Jon Joseph

A take on the future of the ACC, B1G, SEC, and ESPN. In college football realignment, the SEC, Big Ten and ESPN may decide ACC fate BAMAHAMMER.COM This week the biggest news in the world of college football was not Clemson's lawsuit against the ACC. The Tigers were just following along with what FSU had al

The 2024 game in Corvallis instead of playing Texas Tech in Eugene is a $6M to $8M+ hit to the local Eugene/Springfield economy. Was this taken into consideration? It would be interesting to know how much money had to be returned for rooms reserved for the Texas Tech game. Travel Lane County WWW.EUGENECASCADESCOAST.ORG Fans cheered the Ducks as they returned to the gridiron against Fresno State, but it was local businesses cheering more as fans dropped cold hard cash over the weekend.

FWIW and somewhat OT, the B1G went 3-0 in last night's NIT action. The Gophers, Badgers, and Buckeyes all won their 1st round games. Ohio State has won NCAA titles and Wisconsin and Minnesota have featured many quality basketball teams. Not one of the three believed the NIT to be beneath them.

Contracts and challenged, torn up, and renegotiated every day. If you are a lender and the borrower files for bankruptcy reorganization your contract is subject to being renegotiated by the court. Maryland sued the ACC over its exit fee when it left for the B1G and saved millions of dollars. The powers-that-be at Maryland should have simply said, 'Oh, well?' Are you aware of the money these two schools that did little or nothing to earn the money are grabbing? If the Pac-10 had pursued a remedy outside of Washington the settlement amount would not be close to what the Pac-2 are getting. 12 people form a business. 10 depart without having to pay an exit fee. The 2 left are entitled to the Good Will and all of the assets and the ten departees are still on the hook for their share of liabilities? Only a group of fools would agree to this. Only academicians would agree to anything this onerous. The Pac-2 will not share with their new partners. They'll drain what they stole and then join the G5. It's a rip-off. None of the 10 being hosed over agreed to this kind of resolution at the time the by-laws were agreed to. 8 out of 12 would have been enough to change the by-laws if the departing 8's lawyers and the Pac-12's lawyers had not been asleep at the switch.

Mike, I disagree with you but I certainly do not mean to be disagreeable. You made your case very well and I appreciate you making this effort.

An Honorable Mention for Dana. Which coaches historically out-perform expectations during the NCAA Tournament? SATURDAYTRADITION.COM A few college basketball coaches stand out amongst their peers when it comes to performance in the NCAA Tournament.

According to Athlon, Oregon will play in four of the fifteen including the second and third-ranked games. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/big-ten-football-15-must-see-games-in-2024

CFN likes the Ducks in a close-call win over the Gamecocks. https://collegefootballnews.com/predictions/south-carolina-vs-oregon-prediction-game-preview-ncaa-tournament-first-round-2024

The UW AD is now the AD at Nebraska. Intra-conference poaching. Does UW have the money to stay competitive in CFB and CBB? UW could not come close to matching DeBoer's $10.5M from Bama. It would be interesting to know the salary differences with this hire by Nebraska. A+m paid a whole lot of money to poach alum Trev Alberts from the Cornhuskers.

No control over NIL in the NFL as such would be illegal as the NCAA learned the hard way. But the League does, of course, have agreed upon restraints on free agency and a 'rookie' pay scale. The agreement is between the owners and the players union. In CFB which entity will represent 'management' and what will a union look like when the best players are gone after three seasons on campus? CFB will shrink into a Super League; Puddles will be a player but lots of questions remain to be answered.

Does Oregon lose to DJU and FSU? Come On Man! It's a long off-season. Crowning a champion in college football's 2024 64-team playoff - ESPN WWW.ESPN.COM We complete our mock playoff, from the Sweet 16 through the Final Four and the national title game.

Proctor best not visit a Proctologist in Iowa. Bama is showing DeBoer $10.5M per annum and I guess that The Tide's war chest is bigger than the Hawkeyes war chest. I wonder how much more money the young man scored with his head fake? I am happy that athletes can capitalize off of their own NIL, including Caitlin schilling for State Farm, but out-of-control free agency? I don't believe unrestrained NIL is sustainable. At least not sustainable for many of the 134 G5 and P4 schools.

Gamecock fans are cocky, who knew? 'We are the SEC and you are not!' But about that stadium floor ...

Thanks, Duckster. And thanks also for posting the earlier article on Dana. Both are a most enjoyable read. 'House money' defines it perfectly. Now, how long can Puddles stay at the table? South Cackalacky played well in a deep conference. But was it good and deep or just deep? The Tournament will be the tell. In another post, Charles posted a comment showing Oregon State declined an NIT bid. Huh? One run a few years back that led to far too much sugar being poured on the Beavers coach means you don't take advantage of a chance to improve? I also was not happy about seeing UCLA, USC, and UW telling the NIT to get lost when Ohio State, Iowa, and Minnesota all accepted their invitation. Not a good look IMO for 3 of the 4 newbies. Thanks again. Pluck the Gamecocks!

One reason for litigation is to come to a settlement of a lower exit fee. This is what Maryland accomplished when it left the ACC and sued over an exit fee that was far lower than $140M. And Clemson makes a most salient point. We're supposed to pay you $140M and you keep our media rights? The ACC will stay together in one form or another but like the B12 it will be a lowercase 'p' power 2. I think a Super League is inevitable. Puddles will be there.

A contractual agreement even with 10 of the 12 partners leaving the firm with the two lowest partners on the totem pole remaining is meritorious? If the Pac 8 had decent legal representation they would have called a board meeting before giving notice and changed the by-laws. What happens when the Pac-2 goes to the MW or reverse mergers with the MW? Do you think the P2 will share the quasi-purloined funds with their new MW friends? Of course not because the Pac-2 will argue that MW west teams had nothing to do with earning the money. Other than providing cannon fodder, what did the Pac-2 contribute to post-season revenue? Nada. You do not get paid for winning baseball tournaments. OSU keeps its CBB money fine. And I'd settle for giving both teams more than what they earned but not the entire enchilada. It's theft using a huckster trick but it worked with the suckers in charge of the Pac-8. If the Pac-10 filed suit in Salt Lake City and hired Ballard Sparh as counsel I'm reasonably certain that a state court judge could have ruled differently than a state court judge in Bum Fork, Washington. Hats off to the Pac-2 for hiring lawyers good for their side and Go to Hades to the Pac-10 folks that let this happen without a fight.

Novostad at QB? That's some great journalism. 😂 From a top-ranked public university. The author may want to tune into Ducks Wire.

I think this Wolverine may have rabies. Ranking Michigan football 2024 season opponents by difficulty WOLVERINESWIRE.USATODAY.COM This is the definitive ranking of games in 2024. #GoBlue

Four things to watch as USC begins spring football practice SPORTS.YAHOO.COM As USC prepares to open spring practice on Tuesday, here are four things to watch, including the quarterback competition to replace Caleb Williams.

From Bleacher Report. Clemson Sues ACC over Grant of Rights, Withdrawal Fee Following FSU's Lawsuit BLEACHERREPORT.COM Clemson has become the second ACC program, after Florida State, to file a lawsuit against the conference. According to the court filing, the school is suing…

Great take. Further complicating the matter is ESPN's ownership and operation of the ACC Network. The formation of the Network was a bargaining chip used by ESPN to have the ACC agree to a media deal through 2036. Interesting argument Clemson makes: You want us to pay $140M in liquidated damages and you still retain our media rights? No matter where you come down on the matter, I think a South Carolina state court judge will find merit in Clemson's argument notwithstanding the 'plain language' of the grant of media rights.

This litigation could accelerate Notre Dame's having to join a conference. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/paul-finebaum-forecasts-notre-dame-will-join-a-conference-shortly

I agree. IMO, it's a form over substance argument to fall back on by-laws when 10 of 12 members are leaving. The by-laws were not amended with 2 of the 12 leaving but another 8 of 10 leaving could have altered the bylaws and this argument made in front of a 'friendly' state court judge in a Pac-12 jurisdiction other than Washington and Oregon could have obtained a contrary opinion. That means the matter would be moved to federal court. Alternatively, the 10 departing members could have moved to bankrupt the Pac-12 and see what a bankruptcy court considering the comparable equity in the matter, would have determined. With the money involved, why not spend the money to litigate looking for an alternative decision? At the very least such an action would have slowed down the process and given the departing members negotiating leverage. The departing members simply rolled over, giving OSU and WSU everything they asked for. Why? Because it is academicians and not business people in charge. The Pac-2 used litigation as a weapon and the Pac-10 should not have bent over. As to canceling out Texas Tech and instead tripping to Corvallis. Did anyone think to ask small business owners in Eugene/Springfield their opinion? Did anyone calculate the economic hit Eugene/Springfield would suffer? The hit to Oregon in merchandise sales, concessions, parking, etc.? Did anyone consider the atmosphere Oregon fans will experience in Corvallis? Did anyone consider the SOS hit playing a G5 and not a P4 team? Did anyone consider whether or not the game would be broadcast? Oregon did not hose over Oregon State, the marketplace rejected Oregon State with good reason.

Clemson has joined fellow traveler FSU in bringing suit against the ACC. The two biggest and most watched brands in the ACC want a much bigger piece of the revenue pie or they want out. I do not see the 15 other ACC member teams giving Clemson and FSU close to the cash the Tigers and Seminoles would bring in from being a Power 2 member. FSU is 'this close' to earning AAU member status, and Fox and friends would love to have a team in the football-mad southeast. The SEC has USC(e) but Clemson is a much bigger brand and would fit nicely with UNC, NC State, and UVA should the ACC go away or morph into G5 territory. Clemson suing ACC, joining Florida State as second program to sue conference WWW.SATURDAYDOWNSOUTH.COM Clemson is suing the ACC over its grant of rights and exit fee to leave the conference.

Some love for VA Tech. Virginia Tech QB Kyron Drones improving in key areas will have Hokies emerging as ACC threat in 2024 season - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM Drones showed flashes of brilliance last season as he led Virginia Tech to a resurgence down the stretch