FCDore
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How irritated is Delaney right now? (Also, Maryland has to be disappointed that it won't be reuniting with any close, traditional rivals anytime soon.)
This is exactly why if Slive determines that further SEC expansion will be necessary, he needs to respond to the Maryland/Rutgers shift and pre-empt Delaney's next move to grab what schools he'd like while they're still available. If the SEC wants UNC/Duke or UNC/Virginia, then go make every effort to make it happen now instead of waiting and hoping that Delaney chooses someone else.
The more I think about this, the more I wonder if Slive should actually make the next move. As you write, there aren't that many favorable scenarios for the SEC, so if you believe more expansion is on the way, why not act proactively to grab what you and the league' presidents (and the network execs who are unofficially advising you) believe make the most sense? This may all be dependent on what happens with Maryland's lawsuit with the ACC, but if the SEC can convince UNC and Duke or UNC and Virginia to jump ship, I'd go ahead and do that instead of waiting and hoping that Delaney chases Georgia Tech instead.
Multiple people have said that Slive wants North Carolina and Duke, but that the Big 10 will grab them first. Why? Delaney just raided the ACC (Maryland), so if one believes that Slive won't act until the Big 10 does, well...the Big 10 already has. If Slive believes he can get UNC and Duke/Virginia, then shouldn't he go ahead and do it instead of waiting and hoping that this isn't Delaney's next move?
John: Thank you for taking the time to put all this together. Fascinating reading. I think the Hawaii-Pac 12 comment is astute, given Scott's interest in marketing in Asia and the better-than-expected revenues that the school generates. I would pair them with UNLV instead of Boise, but what do I know. I would love for the SEC to add UNC and Duke or UNC and Virginia. NC State seems unnecessary.
This, by itself, almost justifies the SEC acting pre-emptively to grab North Carolina and Duke. Speaking of which, when are we going to see Part 4 of the Big Bang Theory series, John? (we're all addicted to this stuff!)