Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[kyleslamb]

LOL yes because there isn't anyone to take for a decade. Oh hey we'd love to want to add you - it's just every other school except Cincinnati is unavailable.

You greatly underestimate the interest shown by other parties toward the Big Ten last round of expansion. "Unavailable" is a term that should be used very sparingly in this environment. Trust me, when the dust settles with the subdivision and ACC legal matters, you're going to see 'unavailable' suddenly back to being 'interest piqued.'

This is just a pit stop right now. It's not a final destination by any means.

 

[Fishy]

Why not be a generous Queen Bee and enlighten the Hive just a wee bit as to what the pessimists "know" so the optimists may be put out of their misery to a quick death befitting a worker bee?

Um, how many different ways do I have to say it?

There is zero truth to any rumors about the Big Ten and UConn. There's been no contact. There's no NDA. Silence is not golden. No news is not good news.

There's a reason UConn just signed contracts to play out of conference games against Indiana and Illinois in 2019 and 2020.

 

[Fishy]

It's actually worse than that. Most of this Board is fine with our current situation because they believe a Big Ten invitation is imminent.

There's isn't one person on this board who's 'fine with our current situation'.

Heading to the Big East, (as if they'd take us), is waving the white flag and accepting that we're no longer a national athletic power.

 

[RMoore1999]

Um, how many different ways do I have to say it?

There is zero truth to any rumors about the Big Ten and UConn. There's been no contact. There's no NDA. Silence is not golden. No news is not good news.

There's a reason UConn just signed contracts to play out of conference games against Indiana and Illinois in 2019 and 2020.

Thanks for playing.

But every NDA I've drafted by its terms prohibits disclosure of the mere existence of the NDA. So hopefully Susan won't tell you she's executed one if she has or when she does.

And if there's no NDA today, that doesn't mean UConn isnt viewed favorably by the powers to be and that there won't be one tomorrow, next month or next year.

But whatever; I'll enjoy my half-full glass, and you go ahead and enjoy what's left of your half-empty one.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Um, how many different ways do I have to say it?

There is zero truth to any rumors about the Big Ten and UConn. There's been no contact. There's no NDA. Silence is not golden. No news is not good news.

There's a reason UConn just signed contracts to play out of conference games against Indiana and Illinois in 2019 and 2020.

I'm sorry, but pointing to scheduling is not proof. Rutgers was scheduling B1G out of conference up until they left, and they had been in discussions with the B1G for a long time.

And pointing to silence to disprove the existence of a NDA is just a baffling argument. Not one of your finer efforts.

 

[kyleslamb]

Um, how many different ways do I have to say it?

There is zero truth to any rumors about the Big Ten and UConn. There's been no contact. There's no NDA. Silence is not golden. No news is not good news.

There's a reason UConn just signed contracts to play out of conference games against Indiana and Illinois in 2019 and 2020.

While I agree there's no NDA in place and no 'official' negotiation/contact has been made, that football contracts have been signed is highly irrelevant. Fact of the matter is that all discussions/negotiations would be made at the trustee and presidential level, and coaches and athletic directors would largely not be privy to those discussions. Maryland and the Big Ten were negotiating for nearly 4 months, and Kevin Anderson only found out about it a few days before the press conference.

The day to day operations of athletic departments are going to be business as usual when it comes to scheduling and such. You won't be able to read anything into scheduling as far as whether or not schools have been having dialogue. In some cases, there might be a few ADs that are privy to what their presidents are doing in terms of realignment, but many aren't.

 

[Point6]

There's a reason UConn just signed contracts to play out of conference games against Indiana and Illinois in 2019 and 2020.

Secret deal that we are headed to ACC and this will be part of ACC vs. B1G challenge??

 

[Fishy]

I think you're all better off reading the West Virginia rumor miners.

 

[CL82]

There's a reason UConn just signed contracts to play out of conference games against Indiana and Illinois in 2019 and 2020.

To build up a relationship with future conference opponents?

 

[Adios]

There's isn't one person on this board who's 'fine with our current situation'.

...but there's Drew.

 

[geohusky]

I guess it's settled. CR is done we're out. No need for this board anymore. Shut it down so we all can find more productive use of our time. It was a good run while it lasted.

 

[Fishy]

...but there's Drew.

Drew is Mike Aresco.

 

[whaler11]

Thanks for playing.

But every NDA I've drafted by its terms prohibits disclosure of the mere existence of the NDA. So hopefully Susan won't tell you she's executed one if she has or when she does.

And if there's no NDA today, that doesn't mean UConn isnt viewed favorably by the powers to be and that there won't be one tomorrow, next month or next year.

But whatever; I'll enjoy my half-full glass, and you go ahead and enjoy what's left of your half-empty one.

So your stance is no matter what evidence doesn't exist - the fact it doesn't exist is evidence of the opposite.

Oliver Stone couldn't tell a story with your narrative.

Your glass isn't half full. You've filled the Stanley Cup with Natural Ice and you're drinking it on Emile Francis' lawn.

You've created an alternate reality and then decided to attack anyone who doesn't exist there.

 

[Fishy]

That made me laugh, even if I did have to Google Emile Francis.

 

[whaler11]

There are things you read here that seem impossible for anyone to actually think: The athletic department at the University of Illinois is so out of the loop that they are scheduling out of conference games in the future with a school that already is in the league but they don't know it.

The University of Illinois doesn't know what schools are close to a Big 10 invite but random Boneyard posters know it beyond a doubt.

 

[kyleslamb]

There are things you read here that seem impossible for anyone to actually think: The athletic department at the University of Illinois is so out of the loop that they are scheduling out of conference games in the future with a school that already is in the league but they don't know it.

The University of Illinois doesn't know what schools are close to a Big 10 invite but random Boneyard posters know it beyond a doubt.

You do realize that ADs have nothing to do with changing conferences right? In a few isolated cases they have input or even some level of autonomy to negotiate, but in most cases it all happens at the presidential level and most athletic directors are not given routine (if any) updates on realignment discussions.

Like I pointed out earlier, Kevin Anderson was not informed of his schools changing leagues until a few days before it happened even though they had been talking for 6 months and had an NDA signed for nearly 4 months. I assure you that not only is it not impossible to think the Illinois AD could be out of the loop, it is a likelihood.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I tend to think a Big10 invite is fantasy based more on the sheer fact that schools already are giving up football games with Ohio state, Michigan, Penn state and replacing them with Rutgers and Maryland. I don't see how you can sell them on UConn and Virginia, Kansas, etc.

I felt absolutely sick to my stomach the night when mcmurphy tweeted Louisville was getting in over us as unless anything changes, football will be marginalized and basketball becomes tougher to sustain excellence.

I do think the AAC deal will improve and with Fox sports 1 and conference networks in the works we should still get decent exposure but over time we're going to need something to happen.

I think the Big12 eventually breaks apart due to Texas making a move and then thr best of the AAC and Big12 merge. Still not ideal, but you'd replace Tulsa, Tulane and ECU with TCU, Baylor and Iowa state everyday.

UConn, Cincinnati, USF, UCF, Memphis, Houston, Temple

Kansas, Kansas State, Ok State, West Virginia, TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor, Iowa State

 

[Adios]

Interesting coincidence. The 36 million in revenue figure that the Wyoming AD cites they need to be at to afford COA? That's the cutline for the 64 top revenue programs in the country according to this link.

I have to say, this link provides revenue and subsidy numbers which are great indicators of which programs will make the cut. We should have no problem making the cut. Amazing how much Kansas and WVU are losing.

 

[Adios]

I tend to think a Big10 invite is fantasy based more on the sheer fact that schools already are giving up football games with Ohio state, Michigan, Penn state and replacing them with Rutgers and Maryland. I don't see how you can sell them on UConn and Virginia, Kansas, etc.

All three schools are better than Louisana-Monroe, FIU, Texas State, San Jose State, Idaho, etc, on the schedule.

 

[Fishy]

I have to say, this link provides revenue and subsidy numbers which are great indicators of which programs will make the cut. We should have no problem making the cut. Amazing how much Kansas and WVU are losing.

That link omits the thirteen private schools currently in a P5 conference - if you include them, I'd guess the cut off moves up into the $50M range.

 

[whaler11]

You do realize that ADs have nothing to do with changing conferences right? In a few isolated cases they have input or even some level of autonomy to negotiate, but in most cases it all happens at the presidential level and most athletic directors are not given routine (if any) updates on realignment discussions.

Like I pointed out earlier, Kevin Anderson was not informed of his schools changing leagues until a few days before it happened even though they had been talking for 6 months and had an NDA signed for nearly 4 months. I assure you that not only is it not impossible to think the Illinois AD could be out of the loop, it is a likelihood.

So you know but the athletic directors at Illinois and Indiana do not. Makes sense.

 

[kyleslamb]

So you know but the athletic directors at Illinois and Indiana do not. Makes sense.

Nice strawman. Where did I say that?

What I said was that regardless of whether or not something is being discussed behind the scenes (which I've already said I do not believe to be the case on an official basis), the athletic directors, most of them, would not know.

The part about me knowing is you putting words in my mouth.

Let me spell it out for you so that you do not take liberties with my words again... the only people that know anything for sure in most places is the president and a few key trustees. The athletic directors might hear rumors, but most of them are not kept in the loop officially. So like any rational, responsible director of athletics, they will carry on scheduling and 'business as usual' unless they hear differently. It would be reckless to make assumptions without anything being finalized, even if they were aware of rumors about a change of affiliation. Fact is, you stated it's nearly impossible to believe athletic directors would schedule teams they would wind up becoming conference members with. That is false. Most athletic directors simply aren't kept in the loop on negotiations. That's my point. I never claimed to know more than they do, nor have I especially claimed that anything is going on right now in this case (let me state for a third time that i don't believe anything is happening yet and won't for a while longer). I'm merely stating that it's an irrelevant example to cite schools scheduling for 2019 or 2020 on the basis the 'AD would know.'

 

[Adios]

That link omits the thirteen private schools currently in a P5 conference - if you include them, I'd guess the cut off moves up into the $50M range.

I think $40 mil. There's loads of programs under $40 mil that have been working their way up. ODU is already $35 mil. HUGE subsidy, though. Have to wonder if subsidies will continue.

B1G money would put us in the top 30, it seems.

 

[Drew]

Drew is Mike Aresco.

I just choose not to bash the teams we went 3-5 in conference against last year. Would I rather be in the B1G playing Nebraska and Ohio State? Absolutely. But I'm not gonna overreact and freak out and act like we're playing DII football all of a sudden when teams like UCF won a BCS bowl last year and ECU might've been the best team in their state (put the whooping on both UNC and NC State).

I'm cheering for the AAC to succeed just to be able to stick a huge middle finger to everyone who didn't take us. You want to take others? Fine. We'll play basketball in Greenville, NC and still win the NC while nobody watches Wake @ Pitt on ESPNU.

 

[Rappin'Rodney]

I tend to think a Big10 invite is fantasy based more on the sheer fact that schools already are giving up football games with Ohio state, Michigan, Penn state and replacing them with Rutgers and Maryland. I don't see how you can sell them on UConn and Virginia, Kansas, etc.

I know the Big Ten is already planning on adding one additional conference game to the B1G's sleight of conference games in the near future. There is even banter about perhaps adding a tenth conference game to the schedule. That seems to be a popular idea, at least among fans. So, the probability of adding an extra top-tier team to any given season's schedule is just a little greater, even if the conference is expanded. Win/loss/bowl eligibility issues aside, I know I'd much rather pay good money to watch Rutgers, Maryland, UConn, Virginia or Kansas play my home team, than watch a couple of body bag games. Even if my team is not playing Michigan, Michigan St., Penn State, Nebraska, or Ohio St., the atmosphere of the middle-of-the-pack games are a lot of fun, because they're so competitive.