I have a feeling that the Big XII is about to add the two Arizona schools + Colorado + Utah. Just a feeling on my end, but that is my guess. Don't @ me when I miss on that one! Anyhow, if I were the ACC Commish measuring the dimensions for my new, plush office in Charlotte, here is what I would do... 1. Stop thinking Notre Dame is going to save the day. They won't. They are going to leverage a big re-up from Comcast for their home football games and if they do not get what they want, will join the Big 10. It was a purely defensive move to add them to everything but football and it has exposed ACC weakness, which is why this board is getting so many page views these days. 2. Expand or be run over. The ONLY way that the ACC survives this is to expand and drive more revenue. Here is the problem, Disney/ESPN has decided that the SEC is their college football meal ticket. They own the playoff and they would love to have a 12 team playoff with 8 SEC participants. Does anyone think that the ACC is ever going to play a game on ESPN or ESPN2 after 3:30 in the afternoon? Forget it...that inventory will be going to the SEC every week. The only chance that the ACC has any visibility is on the ABC 3:30 window and the ABC prime time window. That's it. That is where the ACC has a potential opportunity. Please read on... 3. It is worth it to Disney/ESPN to add some more programming windows for its networks. It also makes sense to drive some "local" subscriber fees to the ACC Network. Right now, if you live in a state with an ACC school and you have access to the ACC Network, then you pay a premium subscriber fee every month for your Pay TV bill (cable, satellite, streaming). If you add a school in California (Stanford, Cal), a school in Oregon, and a school in Washington (UDub) and magically, you now have local markets and one in the most populated state in the US. That is big bucks to Disney and would be something they would enjoy tremendously now that their stock price has lost half of its value. This means, more revenue for the ACC, an opportunity to re-open the media agreement with ESPN for the ACC and late night programming windows for ESPN/2 and the ACC Network that will deliver better ad rates. 4. I hate seeing the Big 12 go after the Arizona schools and Colorado. The Phoenix and Denver markets would be real "nice to haves" in a local ACC footprint. If you create a scenario that delivers Stanford, Cal, Oregon, Washington, ASU, Arizona, Colorado and Utah to the ACC, I am VERY interested. Plus, pod scheduling with cross over matchups can be very interesting for TV programmers and viewers. Plus, I would love to see a Tech game in Palo Alto or Tempe or Eugene. 5. A "national" version of the ACC can compete with the Big 10 and eventually the SEC and will outflank the Big 12. Simply stated, a super conference delivers much needed revenue and eyeballs that could help close the revenue chasm between the Big 10, SEC and everyone else. I would rather be in 3rd position and gaining on my competition. I'm curious to see how this will all play out but I know that Pac schools are there for the taking. They just need a great deal to make it all come together. Final note: this may be the most important 2-3 years in VT football history since the 99 Sugar Bowl team. Virginia Tech football MUST come back to national prominence. The fans are there (TV likes fans going crazy and not shots of aluminum seats) but the product must be there too. Right now, Tech is at a 30-year low in football talent and this new staff has to build quickly. A great Tech football product will not be left out of any league. It simply will not happen. A mediocre to bad football product is highly vulnerable. Fire away. I'd love to hear your opinion. Yes...this means a 24-team league. If you throw ND overboard, I recommend bringing in UConn and possibly Kansas. There is nothing wrong with having the best hoops in the country. Let ND play in the Big East.