UNC willing to approve Miami

[Water Pony]

The logjam may only resolved with either Duke or UNC approving one of the scenarios; and a Miami only decision could get approved.

<A HREF="http://espn.go.com/ncaa/news/2003/0622/1571475.html" TARGET=_blank>http://espn.go.com/ncaa/news/2003/0622/1571475.html</A>

How do they uninvite Syracuse and, especially BC? The Va Tech or 13th membership problem does go away.

Louisville and Cincinnati would then join the BE with Temple being retained to create a 12 FB member BE.

[Water Pony]

Here is a view (Rutgers) on the steps the Big East needs to take. The Miami only option would mean an expansive BE to 12 or more members for FB.

<A HREF="http://rutgers.theinsiders.com/2/117377.html" TARGET=_blank>http://rutgers.theinsiders.com/2/117377.html</A>

Basketball is also reviewed

[Charleston Pony]

if the ACC votes to take Miami only, then the Big East is likely to offer only Louisville to get back to their 8 fball/14 bball configuration. They lose a little football wise, but bball gets even stronger.

meanwhile, CUSA loses it's strongest fball/bball combination member and would then have 10 fball/13 bball members. Do they think about offering a bball only school and sticking at 10/14?

[MustangKurt20]

If Miami is the only team to get an ACC invite does that hurt SMU's chances of improving their lot?

Kurt

[Charleston Pony]

yes, but it also allows another year for SMU to show they are becoming more competitive on the field/court

[Water Pony]

Rutgers leadership is floating the Miami-only option as a way to end the conflict, drop the lawsuit and salvage the BE (less Miami).

<A HREF="http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-nj--accexpansion0623jun23,0,1975465.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire" TARGET=_blank>http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-nj--accexpansion06 23jun23,0,1975465.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire</A>

My sense is that this is the only scenario which can get approved by current ACC members, while permitting the BE to survive and drop their suit.

With this option, the remaining seven FB (with Syracuse and BC in the fold) will definitely add Louisville to get to eight. Now the question would be, should they go to ten or more. My quess is that Cincinnati is a no brainer and then one more, keep Temple or add a Fla school.

Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and West VA. make a nice sub-division / rivalry combination for all sports, a mini-Ohio Valley.

Temple keeps Philadelphia and/or a Florida school (So. or Central) gets access to that market, including a Bowl. I just don't like the outlier of a far away SE school in what with be a NE and Ohio Valley conference.

[This message has been edited by Water Pony (edited 06-23-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Water Pony (edited 06-23-2003).]