While most of us can look to the NCAA as the culprit here, my focus going forward is with the ACC Leadership. No, I am not excusing the Selection Committee, as clearly they are ultimately responsible for this incredible act of disrespect, but until the NCAA further self-destructs, there is nothing this University can do to address this latest injustice, or prohibit future injustice.
It should be no surprise that of the four (4) ACC members selected, two are founding members of the ACC, each residing in the state of North Carolina. Bubba Cunningham can hide behind his prepared statement, “as having no participation in UNC selection”, but those of us who have participated in any Committee processes know that does not mean Bubba did not exercise his influence outside the private conversations for UNC’s inclusion, or his failure to stand up for UL in the seeding process.
I believe UL (Josh Heird) should begin actively lobbying with the majority of those ACC member ADs who are not located in the state of NC, nor are identified as supportive of the “Tobacco Road Mafia” who have abused their authority forever. I believe there has been a growing sense within many of the member schools who have experienced their own injustices over the years, and with the recent entrance of SMU, Cal and Stanford, it is now possible the majority of schools could wrestle control away for North Carolina. One initiative would be moving the ACC Basketball tournament away from Charlotte, as the geography screams change.
There is no reason for UL to think about leaving the ACC, but rather focus on gaining consensus with the majority of members schools that Tobacco Road is not representative of those schools outside of North Carolina and that it is time to find a more aggressive leadership that models the behavior of the SEC when it comes to supporting their own.
As Eric Crawford so effectively pointed out in his article this morning, Bubba never even had the courage to answer the question about UL being seeded 8, without invoking the names of UNC and Memphis. Bubba got away with screwing UL, but I honestly believe his performance on behalf of the ACC is being interpreted by most ACC members schools as “this could just as easily have happened to my school”.
It should be no surprise that of the four (4) ACC members selected, two are founding members of the ACC, each residing in the state of North Carolina. Bubba Cunningham can hide behind his prepared statement, “as having no participation in UNC selection”, but those of us who have participated in any Committee processes know that does not mean Bubba did not exercise his influence outside the private conversations for UNC’s inclusion, or his failure to stand up for UL in the seeding process.
I believe UL (Josh Heird) should begin actively lobbying with the majority of those ACC member ADs who are not located in the state of NC, nor are identified as supportive of the “Tobacco Road Mafia” who have abused their authority forever. I believe there has been a growing sense within many of the member schools who have experienced their own injustices over the years, and with the recent entrance of SMU, Cal and Stanford, it is now possible the majority of schools could wrestle control away for North Carolina. One initiative would be moving the ACC Basketball tournament away from Charlotte, as the geography screams change.
There is no reason for UL to think about leaving the ACC, but rather focus on gaining consensus with the majority of members schools that Tobacco Road is not representative of those schools outside of North Carolina and that it is time to find a more aggressive leadership that models the behavior of the SEC when it comes to supporting their own.
As Eric Crawford so effectively pointed out in his article this morning, Bubba never even had the courage to answer the question about UL being seeded 8, without invoking the names of UNC and Memphis. Bubba got away with screwing UL, but I honestly believe his performance on behalf of the ACC is being interpreted by most ACC members schools as “this could just as easily have happened to my school”.
