Syracuse University will become a full-fledged member of the Atlantic Coast Conference in June 2014.
This means leaving behind the Big East Conference of which Syracuse was a founding member back in 1979.
It saddens me deeply to think about the tradition and rivalries we will lose. I will miss playing Georgetown and St. John's and I will certainly miss the Big East Tournament being in Madison Square Garden (though I am hopeful the ACC can rotate to that venue occassionally).
But being practical, the Big East conference for football was crumbling and Syracuse had to make a move instead of getting left holding the bag.
It seems almost inevitable college football will realign into 4 16-team superconferences, and joining one of those conferences is the best chance for Syracuse to restore its football program to prominence.
Also, the move give Syracuse the chance to create new rivalries with basketball powers Duke and North Carolina.
What it comes down to is Syracuse had to risk hurting the basketball program a little, instead of risking hurting the football team a lot.
50 years ago Bob Dylan implored us "you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone because times they are a-changin'" and that holds true to the current reshuffling of college sports.
Syracuse made the right decision, and in another 35 years we'll remember only what was won, not what was lost.
I completely agree. I don't like all of this conference realignment but understand why it's happening. And although Duke has fortunately stayed in the ACC, the expanding conference means it gets far fewer games against its traditional rivals, which sucks.
ReplyDeleteI happily welcome Syracuse to the ACC and think that surely from a basketball perspective the conference is much stronger with the Orange and Pitt.
They will definitely have the ACC tournament at times in NY/NJ, even if there is initial resistance now. In addition to the Orange's NY fan base, Duke and UNC are big draws in the area.
Good riddance.
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