Found this interesting, former Syracuse AD forsee's the demise of the Big East. http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/2010/04/big_ten_expansion_jake_croutha.html Now there are rampant rumors that the Big 10 wants to expand into a Super Conference with more then 12 teams (which I don't see) but it could leave conferences like the Big 12 and Pac 10 scrambling. The vibe I'm getting is that these power conferences see an end to the to the garbage that is the BCS and a system in which everybody is included. They have taken a more business like model in which they will buy out their competition and then "layoff" the less viable parts. For starters the MWC is toast, I think within the next few years we'll see Utah and TCU all join the bigger conferences. The more I think about it the more I see TCU joining the Big 12 should Colorado leave for the Pac X as opposed to BYU. It makes much more sense from a football and travel standpoint. Those schools have some history (SWC days) as well. That leaves one school with any history in football and a bunch of mediocre to terrible football schools. The one good thing is that should the Pac 10 be forced to expand beyond 12 UNLV would probably be a good fit, close proximity as would schools like SDSU and Fresno but that leaves schools like Wyoming and Air Foirce stuck in no mans land. I think (and it's certainly no original idea) is that the BE schools with football will leave the Seton Hall's and St John's behind however should the Big 10 expand beyond 12 there may not be too many of those left. Could you imagine a 16 team Big 10 with Pitt, Rutgers, UConn, Syracuse and WVU added? No matter how great of a basketball conference the BE is it's about $$$ and football is where schools are going to generate the most revenue (sorry Gtown) It's crazy to think what kind of chaos could happen with this expansion. As a fan and alum of a school with no football history this could really be the death of mid majors in college sports. It's scary to think how much greed and corruption can destroy college sports. Maybe it's just me but I think a 16 team Big 12, Big 10, ACC, SEC and Pac X really waters down the product. Just think about it for a little bit. Schools like USF and Louisville will be sucked into either the ACC or SEC and my guess is the SEC would raid the good football schools from the ACC to the point where it becomes fairly irrelevant so FSU, Miami, North Carolina and VaTech in the SEC then bringing USF, Memphis, Louisville and Cinci into the ACC? That of course leaves the Big 12 fighting for schools like UTEP, Houston and SMU (not exactly what you'd want if your the Big 12) Where does that leave Notre Dame? Who the hell knows? Would they stay in their current status or would they cave in and join the Big 10? I view the Irish sorta like Madonna yes she was relevant 20 years ago but no matter how much the media tries to make her relevant or popular she just isn't that hot anymore. Her music is mediocre and w/o music videos to promote her she is behind acts like Rhianna and the Black Eyed Peas.
I've heard Syracuse wanted to join the Big 10 for many years. Dunno why though, Syracuse football has sucked for years now, they would be at the bottom of that league too.
It's probably generated by money and exposure. Not many people outside of the NE watch Syracuse football but how many people would watch Syracuse at Michigan? How many people would pack into the dome if #1 Ohio State was coming into town as opposed to #23 USF?
A shit-ton. It works well for Syracuse because it gives the football team more exposure, and it works well for the Big Ten because Syracuse would be bringing it's basketball team over.
Jimmy B won't live forever! I hate to say or think that but SU very well could see a fall off of it's B ball program when Mike Hopkins is the coach! I love the big east mainly because I am a bigger college b ball fan than a college football fan but the big ten would probably too tempting to say no to. I see them going with a 14 team league with SU, PItt and WVU being the targets.
I really hope this doesn't split up Pitt and WVU. That rivalry is just too damn fun. Although I could see those two schools getting Big 12 bids while SU, Rutgers and a school to be named later heading to the Big Ten.
It's a shame the Big East really is a great conference but basketball just does not generate the revenue that football does. Making each BE school a target for the big football conferences. I would think the big ten would target Pitt and WVU first then SU. The big 12 probably has no interest in SU anyway and SU's football program has been down for several years. That way they keep the big 12 from getting either one of them and still get SU because once Pitt and WVU goes the big east is finished as a football conference.
I've been following this for years now, the BIG EAST is 100% handcuffed right now by all the non-football schools. The BIG EAST needs to be proactive in expansion before they get swallowed up, plan and simple.
I think they would need to take a proactive approach too but what do they do? Tell SH, Providence, DePau, ND and Marquette to take a hike and then force Nova and Gtown to bring football to D1? Then who do they target? Memphis? Troy? Nobody they can grab can make them a power conference no matter how many teams they bring in. Even Notre dame wouldn't save them. As sad as it is as a huge CBB fan to watch what coudl be the death of the BE I just think it's terrible that greed for football is going to kill one of the most historical and best college bball conferences. If the Big 10 comes calling it's going to be tough to save the BE.
I hate the way college fotball is setup... it's absolute crazy! There are 120 Div-1 teams... how about making 10 divisions of 12 temas each?!?!!?
The key to this is, who holds more power with each BIG EAST university? The Football minds, or the Basketball minds? According to Rick Pitino, he thinks it's more likely SU stays, Pitt leaves. From Pitino's presser, announcing Louisville will be hosting Butler: I made that bold to highlight where my bias comes from. The reason I follow this so closely is UCF, or Central Florida, as the media continues to call us. They're sitting on deck just waiting for the opportunity. The popular belief in Orlando is, UCF is sitting on a BIG EAST invite, and is simply waiting for the June meetings to see what the Big Ten announces. From the NY Times:
It's awful to follow. I've been following this for about a year or two now, and I'm worried as a Villanova fan. It's easy to say "force Nova to go D1," but I don't think that's on the AD's mind. Hope I'm wrong. The stadium isn't there unless we play in Philly or Chester, with either place being at least a half hour from campus. And the fan base for Nova football really isn't that good anyway, so even if they played at the Linc, would people show up? The thing I'm worried about is a future Catholic league in basketball. Marquette Xavier Nova DePaul St. John's Georgetown Notre Dame Providence Seton Hall Butler Dayton St. Louis/Drake/Creighton/Detroit/Evansville It's a good basketball conference, but the only hope is if all these conferences make their own networks, and ESPN needs basketball games. They could get a pretty good deal with ESPN if that were the case...
I think UCF has the potential to be really good in football... they play in a huge stadium. seem to have a pretty good fan base and seem like they'd be willing to upgrade what need be to joing a high power conference. Throw in that their coach was hired by Notre Dame and you have the makings of a new USF. Holy shit ... it never even dawned on me that the SEC could grab Texas and A&M, if they fgo to 16 could you imagine Oklahoma, Ok State, Texas and A&M in the mix with the powers of the SEC!!! Holy shit...... There are so many possibilities that it could be explosive. So many conferences could be devastated by this. If the Big 12 lost 4 teams who do they get? Like Mac as a fan of a school with a great basketball tradition but relatively no football tradition it could be scary. Unlike Nova we really don't have that idea of Catholic League to fall back on. I'd have to think if there are teams that the MWC loses we won't lose more then 3 leaving UNLV, SDSU, Wyoming, New Mexico, Air Force, and Colorado State in no mans land but if the Pac 10 went the Super Conference route then what?
Saw this layout today. Posting, just for fun. It's on a paid board, thats why I can't link it. 8 16-team conferences. 8 Conference Championship Games 8 winners head to BCS Tournament All other qualifying teams go to bowl games. 11 game regular season. No FCS (I-AA) games. 7 conference divisional games 2 conference non-divisional games 2 OOC games All OOC games must be home-away (2 year contracts) 8 new teams in FBS: Appalachian State Youngstown State Montana Villanova UMass Delaware GA Southern Texas State The most games any team will play is 15. If they don't mind the champions playing 16 games, a 12-game regular season would also work, adding another non-conference game. I win. College Football wins. We all win.
I thought Nova was a Catholic school Mack? I dunno about KB's opinion, but when Boston College and V-Tech left the Big East it really hurt, those rivalry games were great Besides the Big-10 already has Illinois, a lot of ppl will confuse Syracuse and Illinois b/c the colors and unis are similar. I really want to stay in the Big East or bounce over to the ACC
Got the SEC perspective for yall. The conference is interested in picking up any or all of the following schools in any future redistribution of teams: Texas Va Tech Ga Tech FSU Duke believe it or not We will not pick up Southern Miss, Clemson or Memphis State. This is as per my sources. They don't want 3 schools in any 1 state inside the conference due to recruiting issues. Edit - i've also been informed they would welcome App State in in a heartbeat.
