Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - New Buzz For FSU & Clemson Joining The Big 12??? | Why DJ U Isn't Going To The ACC Kickoff

Episode Date: July 11, 2024

There is new buzz about the Big 12 pursuing Florida State and Clemson. The Seminoles and Tigers are both suing the ACC in an attempt to exit the conference, but most reports have linked them to the Big Ten or SEC. Could the Big 12 swipe them away from the new powers? The origin of this new buzz was an interview with Yahoo Sports reporter Ross Dellenger. Dellenger brought up the Big 12 as a third option for FSU and Clemson, but people have run with the headline with minimal context. Dellenger did say that at this time he is unsure if those schools have a definite landing spot in the Big Ten or SEC. Hosts Alex Donno and Kenton Gibbs break down the scenarios. Of the Big 12 made a serious push for this expansion, they would likely need to take on debt from Private Equity firms in order to do so. The guys explain why Florida State starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has declined his invitation to appear at the ACC’s Kickoff Media Days. Gibbs and Donno explain what question they plan to ask the commissioner at the Kickoff next week.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.eBay MotorsFrom brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. As playoffs wind down, the sports stop sporting like we want them to. But this summer, FanDuel is hooking up ALL CUSTOMERS with a boost or a bonus, DAILY! That’s right, there’s something for everyone, every day, all summer long! Visit FANDUEL.COMand add a big win to your summer bucket list!FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So has everything you've heard for the past several months about conference realignment just been turned completely upside down? You are locked on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. Shout out to the everydayers and thank you so much for making Locked on ACC your first listen and your first watch today. We're available free wherever you get your podcast. We're free on YouTube. We're part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day. Today's episode is brought to you by Fanduel.

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what we're going to ask the ACC commish at the ACC kickoff. coming up in less than two weeks. I do want to talk about a, what I think is a classy move made by Florida State starting quarterback. And yeah, Florida State and Clemson have very much been in the news lately. And so Kenton, this latest people were looking at this last night like it was a bombshell about the Big 12's role in conference realignment. I have over the last 12 hours taken a crash course in what.

what it means to try to separate real news and fake news, what it means to read quotes in context versus what it means to read quotes outside of context. So we started to get these a lot of social media posts and links to articles, some of which are maybe legit article, some not so legit about how, hey, like the Big 12 is now, they're about to add Florida state and Clemson, that advanced talks are going on with the Big 12 to add FSU and Clemson. And this all tied back to Ross Dellinger, who's now with Yahoo Sports, was with Sports Illustrated previously. He's a really good reporter.

Like this is a reliable source of information, Delinger. And there's a lot of hysteria about what he said about the Big 12. You know, Kenton from Lockdown Wolfpack, would you like me to read the quote in better context based on what he said about the Big 12 in Florida State. Clemson. Absolutely. Please do. Please do. Because there's things I need to say. And I want you to get all the facts out before I get some very opinionated things out. So please, Donno, inform the people of the facts. And also when following up on Ross's ex account, he did, like he backtracked from all the aggregation of what he said.

And he said, like, everything that I said about this should be taken as hypothetical scenarios. That he wasn't trying to break news with this. So Ross Dellinger, he was, I think he was on like a, a. radio appearance from the Big 12 media days, which are going on now. And he said, he was talking about Florida State's main objectives, them and Clemson, which would be the top objectives would be joining the Big Ten or the SEC. Next objective would be reforming the ACC with a smaller number of teams, quote, where you would get a financial advantage because you wouldn't split the TV distribution with 18.

Maybe you would just split it with 10, he said. and then he added option three is to probably join another league. Obviously, there's only one other power conference league that hasn't been mentioned, and that's the Big 12. So you look at those options, and again, they probably prefer number one, he said, but I don't know that that's going to happen because the SEC has schools in those states already in Florida and South Carolina and the Big Ten. I don't know how interested they are in coming south, he says.

I mean, those things might happen, but I think that there is. at least early conversation. He says, I think there is at least early conversation between the Big 12 and those schools about the possibility. I don't know if it's anything serious yet because they have to get out of the ACC, whether that's through a settlement or court ruling. So we could be months, if not years, away from something. But that does seem to be one of the possibilities is the Big 12, he says. So, okay, you hear that. It does sound like he's, he's spitballing a little bit, but it's based on his informed opinions and his knowledge of of the college football landscape, and Ross Dillinger knows that better than most.

But I don't, in actually seeing that quote in context, Kent, and I don't think he's really saying some of the things that people were claiming he did about, hey, there's advanced talks between the Big 12 and Florida State and Clemson, and that's definitely what they're going is what people were trying to say. There's also advanced talks between myself and Megan the Stallion. Coming off of her latest album, we're in advance talks to start our dating. You know, I didn't want to break the news. I didn't want to break the news on Locked on ACC, but, you know, I know she's a very private person, Miss Pete. We'll talk later. You see how people can just say things, even if they're not true? You see how things work out, even if they're not true at all? I am not kidding you when I say this would be the most expensive lateral move in the history of maybe not just sports, but possibly man.

I cannot think of a moment where I would say, man, those people really spent $200 million to break even in any other scenario. But this one here, obviously, Ross was not saying this is a serious thing that could happen. Regardless of how they are with the ACC, they're not leaving for the Big 12. And let me say this right now, because Drake Keante told, I know you're going to get on there. And I know you're going to sit here and tell everybody, the ACC is over, party is official. We're going to- You're all coming to Big 12. NFSU.

Drake, put down the-stop. Stop partying with those Savannah bananas, okay? Stop it. I know, I know that they say the party never stops. But I know, Drake, I know the rule is if you never stop drinking, you can't get a hangover. But stop it. It's ruining your brain. It's no good for you, okay?

The reality of this thing is very simple. they are either going to the Big Ten or the SEC. And I want to put this on record. I was the first person to say they're very likely going to have to go at a discounted rate because neither conference has an incentive to give them a full payout immediately. Nobody does. Even if they come over full rights and toe and intact, if they had the power to pay their way out and go independent and generate this type of revenue yearly,

they would have already done some. They would have already done some. So you pretty much put yourself, you know, as the old song goes, you got clouds to the left and me, Jokers to the right, and here I am, stuck in the middle with you. That's where these two teams are. They're stuck in the middle right now. And again, am I saying that they won't find a landing place in the SEC a big team? No.

What I am saying is look out for the possibility that they have to take a discounted rate or a pro-rated rate as compared to the other teams that are getting four cuts right away, which would just be a shame. because again, they're not going to the Big 12. And by the way, to what Kenton said, shout out to our guy, Drake Toll, who's been, he's been crushing it on Locked on Big 12. And I know he's going to be all over this story. So make sure you make Locked on Big 12 your second listen today. But just circling back, Kent, and how much stock do you put in?

Because again, like I know Delinger, he even said, like, I'm speaking in hypotheticals, but his hypotheticals are informed with real information he gets. and when he talked about the SEC and the Big Ten, he certainly doesn't make it sound like they're in, right? Because there are certain, you know, reporters and sharers of information out there who say, you know, Florida State, they've got an automatic bid already to the Big Ten, and they've been approved by Fox that's been out there a lot. Maybe Delinger's just being very conservative in keeping his information close to the vest,

but I'll go back to part of his quote. He says, I don't know that it's going to happen because, the SEC has schools in those states already in Florida and South Carolina. And the Big Ten, he says, I don't know how interested they are incoming South. So again, I don't know how literal I should take what he said there. Because we've obviously heard a lot of things from the Big Ten side. They've already expanded into California and that they would like to maybe increase their footprint into SEC territory, which would be Florida and South Carolina.

But Delinger makes it sound like he's not so sure that's the case. you know this feels like the uh i feel like leonado de capri on that scene from jango where they finally figure out that jango is their fertility there's been a lot of lies told at this table tonight and the reality is this i don't believe that there is a done deal yet what i do believe is that both of these schools know hey we bring enough to where we're not dividing the pie we're adding in. Right. I think both of these schools know that, and therefore both of these schools know fiscally,

it makes sense for you all to add us. That's what I think is the case here. It doesn't matter whether or not the Big Ten is in the South or not. It doesn't matter whether or not you have schools. It does not matter. You're going to add teams that add something of consequence to your conference, period. That's all there is to it. The only question that I have is whether or not they bring them in

at a full rate, be at the SEC, be at the Big Ten. Because again, you're looking at a situation where it's like, oh, well, you all have competition with the Big Ten or you all have competition with the SEC. And we know that major corporations and businesses never get together and collude to keep the price of their labor force down. They never collude to raise the prices of anything. That would not happen because that's illegal. Just like these schools would not have had backdoor conversations to already secure.

their sales account. All of these things are illegal and we follow the law, or at least we believe folks do. So I'm very interested to see how this thing plays out. Once we get out of the courts, once all of that is settled, I'm still interested to see how this thing plays out in terms of where both of these schools like. Yeah, and part of the Dellinger quote was, you know, he cautions, like this could take months, if not years. So he's not one of these people who's like, oh yeah, by next week they're going to have a new. He's not one of those folks out there. And, you know, We have other things to talk about on this episode, but there is one more thing I want to add about these big 12 rumors

in terms of what the payout might look like and where the money would come from. I think it's an important part of this conversation. And we will talk as well when we come back about, you know, the ACC kickoffs are coming up starting July 22nd in Charlotte. You know, we're going to be there locking it down for locked on ACC. And, you know, every, every team in the ACC is going to send three football players there. we don't know who's going yet.

They haven't released that, but we do know someone who's not. And we will explain why when we come back. You want to keep it locked right here, my friends. We're only getting started on this brand new episode of Locked on ACC. And guys, I'm only getting started with Fandul. And I know what you're thinking.

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FanDuel official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball. Thank you so much for making Locked on ACC, your first listen and your first watch today. And, you know, if you're enjoying the content and the things we've talked about so far, again, make Lockdown Big 12 your second listen today because our guy, Drake Toll, he is going to be all over the Big 12 angle of all these reports. And he absolutely crushes it with his show. I am Alex Dono from Lockdown Keynes. He is Kenton Gibbs from Locked on Wolfpack. So, you know, Kenton, part of this scenario, if the Big 12, and listen, I do not have any doubt that the Big 12 would be interested in adding Florida State and Clemson and possibly adding Miami down the road. You know, Notre Dame is still independent.

So I'm sure they could make a play for Notre Dame because Brett Your Mark, their commissioner is very aggressive. And part of what makes the Big 12 so aggressive is all this talk about private equity. So part of the theories to people have in like, you know, when you bring in Florida State and Clemson, how do you make sure they're getting paid a bigger piece of the pie not only than what they were making in the ACC, but also a bigger piece of the pie as to what other Big 12 members are making? Because the hypothesis is the Big 12 could be willing to actually do an unequal revenue split and pay Florida State and Clemson more. and the common denominator as to where that extra money would come from, Kenton, is private equity. So you'd be taking on potentially hundreds of millions of dollars of debt. I am a proud capitalist, but I acknowledge when it comes to the lender borrower scenario, you'd much prefer to be on the lender side of that equation than the borrowing side of that equation.

So you could potentially be looking at the Big 12 taking on a whole lot of debt and hoping we make it so big, we'll be able to pay that back later with no problem. I believe it was Michael McDonald who made the song, What a Fool believes he sees, because this is one of those moments where it's like, we all know this is the fool's goldest of fools gold of fool. This is a painted rock, okay? But let's talk about it.

Let's go down the hypothetical road. Let's play Marvel What If for what would happen if the Big 12 were to secure the private equity money. How long are you on the hook for that? And how much, how much? What then happens? What power do you then give this, this, all of this new private equity money in terms of doing things and making decisions in your conference? What happens? Because Donno, you and I have both one. You and I have both want, hey, this is what happens when you get private equity involved. We have seen it. Private equity, when they give you that instant cash, that fast cash, my mother has the same. Easy come, easy come, easy go. Okay. And if that money,

if you think it's as easy as, well, we'll just, you know, give them a couple naming rights or something and they'll pay, you will look up and you will say, wait a minute, I thought we were the big 12 conference. No, you're the red herring equity conference now. That's, that's, that's who you are now. That's right. Yeah, where RHE is right here for you all, okay. Hey, when you think football, think R&E. That's what's going to happen to you, best around with private equity. And that's a best case scenario, mind you. That's a scenario in which the commissioner doesn't lose his job because, oh, we've decided to put a more fiscally responsible commissioner in. That's assuming that they don't sell off all their properties and lease them back to

them or something like that, which we've seen in the past. So honestly and true. If you are teams looking for a new conference and you have to go to a place where private equity is on the line, I'm sorry to tell you. I don't want to be the bear of bad news. I really don't. It's not the answer. That's not the right answer. Don't do it. Reconsider.

You're on the subject. You sure. That's all I got to say on that. Amen to that. All right. So let's move on. ACC kickoff media days is going to begin on July 22nd, and I believe Florida State student athletes will be available that first day.

They have like three to four teams with players each day. I think Florida State is on the docket for the first day. Now, the ACC, at some point next week, I think they're going to finalize and publish the list of the players who will be show. All the head coaches will show up, but each head coach is going to bring three football players with them. We don't have that list yet, but we do have one player who has publicly stated he's not going. And he explained why. And that's DJ Oweyungalale, the new quarterback at Florida State University.

Now, quarterbacks Kenton, as you know, are always very popular at these conference media days. Like most, most teams will bring their starting quarterbacks. It's almost seen as a red flag if you don't bring your quarterback now. Right. And so people are obviously going to wonder why DJ is not there. So he released a statement. He said, I was honored to be invited by the conference office to represent Florida State at this year's ACC kickoff. The experience of attending that event in 2021 and 22.

That was when he was at Clemson is among the highlights of my time in college. That might be an exaggeration of it. It's a nice thing to say. He says, I appreciate being viewed as one of the conference's top players. However, I feel strongly that Florida State should be represented by players who were part of last year's ACC championship team. The players who helped put this program back on top of the ACC. should have the opportunity to be recognized for their contributions. This team is more than its quarterback, and I'm excited for my teammates who will experience

this fantastic event. I can respect that, right? DJ wants the spotlight for the guys that won the conference title last year, and I'm sure whoever does show, and it's funny because there's not a lot of the same players are here from last year. I would imagine Lawrence Toa-feely is going to be. I don't know who else is going to be there. A lot of new players, but I'm sure they're going to be asked a lot of questions.

about the playoff snub and everything last year. You know, the biggest thing is this. When you think about DJU, one thing that has always come to the forefront when talking about, class act. He's a class act. He has always been that. He handled the benching at Clemson like a class act.

He handled leaving Clemson like a class act. He handled the departure from Oregon State like a class act. There's never been a moment where you look at DJU and you say, I have character concerns about this young man. Never. Never. You can tell he was raised right. You can tell that he was raised in the house that emphasized respect, kindness, generosity, all those things.

And this is just another moment that reemphasizes that, that selflessness and all that. And I'm going to take it to own the field here for a moment. When you have a quarterback who leads like this, it does something to the team. It does something to the core of the team. because when your leaders are we guys, not me guys, it makes it hard to not follow the example that they set. It makes it hard to not say, hey, you know, this is how I work or I'll, even with him transferring in, I talk a lot about how transfers, you know, if you get too many, they set the culture. Having a guy set the culture in this vein of like, it's us, it's not me. it's all it's it's it's uh one for all not all for one that right there that's again it

you want to play for that guy you want to follow that example when your best players are some of the best people on the team that's when you have something special because you don't have to uh do all the policing and do all of the hey make the right to sit do the right thing that you would have to when with all due respect some of your best players are guys that you're like we need a handler with him at all times. Hey, watch him around women. Hey, watch him if he gets one or two shots and just somebody be close. You know, having a young man like this lead your team is, it's nothing but a positive. No, that's well said. In terms of, you know, I mentioned we, there's not been an official list yet of which players are showing up. I think I know who's

going from Miami if anyone's been wondering. Now, again, this this could all be subject to change once the list comes out. but something that I was told as of a couple weeks ago, I am expecting offensive tackle Jalen Rivers, who's one of the leaders of the team and a great, great talk or great interview. So he will represent Miami very well. I am expecting Cam Ward to be there.

So that is one quarterback who will be there. And Ward, you know, you talk about DJ Weunga Leunga set in the example with his leadership. I've been very impressed with the way Ward has handled himself and his interactions with teammates for the short time he's been there because much like DJ, these guys are both just going to be at their new schools for one year. They are one and done's at Miami and Florida State.

And the third player I'm expecting for Miami is linebacker Kiko Maui Noah. So I think, and again, something could have changed since I heard about this a couple weeks ago, but I'm expecting Jalen Rivers, Cam Ward and Kiko. We will see how that plays out. And, you know, in keeping in the theme of the upcoming ACC media days, What should we ask the commish? You want to keep it locked right here on this brand new episode of Locked on ACC. Thank you so much for making Locked on ACC your first listen and your first watch today.

Are you watching Fox Sports or ESPN on your TV all day? You have to turn down the volume with all that shouting. Make the switch to Lockdown Sports Today. A free 24-7 sports streaming channel program for you every day to bring you the biggest stories without all the screaming. Locked on Sports Today brings you can't miss analysis, opinions, and news streaming 24-7 on YouTube or the free Amazon Fire TV channels app, part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day. Now, Kenton, you have become notorious in recent years for asking Jim Phillips some of the toughest

but best questions. And you're not trying to dunk on the guy or anything. But, you know, you're not one to ask softballs. So what would you like to hear? With the ACC, so much turbulence right now in the conference. conference. What would you like to ask ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips in a couple weeks? Well, you know, you see

Donno, you know I love the word turbulence. You know I love compliments even more. You know, but journalism is supposed to push you. It's supposed to get in you and, you know, make you get to those places where we got to get the important questions or answers, the important questions answered, rather. So my question would be in this environment with what's going

on, you know, nationally with conference realignment. And obviously, what is seemingly your two top dogs heading for greener pastures elsewhere, what is your role in steering the ACC clear of some very choppy waters at the moment? What's your role in that? And how are you going about that at the moment? Because, I mean, objectively speaking, I know he's going to get up there and say, hey, we've done this, we've accomplished this.

These are all the things that we're doing. But there needs to be the question asks, like, what are you in particular doing? because, you know, with all the respect, the question is not pointed. It's very open-ended. But my personal opinion on Phillips, I don't think he's a bad commissioner. I think that he's a bad showman for a commissioner. All of the best commissioners are excellent showmen. They know how to do the, look at me, look at us, we're great.

We got it all going on over here. Why do you think the Big 12 has the luster and the shine and all this perceived stability that they do? despite them being in virtually the exact same situation as what the ACC is in, but worse. Just strictly the fact that the Big 12 who always used to hold their media days in Texas, that they moved it to Las Vegas. Like right there, that should tell you showmanship is at the forefront. Like the ACC still does theirs in Charlotte. Maybe the ACC should move theirs to Miami and bring a little more,

a little more flare and pageantry. But yeah, the Big 12 now does theirs in Vegas. Yeah, and that's the thing. I understand that there is a, you know, different folks have different temperaments and all that good stuff. But there are certain jobs that you have to have a certain, like you can't be the president if you don't have a demanding presence. That just should not be. That's not something we have seen it. And, you know, this is not to get into politics or anything like we've seen it time and time again.

That presence means something. Being a commissioner, that showmanship means something because that means you can effectively. advocate for your conference in a way. You can convince people. You are in essence, the Wizard of Oz in certain ways when it comes to your conference. Everything has to be good. Nobody can see behind the curtain. You can't have that moment in the whiz where Richard Pryor says, you got me. I'm a fraud. I'm a fraud. You can't have that moment. You can't let other people paint that moment for you because you need to be the all-powerful wizard. The ACC is doing wonderful. We're strong. We're great. I was just on ESPN the other day talking about it. I was just on Fox the

other day talking about. I was all these places telling everybody how great the ACC is. He needs to do a better job of that. But again, in the meantime, in between time, we need to have that question of what does your role look like and how is it changing with this landscape? Because I think that a role of a commissioner right now is very different than a role of a commissioner in 2015. Wouldn't you agree? Oh, one million percent. And my question of Jim Phillips, which is kind of along the same line as yours, it's a little bit more specific in one aspect. since the ACC has just, they've just added three new members. I want to ask him, is there, is there an openness to expand further to add more members?

And is there any timetable on, on that process basically saying, are you? And obviously, they could be about to lose schools. We know that. But in terms of additions, are they happy with what they're at now or do they want to add any more? And again, to what you say about showmanship, I'd be very curious to hear about how Jim Phillips answers that question. because I feel like if I were to ask that same question and people have this week, I asked that same question to Brett Yourmark, the Big 12 Commissioner.

He's very open that, hey, we basically, we want to, we'll add anybody, anybody we feel adds our value. We want to compete with the Power 2 or the Big 2 now, the SEC and the Big 10. So I'd be curious to see just how boisterous Mr. Phillips would be about that. Or if he gives some political answer, like, well, we're extremely happy with the three schools. We've just added, and I think the ACC is stronger today, and there's no reason to think we're not in a great position right now. I feel like the answer would be something like that. Do you not? Right.

Yeah, I agree. I agree. And that's the problem. That's the problem. When I ask you, hey, are you looking to expand? I want an affirmative. You're damn right. We're looking.

We're going, obviously, without the cursing, you're polished. You're like 60. You bet you're sweet pippy. We're looking to expand. And we're da-da-da-da-da. Or, no. At the moment, expansion is not on the table. We added three teams that we feel like make us stronger as a conference.

We're not doing expansion for expansion sake. If there are teams that we look at that we can say, hey, this team adds a lot of value, then by all means, we will be more than happy to add that team in. But at the moment, that's just not the case. That's not really, you know, how Jimmy P operates. So we'll see. Right. Well, we'll have more for you guys tomorrow.

We'll wrap up the week strong on another episode tomorrow of Lock. on ACC. We are part of the awesome lockdown podcast network. Your team every day.