Krangodnzr
Captain of Team Murray
GREENSBORO, N.C. - When the ACC's invitations finally went out, one guest was expected, another was a surprise - and two were snubbed.
The Atlantic Coast Conference officially ended its six-week expansion saga Wednesday by inviting only Miami and Virginia Tech to leave the Big East and join its league.
Boston College and Syracuse, which also were candidates for expansion, were left behind.
Miami and Virginia Tech are the Big East's two dominant football schools, and the move to go to 11 schools wasn't one of the expected scenarios after the ACC voted May 13 to expand.
"These two institutions represent and share the values for which the ACC has long been known," said Clemson President James F. Barker, head of the league's Council of Presidents. "We feel they will be a great addition to our family."
Barker said the invitation to Virginia Tech, a dark-horse candidate that was added last week at the insistence of Virginia, was "subject to final completion of the conference bylaw requirements" - a site visit that was under way Wednesday in Blacksburg, Va.
Virginia Tech's governing board, meeting earlier Wednesday, unanimously authorized President Charles Steger to negotiate a deal with the ACC. Voting at a hastily called meeting in Roanoke, Va., the Board of Visitors gave Steger the authority to make the decision himself, and he said he was "inclined to accept" the offer.
Miami President Donna Shalala said school officials were disappointed that Boston College and Syracuse weren't included.
"Since this is a new proposal, we will evaluate it before making a decision," she said.
Athletic Director Paul Dee added it may take a few days for Miami to decide.
ACC Commissioner John Swofford said he didn't expect any problems with the invitation to either school, "but that's in their hands."
Boston College said the Big East was discussing future conference configurations among all its members. Its statement noted that Miami and Virginia Tech are included in those discussions, which is likely to mean that the Big East is making the would-be defectors a counterproposal to keep them from bolting.
The statement said the schools will address "those issues that have caused several Big East institutions to consider conference withdrawal."
Syracuse spokesman Kevin Morrow said the school was "disappointed that a decision like this was made."
Morrow said Syracuse would work with the Big East to "help it become an even stronger conference."
"We have faced challenges before, and we've always been up to the task. We will be again," Morrow said.
Swofford refused to give the expansion vote breakdown, although he said there weren't enough votes for a plan to add only Miami.
"I think the Big East will recover," Swofford said. "It isn't an acquisition, it isn't a takeover because the only way we can grow is if schools want to come join us by choice. I think it's been very misrepresented in some quarters."
The ACC presidents voted May 13 to expand, and conference officials visited Miami, Boston College and Syracuse to assess their facilities. Virginia Tech came into the picture last week, as part of a compromise suggested by Virginia President John T. Casteen III.
Virginia Tech was one of five Big East football schools that filed a lawsuit June 6 to try to stop Boston College, Miami and Syracuse from leaving the conference. Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and West Virginia were the other parties to the suit.
If the ACC expands to 11 members, it would be one short of the number necessary to hold a football conference championship game.
The ACC could seek a waiver of the requirement, but Steve Mallonee, the NCAA's Division I associate chief of staff, said Wednesday that he was unaware of any such request.
Mallonee said no conference has asked for a waiver since the rule was added in 1987.
The Atlantic Coast Conference officially ended its six-week expansion saga Wednesday by inviting only Miami and Virginia Tech to leave the Big East and join its league.
Boston College and Syracuse, which also were candidates for expansion, were left behind.
Miami and Virginia Tech are the Big East's two dominant football schools, and the move to go to 11 schools wasn't one of the expected scenarios after the ACC voted May 13 to expand.
"These two institutions represent and share the values for which the ACC has long been known," said Clemson President James F. Barker, head of the league's Council of Presidents. "We feel they will be a great addition to our family."
Barker said the invitation to Virginia Tech, a dark-horse candidate that was added last week at the insistence of Virginia, was "subject to final completion of the conference bylaw requirements" - a site visit that was under way Wednesday in Blacksburg, Va.
Virginia Tech's governing board, meeting earlier Wednesday, unanimously authorized President Charles Steger to negotiate a deal with the ACC. Voting at a hastily called meeting in Roanoke, Va., the Board of Visitors gave Steger the authority to make the decision himself, and he said he was "inclined to accept" the offer.
Miami President Donna Shalala said school officials were disappointed that Boston College and Syracuse weren't included.
"Since this is a new proposal, we will evaluate it before making a decision," she said.
Athletic Director Paul Dee added it may take a few days for Miami to decide.
ACC Commissioner John Swofford said he didn't expect any problems with the invitation to either school, "but that's in their hands."
Boston College said the Big East was discussing future conference configurations among all its members. Its statement noted that Miami and Virginia Tech are included in those discussions, which is likely to mean that the Big East is making the would-be defectors a counterproposal to keep them from bolting.
The statement said the schools will address "those issues that have caused several Big East institutions to consider conference withdrawal."
Syracuse spokesman Kevin Morrow said the school was "disappointed that a decision like this was made."
Morrow said Syracuse would work with the Big East to "help it become an even stronger conference."
"We have faced challenges before, and we've always been up to the task. We will be again," Morrow said.
Swofford refused to give the expansion vote breakdown, although he said there weren't enough votes for a plan to add only Miami.
"I think the Big East will recover," Swofford said. "It isn't an acquisition, it isn't a takeover because the only way we can grow is if schools want to come join us by choice. I think it's been very misrepresented in some quarters."
The ACC presidents voted May 13 to expand, and conference officials visited Miami, Boston College and Syracuse to assess their facilities. Virginia Tech came into the picture last week, as part of a compromise suggested by Virginia President John T. Casteen III.
Virginia Tech was one of five Big East football schools that filed a lawsuit June 6 to try to stop Boston College, Miami and Syracuse from leaving the conference. Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and West Virginia were the other parties to the suit.
If the ACC expands to 11 members, it would be one short of the number necessary to hold a football conference championship game.
The ACC could seek a waiver of the requirement, but Steve Mallonee, the NCAA's Division I associate chief of staff, said Wednesday that he was unaware of any such request.
Mallonee said no conference has asked for a waiver since the rule was added in 1987.
