You know how politicians are often accused of sticking their fingers in the wind to gauge public opinion before taking a stance on a tough issue? Well, no one can make that charge against Maryland’s political elite for lining up either way about one of the most significant matters of public policy regarding athletics in this state in decades.
It’s 14 months and counting since University of Maryland officials announced that they would rip apart 60 years of tradition and take the school from its longtime association with the Atlantic Coast Conference into the Big Ten at the end of this academic year. And in that time, none of the state’s major elected officials has said word one about whether what Maryland President Wallace Loh and athletic director Kevin Anderson was appropriate or if their secrecy in doing so was justified.
Think about that for a moment: Governor Martin O’Malley, who hasn’t missed an opportunity to turn up on one Sunday morning squawk show or another in the last year has been silent on the move.
Also stunningly mute on the issue has been Lieutenant Gov. Anthony Brown, who wants to succeed O’Malley, as well as House Speaker Michael Busch. The biggest surprise to have suddenly developed a case of laryngitis on the Big Ten move is State Senate President Mike Miller. That Miller, who declares his Terp loyalty proudly and personally strong-armed the funding of the Comcast Center arena through the legislature to have remained silent on this for 14 months is really rather stunning.
Finally, this month, a state politician has actually stuck his or her head above ground to have something to say about the big move to the Big Ten. Well, sort of.
Attorney General Douglas Gansler announced that the state has filed a $157 million suit against the ACC, which is trying to get a $52 million exit fee from Maryland, which is absconding from the league that it joined as a co-founding member in 1953. It’s worth noting that Maryland voted against raising the exit fee from about $17 million to $52 million just before deciding to leave the ACC. Gansler, who, like Brown, wants to be governor, said in a statement last week that the ACC’s exit fee is quote an antitrust violation and an illegal activity unquote.
In addition, Maryland’s suit alleges that the ACC has withheld NCAA money from the school. It also charges that ESPN provided instructions to the ACC on how to poach the Big Ten for members.
Finally, Maryland’s suit claims that Wake Forest and Pittsburgh, two ACC members, actually tried to entice Big Ten schools to leave.
The quality of Maryland’s arguments make you wonder if Dennis Rodman is on the legal team, but then, it really is difficult to defend the indefensible. Perhaps the reason that so many politicians have said so little about the move is that they don’t want to be on the record criticizing such a classless grab for cash.