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12 Mar 2013

State of the Pack: What has gone before…

So we, the Wolfpack nation, were reduced to this:  pulling for the Maryland Quitterpins vs the favored Virginia Cavaliers.  To make matter worse, the Terps teased us, at times controlling the game before falling short by only four points.  So that was that; no first-round bye in the Acc Tournament, instead a meeting with Virginia Tech on Thursday afternoon.

But how did we get to this point? Time for a (not very) nostalgic look back at the 2013 season…

It started with rampant optimism.  Many prognosticators had NCSU winning the conference, with at least one preaseason magazine picking the Pack to make the Final Four.  The first sign that this might be inacurate came on the sunny isle of Puerto Rico, where State came out flat and lost to Oklahoma State 76-56 in a rout that may not have been as close as the score indicated.  While the Cowboys would prove better than expected, the Pack would not meet their lofty expectations at all.

Still, the ship seemed to be righted on January 12th when State dominated then-number-one Duke 84-76.  Standing at 14-2 and 3-0 in conference play, the Pack looked like they could handle anybody.

At least until the following Wednesday, when the game that perhaps defined this maddening rollercoaster ride occured:  the 51-50 loss at Maryland.  That’s when we all had to admit that despite the great recruiting class, despite the preseason predictions, despite last season’s surprise Sweet 16 appearance, this was no Final Four candidate.

There would be other peaks and valleys this year, beating North Carolina in Raleigh, losing to Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, but the Pack slid slowly down the ratings from a preseason #6  to the current position of a team unranked but at least certain of an NCAA bid.

If force to give this team a letter grade based solely on the regular season, I would go B-.  C+ if not for the split with both Duke and Carolina, B+ if not for the losses to Wake and Maryland, and to FSU when the bye was still ours to lose.

I am a bit disturbed as I check out State message boards around the net.  Some are already howling for Mark Gottfried’s head.  While much did go wrong this year, I urge patience.  We are pretty much guaranteed a second straight trip to the Dance, and as all State fans know, once you get there, who knows?  Our lack of depth is all that is holding us back at this point.

As for the upcoming ACC tournament, we open, as mentioned above, on Thursday vs Virginia Tech at 2 pm.  We should expect to win that one.  Then it will be Virginia on Friday, and I am smelling a Pack victory there as well, although it would be something of an upset.  If so, Miami will likely be waiting in the semifinals, and that should be that.  But if, and I cannot see it happening, we somehow stun the Canes, either Duke or Carolina will be waiting.  I think Carolina; Duke tends to look ahead to the NCAAs and sometimes stumble in the conference tourney.

Anyway, the winner of State/Miami would then face the winner of Duke/UNC.  Any matchup of these four teams will be a final for the ages.  I think Miami vs UNC, and all bets are off.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Basketball, NC State Correspondent, Opinion, Predictions, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , ,
12 Mar 2013
7 Comments

Expansion-Related Exaggerations- The Farce of Big 10 Academic Superiority

Even though the rumors of the ACC’s demise have quieted down somewhat (which just goes to prove the absurdity of their existence to begin with), I want to continue with my planned series on conference realignment. So today I’m going to tackle the most often mentioned reason to join the Big 10. No, it’s not television money…it’s research money.

It’s true that the Big 10 is a great academic conference. But the benefits of its research organization, the CIC, are greatly overblown. Universities can, in fact, collaborate on research with anyone they want to. They can work together. They can raise funds together. They can do all of the things that the CIC offers without ever even stepping foot in the Midwest. And they do- ACC universities already do this with great success. For example, the University of North Carolina has become the nationally recognized leader in concussion research. They’re working on it on their own terms, with the schools that they want to. Yet, they’re not in the CIC. And Virginia Tech is pushing the boundaries of renewable energy. Their solar house has become a nationally recognized award winner, but they’re not members of the CIC either.  It’s not the organization that innovates. And it’s not the amount of money that it has that changes the world. It’s the people, and ACC universities are home to some of the top research talent available.

But you might say that money DOES matter and that the CIC will provide this to prospective members like UVA and GT. Okay, so how do ACC schools stack up when comparing research dollars? A quick glance at The Center for Measuring University Performance’s “Top American Research Rankings” list, shows ACC schools like Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, NC State and Pittsburgh alongside Michigan and Wisconsin. That’s the Big Ten alongside the ACC- there’s virtually no difference. ACC schools benefit from their association with each other just like the Big Ten schools do. Research dollar rankings prove this.

And that’s without even touching academic rankings. The ACC far exceeds the Big Ten as a whole in the often mentioned US News and World Report findings. The ACC boasts 11 universities in the Top 60 (including Maryland), while the Big Ten only has 6. Even with Maryland gone, the ACC will have a remarkable 66.6% of its members in this top group, compared to the Big Ten’s 50%. Again, facts not bias.

Many Big Ten fans point to membership in the Association of American Universities. Since an impressive 11 of 12 Big Ten schools hold a spot in this organization, it’s no wonder that they cite this as evidence of their superiority. Who wouldn’t? Yet, while it’s true that the AAU boasts a truly elite group of universities, having an exclusive membership like a collegiate fraternity does not mean that its members are more academically advanced than their peers. Highly regarded universities such as Dartmouth (#10), Notre Dame (#17), Georgetown (#21), Wake Forest (#27) and Boston College (#31) do not hold membership in the AAU, but are all, rightfully so, considered to be among the top schools in the country (US News and World Report ranking in parentheses). Membership in the AAU is not a necessary part of, or even a precursor to academic success. It looks good to have a title beside a school’s name, but what the school accomplishes is much more important. ACC schools prove this everyday.

This article is by no means an outlet to demean the Big Ten, but to start a discussion. The Big Ten is an impressive collection of schools with great academic programs and a rich history- this can’t be denied. But it’s great for them, NOT us. We appreciate our history. We celebrate our success. And we’re proud of our top-notch academic programs. The facts speak for themselves.

Posted by Mr. Tar Heel in Conference Realignment, Opinion, UNC Correspondent, Uncategorized
11 Mar 2013

The Last Big East Tournament

Welll, not really, but it might as well be.  Nostalgia will flow through the week at Madison Square Garden.  This tournament was essentially the heart and soul of the Big East.  While it may live on in its new formation, most people, even Syracuse haters, have to admit, a Syracuse presence each year really took the tournament intensity to a higher level. 

With Syracuse in a tailspin, its tough to tell how an early exit by the Orange will impact the rest of the tournament.  A Syracuse run to at least the semifinals will really have it seem like old times.  Ironically, the game I remember most was in 1986 when Pearl Washington had his last second shot swatted away by St. John’s – it was a long bus ride out of the city that night.  I wish I had been there through GMac’s run a few years back or Kemba Walker’s heroics.  If Syracuse can make it to the weekend games, I will find a way to be there for the last hurrah. 

I hope Syracuse can have one last glorious run before moving on to what will be an even better ACC tournament next year.

 

Posted by tjcuseacc in Uncategorized
23 Feb 2013
1 Comment

UNC Dominates!!!

Break a three-way tie for third in the ACC standings? Check!

Defend your homecourt and defeat your 2nd-biggest conference rival in the process? Check!

The Tar Heels left little doubt that they are back to form with their 76-65 rout  of NC State. Reggie Bullock, who was injured when these teams met in Raleigh, led all scorers with 22 and added 13 rebounds as Roy Williams’ Heels remained unbeaten against the Wolfpack in Chapel Hill.  James Michael McAdoo could do no wrong, with 14 points and 7 rebounds of his own.

The game itself was a bit ugly for a while.  Despite early turnover troubles, State hung in and were only down 34-28 at half. After a run of their own, the Pack led by four a couple of times.  But at about the six minute mark in the final segment, things changed dramatically.

Suddenly the Heels could do no wrong.  Even on the rare occasion in which they turned the ball over, the Pack could not finish and either missed or gave the possesion back.  To say that Carolina looked like the Harlem Globetrotters vs the Washington Generals is a profound insult to the Generals.

Not to say that the win was the result of Pack ineptitude.  Roy Williams obviously had his squad ready and when the game was on the line, the Heels were able to turn up the heat and secure the win.  That’s what champions do.

It’s probably too late for the Heels to make a run at the regular-season crown.  But I would be very nervous if I were a Duke or Miami fan going into Greensboro…very nervous indeed.

Disclaimer:

Fellow State fans, I am deeply sorry.  However, a bet’s a bet, and to be honest, it was kind of interesting to try and view this from another perspective.  And very, very painful.

Mr. Tar Heel, thanks for agreeing to this and I will (probably) never suggest it again. Congrats on the victory.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, NC State Correspondent, Uncategorized and tagged , , ,
21 Feb 2013

ACC American Cafe

You might not have heard, but the ACC is partnering with restaurant operator, HMS Host, to open its first restaurant later this year in the newly renovated Terminal 1 at RDU-International Airport in North Carolina’s Research Triangle. Featuring dishes inspired by the unique flavor of ACC towns, the ACC American Cafe will cater primarily to business travelers, as opposed to casual diners. In addition to ACC memorabilia, the concept calls for televisions, a full bar, and large windows overlooking the airfield. Some of the more interesting features however, are operator HMS Host’s commitment to internship opportunities and pledge to contribute revenue to athletic scholarships. To read the full release, please visit the airport’s blog-

http://rdublog.com/2013/02/21/exciting-new-restaurants-coming-to-terminal-1/#more-277

You may be wondering why this is happening. Why not? Conferences are always looking for new revenue streams, and I applaud the ACC for thinking out of the box. A lot of people questioned the Big Ten Network when it was created, but it’s turned out to be nothing, but an overwhelming success. So who knows? If the league can survive the latest realignment rumors, I think it has a bright future. The ACC is a great conference with a great identity, and what better way to remind people of this than to be front and center right when they come into town? I can only assume that if the venture is successful, it will expand to airports in other areas of ACC country like Atlanta, Boston and Miami. Maybe even Washington, D.C.? I’m sure it would be popular with all the Maryland fans…

Posted by Mr. Tar Heel in Uncategorized
19 Feb 2013
10 Comments

Big Ten Expansion, ACC Contraction?

The dominoes have been falling steadily.  Part of me just wishes the dominoes would go ahead and fall so we can be done with the madness.  It looks like another domino will fall soon.

It depends what you want to believe, but where there is smoke, there is fire. The big realignment pundits are all over this, including Frank the Tank. He paints a fairly pessimistic picture, basically saying “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

I think any departing ACC school would be a fool to announce before the Maryland suit settles, but the ACC looks anything but stable at this point. Could the Big Ten ruin the ACC?

Update: from a man who is a caricature of himself, self-endowed as “the Dude,” a title only reserved for the real Lebowski.  I digress.  Here’s what he said:

As Allen alluded to in his comments, many of these rumors are likely just that.  However, there have been enough of these rumors that something is bound to stick eventually.  Assuming UNC were to leap to the Big 10, where do you see the other ACC schools going?

Posted by Duke in Conference News, Conference Realignment, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , ,
19 Feb 2013
25 Comments

Ending Conference Realignment- The Role of the Fans

UPDATE- I will be posting contact information for all future/current ACC school Presidents and ADs (except for Maryland), as well as information for ESPN and all major conferences tomorrow morning (2/20)

Maryland’s Short-Term Fix, Destroys a Long-Term Vision

As realignment rumors heat up in the WVU circles, I wanted to continue my series on conference realignment. Today, I wanted to touch on the fan’s role in all of this. At times, it seems like our opinions don’t matter at all. When Maryland first announced their intentions to join the Big Ten, prominent alumni spoke out against President Wallace Loh’s practically singular decision. He claimed that due to the confidential nature of the talks, he was unable to involve more people in the decision-making process. Basically, this meant only one thing in common speech- He wanted to do what he wanted to do. He didn’t care what anyone else thought. Any responsible school president would have realized that a decision of this magnitude, one that uproots a school from its athletic conference of over 60 years, needs more than an outsider’s input and opinion. Big decisions have big implications. That’s why even though the benefits of the Charlotte Bobcats rebranding as the Charlotte Hornets are painfully obvious, they’re still conducting serious research to determine the best move going forward. For a team coming off of the worst season in NBA history, it’s pretty telling that they’re willing to make this kind of investment. They want to know how the fans feel because they know that this will affect the bottom line. Maryland didn’t care, they just acted. Fans weren’t given an opportunity to speak, and when they did, it was too late. Don’t let this happen to your school, or your conference.

Since Maryland’s Big Ten announcement, many fans and alumni have publicly reversed their opinion on the subject. And why not? They can’t change anything so they may as well be happy. Or at least convince themselves that they’ll be happy. But it won’t work. After all, who in the Maryland administration can say that  games against Iowa and Minnesota will be as exciting as the one against Duke last Saturday? They can’t. The only reason they can sell the “academic superiority” and “financial benefits” of a move to the Big 10 is because they have an inferiority complex stemming from their complete financial mismanagement and athletic mediocrity. They have to say something, even if it’s justifying “exciting new matchups” against “traditionally strong” teams like Wisconsin (last NCAA men’s basketball championship in 1941), Ohio State (1960) and Indiana (1987), teams that they have far less history against than members of the ACC. And that’s just basketball. If the Maryland football team was struggling with support when they played local rivals, how many tickets do they think they’ll sell for games against Indiana and Iowa? Will fans really show up for an Ohio State game, if they didn’t show up for  Florida State? Wallace Loh can say yes all he wants, but history points to no. The problem isn’t your opponents Maryland, the problem is YOU. You mismanaged your own budget, you devalued your own rivalries and you were the one putting unbelievably mediocre teams on the field and court for the last decade. You got yourself into this problem and the answer isn’t to join the Big Ten.

Proposed Expansion Disaster- UNC to the Big Ten

As a fan of an ACC school often rumored to be leaving, I know one thing for certain. If MY school joined the Big Ten, I would never care about it in the same way again. In fact, it would all but ruin college athletics for me. It takes decades for rivalries to develop and bonds to be formed. I don’t have 100 years to sit around and wait for games against Nebraska to suddenly and magically become interesting. I’m still not sold on BC and they’ve been in the league for 10 years. History and tradition DO matter and any forward-thinking school president can see that this. Think long-term, not short-term. Rivalries develop because of commonalities and any amount of money cannot change that. Maryland will soon find this out. UNC-Michigan is NOT a rivalry. Maryland-Iowa is NOT a rivalry either. Schools can’t change conferences and expect the perceived “benefits” to outweigh the drawbacks when the drawbacks are rooted in decades of history. The University of North Carolina is a Southern school with Southern traditions and Southern rivals. We’re in the conference that we’re in because of characteristics that transcend more than anything the Big Ten Network can give us. UNC joining the Big Ten would make every game a Boston College game for me. In other words, I really wouldn’t care to watch them.

Fan of a School vs. Fan of a Conference

People say that they’re a fan of a school not a conference, but let’s not pretend that it doesn’t matter who you play. Would Ohio State fans really be happy with a Mountain West schedule? No, they wouldn’t. Would Clemson fans be happy with a CUSA schedule? Absolutely not. The conference that a school is in is just as important as the school itself. A win over Bowling Green would not be as exciting to me as a win over Duke. A conference is the school’s identity. It determines over 60% of matchups in each sport. Schools grouped together to begin with because they had common goals and characteristics. That’s why I wouldn’t be happy with my school in the Big Ten. I’d rather be in the Big 12, SEC or Pac-12 than the Big 10 because honestly, there are more interesting opponents in each of those conferences. We have more in common. But above all, I want to stay in the ACC because that’s where we belong.

What Can Fans Do? Let the ADs, Commissioners and TV Execs Know What You Think

So what can we do as fans? I want to encourage you to write to Commissioner Swofford and conference ADs and presidents. Share your ideas with them. Share your vision. Tell what you like about the conference and tell them about what you don’t. Even contact Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney, Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick and ESPN President John Skipper. They will certainly have a say in all of this before it’s done. Sharing your ideas doesn’t take very long and it’s worth a shot before it’s too late. I’ve done it before and heard back within weeks. At a time when our conference is in such a state of flux, it’s important for the fan’s voice to be heard. Your school BELONGS in the ACC and the ACC NEEDS to stay together. More money won’t solve your problems, I promise. You’ll end up as a misfit pariah like Maryland for the next 50 years. Think about it this way. Being rich doesn’t make Lil’ Wayne and Donald Trump any more similar. In fact, they could not be more different.

Posted by Mr. Tar Heel in Conference News, Conference Realignment, UNC Correspondent, Uncategorized
17 Feb 2013
10 Comments

The Big East’s $20Mish TV Deal

It is expected that the Big East will land a television deal for approximately $20 million per year. Total. As in $2M per school. This excludes the so-called Catholic-7, who are working their own deal.

It has also been widely reported that the Big East once turned down an offer that would have paid each football school $13M per year. Apparently, it was Pitt, WVU, and Rutgers that led the charge to turn down that deal. These three schools and Georgetown allegedly voted against it.

So, if you are decent at math, UConn, Cincy, and USF have lost $11M per year because of these four schools’ rejection of the deal. Granted, there may be some recoupment based on shares of exit fees, but these are huge losses.

If I am these schools, I am furious at Pitt for rejecting the deal and then bolting, leading the charge toward the eventual loss of $11M per year. At least in Syracuse’s case, they were willing to accept the ESPN deal. It can be argued that the improvident rejection was an impetus for moving to the ACC. In Pitt’s case, they rejected on the theory that the Big East was worth more and then were the first domino to make it worth less. And WVU and Rutgers can always note that the Big East would have been worth more had everyone stayed, as they assumed when voting. Pitt is the one that deserves the ire.

As a lawyer, I have seem far far more frivolous suits that ANY theory that UConn, USF, and Cincy could raise against Pitt for these dealings. As a lawyer, I also expect that the Pitt exit fee settlement included a release of those claims (by conference or school). And even if they could, it is doubtful that anyone would sue. But the whole thing does really stink.

From the ACC’s perspective, it needs to throw the book at Maryland. Pitt leaving set off a chain reaction that cost three Big East schools to lose tens of millions of dollars–much more than their share of the exit fee. This is WHY an exit fee needs to be so high. Wake Forest, who is ACC or bust, needs to vote against any settlement for less than face value. If Maryland starts a chain reaction, exit fees are all you’ll have.

More on that later.

For now, let’s all just sympathize with UConn, Cincy, and USF fans.

Posted by acaffrey in Uncategorized
16 Feb 2013
4 Comments

FSU: search for OC, recruiting, and ACC woes

fsu.renegade

News on the latest with FSU

Search for OC continues:  Ever since James Coley left, Jimbo Fisher has been operating with one less position coach.  Recently, it was rumored that former UCLA OC Mike Johnson was on campus for an interview.  Meanwhile, Tee Martin, current WRs coach at USC, was rumored to be also interviewing for the offensive coordinator position.  There haven’t been many leaks about who’s getting hired, so no one truly knows.  The big question will be whether the person named offensive coordinator is actually going to be the person who calls the plays someday.  Remember, Jimbo still calls the plays at FSU.  He admitted late last year that getting a real OC was part of his 5 year plan.  FSU currently has two former OCs as assistants (Randy Sanders, RB coach and Billy Napier, TE coach).  The wildcard here is that Jimbo promotes one of them to OC and hires an assistant with ties to the Miami area.

Early 2013 rankings:  FSU comes in at 16 according to Schlabach.  Here’s what Schabach had to say:

“The Seminoles underwent a complete facelift after finishing 12-2 last season. Coach Jimbo Fisher lost six assistants from his staff, including defensive coordinator Mark Stoops (Kentucky’s new coach) and offensive coordinator James Coley (same position at Miami). Fisher hired former Alabama assistant Jeremy Pruitt as his defensive coordinator and has yet to hire an offensive coordinator, although Fisher will probably continue to call FSU’s plays. Despite the staff overhaul, Fisher was able to bring in the country’s ninth-best recruiting class, which included No. 4 cornerback Jalen Ramsey, No. 5 defensive tackle DeMarcus Walker and No. 10 outside linebacker Matthew Thomas. The Seminoles will spend the spring looking for a new quarterback after losing EJ Manuel, who won four bowl games. They’ll also have to rebuild their defensive line, especially after star end Bjoern Werner left for the NFL draft.”

He’s spot on.  It’s a rebuild.  New coaches, new QB, new players on defense and new scheme.  Meanwhile, Clemson clocks in at 11.  It’s absolutely imperative for the ACC to have two top 20 teams.  At a minimum.

Recruiting:  This week, Rivals published its list of best recruiters.  Topping the list is Mike Groh at Alabama, but 2 FSU coaches made the list: Jeremy Pruitt and Odell Haggins.  The funny thing about Pruitt is that he was only on the staff for a month.  But he was able to pull a top 5 DE, CB and then brought in a few sleepers he evaluated himself.  Not bad work.  Odell, meanwhile, is the most underrated FSU coach has.  Looking around the ACC, Clemson’s Venables got props as a top recruiter, but so did Mike Locksley at Maryland.  Maryland absolutely killed it in this class…

Speaking of recruiting, Noles 247 released an article this week about the recruitment of Matthew Thomas.  I’m not sure what’s worse; that he said he would have gone to USC if his mom signed the LOI or that Denver Kirkland would have gone to FSU if Thomas told him he was going.

ACC Woes:  Warchant.com released an article this week about FSU’s major loss… to the tune of $478,000 for showing up to the ACC Championship Game.  How does this happen?  There’s only one answer in my book: hold conference championships at the “home” team’s field.  Obviously, come up with a revenue sharing strategy, but I know how the ACC could have sold 82,000 tickets and given both FSU and GT real money for having played in the ACC Championship Game.  It’s an easy fix.

A blurb on basketball:  I’ve been meaning to write about FSU’s squad this year.  Truth be told, they were green going into the year and then all hell broke loose with injuries.  It has been a tough year to watch.  They lost a battle against UM this week and took them to the wire.  Today, FSU plays BC today in Boston.  A win could go a long way to saving the season and building momentum.  Of course, while this season may be lost while we rebuild, next year will be great with Andrew Wiggins.

As always, please comment and Go Noles!

Posted by Duke in Football, FSU Correspondent, Rankings, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,
15 Feb 2013

State of the Pack: Basketball Red Zone

OK, now we find out who the Wolfpack really are.  Are we the team that was the ACC preseason favorite or the one that lost so many games they were supposed to win? Admittedly, winning the regular season is a ship that has sailed; it’s pretty much down to Duke and Miami at this point.

However, the close win over Clemson gave some reason to hope.  This game was the kind the Pack had been losing; a close contest in front of a rabid road crowd (no other kind in the ACC).  But when the Tigers had State on the ropes a funny thing happened; for perhaps the first time this season, the Wolfpack responded and were able to eke out a win over a lower-ranked team.

This is an excellent time to discover that State can win these games.  If you look at the rest of the season, there are no ranked teams left.  Per the most recent poll in the Confidential, and despite Virginia being ahead of them in the standings, NCSU is the third-best in the ACC (current membership, not the “futures”) at this point.  With apologies to our own Mr. Tar Heel, every game is winnable from here on out and I would not be surprised if we did finish 24-7 going into the conference tournament.  Of course, we could also go the other way, but my glass is half full and so, I believe, is the Pack’s.

All starts with Saturday’s game vs Va Tech.  Playing at home, we should show out and not be challenged.  This being the ACC, however, I would be satisfied with a nail-biter victory over Erick Green and company.  In the event of a loss, this post will self-destruct…sorry, watching Ghost Protocol on Netflix…

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Basketball, NC State Correspondent, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , ,

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