Syracuse, N.Y. – Jim Boeheim can’t fathom the travel schedules. He considers the ACC’s move to add Stanford, Cal and SMU one more example of the madness gripping college sports.
But the former Syracuse basketball coach and current special assistant to SU athletic director John Wildhack said today he understands why most ACC member schools voted to increase conference membership to 18 schools.
“I think the ACC is doing what they have to do based on the expansion,” he said, “otherwise you could have no league in two, three years.”
Of the three schools that reportedly voted no – Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina – two have made veiled threats about leaving the ACC and landing in a more bountiful conference. Clemson and FSU have made their intentions clear, with the ACC’s daunting Grant of Rights seemingly the only obstacle to their dash out of Dodge.
The ACC’s decision to add three teams has been viewed as a buffer to counteract the potential defection of current member schools. Boeheim said he did not believe the ACC could sit out the chance to add Stanford, Cal and SMU – all quality academic institutions with solid sports programs.
“I think it’s the best the ACC could do in a difficult situation,” he said.
The travel schedules seem like the most unsettling element of the league’s expansion, Boeheim said.
In a news release today, University of Virginia President James E. Ryan, who chairs the ACC Board of Directors, was quoted as saying “this expansion will enhance and strengthen the league now and in the future. We greatly appreciate the tireless efforts of Commissioner Jim Phillips throughout this entire process, especially his focus on minimizing travel burdens for student-athletes.”
There has been no explanation yet about what that means, exactly, though Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports has reported that plans are being formulated that would limit the trips original ACC members would make to the new western outliers. Stanford,…
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