Here is the official press release from Pitt ACC on moving to the ACC.
Who cares? Nordy left on the defensive, not pretty.
I can see the UL AD feeling bitter right now, but then when you make a classless and shallow statement like he did, there goes any public sympathy.
I read his article. I can agree with some of it; but the majority of it was idiotic.
Pitt chancellor Mark Nordenberg, meanwhile, said, “We did make it clear within the Big East, we were willing to improve the conference in any way we were asked. At the same time, we made it very clear that if other opportunities did arise, we would feel obligated to seriously assess them and look at the long-term future of the University of Pittsburgh.”
Not only is that a 400-level class of doublespeak, it is steeped in irony eight years old. In 2003, Boston College bolted the Big East for the ACC. Pittsburgh and four other schools sued BC with none other than Nordenberg explaining the decision.
“This is a case that involves broken commitments, secret dealings, breaches of fiduciary responsibility, the misappropriations of conference opportunities and predatory attempts to eliminate competition,” he said at the time.
I don’t think it is hypocritical in the least. The landscape of college athletics has drastically changed since BC, VT and Miami originally left the Big East. Since then, however, we have seen Colorado, Utah, Texas A&M and Nebraska all defect. Additionally, there is a strong chance that either WVU or Louisville would bolt to the SEC if given the chance. Given how things have changed and the Big East administration complete incompetency, this move was completely warranted.
I understand WVU and Rutgers being upset, but the rest of the league can screw off, they brought this on themselves.
In the end, I think everyone who has a BCS football team, a decent basketball team, and something that resembles a TV market should be fine. UCONN, WVU, Rutgers will be fine. I suspect that SFU, Cincy, and L’ville will likely land on their feet as well. Anything in the interim is just posturing.
As for Pitt, there’s a time to take one for the team and there’s a time to duck and move out of the way. I support the latter in this case.
“May you live in interesting times.” 🙂
I won’t miss WVU at all.
There was a time when the rivalry was passionate, yet civilized. There was a mutual respect underlying a thin shell of animosity that made things competitive, but fun. Today, it’s different. Ugly, even, to a point where I wouldn’t even think of taking my family to Morgantown for the game. Ducking batteries, beer, and shielding my children from vulgarities isn’t my idea of a good time. I’m not sure when the line was crossed, but I have no reservations at all about walking away.
From my perspective, it’s like a relationship; there were good times, and there were bad times, but now it’s just dysfunctional and it’s time to move on. I for one don’t need someone to hate to make the game/season more interesting.
Right now, the Big East knew that they were a prime target from both the SEC and ACC and should have and have had ample opportunity to be more proactive. Granted, I don’t know what they were doing behind the scenes but obviously Pitt and Syracuse did not view it as enough.
Pitt told the Big East in writing that they would keep their options open (in May 2010, not last week or last month or even last football and basketball season) and Pitt obviously followed through on that.
I don’t feel bad for TCU at all – their situation is the same as it was yesterday. I do feel bad for Louisville, Cincy and South Florida because they will be screwed and left out of the conference shuffle. UCONN, WVU and Rutgers will land on their feet.
the stumper, don’t let a few fans ruin your hatred of WVU. We need that rivalry – it’s nationally recognized as one of the great rivalries in college sports even when neither team deserves to be nationally recognized. Oliver Luck has done a decent job toning down the Hoopies.
It’s always been beyond civil – you’ve just gotten older and approach the games from a different perspective. Go to a Ravens game wearing black and gold and you’ll see crossing the line. Let’s just say I won’t do that again.
Just a thought that would share the current facilities without extending to ice hockey and the lack of space.
I stopped taking Dana O’Neill’s article seriously when she said this:
“For years, Mike Tranghese opened Big East media day with remarks about the robustness of his conference. No one argued.”
No one argued. She’s like Marinatto. Tunnel-vision focused solely on basketball; not just tone-deaf to the discontent of the football schools, but completely oblivious to it. She’s a basketball writer, I get that, but then, she shouldn’t be writing this column. She had no idea any of this was going on.
“I don’t understand it,” Jack Swarbrick said as a new round of conference hopping in college athletics moved into high gear Sunday. “How do you vote as a collegiate president on something that has the potential to provide some benefit for your institution and the conference you’re affiliated with but has a very negative consequence for a host of other members of the academy, as presidents like to call it?
“I’d like to know how much of these discussions are: What’s right? What is the best thing for the larger enterprise, and how many other schools would be adversely impacted?
“I just don’t know that that’s happening.”
Wow….guess what Jack, if your school wasn’t so damn selfish and would play football in the league that all of your other sports are in (like every other school in the country), if your school didn’t think their football program was above being in a conference, if your school was a full football playing member of the Big East this wouldn’t be an issue. The Big East would’ve never been raided the first time and would be a strong league. I don’t want to see another quote from this guy about loyalty, or anything, his school can’t even fully commit to a conference.
jacka$$
I love how every Tom, Dick and Harry has an opinion about this now. meanwhile, if their school had the opportunity to secure their future and not have to worry about finding a chair to sit on when the music stopped they would all do the same thing.
I still think ND’s time will come. I envy the fact that they will be able enter into an agreement without (football related) entanglements, but that’s just not the real world for most institutions.
Sweet nailed it, and others have echoed the same sentiment. There’s not a single program out there in a similar situation that wouldn’t do the same thing if given the opportunity. Chance favors the prepared, and fortunately Pitt was prepared to take action.
The fact that Nordenberg clearly put the BE on notice more than 16 months ago is the key fact here. That gave the BE commissioner and other members a full year to:
1) Understand exactly how the landscape of college football was changing and the factors that demanded that change, and
2) Get proactive and secure the BE future with additional schools to make it attractive enough for PITT and SYR to stay.
The blame that the BE did neither can’t be laid at the feet of PITT. Especially not when we made them understand back in May ’10 that if things didn’t change we would seriously consider any and all offers.
There is a hell of a lot of bad wine being made of sour grapes by the remaining BE schools and we don’t have to drink a drop of it.
In all I think it was the right move for the long term. Slightly better competition, more exposure, more money, AND there is now 0 risk that Pitt will be left out in the cold when this conference realignment settles.
I think our style of play will mesh. If they go to 16 teams with two more Big East schools one of the divisions would most likely be…
Pitt
Syracuse
UCONN
Rutgers or WVU
Va Tech
BC
MD or UVA or both
…and Miami (probably not but would be fun)
This is basically the Big East ten years ago and would remain physical. The ACC would have no choice but to toughen up not the other way around.
Better competition and better recruiting should be default create a better product on the field. It won’t happen overnight, but are we really that far behind:
– NC
– NC State
– VA
– MD
– Syracuse
– BC
– etc…
Granted, thats probably a better list of all around opponents than what we’ve got right now, but I don’t see a world of disparity in the ACC. Pitt has to get better regardless of where they are and they have to be able to beat teams of ANY caliber.
May isn’t dumb; FAR from it. I hope he’s just playing a role on this one.
It will also help to offset the talent gap with all of the McDonald’s AAs that play in the ACC, particularly at Duke and Carolina. Of course, Jamie is starting to close that gap as well.
I think this will actually benefit Pitt more than most teams. Jamie will learn and adjust his style and recruiting over time. That seems to be his M.O. It will make his teams even more competitive against all styles of play. That can only help in the one-and-done tourneys at the end of the year.
Geno Thorpe is loaded with talent, however, if his statement is correct he needs a quick attitude adjustment. If you want to play BIG TIME college bb you have to be able to adapt to the situations that you face on your schedule.
Mr Thorpe, Mr Dixon is fully capable of guiding you on the path to winning!!
BTW, Coach Dixon is supposed to have a press conference today. May be interesting but I would expect him to adopt the company line, so to speak.
Tino starts and gets picked at least 3 times/sacked at least 3 times
Our pass defense gives up at least 4 td’s and is bone tired come the 4th quarter.
Graham has a tough running day because ND knows that Tino can’t throw and they stuff the line.
NDU 45 Pitt 10
The move to the ACC helped absorb the blow a little but I’m still mad as hell about the loss Sat. Too many plays to pinpoint the loss but Pitt wasn’t fundamental in the 2nd half at all (kickoff out of bounds, pass interference, dropped snaps, etc.)!
There are problems other than Tino (LB’s & secondary notably) but I’m curious to see how TG handles Tino this week.
That loss to Iowa was beyond explanation…To be up 27-3 at ANY point in a game (let alone closing in on the 4th quarter) and still lose can be described as nothing less than a complete collapse and failure.
Pitt has taken hits for the team for years. They warned the BE to be proactive.
Whether you like it or not, there are going to be 4 super conferences.
In 03′, that moving for geographic reasons, financial, whatever.
This is totally different. This is fighting for your existence for being relevant in the future.
They had been warned, and warned again, but Headquarters and Marinatto did nothing.
What, we’re suppossed to go down with the ship in the name of social justice or something??? LOL
And Stevey boy wonders why 15+ year season ticket holders cancelled and are not returning.
We should pray that the ACC doesn’t get buyers remorse and dump us….
Villanova and Georgetown will land on their feet.
Marquette and DePaul, what were they ever doing in the Big East to begin with?
As for Louisville, I haven’t heard or read what he said, but, apparently from what people are saying……….screw you!!!
So happy I won’t have to hear friends and relatives from PSU and other schools, say, “ya, but that’s in the Big Least!”
One final thing for some of the other schools or sports writers making snide comments. If you want to be nasty………..I can too.!!!!!!!!
efffffff uuuuuuuuuuuu, we’re in!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Save a scholarship for a kicker.
Every week we show that we are sinking like the Titanic. New system, yes….fundamental football has absolutely nothing to do with a new system.
Have we forgotten that Iowa is NOT a good football team? How do you blow a game against a mediocre team like Iowa, struggle with Maine and Buffalo and expect to stay alive against NDU. Kelly is going to do everything he can to run the score up!!
Minor, sour grapes is all. Enjoy Conference USA again!!! LOL!!
Or staying in the BE, wonder how Pitino will feel about coaching in a Mid-Major BE???
Wow, Pitt fans never get to laugh. Amen Nordy!!
Also go to a game at Clemson, FSU or VT and see what college football is about.
Do not scoff at FIU …. only 10 years, and already won the Sun Belt and competitive with teams like Texas A&M and beating Louisville
With Trey back there,, I have hope to win the Big east.. not likely, but at least he can scramble.
Did you see Tino try to avoid pressure ? Wow..that kid needs some game time presence.
My Pitt Panthers coming to me more often?? Yes please.
Duke and Carolina in hoops?? Yes please.
FSU and VaTech in pigskin?? Yes please.
Stability for our athletic Dept?? Yes please.
The only school I really feel bad for is TCU, they worked hard to build up their program and they deserve better.
As for USF, Louisville, and Cincy, they should be thankful that schools like Pitt and ‘cuse let them in the Big East 8 years ago and gave them an athletic identity and fan following.
USF sports were INVISIBLE in Tampa until they joined the BE and won a couple of games.
Loss to Iowa
– too many turnovers, primary goal is to start winning the TO battle
– 4th quarter collapse due to too many missed assignments, confusion and critical errors on defense.
– Not worried about conditioning – said defense has themselves to blame for staying out on the field so long.
– also said that it’s important to maintain tempo on offense which is why he didn’t slow down the pace on offense after taking the big lead.
ND
– big challenge in stopping one of the best offense and the best WR (Floyd) in NCAA
Move to ACC
– great to solidify future of the FB program
– should help recruiting in FL and Georgia
– stressed the academics part of moving to ACC. Said his decision to work at Rice, Tulsa and Pitt were in part due to academics (notice that he omitted WVU … also would have to believe that $2m also helped)
One more observation: TG talked slower almost like a normal person. Also didnpt mention ‘high octane’ or ‘pedal to the medal’ once. Almost wish Pitt would lose more often (not really.)
I never said anything on here, but, I was fearful it was going to be 65-10 Iowa, back to Majors II.
They proved they can play. Some adjustments are definitely needed. Not sugar coating anything, horrible defeat, horrible 4th quarter.
I have no problem with being a bit Critical of Coach Graham’s game day management, or where he should do this, or that. That’s good, solid BS’ing about the game.
I have my own. Gotta be someway to kill some clock. Why is Tino still in there, etc. etc.
However, this business of “Graham sucks”, “what a mistake”, “his offense sucks”, from a few people on here, and, on the radio, is, quite frankly, a bit childish and sophmoric.
I will keep posting this, as long as I keep reading that kind of crap…………
Every coach gets a few years. NFL, NHL, MLB, college football and hoops, and just about any other sport you can name.
Certainly anyones right to post what they want, but, I will keep posting my reply!!! LOL
Hey, I may join some of you, in a few years, if we are stinking the joint out, but, after 3 games, nah, not yet.
Hail to the ACC and Pitt!!
As we have said for nearly five years now, you have to have a QB and LBs to win in football. We do not have either. You can find speedy guys to catch ande run, you can find tough guys in the trenches to block and trackle, you can run gimmicky, trickeration, stat filled schemes, but if you want to WIN…you need a QB and LBs to make plays.
Right on, good riddance. I’ve had too many otherwise wonderful Saturdays ruined by morons from the Mountain State.
Hope the ACC isn’t dumb enough to accept them or this whole thing will be a lot less sweet for me.
laugh…our parents were “twitterpated” alike spring in Bambi.
There should be a law: no work- birthday’s only play!
Syracuse has a great lacrosse team which when added to UVA, Duke, UNC and Maryland makes the ACC
almost as strong in lacrosse as the SEC is in football. Will Pitt try to develop a lacrosse team?