Swofford: Tech committed to ACC
ACC commissioner John Swofford does not anticipate any member schools leaving the conference. That includes Georgia Tech.
On a teleconference with media members to discuss the addition of Louisville to the league, Swofford was asked about the possibility of schools leaving the ACC, as has been rumored.
“I do not envision that at all,” Swofford said. “In fact, just the opposite, based on the conversations among our Council of Presidents over the last 10 days.”
Swofford was asked specifically about conversations with Georgia Tech president G.P. “Bud” Peterson. The school has been the subject of rumors that it could be headed for the Big Ten.
Said Swofford, “The nature of our conversations has been emphatic in terms of their commitment to the ACC and Georgia Tech’s future.”
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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152 comments Add your comment
ole yeller
November 28th, 2012
4:57 pm
Where would Tech come up with the $50 million buy out to the ACC. For that matter how did Maryland?
WhoDatLofton
November 28th, 2012
4:57 pm
The Big 12 is not an equal share conference.
Einstein
November 28th, 2012
5:00 pm
Geez. Just to run away from Uga only to get boat raced annually by the likes of Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, and probably Northwestern doesnt seem too rational or logical.
WhoDatLofton
November 28th, 2012
5:00 pm
Maryland is challenging the exit fee.
Born2Buzz
November 28th, 2012
5:02 pm
Maryland will find out quickly how much being in the B1G sucks. Maybe not so much for the football or basketball teams or the AA (new $$$) but certainly for the other sports and most definitely for the fans. First road trip to Iowa or Nebraska will be tons of fun.
GT fans don’t travel very well, even a 1-1/2 hour up the road to Athens. Imagine what travel would be like to B1G games..nonexistent. And like GTBob stated, baseball would be killed.
If all you want to do is play big boy football then you would consider it. Otherwise, not worth the hassle. And the realm of big boy football (SEC, Ohio St, Texas, USC, etc) is getting ready to blow up in my opinion. There are a lot more schools like GT than there are football factory schools. We may be on the verge of football completely changing from what we are used to.
Skeptic
November 28th, 2012
5:04 pm
Tech Forever,
I think he is referring to Texas’ use of the Longhorn Network.
I just can’t see being a fan of a school playing so far outside of it’s geographical and cultural region. ND does it simply because there’s Catholics everywhere. But GT playing Kansas or Northwestern every year? I don’t even know what you eat at the tailgate? Prairie dog? Lutefisk?
Born2Buzz
November 28th, 2012
5:08 pm
And the ACC just jumped Maryland and filed a lawsuit to make sure they pay the exit fee.
My friends from Baltimore are all dumbfounded by this decision. Just like they were when the new AD fired Friedgen to bring in his own guy. UMD is in the crapper right now.
Wild Bill
November 28th, 2012
5:08 pm
Georgia Tech is a natural fit for the ACC……both are big time losers. High school teams, with high school crowds, playing in high school stadiums. As if Tech wasn’t humiliated (again) enough last week in Athens, they are going to be embarrassed in Charlotte this Saturday……as if anyone cares. When a 6-6 team is a division “winner” and playing for a conference championship, it is pitiful. What is even more pitiful is their begging on hands and knees to be allowed to go to a bowl game with a 6-7 record.
docsbro
November 28th, 2012
5:18 pm
You Do realize that the GREAT O’leary LOST the other FIVE years he was coach? Oh and yes that was pretty much the “bottom” for UGA’s program. I am as big a Tech fan as there is, but Tech fans look in the mirror. The program needs more money to compete with the SEC.
Rick James
November 28th, 2012
5:31 pm
@GTBob
GT Fan, if all you care about is football or money then yes its an upgrade. Overall though i’m not sure it would be worth it.
—————————————————————————————————————————
I know that you’re president of the Paul Johnson fan club but money would allow Tech to make a coaching change.You have stated many times that the reason he will not be fired is because the school cant afford the buyout.
Rick James
November 28th, 2012
5:35 pm
@GT Alum
Traveling to some B1G schools would be significantly more difficult.
—————————————————————————————–
Traveling to Bobby Dodd seems difficult for some Tech fans.
Wrecker
November 28th, 2012
5:38 pm
Wild Bill: You are not wanted and your opinions are not heeded. Get out!
JFKDawg
November 28th, 2012
5:39 pm
@Bad Dog – schedules are set years in advance. Who knew TN, Auburn and Tech would suck so bad?
GTBob
November 28th, 2012
5:40 pm
You have stated many times that the reason he will not be fired is because the school cant afford the buyout.
Its a reason. Not the only reason. CPJ would not be fired right now even if someone won the powerball lottery and donated all of the money to Techs Athletic Department. Not everyone wants him gone as bad as you do Rick.
GTville
November 28th, 2012
5:47 pm
Lets face it 4-16 team conferences wont exist unless a big conference folds. PAC is too far so it wont, B10 is too secure as is the SEC. Teams from these conferences could be picked off, but the core would survive. ACC could be ripped to shreds, but I do not see the core disintegrating. The B12 is small and there are only a couple of teams any other conference would want (TX, OK, KS). B12 could be picked apart by everyone from PAC to ACC as they are closest to all.
Nobody wants:
ACC: Wake, Duke
SEC: Ole Miss, Miss State
B10: NW, Indiana, Minn, Wisc, Rutgers
B12: Iowa St, OK St, TCU, Baylor
These schools may have good teams on occasion, but either they are not good usually, in areas nobody wants to go; or too small.
Jacket
November 28th, 2012
6:18 pm
So why don’t we re-join the SEC? Do they just not want us? I saw one thing that says they don’t want multi-state schools but there’s great precedent in Miss and Ala.
I also think as things evolve the geographic distances will end up pulling conferences back closer again. Just doesn’t work well for lots of reasons.
Personally, I would love that. I miss playing Auburn and Tennessee like we used to. If it happened, would definitely miss playing Clemson. Don’t really care about losing VT or FSU. Or any others. Duke is an old rivalry but from my perspective meaningless.
Tell me what I’ve missed with SEC please. That seems the most natural to me. And my gut says the ACC is on thin ice so we need some options. B1G just too far away my opinion.
Realist
November 28th, 2012
6:22 pm
Why wouldn’t they be committed to the ACC? Where they going to go? Conference USA? Never should have left the SEC. BIG MISTAKE.
Paul in NH
November 28th, 2012
6:24 pm
I find the realignment of college football profoundly depressing and just reflective of how corrupt college athletics has become. “Institutes of higher education” whose alleged mission is education, research, teaching, are making decisions based on the money available from their “athletic/entertainment” arm – and let’s make sure we maximize our profits by keeping costs for the performers low.
The US may be dropping down all of the world rankings for math, science, etc. but hey who cares when there is money to be made by jumping from the ACC to the B1G.
Paul in NH
November 28th, 2012
6:27 pm
Jacket
The SEC doesn’t want GT because they have nothing to gain from them. They won’t get 1 red cent more from the TV or the gate with GT in the conference. For the B1G there is the exposure in the southeast and the possibility of getting the BTN on the local cable companies.
GFJacket
November 28th, 2012
6:34 pm
Born2Buzz, the big change will come in 2016. It looks like many athletes that qualify today won’t in the future. Will this help Tech, or force the traditional football powerhouses to take kids that would have gone to Tech?
According to ESPN, the NCAA’s new eligibility standards for prospective student-athletes go into effect for the 2016 class but begin applying to this fall’s high school freshmen. To be eligible for a scholarship and compete at a Division I institution, a high school student must have done the following:
16: Number of core courses required for NCAA eligibility
10: Number of core courses that must be completed by the beginning of a high school athlete’s senior year
7: Number of 10 initial core courses that must be in English, math or science
2.3: Minimum GPA in those 16 core courses (up from 2.0)
2.5: Minimum GPA for junior college transfer
According to NCAA statistics:
15.3: Percentage of student-athletes who enrolled in 2009-10 but would not meet the 2016 academic standards
35.2: Percentage of football players who enrolled in 2009-10 but would not meet the 2016 academic standards
43.1: Percentage of men’s basketball players who enrolled in 2009-10 but would not meet the 2016 academic standards.
PLAY ORWIN
November 28th, 2012
6:41 pm
SO IS ORWIN PLAYING? FORGET THE REST OF THE NEWS
Rick James
November 28th, 2012
6:43 pm
@GTBob
Its a reason. Not the only reason. CPJ would not be fired right now even if someone won the powerball lottery and donated all of the money to Techs Athletic Department. Not everyone wants him gone as bad as you do Rick.
—————————————————————————————————————————
Bob as a Georgia fan I hope they give Paul Johnson a lifetime contract.But Tech is a great institution and deserves better than a mid-major/FCS football coach.He should be fired just his arrogence alone.
Graphite
November 28th, 2012
6:50 pm
Tech would do better in the Ivy Lge.
Atomic Dog
November 28th, 2012
6:53 pm
Are the ACC kicking the bees out of the ACC?
USMC DAWG
November 28th, 2012
6:55 pm
After watching the game in Athens last weekend, I wonder if GT BOB now understands that Defense WINS football games???
Atomic Dog
November 28th, 2012
6:56 pm
Bees…should move to the Southern Conference. It is a perfect fit.
Atomic Dog
November 28th, 2012
6:57 pm
GT and Calhoun would be a great game.
42 40 calhoun
Born2Buzz
November 28th, 2012
6:57 pm
GFJacket, that will mean the football factory schools will tell the NCAA to go stuff it and they will band together for a semi-pro league. The SEC will be the ring leader. Vandy will drop out and the SEC will pick up the obvious other schools from the B1G, Big12 & PAC, (OK, Texas, Ohio St, Michigan, USC, Oregon, maybe even FSU & Clemons). A few SEC schools other than Vandy might drop (Missou, Ole Miss, Kentucky).
They will forget about the pretense of having “student athletes” and let the payments get out in the open. They will have their own league with a playoff and it will be wildly successful.
All the other schools will remain in the NCAA and play college football again. GT might be very successful in the new NCAA.
Born2Buzz
November 28th, 2012
6:59 pm
Atomic Dog, thanks for perpetuating the stereotype.
Delbert D.
November 28th, 2012
7:20 pm
I’m surprised that no school has contested conference exit fees under restraint of trade principles. My preference at this time is for Georgia Tech to join the Big Ten if asked. I watch more Big Ten football than any other conference, discounting the Georgia Tech games. I can’t recall the last ACC game I watched other than a Tech game.
superDawg
November 28th, 2012
7:26 pm
I want a waiver on my next comment.
Delbert D.
November 28th, 2012
7:30 pm
Let me correct a serious misstatement in my last post. It should read, “Other than the SEC, I watch more Big Ten football than any other conference, discounting the Georgia Tech games.” I grew up as a fan of good, competitive football, and I remain so. Tech was in the SEC back then, so I’ve had to adapt a bit.
Skeptic
November 28th, 2012
7:34 pm
Born2Buzz
November 28th, 2012
6:59 pm
Atomic Dog, thanks for perpetuating the stereotype
——————————————————
WINNER
Big10 Fan.
November 28th, 2012
7:42 pm
How good are the football programs at Auburn, Ky, Miss St, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, and Tenn? And what do SEC fans do during BB season when they aren’t watching Ky? I believe I’d rather be in ACC since I am interested in both BB and FB. Just look at UGa hoops program. Do their fans not care about BB. Why do BB players not want to go to SEC?
dry dirt road
November 28th, 2012
7:43 pm
Tech needs to join the conference that McNeese State is in, wherever they are, probably the same one as Slippery Rock, Northern and Middle Tennessee. Tech can’t beat Middle Tennessee, and MT could not beat McNeese. That means Tech, if they insist on keeping CPJ, should drop down to Div II or 1A or whatever it is called. CPJ is on a level with mountain hillbillys and not big city slickers. People who have said that being connected with Tech is painful right now are exactly correct, and this started with Radikovich. See how Clemson has lost every game since Radikovich went there? That’s because Radikovich Favors LSU and the SEC more than the ACC.
GB's Hamburgers
November 28th, 2012
7:50 pm
Enter your comments here
TeknocratNOTdemokrat
November 28th, 2012
7:50 pm
good grief…troll city today. dwagz really think they gotta chance, apparently. 24 – 7 Bama, dwagz limp home agin.
GB's Hamburgers
November 28th, 2012
7:52 pm
Tech would prosper in the SEC. They would be playing their natural rivals again which would bring the fans back. They would recruit better too. I would like to see Tech and Clemson in the SEC.
Toadster
November 28th, 2012
7:54 pm
Big10Fan. Let’s not look at the UGA hoops program and just say we did. OK
l jones
November 28th, 2012
7:56 pm
My sources say Ga Tech and Boston College are headed to the Pac 12. The conference TV market will stretch out quite a bit.
Toadster
November 28th, 2012
7:57 pm
Thanks for your contributions Rick James. Could you get your daughter to help you with your homework?
Concerned
November 28th, 2012
8:01 pm
First of all, the ACC should not mention academics or student-athletes when the league adds Louisville…seriously, Louisville – well, at least Clemson moves up one.
Second of all, the SEC will not add Tech because all of the schools want to keep that recruiting advantage over Tech…that, and Tech scorned the SEC in ‘63, behind the great Bobby Dodd’s brilliant leadership, and payback is hell.
dry dirt road
November 28th, 2012
8:07 pm
Tech right now would be Best suited to go up Peachtree Industrial Blvd. and pull up to the front of Oglethorpe and play their football team inside the castle wall. This would have been more competitive than playing Georgia. Since CPJ didn’t innoculate the team for the flu, he should be fired. And the pink GTs are thumbs down, pink ribbons on field thumbs up. No gold helmets against any team Tech has lost to wearing them more than won if white helmets were available. CPJ is disorganized, fails to understand the need to toss it forward in shotguns via passing, not backyard in tosses that Georgia had covered man to man for each backward receiver. You don’t dscore going backwards. CPJ has to go. Bring Joe Hamilton in as coach.
danny
November 28th, 2012
8:08 pm
I have never blogged before and I probably won’t again. I have followed college football for 50 years. I grew up a UGA fan and graduated there 40 yrs ago. A perfect Saturday for me has always been Georgia wins and Tech loses. I have seen Bear Bryant , Shug Jordan, Vince Dooley, Frank Howard and many other great coaches. Through the years, when these greats would lose they would always take the blame for not having their team ready or they called the wrong play. Even Steve Spurrier takes the blame when his team loses. Earlier this year when UGA lost to Carolina, Richt said it was a team butt whipping including the coaching staff. I did not like Bobby Dodd because he coached Tech, same with Chan Gailey. I don’t respect Paul Johnson as a man. he is like Fonz who couldn’t say he was wrong. Al Groh’s D was too complicated, his players didn’t give enough effort, they ran the wrong way, I don’t value the star rating system and so on. He berates players on the sideline as they come off the field and he never goes to laud them on great plays. I am grateful that my school has Mark Richt and I look forward to the day that i can dislike the Tech coach because he is the Tech coach and not because he is an arrogant, aloof leader of men
dry dirt road
November 28th, 2012
8:09 pm
CPJ is just in big city consuming his head off with his big city ACC salary, and really offering nothing back to Tech.
l jones
November 28th, 2012
8:15 pm
Seriously, if Tech is smart, they’d leap at a Big Ten invitation. Football home games against Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, etc, compared to NC State, Wake Forest, Duke, etc. Just like Georgia’s basketball problem is a lack of interest, so is Tech’s football problem. Don’t give me the academic integrity crap. Check the average SAT scores. Tech’s athletes are as stupid as everybody else’s. Join the Big Ten and you fill up Grant Field. Tech is just as much about money as everybody else is.
Skeptic
November 28th, 2012
8:19 pm
Concerned,
No one within 1000 miles of this blog remembers who Bobby Dodd was without wiki-ing it on their Borg-gizmo. Payback may be hell, but $$$$ talks. Look at how Baylor forced the old SWC to bring them into the Big12. Gov was an alum.
On the other hand, SEC figures no need to conquer the same territory twice, therefore diluting the spoils by half. A sound strategy, in my opinion. If your goal is hoarding dollars, that is.
dry dirt road
November 28th, 2012
8:24 pm
Tech needs to join an academic conference such as the Ivy League. I don’t think the players want to compete with athletes, and instead want to compete with Harvard types, Ivy leaguers, Stanford maybe, the schools highly ranked in academic areas. I really don’t think Tech feels it has a chance against big football schools like Georgia which are basically an extension of high school since so many coeds go to them, or against Alabama. Duke would be a good conference member, and North Carolina….maybe. Tech should try to form a new conference with the highest SAT scores and admission standards. Their days of trying to sucker everybody who enrolls at Tech into believing they can field competitive sports teams with anybody are over. All those Rats in the band with the geeky Rat caps on are not applicable to the most athletic competition schools such as BYU.
Bring back Jim Donnan
November 28th, 2012
8:25 pm
Any one have insight on the next Def Coord? I vote for Brian Van Gorder – he is out of a job and has history here with a stint in Athens and the Falcons – any comments?
JoeFan
November 28th, 2012
8:27 pm
GT wanted back into the SEC but UGA vetoed the move. FL also has veto privileges over FSU and USCe can do the same to any invitation that might go out to Clemson.