This column is dedicated to Gordon Jump, who passed
away last week at the age of 71. The actor first gained
recognition (by those of us old enough to remember the
1970s) as luscious Loni Anderson's boss on WKRP.
Recently, he played the Maytag repair man, trying to
keep himself busy while waiting for the ever silent
phone to ring. Having a radio show myself, I can
empathize with both roles.
On the national front, you have to give applause to
the Atlantic Coast Conference. A league with a high
academic reputation, they really know drama. Their plans
to expand and improve their football fortunes seem to
have been lifted from The Iliad: deceit, aggressive
courtship of a seductive lady, angry words between
rivals, and recruitment by promise of future riches and
glory in battle. The NCAA turned down the ACC's request
for a title game with 11 members, so the ACC is looking
into getting Notre Dame (our seductive lady) as the
12th.
The ACC would be the third BCS league in as many
seasons to try to woo the Irish into their fold, but are
closer to tying the knot than either the Big Ten or
rival Big East got. If the ACC should fail, it would
only be a matter of time before the other three BCS
leagues gave it their best shot.
Imagine Baylor being expunged from the Big Twelve for
a church school that can play football. Or the
Thanksgiving biennial invasion of Tennessee Volunteers
(Bye-bye, Vandy). Heck, the Irish already beat
Washington State, and still have USC and Stanford on the
schedule. Just imagine the series with the Trojans being
a league game with Rose Bowl implications.
Knowing their independence (and keeping their series
with Navy) is too good to miss, the Irish have
steadfastly rejected the previous two courtships. But
sources close to the University and the conference said
the stage has been set for the Irish to move gradually
into the ACC, a trial marriage of sorts.
The co-habitation would begin in 2006-07 after the
Irish's NBC contract expires, and the BCS is
re-evaluated. So if the money is there, Notre Dame could
be a conference mate with Duke, North Carolina and
(gasp!) Miami.
Notre Dame will consider the proposal, but I doubt
that NBC is willing to let their golden goose go. Some
flirtation and jealous suitors could leave Notre Dame
sitting prettier than before.
But if successful, the ACC would have officially done
a number on and doomed the Big East. Their original
raiding plans included Syracuse and Boston College.
Instead they got more football-friendly Virginia
Tech, and now with the Kings of college football, it's
checkmate. Now all we need is the 10-year war. With the
anti-BCS forces mobilizing, including the intra-BCS
aggression with the Big East, it may have already
started.
EMBELE AWIPI is a host on KSRK 540 and KNRY 1240
and a big fan of Homer, both the poet and the
power-plant worker. You can reach him at embo1240@yahoo.com.
Originally published Monday, September 29, 2003
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