Photo – Star News

When the ACC announced it was signing a grant of rights agreement last month, the various schools that form the prestigious conference could all finally breathe a collective sigh of relief. After the announcement was made, many sports analysts were beginning to take notice and instantly began to plug in their own two cents on the various ways it all went down. However, there was one vital question that remained unanswered: In the end, how exactly did the ACC survive? According to SI.com’s Andy Staples, John Swofford worked very quietly behind the scenes to help stabilize the conference and keep it from becoming the next set of building blocks for the Big Ten and SEC. In recent weeks the mood in ACC country has shifted to a positive direction and it’s great to see everyone on the same page, something the conference did not have at this time last year. Again, some of this has already been reported, but it’s a great read nonetheless with plenty of new twists and turns.

But Swofford didn’t stash his worries in a to-do tray on his desk in Greensboro, N.C., before he headed south for his league’s spring meetings. Instead, he did what he has done for the past 10 years. He very quietly took decisive action to strengthen — and possibly save — his conference. Swofford may look like he stepped out of a Brooks Brothers ad and into a PGA tournament pro-am. He may talk with the aristocratic drawl of the lawyer you’d call before you closed on your beach house in the Outer Banks. He may seem the personification of the Old Boy Network in an era when the Old Boy Network has watched its power erode. But make no mistake, John Swofford is a ninja. He moves quickly and quietly, and by the time his enemies — or, in his case, business rivals — realize he’s struck, it’s already too late.

Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich, a veteran of the realignment tilt-a-whirl who has taken his school from Conference USA to the Big East to the ACC, has another word for Swofford. “He’s a magician,” Jurich said.

The ACC probably shouldn’t be here right now celebrating newfound security and potential prosperity. Under different leadership, it probably would look more the league that will meet later this month two counties south in Ponte Vedra Beach. That league used to be called The Big East. Now, it is called the American Athletic Conference — an alliance of misfit toys that more closely resembles the roster of Conference USA, circa 2003. About 10 years ago, both leagues were peers. Now the schools of the American occupy college sports’ middle class. The ACC? It’s one of the five conferences remaining at the big table. When the wealthiest schools inevitably form their own NCAA division, the schools of the ACC will be part of that group. While the SEC’s Mike Slive and the Big Ten’s Jim Delany usually make all the lists of the smartest, most powerful people in college sports, Swofford has quietly proven himself to be one of the most capable leaders in the business. He has had to be the wolf. He has had to be the sheep. And when things looked bleakest, he completed a Hail Mary that kept his league in the upper echelon.

Six months ago, the idea of the ACC surviving this round of realignment seemed a 50/50 proposition — even though ACC presidents kept swearing their fealty to the league. Charter member Maryland had bolted for the Big Ten, and given the dollar figures the Big Ten dangled before the Terrapins, the school’s move was understandable. The ACC had a media rights deal in place with ESPN that would produce an average annual payout in the neighborhood of $17 million a year per school. The Big Ten had its own cable network and an upcoming rights negotiation that could produce the richest payout in the history of college sports. If all goes according to plan, the Big Ten might be paying out nearly double in five years what the ACC deal in place at the time would have. Cash-strapped Maryland jumped at the offer. Because cable television is the Big Ten’s biggest revenue driver, the notion of expanding into southern markets with schools that already fit the Big Ten’s academic brand (North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia Tech) seemed a tantalizing possibility — especially if a court in North Carolina struck down or reduced the $52 million exit fee Maryland owes the league. “I wasn’t terribly worried about it,” Swofford said. “I generally take my cue from our presidents. I believe our presidents until I have reason not to.”

Photo – Associated Press

Both Kentucky and Louisville are favorites to win the 2014 NCAA championship, but only one will actually realize the dream. So, with that said, which one has the best chance to cut down the nets? ESPN columnists Jason King and Dana O’Neil debate this very subject with O’Neil making a case for Louisville. After winning the 2013 national title, the Cards return everyone except Gorgui Dieng and Peyton Siva. You don’t find that in college basketball anymore. Last season’s team had depth and experience and next year will be no different. Throw in a top ten recruiting class as well and, barring any injuries, the Cards have a chance to appear in their third straight final four and repeat as National Champions.

LOUISVILLE (Dana O’Neil)

The best player on the floor at this past Final Four wasn’t a national player of the year candidate. He wasn’t some wunderkind freshman or even someone hotly recruited out of high school. No, the best player on the floor at the Final Four was Louisville’s Luke Hancock, a transfer who had both the guile and the gumption to star on college basketball’s biggest stage. That’s the thing about the push to the national championship — it is the great separator, its winner as strong in intangible qualities as it is in flat-out talent. Leadership, smarts, courage … those are the things that often show up in our title winner. Which is why I still like Louisville. I am dazzled by the great talent amassed down the road in Lexington and am by no means dismissing it. Yes, last season’s Kentucky freshmen only went to the NIT, but the 2012 freshmen won the whole thing, so broad conclusions are dangerous at best. But pushed to pick between the two, I’m going to side with experience. Louisville returns seven players who either started or contributed significantly on a team that won a national title. That doesn’t happen very often in college basketball anymore, and on the rare occasion that it does, good things happen. In 2007, the Florida roster collectively decided to return, and the Gators won a second national title. In 2009, North Carolina’s players put NBA dreams on hold, and won a championship. I know the Louisville players aren’t the same caliber. Save Russ Smith, who likely would have been a second-round pick, none really faced an immediate pro career. But the collective experience this pack of Cards returns is every bit as valuable — and adding a five-star point guard (Terry Rozier) and the junior college national POY (Chris Jones) doesn’t hurt. That’s why I’m still betting on Louisville. Rick Pitino’s horse might not have won the Kentucky Derby, but the Hall of Fame coach has the horses to win another title.

Photo – 24/7 Sports

Charlie Strong and the Louisville football team are targeting many of the nation’s elite recruits and you can now add 4-star running back Daniel Gresham to the list. Gresham, originally committed to the Texas Longhorns, has decided to reopen his recruitment. Louisville and Mississippi are considered the early frontrunners to land his commitment, and Alabama, Florida State, Tennessee, and Miami are also on his short list. Gresham, the nation’s second best fullback prospect from All Saints High School in Fort Worth, Texas, would be a huge get for Louisville.

Below is an excerpt and you can read the entire thing right here.

Gresham, the nation’s No. 2 fullback prospect, told HornsNation as recently as last week that he was still solid with Texas.

When he committed to Texas on Aug. 7, Gresham held only one offer. Since then, he’s landed offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, Ole Miss, Ohio State and several others.

Ole Miss and Louisville appear to be the early favorites to land him, and Gresham said Florida State, Alabama, Tennessee and Miami are all on his short list now.

The 5-foot-10, 236-pound prospect was recruited to play a variety of roles in the Texas offense — not just fullback. He’s seeking a school that will give him a chance to be a featured running back.

What if I told you that since the very first day UK football coach Mark Stoops was hired, basically any and everything good that could happen for the University of Louisville has happened? And aside from a few decent recruiting pulls for Stoops and his newly formed staff, basically any and everything that could go wrong for the University of Kentucky has gone wrong. Call it Murphy’s Law on steroids, if you will. Well, some are now saying that this not a mere coincidence, but in fact an actual curse. More specifically, due to the start of this insane run of negative happenings directly corresponding with Stoops’ hire, some are calling it “The Mark Stoops Curse.”

But enough of my erroneous wordplay, please see the excerpt below for a small sample of what we’re talking about and click here to read all about the curse in its entirety.

#MindBlown