Friday, July 25, 2008

Atlantic Division Strength? and the Big Finish

Brian: Jeff, sixteen of the twenty-five preseason All-ACC football team members are from the ACC's Atlantic Division. So just how much better will the Atlantic Division be than the Coastal Division next year?

Jeff: Going back to what I vaguely recall from my statistics class at BC I am not sure if 16 out of 25 one year is too statisically significant. But, as we all know the Atlantic division has been the better division since the ACC expanded to 12 teams. This year, Clemson is ranked #1 nearly unanimously and Duke would be ranked #12 unanimously. So lets just say the Atlantic division has the best team and the Coastal has the worst team. That is enough for me to say that the Atlantic division will once again have a winning record against the Coastal this year.

Brian: Note the only 2 teams that won bowl games for the ACC last year were Atlantic teams. The Atlantic will be much stronger than the Coastal this year.


Jeff: Gosder Cherilus and the Lions agreed on a five year deal. He was the 17th overall pick. Are you still surprised as I am that 2 Eagles went top 20?

Brian: The Lions picking Cherilus did seem like a stretch. Let's hope it works out for both the Lions and Gosder.


Brian: The ACC will move towards having a standardized process to publish injury reports weekly, an idea pushed through by NC State coach Tom O'Brien. I guess Coach Jags can't steal a page from fellow New England football coach Bill Bellicheck and misreport injuries anymore! Is this a good idea?

Jeff: Yes. The ACC is leading the way here. Eventually all major conferences will follow suit.


Jeff: So I have the opportunity to get in a box for face value for the Alabama-Clemson game at the Georgia Dome Labor Day weekend which is where ESPN gameday will be. Seriously now, do I go there or up to Cleveland for BC-Kent State where the BC ticket office will stick me probably on the goal line even though there are only 30,000 in the stadium?

Brian: This shouldn't even be a question. Why would you want to line the pockets of an Atlantic division rival? Clemson and Alabama are reportedly going to make $1.9 million each on this game. Next time Clemson signs a 5-star recruit or adds 5,000 seats to Death Valley, I'll think of your contribution to the school. Like that ESPN commercial, "do you NEED your fanhood questioned?"



Brian: Last one, Tom O'Brien likes the BCS format the way it is. Your thoughts?

Jeff: TOB likes everything the way it is or was. He doesn't like change so I am at least not surprised.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

If you decide to go to Bama/Clemson, I am class of 2002 and am happy to let you crash in my spare bedroom. We have a baby on the way, so you would be surrounded by stuffed animals. If you can handle that, the you are welcome. I am about 4 miles from the stadium. Shoot me an email at drpeterv@gmail.com if you are interested.

Nice work on the blog!