I am in the group that is not crazy about the current arrangement but recognizes how it is mutually beneficial and superior to the old Big East agreement.

Secondly I would prefer conference contraction or reorganization to expansion. I think the Big 12 has it closer to “right”, with 10 members and 9 conference games in football and round robin home and away play in hoops. I would prefer 8 conferences with 9 members each or 6 conferences with 10 members.

As for Notre Dame, it is fun to play the Irish and I respect the fact that ND generally is a good citizen. But it makes no sense that Tech plays Notre Dame, a school with which it has no history or logical connection, far more often than it plays NCSU, FSU or Clemson, schools for which there is a history and that are culturally more like Tech.

I recognize ND’s influence and clout, but if ND ever joins my team’s conference I want no strings or special privileges. Equal shares. I don’t want ND if it means taking Navy, even though I like and respect Navy. The ACC made that mistake with Miami and now we are stuck with BC. If you look at the history of Penn State and the old eastern independents or the Catholic schools and the Big East or Texas and all its conferences, as soon as special privileges are requested or granted, problems arise. If you want to reserve week 12 for the USC game, we can work that out. But there should be no special television deal or an agreement on limiting the number of conference games to allow ND to barnstorm around the country for half the season. Pick one nonconference rival to play each year and fill the rest as best you can. Five nonconference games will not happen absent contraction and if there is contraction we won’t be seeing ND much anyway.