Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 8, 1992 TAG: 9201080039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL BRILL SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: ANAHEIM, CALIF. LENGTH: Medium
BOWLS SWEETEN THE POT
The confusing bowl situation for the ACC and the Big East changed again Tuesday.The alliance countered the Blockbuster Bowl with a blockbuster of its own.
Afraid that the ACC and Big East would send their football champions to the Blockbuster Bowl for the next decade, the bowls made a countering proposal.
If the ACC accepts the alliance deal, its champion would be assured of playing in the Orange, Sugar or Cotton bowls.
Previously, under the complicated alliance proposal, also involving the Fiesta Bowl, the ACC feared its winner might have to play in Arizona while a second-place team from another league was picked to play in Miami, New Orleans or Dallas.
Now, the ACC has a decision on its hands, whether to accept the profitable proposal from the young Blockbuster or remain in the alliance, an agreement it initiated last year.
Apparently, the other players in this arrangement, the Big East and Notre Dame, didn't require such a deal, although, said the Fiesta Bowl's Chuck Johnson, "I'm sure they could have gotten it had they desired."
The Blockbuster posed the greatest threat for the Orange, which will have limited options for a team to oppose the Big Eight champion if the other deal is struck.
Orange Bowl executive director Steve Hatchell denied Tuesday's offer was inresponse to the Blockbuster. He insisted, "This is what we always had in mind."
But ACC officials shrugged that off.
"Before [the new offer] it wasn't a choice. Our champion could be passed over for a second-place team, and that wasn't acceptable. It was the Blockbuster all the way. Now we've got to think about it," said Todd Turner, athletic director at North Carolina State.
North Carolina's John Swofford viewed the current situation as win-win.
"It puts our league in the best position it's ever been in," he said.
As for what the ACC will do now, Swofford said, "We'll have to look at what's best for the postseason scenario.
"How would people perceive the ACC nationally if our champion was passed over [for a second-place team]? That moved us toward the Blockbuster. "I
expressed our concerns to Hatchell, and he said it was remote [that the ACC champion would be forced to play in the Fiesta]. I told him, `If it's so remote, why won't you make sure it doesn't happen?' "
Tuesday morning, Hatchell did.
If the ACC decides to remain in the alliance, the other original factors would remain in place.
If the champions of the Big East and ACC were 1-2 in the polls, they would play in the Fiesta. That also would apply to Notre Dame. The ACC still
could turn down a bid to the Sugar, Cotton or Orange on the basis of a potential rematch, or if the team invited had been to that game two or three times in a row and wanted to go elsewhere.
The Fiesta's Johnson termed the new deal "a plus for us. Before, we only would have gotten the ACC when the other three bowls passed on them. Now, we'll get them when they want to come."
Virginia's Jim Copeland, who said he had vacillated between the Blockbuster offer and the alliance, termed the new developments extremely important.
"Look where we were five years ago. I didn't think anybody dreamed of the options we have now," he said. "Money is important, but the prestige of the football can't be lost."
Raycom vice president Ken Haines, when informed of the new plan, said, "The fact the consortium arrangement has changed doesn't effect our offer.
"We want a game involving the champions of two leagues."
Haines said if the ACC elected to go with the alliance, the Blockbuster would explore other avenues with leagues currently playing in other bowls.
No decision will be reached here. Several ACC officials said that all optionswould be explored during meetings this week in conjunction with the NCAA convention.
"I would expect we'd have to go one way or the other some time this month," Turner said.
Although the counter-proposal Tuesday temporarily muddied the waters, it was Swofford's opinion that "whatever we do now will be good for the league."