The real reason we need to split off

[TRest]

T, if anyone else leaves, this whole thing collapses. No question. But we have to be ready and stay fit.

Here's the thing: The BE gets redone even with UConn as a reluctant partner. We are positioning ourselves for an escape but if it doesn''t happen, are probably the strongest athletic program in the conference. I don't want to worry about who to invite now because there is no sure thing like Louisville in 2004. All of these programs are lacking in one way or another, but all that matters is one team a year rise up in the BCS rankings and make sure we aren't in jeopardy of losing the bid. But that lineup in no way is better than the current one.

 

[TRest]

It is worse case scenario time though. We have no other options as far as Big East is concerned. I don't think we need to get rid of the onlies if they would simply allow us to get up to 12/20 quickly. The BE is in a constant state of paralysis though so I honestly will be surprised if we are able to add football schools. I can see a scenario where it literally is just UConn, Rutgers, and USF with the basketball schools and ND. If that were to be the case the 3 of us may have no choice but to go indy in football and stay in the BE just for all other sports like ND. It would likely still be our best option for basketball. Maybe that is what the onlies really want. I guess we would find out what we are really made of.

I actually believe you are correct, the old school hoops teams desire that we should all just put aside having a football conference and create a comfy bed for ND to park its other programs. And the hoops only schools are happy to bask in the glow of the reflected prestige.

 

[gars44]

Here's the thing: The BE gets redone even with UConn as a reluctant partner. We are positioning ourselves for an escape but if it doesn''t happen, are probably the strongest athletic program in the conference. I don't want to worry about who to invite now because there is no sure thing like Louisville in 2004. All of these programs are lacking in one way or another, but all that matters is one team a year rise up in the BCS rankings and make sure we aren't in jeopardy of losing the bid.

True.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Ok. please. What is the actual problem?

Money. The league has a terrible TV deal which was about to improve dramatically, and Swofford and ESPN couldn't allow it. If the Big East schools had just stuck together, they were all going to get a big payday. I think a payday is still in the cards if the remaining programs make a good addition or two.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Money. The league has a terrible TV deal which was about to improve dramatically, and Swofford and ESPN couldn't allow it. If the Big East schools had just stuck together, they were all going to get a big payday. I think a payday is still in the cards if the remaining programs make a good addition or two.

I was just thinking about that and maybe you are correct. As long as the BCS is still around and the Big East is still attractive as a basketball conference we just might still be able to get NBC/Comcast to pay us so that they can get into the college sports game. It's not like our football was respected even before Cuse and Pitt left anyway. There are so many factors at play though it's very hard to predict.

 

[gars44]

You know as well as I do that Miami wasn't driven away by the basketball schools. It didn't care about the basketball. It was driven away because the football schools weren't good enough, weren't prestigious enough and didn't have enough fans.

OK, let me modify to say that we were so basketball-centric that no one ever questioned up here the effect of football. Miami was all football. Lou Perkins got it, and we kind of listened. Certainly listened enough to get us a place to play. But we weren't totally convinced. Not when you had a diamond like JC to distract us. He is good. But there was no urgency to listen to Miami. They were the only football school in the BE. VT was up and coming. Even back then we were called the Big Least. Even when Miami was aboard. They didn't even respect Miami. They still don't. That's why you kind of have to like Miami.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Nebraska was a strange add in some ways, but it is also one of a handful of national programs. The relationship of Tom Osborne with several of the Big 10 AD's was also critical.

All the other moves are market driven. Colorado and Utah to the Pac 12 were slam dunks, while Oklahoma and Oklahoma State was a rejection. In fact, no one wants the Oklahomas. WVU never got serious consideration from the SEC despite a tremendous football AND basketball program. BYU is at the top of the Big 12's list, over WVU, TCU and Louisville. Funny how Boise has not gotten so much as a sniff from anyone so far.

But keep up the snark. Maybe you will actually pull it off at some point.

You are wrong 85%-90% of the time and I am merely pointing out about 10% of your errors.

Boise St is a community college academically that happens of offer a very strong football program and little else. The only thing that kept OU out of the SEC the sukker of 2010 was that they couldn't split from OSU. UT's playing the field when discussing moving to the P-12 in order to gain leverage on the LHN discussions is what led to that deal dying (although in another few years we will be hearing the same rumblings again).

Back to markets and how valuable they are. Why didn't the ACC jsut grab St John's and Villanova for all sports except football? If everything you claim is true, a move like that would be a no brainer.

 

[ctchamps]

Here's the thing: The BE gets redone even with UConn as a reluctant partner. We are positioning ourselves for an escape but if it doesn''t happen, are probably the strongest athletic program in the conference. I don't want to worry about who to invite now because there is no sure thing like Louisville in 2004. All of these programs are lacking in one way or another, but all that matters is one team a year rise up in the BCS rankings and make sure we aren't in jeopardy of losing the bid. But that lineup in no way is better than the current one.

Good post. And good advice for most of us. It would be smart to stay flexible and not be married to our models or desires. In whatever configuration UConn ends up with, one advantage it could have is if all the fans quickly come together and support it as opposed to expressing sour grapes and reducing interest or worse abandoning the institution.