And Away We Go

While everyone was waiting for the dominoes to fall around the imperiled Big XII Conference, the college conference realignment upheaval instead spread East over the weekend as Pittsburgh and Syracuse were introduced as the newest members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, joining former Big East Conference mates Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech.

"For Syracuse, this opportunity provides long-term conference stability in what is an uncertain, evolving and rapidly shifting national landscape," Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor told the Syracuse Post-Standard.

"That's about the most expeditious, compressed decision-making process that I've ever been a part of," University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg said, adding, "To compete on a regular basis up and down the Atlantic coast, from Boston to Miami, really is a big plus for Pitt as a university."

This is just one of a growing number of moves being discussed among BCS schools and conferences. Texas A&M seems certain to join the Southeastern Conference as soon as legal hurdles are cleared. The boards of regents at both Oklahoma and Texas are meeting Monday to discuss leaving the Big XII for the PAC-12. And remember, Nebraska has already bolted for the Big 10 and Colorado and Utah are new members of the PAC-12.

"I don't understand it," said Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick. "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?"

On Sunday, Pete Thamel of the New York Times spoke to an unnamed Congressman, who provided the following quote:

"I think the situation is rising to a level where getting Congress engaged may be unavoidable. Congress has the nexus to engage. These are tax-exempt organizations now making billions off of unpaid athletes. When it's a regional league, it seems to make sense. When you're taking schools practically from coast to coast and putting them in big-profit revenue leagues, we may be at a point where the NCAA has lost its ability to create a fair system for all to play in."

This could prove to be a long, hot winter in college athletics.