Virginia Tech betrays Big East

TCPalm.com College Sports ^ | June 20, 2003 | BOB SMIZIK

[putupon]

Virginia Tech betrays Big East
By BOB SMIZIK
June 20, 2003

The news in the ongoing saga of the Big East Conference's attempt to fight off a raid by the Atlantic Coast Conference is coming so rapidly that it's hard to keep up with all of it.

In fact, this just in from Blacksburg, Va.

"The Board of Visitors of Virginia Tech has unanimously voted to change the name of the institution to Benedict Arnold University."

"If betrayal is to be our game," said a university spokesman, "we want our name to properly reflect it. We believe using the name of Benedict Arnold, the most infamous American traitor, best serves our purposes."

Don't get steamed, Hokies-lovers. We only kid you because we love you. How could anyone be angry with an institution of higher learning that so values those American-as-apple-pie virtues of greed and disloyalty?

How could we not love those honorable leaders of Virginia Tech, who less than two weeks ago became part of a lawsuit that carried damages worth "hundreds of millions of dollars" against the ACC, but who now seem poised to join that very conference?

How could we not have a deep and abiding respect for a university president such as Charles Steger, who only three days ago, signed off on a statement which read: "We remain confident in the strength of our (the Big East's) legal position, and we will continue to pursue our legal options vigorously?"

One day they're going to sue you, the next day they're going to join you.

Beautiful.

Nothing is in concrete, but after the news that the ACC was courting Virginia Tech as a possible 13th team to join three other Big East defectors - a move that would crush the Big East as we know it - Virginia Tech issued the following statement:

"Virginia Tech has not been extended an offer, either formally or informally, to join the Atlantic Coast Conference. We do not know if one is forthcoming. We are not in a position to comment on news reports. We have heard of many what-if scenarios, but we cannot comment on rumors, innuendoes, and intimations. The expansion plans are the work of the ACC and we have to wait and see what the ACC wants to do."

It's hard to read anything into that other than if offered an invitation to join the ACC, Virginia Tech would take less than a heartbeat to respond affirmatively. If the school had any intention of staying loyal to the Big East, it almost certainly would have said so in its statement.

So if you're a Pitt follower or a West Virginia partisan and you're looking for someone to blame for your football program being doomed to second-class status, hurl your invectives at Virginia Tech, an institution that gives new meaning to this phrase: talking out of both sides of your mouth.

But know this: If Pitt were offered a similar invitation or if West Virginia were, it would not have taken administrators at those universities any more time to accept than it would those at Virginia Tech.

Loyalty, integrity, decency are not traits that can be found in this sordid business as major universities crawl to the cash, as esteemed presidents and chancellors do whatever it takes to ensure they're in the right football league, and too bad for those left behind.

This is not to suggest that any of the presidents of the defecting Big East or the raiding ACC members should be trashed and burned as some sort of moral coward. The ways of world in college athletics give them no choice. If Virginia Tech's Steger refused an ACC invitation, he almost certainly would be guilty of allowing his university to play in a lesser league and thus receive lesser revenues. Such a decision could well cost him his job.

If an invitation is offered by the ACC, Steger almost has no choice but to accept. And the same would be true of Mark Nordenberg of Pitt or David C. Hardesty Jr. of West Virginia.

Also know this: The Big East would be just as quick to ripe apart another conference as the ACC is to destroy it. Already Louisville, a key member of Conference USA, is said to be in line for Big East membership and other schools from the conference could well follow.

Which makes the following comments by Mark Fabiani, a spokesman for the five Big East schools who are bringing the lawsuit, the height of hypocrisy: "If these reports are accurate," he said, "the ACC will stop at nothing to destroy the Big East as a football conference."

And the Big East, likewise, would stop at nothing to destroy any other conference that stood in its way.

It's a stinking business turned rotten by money, a business of scoundrels and rascals who all deserve each other.

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com.)

[putupon]

This is not to suggest that any of the presidents of the defecting Big East or the raiding ACC members should be trashed and burned as some sort of moral coward.

Oh, I don't know about that. John "Castrated" Casteen of UVa who didn't have the cajones to stand up to the Virginia politicians could use a trash and burn when he gets back from his European vacation.

[Bulldog1967]

ALL DIRT ROADS LEAD TO TECH!

GO CAVS!

[GaConfed]

Well, what do you expect from any university these days? They all have faculties full of deconstructionists, gramcians, and other various one world leftists. Why should their athletic departments act any different?

[GaConfed]

And Mr. Jefferson's university is one of biggest pits of Commie indoctrination of them all. I wonder what he would think when he learned that more negative is said about him there than positive. If I were him I wouldn't open the check book until things changed for the better.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

Oh, I don't know about that. John "Castrated" Casteen of UVa who didn't have the cajones to stand up to the Virginia politicians...

Post any documentation that you have to PROVE that Casteen was pressured or forced into lobbying for VT. In fact, PROVE that he didn't a) see it in Va.'s interest to have 2 ACC teams and therefore lobby, b) decide that this would strengthen the UVA/VT rivalry (as now the football game would be a conference game!) and therefore lobby, c) decide that it would benefit VA. to have at least two teams in the running for a BCS spot each year and lobby ON HIS OWN.

Every report I have seen says that UVA was behind adding VT as one of the 3 teams all along. So show me your EVIDENCE that the UVA president didn't want VT in but was pressured to lobby for them anyway.

Or are you just some frat-boy that never grew up and are making your pronouncements based on some juvenile college "rivalry" and wishful thinking. PROOF, please...

[Maynerd]

ALL DIRT ROADS LEAD TO TECH!

I always liked that one.

BTW. Boomer Sooner.

[GaConfed]

I always liked that one. I bet you do. Y'all probably say the same thing about Stillwater. ;)

[Physicist]

Whiny Wahoos are as fun to listen to as whiny Democrats...but then they're so often one and the same.

[AppyPappy]

Note: VT has done NOTHING in regards to the ACC.

[CatoRenasci]

Well, I wouldn't have expected honorable behavior from the Hokies under any circumstances.

Far above the Hills of Blacksburg
In a field of rye
stands an old deserted outhouse
known as VPI

Hokie! Hokie! Hokie Hi!
Tech! Tech! Blacksburg High!

[AppyPappy]

The Hoos have been sniveling ever since Mark Warner bitch-slapped them for their band's behavior. I've seen pimps treat $6 whores better than that. And since Mark is a Democrat, Charlottesville had to roll over and show their belly.

[GaConfed]

ALL DIRT ROADS LEAD TO TECH!

Nope. All dirt roads might go through Tech, but they all LEAD to Clemson. You should know this.

[God luvs America]

I live in NY, went to St John's on a track scholarship (during the Johnnies heyday of the mid-80's) and scout football for the NFL.

Sentimental reasons: I'd like to see the Big East stay intact.

Football perspective: traveling to Syracuse or BC during the season to see FSU, Clemson or NC State is a heck of a lot easier than flying into Raliegh every other weekend. Also, the ACC would quickly become a great football conference.

[noutopia]

A SHE SHE a football conference. Now that is a JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ApesForEvolution]

I think this is awesome. The Big East has raided the A-10 and other conferences and now the tables are turned. Poor babies.

I don't know why the ACC doesn't pluck Pitt, VTU, WVU and Connecticut and be done with the Big East altogether.

Now, that would be a Super Confererence that could actually rival the Bix XII.

[ApesForEvolution]

The ACC will fast become the 1st or 2nd strongest football, baseball and basketball conference in America. Fast.

[ApesForEvolution]

"I've seen pimps treat $6 whores better than that."

Man, you really dated yourself there...unless you are posting from Haiti!

[kms61]

And Miami, FSU, et al will learn the joys of playing a murderous conference schedule...something the SEC has known about for years.

[ApesForEvolution]

Hey, I'm not an ACC fan, but they do play quality ball 4-6 deep before slurping up the Big East. Now, I really think the whole eastern seaboard will transform greatly in how recruits from NY to FL view their options. I saw it happen in the Big XII. Texas kids that didn't want to play in the SW Conference would go to Big VIII schools, and then, when the Big XII came into being, those Texas kids went back to Texas schools. This movement by the ACC is brilliant and will produce a conference that will challenge for national titles in the Big 3 men's (and women's) sports championships year in and year out. BTW, the Big Ten and SEC always say "we play a murderous conference schedule, blah, blah, blah...". Try Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, K-State, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Oklahoma St., Missouri, etc. at their places this year. The Big XII produces year in and out and this year will prove to be a remarkable one for the Big XII.

[SoCal_Republican]

FSU's football schedule is almost always in the top 5 in the country. Besides playing Florida and Miami EVERY year they also add other quality non conerence games like Notre Dame, USC, Micigan, Iowa State, Syracuse, etc. In addition, at least one or two of the other AC teams are quite strong each year (Virginia, NC State, N Carolina, Clemson). THAT is why they have been in the National championship game so often. Playing Big east teams like Miami, Syracuse and Va Tech (2 a$$ whuppins) are nothing new for the Noles. And don't even start with the basketball side of the house.