If the hierarchy of the NWO of college athletics has ascertained now is time for conference "pillaging" then, why not pillage one of the ACC's storied universities? An educational system heaped in tradition, worldly acclaimed for its educational output, in all facets of degrees. Quietly built an endowment second to no one & btw- has a competitive athletic program?
Many will scoff at my suggestion but, ladies & gents, ponder on the definition of the first two words of the SEC, "South Eastern". The university I'm offering brings, in my opinion, as much credibility, reputation & financial stability as any other university, it just doesn't have the storied history, athletically, as the perceived NWO feels it needs. BTW-driving factor behind this is greed, pure & simple. $$$$
Again, Let the heat seeking missiles of bashing me begin but, before you push the red button, isn't this "bigger is mo better" movement about one single issue---MONEY?
I'll grant you bodies in the seats prevails...when it comes to athletics. What about fannies in the classroom, are we now at the point where classroom fill rate is determined by wins & losses? Hardly.
The SEC now, at this juncture both academically & athletically, is the barometer whereby all institutions of higher learning judge themselves, I submit, both academically & athletically. In other words, The SEC has it all.
In my mind, (admitted uneducated in the high financing world of college athletics) the SEC could stay at current status & remain at the peak of college athletics. The SEC has become the standard bearer of all things pertaining to college athletics. I just don't see anything on the horizon to change this, not in my lifetime, anyway.
But, if expansion is a definite & if we were to expand, be Bold! h#@'ll, they took a chance on a floundering, athletically, university like our beloved USC. If expansion is in the cards, make a play for UVA. The intangibles are phenomenal. UVA, offers far more than what's seen on the surface, history, degree credibility (second to no one) & has a fan base, second to no one. UVA would increase the SEC academically, UVA would be competitively in athletics & only get better with admission into the SEC. Definitely make recruiting more competitive though. UVA is a great road trip for all schools. Well, maybe not Texas. However, UVA will provide the coveted media exposure & possible growth into new markets, both recruiting wise & TV. Plus, UVA also keeps within the first two words of SEC, South Eastern.
So, why clamour after a ND or one of the other media loved & pushed possibilities when, right in our back yard sits a school offering many of the tangible attributes to build upon the storied reputation of the SEC?
Besides, if this ever were to happen, UVA into the SEC, there'd be an explosion in the up state, the likes & magnitude to which our great grands, in their elderly state would want to gather round the fire & tell their grandchildren of "The fable of Diablo & the Orange Explosion spewing orange vile across 4 states".
Come to think about it, that orange vile might possibly have traces of 2 different colors of blue as well.