Okay, with the important stuff out of the way, applesauce to the ACC power brokers for needing just over a week (with Thanksgiving thrown in there) to move fast and decisively to replace Maryland with Louisville.
I know this feels like we're just further annexing the Big East into the ACC, but I think it's important to note that Louisville has been in the Big East for only seven years, as they joined that conference in 2005. So for a lot of us ACC fans over the age of 30, Louisville doesn't feel like just another Big East turd to float in the ACC punch bowl. Okay, maybe it's an Independent / Missouri Valley / Conference USA turd, but I've long believed that Louisville belonged in a true power conference. It's not a great school, but it's improving, and it delivers good football tradition and future potential housed in a 55K-seat stadium that can easily be expanded to 80K. And Louisville Basketball... well, let's just say they are a top-10 program in terms of the Blueblood Rankings. (Maryland: #17) And - oh wow - Rick Pitino is now an ACC coach. Wow.
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| This bird has teeth. |
We'll have more on this soon, but ultimately I think we're losing a little bit in terms of media footprint as we trade Maryland for Louisville, but we're gaining a slight uptick in basketball and a major uptick in football. The overall athletic department of Louisville seems to have more momentum than Maryland, since, you know, they haven't been operating in the red and cancelling several athletic programs. But Louisville doesn't have lacrosse. :sadface:
Here's how the Cardinals performed most recently in each of the varsity sports I actually give a crap about...
FOOTBALL -- Currently 9-2 (4-2 Big East) and playing Rutgers on Thursday night for the Big East championship. Ranked #23 in the USA Today poll, and just outside the top-25 in the other polls. They look like a good bet for the BCS as the Big East champs.
BASKETBALL -- Currently 5-1 overall and ranked #5. Last year they went 30-10, advanced to the Final Four as a 4-seed, where they lost to eventual nation champion Kentucky.
BASEBALL -- Went 41-22 (18-9 Big East) and earned a 3-seed for the NCAA tournament (failed to advance from Tucson Regional.)
LACROSSE -- No program. :sadface:
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL -- Currently 7-0 overall and ranked #7. Last year they went 22-9 and earned a 7-seed. They lost to Maryland in the second round. Ugh.
This is a solid athletic program we're adding to the mix, folks. I'm excited.
Screw you, Maryland. Welcome aboard, Louisville!
Seconded.
ReplyDeleteI think this is the best option we were going to get. I believe UConn would be better academically, but that's just an assumption.
ReplyDeleteAll of it's moot if FSU and Clemson leave. I think we we're going to be nervous for a while...
As a Virginia Tech fan, I have to say that I cannot stand Louisville based on our athletic history with them. That being said, they are the least smelliest turd of choice. So let's review
ReplyDeleteFootball - Advantage Louisville
Basketball - Advantage Louisville (although i think Maryland look to improve)
Olympic sports - Advantage Maryland (slightly based on lacrosse and womens basketball)
Academic - Advantage Maryland (not even close)
Ratio of mouth breathing trashy fans - Push
So we get better in football, better in basketball, and replace Maryland's trashy fanbase more than adequately. That being said I never want to hear one more word about Academics being important to the ACC. This is not your father's ACC any longer.
Pierce is correct... if FSU leaves it is over.
Three things:
ReplyDelete1) I have no idea what Louisville fans are like, but I find it hard to believe that they are as bad as the Bay Rednecks that support Maryland.
2) Academics can still be important to the ACC. We've bent on them before, and we bent on them here. No doubt about that. But even with Louisville, we're still about a hundred notches above the SEC.
3) This move was made to satiate Florida State. And if FSU is satiated, the ACC is stable. Now we need to go out and correct this TV money problem and truly circle the wagons.
4) I'm excited about this, because even though I was warming to the idea of the B1G, I still want a viable ACC to be UVA's home.
Well, that was four things. Screw it.
ReplyDeletehaha. ACC academics right there.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSorry Hokie, this blog is not for you. Move along.
DeleteYou want to discuss sports without the little jabs and barbs, you are more than welcome. But sadly, not many Hokies are capable of that sort of thing. This won't be the place for you to air your deep-seated feelings of inadequacy by way of insulting UVA or UVA fans.