The Tunnel

Another waste of time story on expansion. Oh the Big wants UNC and people in hell want icewater.

What's in it for UNC? A couple million for athletics? Last time I checked they had plenty of cash.

So leave the ACC; the conference you basically run and piss off all of college football most of your state and a bunch of your alumni?

A couple mill a year extra isn't worh that much to UNCcheat.

Florida. St has always been in the drivers seat and if they leave its all over.

They need the cash and are tired of dealing with UNC running things and sharing OUR football money like welfare/basketball schools.

Kinda like academics being important to the ACC until they weren't with adding Louisville ;-)

Following is a cut and paste from freeside TSL poster HooLar, who seems fairly connected to Bama and the SEC

I was in C'Ville this weekend for the basketball game and had dinner Saturday with a group of guys form UVA, Atlanta and UNC. We do this every year before the ACC Tourney to get our plans down. (if the line at Golden Corral gets too long for you boys try First Street Grill, they have a pretty good steak. The conversation got around to conference realignment and was pretty interesting. J. Delany and B1G are making enemies pretty fast. B1G is clearly the agressor in this latest round and have been very proactive. B1G has made their pitch to UVA, UNC, GT and others. UVA and UNC have told them they are committed to the ACC though both would look to B1g if things unraveled. Pretty clean neither wants to bail right now. Pretty clear B1G wants only 1 school per state in their scenairo.

Unhappy ACC Schools: FSU and GT. Both are having money problems but nothing to the extent Maryland was facing. Maryland had their backs to the wall and bailed for what they saw as their only way out. Opinions were divided on the exit fee litigation but no one thought they will ever pay the "whole boat." FSU is not happy about the northern schools coming in and along with GT they have never been happy about the perceived North Carolina influence on the ACC. The problem is where do they go that would be better. Neither is getting into the SEC. Their fan base doesn't want to go B1G. They could go to the BIG12 but would the difference in money be that much coupled with giving up a degree of control? Hoo knows.

I also talked with a guy I worked with a few years ago in the Alabama Athletic Dept. He says the SEC is fine with their 14 teams right now. The SEC does not want the B1G getting their foot print in the South and might be more proactive if that looks like it might happen. He says the Duke chatter is poppycock.

Bottom line is the ACC wants to hang together and weather the storm so to speak. They will re-do the TV contract as they are in a better position with the new additions and ND involvement than before. If the ACC can hold together that's where we will be.

A lot of this stuff is being fanned by so called experts and bloggers who are expressing opinion as fact based on what som "insider" has told them. From reading a lot of this bunk they have no clue as to what is going on and what will go on. No body knows right now. There are just too many factors involved.

That loss rivalry has hurt Nebraska also.

My dream conference is the ACC with ND. I wish MD was still in instead of Louisville, but I can dig the Cardinals too.

UCF and USF pushing to be #2??????? Seriously???????? FSU has a couple o national titles and a ton of guys in the NFL. I'm no a big fan and think that Jimbo is a bit of a cluster but those two programs will never,NEVER pass FSU.

Interesting on yor FSU scoop. But who would replace them if gone. Please dont tell me UCONN. ACC needs football not another B-ball school. IMHO Central Florida is a sleeping giant but do they fit ACC criteria.?

I think raleighoo will comeback and say bye. To me the ACC elitist want their Bball and CONTROL. Plus have ND involved to allow them to be one of the power leagues.

If you lived in Florida you may feel differently. Both UCF and USF (and even FIU) are doing the VT plan, building from the ground up. FIU has a new stadium plan, UCF is expanding, and USF plays in an NFL stadium. Having lived in Tampa for the last six years, USF is huge and is now the "it" school from north Tampa to Ft. Meyers in the south. UCF and USF are battling it out on the I-4 for fans.

Hey I am with you that FSU departing would be a loss.. and a big one.. I am just not so sure that the ACC would implode if they left. Of course it could create a domino effect which would involve other defections. But I am speaking of FSU only..