Sports Saturdays: The Future of the ACC

Ok, this is a really big topic to tackle (especially for just my second post) so I'll at least attempt to organize it logically. First I'll examine how the ACC got to where it is today and then I'll delve into what I think the future might bring.

New ACC logo with Syracuse and Pitt added. Question is, will the map have to shift over when Notre Dame joins?

The Past

Am I the only one that misses the old ACC seal?

The last two years have probably been the most critical two years in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference since it's inception over 60 years ago. Yes, bigger than bringing in VT, Miami, and BC in the mid 2000's. Bigger than bringing in Florida State in the early 90's. BIG. Like, survival vs. extinction big. Don't think a prestigious athletic conference with history and success on its side can die? Just take a look at the WAC: a 50+ year old conference which once included teams like Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, and Utah... and just played its last football season this year. It happens, and it almost happened to the ACC.

WAC football is officially dead. The rest of the conference is nothing more than a punchline with teams like Grand Canyon, Seattle, Chicago State, Utah Valley, Cal State Bakersfield, and Texas Pan American. This could have happened to the ACC.

So what started all this? Well, it could be argued that the ACC began it all when it raided the Big East back in the mid 2000's, but that's old hat and the Big East largely recovered by adding programs like Louisville, Cincinnati, and South Florida (all of which have enjoyed some degree of football success the past couple of years). In reality, this latest mess began with the expansion of the Pac Ten and Big Ten each to twelve teams, shifting power in the Big 12 towards the University of Texas. This in turn opened the flood gates for discontent amongst Texas A&M fans, and pretty soon caused the Aggies to jump ship for the SEC (who was reluctant at first to welcome them).

This is where things got interesting. It was pretty obvious that the SEC was not going to add just one team to expand to 13 schools. Odd numbers don't work well in the divisional format which makes scheduling and championship games easier in college football. So the real question was, who would the SEC add as the 14th member and would they stop there or go on to 16?

Let's just say that geography isn't the strong suit of the SEC. The conference tries to defend placing Missouri in the East Division with the argument that placing them in the West would have disrupted traditional rivalries (like Alabama-Auburn). Apparently they have not yet grasped the idea of permanent cross-division rivalry games...

The most logical option would have been to poach a team from the ACC with the most obvious choices being Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami, and/or Virginia Tech. Of those, FSU and Clemson certainly topped the list and had plenty to offer, so why didn't it happen? Well, it's all a matter of speculation really, but rumors have circulated since that SEC members Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Kentucky formed something of a voting block to keep invitations from being extended to any of their respective in-state rivals (Louisville being the rival of Kentucky). Whether this is true or not, the fact is it never came to fruition and instead the SEC plucked off another Big 12 team in Missouri (quite an odd choice... I still forget about them being in the conference to this day).

This left the ACC in somewhat of a peculiar situation. On the one hand, pressure from the SEC made it increasingly necessary to expand to 14 teams, but on the other hand, the ACC's football-oriented schools (FSU, Clemson, VT, etc) were concerned about watering down the brand further with mediocre programs from the Big East. For a short while rumors came from Austin that Texas was an expansion target, but no doubt these were nothing more than self-made rumors to strengthen their own position within the Big 12. So it was that most Nole and Tiger fans would have been content with sticking to 12 teams, but the ACC felt it necessary to expand in order to keep up. And so, against the wishes of FSU and Clemson the ACC invited Syracuse and Pittsburgh (both on the football level of say, Wake Forest or Maryland).

The last time Syracuse was relevant in football, this was the type of equipment players still wore.

Instead of stabilizing the league, this immediately had the opposite effect of course. The Big 12 found itself in a stronger position than weeks earlier with the addition of West Virginia and TCU, and now with Clemson and Florida State disgruntled, it seemed a very real possibility that those two schools might also be heading west. For a period of a couple weeks, all signs pointed to the ACC breaking apart. (And let me make this point here, if FSU or Clemson ever leave the ACC, the conference WILL breakup or become a remnant of its former self.) This did not happen however, due to the shocking addition of Notre Dame for all sports except football and a guarantee to play 5 ACC opponents a year on the gridiron. This move saved the ACC... for a while.

The final, and in my opinion, greatest strengthening move came just a couple months ago when Maryland surprised the conference by announcing it was leaving for the Big Ten. The ACC was left with a choice to make: invite UCONN (which the basketball and academic powers would have preferred) or invite Louisville (the MUCH better football and overall athletic program). This was the key choice: choose wrong and the conference likely splinters apart. Ultimately the ACC went with Louisville and we will now see how I think that choice will play out.

The Future (alternate title: How I Believe the Big 12 and SEC Majorly Blew it)

When it comes to my feelings towards the ACC, as any of my friends can tell you, they vary widely from day to day or even hour to hour. There are times that I am completely fed up with the conference and wish FSU would leave immediately, and then there are times that I'm proud to be part of a conference with such diverse and established institutions. I guess it largely depends on just how bad the officiating has been recently...

Well, like the dichotomy of my opinions, there is also a rigid divide between FSU fans who wish the school would leave what they view to be the weakest and worst conference in the country and those who are optimistic that the ACC is the next "big" thing in college sports. Neither is completely wrong, nor are they completely right, but what I am about to say about the future of the ACC is surely to disappoint one group more than the other:

I believe the ACC is here to stay.

That's right, I wouldn't count on annual games with Oklahoma or Georgia anytime soon. But it's not all bad news if you're primarily a football fan, I do believe that the ACC is on the path to becoming one of the stronger football conferences in the country. Will they be better than the SEC next year? Probably not. But do remember that college athletics is a thing of flux. The dominant SEC of today was actually a pretty weak SEC in the 90's and early 2000's. Now, don't get too excited. I'm not sure when or if the ACC will ever pass the SEC in football dominance, but I can tell you that it no longer will be the "distant 5th best football conference in the country." In fact, some of that gap has already begun to close this year... just take a look at the Pac 12 or even the Big 10 and Big 12. I'm not saying the ACC was better than any of those leagues this year, but it certainly wasn't that far behind... and that trend will continue.

Why am I so confident? There are just too many schools now with historical success on the gridiron and/or dedicated athletic departments to return to a state of apathy. Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Louisville, (5/8ths of) Notre Dame... these are teams that are locked and loaded for instant national success: teams with avid fan bases and goals of national championships. Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Virginia... these are teams that may have some hurdles to overcome, but are good enough to compete across the major conferences and dedicated to improving their current stock. As it stands, in my opinion, all the ingredients for success are there. Now all that is required is time.

 Louisville's new baseball stadium can hold over 4,600 fans, which firmly places it amongst the nicer ACC venues.

So why the jab at the Big 12 and SEC in the section title? One word: Louisville. The Cards would have EASILY jumped at an invitation to either league, but neither saw the UofL as worth expanding for. I believe this could be the biggest mistake in all of the drama that has been conference realignment. True, Louisville doesn't have the sexy ring that say, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, or West Virginia have, but it does have something even more important... $$$. That's right, Louisville has the single largest athletic budget in the country and ALL of their sports are not just good, they're great... and getting better. Louisville is completely sold on becoming an athletic power, they have a vision, very much like how Florida State had a vision in the 80's and 90's (speaking of which FSU, Louisville, GT, and VT were all once in the Metro Conference together). Just think about it: Louisville football nationally ranked with 2 BCS victories, Louisville basketball nationally ranked and a regular elite eight appearance, Louisville baseball a regular postseason figure and regional host. There is nothing not to like and I'm telling you, the Big 12 and SEC let a big one slip through their hands when they let the ACC grab the Cardinals. In the case of the Big 12, it was their indecisiveness to action and as for the SEC, it was the fear and/or pride of a handful of their members to extend invitations to their natural rivals. Whether or not this ends up directly hurting either league is impossible to predict, but what isn't impossible to predict is just how much this helped the ACC.



Maryland was a mediocre basketball team with terrible football and baseball programs and a notoriously obnoxious fan base (maybe the only thing Florida State, Clemson, Duke, and North Carolina fans can all agree upon). Replacing Maryland with Louisville was a major upgrade which has not only stabilized and likely saved the league, but also improved its competitiveness in every single sport.

These are the sorts of stellar crowds fans of other teams in the Big Ten get to look forward to in College Park.

So perhaps it's time to start looking towards the future, because for once, the future of the ACC looks bright. What's that? It's the light at the end of the tunnel.

Closing Thoughts:

The ACC has already announced that Louisville will simply take Maryland's place in the Atlantic Division in 2014 when they join. This will result in the following divisional alignment:

Atlantic Division: Boston College, Syracuse, Louisville, Wake Forest, NC State, Clemson, Florida State.
Coastal Division: Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami.

What I propose is instead of simply adding Louisville to the Atlantic, instead add them to the Coastal and move Georgia Tech to the Atlantic. This makes perfect sense for many reasons: 1. Georgia Tech is the closest ACC opponent to both Florida State and Clemson, and is in turn a natural rival to both. 2. Louisville's football rise helps even out the divisions, especially if VT and Miami continue to struggle. 3. Louisville's closest ACC opponents (in football) are Pitt, UVA, and VT so it makes since for them to be in a division with them. Of course, as we all know, things that make the most sense rarely ever happen.

Long live the lack of common sense!

-JT

Football Fridays: Weird and Rare Rules

If you happened to be watching a little college football last night, you might have witnessed first hand literally the rarest play in college football. Like the green flash (Hey Arnold reference there) it was there... and then it wasn't, and it left everyone who witnessed it (myself included) scratching their heads and asking "WHAT?"

Yes, I am talking about the 1-pt safety.

Confused as to what I am referring to? Didn't catch it when it happened? Here is the clip from last night's Fiesta Bowl between Oregon and Kansas State (Oregon won in case you were wondering):

This got me thinking, what are some other crazy and unusual rules in football that we rarely see or hear about? Being a football nut (I watch hundreds of games a year on tv and have attended an average of 40 games a year for the past 10 years, do the math, I'm crazy) I've seen many strange things and heard about others, but here are some of the downright wackiest rules you could ever see:

1. The 1-Point Safety: Ok, I had to lead off with this since it's in the introduction. I couldn't leave ya hanging. It's only happened 2 times in the HISTORY of NCAA football (including last night, the other time being a little game between Texas and Texas A&M in 2004), so you know it's a tad bizarre.

So here's the situation: A team is lined up to kick an extra point following a touchdown (last night that team was Oregon). For whatever reason, the defense (Kansas State) gets a hold of the ball. Last night the kick was blocked, but in theory it could be due to a fumbled snap or any host of legal ways the defense could obtain possession. Following this, the defensive player with possession of the ball retreats into his own endzone under his own control, that is, he is not forced back or carried back by momentum. The defensive player with the ball is then tackled in the endzone, eliciting a safety. Only... instead of 99.99999% of safeties which are 2 points (and normally caused by the offense) this safety is only worth 1 point. It makes perfect sense when you think about it (extra points are only worth a point anyways, so why get more for luck?) but still incredibly rare... and weird.

Oh, and as a side note, a safety on a 2-point conversion is still only worth 1 point... and there's this whole other super weird possibility where a defense could run the ball back towards the other endzone, lose possession just before, have an offensive player pick it up, and tackle him in the that endzone for a single point... so yes, technically a team could score 1 point in an entire football game, but it's never happened and I seriously, seriously, seriously doubt it ever will...

2. Fair Catch Free Kick: This is one the more avid football fans probably have heard of, although it is still incredibly rare (hence why it's in this post). In fact, out of the 400+ plus games I've been to in person and thousands of others I've watched, I've actually never seen it happen live. I've heard of it though, mainly in high school, so it does happen once in a while.

Ok, so here's what happens: Team A punts the ball, Team B fair catches the punt. Sounds really bizarre right? Well, just hang on. Instead of going on to have a normal offensive possession, let's say that it's a terrible punt and Team B gets good field position instead (say, on the other team's 30). Team B can elect to attempt a field goal from that spot, the very next play, without a single defensive player on the line of scrimmage. That's right. A free field goal attempt with no players from Team A within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage and practically no chance at a block. Why would a team do this? Well, generally it doesn't happen because most teams want to at least try and score a touchdown, but say there's only a second or so left in the half and you have a better shot kicking the field goal, or say the game's tied on the last play. There are a few scenarios that would actually make this the right call.

Here's a video of the last attempt at this in the NFL.

By the way, it's been almost 40 years since the last successful attempt in the NFL. Much more common in high school.

3. A Bad Snap Which Cannot Be Recovered By The Defense: This one's pretty straightforward, so I'll make it short. If a quarterback is under center (directly behind the center) and the snap goes between his legs without being touched, it is ruled a false start by the center and not a fumble. Therefore, even though the ball is lying free on the ground, the defense cannot obtain possession of it.


4. The Drop Kick Field Goal: This is another odd rule that many NFL fans probably know about, especially after Doug Flutie accomplished it a couple years back. It's a pretty simple concept, but strange mainly because it's atypical and hardly ever attempted.

Basically, kicking a field goal does not necessarily have to be performed in the manner we're used to nowadays where there's a kicker and a holder. Instead of this, any player can kick a field goal by simply performing a drop kick. (That is, catching the ball, dropping it, and kicking it before hitting the ground.) Why would a team do this? Well, there aren't too many reasons other than perhaps catching a team off guard, and so it's not seen very often.

The real question is now, how rare would a drop-kicked extra point 1-point safety be?

Closing Thoughts: There are tons and tons of other really bizarre rules and rare possibilities I could have selected for the list and that's just the great thing with sports: anything can happen. Perhaps I'll have to do a follow up for basketball and baseball a little later in the year. For now however, you'll just have to settle with these two really, really bizarre runner ups:

First, from the CUSA Championship game this year: UCF punts the ball to Tulsa and a UCF player swats the ball. I, probably like most people, always thought that once a defensive player touched a punt, the ball was dead. Apparently however, this is not the case. In order for the ball to be ruled dead, the defensive player has to possess the ball (or bring it to a complete stop). Recognizing this, a Tulsa player, well, here's the video.

And finally, this doesn't make this list because it's not a rule in American football (thank heavens) but rather Canadian football. I don't even know where to begin with this one, so... just watch.

Seriously, if you can figure this one out, you earn double bonus points in my book. Those crazy Canadians...

Well, that's all I got! See you tomorrow with Sports Saturday!

-JT