ACC Tournament Tickets Available?! and the Big Finish

Jeff:  Did you hear that ACC basketball tournament did not sell out from schools alone for the first time in 30 something years?

Brian:  I did hear that. And here is the subsequent spin article out of Raleigh about how this is a good opportunity for the conference to win over more fans by giving them an opportunity to attend.

I just think that the combination of moving the tournament out of the geographic heart of the conference (North Carolina), combined with a sucktastic ("sucktastic … 29 points …") state of the economy, it is what it is ...

Still, the non-sell out is a bit disheartening and a sign that the economy is pretty bad. But I guess the lack of a sold out ACC men’s basketball tournament is BC's fault too?

Jeff:  No, that wasn't what I was saying or implying at all.  First, let's clarify that it is just not sold out yet and tickets are going on sale starting Monday on ticketmaster.  The tournament, for the past 30 something years has been sold out simply from selling tickets through its member institutions. I highly doubt that anyone thinks that anyone thinks this is BC's fault.  Eight years ago 9 ACC schools sold out the Georgia Dome. This year twelve programs can't even sell out the place even though the conference powers – Duke and North Carolina - are both top 10 and the best traveling school overall (Clemson) is top 15.

The reason has to be the economy and I bet now they don't feel as bad about the football attendance the past two years at ACC Championship Games.

Brian:  I was teasing about it being Boston College’s fault but ACC "purists" will be quick to blame expansion and not the economy on the ACC basketball tournament (and the ACC football Championship Game) attendance woes.  Also, I don't think Clemson is the best traveling basketball school. They have zero history. They are looking for back-to-back ACC conference winning records for the first time since 1965-1967.  The Tigers aren't necessarily what I would call a basketball powerhouse.

Jeff:  I said best traveling program overall meaning combining both football and basketball. Clemson was easily the 3rd best represented school last year at the ACC Tournament. Also, there is no such thing as an ACC purist.

Brian:  Of course there is such a thing as an ACC purist. ACC purists want to go back to the days when they had their nice little 9-team league that revolves around Tobacco Road. They want to go back to playing everyone in football, not having an ACC football Championship Game and having a “truer” champion – whatever that means – and reinstating the round-robin college hoops schedule. Count people like Mike Krzyzewski, anyone associated with NC State and J.P. Giglio as your "ACC purists."

Jeff: In the grand scheme of things, Florida State recently joined the ACC also, so a purist would want to go back to the 8 school ACC or even kick out Georgia Tech and be left with seven schools.  Stop dignifying those people you mention by giving them a title they probably think they deserve


Big Finish

Jeff:  Ever wonder where those pre-printed championship gear t-shirts go when the team loses? Last year when my father-in-law went on a mission trip to Nicaragua, I gave him plenty of our 2007 "Ryan for Heisman" shirts to hand out.  He went back this year and saw plenty of people wearing them ...


Brian:  That is awesome! As a Giants fan, I hope they are also rocking the 19-0 Patriots t-shirts.


Brian:  The baseball team beat USF yesterday 3-1, behind 7 1/3 strong innings from senior JB MacDonald. The win pushes the Eagles’ record to 5-0. Sign of progress for the baseball team?

Jeff: The baseball team over the last five years has been solid for a northern school but just had a little bit of a rough season last year.


Jeff: How many games will the hockey team lose this weekend?

Brian: 0.


Brian:  My favorite North Carolina-based sportswriter reports that since 1981, 35 of 36 ACC teams that beat both a Coach K-led Duke team and a UNC team with a winning record in the same season made the tournament.  Good news for the Eagles, right?

Jeff:  The Eagles still need one more win to be safe but I don't see that being a problem.


Jeff: The teams the Eagles men's hoops team plays twice this season in conference (Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, NC State, and Miami) have a combined record of 21-39.  Does this make you feel a little better since we always get stuck playing Virginia Tech in football from the Coastal division?

Brian: Yes, although this is another argument for a round-robin ACC basketball schedule.


Brian: LSU and West Virginia agreed to a home-and-home football series for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Aside from the USC series scheduled for 2013 and 2014, can I expect GDF to make a splash and schedule a major BCS conference opponent anytime soon?

Jeff: Why are you constantly bitching about the football schedule?  Southern Cal is huge!  Resigning Notre Dame has been priority #1 and then hopefully someday we'll get an SEC school or something like that.  It might not happen though if GDF isn't willing to play in Gillette Stadium or at the Meadowlands.  The big schools don't want to play in little Alumni and struggle to get their alums tickets.


Jeff: Last one. Brian, as you know, my brother is a navy pilot and just got deployed on the USS Eisenhower and was told he was headed to Afghanistan.  Turns out they're going to be fighting pirates in the Gulf of Aden for the next few months. Is fighting real pirates cool?

Brian: Sounds very cool I guess, but also dangerous.  Here's wishing him all the best in his assignment.