Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - Will Cam Ward Elevate Miami In 2024? ACC Football Coaches Ranked, FSU & Clemson ACC Settlement?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Cam Ward was absolutely slinging it on Miami Spring game on Saturday. Can Ward live up to the hype? You are Locked on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. I am Alex Dono from Locked on Cains. He's Kenton Gibbs from Locked on Wolfpack. Thank you so much to the everydayers for making Locked on ACC your first listen and your first watch today.

Starting point is 00:00:34 We're free wherever you get your podcast. We're free on YouTube. We're part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Today's episode is brought to you by LinkedIn. These days, every new potential hire can feel like a high-stakes wager for your small business. That's why LinkedIn jobs helps you find the right people for your team, faster and for free. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash lockdown college terms and conditions apply. I was at the Miami Spring Game on Saturday, Kenton, and obviously the slippery slope,

Starting point is 00:01:03 whenever you praise someone at a spring game, they're going up against a teammate, okay? So obviously, if you could say Miami's first team offense, I thought outplayed the first team defense, someone can come back and say, well, what is that say about the defense? But let me start with Cam Ward, who, you know, obviously for everything he's done

Starting point is 00:01:23 in five weeks of spring football, without actually having played a game in a Miami uniform, he's lived up to the expectation and the hype, in my opinion. and I thought it really culminated with that spring game performance. ESPN credit him going 19 for 24 for 324 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions. It's evident he's comfortable in Shannon Dawson's offense,

Starting point is 00:01:45 and he's also Kenton evidently building chemistry. Xavier Restrepo, who was Miami's 1,000-yard receiver last year, had a really good performance. Isaiah Horton, who's expected to take on a bigger role as a 6-foot-4 boundary receiver this year, had a good performance as well. There are definitely some questions about Miami's defense. Some guys were missing for the spring game. Others, I think, are additions they need to make in the transfer portal.

Starting point is 00:02:10 But offensively, Cam Ward checked off pretty much every one of my boxes on Saturday. So the thing I think is clear, that is clear here is this. If Cam Ward can be this guy throughout the season and Miami can clean up some of those secondary issues, then Miami and Ward will be picking up a lot of awards at the end of the year. Like that is this, you know, I have said all along that Cam Ward has the highest ceiling of every quarterback to transfer me. He has the highest ceiling of every quarterback on a roster right now in the ACC that I know of. That's just the facts of the matter. And so it's about the chemistry.

Starting point is 00:02:50 It's about how well he messes with the guys. It's about that ability to be on time and on target and then add in that special sauce that makes it his sauce is separate for him. everybody else's. When he can do that, you know, this Miami team is a force to be reckoned with. But like you said, there is, there are those questions about what's going on with the DVs, what's going on in the running back room and all that. But again, Cam Ward looked phenomenal to say the least in terms of the spring game. And I'll say this. Some people say, you know, oh yeah, a lot of folks get tricked by the spring game. Don't be fooled. What I'll say is this. I can understand the idea of being fooled by spring games when you're playing against the tools

Starting point is 00:03:33 or even if you're playing against the ones and you just know your teammates in it. There were certain plays he made in this game, certain throws where it's like you cannot fool people with that. Either you have the ability to make that specific pass or you don't. 85 to 90 percent of quarterbacks in college depending on a year don't have the ability to make that pass. He does. And so, you know, Cam Ward, he looks special. He looked down right special. Yeah, and you talk about the special sauce.

Starting point is 00:04:00 And for him, it's the ability to buy time in the pocket, the escape ability, manipulating the pocket, improvising. We did see a little bit of that. You don't really want to see too much of that in a spring game because these are very vanilla, but we did see a couple of evidence of that. So I think in the case of Miami, they're set at certain position units like offensive line. I would definitely say quarterback. I would say tight ends based on.

Starting point is 00:04:27 on the way they performed in spring. Linebacker, for sure, they're set there. In fact, their top linebacker, Kiko Maui Noah, didn't participate in spring. So that's going to get a boost when he comes back. They've already made a lot of additions on the defensive line, including former NC State defensive tackle, CJ Clark, who's been doing pretty well.

Starting point is 00:04:45 I still think they could probably use more depth in the interior because otherwise they're going to have to depend some on a couple of true freshmen who aren't even early enrollees, so they haven't been there yet. And then the defensive secondary is definitely. a spot Kenton. If they can get that stuff figured out through a combination of internal and external additions, then Miami can absolutely be competitive, you know, come September and beyond. And I'm definitely looking forward to watching some of the remaining spring games that are coming

Starting point is 00:05:15 up Florida State as theirs coming up this Saturday. And, you know, I'll tell you, and there's actually a handful of ACC teams. Louisville's going to be on Friday night who haven't played their spring game yet. The timing, Mr. Gibbs, is so. so weird. I mean, I would have much preferred to have already had my spring game out of the way, whether it be, you know, two weekend ago or this past weekend, because the transfer portal is opening today. And so, you know, basically, your own players who may be thinking about finding opportunities elsewhere, either have to leave you high and dry on the week of your spring game, or they've got to maybe feel obligated to wait around for one more week and then maybe miss getting

Starting point is 00:05:56 a jump start on the portal. So it's an ideal timing. I kind of feel like for the good of college football, everyone should have gotten their spring games out of the way before the transfer portal opens. Yeah, and we've talked about this before and there's something that I definitely stand behind and agree with. I mean,

Starting point is 00:06:12 I don't understand the portal being open at this point, but if it were the case, then these schools should have made more concerted efforts to have their spring games ahead of time so that these players could get their tape out, get what they need out, and all that good stuff and say, hey, this is who I am. This is what I've done. You know, check me out, see what's going on again before the portal reopens, right? Not have a situation where it's like,

Starting point is 00:06:36 oh, man, well, the portal's open. And obviously, you don't want to be last in because the portal is more or less a game of musical chairs. But you're going to have to go in late if you want to have good film in certain regards. And you know how certain, well, I'm not going to, I'll say this. I know for a fact, certain coaches and their staffs like to play the game of, hey, we can't give you your family until after spring gets fully completed, right, which is another problem that's created by this, which again, if everybody was just forced to say, hey, your spring football has to be from this window or this window, the portal opens, the day after spring football is over, so if there can't be any, you know, mix up, no,

Starting point is 00:07:18 oh, well, I, you know, we'd love to, we just don't have the budget, and our staff isn't big enough and everybody's working on a spring game right now. It puts everybody in the bad situation. It puts the teams in the worst situation. It puts the players in the worst situation. It puts their perspective new teams in a bad situation because you can't see all the things that you would have otherwise. Yeah, that's well said because I remember months ago talking with the family of a player who was in the portal. And this isn't someone who had really any game tape, like somebody who hadn't played. And so you're relying on trying to get things like spring game film from last year and practice film.

Starting point is 00:07:55 And it's not always easy to get a hold of that because, you know, coaches can be very hesitant to release practice film because you need to know exactly what the context is, whose hands it's falling into because obviously you don't want the stuff you're running behind closed doors and practice just getting blindly released. So it's difficult. Like if you're a player, because, you know, a lot of times, obviously when fans, when we talk about the transfer portal, we tend to talk about the big name players who have started at other places, right?

Starting point is 00:08:21 but the portal is also full of guys who are in the portal in the first place because they're not getting playing time where they're at. And that that makes it even harder for them to convince other teams. Hey, I can play for you. They're like, okay, where's the film? Well, I don't really have any. So it's really tough. And I was watching a little bit of Virginia Tech's spring game. I need to catch up on Pitt.

Starting point is 00:08:42 I know Pitt played as well. And there were a couple of others on Saturday. But I'll say Virginia Tech, it looks like they are really heavy with, quick and athletic running backs. A lot of the plays they were making even in the passing game was drones passing it off to running backs and them getting in space and making plays. It was tougher to tell how the defense played. And I know one of the things that I saw some Virginia Tech fans talking about was the need maybe for a backup quarterback in the transfer portal because beyond their number one, they didn't feel like their other quarterbacks looked very good. But this is the season of upgrades. And it's also the season. This is something Kenton we didn't get to on Friday that we tabled for this month. day episode. On three put out a ranking of all 17 now, including the three that are about to come in, ACC head football coaches heading into next year. They rank them one to 17. I also want to get on the

Starting point is 00:09:35 latest report put out there or theory on how conference realignment might go, have Clemson and Florida State, according to a channel that's been all over this stuff when it comes to Conference Reallignment, College Football Addiction, have Clemson and Florida State put an ultimatum on the ACC, and could they get out sooner rather than later? You know what you want to do? We're not done yet. We're only getting started on this brand new episode of Lockdown ACC.

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Starting point is 00:10:37 So if you're not looking on LinkedIn, you're looking in the wrong place. On LinkedIn, 86% of small businesses get a qualified candidate within 24 hours. Higher professionals like a professional on LinkedIn. 2.5 million small businesses use LinkedIn for hiring. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash locked on college. That's LinkedIn.com slash locked on college to post your job for free terms and conditions apply. Thank you so much for making this episode of Lockdown ACC, your first listen and your first watch today. Hey, it's Lockdown's NFL mock draft live on April 17th at 7 p.m. Easter time streaming on the local Lockdowns. Sports Today 24-7 streaming channel on YouTube or the free Amazon Fire TV channels app.

Starting point is 00:11:25 Find the ultimate six-episode series on April 17th at 7 o'clock Eastern to hear who the local locked-on experts are picking for every NFL franchise with live reactions from local college football experts and even the fantasy football angle. That's Locked-on NFL mock draft on April 17th at 7 Eastern time streaming live on Locked on Locked on Sports Today 24-7 streaming channel on YouTube or the free Amazon Fire TV channels app. Alex Dono alongside Kenton Gibbs. All right, Kenton, we established last week, top 10 college football coaches, regardless of conference. Two ACC coaches made the cut according to ESPN. And that was Davos Sweeney at number four and Mike Norvell at number five. I've got a list in front

Starting point is 00:12:10 of me of the 17, all 17, ranked in the ACC, according to On Three Sports. So Kenton, they keep it consistent at the top. And I'm not going to argue it. They got Davosweeney at number one of Clemson. They've got Mike Norvel of Florida State at number two. Do you agree with their number three? He's definitely he's definitely ascending. Is it too early after just one season to put Jeff Brom at Louisville? Of course, he accomplished some things at Purdue before he got there. But Jeff Brom at Louisville, number three or too soon? The thing is, no other coaches in the ACC can say that they have the same type of accolades and are coming off the same type of year as him. So again, if this is projecting forward,

Starting point is 00:12:54 I see the vision because the only coaches who can say, hey, I have the same type of accolades, what did last year look like for their teams? Nowhere near as good as Louisville. So I can see it. There's a world where, depending on your criteria, or you're asking me to judge it, it comes out a little different,

Starting point is 00:13:15 but I can understand him being in three. And I didn't realize, I was reading this article that last year was the first time Louisville ever played in an ACC championship game. I didn't realize that. So that's something else that Braham accomplished in his first season. They went 10 and 4 last year. That included an upset over Notre Dame.

Starting point is 00:13:34 Dave Doran from NC State came in at number four. I'm actually glad he's getting that respect there, Kenton, because I feel like Doran probably doesn't get talked about enough. He's the Wolf Pack's all-time winning his head coach, which is definitely something to chat. I would have thought for sure, like Chuck Amato or something would have still held that. But for Doran, that's a nice accolade. And I think, again, NC State is definitely a team I'm going to be watching as a possible contender to get to the championship game this year.

Starting point is 00:14:03 Absolutely. Doran has bragged consistency in that program. They need the spike year. So, for example, when I look at the Louisville and NC State game last year, right, if that one pass goes different. where NC State is driving to start off the third quarter. They've already got a two-scored lead. And instead of Brennan Armstrong making the read to throw a deep end against cover one, instead he throws the slot fade,

Starting point is 00:14:33 and he goes either out of bounds or for six, we could be looking at such a different world right now for a ton of different reasons. But if Ips and busts were berries and nuts, squirrels would never start, right? Like we live in the real world. And with that being said, we are where we are. Dorn needs a spike here. He's raised the floor, but Chuck Amata has won double-digit game. Tom O'Brien, I believe, has a double-digit win season. You know, you've got to get that double-digit win season.

Starting point is 00:15:02 And if you are talking about raising the floor of the program, Dora's done that, now you've got to raise the roof. It's time to raise the roof on what the program is if you want to jump into that top two to three territory in ACC head coaching one. Now, at number five, when I first saw this, my reaction was like, really? They got Dave Claussen at Wake Forest. Now, maybe it's recency bias because Wake Forest was bad last year. They were four and eight last year. I mean, prior to last year, Closson had seven straight seasons, 500 at least, taking his program to a bowl game. But then they lose Sam Hartman last year and just everything went to hell for Wake Forest.

Starting point is 00:15:45 So, like, am I overreacting to one bad year, or are they maybe grading him a little bit on the curve too much and saying, hey, look how much success, quote unquote, success he had at Wake Forest. We got to put this guy in the top five. It still feels a little high for me. They're grading them on a hard curve because even if we're talking about just projecting on forward, I don't know if any of our listeners know about Wake Forest transfer process. It is so arduous. Like, it's very, he's in a very different situation with that one. Dabo just chooses not to use the portal. Weight fours, the process for an undergraduate student transferring in is so rigorous.

Starting point is 00:16:21 It's almost impossible to guarantee that a young man could transfer from one university over to wait fours in the amount of time that would not require them to miss time. So I understand grading on a little bit of a curve saying it's different, but we're Americans. We don't care about the labor pains. We care about the beautiful bouncer baby. That's the reality of who we are. And as of late, you know, if each win is a baby, it's been some real, real tough times to grow that family over a way for us. So they have Miami's Mario Cristobal then at number six.

Starting point is 00:17:01 And I'm perfectly fine with that. He's got to prove that, you know, that he belongs higher on that list. just in terms of meeting expectations and not having the boneheaded errors. I know a lot of people nationally will never forgive him for not taking that knee against Georgia Tech. So the way that I look at it, you know, I see, I see from a roster standpoint what he's building at Miami. I've never covered recruiting like this. Even, you know, not since Randy Shannon had a number one class at Miami back in 2008, was the last time that I saw the type of recruiting that's happening now.

Starting point is 00:17:39 So if you were just strictly grading on recruiting and roster building, he'd probably be in that top three with, you know, Mike Norvell and maybe Davo. But I totally, I totally get it that Miami's actually got to meet expectations this year. So I'll let you comment on that. But then also at number seven, making his ACC head coaching debut, they got Bill O'Brien at number seven. Is that, I mean, is that too much too soon for him? Talk about benefit of the doubt.

Starting point is 00:18:05 I want to know what Bill O'Brien. has done to you people to convince you that he's this good of a guy. I want to know it. In the words of meatloaf, I want to know what the love is. I want you to show me. I want you to show me why y'all love him this way, because I don't get it. Now, back to Mario, I absolutely think that Mario is a good coach, but I think that both of these two are rated ahead of a guy that's accomplished a little

Starting point is 00:18:35 a bit more than them. That granted, had a terrible year last year, and we'll get into him because I know he's coming up on this list, but it's hard for me to put Mario in this spot because, again, what's the criteria? Are we going off of going forward? Because if we're doing going forward, Claussen needs to slide down. If we're doing based off your history and what we expect from you, with all due respect, Christopal's history is not an immaculate one where you're like, hey, a championship is coming one of these days. Trust it. Just trust it. Just trust it. just stick with it. So, you know, but again, Bill O'Brien, what has he done? What has he shown y'all as a college head coach to make you believe it? What does he show you as an NFL head coach

Starting point is 00:19:15 to make you believe it? Yeah, I think he did win a couple division titles in the NFL, but, you know. You won a couple division titles with the best quarterback and receiver tandem in that franchise history by a mile, buy a mile, get out of here. Get out of here. Get out of here. Well, let me go through all the rest of these and we can comment. otherwise if we keep going one by one will be here all day. They actually got to, because I'm not sure who you were referring to that was, we'll get to it, I'm sure. But I don't think this was the one you're referring to.

Starting point is 00:19:45 They got Rhett Lashley at number eight of SMU. They've got Mack Brown at UNC at number nine. Pat Narduzzi at Pitt at number 10. Brent Key at Georgia Tech number 11. Brent Pry at Virginia Tech at number 12. Manny Diaz at Duke at 13. Justin Wilcox of Cal at 14. Troy Taylor of Stanford at 15, Tony Elliott at Virginia, and they got Mr. Irrelevant here.

Starting point is 00:20:10 I guess he gets no first year benefit of the doubt at all. That's Fran Brown from Syracuse. I mean, it's like Bill O'Brien Rockets near the top list. Fran Brown, you got to earn it, buddy. My only one that I would say was too low, and I alluded to him a little bit before it's Pat and Arduzzi. That's my luck, yeah. Last coastal coach to ever win an ACC champion.

Starting point is 00:20:31 So, okay, so how about this? So they completely give Closson a flyer for last year, but they don't get. Yeah, yeah. And that's my thing. I'm not upset at, I'm not upset at saying, hey, Claussen had a terrible year, knocking down the ranks. Or, I'm sorry, and Arduzzi had a terrible year knocking down the ranks. Or, hey, last year, we get both of them a flyer. They've done a good job.

Starting point is 00:20:56 I understand. You can't go with one of them, hey, he gets a pass and this one doesn't. Nah, stop. Yeah. Again, what I do. lie and say that Narduzi did not do an abysmal job last year? Absolutely not. Would I lie and say his recruiting has been up to part? Absolutely not. But what I will also say is at the end of the day, last Coastal head coach to ever win an ACC championship and then moving forward from there,

Starting point is 00:21:22 when I look at how low some of these coaches have gone or how high or low they are, I just, I don't see consistency. I don't see consistency in terms of are we looking going forward? Are we looking at full body of work till now? Are we saying if all things were even and you put all of these coaches that completely even teams, who do I think will come out to win their X's and those and recruiting wise? Because those are all very different tales than, you know, this is the coach whose team I think is the best. So I would like to know their criteria for ranking these. But again, I think they got it right for the most part if they're saying what do I know right now? based on your body of work, outside of Narduzi, of course, because that is just, that one is just God

Starting point is 00:22:06 off. And of course, Mac Brown, again, if you're going by body of work, Matt Brown has a body of work that's up there with anybody. But if you're going by future, then, of course, Mac Brown is running a very soft program over there in Chapel Hill. So, you know, that's, I mean, that's just the reality of what it is. But, yeah, all in all, I look at this and I say, it's not the worst list in the world, but there's, I need some consistency. I need to understand. Yeah. Yeah. And again, weird. They totally gave Kloss in a pass for last year. And Narduzzi, who two years ago, wins the ACC, no pass. Here's what they wrote about Narduzzi. After a mini-renaissance in 2011 and 2020, sorry, 2021 and 22, that was 20 wins in an ACC championship. Narduzzi's stock is trending in the

Starting point is 00:22:49 wrong direction following a three and nine season, programs worst in 25 years. Narduzi wasn't even considered for the Michigan State opening this offseason, and the former longtime Spartans, D.C. has totally whiffed on multiple quarterbacks and OC decisions. Yeah, I guess for as poor as he's been with OCs, he's been very good with D.C's a defensive coach. Narduzi isn't exactly on the hot seat entering the 2024 season, but there's an impetus to show improved results following last season's terrible backslide. But again, like, I'm not saying any of that's not true, but it's like they hold that against Narduzi three and nine, but they don't hold four and eight against Claussen. But when we come back, Kenton, I, listen, man, I've got to, I've got to

Starting point is 00:23:30 an open mind to some of this stuff, but you're usually the guy who brings me back down to Earth. Well, listen, I'm going to open my mind with you because apparently I'm too close mind, according to the comments. So after you get back from break, we're going to see whether not the fans like open minded can. More evidence, Florida State, according to a report, Florida State and Clemson could very well both be out of the ACC, which I think it's going to happen. I just don't think it's going to happen by June 30th, which is what this report claims. Keep it locked right here. And my friends, you always want to be keeping it locked to Fanduel. I'm having so much fun. I did well on my UFC 300 bets last night. I'm looking to keep that

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Starting point is 00:24:52 Thank you so much for making this episode of Lockdown ACC, your first listen and your first watch today. We're free. Wherever you get your podcast. We're free on YouTube. We're part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Alex Dono from Lockdown Keynes, Kenton, Kainz, from Lockdown, Wolfpack. I want to make an important distinction here, Kent. I feel like I shouldn't have to say this,

Starting point is 00:25:11 but just based on some of the YouTube comments we've received recently, just so people know, we don't work for the ACC. We cover the ACC. What? We don't get checks from Jim Phillips or anything like that. We cover the conference. We don't work for the conference.

Starting point is 00:25:27 And honestly, folks, I have an open mind. Like, if the ACC were to, you know, crumble, I've got other jobs. I've got other opportunities. Kenton does as well. We have other stuff we do on this network. If Florida State and Clemson leave the ACC, our jobs and our lives will go on. Just wanted to get that out of the way. So I've definitely been following his channel as of late, college football addiction, who talks pretty much daily about the legal fights between the ACC, Florida State Clemson and where this is

Starting point is 00:25:57 all heading. And he says from a media source of his that the ACC has been given an ultimatum by Florida State and Clemson. The ACC needs to settle with them, like their exit agreement from the conference, ACC needs to settle with them by or before June 30th. Now, I think the idea here is the ACC settles with them with the agreement that, you know, we're going to let you leave just after June 30th,

Starting point is 00:26:25 but we're going to settle the terms with you. And if they don't settle that by June 30th, Clemson and Florida State will leave the conference on June 30th. And thus, ESPN can then trigger that comprehensive. position clause where they can, if the ACC gets below, what is it, below 14 teams before July 1st, because July 1st is when SMU, Stanford, and Cal arrive, which would bring the number back up. If the ACC goes below a threshold of teams by June 30th, ESPN can throw out the TV deal and

Starting point is 00:26:55 put the entire conference in jeopardy. So the idea is, hey, settle with us now and we won't leave before that date. We keep the conference alive at least for a couple more years. And, you know, he cited reasons why, why, in his words like Clemson and Florida State could leave by June 30th being that, based on the allegations out there, the ACC has violated their own bylaws by not holding a vote, like a full conference vote for that lawsuit, which is alleged, alleged, again, that they didn't do that. And that, you know, one of the, one of the rulings from the judge in North Carolina did say that Florida State does not. a fiduciary duty to the conference after they leave, which would make it, I guess, less punitive for them to walk away. So, like, I guess that according to that line of logic,

Starting point is 00:27:46 they could just decide to leave by June 30. I just wonder, like, I want to understand how when there are all these court cases actively going on, which are not going to be settled by June 30th, why they're even doing this if on June 30th, they're just going to say, peace, we're out, give us our settlement. So listen, I'm open to the idea of it. There's a couple of bridges. And listen, if I'm leaving out something obvious, make me understand

Starting point is 00:28:13 because I don't understand how by June 30th, they're just going to be able to walk away. Don't worry, Dono. I have evidence as well. No, wait, this is the wrong thing. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. That was my check from the ACC for 95.

Starting point is 00:28:25 My bad. You added yourself. I do not get paid by the ACC, as Donald said, ignore that check that you all just saw, that's not important. But what I seriously, I seriously am interested to know the same question. Like I said, I'm going to try to be more open-minded because the fans are very upset with me for not being more open-minded and receptive to the possibility that I could be wrong. So I'm going to accept the possibility that I can be wrong. And as a matter of fact, I know I'm going to challenge myself to not even speak as if I am right at all and that this theory

Starting point is 00:28:58 is completely correct. Okay. Wow. So with that in mind, I need you all to help me out in the comments, okay? Like Donald has already said, if this person is correct and they are just going to say, hey, we're taking our ball, we're going home, we're not playing anymore on June 30th, why are we still in the courts? I need somebody to explain that to me because I'm a little confused as to if I'm told, if I was in the contract with a job, right, and that job says, hey, you have a non-compete Kenseth.

Starting point is 00:29:30 You cannot go to anybody in our sector because. you have worked here, right? And then we go to court and the judge says, well, actually, there's no punitive damages if you decide to leave. You can go wherever you want. You can work for whenever you're better than you want, so on and so forth. And I am apparently the best technical recruiter there has ever been. Everybody's lining up and strapping and clawing and fight for my services. Why would I not leave? I need help understanding. I'm asking for a genuine understanding what's going on in the courts if this is if all of these facts do exist where it's like hey Florida state owes nothing if they leave and why would Florida

Starting point is 00:30:09 state stay is my biggest question why are they staying why are you staying and doing arguing when you could just leave and take your stuff with you and not owe anything on the back I'm I'm very confused by this all because again my mind is being open so I want somebody to help me well I guess I guess like the idea would be like the ACC would have to figure this is not going to end well for us. So maybe we follow their ultimatum. We let them out now. But then again, like it doesn't really explain the June 30.

Starting point is 00:30:42 Like I understand what happens on June 30th. Like June 30th is the last day before Stanford, SMU, and Cal arrive. But I just don't know how Florida State and Clemson could be that confident that they can just walk away before that date. So if this is really what's happening, it's definitely a game of chicken. Like he, on his, on his show,

Starting point is 00:31:02 he compared it to, like, two countries having their nukes pointed at each other, like a standoff. Like I, you know, maybe it's the wrong time to bring up that analogy,

Starting point is 00:31:11 given that this kind of world today. That's what he did bring up right now. I'll tell you, we are facing the college football total sum of annihilation here if things do sell off in the way that they think. Because again,

Starting point is 00:31:24 and again, I'm, I'm pretending that I do not understand anything, about the law. I have taken no classes in law school. So I'm going to accept that everyone is right and that it's not illegal for ESPN to strong arm two teams into going into a specific conference. I think that was a separate theory to be fair. I don't think that theory is related to this one. But that's yeah. And here's where I'm going with this, okay, assuming that I know nothing

Starting point is 00:31:53 about any of the legalese of any of this, right? I am still at a point of, again, being open-minded, I'm trying to fully wrap my head around the idea that these court cases that were supposed to take years would now be wrapped up in five months. Because, I mean, wouldn't, like, hypothetically, would it not be like a, hey, we're not going to play any games under the ACC's umbrella because we don't owe you all any money? Okay, great. Well, we're just going to order for a restraining order on you all doing that. so you have to play under us or whatever the kid.

Starting point is 00:32:31 I don't know. I don't know. But, hey, people in the world are smarter than me. There are plenty of folks in the world that are much smarter than me. I just would like for them to explain to me how this is going to work. And if this works out already, then why are we still in court right now? Those are the two things I want to explain. If you already know, I want to know what changes between now and June 30th that makes you hold on

Starting point is 00:32:58 and not say right now, hey, actually, we don't have to have any secondhand reports that Florida State and Clemsoneman that played their last game in ACC. We're going to go firsthand from our miles as a Seminoles. We will no longer play the ACC. As of April 15th, 2024, we will never play another game in the ACC as it is assembled today. Thank you all for coming out of Ted Talk. I'm very confused. I'll definitely be keeping up with, I think, the next important court date. I'm not sure when the next North Carolina date is, but April 22nd, I think is the next hearing in Florida with Florida State. So we'll be covering that for sure.

Starting point is 00:33:35 We'll keep our eyes on that. Huge shout out and thank you to Kenton Gibbs from Lockdown, Wolfpack. Make sure you follow him at TGIF underscore Kenton. I'm Alex Dono from Lockdowne canes. Follow me at Alex Dono. And we will talk to you guys again next time right here, wherever you get your podcast on another episode of Lockdown ACC, part of the awesome Lockdown Podcast Network.

Starting point is 00:33:55 Your team every day. Thank you.

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