Another Move Coming This Week?

[cygnus34]

What started three weeks ago with Pittsburgh and Syracuse declaring their exit from the Big East could have a massive effect on the University of Louisville this week. CardinalSports.com's Howie Lindsey explains.

Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich and the Cardinals could have a new conference home this week if Missouri makes the leap to the SEC.

The SEC Presidents are scheduled to meet Monday and one of their topics is expected to be Missouri and a possible addition of a 14th team to the league. CardinalSports.com was told over the weekend that Missouri has gained enough votes (they need 9 out of 12 members) to gain entrance into the SEC.

Should Missouri have the votes to enter the SEC, we hear they will likely make the jump, applying for membership sometime this week.

Once Missouri makes the leap, the Big12 will move quickly to shore up its league. Despite some media reports placing West Virginia as a rising candidate for the Big12's 10th spot, Louisville is still the best option athletically, market-wise and geographically.

If the Big12 loses Missouri, we understand the league wants to act quickly to replace the Tigers with a strong athletic program. From all indications, Louisville will be that pick.

How soon could all this happen? This week.

Sources have said Louisville would have no problem agreeing to the Big12's grant of TV rites, a big piece of the stability puzzle for new interim commissioner Chuck Neinas and the Big12.

Sources at Louisville have said the school has been completely open with the Big East about its intentions. The Cardinals have wanted to help the Big East repair itself moving forward, but with TCU already accepting a BIg12 bid and UConn and Rutgers continuing to look for other conference bids, the league's future is in doubt.

ESPN MEDDLING?

A quote by Boston College athletic director Gene FeFilippo in the Sunday edition of the Boston Globe should have made most readers at Big East schools do a double take, and should have the Big East offices steaming mad.

When asked about the addition of Syracuse and Pittsburgh, DeFilippo first spoke openly about blocking Connecticut's entry on grounds of interfering with BC's New England "turf," then said this gem.

"We always keep our television partners close to us," DeFilippo told The Globe. "You don't get extra money for basketball. It's 85 percent football money. TV - ESPN - is the one who told us what to do. This was football; it had nothing to do with basketball."

DeFilippo is saying the ACC went to ESPN (a TV partner in current negotiations with the Big East) and asked them who to take from the Big East. ESPN likely told the ACC to take Syracuse and Connecticut, but BC overruled UConn and the ACC's other choice was Pitt.

Given that the Big East and ESPN have been partners for decades and that the league and the TV network were supposed to be working out a new TV deal, this move by ESPN screams of impropriety. Especially when one considers the talk that the Big East had an offer on the table to switch from ESPN to ComCast in the new TV deal. Was ESPN's action punishment for the Big East getting bids from other TV channels?

[Rizman]

How is Miami doing Cygnus?

[cygnus34]

Believe it or Not, they are getting alot better.  Should have beaten V.Tech. but the Defense has a long way to go now that we lost Forston and Buchanon for the season. 

[cygnus34]

MIAMI,

* Asked if the team is moving on alright from the tough loss at Virginia Tech, Golden said, "Once we get through today we move on. We're watching the tape today. We have to move on."

Golden said that's imperative because "the team we're facing this week [North Carolina] is the best team we've seen all year. It's going to be quite a challenge for us. They're 5-1, we're playing up at their place."

Asked to expound on UNC being such a tough challenge, Golden said, "they're the best team that we've seen this year, there's no question about it. I've watched all three phases, I don't think there's any question about it. Their quarterback is playing really well right now, they have the most talent at offensive line, they're running the ball really well. On defense they do an excellent job, are really physical up front. And I know in their minds they believe they should be 6-0. So this will be a great test for us in all three phases."

* Golden spoke more about how emotional he was after the game on Saturday.

"That's about as emotional as it gets," Golden said. "There's a lot of things we did Saturday that people don't do in Blacksburg. You're down 21-7, you give yourselves a chance to win, put 500 yards of offense on the board, 35 points, no turnovers. Those are all things that are positive signs for our football program, clearly things you do in Blacksburg you should have an opportunity to win. It was gut-wrenching. I felt for the players because I left a locker room where clearly guys were shattered. I felt disappointed for those guys."

Golden said another reason he and the team was so emotional was because players have fought so hard through controversy, suspensions and injuries, coming up just short.

"That's probably why we're so emotional, because the kids are doing everything we ask them to do every day, are working their tails off, are playing so hard for us right now," Golden said. "We're just not where we need to be. You look at the season, have a chance to win in a two-minute drive at Maryland despite incredible odds, down to the one-yard line against Kansas State and this game with 500 yards of offense, no turnovers and 35 points and you come up short. That's gut-wrenching. That hurts."

Golden adds that "We're getting there. You have to deserve victory to win. We had 85 yards of penalties in Blacksburg. That's embarrassing for me as the head coach. We shouldn't have that, and a lot of those penalties are things we can control. We're still not all on the same page."

* Of the "ors" on the most recent depth chart, Golden said, "If you want to be a starter at Miami you have to play at a championship level. They're still competing A, and B from our standpoint we're looking for someone to step up and separate themselves, practice and perform at that level. Clearly we're not settled in yet on defense. We need some inexperienced or young guys to step up and accept that responsibility."

* Golden said he has no update on the injury status of Adewale Ojomo, who missed the second half of the game last weekend.

"We're hopeful that he'll be okay," Golden said. "He was playing very well. It's unfortunate. The hand we're dealt right now, we'll work through it. We're not making any excuses. Hopefully we get him back healthy, get (Jalen) Grimble back and see where it goes from there."

* Golden says he doesn't want yearly expectations for this program to change.

"I'm not about to manage the external expectations," Golden said. "Put those expectations on me. Let me and the staff teach the young guys what the process is, because we still don't understand it. And we don't know what it means to be a smarter and more disciplined and tougher team all the time. Clearly we're in good condition. We're playing with energy, are outscoring our opponents in the fourth quarter. But we need to start better, eliminate the things that are causing us to lose - penalties, missed assignments or mental errors, turnovers, those type of things. I'm not worried about the external; I'm worried about teaching them the process, how to prepare and how to compete. We're making progress there, just have to get over the hump."

* Golden said one problem this team has is "we have a lot of guys looking for external affirmation, `Hey, am I on the highlight reel, in the blogs, a pre-season this or that.' We have to get away from that, get to being a team that executes every day, is process driven and let the outcome take care of itself."

He says some of that process "is humbling for the kids because many of them think they're way better than they are. They have to understand they have to execute their role no matter what that role is."

* Golden said that OL Jermaine Johnson isn't on the two deep on offense right now and that the coaching staff has taken some looks at him as a defensive tackle in individual drills.

"He would probably be the next man in (to move to defense) if we lost someone else (at defensive tackle to injury)," Golden said.

[BDYZR]

* Golden said one problem this team has is "we have a lot of guys looking for external affirmation, `Hey, am I on the highlight reel, in the blogs, a pre-season this or that.' We have to get away from that, get to being a team that executes every day, is process driven and let the outcome take care of itself."

He says some of that process "is humbling for the kids because many of them think they're way better than they are. They have to understand they have to execute their role no matter what that role is."