PITTSBURGH -- The general consensus around college basketball right now is that this iteration of ACC men's basketball is some of the worst the league has ever seen. But if you ask the coaches from the ACC, that perception confuses them. Pitt Panthers head coach Jeff Capel is one of them.
"I don't really understand it to be completely honest with you," The Pitt head coach said. "I don't really get it. When you look at the success that we've had in the NCAA Tournament, when you look at the success we've had in the ACC-Big 10 Challenge, if you look at what our guys have done nationally as far as coaching, as far as players, as far as talent, as far as draft picks - all of those things - it's more than anyone."
Capel believes the ACC is as strong as ever, but he has noticed the league's flagship television station, the ACC Network, promoting that same negative narrative about the overall strength of the league instead of promoting it like other Power 5 conference networks might.
Capel recalled watching the ACC Network one day and seeing an opening segment titled "Is Perception a Reality That the ACC is Down?" That rubbed him the wrong way, especially when he sees the Big 10 Network consistently promote the strength of that conference while he watches his friend Chris Collins coach Northwestern to a strong season.
"I never see that on the Big 10 Network," Capel said. "They are always, always pumping the Big 10. Always. I think it's a really good league but I think ours is too. I wish the people who represent us would have the respect and pump our league and be positive instead of looking at negative things."
"I don't really understand it to be completely honest with you," The Pitt head coach said. "I don't really get it. When you look at the success that we've had in the NCAA Tournament, when you look at the success we've had in the ACC-Big 10 Challenge, if you look at what our guys have done nationally as far as coaching, as far as players, as far as talent, as far as draft picks - all of those things - it's more than anyone."
Capel believes the ACC is as strong as ever, but he has noticed the league's flagship television station, the ACC Network, promoting that same negative narrative about the overall strength of the league instead of promoting it like other Power 5 conference networks might.
Capel recalled watching the ACC Network one day and seeing an opening segment titled "Is Perception a Reality That the ACC is Down?" That rubbed him the wrong way, especially when he sees the Big 10 Network consistently promote the strength of that conference while he watches his friend Chris Collins coach Northwestern to a strong season.
"I never see that on the Big 10 Network," Capel said. "They are always, always pumping the Big 10. Always. I think it's a really good league but I think ours is too. I wish the people who represent us would have the respect and pump our league and be positive instead of looking at negative things."
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