Does "Life" exist in the Big Ten Realignment Universe? | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Does "Life" exist in the Big Ten Realignment Universe?

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I'm also trying to figure out if the OP is implying the B1G would take a look at Case Western Reserve. Extremely prestigious med school and research. 5k enrollment and sponsors 9 9 NINE men's DIII sports.
I was using some humor. Stony Brook is a great university. So is Case Western Reserve. So is the University of Chicago that has IVY league quality academics. But a school has to have an athletic program that is robust. Chicago, for example, now has football. But it has Division 3 football. Good Academics are a requirement-but in an Athletic conference. I believe that UConn and VT are in play in both areas.
 
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Jim Delany is 66 years old. Is he fine leaving the B1G with the current 14 and let the next commissioner work on future expansion? Or does he have something bold up his sleeve before he retires in the next 5 years or so, perhaps just in time for the next monster TV deal? Lets face it its hard to imagine he'll be around when the GOR's are up in what 10 years?

I assume most people believe he'll hold at 14 but I'll hold out hope that he still is hurting from the last Swofford jab and he wants to throw one more haymaker before hanging up the gloves.


Delany is big picture/expansion oriented. What he needs are: 1) 2 willing schools that are desired by the Big Ten (Baring ND, I do not think that the Big Ten would take only one, and with ND, they would go to 16 real quick). 2) The approval of the majority of Big Ten Presidents (And a unanimous vote could be required). 3) Enough money in the contract to make the 2 schools and the Big Ten schools happy.

The Big Ten is very much a consensus entity. If there is near veto power for any given school, the hurdle could be higher than we all might suspect. There were rumours, from many sources, that Wisconsin and Michigan did not want FSU. I'm standing by my position that if it happens, it is likely UConn and one other school. I just don't know which school or when.
 
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If one has to do an analysis on the future of the Big Ten how much weight should be given to traditional rivalries? I suspect that more was given up in their last expansion than they would admit in public, which can explain the high hurdles they put to potential candidates. There is even talk of going to ten games in order to gain back some of the historical matchups disrupted by expansion. I could see that as a reason why they would not go beyond fourteen.
 

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Boy, tough fans. I would be thrilled with a 3 LOSS season. A 3 win season, which is what you obviously meant, would not help our future.

Ha! Oops, yeah you got it. I am fairly confident that I'd chop off a body part for a guaranteed 3 loss season.
 
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UCONN has good facilities. Their on-campus training facility is on par with a good majority of P5 schools. The stadium was built with the footings already in place to accommodate an expansion up to 60K. They sell beer at the stadium. It's located right off of a major highway artery in CT. A 60K off-campus stadium can work if developed properly featuring a B1G schedule.

As for history/tradition, no arguments here. UCONN obviously doesn't have the history of playing D-1 football that other schools have. But that doesn't mean UCONN hasn't found results. 2007 - Present (INCLUDES Pasqualoni 3 years!):

Matt Schonvisky @MattSchonvisky · 2h
@UConnFootball has more wins since 2007 than Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee & Vanderbilt of the SEC #UCONN

Matt Schonvisky @MattSchonvisky · 2h
@UConnFootball has more wins since 2007 than Cal, Colorado, UCLA, Washington & Washington State of the Pac-12 #UCONN #BleedBlue #RiseUp

Matt Schonvisky @MattSchonvisky · 2h
@UConnFootball has more wins since 2007 than Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota & Purdue of the B1G and Iowa State & Kansas of the Big XII #UCONN

Matt Schonvisky @MattSchonvisky · 2h
@UConnFootball has more wins since 2007 than Duke, Maryland, NC State, Syracuse, Virginia & Wake Forest of the #ACC #BleedBlue #UCONN

Matt Schonvisky @MattSchonvisky · 2h
@UCONNFootball has more players in the NFL than Auburn, Baylor, K State, Louisville, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss and Washington

Matt Schonvisky @MattSchonvisky · 2h
@UConnFootball ranked 33rd in the nation with 19 players on current NFL rosters prior to April draft #UCONN #BleedBlue #RiseUp

Matt Schonvisky @MattSchonvisky · 2h
@UConnFootball recruiting rankings performed 40 spots higher than star rankings show #UCONN #BleedBlue #RiseUp http://the-boneyard.com/blog/football-talent-is-not-all-in-the-stars/…

UCONN is a growth stock. UCONN has demonstrated that it has a blueprint for building championship caliber programs. Much like the Big East adding UCONN hoops right before the program taking off, the B1G could experience the same type of thing with UCONN football. You add UCONN now, cultivate it with improved scheduling and exposure that the B1G would offer, then sit back and watch the growth spurt expedite. By the time the next TV contract is up, you have the northeast turned on to B1G football thanks to the RU, UCONN, Penn State trio. More TV sets. More money. And while we wait for UCONN football to take off, we reward the B1G for their patience with championship caliber basketball programs. A little shiny to add to the B1G trophy case.

Know what all the above information proves? That UCONN is very, very good at keeping a secret. Know why? Because the Boneyard seems to have the ONLY F'KN PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT KNOW ABOUT IT!!!:mad::mad: And it's a damn shame.
 
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I was using some humor. Stony Brook is a great university. So is Case Western Reserve. So is the University of Chicago that has IVY league quality academics. But a school has to have an athletic program that is robust. Chicago, for example, now has football. But it has Division 3 football. Good Academics are a requirement-but in an Athletic conference. I believe that UConn and VT are in play in both areas.
UChicago was a founding member of the B1G. I know they left before most of us were alive, but they still maintain an academic affiliation to the B1G I believe.
 

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UChicago was a founding member of the B1G. I know they left before most of us were alive, but they still maintain an academic affiliation to the B1G I believe.

The University of Chicago is part if The Big10s academic wing, the CiC. They dropped football completely a while back, but are playing DIII now.
 
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The one thing UCONN really has going for it as a potential B1G Option is its current conference affiliation. The AAC has a short term TV Deal and small buyout.

The one thing UCONN really has going against it as a potential B1G Option is that nobody else worth adding is in the same boat.
 
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The one thing UCONN really has going for it as a potential B1G Option is its current conference affiliation. The AAC has a short term TV Deal and small buyout.

The one thing UCONN really has going against it as a potential B1G Option is that nobody else worth adding is in the same boat.


In addition to a whole lot of other pluses, I agree with UCONN's low cost separation. To this, I would add the relative intangible of a low cost of emotional separation-severe regional or conference separation such as UNC would likely have.

As for your clear point that there seems to be no one that is worth adding, almost no one saw Nebraska or Maryland making their moves to the Big Ten when they did. Depending on the ACC and Big 12 GOR situations, there could be several schools that could change there position from their current public posture. But likely, the first time that you hear from it will be in a press conference. :)

If there is extra money to be had (and guaranteed to any new teams), potential schools will be made aware of it through low-key intermediaries. UCONN needs just ONE school. I'd never bet against the entire field in this situation. Why? Because there are so many schools that would be better off in the Big Ten than where they are now.

The Big Ten does not want any publicity and of course, neither do any schools giving or receiving feelers. I note that on many boards that people express scenarios that something has to happen. Maybe it does. But I think the stronger likelihood that a school just decides.
 
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In addition to a whole lot of other pluses, I agree with UCONN's low cost separation. To this, I would add the relative intangible of a low cost of emotional separation-severe regional or conference separation such as UNC would likely have.

As for your clear point that there seems to be no one that is worth adding, almost no one saw Nebraska or Maryland making their moves to the Big Ten when they did. Depending on the ACC and Big 12 GOR situations, there could be several schools that could change there position from their current public posture. But likely, the first time that you hear from it will be in a press conference. :)

If there is extra money to be had (and guaranteed to any new teams), potential schools will be made aware of it through low-key intermediaries. UCONN needs just ONE school. I'd never bet against the entire field in this situation. Why? Because there are so many schools that would be better off in the Big Ten than where they are now.

The Big Ten does not want any publicity and of course, neither do any schools giving or receiving feelers. I note that on many boards that people express scenarios that something has to happen. Maybe it does. But I think the stronger likelihood that a school just decides.

I suppose that anything is possible, however I don't see it happening any time soon. The ACC is an interesting study IMO. Some teams like FSU and Clemson would leave in a heartbeat for an SEC invite, but know one is never coming. Other schools like BC, Pitt, Wake etc. know their options are limited, so they are very happy to be there. Finally a handful of schools like UVA, UNC and Duke have so much of their identity tied up in the conference, that leaving would be a VERY difficult sell regardless of the potential dollars lost.

The Big 12 is a likelier candidate for poaching because of its history of instability and small size. That said no one seems inclined to want to challenge a GOR over there either. I think Kansas would be very receptive come the end of their contract, however I'm not sure they bring enough money to the table to offset what they would take. A UCONN/ KU pairing would definitely put the conference over the top on the basketball side, and is something that should carry some real weight in discussions on realignment.
 
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