May 14
What's going on in the wacky world of college athletics?

It's absolutely chaotic, with the talk of the ACC expanding to 12 schools. At the league meeting, the ACC voted 7-2 to expand, with North Carolina and Duke the only two schools voting against the proposal. Big East schools Miami, Syracuse and either Boston College or Virginia Tech were expected to receive invitations to join the ACC.

Then there's the question of geography. What kind of logic is it for Syracuse to play in the ACC?

Wow, this is setting off all sorts of speculation about the future of the Big East. I was in Connecticut on Tuesday night, speaking before the Greater Jewish Federation. Time and time again, I was asked about how this would affect Connecticut's athletic programs.

The Huskies and athletic director Lew Perkins have worked hard to drum up interest in the football program, which is now in Division I-A and will play in a new stadium in 2003. Connecticut wants to build its program and compete with the best of Division I-A.

Big East basketball will always survive and thrive. At UConn, women's coach Geno Auriemma and men's coach Jim Calhoun have built nationally known programs that have won national titles. Those programs will always do well, whether playing an independent schedule or within the conference they're part of, still likely some form of the Big East. A conference with the likes of Georgetown, St. John's, Seton Hall, Providence and others would do just fine basketball-wise.

But what would happen to Big East football if Miami, Syracuse and either Virginia Tech or Boston College left? That's the big question right now. It's so chaotic and affects so many schools.

Then there's the question of geography. What kind of logic is it for Syracuse to play in the ACC, competing against Clemson, Florida State and others? What kind of insanity is there already with Penn State in the Big Ten or Louisiana Tech competing against Hawaii in the WAC? Of course, it doesn't really make sense for Miami to play schools up north, either. But at least that's just one school with long road trips. This new ACC potentially would have two schools (Syracuse and Boston College) with much more travel time.

School presidents talk so often about academic integrity, graduating athletes, etc. I don't want to hear about it -- it's all about the cash, baby! It's all about the dollars, not the kids.

Sadly, it looks obvious to me: Use the kids, spit them out and make as much money as you can. I get fed up when I hear about it. There are seminars, committees are formed, school presidents talk about graduating players.

If schools want to graduate players, give student-athletes five years to graduate with four years of eligibility and make freshmen ineligible.

If schools want to graduate players, then give student-athletes five years to graduate with four years of eligibility and make freshmen ineligible. Let kids get acclimated to college life. Oh well, that won't happen either. It makes sense, but it won't happen in this day and age.

It breaks my heart to hear about situations like this. I have a passion and love for young people and sports. I enjoy dealing with the kids who compete and the coaches who work so hard.

What bothers me is the excess travel and the time involved when conferences use alignments that don't make sense. It isn't conducive to where the schools are located. Please, don't make these kids travel longer distances because conferences make absurd decisions like this!

Now with all the speculation and rumors, Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese must sell the league again. This weekend at the Big East meetings in Florida, the league must do its best to keep Miami and Syracuse from bolting to the ACC.

Do you think there will be fireworks if Tranghese and ACC commissioner John Swofford attend the same party anytime soon? I doubt they will be on each other's Christmas card list, baby!