ACC
Boston College athletic director Geno DeFilippo apologized Tuesday for his comments about ESPN's involvement with the ACC's expansion plans. ACC

Boston College athletic director Geno DeFilippo apologized for speaking inappropriately and erroneously about ESPN's role in the ACC's expansion efforts.

The apology comes after DeFilippo told The Boston Globe on Sunday that ESPN -- one of the ACC's primary television partners -- played a role in the ACC's decision to offer membership invites to Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

We always keep our television partners close to us, DeFilippo told the Globe. You don't get extra money for basketball. It's 85 percent football money. TV - ESPN - is the one who told us what to do. This was football; it had nothing to do with basketball.

On Tuesday DeFilippo apologized for the remarks and said that he regretted any misunderstandings or negative fallout my actions may have caused.

DeFilippo apologized after ESPN denied any involvement in the decision making process. ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys said that the driving force behind conference realignment was still conferences and universities.

In addition to his remarks about ESPN's involvement, DeFilippo also told The Boston Globe that Boston College played a large role in rival Connecticut not getting an invite to join the ACC. DeFilippo indicated he was still angry that UConn publicly attacked Boston College for leaving the Big East for the ACC.

We didn't want them in,'' DeFilippo told the Globe. It was a matter of turf. We wanted to be the New England team.''

One might think that DeFilippo would apologize for his comments about UConn along with his ESPN apology, but the BC athletic director largely maintained his stance in his public statement on Tuesday.

While I harbor some ill feelings toward the University of Connecticut regarding the lawsuit, depositions and derogatory comments from UConn officials when we announced our decision to join the ACC, it was inappropriate to express personal feelings.

Essentially DeFilippo is apologizing for saying the comments to a reporter and not that he was actually sorry for any of the things he said.

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