[QUOTE=Over40NINER;206569]Who remembers the article I pushed for a few years ago about why the acc refused to play us? Mike FINALLY released the article, but it was on the LAST page with a lead in that insinuated “This is for Niner fans only” and pretty much dodged the real issue.
[/QUOTE]
Here’s the story Over40 refers to, a Q&A with Bobby, who had interesting things to say but didn’t cut lose with the “they’re scared” quote.
THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
Q&A
WITH BOBBY LUTZ
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Section: SPORTS
Edition: ONE-THREE
Page: 9C
JENA JANOVY, Staff Writer
Column: Q & A
Illustration: Photo
Caption: 1. DAVID T. FOSTER III - STAFF PHOTO. Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz (center), who grew up in North Carolina, would love to play ACC opponents and is unsure why teams shy away from the 49ers.
The question surfaces every year: Why don’t ACC schools schedule the Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball team for a nonconference game? We went to Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz to talk a little ACC and a little scheduling, and here’s what we heard:
Why do you think teams in the ACC will not play you?
I think you really have to ask them. The last time we played was N.C. State four years ago, and we won (Nov. 18, 2000, 95-78 at N.C. State). It was the team that went to the NCAA tournament, and I don’t think we hurt N.C. State’s RPI, but we did beat them.
Everybody has to do what they think is best for their program.
Do you think they are afraid of losing or there is some trepidation there?
I would understand that 10 years ago, when Charlotte was not a consistent NCAA tournament team, because then if they lose it hurts them.
We’re not talking about North Carolina and Duke and Maryland. Those programs over the past six or eight years, they’re not afraid to play anybody. And we definitely, in my opinion, would gain more from playing them than they would from playing us.
But I think the Clemsons and even Wake Forest, although they’re making a breakthrough now, but anybody else in that league I think we should be perceived as a good game because we’re going to have a high RPI because of our schedule. And it’s certainly a winnable game for them, and a high RPI game for them.
I distinguish between the top three in the ACC because of what they have done, but the rest of the ACC, none of those other programs have been to the tournament more than we have over that period of time. Wake Forest could be comparable to us in terms of NCAA appearances, but over the last six to eight years, from our perspective, it would be a good game because of where our RPI is and where Conference USA is.
I would doubt they’re afraid.
Have you attempted to schedule ACC schools?
We haven’t directly talked to Duke or North Carolina of late, but we’ve mentioned it and have had talks in the past and I think they know anytime they’d want to play us in some type of arrangement we would do it. Duke and North Carolina and Maryland, because of what they’ve done, I would play 2-for-1 - we would go there twice if they would come see us once. They’ve earned that. But the other schools, I’ve got to do what’s best for our program, so it would be 1-for-1 with the other schools because I think our program stacks up with the track records of those other schools.
N.C. State, we called them every time an e-mail came this year that said they needed games and let them know we’d be glad to play. Clemson knows. Wake Forest knows. We’ve talked to Virginia. I’ve corresponded with Fred Barakat, the (ACC) associate commissioner (for men’s basketball), and let him know any time a team is looking for a game, we’re available. That’s a standing situation.
If it were possible, how soon could you get an ACC team scheduled?
We have only one game left for next year, but past 2005-06 we have plenty of opportunities.
Do you talk to coaches directly about this, or do you have an assistant who handles it?
A little of both. I truly respect that everybody has to do what’s best for them, so I’m not pushy with it. I’ll let them know we’d love to play, but again, it’s not something I talk about every time I see them. They’re always respectful. They’re great coaches and great guys in that league, and they’re always saying we’ll consider it, but to this point nothing has happened.
Do Niners fans ask you about this all the time?
Sure. I grew up in North Carolina, and the ACC has earned everything it gets. If it’s not the best league in the country, it’s certainly one of the best and it’s only natural our fans are proud of what we’ve started to accomplish, and they want to measure up against the ACC, so naturally I hear about it a lot. And Judy (Rose, athletics director) does, too.
We attempt to schedule the best teams we can schedule. We’d love for it to be ACC teams, but our fans probably dwell on it more than we do.
How high on the list of priorities is scheduling, and scheduling an ACC team in particular?
Scheduling is probably the most frustrating facet of our jobs. Recruiting is difficult, but there is nothing I like less in my duties than scheduling because it’s so difficult at Charlotte to schedule who we’d like to schedule.
Having said that, I don’t worry about the ACC schools playing us or not playing us. I worry about getting the best schedule I can. We play a tough nonconference schedule that prepares us for our league and puts us in position to get at-large bids if we don’t win the league tournament. We play Alabama and Indiana and teams that are going to be in the top 100 RPI - games that are tougher than the average fan understands.
Will leaving Conference USA and joining the Atlantic 10 next season make scheduling more difficult?
I don’t see why it would. The A-10 had two teams in the Elite Eight last year. We’re always going to be in the top 100 RPI, at worst, and we’re going to continue to be an attractive opponent.