Notre Dame is a destabilizing force as long as it is out there for Delaney and Swofford to salivate over. Until Notre Dame is off the table, everyone will hold a place at the dinner table for them while you and I stand outside peering in through the kitchen window.
That's not ND's fault, no reason to despise them. But we can't continue to afford them the luxury of our conference to play their non revenue sports. Wish we could, but we can't. Once ND goes to the B1G or the ACC , then the final pieces can be inserted. Not til then. So, we have to precipitate that process by forming our own league without ND, without the onlies, with some uglies. We take a hit on the basketball contract. OK. But we have to destabilize Notre Dame sports. This is the only way to do it. If nothing happens (ND decides to put their non revs in the MAC, and the ACC/Ten don't take us), then our new league goes forward boldly into the galaxies with our trusty AQ bid intact. We win football games, continue to improve on the academic side, continue to win, and take it from there. But right now: EVERYBODY is looking to leap somewhere 24/7. So ND has to take a seat somewhere.
That's not ND's fault, no reason to despise them. But we can't continue to afford them the luxury of our conference to play their non revenue sports. Wish we could, but we can't. Once ND goes to the B1G or the ACC , then the final pieces can be inserted. Not til then. So, we have to precipitate that process by forming our own league without ND, without the onlies, with some uglies. We take a hit on the basketball contract. OK. But we have to destabilize Notre Dame sports. This is the only way to do it. If nothing happens (ND decides to put their non revs in the MAC, and the ACC/Ten don't take us), then our new league goes forward boldly into the galaxies with our trusty AQ bid intact. We win football games, continue to improve on the academic side, continue to win, and take it from there. But right now: EVERYBODY is looking to leap somewhere 24/7. So ND has to take a seat somewhere.