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BAILEY'S
TAKE ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the
Anchor Desk
Tuesday,
September 20, 2011
By Brian
Bailey |
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Topsy-turvy ride's destination unknown
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East
Division |
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SCHOOL |
C-USA |
ALL |
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Marshall
UCF
Memphis
ECU
USM
UAB |
1-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-1
0-1 |
1-2
2-1
1-2
0-2
2-1
0-2 |
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West
Division |
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SCHOOL |
C-USA |
ALL |
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SMU
Tulsa
Houston
Tulane
Rice
UTEP |
1-0
1-0
0-0
1-1
0-0
0-1 |
2-1
1-2
3-0
2-1
1-1
2-1 |
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By
Brian Bailey
�2011 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
Where will the Pirates
land? It is certainly the million dollar question facing the Pirate
Nation as the latest trip on the conference realignment merry-go-round
takes off in fits and starts.
Syracuse and Pitt dumped
the Big East over the weekend to head to the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Big East will now look for at least two new members as it tries to
survive in this current landscape.
All of a sudden the Big
East and the Big 12 appear to be in a race for survival. The last one
standing may be left without the coveted Automatic Qualifying status
into the lucrative BCS bowls.
East Carolina Director of
Athletics Terry Holland and Chancellor Steve Ballard issued a joint
statement late Friday afternoon.
In a nutshell, the
statement asks all Pirate fans to stay the course. The only thing
certain is that nothing is certain, as trite as that sounds.
The most important part of
their statement reads this way:
�In these uncertain times,
we must remain focused and determined on what we can control and what
has brought success to our program thus far. For our coaches and
student-athletes, that assignment is to prepare, compete and win in the
classroom and on the field, and for our loyal Pirate fans, it is
imperative that we continue to fill our stadiums and arenas in Purple
and Gold.�
It has to be frustrating
for both Holland and Ballard because most of what is going on outside of
East Carolina is out of the their control.
Holland has done a
masterful job in getting the Pirates ready for possible inclusion in a
BCS league. One trip down Charles Boulevard shows just how far this
program has come in the last several years.
But will it be enough?
The dream of many would be
inclusion in the ACC or the Southeastern Conference. Both are major long
shots, especially the ACC.
Word from the SEC is that
the league would like to make inroads into the states of Virginia and
North Carolina. Virginia Tech is said to be the SEC�s pick, but the
Hokies might balk at that $20 million buyout in the ACC.
East Carolina has an SEC
type footprint for sure. It�s a small market, college town that loves
its college football. The SEC will go after bigger fish to begin with.
The Pirates must hope that the league gets down to filling a slot or two
late, and that the SEC feels the Pirates could be that fit.
Again, that�s a long shot
for sure.
Like the college student
trying for his first job, will some league step up and give the Pirates
a chance?
I think the most likely
scenario is a league combining what is left over from the Big East, the
Big 12 and Conference USA.
There was at least one
report on Monday that said the Big East and Big 12 were already talking
about a possible merger if Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas bolted for
what would be the Pac-16.
The question remains.
Would the leftovers from the Big East and Big 12, with a couple of
Conference USA teams, be worthy of AQ status?
If not AQ status, at the
very least a league like this might pick up some sort of easier path to
BCS inclusion, though that�s certainly not at all definitive.
Holland and Ballard say to
basically �keep on keepin� on.�
East Carolina is in much
better position to land a new home than it was during the last explosion
of conference realigning.
Hang on, because things
can change at a moment's notice.
It�s a tedious time, where
patience will be matched by perseverance as the ECU athletic program
marches forward.
BB
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Brian Bailey Archives
09/20/2011 02:55 AM |
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