With Georgia Tech loss, ACC struggling for attention again
This was the sad scene in Jacksonville at the 2007 ACC title game. Attendance was announced as 53,212.
The ACC wanted to be the SEC. It wanted the money, the clout, the conference championship game, the TV contracts and pollsters to give mid-level ACC teams the benefit of the doubt because, well, they were in the ACC.
But once again, the ACC looks like a souffle that keeps collapsing.
Georgia Tech lost to Georgia Saturday. Clemson lost to South Carolina. So both halves of next week’s ACC championship game in Tampa lost to mid-level SEC teams that are headed to third-tier bowl games. That’s not how a conference gets money or clout or a big TV contract or the benefit of the doubt.
Meanwhile, the SEC title game matches No. 1 Florida vs. No. 2 Alabama.
While Tech coach Paul Johnson tries to figure out how to motivate his players after Saturday’s lost to the Dogs, ACC commissioner John Swofford needs to figure out how to spin this almost annual disaster into a positive. Good luck with that.
The conference has never received the marquee Miami-Florida State match-up it was hoping for when it expanded and split into two strangely divided geographic divisions (Atlantic and Coastal). Here’s the ACC’s brief championship game history:
♦ 2005: The first game has been the high point. It was a good game (FSU beat Virginia Tech, 27-22), was well attended in Jacksonville (72,749) and TV ratings that exceeded the SEC and Big 12 title games.
♦ 2006: Tech and Wake Forest were the surprise finalists and played a dreadful, touchdown-less game (won by Wake, 9-6). That year, just as this year, the Jackets were coming off a season-ending loss to Georgia. Announced attendance on Jacksonville dropped 10,000 (62,850).
♦ 2007: Two teams from the distant north (Boston College and Virginia Tech) caused attendance to continue to plummet. The No. 5 Hokies won, 30-16, so at least it gave the conference a highly ranked team going into the bowls. But then Virginia Tech was upset by Kansas in the Orange Bowl.
♦ 2008: The game was moved to Tampa. But it was the repeat matchup the ACC couldn’t afford. This time, B.C. and VaTech drew only 27,360 — which means half of the tickets distributed/sold weren’t even used. The Hokies won, 30-12. Not that anybody noticed.
♦ 2009: This week’s losses and the economy likely will hurt attendance. Regardless, the game would’ve garnered a lot more attention if Tech and Clemson were coming off victories.
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468 comments Add your comment
Blaster
November 29th, 2009
5:42 pm
BeeKiller: I thought those women in red and black you saw on North Avenue were charging too much. Must have been game-day rates.
uberVU - social comments
November 29th, 2009
5:42 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by JeffSchultzAJC: #ACC looks like loser in pie fight again with #GaTech and Clemson both losing before title game. http://bit.ly/4xf2q3…
Dawg since 1965
November 29th, 2009
5:42 pm
Now the ACCCG = buy 1 tic get 3 free with 4 cokes and 4 hotdogs
30k tickets still available, will someone please buy some tickets!!
Louis Skolnick
November 29th, 2009
5:43 pm
can’t wait for the rematch next year. Bay Bay will have this one on his mind for a few days. Nesbitt will have to bring him out of it before Saturday.
Tech Tony
November 29th, 2009
5:44 pm
I’ll let the Georgia crowd run off at the keyboard. They won. We didn’t. To the victor goes the spoils. I show class win or lose but not everyone can possess my moral fabric.
What I am interested to see, and all that matters at this point, is how CPJ and the team react from here. The Georgia game is over with. It’s done. Can we regroup or will we let one disappointing loss turn into another? The next game is the most important in CPJ’s tenure.
Dawgfan
November 29th, 2009
5:45 pm
((((((((((((((((((((((((((30-24)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) hahahahahahahahaha
Booger
November 29th, 2009
5:46 pm
This one hurt but it takes nothing away from a great year for the Jackets. And we can beat Clemson twice. Pssondoggssssssss.
Dawg Central
November 29th, 2009
5:46 pm
B Dodd…..show how big of a man you are and go to your nearest Marine Corps base and ask a few of them……..yea, I know….easy to hide behind the keyboard…….you must be a pimpled face Techie too…..and i know the balls aren’t there for u to do that…semper fi you coward!!!
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
5:47 pm
Where’s the apology — Apologize for what? Picking Tech to win? Sure. Right after Georgia apologizes to me after I picked them to win at Tennessee. Dude, get a grip.
Louis Skolnick
November 29th, 2009
5:47 pm
as I said before, booger, the doggs were second tier until last night. All of a sudden they wanta sleep in the lincoln bedroom.
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
5:48 pm
GritzBlitzer — I addressed this above. I understand the debate but, like I said, I didn’t have a big problem with it.
WHopper Dawg
November 29th, 2009
5:48 pm
I can argue that the ACC championship teams were beaten by two LOWER tier SEC teams. Ranking the SEC
FLA
BAMA
LSU
TENN
OLE MISS
KENTUCKY
UGA
S CAR
ARK
AUBURN
MISS ST
VANDY
Two teams from the bottom half, and you can argue where Ark and Auburn should be positioned also. To turn the tables, that would be like Wake Forest and North Carolina beating FLA and BAMA on the same weekend. Ain’t gonna happen.
Over and under on attendence way down in Tampa, 25,000
Tech Tony
November 29th, 2009
5:49 pm
And it just occured to me, Jeff—–
My win, place and show idea hasn’t caught on yet. Like the Tech program, I’ll hopefully look at it as a work in progress. And one day, I’ll type really fast and get the top 4 spots on the blog and nail the superfecta.
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
5:49 pm
Nola Dawg — I don’t know that Georgia or South Carolina is going to Chick Bowl.
Booger
November 29th, 2009
5:50 pm
damn right, Louis. They are standing on the Tech victory like we are Florida or something.
pilgrim
November 29th, 2009
5:50 pm
Alright, I’ll take the hit: Great game Bulldogs. You came to play and beat down my Jackets. It hurt bad. I couldn’t sleep seeing Thomas drop that pass over and over again. You helped make the ACC look bad. All in the style of Dooley.
Tears on the Flats
November 29th, 2009
5:50 pm
Tech Fans, I know you are hurting but at least you have your brand new sweatshirts to wipe away the tears.
SEC
November 29th, 2009
5:51 pm
the SEC should have its own Championship and never play any other conference…..12 teams ….and the rest of America could have college football…. separate the two and let the SEC roll of by its self . what these idiots don’t understand is that, its the other conferences that make it strong…..big money and huge contracts……the rest of the world can go to hell
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
5:51 pm
DHD — Speaking for no-brains: Yes, the conferences often are compared during the basketball season.
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
5:52 pm
Reggie Ball — how’ve you been?
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 29th, 2009
5:52 pm
JOE COX EXTENDS HIS STREAK AGAINST HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS. I SAY TO GT FANS, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER.
Dawgs2009
November 29th, 2009
5:52 pm
Coach Paul Johnson is Willie Martinez’s B!%ch! hahahhahhahahahahah
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
5:53 pm
Louis Sklonick — Haven’t really changed my opinion on Georgia. Still think they’re mediocre. That’s why they’re 7-5 (one win coming over Tennessee Tech). But they played well last night.
tech man
November 29th, 2009
5:54 pm
I don,t understand why uga fans are so happy. They barely beat Ga Tech and they had a pathetic season. Tech has a chance to go to the Orange bowl and play a team that Uga wish they could be!!!!
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
5:54 pm
Booger — Agreed. But we’ll see. Sometimes these decisions are based on business, not who’s deserving.
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 29th, 2009
5:54 pm
ACC ( ASSOCIATION OF CUP CAKES) HAS TWO HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
5:55 pm
Booger — Yes, bad driver. What about his putting?
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 29th, 2009
5:56 pm
PAUL JOHNSON SAVIOR OF GT EXPOSED. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
5:56 pm
Tech Tony — That’s can’t be done. Well, maybe on a hockey blog.
B. Dodd
November 29th, 2009
5:56 pm
Dog Central: I gave Uncle Sam four years and was based right next to a Marine Base. Apparently nothing has changed in 40+ years…still the same old “let’s whip some ass” mentality. I know ex-marines and have worked with ex-marines and I admire them…but not the blow-hards like you.
Louis Skolnick
November 29th, 2009
5:59 pm
uga will be a wonderful Nashville guest this December, at the shiver bowl. Guys, I hate to break it to you, but beating Tech, who espn readily confesses is not a complete team, did not make you rose bowl eligible. You were lucky and your coach knows it.
His last words of advice to his team after the early gatorade dunk was, “No smiles until the clock reads 0:00.”
Damon Evans
November 29th, 2009
5:59 pm
After being informed that UF is about to sign the highest ranked class in recruiting history, I am seeking desparately to get UGA into the ACC. I am now sure we can ever defeat the Gators again, now that Urban has turned down Notre Dame.
ACC here we come.
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 29th, 2009
6:00 pm
GT HAS BEEN FOOLED BY PAUL JOHNSON, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 29th, 2009
6:01 pm
TECH MAN, HAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH FOREVER
"Chef" Tim Dix
November 29th, 2009
6:02 pm
UGA is “Automatic for the people” and coming to Atlanta.
Face it, regardless of the opponent we’ll sell it out, stay and party.
It’s all about the benjamins, right?
big dog... sit stay
November 29th, 2009
6:03 pm
shultzy….. the a she she comment is knock on Dr Lou and his speech issue
get it a she she
Dawgs2009
November 29th, 2009
6:03 pm
The 2010 Bulldogs will be much better than this year’s team. First of all, Evans will be gone as well as Joe Cox. That is addition by subtraction. We cannot be much worse. Not to mention CMR has people breathing down his neck now. His “Free Pass” is over.
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 29th, 2009
6:03 pm
ORANGE BOWL DOES NOT LIKE GT OR CLEMSON. DEMANDING A RECOUNT. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
BitDawgBarking
November 29th, 2009
6:04 pm
Seattle Jacket I guess that almost brawl before the game was indicative of players that came out flat and unmotivated. You’re an excuse making idiot. And if they were flat you got a #7 team in the country with a lot on the line that has coaching issues. Kind of like that LSU game last year huh, moron. You just flat got your azz kicked and your coach got manhandled by a coaching staff in turmoil. What does that say for your coaching staff.
Tech Tony
November 29th, 2009
6:05 pm
One more thing and I’ll shut up: (ok, well two)
1) I feel bad for Bebe Thomas. I’m sure he’s thinking he cost them the game. He didn’t.
2) I can’t help but feel a little good for Joe Cox. Taking him out of the mix probably helped Georgia win last night but still, a kid who dedicated so much of himself to the program deserves a shining moment. I hate it that the moment was against my team but the courage of his conviction should be noted.
Sometimes we, and I’m guilty of this as much as anyone, tend to forget these are just kids.
Bulldog Joe
November 29th, 2009
6:06 pm
Hey Settle Jacket, blow it out your arse.
Booger
November 29th, 2009
6:06 pm
so the sec has alabama and florida and what? right – dogsqueezers like ut and uk and uga hangin on to their past glory. payin coaches what they get keeps all of you on a dam merry go round chasin money and you end up with a Florida and an Alabama. So now are you happy?
Roger
November 29th, 2009
6:08 pm
Jeff, Ref: “That’s can’t be done.” Nice writing from a journalist, @zz clown. How does your GT-UGA prediction look now?
Louis Skolnick
November 29th, 2009
6:08 pm
hey booger, didn’t lou holz coach notre dame once? maybe he would come back???
Alabama Jack
November 29th, 2009
6:09 pm
Okay, Willie, we saved your job for you. Now don’t go change anything. The difference between 7th and 12th isn’t that much. At least y’all being ranked 50th overall is better than how you rank in penalties and turnovers.
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 29th, 2009
6:09 pm
ORANGE BOWL DOES NOT LIKE TO TAKE A BCS # 12 TEAM. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
Louis Skolnick
November 29th, 2009
6:10 pm
good post alajack
Alabama Jack
November 29th, 2009
6:10 pm
Yeah but the Papajohns.com pizza bowl loves one that is ranked 50th.
Dawg Central
November 29th, 2009
6:10 pm
B Dodd…….US Marines are the “lets whip some ass” branch……thats what that get paid for… candy asses won’t do it………but this is about UGA and Ga Tech…..kinda like the US Marines(UGA) and the Navy(Ga Tech)……..just no comparison….lol
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 29th, 2009
6:11 pm
ORANGE BOWL COMPLAINING ABOUT GETTING HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER.