Jim Boeheim, Rick Pitino exchange parting shots at Big East media day

The emotions generated by the decision of Syracuse and Pitt to join the ACC next season bubbled to the surface at Wednesday's Big East media day festivities as Orange coach Jim Boeheim and conference favorite Rick Pitino of Louisville exchanged parting shots.

Pitino said Memphis and Temple, two of five schools joining the Big East next season, are the "equals" of Syracuse and Pitt in terms of the basketball tradition they bring to the table. When that comment was relayed to Boeheim, who built a program that has been a bedrock of the Big East since its formation in 1979, he said Pitino "is full of," uh, malarkey.

Pitino's remarks came in response to a question about how much the Big East will miss Syracuse and Pitt. "See, I don't think so," Pitino said. "If you look at the tradition of Temple and Memphis, it equals Syracuse and Pitt. Those are two awesome programs. Maybe not for the Big East tradition, but in terms of actual play. Memphis every year has a top-10 recruiting program, and Temple is a sleeping giant."

When Boeheim heard the gist of those remarks, he said, "Rick's full of ---- if that's what he really said. And if he was in the Big 12, where he wanted to be right now, he'd be saying the Big 12 is the best. That's the bottom line.

"I'm really tired of hearing him say what Syracuse should be or shouldn't have done because they would have left in a heartbeat, and everybody knows it. I don't mind them denying that fact, but if they start talking about Syracuse, then I'm going to start talking about them."

Boeheim pointed out how the Big East has adapted well to a changing roster of schools. "Syracuse made their decision," Boeheim said. "We're going to a great conference and the Big East is a great conference."

Showing his pride in Syracuse's contribution to the Big East, Boeheim added, "If you think those schools are better than Syracuse for the Big East, then, you don't know what you're talking about. And I think Rick's smarter than that. At least, I thought he was."

Certainly, Pitino recognizes the special relationship of Syracuse fans to the success of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden. "Now, we will miss Syracuse in a different way," Pitino said. "Syracuse is Madison Square Garden; it is the Big East because they bring so many fans to Big East events in the city."

When Boeheim heard that comment, he smiled and said, "He's right about that."

But Pitino playfully added his own kicker, saying of Syracuse and its future in the ACC Tournament, "I want to see how many fans they're going to bring to Tobacco Road."