Has the ND AD apologized to the ACC or does he continue to damage the
relationship and make ND a laughing stock.
34 Replies
S
Stech
6mo
Remind me, is Phillips supposed to retire next year(Edit: Phillips Contract is up in 2029) I thought I saw something like that, but I could have mixed it up with what I heard about Sands retirement.
** Edited by Stech at 1/10/2026, 10:49:01 AM
(In response to this post by manassashoo)
6mo
should be a huge ACC homer who isn’t a alumnus of UNC, Duke or Wake. Someone who has Mark Packer, Cory Alexander or Debbie Antonelli’s love for the conference but with business acumen. But someone who is a football first thinker. Either that or a shrewd businessman who hates losing and thinks they can legitimately play ball with the big boy P2s.
No matter who the next commissioner is, they have a tough hill t climb with all the private schools and schools with small footprints within their own states and the weird dysfunction of Cal, Stanford, SMU and a partial member in ND.
If not for that dumb GoR, a business savvy commissioner could propose a new super conference with Miami, FSU, GT, Clemson, NCSU, UNC, UVa, Tech, Pitt, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Kansas, Iowa State, Colorado, Utah, BYU, Arizona, ASU, Cal, Stanford, WSU, Oregon State and BSU. Mostly big state schools minus Miami, BYU and Stanford that could consist of five 5-team divisions.
All that said, I really miss the old days of 8 t 10 member conferences.
(In response to this post by Stech)
S
Stech
6mo
someone that had experience at both their conference and school that is treated like a conference to the CFP. In fact, I think the ND outrage over the ACC promoting their full time member for football is their AD is from NBC, he wants to bring them more money by having more NBC games. The only way he can do that quickly is to break the ACC agreement. However, it didn't play out in the public the way he thought it would play out. In fact the MOU got out, and it backfired.
(In response to this post by Calamitous)
2
2hhoop3
6mo
the ACC would already be PAC 12 Part Deux. Each can make their own decision as to whether that would be better or worse for their own individual school at present. The GOR was the Conference Realignment version of Valvano's Survive and Advance Strategy. At best, it held the conference together to buy time, at worst it allowed for a more orderly winding down of affairs than what occured in the PAC 12 fire sale.
(In response to this post by Calamitous)
6mo
but how fun would it be to be in a conference that cared about football and whose fans actually showed up to games? I do get excited about away games at Chesnut Hill, Duke and Wake Forest. Im equally pumped up looking into the stands at Miami and Pitt but at least they have football pedigree. Syracuse is OK when they have a winning program and give that private school a pass.
But you’re right in that the GoR protected the ACC but it also locked Tech and many other large state universities in with some schools who are lucky to be called a power conference school.
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
2
2hhoop3
6mo
and there are others that will strongly support your point. However, at least some will likely be the first to ***** about trips to scenic locales such as Manhattan, KS, Lubbock Texas and elsewhere. Just to be clear, it is about getting there, not the locale itself.
** Edited by 2hhoop3 at 1/11/2026, 6:59:08 PM
(In response to this post by Calamitous)
6mo
To that point, I’ll be the first to ***** when the ACC schedules us to have 4 straight away games to Cal, BC Miami and then SMU ha ha ha.
I think whatever happens (unless we get relegated to the G5) we will be traveling a lot in the future.
** Edited by Calamitous at 1/11/2026, 9:04:02 PM
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
6mo
So Phillips 'retires' in 2027, and at VT Sands contract ends as well (probably retire)...
(In response to this post by Stech)
S
Stech
6mo
it up with what I heard about Sands. That’s why I asked, and didn’t state it.
** Edited by Stech at 1/10/2026, 10:51:46 AM
(In response to this post by 1947Sunbowl)
E
EDGEMAN
6mo
I used to have a lot of respect for ND, but after seeing them working with the SEC to undermine their current conference (for all other sports)...
(In response to this post by manassashoo)
T
TerryD
6mo
.... regarding football independence.
(In response to this post by EDGEMAN)
6mo
The SEC is gaming ND much the way ND games everyone else. It’s the whole the enemy of my enemy is my friend thing and ND is pretty much everyone’s enemy because of their elitist and obnoxious behavior.
BTW… ND needs to go independent in ALL sports if independence is so important. Otherwise they should join the ACC in football. If they simply can’t, the noble thing for ND would be to leave the ACC and be independent in all sports. No one ever talks about this.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
6mo
Bite the bullet and start a movement at ND to go all in for independence for ALL sports. ND doesn’t need anyone. They can stand alone without any conference support for basketball and all their low to non-revenue generating olympic sports. ND is THAT great, right? You all did this in the 70s and 80s and before and seemed OK with that. You can do it again living like Kelly Tripucka. TerryD… you could be the one who started the movement.
The status quo here feels weak and like ND is giving up on the true meaning of independence. If not, then maybe your SEC allies can take ND in the same arrangement that the Big East and ACC did. Do you think the SEC would take a bite like those idiot ACC schools? If not, then you might have no allies except for maybe the ACC who let you all partially into the conference so you could have a nice landing spot for your other DEPENDENT sports.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
T
TerryD
6mo
ND is serious about football independence. That is where the juice is and the money to stay independent.
ND basketball was independent for 100 years, until the damn conferences made that impossible, mores the pity.
(ND really only cares about football; the other sports can be dumped into a conference)
IF ND basketball could be independent, it would be. That is the preferred status for all sports, but only football has the revenues and structure to stay independent.
It is the football program that needs to be protected by independence and kept free from the clutches and control of a collective.
That the Big Ten tried to boycott and smother the ND football program is hardwired into every ND fan's DNA.
ND administrators/alumni/fans/donors simply do not trust any conference to protect ND's best interests.
ND people believe that conferences only want ND football so they can siphon off its excess value and will then try to smother it again.
Conferences are the root of all evil in college sports, especially the bloated, made-for-tv collectives of today.
** Edited by TerryD at 1/11/2026, 2:14:47 PM
(In response to this post by Calamitous)
6mo
I had NO CLUE😂. Terry… I think my non sports loving daughter even knows this. ND cries so much about it my dead great great grandfather probably hears about it in his grave.
I STRONGLY feel that if ND holds football independence so dear, then they should hold independence for ALL sports dear. Otherwise you’re just what you are… hypocrites. The honorable thing for ND to do is to leave the ACC in all other sports since we’re such a bad conference for you. I bet ND can work out a similar deal with the SEC and Big Ten that they have with the ACC right?
(In response to this post by TerryD)
T
TerryD
6mo
I suggest that you call Pete Bevacqua on this. Let us know if he agrees with you.
(In response to this post by Calamitous)
6mo
That’s rich Terry. I’d love to talk to Peetie Boy just to tell him the same thing I’ve been unloading on you. I would stand strong in the stance that ND should be independent in ALL sports if it’s that important to them in football. Stop picking and choosing and leaching off conferences like the Big East and ACC for your other sports. And stop your *****ing about the ACC when your football team doesn’t get supported like full time member Miami did (a team who beat ND head to head). Please tell us why again the ACC should ever promote ND football over any of its true football members?
In the voice of Adam Sandler…. You’re wrong TerryD.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
6mo
That’s their national ranking. #9 in the country across all schools.
I get that some here love to hate on ND. But when the data contradicts the arguments, I’m going to call it out. And in this case, ND has proven to be a very strong ACC participant for those sports that you are suggesting are leaching off the ACC.
Be mad all you want about the football arrangement. But the ND non rev sports are far from being a burden or leech for the ACC.
(In response to this post by Calamitous)
6mo
in ALL sports. They can leave now.
I never said they were horrible… they just need to be all in including football or leave altogether. Leaches.
** Edited by Calamitous at 1/13/2026, 8:17:43 PM
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
6mo
If you want to support your arguments, come up with your own data. What I provided is hard data about why your argument is wrong, with a focus on ND non- revs since you keep bringing them up.
You should focus on ND football, because your views on ND non-rev sports are not supported by any evidence.
(In response to this post by Calamitous)
6mo
My argument is simple. ND join the ACC in football. If not, leave the ACC in all other sports and become independent. My point is about football but aLao about all their other sports. Not sure I understand why data is needed but your data proves they’re good enough to stand alone in ALL sports. I never said ND stunk in non-rev sports but I did say “if they think they’re all that” which it looks like they are, then they should leave the ACC and be independent in all sports. I don’t think you understand what my argument is.
If you want some data, go back to the 60s, 70s and 80s and see how ND thrived as an independent in all sports. They can do this again and I would gladly support them.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
6mo
My point is that football is not the same as women’s soccer or cross country.
Football is a revenue generating sport that generates hundreds of millions of dollars in schools revenue and local economic activity. It is very clearly worth discussing and considering where ND belongs in the future.
Soccer, cross country, volleyball, etc. are just hard working student athletes that you don’t watch. And I don’t watch them either, especially now that I’m older and fully busy with my job and family. So it’s odd that you are so adamant about taking away competition opportunities for the non-rev sports and athletes all because of disagreement around the football program.
The reality is that ND non-revs are worthy of playing in the ACC. ND does well enough nationally to help elevate the ACC as an overall sports conference. ND helps make VT and other schools better by providing great competition. The current directors cup standings are relevant because they show that ND is a positive contributor for ACC sports. And no, the 40+ year old history from the 60’s-80’s is not relevant to the discussion today. That is ancient past and the NCAA has evolved at least a dozen times since then.
(In response to this post by Calamitous)
2
2hhoop3
6mo
being worthy. It is the same question that has always existed, all in or not in at all and if they truly value independence then it is hypocritical to "value" it in one sport and not value it in all sports. This is not really ND's problem but, the conferences that allow them partial membership. ND's other sports are good, however, there is a debate as to how good they might be if they had to compete as independents, consistent with their football status. The effects on scheduling and recruiting COULD face significant negative impacts.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
6mo
They could be good in non revs in any conference just as long as they aren’t in the same conference with my Hokies. I couldn’t care less about what ND brings to the ACC in non rev sports unless they joined full time with football. And don’t worry, their non rev athletes will be fine without a conference. ND has the cash. That said, their success in non rev sports is inconsequential in my argument. From “your own” data the ACC has 8 other schools in the top 25 in the directors cup. ND can go away and the ACC would still be fine for those who really care about field hockey. I just don’t want ND in a comfy bed here in the ACC.
It’s just 10 + another 12 years of being aligned with those leaches that irritates me. You have to admit the hypocrisy and double standards that they embody. If you’re OK with that, you can go on loving ND. But in the words of Robert Bruce to his father… “my hate will die with you” when I speak of ND in any conference with Tech as a partial member.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
6mo
will be the first time.
(In response to this post by manassashoo)
6mo
and stopped there, fine. When ND started in on the ACC promoting a full member over a partial and then turned down the bowl...any broad public sympathy disappeared.
(In response to this post by manassashoo)
6mo
(In response to this post by manassashoo)