[The_herd]

This is getting ridiculous

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

MIAMI (AP) -- The University of Miami filed suit against the Big East Conference and four of its member schools Monday, claiming it suffered "substantial monetary damages" by remaining in the league.

The school also filed a separate lawsuit against the University of Connecticut for defamation. Both were filed in state circuit court in Miami.

Miami will seek an undetermined amount in damages, said Eric Isicoff, the school's attorney.

"There's a lot of issues here about the harm that's been caused," Isicoff said. "It's going to be a huge sum of money."

Big East spokesman John Paquette acknowledged that the conference had seen the lawsuit, but had no comment regarding it.

The four other league members named in the suit are Connecticut, West Virginia, Rutgers and Pittsburgh -- schools which are currently suing Miami, alleging it was involved in a conspiracy with the Atlantic Coast Conference to weaken the Big East.

Miami and Virginia Tech -- the league's premier football schools _ are leaving the Big East to join the ACC after the current academic year ends. Boston College is also leaving the Big East for the ACC, but perhaps not until 2006.