No great surprise here - not too long after swearing that Virginia Tech would
turn down an ACC invitation if they got one, they got one, and didn't turn it
down. They also aren't suing, and are pretty darn happy about their stroke
of fortune. In a letter announcing the move, President Charles
M. Steeger said "at the end of the day, many will disagree with our
decisions. They of course are free to do so. However, we have dealt as
best we can with a very complex changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics
to the best of our ability in difficult times."
We're pretty okay with Tech being in the conference. They're pretty much
Billy Preston to the Beatles anyway, and might as well bring them in. But
that doesn't mean that the hypocrisy of jumping from litigant to jumping for joy
is just swept away. It's stupid, it's hypocritical, and frankly
sleazy. But given the long-term desire of Tech to get in, it's also
understandable.
There may be reason to think that the championship game threshold will go to
10 instead of 12, meaning that the ACC could have at least football
divisions. Apparently a lot of conferences think it would stabilize things
and limit movement.
Remember our argument about everyone wanting Duke, UNC, and Maryland to play
at their place for the gate? Same holds for the PAC-10: ''A lot (of the
opposition to divisons has) to do with schools not wanting to miss a chance to
play in L.A.," Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen said. ''They also want the
L.A. schools and other attractive rivals to play at their place every year for
ticket purposes."
The football schools are supposedly mad at Duke and UNC, but not half as mad
as they'll be if they're in a different division.
- The waiting game begins for ACC
- What
did you say? Words not binding in ACC-Big East Saga - Weaver
says Virginia Tech is going to ACC - ECU
boosters pushing for inclusion in ACC's expansion plan - Membership
issues a new one to the BCS - Please, spare all of us and get this over with
- Miami
Puts Off Decision To Monday: School Still Weighing ACC, Big East Offers - One
final bid from the Big East - GREG
COTE | Please, spare all of us and get this over with - Miami's
ACC decision due Monday / Virginia Tech is in regardless of'Canes' choice - Egg,
not smile, on faces in ACC - Sports
Focus: ACC Expansion: The Finances / Do dollars make sense? With 11 teams,
ACC might not increase income - Va.
Tech teams to be challenged / 'Olympic' sports stronger in ACC - Despite the
backlash of criticism, Tech official confident in decision - Expansion is
hitting Huskies hard