GENE D VS. UCONN, PT. 2

While I have been pushing for his ouster for some time now, I can't help but feel with Gene on this one, he was quoted as saying:

"We didn’t want [UConn] in,’’ he said. "It was a matter of turf. We wanted to be the New England team.’’

While UConn has been pushing to join the ACC during the decline of the Big Least, the ACC seems to have turned most of their overtures away. Gene thinks it's because of his lobbying, it's more likely because the ACC wants to wait for Notre Dame to decide before going to 16.
Gene got a lot of flack for his comments, and today has modified his statement by saying:

"[I] spoke inappropriately and erroneously regarding ESPN's role in conference expansion"

His mea culpa was focused on his comments about ESPN and their effect on the decision, not the UConn comments.

Generally, BC has every right to feel this way about UConn given their lawsuits following the first ACC expansion and their treatment of BC during our exit from Big Least.

This all begin said, I am not modifying my position that both Gene and Spaz should be fired immediately.

SO SUE US: NO TO UCONN IN ACC ABOUT MORE THAN LAWSUITS

Our good friends over at BC Interruption have a really important reminder for anyone who wants to argue that BC is blocking UConn's move to the ACC over some lawsuit from 2003:

As for the spin, even if there is a BC block on any move by UConn, again, it has little to do with hurt feelings and past litigation. It does, however, have everything to do with BC wanting exclusive conference rights over New England. And again, this is consistent with:
-- South Florida's desire to keep Central Florida out of the Big East-- The Texas Longhorns reportedly needing to be convinced to let TCU join the Big 12-- The supposed "gentlemen's agreement" between Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to keep Florida State, Georgia Tech and Clemson, respectively, out of the SEC.
-- The University of Kentucky being "not cool" with Louisville joining the SEC.
Again, this situation is no different. If there is a block, it doesn't have much to do with the lawsuit, so let's all stop spinning it as such. 

 I love mocking the lawsuit, but there are many many more reasons for BC to try and keep UConn out. Dig deeper, folks.