They added two games against traditional programs per year TX/OU. That's it. That is what it takes to create "conference stability". And people wonder why some of us blame ND for the demise of the BE. A BE with ND WVU VT BC Pitt Syr Miami RU would have eventually added Uconn UL Cincy and Navy to get to 12. Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
Bob, That is pretty much right on. kansas has had 1 good year isnce the Kennedy administration. If the big East had been able to add Notre Dame for football, it would have been fine...more than fine. If you look at the other conferences, pretty much all of them have 1-2 big names and a bunch of interchangeable parts. Big 10 has been callled the Big 2 for so long it isn't funny. Except when one or both have been in NCAA trouble, or the rare rebuilding year, which gives Wisconsin or Iowa a chance, Michigan-Ohio State is it. When was the last time Minnesota won the Big 10? Or Indiana? The SEC probably has more good teams, but they also have Mississippi, Mississippi State, Vandy, Kentucky, now Missouri. South Carolina has had a mini-rennessaince under Spurrier, but they were awful for decades and it remains to be seen if they are ever much more than a pretty good team long term. Quick, name the best team in the PAC afterUSC and Oregon! Stanford had their lightening in a bottle quarterback with Luck, and as they did after the others, Plunkett, Elway, expect them to return to earth pretty quickly.
TCU, Baylor and K State were better last year than the 4 Big East teams. Of course TCU and Baylor need to replace key losses, but there's more brand value with them than the Big East schools.
Four of five were ranked at the end of the year, more than our whole conference managed at any point last year. In the final AP poll they had spots 13, 14, 15 and 16.
It didn't happen, and so isn't worth discussing. Instead you can see what we actually have today, which does not compare favorably. KU has only one BCS bowl win, but played in the Orange bowl in 69 and were ranked 3rd (Bobby Douglas, John Riggins). They were also good in 92 and 95 (I was there), and were ranked 11th in the final poll in 95. Remember Dana Stubblefield and Gilbert Brown? Lately...ugh. Hope Charlie Weiss can do the job.
These conferences are intended to be long-term arrangements. Are Baylor, TCU, Kansas, in it for the long haul? I'm a seller, not a buyer.
Really, TCU and Baylor? Off what? I mean, Baylor had a good year but has been a bottom dweller for ages. TCU has come up over the last half-decade, but that coach leaves and it goes back to where it was. They are up there with Boise IMO. Flashes in the pan. That being said, the future schedule for the new Big East is no great shakes, and for sure the Big12 is better.
Let me add one more thing. Was anyone here more excited by the UConn games against Baylor than the games against Rutgers? I know I wasn't.
SMU beat TCU and Pitt last year and that program is just getting off the ground. Boise's performance the last 6 years is much more impressive than TCU's or Baylor's.
That was their 2006 equivalent. Only UT/OU have had long term success and both had disappointing years. I suspect only OSU will be able to back up their recent success due to the influx of Pickens support but they will still be third for at least a while longer. TCU's ceiling in the B12 is to replace A&M. Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
This is a really great point and it is a core issue where I think college football is really missing the boat. College football, other than for a small number of programs (read ND) is still driven by regional fan support. The realingment taking place is largely ignoring this fact. You ignore your customer at your peril.....
When the whole Pitt/Syr thing happened I felt like we would be okay as long as we were still linked with WVU. Understand their reasoning for moving on, but the way in which they went about this was not expected and completely tarnished the image I have of their program and the university. Classless. Where I have rooted for WVU to win (like that classic game against Miami several years back or the loss against Pittsburgh just a few seasons ago for a spot in the NC). Never again. They are now even with if not lower than BC... I hope the Big12 falls apart when the Pac12 comes calling and WVU is one of those programs that is left behind on an island.
No argument here about Di'Anno's talent and the first two albums. Number of the Beast was the peak for the new line-up, they lost me with No Prayer. Di'Anno's range is something that is lost on people who got into the later Maiden. Remember Tomorrow is my favorite from that era.
