The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have officially been accepted as a future member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and already the mastermind behind Syracuse Orange's move from the Big East Conference to the ACC, athletic director Dr. Daryl Gross, has spoken in favor of the decision.
"This is a brilliant move for the ACC and the for the future of Syracuse athletics," said Gross in a press release by the university's athletic department. "Notre Dame is obviously a significant nationally recognized institution that adds tremendous competitive and academic value to the conference. Notre Dame's commitment of playing a significant number of football games versus conference opponents annually is outstanding. All of our sports will benefit from the competition Notre Dame bring to the ACC. We are proud to be joined by Notre Dame in the ACC."
Gross's reaction expresses the opposite tone than Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick's response to Syracuse's and the Pittsburgh Panthers' move to the ACC last September. Back then, Swardbrick just didn't get why a program would ditch the Big East for the ACC (H/T NunesMagician.com).
"I don't understand it," Jack Swarbrick said as a new round of conference hopping in college athletics moved into high gear Sunday. "How do you vote as a collegiate president on something that has the potential to provide some benefit for your institution and the conference you're affiliated with but has a very negative consequence for a host of other members of the academy, as presidents like to call it?
"I'd like to know how much of these discussions are: What's right? What is the best thing for the larger enterprise, and how many other schools would be adversely impacted?
"I just don't know that that's happening."
I guess now, they will have to just agree to, well, agree.
Notre Dame Will Join ACC, Football Remains Independent (via sbnation)
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