Right now, the ACC is much stronger than they think. The problem is, that 1/2 of the conference has publically made it clear that they are NOT happy with the status quo. What happened? 4 top football blue bloods changed conferences, and the Big 10 got a media contract that is off the charts. OMG - the B12 is the next Big east!. - We have to keep up or we won't compete! - We have to be the third best conference! We are worth more than they are contracted to pay us !!!!!!!!! We need to dump 1/2 of the conference because they are dead weight! (just a few from the hip, but there are many more) The PAC was OK, even when they lost USCLA. The problem was that they thought they were worth MUCH more than the media companies would pay . WHY? They have good football programs, they are off the charts academically, they actually, tongue in cheek, thought that their stuff didn't stink. Guess what? It's an athletic conference, and the media contracts are based on advertising revenue - NOT who you think is better. If you look at the New12, they all fill their football stadiums with fans as passionate as VT fans except Kansas and Houston. Show me another team in the New12 that doesn't fill or nearly fill their stadiums like VT. The biggest threat to the PAC10 (before Colorado announced) was that a Colorado would not agree to uneven conference distribution. The media deal hasn't even been announced, yet you have the top two remaining blue bloods pleading to get out of the conference and go to the Big10, What the hell do you think a Colorado or Arizona would do - hope that they can keep the Magnificent 7 and take less money? No, they said the hell with that. (an analogy) A Pitt, BC, Cuse, Wake, Louisville, or a team like that just may stand up and say - the hell with you guys, you want us out anyway. Why would they stick around when the rest of you have a foot out the door? yep - I say Pitt is the linchpin, because if they finally have enough of the FSU, Clemson, NC, and the rest of the sevens stuff, THEY may leave, and there will be teams floundering like the PAC is now.