Actually - SI has started doing that a lot recently - they did the same thing with the NBA preview. Depending on where you live, you either got D.Wade, Bron Bron or 'Melo.
And Hoya - I'm with you that the local schools should just put aside the b.s. and play each other (a rotating tourney like the Boston Hockey Beanpot would do the trick - with GW, GM, GTown and MD. And I don't want to get into where to place the blame for that - because every single school has a different version of that story as well.
As far as the whole BC into the ACC thing - I was never much in favor of it, and it was clearly a money grab by BC, though the administration will always deny that. However, just remember that Syracuse was just as ready to jump, but the state government in VA put pressure on UVA to make sure that VT was the other school besides BC and Miami to make the leap. While most BC fans realized the Big East would hate them immediately, it was became clear to the ignorant-of-hoops-hockey-loving student body when BC held the same record as U-Conn (I believe) and had beaten them, and the conference presented the regular season trophy to them in our last season in the league.
I'm glad to see that it has worked out all right for the Big East in terms of the football situation. And, for the ACC, same as the Big East - I don't like the extra large conference format for basketball. I'd much prefer the home-and-home setup for regular season games. But, due to the $$$$ out there for the BCS football bids, those days are long gone by ...
