The expansion gloves are off: ACC strikes first

[ssmith general]

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The gloves are off now. The era of super-conferences is here. The only question is how the pieces fit into the puzzle.

While everyone waited to see if Mike Slive or Larry Scott would pull the trigger first, John Swofford quietly added Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the ACC. If there's one thing Swofford does well, it's raid the Big East, where he has now pulled five schools from since 2003.

The ACC seems to have assured itself of being a player in the super-conference era. But this was just the beginning, a preemptive strike in case the ACC gets raided itself.

How secure does the ACC feel with 14 members? Raising their exit fee to $20 million is your answer.

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[Chechem]

The SEC has been reluctant to make the first move, fearful of getting portrayed as a villain and, more importantly, being bogged down in litigation. Since the ACC moved first, this gives the SEC an out to attack aggressively.

Did it occur to the writer that perhaps the SEC didn't want Syracuse or Pitt?  He makes it sound like the ACC cleverly or boldly went forward with expansion.  Weeks ago the SEC moved to invite TxA&M and opened discussion with others.  It is clear to all schools (who would be worthy) that the SEC is looking to further its membership.  Sigh.  

[ssmith general]

The SEC has been reluctant to make the first move, fearful of getting portrayed as a villain and, more importantly, being bogged down in litigation. Since the ACC moved first, this gives the SEC an out to attack aggressively.

Did it occur to the writer that perhaps the SEC didn't want Syracuse or Pitt?  He makes it sound like the ACC cleverly or boldly went forward with expansion.  Weeks ago the SEC moved to invite TxA&M and opened discussion with others.  It is clear to all school who would be worthy that the SEC is looking to further its membership.  Sigh. 

Jon SOlomon is just another al.com idiot.

Syracuse and Pitt made that move to get into the ACC before it fills up with the implosion of the big 12.

We'll have 16 teams within a year or two.

[Jamos]

The ACC move is very interesting to me in that the choices they are making for their conference is strictly basketball as someone mentioned in another thread. I just wonder will their basketball stacked conference bring on new rules for the NCAA selection committee when the tournament teams are selected to make things fair or equal for the other conferences.

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