Episode 7: You see…What had happened was…
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On this weeks podcast, Dan and I talk about Cam Cameron…again. Talk about Joe Flacco…again. Talk about Ray Rice not getting the carries…again. How do you stop RGIII this week? Maryland basketball is rolling winning seven in a row including a century spot on UMD-Eastern Shore, 100-68. Baseball’s Winter Meetings going on, Orioles re-sign Nate McLouth (Which means no Nick Swisher!! Yay!!). We feature as always the “Crab Cakes and Football” Fantasy League featuring the areas best bloggers and media types. It’s playoff week for fantasy. Finishing up with our pick em’s for the slate of games in Week 14.
And…somebody “pooped their big boy pants”. You don’t want to miss it
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Episode 6: ACC/Big Ten futures, Ravens vs. Steelers Part 2
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We’re back from the Thanksgiving holiday. This week, Dan and I discuss Maryland’s move to the Big Ten. The futures of college football and basketball in the ACC and Big Ten. The Ravens stunning come from behind win in San Diego. This week we face Pittsburgh for round two. We spotlight the “Crab Cakes and Football” fantasy league, featuring some of the best area bloggers. Finishing up with our picks for all of the week 13 NFL match ups.
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The future of NCAA football. Conference realignment
11/28/12 – Louisville to join the ACC in 2014
Lets pretend it is the year 2015. The Orioles are about to three-peat as World Series champs. Cam Cameron is long gone. The Wizards have lost 246 straight games and counting. Kids are playing with hover boards, and the landscape of college sports has been turned upside down, shaken up, and put back together, all thanks to big money and conference realignment. All this realignment stuff is driven by three things. Money, television exposure, and eligibility to win a BCS title in football. Tradition, geography, forget about it.
Nothing earns more money for the school than the football program. Football income pays for the water polo and gymnastics teams to be able to operate. Televison exposure makes even more money for conferences, which they then distribute to the schools. How do you make the most money as a conference? Have a 24-hour cable network devoted to your conference. As of 2012, there are two conferences which have this. The Big Ten Network was the first, founded in 2007 and will operate under contract through 2027.
The Pac-12 is onboard as of August 2012, under contract through 2024. They have multiple regional networks out west. Pac 12 Washington (Wash/Wash St), Pac 12 Oregon (Ore/Ore St.), Pac 12 Bay Area (Cal/Stanford) , Pac 12 L.A. (USC/UCLA), etc…
The SEC does not have a 24 hour cable network, but CBS televises the premier SEC football matchup each week. During the 2:30 time slot which the premier SEC game of the week is played, no other SEC team is allowed to be televised, to maximize viewership by SEC fans for those three and a half hours. CBS pays the SEC $55 million a year for that right. A contract that is good through 2023. If the SEC divides that money up equally, it’s about 3.92 million dollars per school, just from CBS. There are other contracts from ESPN and what not.
In the Big Ten, they earn 49% of the revenue generated, and the operating network, FOX sports, earns 51%. That equaled about 7.2 million dollars per school this past year.
The Pac 12 has no operating partners it must split with, and therefore doesn’t have to participate in any revenue sharing. This being their first season, the forecast is that the network will generate $30 million dollars annually, PER SCHOOL! Remember that.
Everything is predicated on football and creating 16 team “super conferences”, which determine the playoff teams for the BCS title. Which conferences will get their 16 teams first? Probably the ones with the lucrative tv deals. With all of this talk about conference re-alignment, it is safe to say that the Big Ten, Pac 12 and SEC are not going anywhere…ever, and these three will get their 16 teams first. But to get there, they have to pull teams from another conference and someones conference is going to be left in shambles. Assuming that the Big Ten, Pac 12 and SEC are safe, Where will the schools come from?
Here is the rundown of the conferences as of 2015. Teams in Bold are new additions after 2012. (in no particular order):
Pac 12: Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, Cal, Stanford, USC, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah (12 Teams)
SEC: Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M, Missouri, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi (14 Teams)
Big Ten: Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northwestern, Nebraska, Penn State, Indiana, Illinois, Purdue, Iowa, Maryland, Rutgers (14 Teams)
ACC: Florida State, Clemson, Boston College, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Duke, Miami, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Pitt, Syracuse, Louisville (14 Teams)
Big 12: Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, TCU, West Virginia (10 Teams)
Big East: UConn, Cincinnati, South Florida, Temple, Boise State, Navy, San Diego State, BYU, Central Florida, Houston, Southern Methodist, Memphis, Tulane, East Carolina (14 teams)
It’s the year 2015, which conferences need what teams to reach the magic number 16? It’s clear to see that the Big 12 is the farthest away, needing to acquire six teams to get there. Right now they don’t even have the 12 teams needed to host a conference title game, one of the pre requisites to get into the BCS playoff. Texas A&M left, Mizzou left, Nebraska left, Colorado left, they gained only TCU, and West Virginia. Not quite the prestige that Nebraska and Texas A&M bring to the table. Rumors have been around for some time now that the Pac 12, at the time the Pac 10, was looking to expand, and dip into the Big 12 to do it. Seeking Nebraska, Colorado, and other teams mentioned would be Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. Colorado made it, Nebraska chose the Big Ten, and Utah from the Mountain West made it and even 12. If the Pac 12 targets the Big 12 again, and if that $30 million per year per school forecast holds true from the network revenue, schools from Texas, to Oklahoma, to Maine, to Alaska, to Hawaii will be fighting tooth and nail to get into the Pac 12. It would be the best the deal going right now. With that kind of money, they could pull the best football talent out of the Big 12, and create 2 more Pac 12 networks. Pac 12 Texas (UT/Tex.Tech), Pac 12 Oklahoma (OK/OKST). Two more networks = more $$$$$$$$.
New Pac 16: Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Cal, USC, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah, Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State. (16 Teams)
I guess in my opinion, it’s the Pac 12 who will be the first domino fall and create a 16 team super conference. The other conferences will be forced to follow suit real fast. The Big 12 now has six teams. They can’t have a conference with six teams.
Many thought it was the ACC or Big East who would be left without a leg to stand on. I think it will be the Big 12. Heres why.
The commissioner of the Big East, Mike Aresco, is the former Executive Vice President of CBS. Think he wouldn’t know a thing or two about getting a 24-7 “Big East Network” started? Generating millions for the slew of new schools joining the football conference. He wasted no time in replacing the schools who have jumped ship, Syracuse, Pitt, and Notre Dame basketball. Enter UCF, Houston, Boise State, San Diego State, BYU, Memphis, Navy, SMU, Tulane and East Carolina. Add them to Louisville, UConn, Cincinnati, South Florida and Temple. The Big East is one team shy of the magic number 16. But all of the new additions leave the Big East looking like a carbon copy of Conference USA. Louisville, Cincinnati and UConn feel that they have come a long way in their program growth and feel that they are better than mid-major status. So do the other conferences who seek to reach 16 teams as well.
In the ACC, the wild card to the fate of the whole thing, in my opinion is Notre Dame. While they earned the right to play in the BCS title game in 2012, the playoff system rules will make them have to belong to a conference, and the ACC would the one as they had been already been granted membership in all other sports. The Fighting Irish have been preparing for this move to the ACC as they scheduled more and more games against ACC teams each season. They have played at least two ACC schools in six of the seven seasons spanning 2006-2012, and four ACC schools each of the final two years. Boston College, Miami, Wake Forest, and Pitt in 2012, with Pitt obviously joining in ACC in 2013. Notre Dame being “Notre Dame” keeps the ACC afloat, puts an ACC team on nationally televised games on NBC (more $$$ for the ACC), and adds legitimacy to the ACC as a football conference. The addition of Notre Dame gives the ACC 14 teams. UPDATE 11/28/2012: Louisville to join the ACC in 2014. Makes that 15 teams when Notre Dame comes aboard.
So with six teams without a home from the now defunct Big 12, the Pac 12 (now Pac 16) setting the standard and getting to 16 teams first, the ACC in need of ONE team, the SEC in need of two teams, the Big Ten in need of two teams, and a few programs from the Big East looking to upgrade, and not become part of the “Conference USA 2.0″ disrespect that they are going to face, here’s what I’ve got.
New SEC: Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M, Missouri, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi, Baylor, TCU. (16 Teams)
I know Geography means nothing, but not every conference will take it to the extremes like the Big East did. Baylor and TCU are decent enough football schools, who would gladly accept the challenge, respect , and $$ that comes along with playing in the SEC. “Come on guys, it’ll be fun!” said Texas A&M to it’s in-state pals, Baylor and TCU.
New Big Ten (?? or Big 16??): Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northwestern, Nebraska, Penn State, Indiana, Illinois, Purdue, Iowa, Maryland, Rutgers, UConn, West Virginia (16 Teams)
For UConn, the Big Ten is a definite upgrade. For West Virginia…they have to go somewhere.
New ACC: Florida State, Clemson, Boston College, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Duke, Miami, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Pitt, Syracuse, Louisville, Notre Dame, Cincinnati. (16 Teams)
Cincinnati has been the latest rumor, along with the Louisville who just came aboard. The Bearcats would make 16 once Noter Dame comes along.
New Big East: South Florida, Temple, Boise State, Navy, San Diego State, BYU, Central Florida, Houston, Southern Methodist, Memphis, Tulane, East Carolina, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State. (15 teams)
I mean, Boise and San Diego in the Big EAST? Why not Kansas and Iowa while you’re at it. To get to 16 teams, take your pick from Marshall, Rice, Tulsa, Southern Mississippi, Alabama-Birmingham, or Texas-El Paso. The Big East has done nothing but rape Conference USA over the years. Why stop now. This conference, while still being intact, won’t garner any respect. But there will be a 24 hour cable channel devoted to it in 12 diferent states. “Cha-Ching”
Ravens: 4th and 29
I’m just going to come out and say it. I don’t think Ray Rice actually made it to the first down marker. Not trying to hate on the Ravens of course, but just being real. The first down marker he had to reach was the 34 yard line. Rice’s knee went down at the 35 yard line with his body falling forward. The ball is tucked into his chest. The original spot they gave him was the 33 yard line, meaning the ball was six feet past the 35 where the knee touched. Like I said, ball tucked into the chest, and Rice is only 5′ 8″. So it’s impossible for the ball to have been six feet ahead of his knees.
Now, that’s why there is replay, to get these things right. The refs then decide to back it up to the “33 1/2 yard line,” I don’t think there is four and half feet between Rice’s knee and the middle of his chest. But then they spot it just in front of the 34 yard line, measure, first down.
I’m 6′ 1″, five inches taller than Ray Rice. From my knees to my chest is about 32 inches. I find it hard to believe that it would be three feet from knees to chest on him.
I don’t want to discount anything he did on that play, because any lesser player is getting tackled about 15 yards short. But the Ravens are quite lucky to have had this call go their way. Had this been a goal line play where the camera looks right down the line, the replay may have been more clear, and the spot maybe not as favorable.
Just saying. Then again, they have gotten by on luck more than once this season.
Talking about the offense and the play calling and the lack of protection from the O-line is just getting old. It’s beating a dead horse, so I figured I’d take the route of “lucky” today.
Football. It’s a game of inches.
Everyone Contributed: #12 Mark Reynolds
The list goes on as we honor each member of the 2012 Orioles who did Baltimore proud, winning 93-games en route to the playoffs, and ending a 14-year futility streak. Each player had a part in the team’s success, and today we honor #12, first baseman, Mark Reynolds.
“The Sheriff”. His approach is a simple one. Swing as hard you possibly can and hope to make contact. When he squares up on a ball, it goes a long, long, long way. Reynolds doesn’t get many cheap home runs. They are all no doubters.
Reynolds is one of the most debated Orioles players. Some people can live with the .221 batting average as long as he’s blasting homers. Some people cannot. Different schools of baseball thought. What we can all agree on is that he played his best ball when we needed him the most. Late in the season against the division rivals.
In the month of September, Reynolds blasted nine home runs and drove in 24 RBI. Five of those home runs came in three winning efforts over the Yankees. He would finish the year with 23 homers and 69 RBI.
He was certainly the seasons most improved Oriole as over one-third of his homers and RBI came in September. His glove vastly improved as well when Buck Showalter made the switch, moving Reynolds from 3rd base to 1st. Reynolds made six errors in 15 games at third, then made only five errors in 108 games played at first. A .995 fielding percentage as a first baseman. Some might say if he played the full season there he could have been a gold glover. Countless times we saw him dive off the bag leaving his tip toes on to grab an errant throw and still nab the runner.
The third base experiment is over, thanks to the promotion of the next guy on this list, #13. Reynolds will probably be a first baseman for the rest of his career. The Orioles chose not to exercise the 11.5 million dollar option on Reynolds contract. They have until December 1st to offer him arbitration, or he becomes a free agent.
Only time will tell if Mark Reynolds will be here in 2013.
Reaction to Maryland leaving the ACC for the Big Ten
A smart business move that might benefit Maryland, student athletes and the fan base in the long run. But for now, it just leaves the fans irritated.
It’s official. The Maryland Terrapins, a charter member of the ACC since 1953, will leave the conference and join the Big Ten Conference in 2014. The Big Ten will feature 14 teams, including Rutgers. Go figure. I guess “The Big 14″ doesn’t quite roll off the tongue. University President Wallace D. Loh had this to say.
“I am very aware that for many of our Terps fans and alumni, their reaction is stunned and disappointed. But we will always cherish the memories, the rivalries, the tradition of the ACC. For those alumni and Terp fans, I will now say this: I made this decision as best as I could … to do what is best for the University of Maryland for the long haul.”
So let me get this straight. The exit fee for a school to leave the ACC is $50 million. That’s a fact. Maryland, the same school who about five months ago, canceled nine sports programs because “they couldn’t afford to carry them any longer,” has $50 million dollars to spare to cover this fee? This is also a fact. July 1st, 2012, Maryland ceased operating the following programs: Men’s indoor track and field, men’s tennis, men’s cross-country, men’s swimming, men’s diving, women’s swimming, women’s diving, water polo, and acrobatics/tumbling. It is a giant slap in the face to all of the student athletes, even acrobatic tumblers, who chose scholarships to the University of Maryland. They chose to come here for the education and the competition. They now are taking out student loans and paying for their education, or underclassmen are transferring to other schools where they can continue to compete. Only after sitting out a year though. At least that’s the rule for football and basketball, I’m sure it applies to all athletics. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t take nearly $50 million to keep water in a pool, or enough tennis balls on hand, or gym mats up to par.
Under Armour CEO and Maryland grad, Kevin Plank, who has given the most money back to his school, does not endorse the move from the ACC to the Big Ten, and also will not aid in funding any part of the $50 million exit fee owed to the ACC. What does that tell you?
Unfortunately, decisions like this are driven by one thing. Football. Football generates the revenue that keeps the other sports alive because frankly, no one is going to watch acrobatic tumblers. Not sure if you have looked around Byrd Stadium lately, but there isn’t much revenue coming through he turnstiles. There isn’t a 24-hour television station devoted to the ACC either, like the Big Ten Network for example. Also speaking of football, no one is turning out or tuning in to see Wake Forest, Boston College, North Carolina State. Even this past Senior Day against a top ten program in Florida State, there were plenty of empty seats. Even in the student section. That will change when potential national title contenders like Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State come to town. Those Big Ten schools have a larger football following and will help fill the stadium. Also, more television exposure for Maryland.
If the school uses this new-found income to restart the programs it cancelled, than that is one way to get some alumni and students back on its good graces.
From a basketball standpoint, the argument I hear in favor of this move is that Maryland can flourish in the Big Ten. Tradition isn’t strong enough to keep us in the ACC because our rivals, Duke and North Carolina, don’t look at Maryland as a rival. They say that until we beat them. By that logic, these people would be ok if the Orioles joined the National League, because the Yankees and Red Sox are our rival, but we’re not theirs. For me, I hate the move because I love hating Duke. Plain and simple. Duke and UNC might not be our rivals, but neither are Indiana and Purdue, so you’re not solving anything. A rivalry will have to be built, and something like that takes a long, long time. The ACC is about to become the premier conference in basketball with the addition of Syracuse, Pitt, and Notre Dame. Three of the greatest coaches and programs of all time. Coach Turgeon and his staff are putting together quite a team to compete with the talent the ACC requires to compete. Now we won’t even be there. I’ll never get excited for a game against Minnesota, or Iowa, or Northwestern, like I do for the games in the ACC.
Maybe we still see Duke in the ACC/Big Ten challenge every now and then…and beat them.
At the end of the day, football becomes more interesting in College Park, and that’s a good thing. I just wish the Basketball program didn’t have to suffer from it. Maryland football road games give you extra incentive to go to places like ”The Big House” in Ann Arbor, Michigan, or “The Horseshoe” in Columbus, Ohio, and cross those places off of your stadiums you must see bucket list.
Otherwise, I hate this move. It will never be the same.
Everyone Contributed: #11 Robert Andino
On we go with our honoring of each member of the 2012 Baltimore Orioles. Each player who contributed towards the 93-win, playoff bound season. We’re up to #11, second baseman, Robert Andino.
“The Curse of the Andino.” “The Other Big Shot Bob.” Robert Andino wrote the introduction to the story that is the 2012 Orioles, with his heroic ending to the 2011 campaign. He etched the Orioles name on a positive note in history for the first time in a long time. Boston fans squirm in their seats when they hear the name Robert Andino. His clutch hits against the Red Sox in the closing days of the season, including the coup de grace, eliminating them from playoff contention. A blow to the team that sent them into a tailspin that they have yet to recover from. Firing a great manager in Terry Francona, hiring a clown in Bobby Valentine, trading away probably the biggest fan favorite in Kevin Youkilis, all thanks to Robert Andino.
Even the goofy Bud Selig, with his inclusion of a fifth playoff team, almost ensuring a Red Sox/Yankees matchup somewhere in the postseason and boo-koo bucks going into his pockets, didn’t help Boston get into the postseason.
At least that’s my opinion.
The former 2nd round pick by the Florida Marlins saw his numbers drop off considerably however in 2012. He started off very hot bating .311 through April, and even upped that to .342 at one point in May. Finishing the season at .211 leaves a lot left to be desired.
Robert Andino is a personal favorite of mine however, numbers aside. He has fun out there as you can often find him being Adam Jones’ sidekick as the shaving cream bandits after a win. Also in sports, some athletes have this certain thing called “swagger”. It’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Robert Andino walks that fine line without being an arrogant prick. It’s a quality I like in a player.
As for now, Andino will be competing with Ryan Flaherty and Brian Roberts, who is under contract for one more year, for the starting role at 2nd base in 2013.
