Comments on: Opening The Vaults: How The SEC Pursued FSU 20 Years Ago

By: Pitt Blather Permalink » Past And Future For FSU Expansiopocolypse

Pitt Blather Permalink » Past And Future For FSU Expansiopocolypse — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:49:24 +0000

[...] start with some background. Specifically when the Seminoles chose to go to the ACC over the SEC. While conference affiliation would impact FSU’s entire athletic program, suggesting that [...]

By: Troy

Troy — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:33:03 +0000

What a great read. Thanks.

By: fsu1jreed

fsu1jreed — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:54:03 +0000

So………

“Meanwhile, the SEC had caught wind of the ACC’s intention to hold an expansion vote and quickly convened its own conference call. They voted to not extend Florida State an invitation to the conference.”

And you got this……..

“ the SEC wanted FSU 20 years ago and the Seminoles chose to go to the ACC instead.”

How can we choose to go to the ACC over the SEC if they are the ACC is the only one to officially invite us?

Now if both had officially invited us then you’d have a point, but that’s not the way it happened.

By: Karl Cain

Karl Cain — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 23:05:14 +0000

I vividly remember Bobby Bowden saying "I rather be a live coward then a dead hero." in response to FSU's decision to choose the ACC over the SEC. That is what irks SEC fans.They can stay in the ACC. I don't want them even though it might make it easier for the Gators to play some big out-of-conference games if the Seminoles became an in-conference game.

By: Jack Burton Mercer

Jack Burton Mercer — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:39:19 +0000

Hold a grudge? Heck no. I"m glad things worked out the way they did. Who would have been the twelfth team if FSU had accepted? Arkansas or South Carolina? Or would Miami have then joined the SEC as well?

By: Neal Perry

Neal Perry — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:58:37 +0000

Add Texas A&M to the western division and FSU ot the east, and we are talking super conference. Then the Fl.-FSU game could be considered for something else other than bragging right for the state of Florida. Hard to imagine FSU wanting to leave a conference they once dominated and are on pace to dominate once again. It insures them a decent bowl game and a good national ranking. The only thing is doesn't prepare them for is playing week in and week out, top teams that make or break you. They expect to win the ACC, but in the SEC, even when a team is rated in the top 5, any given Saturday can see an upset. I still remember ole Bobby Bowden though, so I will always hold a little place in my heart fot FSU. Not sure I would if they played my DAWGS once a year, with divisonal supremacy on the line. If the SEC does expand and take in A&M I would hope the 14th team would be a strong one, so they do not dilute the product that is the SEC, by adding another team, that really doesntr belong with the big boys.

By: Tyler B

Tyler B — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:45:34 +0000

Great stuff, John!

By: Martes Stewart

Martes Stewart — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:27:16 +0000

The problem is that the ACC does not pool its academic resources like the Big10 does, and like the Pac12 does to some extent. They do not lobby as a group but instead do so through the AAU, which is downsizing its membership numbers. So I do not think that FSU got out of it what it expected to academically and have been passed academically by UF, by leaps and bounds in fact. So if UF can be an academic and athletic powerhouse in the SEC, why can't they. Thats what I imagine might be being said. Though academically Bama, Auburn, Georgia, and so forth are still ahead of them on top of the usual Vandy and UF academics.

By: Martes Stewart

Martes Stewart — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:22:22 +0000

A&M was on the list, can go find the story. Basically they pulled a Baylor in some regard though, you had to get them to get Texas. Then it was that you had to take Tech as well, that's when the Texas deal fell through. But Kramer did actually like A&M just not enough to take them on their own. However the Commissioner before Kramer did not like A&M at all, and held off on inviting UT if aTm was attached and that's ultimately how they ended up slipping out of our fingers. Though that same commissioner had a better relationship with FSU and it is widely believed he would have pulled off those talks.

By: WRiley

WRiley — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:09:18 +0000

Bowden had interesting comments on conference realignment. He said that Florida State could have joined the SEC in 1992. “We could have joined the ACC, the SEC or the Big East,” Bowden said

By: » SEC: Mississippi State looks to make a statement tonight John Clay's Sidelines

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:42:12 +0000

[...] A look at how SEC pursued Florida State once before, from Mr. SEC. [...]

By: Billy Bob

Billy Bob — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:50:38 +0000

Well now that's interesting.

Anyways, I know a lot of FSU BBS posters will say that they are too big for the ACCs britches but I dunno.

If they want to have consistent national championships, why not stay in the ACC? Whats more it's the ACADEMIC BIG WIGS what make this decision and seeing as how the ACC DOESN'T have the identity crisis that either the Big XII or the Big East have, I believe that a lot of people will be dissapointed when the Noles ultimately stick around.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 07:00:50 +0000

As an Arkansas fan, I've only heard that the SEC refused to invite A&M in the past. I'm not sure if that's true, but I seriously doubt that A&M was as coveted by the conference 20 years ago, as it is today.

Despite the common perception otherwise, A&M has never been a strong football power, but they have had some good teams throughout the years. Twenty years ago, Arkansas was finishing up it's 3rd decade as a regular member of the top-25 and usually within the top-15. Texas was certainly the biggest prize back then, but there are some who will tell you that the SEC wanted Arkansas before Texas, due to the former team aggressively seeking to get out of the scandal-laden SWC, which included a Texas team that was also on probation. Arkansas was also considered more Southern than Texas, according to some.

Having said this, I'm not debating who is considered to have more appeal today, because I'm fully aware of how things have changed. But 20 years ago, I have good reason to doubt that A&M was more coveted than Arkansas, even though that would probably hold true today with the current goals for conference expansion.

By: Martes Stewart

Martes Stewart — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 06:42:48 +0000

Maybe they did try for 30 years. But does not change that they were informally invited during the first expansion of the SEC. Meaning that outside of the conference founders FSU was top 2 on the SEC invite list, the other being Texas. Went Texas, FSU, Texas A&M, Ark, and so on. With the last two being switched depending on whom you talk to.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 06:26:25 +0000

As a SEC old-timer, of sorts, that's the way I recall it too. I'm an Arkansas fan and so I was immensely interested in who would join us as newcomers to the conference (note that we had already accepted an invitation before these events occurred.) There was also talk of Miami receiving an invite, before the Hurricanes joined the Big East, but I'm not sure if there was anything to that.

I'm glad you cleared this up, because I've heard this story told so many different ways lately, but rarely with FSU being the one who turned down the SEC. It's not just FSU fans who say that, either.

By: B. Roberts

B. Roberts — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 02:46:52 +0000

John,

catch Tony Barnhart'sinterview with Bobby Bowden tonight. It is on his show in CBS college sports Bowden said: "we tried to get in the SEC for 30 years and they finally invited us". should settle it.

By: atl14dat

atl14dat — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:20:27 +0000

Nice Job John.

Always like it when the naysayers are served a steaming a "Steaming pile"

Crow

By: AllTideUp

AllTideUp — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 22:21:28 +0000

That's all very interesting. I can understand why some FSU people would have been afraid of being treated like a stepchild. At the time FSU had not had a long standing winning program. Some of FSU's best years were in the 90s including 2 national championships. The last decade hasn't been that great to them, but I think more people today look at FSU as a traditional power. And now Bobby Bowden is a legend rather than just a really good coach.

And FSU can certainly make more money in the SEC than they can in the ACC. FSU is the ACC's biggest draw while pretty much everyone else in the conference is chicken feed.