On his way out of the Big East, Jim Boeheim reiterated his parting shot.
With Syracuse now officially headed to the ACC in 2013, Boeheim said the league he first joined in 1979 with Dave Gavitt as Commissioner is not the same league in which his Orange currently play.
“The Big East is not what it used to be,” Boeheim told the Syracuse Post-Standard after the U.S. club’s 80-69 exhibition victory over Brazil on Monday night in Washington.
“I think the ACC is a tremendous league and it’s a tremendous opportunity for us. To stay in one time zone and play in a great conference — a great all-around conference, but, specifically, a great basketball conference — is a great thing.”
Syracuse and likely Pittsburgh, too, will now spend an awkward final year in the Big East before heading to the greener pastures of the ACC in 2013.
They will be replaced by Temple, Memphis, Houston, SMU and UCF in a Big East that could one day feature a Houston-Memphis Big East Tournament final at Madison Square Garden.
Odd, to say the least.
After 2013, Syracuse fans will no longer get to see their beloved Orange in the postseason tournament in New York City, and will instead have to trip to Greensboro, N.C. for the ACC Tournament.
“This was coming,” Boeheim said. “We knew it was coming. But it’s good to get it done. We didn’t want to wait another two years. One year is doable. I’m glad things worked out the way they have. It is what it is. We’ll focus completely on the Big East this year, just like we did last year. We’ll try to play the best we can and we’ll let future take care of itself.”
Photo: Daily News
