The Riot BowLOL And The ACC Exodus

That day has finally arrived. This Riot Bowl thing has been out on the horizon for a long time. The wheels were turning almost as soon as our acceptance into the Big 12 was finalized. Our counterparts over at Wide Right Natty Lite got right on it. Plans were made, logo ideas shared, and then the season started and it all slipped into the background. Masked by our own dreams of greatness and the less than graceful slip back to reality. NSFW Language

It seems a bit odd to think of this game as a rivalry. To me, it seems more like a celebration with friends or at least friends to be. Rivalries are made from epic games, a general hatred of each other, or because Joe Manchin says so. I'll acknowledge that Paul Rhoads was on the other sideline in 2007. But outside of that, there's no real reason for hate. Maybe tomorrow I'll be singing a different tune. Or maybe this will be the anti-rivalry. A day we all lock arms and soak in the Moonshine that flows like Pepper Spray. Cause sometimes, that's the world I want to live in.

The ACC took a huge blow this week when Maryland decided to leave for the Big 10. A founding member of the conference, no less. There's probably a lot of legal wrangling to play out in the days and months ahead. We, of course, know all about what's ahead for Maryland. Each side will get drug through the mud, accusations will fly from every direction, and at the end of the day a settlement will be made. Once that benchmark is set for leaving the ACC, that's when things will get interesting.

But that day is still a ways off. Right now, there's going to be a reconing for Maryland since they won't actually leave until 2014. They'll have that bullseye on their back for the next year. I can't imagine the awkwardness of the 2013 media day and the dinner that night. No, actually, I can and it looks a lot like that scene from The Untouchables.