Conference realignment "Rumors" "tweets" "etc"

[MikeG]

Ryan Pence †@ pencerm

I'm hearing the # Bearcats to the ACC is a done deal. Maybe even to the point of a signed agreement. Working to confirm.

This guy is the 247 sports Cincy publisher. This would be the equivalent of Josh Newberg or Larry Weisbaum tweeting something like this.

Twitter is ablaze with Cincy, UL and UConn to the ACC on Monday.

Crap.

don't forget-- the other conferences aren't done raiding the ACC either

[Who'sYourData?]

Ryan Pence †@ pencerm

I'm hearing the # Bearcats to the ACC is a done deal. Maybe even to the point of a signed agreement. Working to confirm.

This guy is the 247 sports Cincy publisher. This would be the equivalent of Josh Newberg or Larry Weisbaum tweeting something like this.

Twitter is ablaze with Cincy, UL and UConn to the ACC on Monday.

Crap.

don't forget-- the other conferences aren't done raiding the ACC either

True, but I'd hoped we'd be ahead of either UConn or Cincy in the pecking order. Probably would be, if it was because FSU was leaving.

I still think FSU or USF will end up in the Big 10, and if it's FSU we'd replace them in the ACC. But I'd much rather be the school getting the invite than the school waiting around hoping that a couple more chairs become available to sit in.

[jd77]

If these rumors are true, then by my count we are the only one of the 8 Big East football schools from last year to have not been thrown a life line.

That is how far we have fallen. We are the fat, goofy kid in gym class that no one wants on their team. Its amazing to me. Big TV market, fertile recruiting ground, our football team has been ranked as high as #2 in the BCS over the past 5 years, etc.

Has Skip Holtz changed the perception of our program that fast in 3 years?

[MikeG]

not sure why anyone would assume we are ahead of any of those schools. When we got into the BE, we were more or less the throw in team from CUSA thanks to having some respectable football working for us and decent sized venues. Other than the Sun Dome getting refurbished, what have we done lately to improve our stock more so than the others who were technically ahead of us?

[MikeG]

If these rumors are true, then by my count we are the only one of the 8 Big East football schools from last year to have not been thrown a life line.

That is how far we have fallen. We are the fat, goofy kid in gym class that no one wants on their team. Its amazing to me. Big TV market, fertile recruiting ground, our football team has been ranked as high as #2 in the BCS over the past 5 years, etc.

Has Skip Holtz changed the perception of our program that fast in 3 years?

nope-- you are over-valuing how other perceive our football program greatly. It is about the institutions and the name recognition when that factor is considered. What we have going for us is a large TV market and potential. We are not the fat goofy kid-- we are the new kid no one has really met yet or understands but has nice shoes on. Not much difference between those two though when it comes to possibly being picked last though.

[CincyBull]

the ACC is a basketball conference at heart, look at the 3 schools being considered, all major players in basketball. I agree with MikeG, we're the new kid that no one met but has nice shoes on. The future is bright, but if they wanna take a safe bet they're going to go with their friends that have been around a while

[Gismo]

FSU, Miami and UF absolutely want us to crash and burn. No way we get into ACC with FSU and Miami there. They will be happy to send us backwards. Less recruiting competition for them. They have every reason to push us backwards and zero reason to want us in the ACC. They know leaving us out will destroy us. We are officially irrelevant. We are now a Boise state or Houston but without the winning history. We're equal with UCF.

Much of this is beyond our control. We can only take what we're given and move forward. We'll have to make due with CUSA 2.0 type conference.

Big east football and bball should split. Until someone wants us we'll have to be in a conference of

USF

UCF

Houston

SMU

Boise

SDSU

Memphis

Temple

Maybe add ECU and LA Tech. Take the best of the those left out.

Unfortunately at this point there is no difference between USF and UCF.

USF is now minor league.

[WoolyBully]

FSU, Miami and UF absolutely want us to crash and burn. No way we get into ACC with FSU and Miami there. They will be happy to send us backwards. Less recruiting competition for them. They have every reason to push us backwards and zero reason to want us in the ACC. They know leaving us out will destroy us. We are officially irrelevant. We are now a Boise state or Houston but without the winning history. We're equal with UCF.

Much of this is beyond our control. We can only take what we're given and move forward. We'll have to make due with CUSA 2.0 type conference.

...

Maybe add ECU and LA Tech. Take the best of the those left out.

Unfortunately at this point there is no difference between USF and UCF.

USF is now minor league.

Can't argue that. Although the phrase 'minor league' may be offensive, it is what it is.

I don't know of a polite way to spin it.

[MikeG]

FSU, Miami and UF absolutely want us to crash and burn. No way we get into ACC with FSU and Miami there. They will be happy to send us backwards. Less recruiting competition for them. They have every reason to push us backwards and zero reason to want us in the ACC. They know leaving us out will destroy us. We are officially irrelevant. We are now a Boise state or Houston but without the winning history. We're equal with UCF.

None of these schools are at all concerned about USF. They aren't actively trying to thwart us-- that sounds like something a UCiFer would say about USF. We are basically irrelevant to those schools-- short of beating them 20 times in football. They are so far beyond where we are program wise it is laughable to even think we are in the same stratosphere as them on so many levels. The only reason they might be against us joining the ACC is that is lessens their league in their eyes. Those schools have never been afraid of competition-- and before you fire back with how the Gators won't play anyone away from home-- remember that they consistently fill a 91K seat stadium-- and don't have to play away games other than other SEC teams and their annual bowl game and occasional conference championship. They can sell out the stadium playing just about anyone when they are winning.

Much of this is beyond our control. We can only take what we're given and move forward. We'll have to make due with CUSA 2.0 type conference.

Disagree about the CUSA 2.0 remark. It will either be something BE related or one of the big conferences. Yeah-- I suppose we might get dragged back to the CUSA version of things but that is the worst possible scenario and also the least likely. They need large enrollment schools with large tv markets during this cash grab. We are both of those things.

Unfortunately at this point there is no difference between USF and UCF.

USF is now minor league.

I get the impression you feel our performance on the field the past few years makes us less presentable to the power conferences. That is such a small part of what they care about. So we are in a down period of the program. SO what? Everyone has down periods at some time. then they eventually get a new coach who gets them back on track.

We may be equivalent to UCF at this point more or less but this has been the case throughout our history. Yeah-- we got a leg up when we strategically moved from various conferences that lined us up to get into the Big East. So what? They did things their way and at this point we are on similar footing. The difference before was being able to say "we're BCS" -- which while true was pretty much useless. We could have gone undefeated and may never have been in the BCSCG. That ship has sailed. Look at what is important right now-- the power conferences that will feed a four team playoff. That is what matters. If we can get included in that group-- who cares where UCF is at that point. If anything, we need them somewhat as a partner in one of these deals-- it's mutually beneficial at this point.

For some that last part might suck-- I am not crazy for it myself but we need to adjust our thinking here and get in while there is so much fluctuation in conference membership. That doesn't mean we need an AD who is boisterous or annoying. These are backroom deals and decorum matters. As fans-- we can be ourselves-- no one is watching what we do. Guys like Woolard and staff are out there pressing the flesh and trying to position us as best he can.

It will get done. Don't give up hope on our inclusion just yet. The Tampa market is far too important for all these mopes to pass on us-- even if they have FSU or Miami or UF. Having USF and UCF covers a huge amount of eyeballs out there in the middle of the state. If Maryland is important, so are we.

[jvwvu]

If ACC locks down a GOR Monday with these 3 rumored adds, then the next Coference to be raided will be Big 12.

There going to be 5~ 16 team conferences, in next 5-7 years, the question remains who will be in the Big 4 ACC or Big 12.

If ACC gets grant of rights I could see Big 12 dissolving with UT going independent with same agreement ND has with ACC (because of Longhorn Network/ESPN), OU & Kansas going to B1G, OSU & WVU to SEC to give west/east team, TTech, Baylor, TCU, and KSt going Pac12 with Iowa St left out. IF Texas gets out of Longhorn then they end up in B1G, OU in SEC, and OSU in PAC 12 with either Baylor or TCU out. (more likey TCU)

The 5th either ACC or the new Big East MWC combo with a few additions. Best bet IMO, for USF is for more ACC teams to go.