OK, it's somewhat rational, but their reference to the Big East as a "former great league" is suspect. If they had pinpointed basketball, maybe, but perhaps their "Eastern" bias is showing, seeing as how they're from Carteret County, home of the original Down East. BTW, the real Down East does not include everything east of I-95, or everywhere "R's" are dropped or the sandy land is flat. The Real Down East is between Beaufort and Drum Inlet.

It remains to be seen whether grabbing Syracuse and Pitt with their ancient football history will help us. Having an open marrisge with Notre Dame is being used like Bill Withers with a fat wallet.

Hed says: ACC comes out of realignment game quite a bit stronger ...than?

The writer seems to be comparing the ACC to the Big East, which is pretty low standard.

A real rational assessment would say the ACC is treading water. UL for UMd was a long-term downgrade -- no serious person would dispute this -- but it stopped the bleeding. It may well be the current alignment is stable (primarily due to the Big East refugees being grateful) and gyrations elsewhere will not impact the ACC. We don't know.

We can say that the next 24 months will be very telling. We'll get resolution on the UMd exit fee for one. Other conferences will either continue to book millions more per member with that number trending up -- or not.

You are very wrong if you don't think Louisville is a Long-Term Upgrade over Maryland in the Big 2 Sports.

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--- TylerBloodyTyler wrote:

Hed says: ACC comes out of realignment game quite a bit stronger ...than?

The writer seems to be comparing the ACC to the Big East, which is pretty low standard.

A real rational assessment would say the ACC is treading water. UL for UMd was a long-term downgrade -- no serious person would dispute this -- but it stopped the bleeding. It may well be the current alignment is stable (primarily due to the Big East refugees being grateful) and gyrations elsewhere will not impact the ACC. We don't know.

We can say that the next 24 months will be very telling. We'll get resolution on the UMd exit fee for one. Other conferences will either continue to book millions more per member with that number trending up -- or not.

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"UL for UMd was a long-term downgrade -- no serious person would dispute this".

Guess I'm not a serious person because I feel that it was a tremendous upgrade.

The top 2 money sports, Football and Basketball, show UL as a much better practicioner in both areas. Football facilities are great, Basketball is a constant in the top 25 with many visits to the top 10, and the town totally supports the school while College Park/DC could care less about UMd.

UL has locked up Strong to a new contract, which bodes well for football long-term, and just beat Florida on national tv. UMd football is a mess and has not been even slightly significant since Freidgen (sp?). Basketball at UL has been a staple there and is still full of life, while UMd basketball was significant under Lefty and Williams, but hasn't shown anything of late. Now, in the lesser sports such as soccer and lacrosse, then I can agree with you, but those sports don't pay the bills. UMd had to CUT sports because of their ineptitude, while UL has shown a large PROFIT in their athletic department.

Yes, academically, UMd is better, but UL has made significant strides in improving their status.

So please provide me facts to back your statement, and show me that I am related to Chuckles the Clown, otherwise, please don't make such as broad and inflamatory statement just because you think it's true.

Or do you work for the N&O?

Wait a minute? I thought the ACC was doomed! Doomed! Can it actually be stronger? And yes, Louisville is a long-term upgrade over Maryland, at least as far as strength of athletic programs is considered.

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--- spacemt1 wrote:

You are very wrong if you don't think Louisville is a Long-Term Upgrade over Maryland in the Big 2 Sports.

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--- TylerBloodyTyler wrote:

Hed says: ACC comes out of realignment game quite a bit stronger ...than?

The writer seems to be comparing the ACC to the Big East, which is pretty low standard.

A real rational assessment would say the ACC is treading water. UL for UMd was a long-term downgrade -- no serious person would dispute this -- but it stopped the bleeding. It may well be the current alignment is stable (primarily due to the Big East refugees being grateful) and gyrations elsewhere will not impact the ACC. We don't know.

We can say that the next 24 months will be very telling. We'll get resolution on the UMd exit fee for one. Other conferences will either continue to book millions more per member with that number trending up -- or not.

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And baseball and soccer.

Regardless of the "Maryland vs Louisville" question, TylerBloodyTyler's point still stands. The ACC being above the Big East isn't the pertinent question. Where does the ACC stand in comparison to the SEC, BIG10, and BIG12? The stability or instability of the ACC hinges on those comparisons.

Count me as a third (or fourth) person who feels that Louisville would be an upgrade (particularly if we are talking about content...which is what our media deal is currently based on) to Maryland. The loss of Maryland will hurt the most if we go to an ACC Network which has a structure akin to the BTN, but it's not like the Louisville market is valueless.

I'd still prefer the SEC,but for now,until the departure $ deal shakes out,I know things will probably settle down.Concerning Maryland's departure,I feel that Louisville is the better fit,culturally.Glad to have them.I'll miss the DES vs LD days,Dean kicking Lefty,s butt,but that's history anyway.

Academically, UL is the ECU of Kentucky. Think about that. UMd is an AAU research uni.

The ACC bought UL high - at the behest of Disney. Strong coming back, Pitino still in residence with a good bunch. This is truly a Golden Age for them. Bristol's window is only 2-3 yrs, presumably the ACC's should be a little longer. (I keep flashing to the mistake UNCC made in joining the A10, thinking the league's freak NCAA shows for a year or two would mean $$ forever via tourney win shares. UNCC had nothing in common with A10 schools and proved a horrible fit.)

Disney needs the ACC to be a counter-balance to the Big Ten and SEC for as long as possible -- doing it on the cheap with Big East refugees is even better.

Don't forget how F$U and UM football get "rewarded" with UL -- a scrub school raids your state for HS talent -- and your league invites them to the party. Hysterical.

Meanwhile, the ACC loses the pretty fertile DC recruiting region and DC-Balt market to the Big Ten. Think of all the Heels (and their parents) who were exposed to UNC via trips to College Park. And yes, in recent years, the Terps were an afterthought in the DC sports-scape, but when the Terps were good -- particularly in football -- they WERE DC's team.

Footprint-wise, Louisville is Buffalo with horse racing.

Like I said, UL stopped the bleeding. Nothing more. Had the ACC not been seriously wounded by UMd departure, UL NEVER joins the ACC.

TylerBloodyTyler,

Very good post!

This TV market thing is a bit of yesterday influencing today. I have Time-Warner Cable out here in the SoCal desert and with ESPN3, I am able to watch every single football Carolina sports event that comes with a TV camera. So I'm living less credence to this whole TV market thing dictates your future. Just because the Washington Post is going to have to cover multiple seasonal events in Minneapolis, doesn't mean the ACC, the SEC and the PAC 12-18 doesn't mean those in northern VA, or Mary-Land will be deprived of access to those leagues.

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--- spacemt1 wrote:

You are very wrong if you don't think Louisville is a Long-Term Upgrade over Maryland in the Big 2 Sports.

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Say what? Louisville is equal to Maryland in basketball. In football Louisville is better and has been the last ten years.

Long term wise Lville is a better team than Maryland. Too many pro teams near them and college teams with a ton of pro teams near them seem to struggle. There are exceptions but there arent many.

Twerps have not been DCs team in 30 years. Georgetown in basketball and splitting with pro teams always has split their market.
In football, they had Baltimore in the early days, the redskins and now the Ravens.

Maryland was never DCs team. I just dont agree.

There are always three elements of "value" when comparing teams. Market, athletics (i.e. content) and academics. Since ESPN is aired nationally, they care much more about content than market share (i.e. having Louisville in the ACC as opposed to Maryland does very little to increase or decrease the value of the league from a viewership standpoint). Ratings are driven both by market and content, but Louisville is enough of an increase in quality of bb/fb, that the loss of market viewership is likely negated. Obviously, the loss of Maryland and addition of Louisville is a net loss in academic prestige, but that has NO value to ESPN.

If the ACC moves to a ACC Network which has a payout model similar to the BTN in which cable subscriptions are the driver, then I could see how having Louisville instead of Maryland would be a negative, but I think we are a ways from having that kind of setup.