Dear Santa:
I know it’s been a long time since I’ve written and I’m well aware that this is your busy time of year. But the college basketball world has a dilemma and we weren’t sure who else could help.
You see, this time every year, the ACC/Big Ten Challenge is thrust upon us like a stale fruitcake left over from last Christmas.
Now, what does that have to do with you? Well, let me explain. I’m aware that these are tough times for even the jolliest of folks. Energy costs are through the roof (I can’t imagine the fuel bill to fly your sleigh this year) and plenty of people are out of work (hopefully you didn’t have to lay off any elves). So there will be even more of a burden on you to deliver the goods.
That’s where I come in. Santa, I’m here to lighten your load and make the night a little easier. While most people are asking you to leave them presents, I’m looking for just the opposite.
Santa, please don’t leave the ACC/Big Ten Challenge under my tree for next year.
I mean, really, how much more can college hoops fans take? Throughout 10 years of the Challenge, the Big Ten has yet to win one. That’s right, not one. Goose egg. Nada. Zilch. Does anyone else feel like we’re subjected year after year to watching Lucy pull the football away from gullible Charlie Brown? Good grief, Big Ten!
Before we analyze some stats, let’s give credit where credit is due. While the Big Ten has cornered the market in Challenge futility, all the teams from both leagues deserve recognition for participating. While other schools are running up and down the court and doing rim chin-ups against the cream puffs of the college hoops world, at least these two leagues are playing known commodities.
That being said, the picture isn’t pretty. Children under 13 should cover their eyes or seek parental permission before reading further.
The Big Ten sits at almost 30 games below .500 with a record of 35-62. If this were baseball, 35 out of 97 would capture a batting title. But in hoops it implies one thing: The Big Ten is the nail to the ACC’s hammer.
Duke is 10-0 in Challenge play. Maybe it’s time to exclude the Blue Devils from a fairness standpoint. The Dukies have played seven different opponents, earning two victories over Indiana, Michigan State, and Illinois.
North Carolina, arguably the flagship program of the ACC (although the folks in Durham might have a bone to pick with that), is a pedestrian 5-5 in Challenge play (including an unfathomable 2-3 at home). Count your blessings, Big Ten. The damage could’ve been worse.
26 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
robert carola 7 months ago
The ACC is a joke filled with top heavy teams and little average teams.
A tier teams North Carolina and Duke
B tier teams Miami and Fla. State
C tier teams Maryland, VT, BC, WF and UVA
d tier teams Clemson, GT, NC state
3 teams in and two on bubble
Fla. State will be spanked by Pitt and the ACC will choose to keep the challenge in place. Politics>?
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Steve Auger 7 months ago
I wouldn't say the ACC is a joke BUT I will say they're overhyped. And the lack of teams in the tourney the past few years has been more than justified no matter how many violins their coaches play. I think Wake will be better than a C tier given the size they have. Also, I live in the Boston area and BC has been better than I expected. I also think the terps can be much better by the end of the year. Not quite "Fear the Turtle" level, but I don't expect them to stay down long. There's too much high school talent in the Baltimore/D.C. area for them not to be good.
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Nathan B 7 months ago
Clemson is a D tier team, and Miami and Florida State (FLORIDA STATE?!) are B tier teams? Wake Forest is Tier C? What on earth conference are you watching? On what planet?
I can agree with your Tier A, but Wake Forest and Clemson are a very close 3rd and 4th. Maryland hammered then No. 4 Michigan State by more than 20 points. Miami has looked less than stellar despite their soon to be gone top-25 ranking.
I have no idea what basis you set your "tiers" up by, but you couldn't possibly have used statistics or results to do it. And Florida State is awful. But anyway.
People always find a reason to attack the conference ... in football, it's because there's too much parity and in basketball, it's because the teams at the top are "too good". Whatever.
Please give me a conference that could beat them in a straight-up challenge, and if you're going to use the Big East, you don't just get to drop off the 5 worst teams in your GIGANTI-conference.
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Rory Brown 7 months ago
"Does anyone else feel like we’re subjected year after year to watching Lucy pull the football away from gullible Charlie Brown?"
Love it.
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Steve Auger 7 months ago
Thanks Rory. That is definitely my favorite line of the whole article. I just envision the Big Ten each year thinking "we are really going to pound the ACC. This time will be different." And then Carolina, Duke, and the others pull the football away and have a good laugh while the Big Ten is laying on its back with stars floating around its head.
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Travis Miller 7 months ago
ESPN has the deal locked up until 2011 or 2012 or something. After that, it'd be cool to see the previous year's winner face a new conference. Winner stays in. I don't know if it can be done, and there will certainly be some teams left out when the Big East gets a chance, but it would at least showcase more than the two conference.
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Travis Miller 7 months ago
Oops, sorry Steven, we've already had this conversation!
Great article though, I love the creativity!
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Steve Auger 7 months ago
Thanks Travis. I had a blast writing this one. It was the type of article that makes you laugh as you write.
The Big East and SEC did a 4 team deal this year. I'd love to see those leagues do all the teams. Imagine: SU-tennessee, Florida-UConn. That would be good stuff!
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Rob Dauster 7 months ago
I actually just wrote something pretty similar to this. The gist of mine is that we make it so all 6 major conferences compete in a series like this, with the two best records from each season facing each other the next year.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/88840-jimmy-v-week-lets-get-it-right
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Andrew Kahn 7 months ago
I actually love the Challenge! Check out my story...
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/89115-why-college-basketball-is-better-than-the-nba-dec-4
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Steve Auger 7 months ago
I love the Challenge too. I just wish the Big Ten would win a few to get a rivalry going.
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Nathan B 7 months ago
Great article, Steven ... not sure what that first commenter was smoking, but you were very generous in your response. =) Very funny, which I always appreciate, so 5 stars and POTD. =)
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Steve Auger 7 months ago
Thanks Nathan. I do tend to think the ACC gets over hyped a bit...simply because they are the ACC, BUT, when it comes to the Challenge, all you have to do is look at the numbers. And the little fact that they're undefeated. Enough said.
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Nathan B 7 months ago
I agree that they are overhyped ... ESPN is especially guilty, though others are as well. I had a major problem with the "top-heavy" argument last year, and an even bigger one with it this year, though. The rest of the conference shouldn't be penalized just because UNC is practically an NBA team (yes, that is a little hyperbole) and Duke may be the #2 team in the nation. The fact is that Clemson and Wake Forest are excellent (actually underrated in my opinion), and Maryland may be inconsistent but flat-out crushed Michigan State.
Miami is a bit overrated at #21 (just my opinion), but certainly is no slouch and will almost certainly make the NCAA tournament. Boston College is not exactly chopped liver either.
I have little doubt that the ACC will land *at least half* of their representatives in the NCAA tournament.
There is no sufficient argument at this point to say that the ACC couldn't stack up against any other conference, with the possible exception of the behemoth Big East. Then again, as Louisville got beat by Western Kentucky ... perhaps the jury is still out on that one, too.
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Zach Dirlam 7 months ago
WHAT???? did you watch any of the Big 10/ACC challenge this year? It was 6-5 overall in favor of the ACC, but with the exception of three games they were all great. Wisc. and VT and Clemson and Illinois came down to the wire. So did PSU and GT and Michigan and Maryland. OSU battled back to upset Miami, and Minnesota and Virginia were in a dogfight the whole game. The challenge was great this year and really shows the Big 10's improvement as a conference. This is something that should stay.
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Nathan B 7 months ago
I think he mentioned the few times that it finished 6-5 (this year being one of them). It was more competitive than it has been in the past, but last year it was 8-3 and look at the overall #s. (I think that was the point of the article, not to speak for th author). The ACC is now 10-0 in the challenge. It's better than having no challenge at all, but it would be cool to rotate it to other conferences too, don't you think?
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Zach Dirlam 7 months ago
why? the Pac 10 and Big 12 play their challenge already. The Big 10 is on a major rise. Next year will be the year they take down the ACC. The challenge is great for basketball and the Big 10 is getting much better and by next year could be the deepest its been in a long time.
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Jonathan Goodman 7 months ago
Because one team from the ACC has to sit out, why not sit the best team from the ACC out...haha, then the Big Ten might win it. I like the Challenge, but as long as UNC and Duke are dominant, the ACC will win every time. This year was better though--UNC is just freakin' ridiculously good. I don't know if they can go undefeated especially in the ACC, but I definitely wouldn't be surprised if they were the undefeated 2009 Champions...
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Steve Auger 7 months ago
I like the Challenge too. In fact, I love high profile OOC games. They make the Nov-Dec portion of the schedule great. For example: How can any college hoops fan NOT be excited about Syracuse @ Memphis on 12/20? or tonight, we have UCLA @ Texas and USC @ Oklahoma...great stuff!
Maybe the Charlotte Bobcats should scrimmage the 'Heels...they are scary good! Simliar to the '96 Kentucky team. Ten pros on the roster and they just destroyed teams!
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Scott Barbine 7 months ago
i would love to see the ACC and Big East faceoff instead of Big Ten
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Steve Auger 7 months ago
That was the original challenge back in the early 90s for three seasons but if I recall, too many Big East coaches whined about having to get their teams ready for early OOC games and the series went away. One year the ACC won, one year the Big East won, and one year they tied.
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Steve Auger 7 months ago
Hi Zach
As a matter of fact, I did watch the Challenge. I always watch the Challenge. And each year, I hope for exciting games. You're right, this year was very exciting BUT the fact of the matter is the Big Ten lost...again. And yes, five of the ten Challenges have been decided by a single game. But go back and read my article. When you probe the numbers, the Challenges really haven't been that close. 27 games under .500. Only five games above .500 at home. 8-40 on the road...that's terrible. Only one team with an overall winning record.
Look Zach, I can appreciate the fact that you bleed the maze and blue. I am a firm believer that college sports needs Michigan to be great in hoops and football and I know they'll both get there again. But facts are facts and during the ten years of the Challenge, the Big Ten has been dominated by the ACC. Thanks for reading the article though. Differing view points are always welcome.
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Scott Rieger 7 months ago
Steven,
Nice article but I like the challenge. For 1, it's a way for me to be guaranteed to see at least 3 or 4 Michigan games in late November - early December. I love the fact that it allows me to get a glimpse of the freshman, etc. It also is important because since the Wolverines haven't been up to par on the hardwood in recent years, I don't get to see them too much the rest of the year. This year, the Big Ten conference is much stronger than they are given credit for and that showed in the tourney. Michigan very well could've won the Maryland game if they would've gotten to the FT line a little more. That was the difference.
Either way, it's fun to watch and shouldn't go away. Of course, if you'd like...you could switch from the ESPN family of networks to catch "Charlie Brown's Christmas" if it's too painful for you. lol.
Seasons Greetings!
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Steve Auger 7 months ago
Scott, I like the Challenge too. My whole point is just that it hasn't been very competitive (with the exception of this year - very exciting Challenge) throughout its existence and if the Big Ten can't hold their own and win one or two, then maybe the Challenge needs to end or another conference gets a shot. But, I do think it is exciting from the standpoint of seeing known schools play early OOC games as opposed to the haves beating up on the have nots.
And like I said above, I really hope Michigan becomes relative again. College hoops needs the Wolverines so that UM-MSU games can get back on the level of Duke-UNC, UCLA-Zona, Texas-KU, SU-Gtown, etc.
Anyway, thanks for the input.
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Ian Thompson 7 months ago
It seems pretty unlikely (at least to this MSU fan) that Michigan will be good enough to make the Spartans-Wolverines rivalry all that exciting. You never know, since Beilein is a heck of a coach, and State hasn't won a Big 10 title in a while. I'll always watch the games, but I'm not expecting much resistance from the Wolverines this year. Of course, all of that is provided that Delvon Roe gets healthier and Goran Suton comes back. Otherwise, anything could happen.
With regards to the challenge, it does seem kind of problematic to call it the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. I mean, maybe if they called it the ACC/Big Ten One-Sided Beating, or something along those lines, people might not tune in expecting to see anything resembling a competitive match-up. With that being sad, I really enjoy the games, and some of the match-ups are great. So I still like the challenge, and wouldn't really want to change anything about it, except maybe the name.
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Steve Auger 7 months ago
Ian
Give UM time. Belien has proven he's a great coach and Michigan is still a "name" school despite their struggles of the last decade. While they might not reach "Fab Five" level again, I fully expect them to be relevant. Belien just needs a few season to get all his own players and then we will be hearing from UM on the national scene.
btw, nice line: "I mean, maybe if they called it the ACC/Big Ten One-Sided Beating, or something along those lines, people might not tune in expecting to see anything resembling a competitive match-up."
thanks for reading,
Steve
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