely does take a back seat to the pros here in the Northeast. And it's popularity here certainly can't compare to the fanatical devotion found in SEC country or Big 10 country. On the other hand, there is definitely a niche market for it, particularly among alumni. The ACC is doing all this in hopes of getting a fatter TV contract. The devotion or size of the fan bases aren't as important as what TV markets they can deliver. To the extent that anyone north of Pennsylvania cares about college football, Syracuse & Boston College are the two major players and they give you the New York TV market (#1 in the country) and the Boston TV market (#6 in the country.) You also get all the other markets in upstate NY & New England which covers pretty considerable number of people taken as a whole. Miami also has a lot of alumni in the Northeast, so that helps. Virginia Tech has a big fan base, but they don't give you anything in the way of TV markets that the ACC doesn't already own. That sounds unfair from a pure football perspective, but this is about money. But I'm sure you already knew that.

[putupon]

I contend that there is no market up there for college football, no matter the large population.

That may well be true, but it must not jive with that outfit (I do not feel like going back through the articles and finding the name) that the ACC hired to do the research.

In VA Tek's case, it certainly has to be more than the New River Valley area of VA.

But I believe that more than the market, the main motive is to go to the super conference format like the SEC. Most college football gurus agree that is the way college football is evolving. Those with foresight, unlike the narrow minded Puke and UNC want to be ahead of the curve, not scrambling around for the leftovers.

[putupon]

Update-ACC move to 13 `off table,' source says

Not looking good for expansion in general, Tek in particular

[doosee]

What made you think UM has cleaned up? See below on the baseball program.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

Thursday, February 27, 2003 Melody W. Lawrence Assistant Director for Public Relations

317/917-6116

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (FLORIDA) SANCTIONED FOR VIOLATIONS IN BASEBALL

INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions has placed the University of Miami (Florida) on two years probation due to violations primarily centered on the institution's baseball program.

The case concerned violations of NCAA bylaws governing recruiting, financial aid, playing and practice season restrictions, honesty standards and institutional monitoring of the baseball program. This is the institution's fifth major infractions case; the university appeared before the committee in 1995 (baseball, football, women's golf and men's tennis), 1981 (football), 1964 (men's basketball) and 1955 (football).

[razorback-bert]

"I could have sworn I heard him say the exact same thing about the right-wing conspiracy," Sabato said. "The same language."

Good news, people have caught on to the clinton spin.

Gee, the VRWC is into everything!

[Howlin]

Good grief, bill, we are on this. I am just furious about this!

I want Virginia Tech; have always thought they should be part of the ACC. And a LOT of people in NW North Carolina are HUGE VT fans, since it's pretty close to them.

I heard the sports guy on WRAL saying that there is a move afoot in the ACC to change the number of schools needed to approve this move from seven to six; now first of all, I am against that right off, after all, the rules ARE the rules and you shouldn't be able to change them to get the ends you desire.

As it sits now, 7 or the 9 schools have to agree to any changes/additions; now, what if they DO change that to six and then they DO add those other teams......so it would only take SIX of 13 teams to change ANY rule.

NO.

[Howlin]

Er......I meant to say we, you and I, agree on this! :-)

[Howlin]

some in the ACC want to expand beyond "southern" and get a national rep.

Ahem. Not to put too fine a point on it, but the ACC doesn't NEED to go to the Northeast to get a "national rep."

We've had one for about 40 years; if you don't think so, take a look at the NCAA stats. This conference has been winning national championships since the 50's.

[Howlin]

See #13.

Now, I have to say this: I'm going to be mad if they don't take Va Tech.........LOL.

[putupon]

Virginia Tech is the only one that should be invited anyway

If Vippy Sue gets in, it won't be because she was invited, it will be because she forced herself in where she was not wanted with the help of dirty politicians. That is why in addition to the new nickname of Vippy Sue, we are also calling her Martha.

I'm now hoping it's Miami only, giving the Wahoo's a chance for a counterattack in VA and to give our beloved Pres. Casteen a reality check, for the ACC, time to get the stupid lawsuit thrown out, and to look over all options for the remaining two teams.

I can say this, I don't want a lowlife school that would pull the stunts that VTek has with the political strong arming, abandoning their Big East friends, then joining back up with them in the lawsuit, and now talking about bailing again on them in the Commonwealth, much less the conference.

In the Tarhole's and Puke's credit, for which they get little in this nasty episode, I do have thank them blocking out the riff-raff from Blacksburg.