So, conference expansion news about Syracuse and Pittsburgh joining the ACC has leaked, and responses are coming from everywhere. Here is former Syracuse guard Jonny Flynn's take:
Syracuse to the ACC? Cmon this is getting out of hand now. The thought of that is out of hand
Despite Flynn's disappointment, this has big implications to Maryland. The quick response is this is good for the Terps. For starters, it means the ACC survives and marches forward to the inevitable future of Super Conferences. Terps athletics are broke, and adding the Pittsburgh, upstate New York and some New York City TV markets will bring in loads of cash to the conference. Anybody that roots for non-revenue Maryland sports should be writing love letters to the presidents at these two Big East schools.
Football wise this should help. Cuse hasn't been good in football since Donovan McNabb was the quarterbacks, and Pitt is usually more sizzle than steak. Plus coach Randy Edsall continues to make inroads recruiting in PA, a game every few years in the Steel City can only help that. Given current trends, I would expect Maryland to be favored against Syracuse and Pittsburgh in football most of the time.
Basketball is a different matter. Syracuse and Pittsburgh are top 10 teams every year. Syracuse has made a living recruiting Baltimore ever since Carmelo Anthony won an NCAA title, and Pitt is no slouch either. They even signed Juan Dixon's younger brother. For a few years, the ACC has been top-heavy, with UNC and Duke leading the way. With Pittsburgh and Syracuse, the top just got heavier.
Can the Terps compete? Yes. Mark Turgeon and company are recruiting on a high level, and previous records show that Turgeon will win ballgames. But let's not pretend that adding Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the Terps basketball schedule will make life in College Park easier. These are teams routinely going to the Sweet 16, not sweating out making the dance.