On his way out of the Big East, Jim Boeheim reiterated his parting shot.
With Syracuse now officially headed to the ACC in 2013, Boeheim said the league he first joined in 1979 with Dave Gavitt as Commissioner is not the same league in which his Orange currently play.
“The Big East is not what it used to be,” Boeheim told the Syracuse Post-Standard after the U.S. club’s 80-69 exhibition victory over Brazil on Monday night in Washington.
“I think the ACC is a tremendous league and it’s a tremendous opportunity for us. To stay in one time zone and play in a great conference — a great all-around conference, but, specifically, a great basketball conference — is a great thing.”
Syracuse and likely Pittsburgh, too, will now spend an awkward final year in the Big East before heading to the greener pastures of the ACC in 2013.
They will be replaced by Temple, Memphis, Houston, SMU and UCF in a Big East that could one day feature a Houston-Memphis Big East Tournament final at Madison Square Garden.
Odd, to say the least.
After 2013, Syracuse fans will no longer get to see their beloved Orange in the postseason tournament in New York City, and will instead have to trip to Greensboro, N.C. for the ACC Tournament.
“This was coming,” Boeheim said. “We knew it was coming. But it’s good to get it done. We didn’t want to wait another two years. One year is doable. I’m glad things worked out the way they have. It is what it is. We’ll focus completely on the Big East this year, just like we did last year. We’ll try to play the best we can and we’ll let future take care of itself.”
Photo: Daily News
MuchLuck / July 17, 2012
I don’t know if it’s not the way it used to be, Jim…..but they probably do the same tests in the ACC…
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rthomas / July 17, 2012
Finally Syracuse gets to a conference that they might win a few football games. Boeheim may think it’s about basketball, but everyone knows its about football.
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dixiebullfrog / July 17, 2012
Nice way to start your farewell tour around the Big East, Jimbo. For the record, you’re not what you used to be, and Syracuse is not what it used to be. That about covers your exit strategy. Duck and run. Adios!
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UofA BJ / July 18, 2012
ACC is way better football conference than big east r Thomas
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UofA BJ / July 18, 2012
Why isn’t Syracuse what it used to b. If my memories right they were no 1 for a good stretch last year?
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HallBall / July 18, 2012
@ Rthomas yeah Syracuse could barely win the the Big East with schools such as Conneticut, USF, Louisville and so on, I doubt they will do better against the like of Florida St, Vrigina Tech, Clemson and Miami.
@ UofA BJ Syracuse has been the New England Patriots of the Big East for the past couple of years, what did a number 1 ranking for most of the year get them?
@ dixie honestly a team leaving the Big East for the ACC doesnt even bother me anymore, Id rather just have the Big East and ACC spuer conference seeing as how the ACC is mostly made up of Big East teams. Name it the Atlantic East smh…
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Tusker / July 19, 2012
UofA BJ JULY 18, 2012, 2:02PM AT 2:02 PM #
“ACC is way better football conference than big east r Thomas”
Sure, as evidenced by the WVU MURDERING the ACC Champion Clemson 70-33. How many BCS Bowls has the ACC won?
Think before you speak/type.
Sticks to hoops, the desert sun has fried your brain.
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UofA BJ / July 19, 2012
Virginia tech, Florida st, Miami , Clemson.
Are all better programs than any current big east school.
U base your argument on one game and wvu isn’t even in the bum conference anymore.
I think that east coast heat wave fried your brain.
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UofA BJ / July 19, 2012
Big east football.
Still laughing at that one.
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Tusker / July 19, 2012
BJ, you have no idea what you speak of.
Not only did WVU crush the ACC Champion in the OB, they broke the all time bowl scoring record on them.
Again, how many BCS bowls have the ACC won compared to the BE? What’s the ACCs bowl record since they poached VT, UM, and BC compared to the BEs? What the ACC’s record vs. Top 25 teams over that time frame, compared to the BE?
If you place a conference’s strength on what Miami and FSU did in the 1980s.. yeah the ACC > the former BE. But if you go by results on the field from 2004-2011, it’s not even close. Bowl wins, out of conference victories, record vs. the Top 25. Go read about it, and then you can come back and claim to know anything about CFB.
You must work for ESPN, because your logic is flawed just like theirs. Perception IS NOT reality. Wins and Losses are. The ACC from 2004 through 2011 was a statistically inferior conference to the Big East. Go read about.
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GasCan / July 19, 2012
Well since the start of the BCS system in the 98-99 season, based on conference membership at the time of the game, the Big East has won 6 while the ACC has won twice. The problem is that 3 of the Big East wins came from teams that are now in the ACC (Miami and Fla St.) and 2 came from WVU, who is moving to the B12. The bottom line is that both the ACC and Big East are terrible in football and an argument over which of the two is better could only happen on a basketball centered blog.
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UofA BJ / July 19, 2012
Big east is worst football conference period, not even close.
Sorry, not trying to bash BE football but they r horrible. I think everyone else agrees with that. Fla st in 80’s ? No fla st , Miami and va tech now are superior 2 any big east team.
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UofA BJ / July 19, 2012
North east produces less football talent than any region.
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MuchLuck / July 19, 2012
Not enough corn and potatoes inthe northeast….
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Tusker / July 20, 2012
Hey BJ, welcome to adulthood. What are you 6? It would appear that since you believe it, it must be true for all of us. Wins and Losses have no appetite for your perception-based argument here.
Also, you clearly haven’t been watching the same FSU program that the rest have been for the last decade or so. When’s the last time you watched FSU play, 2001?
What actually occurred on the field, and not in your head, supports the BE as a superior football conference to the ACC from 04-11.
If not for USC and then Oregon, the BE would also statistically own the pathetic football entity known as the Pac10/12.
Why don’t you stick to a non EC based blog Pal.
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UofA BJ / July 20, 2012
Can’t believe this fuckin douchebag is still hyping big east football. I mean really you faggot? Big east football? Smh u must be blinded by your east coast bias. Who is in the big east anymore? College football is changing and big east is not invited; yet your dumbass seems to think otherwise. I speak for everyone in the country when I say we are tired of seeing a big east team in a BCS bowl. You bring nothing to the table and nobody watches. Stick to Thursday night games because that’s your best chance to get a view. Seriously anyone enjoy big east football?
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