A golden opportunity is waiting

Sporting News, The, May 19, 2003 by Matt Hayes

We've been watching this dance for years, waiting and wondering when Miami would make a run at joining the Atlantic Coast Conference. Now that significant discussions are under way, we must consider the ramifications. The fallout, though, would have nothing to do with the Hurricanes or the ACC. It would have everything to do with Notre Dame, and eventually, the face of the BCS.

It's a Golden Dome World in college football; we just live in it. Now more than ever.

If the Big East loses Miami to the ACC, and if Syracuse and Boston College follow--as many believe they would--the Big East, one of the six BCS conferences, would have serious issues. No marquee team, no large television markets and, as much as anything, no legitimate claim to an automatic spot in one or four BCS games.

"If this happens," says one Big East athletic director, "there's only one way to fix it."

That way is adding Notre Dame. But that way is so loaded with potential pitfalls, no one even wants to address it at this point. Not conference commissioners, not athletic directors, not school presidents. Not even television executives. Because as wild as it sounds--especially considering the Irish turned down the more prestigious Big Ten in 1999--there may be no alternative.

There are two critical points: The BCS can't lose a major conference and retain credibility, and Notre Dame can't lose autonomy when negotiating television packages. The Irish are in the middle of an $8 million-a-year deal with NBC that ends after the 2005 season, and the only way the Big East will land college football's marquee team is with a--hushed tones, please--revenue-sharing plan.

The Big East would have to sweeten the pot so significantly, the Irish couldn't say no. Here's how: Allow Notre Dame its own television deal for home games, and allow it to piggyback any other deal made by the league. Notre Dame also must keep a majority of its bowl proceeds, especially if the Irish were playing in a multimillion dollar BCS bowl.

So what's in this for the Big East? The right to continue as one of the Big Six in the BCS. Let's face it, without Miami, Syracuse and Boston College, the Big East might as well be the Western Athletic Conference. And life as an independent, without BCS cash flow and with annual scheduling headaches, isn't worth it.

The BCS would have to be tweaked yet again to facilitate the move. If Notre Dame doesn't win the conference championship, it still would need to be first in line for a BCS at-large bid as long as it fulfills certain requirements. Currently, the Irish must have nine wins and be ranked among the BCS top 12 to grab an at-large spot.

Why would the BCS do this? Because it's already bending backward for the Domers. "They already have the key to the kingdom," one Big East A.D. says. "What else can you give them?"

An easier road to the national title. Playing a Big East schedule would be significantly less stressful than playing as an independent for the Irish, and Notre Dame still would have enough wiggle room to play a diverse nonconference schedule, a concern that was brought about by influential alumni during talks with the Big Ten.

Let Miami dance with the ACC and create noise. Notre Dame will watch from the side and end up with the best looking girl, anyway.

TSN's newest Insider, Matt Hayes, has the answers to your college football questions. Send him an e-mail, and look for the responses in his mailbag at www.sportingnews.com/voices/matt-haves.> SPEED READ

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INSIDE DISH

Ohio State star RB Maurice Clarett, who last season hinted at challenging the NFL's early entry rules, has secured a hefty insurance policy for the remainder of his college career. Sources say Clarett's policy is worth $l to $2 million and would pay off only if Clarett sustains a career-ending injury. Clarett ran for 1,237 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman despite missing four games with a shoulder injury. He wasn't touched for much of spring drills as a precautionary measure. To pay for the policy, NCAA rules allow athletes to borrow the money, which is paid back when a pro contract is signed or when the athlete collects on an injury.... N.C. State extended coach Chuck Amato's contract through 2007 with an annuity-based clause: If Amato stays at the school through 2007, he will earn $850,000. He currently makes $750,000 a year. If Amato gets 10 wins out of the Wolfpack again this season--last year, its 11 wins were the most in the program's 111-year history--that annuity incentive will be chump change compared with what he might get if bigger schools come calling. And they will come calling.... There was a time when it looked as if RB Pete Gilmore could push Larry Johnson for playing time at Penn State. But the talented but enigmatic Gilmore never got out of coach Joe Peterno's doghouse. Last week, Gilmore announced he would transfer, likely to Villanova or Delaware. Mike Gasparato, Chris Wilson, Donnie Johnson and Tim Shaw still are battling to replace Johnson as the lead back. And things could change in the fall when redshirt freshman BranDon Snow enters the mix. He was held out of spring drills because of a minor knee injury.--M.H.