John Swofford.

• Author: Gray, Tim
• Position: Sports - Atlantic Coast Conference

COMMISSIONER

ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE, GREENSBORO

Education: bachelor's, UNC Chapel Hill; master's, Ohio University Athletic career: quarterback and defensive back for the Tar Heels

Some critics called John Swofford greedy. Others labeled the commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference a fool. Leaders at Duke and UNC Chapel Hill questioned whether his expansion plan would hurt their student-athletes, as administrators piously insist on calling them. That had to sting someone who likes to believe that he works for the good of the kids.

But 2 1/2 years after the league's addition of Boston College and 3 1/2 after bringing aboard University of Miami and Virginia Tech, expansion looks like a success; complaints, at least, have quieted. The league entered two big media markets--New England and South Florida--and muscled up for negotiations with broadcasters. Administrators insist that a carefully crafted schedule prevents athletes from missing too many classes. "There's no question that we're in a much stronger position--in the marketplace, competitively in all sports and from a revenue standpoint," says Swofford, who has been the ACC commissioner since July 1997, when he took the job after 17 years...