The Confidential

The ACC Sports Blog

Archive for the tag “Football”

09 Aug 2012
2 Comments

ACC Revises Florida State’s 2012 Football Schedule to Accommodate TV

(SOMEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA)  In an attempt to placate its overlord television partners, the Atlantic Coast Conference is finalizing its 2012 football schedule.  Unfortunately, this will lead to some changes, with the Florida State Seminoles being conspired against receiving their fair share of exciting new changes.

First, because nobody cares about the Maryland Terrapins football team now that Randy Edsall has brought his bumbling. yawn-inducing style of football to College Park, ESPN has requested that the September 22 FSU-Clemson game be swapped with the November 17 game between FSU-Maryland.  Nobody wants to watch a beatdown like that in November.  Unfortunately, it just so happens that the circus is in Tallahassee on November 17, so the FSU-Clemson game must now become a road game for the Seminoles.  In exchange, the FSU-Maryland game becomes a home game for Florida State, which should appeal to fan bases of both schools as FSU fans get to watch a victory live, while Terps fans get to avoid having to watch a loss live.  Win-win-win.

Second, in a brand new marketing scheme, the October 6 FSU-North Carolina State game is also going to be moved to later in the season.  In fact, it will not even be in 2012.  Instead, the game will be played as part of a groundbreaking football/basketball doubleheader on January 29, 2013.  FSU-NC State will kickoff on ESPN at 7:00 p.m.   At 9:00 p.m., ESPN will switch its coverage to a North Carolina-Duke hoops game.  The FSU-NC State game will shift over to ESPNU or something at that point.  Dick Vitale is already excited!

Third, Duke and Florida State will play in the first “M.A.D.D. Bowl.”  In an effort to show that college football, tailgating, and alcohol do not have to go together, these two teams will kickoff at 7:00 a.m.  Also, nobody will be allowed to enter the stadium with a detectable Blood Alcohol Level.

Fourth,in response to Florida State’s protests regarding the scheduling of Thursday road games, the Atlantic Coast Conference has agreed to change the November 8 Thursday game between Virginia Tech and Florida State to November 10.  That way, Florida State does not have to play on the road on a Thursday.

Finally, to ensure adequate Thursday exposure and provide Florida State a home game on that day of the week, the October 13 home game against Boston College will be shifted to Thursday, October 18.  This is nice for Florida State fans, who get to watch the team play on that date, and then make the short trip down to Miami on Saturday, October 20, for a rivalry game against the Hurricanes.  It is going to be an exciting week for Seminole fans.

To recap, here is the final schedule for FSU (changes in bold):

  • Sept 1, Murray State: 6:00 pm
  • Sept 8, Savannah State: 6:00 pm
  • Sept 15, Wake Forest, 12:00 pm
  • Sept 22, Maryland, Time TBA
  • Sept 29, @ South Florida, Time TBA
  • Thursday, Oct 18, Boston College, 7:00 pm
  • Saturday, Oct 20, Miami, Time TBA
  • Saturday, Oct 27, Duke, 7:00 a.m. (M.A.D.D. Bowl)
  • Nov 10, @ Virginia Tech, 7:30 pm
  • Nov 17, @ Clemson, 7:30 pm
  • Nov 24, Florida, Time TBA
  • Wednesday, Jan 29, 2013, @ North Carolina State, 7:00 pm

The ACC made this official announcement regarding the scheduling changes: “In conjunction with someone from the State of Florida, presumably a Florida State fan, the Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN are pleased to announce the finalization of the ACC football schedule.  We are also pleased that this finalization process did not impact the majority of Florida State games or in any way benefit the State of North Carolina or its member institutions.  No, we are not being defensive.  You are the ones who are being defensive.”

Florida State has yet to issue an official comment.  The Florida State blogosphere is, as usual, apathetic about things involving the football team.  Not when basketball season is just three months away…

 

 

SPONSOR NOTE: Play Daily Fantasy Baseball Here!

Posted by acaffrey in Football, Sarcasm, Uncategorized and tagged , ,
08 Aug 2012

Today in the A.C.C. (August 8, 2012)

Here is the latest that is happening with the Atlantic Coast Conference, as of August 8, 2012.

  • Previously, the Confidential noted the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Duke WR Blair Holiday.  Actually, it was yesterday, but whatever.

In a classy gesture, the Duke football team will be wearing a #8 on their helmets to honor him this season.  Good for them.  But if YOU want to do something, how about giving a donation to the fund set up to assist him: “For information on how to contribute to the The Blair Holliday Recovery Fund, visit www.giveforward.com/theblairhollidayrecoveryfund.”

  • In Miami, Ray-Ray Armstrong is not accepting his dismissal from the team without a fight; instead, he has lawyered up.

Armstrong’s counsel plans to file an injunction to force the “school to allow Armstrong to practice with the team until the NCAA determines if he has violated any bylaws.”  Of course, Armstrong’s counsel also noted that Armstrong has a lengthy history and was dismissed based on a few different incidents.  Still, it will be Armstrong’s contention that Miami has dismissed Armstrong just to make itself look better while the NCAA ponders just how much of a penalty Miami deserves.

  • In basketball news, Boston College has offered a scholarship to Chicago-area forward Evan Boudreaux.

The 6-foot 7 forward plays for Lake Forest high school.  Even if he chooses Boston College do not expect to see him any time soon–he is only a 15-year-old sophomore.  Nevertheless, he seems to have acquitted himself well against decent competition recently.

 

 

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Football and tagged , , , , ,
07 Aug 2012
1 Comment

Today in the A.C.C. (August 7, 2012)

Well, the Confidential jumped the gun a bit yesterday, calling it September in a few different places.  Rest assured, it is still August.  In any event, here is what is going on around the ACC today:

  • Hud Mellencamp, son of the famous singer John Mellencamp, is a walk-on for the Duke football team.

Mellencamp did not play football in high school football.  Nevertheless, Duke is letting him serve as a walk-on defensive back.  Maybe Florida State fans have a legit gripe about the rest of the ACC not taking its football seriously.

  • Speaking of Florida State, they are just thrilled to have stolen a tight end from Penn State, Kevin Haplea, and are not too worried about losing cornerback Greg Reid.

According to ESPN, “the Seminoles recruited Haplea out of high school in Annandale, N.J., but he chose Happy Valley over Tallahassee.”  However, he did not live happily-ever-after (pun intended) in Happy Valley, seeking out Florida State when the NCAA issued its sanctions.  FSU’s Jimbo Fisher was quick to clarify that point–Florida State did not contact Haplea, it was the other way around.  In any event, Penn State’s loss is Florida State’s gain.

Fisher is also confident that the team has the players to replace Reid, who was dismissed from the team after being charged with marijuana possession.  Kudos to Florida State, they are doing it without taking any Penn State players too.  Instead, they have a whole host of players that will audition for Reid’s spot.  All is well, apparently.

 

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Football, Today in the ACC and tagged , , , ,
06 Aug 2012
2 Comments

Today in the A.C.C. (August 6, 2012)

Here is a quick look at what is newsworthy in the Atlantic Coast Conference today, August 6, 2012:

  • In football, Duke WR Blair Holliday has been transferred to an Atlanta hospital.

Holliday suffered brain injuries in a July boating incident.  Hopefully, his recovery goes well.  Also, the report notes as follows: “Duke updated Holliday’s status in an announcement about the creation of a trust endowment in the receiver’s name.”  That’s a classy gesture, Duke.  Nice work.

  • In basketball, North Carolina State freshman guard Rodney Purvis is having eligibility issues.

Purvis was a McDonald’s All-American and prep basketball player of the year for North Carolina, so he is supposed to be a major  contributed for the Wolfpack this year.  Unfortunately, this eligibility issue stems from a review of his high school, and will keep/delay him from going with the rest of the team on an exhibition tour of Spain.  Hopefully, it gets sorted out fairly and appropriately before the season starts.

  • Interestingly, ESPN is touting North Carolina State as perhaps the favorite in the conference this year for hoops.

Time will tell.  Although a bit dated, the article does provide a nice overview of all the conference teams.   A worthy read.

  • Also in hoops, Duke will be joined in the Battle 4 Atlantis this year by a stacked lineup of Louisville, Memphis, Stanford, Missouri, Minnesota, VCU, and Northern Iowa.

WOW!  Where is the easy game there?  Remember that least year Harvard won this tournament too.  Don’t count out VCU and Northern Iowa.

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Football, Today in the ACC and tagged , , , ,
04 Aug 2012
1 Comment

Clemson’s Sammy Watkins Out for Auburn Game

Unlike some teams, Clemson opens up the season with a tough matchup against Auburn in the Georgia Dome.  Unfortunately, they will have to do it without dynamic wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who was suspended for the first two games of the season because of his May misdemeanor arrest for marijuana possession.  Watkins will also miss Clemson’s home opener against Ball State.

Watkins had an outstanding freshmen season for Clemson, with 82 catches for 1219 yards and 12 touchdowns.  Watkins also added 229 yards rushing on only 31 carries–approximately 7 yards an attempt.  In addition, he returned 26 kickoffs for 683 yards.  On the season, Watkins led all ACC players in all-purposes yards with 2,228.  Only West Virginia’s Tavon Austin (2,574) and New Mexico State’s Taveon Rogers (2,356) had more all-purpose yards nationally.

Although his team will miss Watkins, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney noted that Watkins exemplary post-incident conduct was a mitigating factor and that Watkins has learned from his mistake:

“I told Sammy this past May that there would be a high end (number of games) and a low end, and it would be up to him as to the length of his suspension,” Swinney said in a statement. “He has done everything we have asked and then some, so the two-game suspension is the low end. He just finished his responsibilities last week and I met with Bob Arial (Watkins’s lawyer) today to make sure everything had been completed properly.”

* * *

““The game of football, or a game of football will never be more important to me than teaching young people important life lessons,” Swinney said. “I have learned that many times something that seems to be the worst thing that can happen to you can become the best thing. I know Sammy will learn from this and use this to make a difference in other people’s lives. I look forward to having No.2 back on the field soon.”

Clemson has enough talent to still start out the season 2-0.  But that first game against Auburn just got that much tougher.

With all the discussion of “penalties” lately, one wonders if the best penalty for this situation wouldn’t have been to suspend Watkins for the Ball State and Furman games (game 3).  First, Watkins would be able to play in the Auburn game–the game where he is needed most.  That allows his teammates and fans to not share in Watkins’ punishment.  Second, missing the Ball State and Furman games would prevent Watkins from running up his stats in two games that would likely be high-scoring affairs (at least for Clemson).  This punishes the individual.  The Confidential thinks that forcing players to sit out stat-padding games is the best way to narrowly tailor the punishment to the player.

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Football and tagged , , , ,
03 Aug 2012
7 Comments

Miami Hurricanes Facing Truly Unprecedented Penalties!

(BORING METROPOLIS IN MIDWEST)   Emboldened by the support it received from all NCAA Presidents following the imposition of harsh penalties against Penn State Univeristy, the NCAA’s executive committee is apparently set to announce penalties for the Miami Hurricanes that are even more unprecedented.  The Confidential has learned that the executive committee is set to offer Miami the choice of (a) the death penalty to its football team for three years; (b) actual death to all people affiliated with the University; or (c) the following more overreaching and creative penalties than those imposed on Penn State:

FOOTBALL SANCTIONS:

  • The football team must hire Greg Robinson and place him in charge, completely and unequivocally, of the defense from 2013 to 2015, and then again in 2017 (just to offset the obvious gains that will be made in 2016).  Further, Greg Robinson will be prohibited from using stuffed animals to motivate his defense for one year.  He will, however, be allowed to read children’s books as desired
  • The football team is required to use morbidly obese female “hosts” for all official and unofficial recruiting trips.  Further, Janet Reno will be appointed as a special consultant to the program to ensure that no host with a BMI of less than 40 comes close to hosting a recruit
  • The football team must change its colors to pink and sky blue
  • The football team must stay in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the next 30 years, even if Florida State leaves.  Also, Miami cannot vote against South Florida or Central Florida taking Florida State’s place in the ACC
  • The football team must continue to lose to Boston College annually
  • Lane Kiffin is allowed to take the team’s best player every year, regardless of where he coaches
  • SCHOLARSHIP LIMITS: For all odd years from 2013 to 2017, the football team can only sign 100% Caucasian defensive backs and running backs, and must give 1 scholarship per year to a female kicker (provided she is not hot like Kathy Ireland).  During even years from 2014 to 2018, the team must give 1 scholarship per year to a quarterback from Samoa, 2 scholarships per year to offensive linemen of 100% Chinese descent (provided they are not able to do cool thinks like in the movie Big Trouble in Little China), and 1 scholarship per year to a non-human.
  • BOWLS: The above restrictions should take care of bowl eligibility.  If not, Miami is only allowed to go to bowl games if they have a tie-in with the Big East (if any) or take place in crappy places like Idaho or Detroit.

BASKETBALL SANCTIONS:

  • Upon further review, the basketball team must continue doing whatever it is currently doing to remain entirely irrelevant
  • Just in case, John Calipari is allowed to take the team’s best player every year, regardless of where he coaches

ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT/UNIVERSITY-WIDE SANCTIONS

  • The football team must pay annual fines of $10,000,000 dollars and 10,000,000 Cuban pesos, which will be earmarked for a pretend charity that devotes itself to something along the lines of rehabilitating prostitutes and/or supporting retired NCAA Presidents, from 2013 to 2015.
  • Effective immediately and permanently, Miami must refer to itself as “Miami (FL)” and Miami of Ohio is allowed to refer to itself as simply “Miami”
  • Luther Campbell loses Professor Emeritus status until 2018

At present, it is unclear what option will be selected by Miami.  Needless to say, the athletic culture in Miami is about to change radically.

 

Posted by acaffrey in Football, Sarcasm and tagged , ,
02 Aug 2012
6 Comments

College Football Returns in 28 Days: Get Your TV Remote Ready

The Confidential hopes that you got a tan.  You know–you weren’t inside all summer blogging about Penn State (sigh).  Summer is basically over.  College football starts in a mere 28 days.

You know what, the Confidential is tired of Florida State’s always bellyaching about something.  One Complaint is that one time FSU had to play a Thursday game or something.  The horror!  This year, the ACC football season does not start in 28 days on a Thursday.  There are no shortage of directional schools opening the season on August 28, 2012.  In addition, other no name schools like UConn, UCLA, Texas A&M, Brigham Young, Washington State, Arizona State, and Minnesota are also playing.  Oh, and the SEC is playing a conference game on that day between South Carolina and Vanderbilt.  So there you go generic whiny Seminole fan–the best football conference that ever existed is allowing its well-compensated schools to open the season on a Thursday.  How about them apples?

The first ACC team to play is North Carolina State, who opens play on Friday, August 29, 2012.  They get a tough matchup against Tennessee.  Yep, another SEC team playing on a non-Saturday.  That’s FOUR.   And don’t forget that, on Sunday, Kentucky plays Louisville in a battle over whatever it is these two teams play for–probably a jug or something.  So that’s 5 of the 14 SEC teams not playing on a Saturday.  So stuff it FSU.

For the ACC, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech square off in a Tech-battle on Labor Day.  Give it up to ESPN–they open the weekend with the SEC and close it with the ACC.  A lot of exposure for both conferences opening weekend.

Of course, there are many games on Saturday that weekend.  But it is notable that the SEC is more than willing to play on a non-Saturday to get its programs television exposure.  Instead of complaining about playing those days, teams need to just maximize the opportunity for a captive audience.

 

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Football and tagged , , , , ,
01 Aug 2012
5 Comments

The NCAA Hypocrisy

Fact: The University of Southern California (“USC”) is currently on probation for NCAA violations and forced to field a team of just 75 scholarship athletes.  The NCAA punished USC for infractions arising out of players getting special treatment.  Message: If you put your athletics programs above the rest of the University, your school is out of balance and the NCAA needs to step in to restore that balance with penalties.

Fact: Penn State University was just punished by the NCAA for putting football apparently above other considerations.  As punishment for Penn State, any of its players can transfer.  Message: If you put your athletics programs above the rest of the University, your school is out of balance and the NCAA needs to step in to restore that balance with penalties.

Fact: Silas Redd is going to transfer from one punished school, Penn State, to another punished school, USC.  While USC is bowl-eligible, they are still being penalized.  Message: The NCAA is a hypocritical organization.

If the NCAA had any desire to avoid hypocrisy, they should have said that Penn State players can transfer to any school not currently on probation.  The schools on probation should be focusing on improving their overall athletic department’s compliance with NCAA rules.  The schools on probation should NOT be focusing on improving their football product by taking on a player fleeing the sinking ship of Penn State.  Wasn’t that the whole gist of the press conference by the NCAA?

If Silas Redd wants to leave PSU, so be it.  Let’s not begrudge a kid for taking a step to help himself.  If he blows out his knee in August, nobody will be passing a collection plate for him on either coast.  He has to look out for himself.

But to go to USC?  What about the schools that are NOT on probation?  Many schools could have used him.  The NCAA should have forced Redd to pick a football factory that either plays clean or has not quite had its dirtyness exposed.

The NCAA dropped the ball on this one.  Two steps forward, one step backward for the NCAA in allowing this move.

 

Posted by acaffrey in Football and tagged , ,
28 Jul 2012
1 Comment

The Penn State Penalties and the ACC

The world has had plenty of time to digest the NCAA’s penalties against Penn State.  While there is no question that the situation in Penn State was factually unprecedented, the NCAA will soon turn its attention to its more familiar tasks of punishing schools for secondary and major violations.  The ACC cares.  After all, Miami–one of the ACC’s marquee football programs–is likely “next up” in feeling the wrath of the newly emboldened NCAA leadership.

Actually, it should be noted that the NCAA, via its Presidents, imposed a new model for sanctions that imposed tougher penalties before the Penn State penalties were announced.  See http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/34441353.  In many instances, the penalties for violations will be tougher than what USC received for its penalties even!   This new model is effective as of August 1, 2012.  It is not clear whether these new penalties will apply to Miami, who does not expect to receive its penalties until next Spring (i.e. 2013).

But those penalties should be fairly severe.  Miami’s violations occurred over a several-year period and were well-publicized.  Although it is not clear that the evidence is as strong as claimed by incarcerated-informant Nevin Shapiro, there are recent reports that violations continued after Al Golden took over as coach.  Needless to say, there is going to be a lot of fingernail chewing in Coral Gables until the NCAA issues its ruling.

And, lest we forget, North Carolina was just issued penalties by the NCAA in May 2012.  Specifically, the NCAA ordered these as just part of its penalty for football violations:

  • Three years of probation from March 12, 2012, through March 11, 2015.
  • Three-year show-cause penalty for the former assistant football coach prohibiting any recruiting activity. The public report contains further details.
  • Postseason ban for the 2012 football season.
  • Reduction of football scholarships by a total of 15 during three academic years. The public report includes further details.
  • Vacation of wins during the 2008 and 2009 seasons (self-imposed by the university). The public report includes further details.

There is Internet scuttlebutt that a basketball scandal may now be brewing in Chapel Hill.  If so, the Tar Heels may find themselves in even bigger trouble.

And who knows what else is lurking out there for the NCAA to consider.  Although Penn State is not part of the ACC, the ACC needs to care about how the NCAA is punishing schools.

Posted by acaffrey in Other Sports and tagged , , ,
26 Jul 2012
9 Comments

PSU: The United States Supreme Court Notes Your REAL Option

As previously discussed, the argument that the NCAA deprived Penn State of due process is weak.  It is even more weak given that Penn State agreed to the NCAA’s penalties.  Penn State is fully capable of marshaling a legal team to challenge the NCAA’s rulings, but chose not to do so.  The idea of appealing somehow is simply absurd.  However, Penn State fans have expressed concern that the Freeh report may be wrong–making the penalties unjust.  Fortunately, in the circumstance where the Freeh report is deemed inaccurate, Penn State would have options.

During the press conference by the NCAA to announce the penalties, a question was posed as to whether Penn State could do anything to reduce the penalties.  The question was not answered because of a desire not to delve into “hypotheticals.” However, a secondary concern by Penn State fans is what happens if the Freeh report is deemed to be wrong.  Apparently, this has happened with a Freeh report in the past.  And the upcoming trials may shed additional light on what the “evidence” is.  Is there anything that Penn State can do at that point?  The answer appears to be “yes.”

In National Collegiate Athletics Association v. Tarkanian, 488 U.S. 179; 109 S. Ct. 454; 102 L. Ed. 2d 469 (1988), the United States Supreme Court ruled that popular UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian could not pursue a due process claim against the NCAA.  The Supreme Court observed, properly in the Confidential’s opinion, that the NCAA simply was not a government entity or somehow the equivalent of one because of its relationship with government entities.  However, in so ruling, the Supreme Court noted as follows:

Furthermore, the NCAA’s bylaws permit review of penalties, even after they are imposed, “upon a showing of newly discovered evidence which is directly related to the findings in the case, or that there was a prejudicial error in the procedure which was followed in the processing of the case by the Committee.” App. 107. UNLV could have sought such a review, perhaps on the theory that the NCAA’s investigator was biased against Tarkanian, as the Nevada trial court found in 1984.  The NCAA Committee on Infractions was authorized to “reduce or eliminate any penalty” if the university had prevailed.  [See Tarkanian, supra at 195 n.15 (citations omitted).]

Sure enough, the NCAA bylaws DO contemplate that an imposed penalty may be reviewed if there is “newly discovered evidence” or a “prejudicial error in the procedure”:

19.5.2.8 Review of Penalty.

19.5.2.8.1 Newly Discovered Evidence or Prejudicial Error. When a penalty has been imposed and publicly announced and the appeal opportunity has been exhausted, there shall be no review of the penalty
except upon a showing of newly discovered evidence (per Bylaw 19.02.3) that is directly related the findings in the case or that there was prejudicial error in the procedure that was followed in the processing of the case
by the committee. (Revised: 1/9/96)

19.5.2.8.1.1 Review Process. Any institution that initiates such a review shall be required to submit a brief of its appeal to the committee and to furnish sufficient copies of the brief for distribution
to all members of the committee. The committee shall review the brief and decide by majority vote whether it shall grant a hearing of the appeal.

19.5.2.8.1.2 Institution or Conference Discipline as New Evidence. Disciplinary measures imposed by the institution or its conference following the NCAA’s action may be considered to be
“newly discovered evidence” for the purposes of this section.

19.5.2.8.1.3 No Imposition of New Penalty. If a hearing of the appeal is granted, the committee may reduce or eliminate any penalty but may not impose any new penalty. The committee’s decision
with respect to the penalty shall be final and conclusive for all purposes.

19.5.2.8.2 Reconsideration of Penalty. The institution shall be notified that should any portion of the penalty in the case be set aside for any reason other than by appropriate action of the Association, the
penalty shall be reconsidered by the NCAA. In such cases, any extension or adjustment of a penalty shall be proposed by the Committee on Infractions after notice to the institution and hearing. Any such action by
the committee shall be subject to appeal.

It is difficult to envision a successful challenge to the procedure after the fact and given the agreement to the penalties by Penn State.  But the newly discovered evidence options provides hope. If the Freeh report is ultimately deemed inaccurate, there ARE steps that Penn State can take to have the NCAA re-review the penalties.  If Penn State has been fully compliant, and if the NCAA agrees that there were errors in the Freeh report, the NCAA bylaws would grant the NCAA the discretion to reduce the penalties.

So all is not lost for Penn State.  If the evidence changes, the NCAA has the power to revisit the penalties.

Posted by acaffrey in Football, Other Sports and tagged , , ,

Post Navigation

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →