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Craig Littlepage makes a statement on UVa and the ACC ...

  • "During the past week there have been numerous reports and rumors linking the University of Virginia to interest in membership in other athletic conferences. Due to the recent changes that have taken place with conference realignment around the nation, I think it is important for us to put and end to this speculation as it relates to UVa.

    "The University of Virginia is a proud member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Neither representatives of the athletics department, nor President Teresa Sullivan, has received invitations to nor sought membership in other conferences. The ACC's commitment to its members and their student-athletes is the finest in the country. We look forward to continuing this relationship far into the future. Our goal is to continue supporting the ACC and its initiatives for long-term success.

    "I have expressed this stance to ACC Commissioner John Swofford, and I want totake this opportunity to express that same commitment to our alumni, fans, supporters, student-athletes and coaches. We firmly stand behind the Atlantic Coast Conference. "

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    Jamie Oakes ●

  • Jamie Oakes said...

    "During the past week there have been numerous reports and rumors linking the University of Virginia to interest in membership in other athletic conferences. Due to the recent changes that have taken place with conference realignment around the nation, I think it is important for us to put and end to this speculation as it relates to UVa.

    "The University of Virginia is a proud member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Neither representatives of the athletics department, nor President Teresa Sullivan, has received invitations to nor sought membership in other conferences. The ACC's commitment to its members and their student-athletes is the finest in the country. We look forward to continuing this relationship far into the future. Our goal is to continue supporting the ACC and its initiatives for long-term success.

    "I have expressed this stance to ACC Commissioner John Swofford, and I want totake this opportunity to express that same commitment to our alumni, fans, supporters, student-athletes and coaches. We firmly stand behind the Atlantic Coast Conference. "

    It must be smoke and mirrors.... there were a good number of typos in this statement. He is too busy galavanting with the B1G to proofread his own work.

    LIES I tell ya... LIES!

    Sorry, I tapped into my inner John Montague there for a Conspiracy Theory.

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    Wahoowa

    Hogan1950

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    Mr E Recruit18176 ●

  • I hope Saban is coaching him on media relations and we announce our move tomorrow!

    kezki ●

  • kezki said...

    I hope Saban is coaching him on media relations and we announce our move tomorrow!

    Play

    Step Brothers "Boats 'N Hoes" (HD)

    The only MV they made by: Huff 'N Doback by Pristige Worldwide

    http://www.youtube.com/v/o8T095mFdW8
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    Wahoowa

    Hogan1950

  • If this is truly the mindset of UVA, our school will miss the boat. The ACC will be unable to compete in the out years against the high earning conferences. By 2017, the B1G and SEC will exceed ACC schools with pre-bowl annual earnings by a factor of two-fold. The ACC will lose out in the ability to hire top coaches, build/expand facilities, generate the most media coverage, command the highest revenue stream for merchandising/licensing, and position the league to generate the most subscribers for cable/PPV. Remember this day, as the ACC will become a permanent second-tier conference for the revenue sports.

    Mikeysurf

  • Mikeysurf said...

    If this is truly the mindset of UVA, our school will miss the boat. The ACC will be unable to compete in the out years against the high earning conferences. By 2017, the B1G and SEC will exceed ACC schools with pre-bowl annual earnings by a factor of two-fold. The ACC will lose out in the ability to hire top coaches, build/expand facilities, generate the most media coverage, command the highest revenue stream for merchandising/licensing, and position the league to generate the most subscribers for cable/PPV. Remember this day, as the ACC will become a permanent second-tier conference for the revenue sports.

    Mikey, do you think this truly reflects the mindset? I can't imagine the doors are closed....

    ruwithmedrhoo

  • F%#k it, I say go down fighting.

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    If everyone only settled for good enough... would anything ever really be good enough?

    DDay50858

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    salemhoo

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    Mr E Recruit18176 ●

  • The day UVA would basically say to Maryland.... "ummm... you were right... can we come too?"
    I just threw up in my mouth a bit...
    Fight, I say! Fight!!

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    If everyone only settled for good enough... would anything ever really be good enough?

    DDay50858

  • I sort of believe Littlepage's statement is the truth. UNC and UVA are going to be deliberate about this, not jumping after what...a week after UMD leaves? If UMD ends up paying all $50 million, and there is a combination of additions that can make the ACC work for both schools, they'll stick around. We still haven't seen the TV contract number for the ACC with the Notre Dame agreement, so there is a chance that something will work.

    Personally, I don't see any way the ACC can bring together a group of schools and agreements that will give Florida State the financial security they need to stay. I think UVA and UNC will do everything they can, but I don't see how losing UMD, adding 2-3 games annually against Notre Dame, and adding a current Big East resident will make ESPN cough up a lot more money to close the gap between the SEC and B1G.

    It'll take a few years to shake out, but I would give the ACC less than favorable odds of staving off more defections.

    Automator

  • I don't get all the doom and gloom with the ACC. The Big 12 was dead a couple years ago and now they're a stronger conference than the ACC all of a sudden. How does that work? Has everyone forgotten that Texas and maybe OU, two schools with plenty of options, are the only things keeping that conference from being on par with the Big East? Have we also forgotten that FSU, Miami, Clemson, and GT add nothing to the SEC? So barring what appears to be an unlikely defection from both VT AND NCSU I would think the ACC is perfectly stable going forward. Frankly, I think we could even absorb losing one but not both. Not to mention if Notre Dame joins as a full member down the road, you've got to think the ACC is absolutely stable.

    - Matt

    tmeaxtats ●

  • I hope we pay zero attention to anything Swofford says or promises.

    claybrdr ●

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    Mikeysurf

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    rtrips

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    salemhoo

  • Mikeysurf said...

    If this is truly the mindset of UVA, our school will miss the boat. The ACC will be unable to compete in the out years against the high earning conferences. By 2017, the B1G and SEC will exceed ACC schools with pre-bowl annual earnings by a factor of two-fold. The ACC will lose out in the ability to hire top coaches, build/expand facilities, generate the most media coverage, command the highest revenue stream for merchandising/licensing, and position the league to generate the most subscribers for cable/PPV. Remember this day, as the ACC will become a permanent second-tier conference for the revenue sports.

    Hoping this is a negotiating point to get a better deal from B1G. Delany seems like a big poker player. He knew he needed MD to crack the ACC. He doesnt need to completely pony up to UVA. If UVA wont play, he can move towards GT or just wait UVA and UNC out. He did that to ND. He can do it with anyone. He is coming from a position of power.

    chowder69

  • I just read a release from UNC from their AD saying they want to stay in the ACC for the next 60 years. I don't think we would jump to the Big 10 without UNC, so if they won't go, I don't see us going. Too much isolation to be the only one going. I still think the ACC is going to a much weaker conference in the next 5 years financially then say the Big 10 and SEC, but I guess if the ACC stays intact we are only competing against schools on equal financial footing. I worry about FSU and Clemson bolting for the Big 12, which will severely weaken our financial attractiveness in football. I don't think the ACC will fall apart as long as we and UVA stay, but it couldn't certainly weaken in football. So the ACC could end up being an also ran in the football big picture against the SEC, Pac12, Big12, and Big10, but we would still be good in basketball and Olympic sports!

    Grimlock

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    Jamie Oakes ●

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    1wackyhoo

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    Mikeysurf

  • Scary grammatical blooper in the second graf. Littlepage's proofreader should be looking for work alongside Faragalli.

    Simbaud

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    salemhoo

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