Lately we have all become inured to the realignments, and even all-but total breakdowns, of what we consider traditional NCAA conferences. Leagues have expanded and contracted so much in the past decade, and particularly of late, that we are having difficulty knowing who is what or where anymore. Still, this one's a bit of a shock. Reports are the ACC has received formal letters from both Syracuse and Pitt for entry into the conference . . . which would of course entail their exit from the Big East. The Orange was a founding member of said conference, while the Panthers have been a member for three decades.

If true, these moves will somewhat increase the ACC's standing in football, and shall significantly decrease the Big East's basketball ranking. When added to the fact . . . as yet unconfirmed . . . that the ACC has raised its penalty fee for exit from the conference to a substantial $20 million, it seems possible that the Atlantic Coast Conference, much-maligned in football and considered a top-heavy mediocre basketball league (Duke and Carolina, plus a bunch of other guys) is poised to become one of several future super-conferences.
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