Bill Roth   Bill Roth, in his 16th year as the lead play-by-play broadcaster for the Virginia Tech ISP Sports Network, will be covering this year's BIG EAST spring meetings for hokiesports.com. He has written a weekly column on Virginia Tech and BIG EAST athletics since 1988. Roth's familiarity with the BIG EAST dates back to his college days at Syracuse University where he earned his degree in Broadcast Journalism in 1987. Roth, who has been named Virginia's Sportscaster of the Year five times, calls the play-by-play of Virginia Tech football and men's basketball games, and hosts weekly radio and television shows featuring Tech coaches. In addition to his work at Tech and ISP Sports, Roth has worked for ESPN, ESPN International, CNN-SI, and NCAA Productions telecasts of NCAA Lacrosse, men's and women's basketball, and other sports.

May 17, 2003 - 3:15 EDT

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - Virginia Tech Athletics Director Jim Weaver said today "the odds are about 50-50" the BIG EAST can keep Miami, Syracuse, and Boston College from departing the league for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Virginia Tech Athletics Director Jim Weaver meets with the press in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Virginia Tech's Jim Weaver and Frank Beamer are fighting to keep the BIG EAST Together.

Speaking to a horde of reporters following the first morning of the BIG EAST Spring Meeting, Weaver said his primary focus is to keep the current BIG EAST conference football schools together.

Yesterday, ACC presidents voted to begin formal discussions with expansion candidates Miami, Syracuse, and Boston College.

"We'll continue our talks this weekend and I am confident we can address the issues that Miami has," Weaver said.

This morning, Weaver, and the Athletic Directors from Rutgers, West Virginia, Connecticut, and a representative from the University of Pittsburgh met informally to discuss the situation. Later today, Miami A.D. Paul Dee and Boston College's Gene DeFilippo will arrive in Ponte Vedra Beach. Syracuse's Jake Crouthamel will arrive tonight. Formal meetings of all the A.D.'s will start tomorrow morning.

"We're going to do everything we can to keep this league together and make it stronger," Weaver said.

"I respectfully disagree with my counterparts in the ACC who think a 12-team conference is the best route in terms of running a conference," Weaver said. "In a nine team conference, you have full round-robin play in football with four home and four road games every year. You have full round-robin play in men's basketball every year."

Weaver also said reaching the BCS Championship game in football is easier for teams in conference who don't have to play a championship game. He cited examples in recent years when a team finished a regular season undefeated, only to lose in its conference championship game.

Meanwhile, Miami football coach Larry Coker chimed in on the issue as well.

"I'd like to keep the BIG EAST together. It's a great conference," Coker said.

Then he added, "But it's not up to me. It's up to those people in the other room (AD's meeting room.)

Coker admitted that he was 'fortunate' to be coaching at Miami. "We'll be all right." He said he felt compassion for the other BIG EAST coaches should the ACC's expansion plans succeed.

"The BIG EAST just had the best year we've ever had," Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. "You look at the great progress West Virginia is making with Coach Rodriguez and what Pittsburgh has accomplished with Coach Harris. This league is outstanding and it's getting better. We're going to do whatever it takes to keep it together," Beamer told reporters.

When asked if that meant making financial concessions for Miami to stay, Beamer repeated "We are going to do whatever it takes to keep it together."

Clearly, Weaver is in favor of a nine-team all-sports conference which would include Miami. There are currently eight football playing schools in the BIG EAST. Connecticut will replace Temple after next year. If Temple does leave, a new-look BIG EAST would look to add one additional school.

This morning's meetings of the football coaches included topics such as NCAA legislation, rule changes for this coming season, officiating issues, and other business-as-usual topics. There were nine football coaches in the room: The eight current BIG EAST coaches, plus UCONN's Randy Edsall.

The A.D.'s met across the hall informally this morning. Tomorrow, the real action will begin when all the AD's, including Dee will hear from Commissioner Mike Tranghese.

According to the itinerary, the AD's are scheduled for a mid-day 'golf scramble' tomorrow. But the only scramble may be in an effort to keep the BIG EAST intact.