Before anyone starts in again on the "NC or VA schools joining the SEC" thing: UNC - Duke - NC State are the 3 partner schools of RTP = Research Triangle Park, the Silicon Valley of the South. They will NEVER, EVER, NEVER, NEVER break up. Furthermore, NC is VERY old guard and the folks on the UNC Board of Governors won't allow Carolina or State to leave. (FYI: NC State is a member university of the 17 University of North Carolina System schools - which is controlled by 1 board of governors). And the Tobacco Road tradition (which includes Wake), will not be broken either. NC and VA are VERY southern & preppy (think BAMA, UGA and Ole Miss). Next, the DAR folks (etc)., at the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond, would rather die than to eat corndogs in Baton Rouge or fraternize in Gainesville. It's just the way it is - and those same folks allowed VT to join the ACC. Tech isn't going anywhere. Oh and ECU may have a lot of students, but it's a poor school - not a good SEC match either.

I don't mean to burst anyone's bubble, BUT as a warning, I will be honest here. I'm a NC native and THE University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, nor UVA will EVER leave the ACC for the SEC....and I mean NEVER EVER. Here's why: Carolina and UVA are HIGHEST academics first schools. Secondly, social standing is VERY important among NC and VA society, (especially those affiliated with "The University," which is how they refer to Carolina). Sorry, but the ONLY schools in the SEC - with NO exceptions, that would be "socially acceptable" to Carolina & UVA students and Alumni, would be the University of Alabama, UGA, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, (maybe USC). Why? Because that's where old money southerners send their kids to school - just like Carolina and UVA. These include many families who send their kids to boarding school, belong to clubs like Carolina Country Club in Raleigh, Myers Park in Charlotte and The Country Club of Virginia, in Richmond. You may not like reading this, but they're not interested in fraternizing with Floridians, nor swamp people who play accordions and wear mardi gras beads, Rocky Top hillbillies, etc. NOT how I feel - but I have known these people all of my life. Frankly, you don't know it, but there are a lot of South Carolinians who feel the same way - but are glad to be in a big - time conference, instead of SOL. Secondly, VT waited WAY too long for UVA to ALLOW them into the ACC - they will never leave and the powers that be in Richmond won't allow it. NC State will never leave Carolina, nor Duke - these 3 schools are so ingrained in the "Triangle" area and affiliated with RTP (Research Triangle Park) that this just isn't POSSIBLE. Add to that, that our schools are basketball schools who - along with Wake Forest - have the "Tobacco Road" tradition. So guys, respectfully understand, that you're absolutely dreaming - the states of VA and NC are a no go. **As a side bar, I would like to mention WVU. WVU may sound like a good fit for the SEC, but seriously, it isn't. Genteel southerners will not blend well with over half of the students that attend WVU. These are kids from the Jersey Shore, Pittsburgh, Philly, etc. WVU is now a NORTHERN school, no matter how much they sing "Country Roads." Their cheap OOS tuition, aspirations to become the size of Ohio State and Penn State and the fact that many WVU students couldn't get into a big-time school in their home states, attract more OOS students, than those from WV. And I have to be honest, many of the (drunk and rough) fans would be considered quite crude to SEC fans and alumni - absolutely NOT a good cultural match. There's a reason why the snobby ACC doesn't want WVU. WVU is actually a better school academically, than its rankings reflect - but like Ole Miss, suffers from the state of WV requiring that their flagship allow most in-state (and typically nice), students a chance to go to school. ** Final comment: ALL SEC schools are FLAGSHIPS or co-Flagships, such as Auburn and MS State. I predict the SEC to continue that tradition. Best bet/fit is Oklahoma - but remember, Ok State MUST come with them.

Oh yeah...did I mention our TWENTY FOUR Rhodes Scholars? Only Vandy and Ole Miss eclipse us, as far as the SEC goes :) How about our 22 Truman Scholars? I think Missou has had 16 or so. Sort of interesting since Truman was FROM Missouri, huh? Few schools in the SEC can boast of this accomplishment. Let's see....hmmmm......40 Goldwater Scholars and 43 Fulbright Scholars. And what else.....??? Yes, our campaign to bring our total endowment to over 1 billion dollars: We are now 90% there. By 2017, we will join schools such as National Champions Alabama, as well as Mizzou, Texas A&M, Kentucky and others such as many ACC schools (and of course, the top schools in America), in having one the largest endowments of any university in the United States. Remember, colleges in the US number over 4,100. WVU is right now ranked among the top 100 universities in the country in amount of university endowment. So, that's roughly in the top 2.5% of schools. Guess those "light years" are dimming for ya, huh? The reason that WVU isn't ranked higher in US News and World Report is because we take into consideration the challenges that some - not all - WV public school students may have learning in poor school districts or by coming from financially challenged homes. So, like Ole Miss and MS State and others, WVU's admissions standards are mandated by the state to be more inclusive than perhaps other large schools are. It's a good thing to offer opportunities to disadvantaged kids, now isn't it? But also, our stats are hurt by some of those students - as well as OOS students taking advantage of WVU's lower entrance requirements/going to WVU from NJ, etc. to "party" - failing out or quitting prior to graduation. Again, those who aren't "weeded out" and manage to make it and graduate, have excellent futures. Just as I'm sure students at many of our peer universities both in and out of the SEC enjoy. And yes, most SEC schools (and those in our region, such as Penn State and Ohio State), are our PEERS, as we both meet and exceed schools in the SEC academically. (Vandy withstanding). WVU GO FIRST!

I wouldn't talk if a had a cowbell around my neck *smirk*

WVU is one of many large universities where, unfortunately, couch burning takes place. This happens all of the time at Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State and others. The press however, seems to zero in on WVU. Our President and the authorities in Morgantown are cracking down on this childish practice, conducted not by only students of WVU, but by visitors as well. We know it looks bad. Just as the folks at Penn State and Michigan know.

I will address the below from the above post, as this poster's comments are questionable, at best: wolfman 2 months ago The difference between a kid coloring states on a map at a restaurant and the SEC institution’s voters. footprint WV = 24,078 square miles MISSOURI = 68,886 ***Answer: And SC is a large state? WV = largest city 51,176 MISSOURI = about 4 million, next 2.5 million ****Do you own a map or have access to population stats? WVU is located in NORTHERN WV and Mon County, where WVU is located, not only borders PA, Morgantown is only 55 miles outside the Pittsburgh MSA. Pittsburgh is larger than ANY city in the SEC footprint, sans ATL. A huge amount of our 52% OOS students hail from Pittsburgh. Not to mention a very large contingency from NY, DC, NJ and Maryland. Ole Miss is about the same distance from the smaller Memphis MSA. academic credentials: Missouri is light years ahead of West Virginia and has been a leader in the SEC in academic progress. ***Because you say so? Not true at all. WVU has excellent academic programs and our graduates rank higher than the majority of SEC schools' graduates in early and mid career incomes. Our graduates' incomes are ranked ABOVE U-AR, UTenn, KY, Bama, SC and Ole Miss. Missouri comes in at 300th and we are at 309th. WVU is a Carnegie High Research University, just as some schools in the SEC. Our researchers recently "busted Volkswagen." You know, the HUGE worldwide news story - look it up. which state has land the furthest north? = West Virginia ****Yes and we like it that way *smirk* which state in the SEC is the furthest west? = Texas and aTm is further west than Columbia number of bordering states that have SEC member institutions WV = Kentucky MISSOURI = Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi is only about an hours drive. ***Not from Columbia, lol. Yes, from the "Bootheel." But I will not say that MO isn't southern. Because much of it identifies as so. historical political alliances WV = none ***I suggest that you research STONEWALL JACKSON and also Harper's Ferry. Have you been to college? Missouri = significant examples of important citizens who lived and worked in Missouri and the southeast: WV = see if you can think of one ? ***Robert Byrd-too many accolades to list--again, look him up; WVU Alum John Chambers, CEO Cisco Systems (you'll probably have to look him up too. Here in RTP and places like Silicon Valley, this is a great achievement); Mike Puskar, co-founder of Morgantown, WV based, global giant Mylan Pharmaceuticals; President Emeritus of MIT and WVU graduate, Charles Vest; Stephen Coonts, author and WVU Alum; Gregory Babe, CEO of Bayer (you probably need to take one, with the beating you're taking here); Robert Foglesong, President Emeritus of MS State U (oh dam*) and WVU grad; General Bantz Craddock, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe and WVU Alumni; I could continue, but I won't at this time. MISSOURI = George Washington Carver, scientific genius credited with rescuing the agricultural economy of the southeast ***Great, but what have you guys done lately? which state had the most number of students already enrolled in SEC member institutions at the time Missouri joined ? = Missouri by huge margin ***Because many students from Missouri get easy admission to Ole Miss and AR, right? Which state can put the most TV dollars into the bank accounts of SEC member institutions: Missouri by a gigantic margin ***How so....by a gigantic margin? WVU is doing GREAT by bringing in Pittsburgh, again located just up the road, as well as the Northeast Corridor, to the Big 12, where we are VERY VERY happy and making LOTS AND LOTS of $$$$ sorry if I interupted anybodies coloring pure opinion: Is it likely that WV would have won the Cottonbowl, and the Citrus Bowl for the SEC ? Is it likely that WV would have matched AL’s record for wins / losses in the SEC over the past two years (look at the WV’s big 12 record. Which coaching staff is the most likely to be stable? ***You're comparing WVU to Alabama football? Let's compare Kentucky instead. LOL. ***Those of you who continue to spread myths and fallacies about WVU, are going to get rebutted by me. Again, I suggest that you research early career incomes of WVU (at 309th among NATIONAL universities), against SEC schools. Oh and your precious UNC that many of you guys worship so much and dream about joining your conference? Ranked 357th *smirk* Alabama you ask? FOUR HUNDRED and TWENTY FOURTH, ahahahaha! Enjoy football from your trailer! South Carolina? 544th; Ole Miss grads had better quit buying tent chandeliers as they rank an abysmal 595th! Ha-ha-ha! Where does Mizzou come in? Only 9 slots ahead of Dub V at 300th. So, there's some TRUTH for ya. And for good measure, to all of the arrogant Ohio State folks, you're ranked 9 slots BEHIND Dub V at 318th. WVU GO FIRST!

Actually, many people from Missouri consider themselves southern. Especially in the southern part of the state.