Auburn, Florida State, ACC must kiss and make up

Sporting News, The, March 1, 1999 by Mark Blaudschun

Can't we all get along? That's the question the folks at Auburn, Florida State and the Atlantic Coast Conference should be asking each other.

How else to resolve the nonsense that has resulted from Auburn's decision not to play Florida State in a season-opening game that was scheduled to be nationally televised by ESPN September 2?

How else to resolve the acrimonious attitude that surrounds Florida State athletic director Dave Hart and Auburn A.D. David Housel over the breaking of the contract?

How else to wipe away the hard words uttered by ACC commissioner John Swofford, who suggested the ACC should boycott Auburn if this is the way the Tigers conduct athletic department business?

Please. This is nonsensical. It's childish. It's beyond belief. Not play each other? Give me a break.

This was a business decision, spurred by an Auburn athletic department that didn't want to relive the saga of Terry Bowden's messy midseason departure last year from the Plains, which would have been the case had the FSU-Auburn contest remained on the board.

So, who's at fault? Probably everybody, to some extent. Should Auburn get off without any penalty for canceling the game? Of course not. Remember, Auburn sent Florida State a check for $500,000 for agreeing to nix the contest. That's a hefty price.

Does FSU have a reason to gripe? Absolutely. Contracts should mean something. And in the tough world of big-time college football, feelings get hurt. But the Tigers chose to pay the money and run for a variety of reasons.

In addition to having to endure talk of the Bowden-Auburn divorce and the harsh feelings Florida State coach Bobby Bowden has toward Auburn as the game approached, it wouldn't have been fair to make Tommy Tuberville debut as Auburn coach by playing Florida State. For Tuberville, it was open against Florida State or I-AA Appalachian State. The choice was simple.

Buyouts are part of college football. Schools do it all the time, as North Carolina has been left scrambling after getting dumped by Kent. It's not a big deal. And the $500,000 the Seminoles received is welcomed even at a big-budget school like FSU.

And what's the big deal about playing a I-AA team? If anyone deserves an easy Saturday afternoon, it's Florida State, which plays Florida and Miami (Fla.) every year. And the 'Noles typically schedule another non-conference toughie--like 1990s foes USC, Notre Dame and Michigan--each season.

Sure, FSU is going to suffer because of the cancellation, as the Seminoles don't figure to secure a replacement that will entice ESPN to still televise the game and feed the school's coffers.

ESPN can't be faulted for balking at showing Florida State's opener, but the ACC is off base for contemplating a boycott of Auburn in all sports. Swofford needs to cease being so judgmental. Let's hope an ACC team like Clemson, North Carolina or Florida State decides it wants to schedule a game in some sport with Auburn. In fact, Florida State plans to honor a commitment to play Auburn in men's basketball next season.

The ACC isn't regarded as the Lexus of football leagues. It has a few good teams, a few horrible ones, a few average ones and not a great deal of oomph on the national scene. If there's any doubt, remember what happened to 10-1 North Carolina in 1997, when the Tar Heels (the school Swofford formerly served as athletic director, by the way) thought they deserved an at-large bid to a Bowl Alliance game but were bypassed and had to settle for a trip to the Gator Bowl. It seems the nation's heavyweight bowls aren't interested in ACC teams other than FSU.

It's getting better, of course, with Georgia Tech on the rise and North Carolina, Virginia and North Carolina State earning bowl trips--along with FSU--last season. And Clemson, under new coach Tommy Bowden, should re-emerge.

But the ACC--or any conference, for that matter--isn't so powerful that it can afford to boycott a school. Especially over a matter that should be considered a closed case.

It's time to move on, folks.

RELATED ARTICLE: inside dish

CAMPUS RUMBLINGS, LOCKER ROOM WHISPERS

The family feud continues at Washington, where deposed Huskies coach Jim Lambright says he is considering suing his old school to get the settlement he feels he deserves. Washington, which fired Lambright in December after a 6-6 season and hired Colorado coach Rick Neuheisel, feels the settlement package of $260,000 it has offered is fair. Lambright, who worked at Washington for 35 years, feels he deserves more, closer to $700,000. Washington, which reportedly is paying Neuheisel nearly $1 million a year (total compensation with incentives), says it doesn't have that kind of money. Unless middle ground can be reached, it looks as though the next battle will be in court.... Upheaval continues to haunt the Kansas State coaching staff. Rex Ryan was hired from Oklahoma in January to replace defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. But Ryan bolted to coach the Baltimore Ravens' defensive line. Wildcats coach Bill Snyder recovered nicely by promoting Phil Bennett to coordinator. Bennett, who hag coordinated defenses at Iowa State, Texas A&M, LSU, Purdue and TCU, had been hired to coach the secondary.... The Southwestern Athletic Conference has joined the ranks of leagues that play championship games. SWAC presidents recently gave approval for the game, which will pit East vs. West, to begin next season. The winner will get the SWAC's spot in the Heritage Bowl, where it will meet the champion of the MEAC.... When the members of the Bowl Championship Series meet in April, the topic of minimum requirements (nine wins, top-10 finish) for participants will be discussed.... The Big East is thinking of asking Virginia Tech to join for all sports. Tech only plays football in the Big East; the Hokies call the Atlantic 10 home for their other sports.... If the Big Ten extends an invitation to Missouri, don't expect the Tigers to jump at the opportunity.