Big East may go to 16 teams no matter what

"Puke and the Tarholes are holding back because they are scared of flying and playing Syracuse."

I don't think that's the main reason, but I do think there's something to that idea. At least as far as UNC is concenrned. They're desperately trying to recapture their glory days in basketball after a few years of mediocrity. Bringing Syracuse into the mix is just one more huge hurdle they'd have to overcome to get back on top of the ACC. Plus Jim Boeheim has already shown that he can out-coach Roy Williams. Finally, I can't imagine any team would really look forward to flying that far to play in a place as big, crazy and inhospitable to visitors as the Carrier Dome. (Check out the Orangemen's home record this past season.)

http://espn.go.com/ncaa/news/2003/0618/1570063.html

Decision still not expected until end of month

ESPN.com news services

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Atlantic Coast Conference leaders met for three hours Wednesday about whether to add Miami, Syracuse and Boston College to the league but gave no timetable for another discussion.

The ACC presidents and chancellors, who have the final say on expansion, have met for eight hours in three separate teleconferences without coming to a consensus on adding the three Big East schools.

ACC spokesman Brian Morrison said league commissioner John Swofford had no comment on the issues discussed in the meeting or when another teleconference would be scheduled.

"This has been a longer process than I thought it would take,'' North Carolina State athletic director Lee Fowler said later Wednesday. "There have been things that have popped up that I thought had been resolved earlier.''

Duke and North Carolina have had questions about travel costs, student welfare and projected revenues of an ACC football title game and future TV contracts.

And Virginia is weighing political pressure from state lawmakers who want Virginia Tech included in the expansion mix.

Seven of the nine presidents and chancellors must vote in favor of expansion.

The ACC voted May 16 to pursue Miami, Syracuse and Boston College and site visits were completed in early June. However, the ACC announced Tuesday that a final vote may not come until the end of the month.

Meanwhile, no matter what happens, the Big East is going to be proactive about its future and pursue a 16-team league, a source told ESPN.com on Tuesday.

The three Big East schools would have to pay a $1 million exit fee. The penalty doubles after June 30 if the schools leave for the 2004-05 season.

"Everybody is ready for this to be over,'' said Fowler, who was on two of the three site visits. "It gets frustrating, but nobody is going to do anything until they get all the facts and feel comfortable with them.

"I assumed if we made these visits and things were good at these universities that it would just move along,'' he added. "But I still knew we had more work to do.''

That includes divisional alignment, an item in which more than 35 options have been discussed, Fowler said.

"None of this has surprised me because I've been through it in other leagues,'' said Fowler, who acknowledged getting nine schools on the same page is often difficult. "Even with great things, there are differences of opinions.''

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

"This has been a longer process than I thought it would take,'' North Carolina State athletic director Lee Fowler said later Wednesday. "There have been things that have popped up that I thought had been resolved earlier."

He's talking in part about the push to get VaTech included....apparently tech now has five votes and FSU and NC State are being solicited to get on board.

Imagine a conference with Florida State's The University of Miami's and Virginia Tech's Football teams.

Kneel before Zod! :o)

and Virginia Tech's Football teams

But VaTech said it was a terrible thing to do to abandon the Big East and leave friends behind when they joined the plaintiffs on the lawsuit, after they were voted out the first time.

Now they wouldn't be so hypocritical to accept the new offer would they, and leave Pitt, WVa and the rest of the unwanted Big East out there all alone, would they? I thought they were feeling all that love, loyalty, and brotherhood.

And what about the lawsuit? Aren't the Hypokies and Jerri "Jackboots" Kilgore now suing themselves if they do accept?

Forced in a conference that didn't want them by corrupt government thugs, ViPI SUE must be very proud. Another leftist "diversity" attack legislated by lawyers against US universities.

Appropriatly enough, UVa President (ex-UCONN Pres.), VPI implant, co-conspirator, and enabler Mullah John Casteen left Charlottesville last night under cover of darkness for exile in France.

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