4-1-Zoo: BC Interruption blog offers thoughts on Pitt, ACC
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) -- By now, anyone in Pittsburgh has voiced their opinion on the move to the ACC or heard others spout off.
For the most part, Pitt fans seem happy with the move, but what does the ACC think? Well, I was fortunate enough to grab A.J. from BC Interruption, a Boston College blog, for a quick Q&A regarding his thoughts on the move.
1) How do ACC fans feel about the additions of Pitt and Syracuse?
I think there is a lot of excitement generally around the addition of the two former Big East schools. For one, ACC basketball fans now have an even better product on the court with two great schools coming into the conference. Also for Northern schools like BC and Maryland, they provide regional games that will allow fans to travel easily. For someone like myself, I could never travel to FSU/Miami because of work, but I could easily make a trip to Syracuse to watch a game.
2) Talk about the strength of this conference in both football and basketball and tell us what this means. How much stronger does the conference get?
First and foremost the addition of Pittsburgh and Syracuse seems mostly like a basketball move. Neither program has been particularly relevant in football lately, but the same could be said of the entire ACC conference. Obviously the strength of the ACC in football is Virginia Tech, Clemson and Florida State. Those three schools will always be the power houses of the conference. In terms of basketball, it's all about Duke and UNC the past decade. They bring in National Championships and star talent, and are coached by two legends.
3) Do you think the ACC will sit for now or continue to add members? How big do you see the conference growing?
I do see the ACC continuing to build, but I have a gut feeling new members won't be added any time soon. There are a lot of schools that are interested in the ACC, but the interest is not reciprocal. Teams like UConn, Rutgers, and West Virginia have all expressed interest, but at this time I just don't see it happening.
4) Are there any other targets out there that you'd be interested in adding to the ACC?
Yes. Dream scenario here. I would love to see the ACC swoop in and grab Notre Dame and Penn State. Both of these schools match the profiles of the colleges already in the ACC and adding them to the conference would really solidify the Northeast. Will this happen? Probably not. But if the ACC can grab both of these schools, they better pull the trigger quickly.
5) As a school that made this switch before, how was Boston College received? Can Pitt and Syracuse fans expect a similar reception?
Originally BC was welcomed with open arms when they started in the ACC. Most of that good will had to do with the fact that at the time both their basketball and football programs were very good. Fast forward six years, and our football team is a mess and our basketball team hasn't been relevant since Al Skinner left. Now ACC fans treat BC like the whipping boy of their conference.
We rightfully hear constant complaining about how our fans don't travel, and our teams aren't good. Pitt and Syracuse fans probably should expect to hear the same thing about their football teams if they don't improve. But your programs probably will get a free pass if their basketball programs can continue to compete at an elite level.
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Chris Gates | Area 4-1-Zoo Blog
Twitter.com/Chris_Gates
Chris.Gates@cbsradio.com
