Correction on thread title: "Wacky" please drop "Sorty of" - "Sorty" is some made up word that came out of my toddler imagination. Mods can you change? I can't seem to figure it out.
Yes, yes, I know ECU is way down the totem pole in terms of academics, especially in relation to all of the overstated BIG requirements. But on a personal level, pragmatism aside, not a fan of academic metrics and elitism.
Greenville has been booming for decades & ECU is a decent-sized public school, far enough out of the Tobacco Road shadow.
UConn, as you all know is a no-brainer for me in the BIG. Basketball and other sports do matter and UConn is clearly climbing the world of research.
Even back in the early 90s when I lived just an hour south of Greenville, ECU was the best football program in NC no one outside of this state heard of - it's a great atmosphere & widely successful in terms of culture-fanbase. It's an excellent climate for football, literally - gorgeous weather, even late fall.
I think ECU and UConn would be a huge slap in the face to the ACC. I'm willing to bet the SEC has at least considered ECU - not to sure on the BIG.
If the BIG did, big if here, add ECU - Delany won't be as much a villain to UNC faithful as a UNC to BIG move.
The ECU faithful would also welcome a BIG move, and by overwhelming majority.
Loud and clear on the academics arguments - no need to explain the obvious. But anyone slighting their basketball mediocrity, I'd argue a BIG membership is exactly what the doctor ordered to bring elevate this program. It could essentially be advertised as Carolina's blue-collar program, much like football. Moreover, we don't know where the UNC mess stands.
One thing for certain, ECU to the BIG would overshadow Wake Forest and NC State in short time, Duke football as well. But hard to break the stranglehold of Duke-UNC basketball, and once upon a time: NC State.
Hypothetically speaking, if ECU and UConn were in the BIG in the near future - who would be the next two?
I would think one of the Virginia schools would suddenly think, more so than this past expansion cycle: "hmmmmmmm on the BIG", especially VT. ECU and VT have a nice lithely football rivalry, albeit the latter has dominated, don't let last week's score fool you. But most of the games have been close.
VT would have 6 schools within 7 hours or less driving distance: IU, OSU, PSU, Rutgers, MD, & ECU.
ECU, well road trips outside of VT, Maryland, PSU a Rutgers would exceed 8 hours, including UConn. But hey, they are your current conference mates, you'll gauge this membership soon enough.