Comments on: Louisville To The ACC, But What’s That Aftershock Mean For The SEC?

By: AllTideUp

AllTideUp — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 08:42:53 +0000

@I4Bama @BamaWahoo I could understand that perspective, but I don’t think they’ll let their personal feelings get in the way of it if they truly believe that move would strengthen the conference. Especially if the powers that be at FSU are remorseful.

By: AgStuckInNC

AgStuckInNC — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:27:07 +0000

Let’s do it big and lock up the Southeast. The SEC needs an NC and VA presence and because of the reasons I outline below, you need one more school. Take FSU, UNC, NCSU, Duke, VaTech, and UVA and move up to 20. Expansion now is about marketshare and money. The ACC had to add Louisville to get balance in the conference vs. the academics they would have preferred to get. From the academic perspective that the university presidents like to talk about, you can’t go wrong with the six I select.

- UNC, NC State, and Duke are be a package deal. I don’t think you can pick one or two of them. UNC and NCSU are tied together at the state governmental level. It will be hard to split UNC and NCSU. At least that is what NC State fans tell me when I talk to them about joining the SEC. UNC and Duke are tied together emotionally so take all three. UNC/Duke basketball is equal to the football rivalries of the SEC. It would move the SEC to the top in basketball and the competition of baseball in the SEC would certainly go up. The women’s athletics at those schools (not usually talked about here) is top notch, too.

- With an odd number from NC, you need another school. FSU seems to be more SEC-like than ACC-like anyway and they gives the SEC more eyeballs in the 4th largest state. Florida has around 20 million people. Sorry, Gators, but the entire state is not watching you. Get more.

- UVA and VaTech would probably go together as well and garner the Richmond, Norfolk, and DC markets.

Sorry Clemson, you are more SEC-like than anyone other than FSU in the list. However, you just don’t bring enough value to the table since the SEC already has a presence there. There are almost as many people in Houston as there are in all of SC.

Put them in regional pods to maintain build those rivals. Someone smarter than me can figure out the scheduling to maintain the traditional SEC rivalries like Georgia/Auburn and Tennessee/Alabama. Lots of options though.

SEC-Atlantic: Virginia Virginia Tech Duke North Carolina North Carolina State
SEC-South: South Carolina Georgia Tennessee Florida Florida State
SEC-Central: Kentucky Missouri Vanderbilt Alabama Auburn
SEC-West: Arkansas Ole Miss Mississippi State LSU Texas A&M

By: BamaWahoo

BamaWahoo — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 03:32:53 +0000

@I4Bama @AllTideUp
Good point. Right now, I think what is holding the ACC together is the fact that the SEC doesn’t want FSU and Clemson but FSU and Clemson aren’t sure that will always be the case. And so they wait believing there is a chance. There is no doubt in my mind that the B12 would take a whole swath of the ACC as an Eastern Division. But that begins w/ FSU and FSU won’t do that and then watch VT and NCSt. or UVA/UNC take “their” spots in the SEC. I think it will take Slive holding FSU’s hand, looking them in the eye, and saying: “It’s not going to happen. We’re done” before they believe it and talk seriously with the B12.

By: I4Bama

I4Bama — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 02:28:17 +0000

@AllTideUp @BamaWahoo
They went after FSU in 1991/1992 and were spurned. Many believe there are those in power in the SEC who will never give them another chance.

By: AllTideUp

AllTideUp — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:01:11 +0000

@BamaWahoo @I4Bama I think it just depends on how many teams they are after. If it’s 2 then a VA school and a NC school make the most sense. If they are going beyond that then it would seem the 2 VA schools, 2 NC schools, and then maybe also Clemson and Florida State would add the most all around value.

I think they’ve avoided FSU and Clemson up until this point because there was still room to grow the footprint. If/when the footprint is no longer a concern then I’m not sure what direction they will go.

By: BamaWahoo

BamaWahoo — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:24:19 +0000

@I4Bama @VAHogBrown
I don’t know. I just figure that if they were willing to double up in VA/NC they’d have already taken Clemson/FSU.

By: I4Bama

I4Bama — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:06:19 +0000

@BamaWahoo @VAHogBrown
You really think the SEC would stop at 16 if the possibility of NC/Duke/VT/Virginia were on the table???

By: JamieThornton

JamieThornton — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 20:23:19 +0000

I’ve heard several Big Texas people today say that the BIg 12 is watching the Maryland situation to see what they will pay. They would love to get back at 12 with some combo of FSU/Miami/Clemson. Fox wants 2 of the 3 big names and is willing to put up big $$$ for that and a CCG. ESPN doesn’t care, because those ACC schools are already being paid in the ACC contract from ESPN. It should be fun to watch. They also say they expect the BIG to make the next move and add UVA and Georgia Tech and get to 16.

By: BamaWahoo

BamaWahoo — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:47:12 +0000

@VAHogBrown VT would go SEC unless the SEC got a UNC/UVA pair (at UNC’s insistence). I don’t see the SEC going past 16 so I think 1 from VA and NC is most likely.
Absolutely agree that UVA is better off in the SEC, but isn’t everyone?

IF UVA/UNC go to SEC down the road, then VT might end up in a B12 Eastern Division w/ WV, FSU, Clemson, GT, Louisville, and some of the more western members. But this is obviously total speculation.

I’d much prefer UVA in the SEC, but I expect we’ll drop the ball and end up left behind somehow. Littlepage is not much of a high stakes poker player.

By: VAHogBrown

VAHogBrown — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:23:27 +0000

@BamaWahoo If Tech was to split from the ACC, it would go to the SEC, not to the Big 12. As John has stated many times, it has very much the personality of an SEC school. It’s just down the road from Knoxville (I-81) and would definitely prefer to travel to the other southern states than join jet setting West Virginia. UVa would only go to the Big 10 if it couldn’t follow Tech to the SEC. Minus Maryland, ALL of its traditional rivals are to the south. This is all premised on the ACC collapsing which won’t be happening any time in the near future.

By: BamaWahoo

BamaWahoo — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:47:20 +0000

What do you think of the Sporting News piece claiming that the SEC has been talking to UNC/Duke (as a combo) for 3 years? Hard for me to imagine the SEC, if it wants to stop at 16, would do that and leave VA and the DC market to the B1G (UVA) and B12 (VT).