Conference expansion-palooza 2k11!
Big East says Pitt must wait 27-months (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Big East commissioner John Marinatto told Pete Thamel of the New York Times that the conference will hold Pitt and Syracuse to the 27-month period before either school can leave to join the ACC. That means, unless the schools can convince the conference to change its stance, the will not be able to begin participating in the ACC until June 2014.
Syracuse mulled realignment for 'long time' (ESPN College Basketball Nation Blog)
"I think it’s been a long, long, long process. When I say long, let me put some time-frame on it. When you go back to when the Big Ten announced and made a formal announcement that they were going to evaluate their conference, I think that was a time where folks started to do some self-evaluation of their own institutions. … When you start thinking about all the topics in college athletics, budgets not balancing, and those types of things, everybody’s looking at the long-term. …
Dr. Gross or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the ACC (Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician)
There is incredible stability within the ACC, PAC-whatever, Big-10 and SEC, and stability is quickly becoming the most valuable commodity out there in college sports.
Maryland (and Duke?) Wants the ACC to Keep Expanding (Testudo Times)
Phew. What a whirlwind 48 hours. We'll get to more stuff about the two newest members of the ACC, but if Maryland has any say, the train isn't stopping here. Per the Jeff Barker at the Baltimore Sun, the Terrapins' athletic department is partnering with - get this - Duke, in privately pushing for the addition of two more teams, thereby making the ACC the first conference to go to 16.
Villanova Statement on Big East (VUhoops.com)
Villanova issued the following statement about the happenings in the Big East.
John Marinatto Certain That Big East Will Survive, But Will Look Different (Big East Coast Bias)
Big East commissioner confident in conference's survival.
Syracuse and Pittsburgh's Effect on ACC Out of Conference Scheduling (From The Rumble Seat)
I also find it interesting that SEC has consistently played in 35% of the ACC's OOC games since the 1990's. The two conferences have lived more symbiotically since the 70's. Looking at the way the ACC has played the college football and basketball landscape, I think it was foolhardy to think the SEC or ACC would lose members to eachother. Both conferences appreciate the relationship and don't want to F it up. Hence, the ACC moving Northeast and the SEC moving Southwest. Why retread when you can truly expand?
Conference Realignment Chaos: It’s On Like Donkey Kong (FRANK THE TANK’S SLANT)
Call me skeptical right now. The Pac-12 is on the verge of going up to 16 with both Texas and Oklahoma, which certainly justifies an expansion to 16. For the Big Ten, ACC and SEC, though, there isn’t quite as compelling of a financial argument to move beyond 14 (or even 12 in the case of the Big Ten) simply for the sake of getting to 16… unless we see Notre Dame join one of them. I’ll have more on that in a moment. Otherwise, there’s just not enough firepower available for spots 15 or 16 in these leagues to justify large-scale expansion.
Video: ACC commissioner John Swofford (ESPN College Basketball Nation Blog)
ACC commissioner John Swofford talks about adding Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the conference and the potential for adding more teams.
UNC Self-Sanctions, Vacates 2008 and 2009 Seasons (Carolina March)
UNC responds to the NCAA notice of allegations, and wipes two years of football from the books.
The Case for Clemson: Why the Tigers Should Be the 14th SEC Team (Dawg Sports)
With every option apparently on the table for SEC expansion, the league should turn its attention to adding the Clemson Tigers as the conference's 14th team. Dawg Sports explains why.
WVU’s conference options coming into focus (The Charleston Gazette)
It has indeed turned to the Southeastern Conference. It's up to the SEC to welcome West Virginia - or turn its back. As of Monday evening, the conference had not said no to the school.
AP Source: Big East, Big 12 officials talk merger (Rivals.com)
The Big East and Big 12 might join together in their fight for survival. School and conference officials from the two leagues have been discussing ways to merge what’s left of them if Texas and Oklahoma leave the Big 12, a person involved in the discussions told The Associated Press.
Mountain West commish says league is talking with Big 12, Big East members, considering football merger with Conference USA (IdahoStatesman.com)
We find the activities involving conference realignment fascinating. We are closely watching the recent developments in other conferences, and the potential for change. At the same time, we are working on some creative consolidation strategies that have the potential for positioning our members well into the future. We are particularly intrigued by cooperative possibilities with the Mountain West.
STL Round Table: Conference Expansion (Streaking The Lawn)
STL writers weigh in on ACC expansion, the impact on UVA sports, and where they think the conference might go from here.
Special-teams play helped Alex Albright stick (Cincinnati.com)
Defensive end Alex Albright is in his rookie season with the Dallas Cowboys after a solid career at Boston College and St. Xavier High School.
No. 11 Men's Soccer Hosts No. 2 UConn Tuesday Night (BCEagles.com)
The No. 11 Boston College men's soccer team (5-1-0) hosts No. 2 Connecticut (6-0-0) Tuesday night at the Newton Campus Field at 7 p.m. in a meeting between the two highest ranked teams in New England.
Q&A with W. Soccer Jill Mastroianni (BCEagles.com)
Senior goalkeeper Jill Mastroianni had five saves in the Eagles' 2-0 win over 14th-ranked Virginia on Sunday afternoon. She broke the Boston College record for most career shutouts and wins and looks to continue to rewrite the record books as the 18th-ranked Eagles continue their 2011 campaign on the road against sixth-ranked Maryland, Thursday at 8 p.m.