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MSCI89 MSCI89 OP
Jul 20, 2022 at 02:21 PM ET
SIR: Commentary on Phillips' comments at media days re:realignment...
Hits nail on head -- follow the link

38 Replies

HoakieCup HoakieCup
In a word....ouch! The truth hurts, but it's still the truth. The ACC is
operating from a position of weakness.
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HOO86
Too bad we no longer have Bob Lipper to complain in the RTD.
David Teel will write up something, but Bob Lipper would have really criticized today.
WestyHokie WestyHokie
This is really just the "what do we want VT to be" argument, and answer ...
... depends on your priorities. if your priorities are money and a faint hope VT might one day win a national championship, then you agree with this article's author's perspective. If your think VT should be about more than a money-driven sport, where VT likely would struggle given demographics and $$$, then playing in a third option that looks to more than money and beating Alabama might appeal to you. ** Edited by WestyHokie at 7/20/2022, 4:36:21 PM
MP4VT2004 MP4VT2004
Right on.
I'm not surprised that a guy whose salary at least partially depends on the team he covers remaining nationally relevant would suggest that anything but cutthroat deal-making to become an elite conference is delusional. But like you said - one's opinion about this boils down to what you want VT to be, and I personally don't want to see VT sucked into this garbage. At some point, college sports are doomed to collapse. I don't know when that will happen, but there are signs that the end has already begun. I liken it to the housing bubble of the late 2000s...collegiate athletic departments are living "beyond their means", even with all of the revenue generated by college football. Some programs have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on facilities upgrades, and when the revenue eventually starts to dwindle as I am convinced that it will when enough fans get turned off by what's going on, I think it will be disastrous for many athletic departments, particularly those that habitually operate in the red.
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Vippie1
All I've ever wanted is for VT
to be in the same conference with UVa UNC Maryland WVU and 2 or 3 others in our neighborhood. I dont care if it is Division 1,2 3 , I'll still enjoy it, go to games, and pay attention. what wont sustain my interest is being in the SEC with none of those schools accompanying us. ** Edited by Vippie1 at 7/20/2022, 5:06:57 PM
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obguthr
Not me. I wanted the Eastern League
Virginia Tech Notre Dame Penn State Pitt BC Syracuse Florida State Miami South Carolina West Virginia Louisville Cincinnati We would pound the ACC every year and make them pay for leaving us out.
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HOO86
Add WVU and Cincinnati, and you're in it for the most part.
We won't get Penn State or South Carolina, but the ACC would have every other member on your list. WVU and Cincinnati is what I have thought we should do from the time we learned of Texas and Oklahoma choosing the SEC. This phenomenon of PAC12 schools is only a recent thought due to what USC and UCLA have done.
wwhokie1 wwhokie1
When did the Commissioners of the SEC or Big10 talk about being cutthroat?
Being cutthroat is not something you announce in a speech, it is something you do inspite of what you say in a speech. I would not get dissappointed with Phillip's speech. He has said everything is on the table. Which means they are considering expansion. Which means teams for the B12 or PAC12. He is not going to announce such intentions in advance. Final decisions have not been made, but clearly the ACC is prepared to raid other conferences if they feel it will benefit. But the last thing you want to do is announce such intentions in advance. People are upset because they want answers now. It doesn't work that way. And when the answers come, they will help but people will still be disappointed, because they will only lessen the gap, not remove the financial gap.
Gobbler Guru Gobbler Guru
In retrospect...
it may not have been the best idea for a conference somewhat hamstrung by its number of small, private school members to hire a commissioner who was an AD at a relatively small, private school.
3
33laszlo99
Northwestern U. enrollment is almost 22,000.
Gobbler Guru Gobbler Guru
Most of that is grad students.
Their undergrad profile is closer to a Miami or BC than it is to the larger state schools in either the ACC or BiG.
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133193Hokie
The ACC Presidents hired him for a reason - he serves at their pleasure so
he must be doing what they want him to do
Maroon Baboon Maroon Baboon
"EVERYTHING is on the table"? Including the C word?
1. Unequal revenue distribution 2. Giving ND a special scheduling deal/TV deal that they can't refuse to join. 3. Relegation and promotion (in conjunction with the Little 3) 4. CONTRACTION 5. Mega merger with the Pac-10 6. A vote to disband the conference 7. Going to 10 conference games What am I missing? WADR, I find it hard to believe that a guy who thought it was more important to annually schedule VT-Wake and Miami-Louisville rather than VT-Miami has the football chops to lead the ACC though this. And I think this writer knows. I have a lack of confidence that the suits in the Little 3 and their TV exec overlords will do anything creative and bold enough to change the trajectory we are now on. ** Edited by Maroon Baboon at 7/20/2022, 4:39:55 PM
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133743Hokie
Miami didn't want VT as permanent rival
B
BAMRising
But they pounded the table on...Louisville?
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133743Hokie
Have no idea. Just know it was widely reported that their AD didn't want VT
Maroon Baboon Maroon Baboon
If true. Whit and Phillips didn't seem to fight them on it.
Ridiculous no matter how you slice it.
wwhokie1 wwhokie1
Expand with two B12 teams plus partnership with Pac12
Femoyer Hokie Femoyer Hokie
Here is another…..
Maroon Baboon Maroon Baboon
Sounds like he was about to announce an ACC-Ivy merger just them.
Would have been epic.
Old Line Hokie Old Line Hokie
I'd rather add Simon Fraser, Guelph, Toronto & McGill.
That tv market is available. The ACC can make the end zone 10 yards deeper.
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133193Hokie
But, but, but - it is about academics and the welfare of the student
athlete. yada, yada, yada. What else can the commissioner of the ACC say at this point. Sad
Maroon Baboon Maroon Baboon
Do you remember ESPN and the networks scolding football lovers over CTE?
Self righteous networks: football is too dangerous for our own good Same networks: lets play 17 NFL games and expand the CFB playoff ** Edited by Maroon Baboon at 7/20/2022, 4:33:22 PM
goldendomer goldendomer
It was pretty bad... I appreciate his sentiment, but he needs to awaken
To the reality. ** Edited by goldendomer at 7/20/2022, 3:52:36 PM
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Vippie1
Not to be repetitive but I'm not sure
what he could have said without potentially tipping his hand. Whatever moves the ACC may make, he doesn't want it to be the SEC. And I think that is the vibe he is getting from the PAC also. So maybe he can find a way to keep the ACC viable, with a different more aspirational model for college athletics. Will the ACC ever have equal revenues? Likely no. But could they survive at a high level and still be able to look itself in the mirror? Well if he can pull it off, count me in.
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daveinop
Actually, he should have said much less than he did
The guy just looked and sounded worn out; which he probably is w/ transformation, CFP, and media negotiations going on simultaneously. And then he got stuck in his "neighborhood analogy"; I'm sure he'd like to have that one back. It seems he wants an inclusive top tier in D1 under the NCAA umbrella; I don't know that he'll get it unless he can marshal a big enough conglomeration of ACC, PAC, and Big 12 football schools that the B1G, SEC, and media can't ignore.
goldendomer goldendomer
Phillips is getting hammered for his press conference
Just not this article. ** Edited by goldendomer at 7/20/2022, 3:20:32 PM
S
Stech
He should be, the ACC 🤷‍♂️
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daveinop
He also said
"We're making progress, Luke, with the Transformation Committee. I think you're going to see something at the end of August that's pretty substantial with more work to be done. I think these things are walking along together, Luke, along with a new NCAA president. "I don't expect us in September when we get together to line up and announce a new CFP structure. I think we've made great progress over our last two meetings both in April and in June, and everybody is motivated to come together. "So I don't know that there's a separation now with those things. We'll see, but I think the health and safety, the 365-day calendar review. I mean, we've talked about access, automatic qualifiers. There's a lot of things to discuss, but those things, again, I would tell you I do not think have really separated that much." Hardly an inspirational speech from Phillips but there is an ongoing process and unlike Sankey, he didn't send Finebaum out to spin it. There is enough smoke around an updated media deal for the ACC that I think we'll see at least something. I have zero confidence that it will be competitive, but I think the contract will get a makeover.
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Vippie1
Agreed, the writer throwing a hissey fit
because Phillips can't do the impossible, overnight make the ACC revenue competitive with the sec and big. Well duh. But maybe he has a viable plan to keep this conference together for a few years until something else changes the dynamics. Or we can be like the Big 12, act angry and make rash decisions. Think they have buyers remorse of adding 4 marginal schools now that the remaining ten PAC schools may be in okay? The ACC has time to figure things out....make some moves now to stabilize things, and remain flexible.
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VT Rockie
Vipp[ie
I don't know your age but reading from your postings I think you are living in the "dark ages." Whether we like it or not things are not going to remain the same the same. Change is coming and the ACC is just a few foot steps away from being left behind. These changes are going to happen and I hope VT has learned a few lessons from past mistakes when it comes to which conference we should be striving to become a member. This is all about the money and as we all know money in our world has and always will be the major factor. Accept this and the fact that change is around the corner.
goldendomer goldendomer
For me it was the appearance. He looked lost
And out of place. Perception matters.
S
Stech
Interesting, do you have a link to that?
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daveinop
EGW's notes on 247; 31:30 on the linked video
** Edited by daveinop at 7/20/2022, 4:49:54 PM
goldendomer goldendomer
Great article and very frank.
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Vippie1
So what is his advice for JP
Pound the table and say exactly what?
goldendomer goldendomer
JP is in a bad spot. But the AcC needs a big time leader
Not another pacifist.
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Vippie1
He is going to something with the network and PAC
and maybe try to soften membership on unequal rev sharing. Giving GOR that is probably enough to freeze expansion for a few years. And who knows what dynamics could change by then. The BIG and SEC have pissed off enough people that critical mass of politicians may throw sand in the gears. We will see, but everyone is screaming for immediate big action when marginal actions may be the immediate answer.