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http://newsobserver.com/sports/story/2651363p-2458819c.html
ECU boosters push for ACC spot
By AL MYATT, Staff Writer
East Carolina officials and fans watched with interest the political process that resulted in Virginia Tech getting an invitation to join the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Now ECU supporters are mounting a grassroots effort encouraging elected officials in North Carolina to make a push for the Pirates.
"When people have contacted me regarding the possibility of the ACC, I've encouraged them to contact the governor and their legislators and encourage them to consider that alternative," ECU Chancellor William V. Muse said Thursday.
State Sen. Tony P. Moore, who represents a district that includes Pitt and Wilson counties, delivered a letter to Gov. Mike Easley on Thursday requesting the governor's support.
"I haven't heard any negatives on this from colleagues I've talked to," Moore said. "We'll see how the governor feels about this. We'd like to see the same support that the governor of Virginia provided for Virginia Tech. We're the third largest university in the state, and we would like to be considered."
Ernie Seneca, an Easley spokesman, acknowledged receipt of the letter from Moore but said, "The governor is focused on the budget right now, and we haven't heard from East Carolina officials on this matter."
Although the current expansion effort settled on Miami and the Hokies, there is speculation that the ACC eventually would want to grow to 12, which would qualify it under current NCAA rules to hold a football championship game.
Miami's hesitation Thursday to accept a bid before considering counter-proposals from the Big East, leaves its future with ACC uncertain until Monday.
State senate leader Marc Basnight, whose earlier efforts helped ECU schedule North Carolina and N.C. State in football, did not return calls to his office. Basnight's district includes eight eastern counties.
The ACC has two public universities in North Carolina in its current membership, UNC and NCSU, which would be in a position to leverage the expansion process for ECU as Virginia did for Virginia Tech.
UNC chancellor James Moeser voted against expansion, citing in part concerns about the additional travel that the originally proposed additions of Miami, Syracuse and Boston College would mean.
Muse, the ECU chancellor, noted that Thursday.
"North Carolina raised the issue of travel costs and time that student/athletes would be away from class," Muse said.
"ECU would be an ideal addition from that standpoint. There would clearly be major benefits for the state of North Carolina, tremendous benefits economically for the eastern portion of the state. There are a lot of reasons why state political leaders should take an interest."
ECU supporters contend that Virginia Tech's entry reduces arguments against the Pirates from the standpoint of its television market and men's basketball program. ECU beat the Hokies 76-60 in men's basketball last season. The Pirates also defeated Marquette, which reached the Final Four, 73-70.
As ACC expansion progressed, the possibility of a void in the Big East Conference that might accommodate the Pirates seemed likely and still appears to be a possible option for ECU. Muse said he wants the best competitive situation for the Pirates in all sports with an emphasis on access to the highest level of Division I-A football. Champions of the ACC and Big East have automatic berths in the financially rewarding bowl championship series, which runs through the 2005 season.
The champion of Conference USA, to which ECU belongs, does not get a BCS berth unless it finishes in the top six in the BCS standings. No C-USA team -- not even Tulane when it was unbeaten in 1998 -- has managed to do that.
"I have become aware through conversations in the expansion matter that the commissioners of Conference USA and the Big East have been in communication," Muse said. "If there are schools in Conference USA who want to be considered by the Big East, it is my understanding that there will provisions for this to be done in a deliberate and professional way."
Staff writer Al Myatt can be reached at 829-4556 or [email protected]
Maybe they could convert their flag football team to Football - at least maybe they could compete with Duke. 
