The Atlantic Coast Conference ain't what it used to be. Granted, up to seven of the league's teams could get invitations to the NCAA tournament, but it's clear the league has become a victim of parity.
Consider that Duke hasn't advanced past the Sweet Sixteen since 2004, nor has any ACC team other than North Carolina.
This year, Roy Williams' Tar Heels are on the bubble — the National Invitation Tournament bubble.
So what happened? Some point toward the ACC's raid of Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College from the Big East.
The Big East then restocked with Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette and recently downtrodden DePaul, teams deep in basketball tradition.
Bucky Waters, a former Duke coach and longtime TV analyst, credits former commissioner Mike Tranghese for remaking the Big East.
"He pulled the curtain back and saw the ACC stealing his inventory, so he went out and made them better," Waters said. "They went out and got basketball schools — not only basketball schools, but hardcore basketball schools."
Not everyone agrees with Waters.
"I'm not one that says the Big East is all that great," former Wake Forest coach Dave Odom said. "I don't even look at it as a conference. I look at it more as a coalition of 16 teams. They've got eight really, really solid programs, and maybe you could stretch it to 10.
"I think the ACC, by and large, can pretty well match that. The last six teams in the Big East — well, I don't know if there's strength in numbers. I don't know if they're head and shoulders above everybody this year. Once you get past the top four, it becomes just OK. I wouldn't be the one to say that's a killer league."
"I'm not one that says the Big East is all that great."
It's that kind of talent evaluation that has led Dave Odom out of coaching.
Posted by: wizardofwestwood | March 11, 2010 at 09:29 AM