NY Times reporting that Mitch McConnell has gone to bat for Louisville, so now UL and WVU are 50-50 to get the next Big 12 spot
They are afraid of a conference championship game upset ruining their BCS hopes.I guess because some schools, mainly Texas want just 10 schools.
I think it more has to do with splitting TV revenues 12 ways vs. 10. I don't know much about both schools but I was excited about the chance to add WVU. Was reading somewhere yesterday that Tubberville was complaining about the longer trip to Morgantown...They are afraid of a conference championship game upset ruining their BCS hopes.
WV senators are doing their due diligence, but they're ultimately as much in favor of WVU to the Big 12 as anyone. Relax and wait 10 days, there's been nothing said in the last week that isn't going to work out well for you.Totally disgusted by this whole ordeal. On Tuesday we were all happy that we were out of the BE and in the B12. Then within 24 hours this happens. I know a lot of people at WVU are mad that the senators from WV are now involved, but at this point we are fighting for our lives. It's helped other schools when the pols get involved (VT and Utah), so I guess they can rummage around too. Just sick about this whole thing.
Oh I know, this whole ordeal has just been draining is all and I'm ready for this realignment crap to be over.WV senators are doing their due diligence, but they're ultimately as much in favor of WVU to the Big 12 as anyone. Relax and wait 10 days, there's been nothing said in the last week that isn't going to work out well for you.
That would be a very good conference for the Big 12 if it actually controlled that long stretch of land (BIg 10 country) in between WVU and Iowa St.This shouldn't be news to most, but here's a handy graphic (lifted from EDSBS) showing the current projected alignments of the Big12 and SEC as current expansion plans stand.
Looks like Missouri is lined up to be the pre-1994 Atlanta Braves.
The East is down a little bit these days, but you do have Florida, UT and UGa.Man, all I can really see in that graphic is how impressive the SEC West is compared to the East. Who is the powerhouse in the east?
It has only been about 10 years since it was the other way around. I think LSU finally broke the ice for the West in 2001. Prior to that you have to go back to early 90s Bama to find a West champ. The power will likely shift back to the East at some point, like when Saban goes away.The East is down a little bit these days, but you do have Florida, UT and UGa.
The key is whether or not Tennessee is just in a down cycle, or actually just isn't that good outside of the early Fulmer period. In which case, you'd have 4 teams in the West (LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas), or even 5 (depending on A&M) that would be better on at least a semi-regular basis than the 3rd best team in the East.The East is down a little bit these days, but you do have Florida, UT and UGa.
But does Arkansas really belong there in the conversation or are they on a historic upswing. Not sure long term I am willing to concede that Arkansas is now on that top level of programs.The key is whether or not Tennessee is just in a down cycle, or actually just isn't that good outside of the early Fulmer period. In which case, you'd have 4 teams in the West (LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas), or even 5 (depending on A&M) that would be better on at least a semi-regular basis than the 3rd best team in the East.
Not the best match-up unless you are talking Baseball/Softball/Golf because the BIG XII doesn't even sponsor several of the sports that Notre Dame offers.More interesting is the Notre Dame to the Big 12 rumors
Hook em Irish
Hmmm, it passes right through north central Indiana. Coincidence? Yes.That would be a very good conference for the Big 12 if it actually controlled that long stretch of land (BIg 10 country) in between WVU and Iowa St.
The formation of the BE League is recent. The sponsoring of the sport at most of those schools is not. They have been playing Men's Lacrosse at many of those schools for several decades. The formation of sanctioned League has to do with getting an AQ to the NCAA tournament and that AQ is now even more open to the other members with the loss of powerhouse Syracuse.Lacrosse isn't that big a deal considering that the Big East is a very recent development that's likely to go away again now that Syracuse is moving out.
Thanks for the correction. I assumed that there were only six BE men's lacrosse schools, which was certainly careless of me.The formation of the BE League is recent. The sponsoring of the sport at most of those schools is not. They have been playing Men's Lacrosse at many of those schools for several decades. The formation of sanctioned League has to do with getting an AQ to the NCAA tournament and that AQ is now even more open to the other members with the loss of powerhouse Syracuse.
Syracuse leaving has no affect on the number of BE Lacrosse schools because it's only ONE school out of 7 that currently play Big East Men's Lacrosse and ONE out of 9 that plays Women's Lacrosse. The Conference adds Marquette after next Spring in both Men's & Women's Lacrosse which keeps the numbers the same for now.
I was thinking more about the general uncertainty about a few of the schools remaining in the conference. You're right about the departures that have already happened, but with Louisville, UConn, and Rutgers all nosing about departing, that could change quickly. Hence my comment about the strength of the conference pre-disintegration. If it turns out that nobody else does leave, then the Big East would indeed remain one of the top men's soccer conferences.In Men's Soccer, WVU is a strong team but Pitt & Syracuse were 2 of the 3 the weakest teams in a 16 team Conference this year.
What an ungainly fucking mess of a conference. Better for it to die.Big East inviting Boise State, Navy and Air Force for football only and SMU, Houston and Central Florida for all sports.
http://m.espn.go.com/wireless/story?storyId=7177969
So it's still fairly week in football, badly diluted in basketball, and makes no sense from a regional perspective. This one's going to last a long time.What an ungainly fucking mess of a conference. Better for it to die.
The Big East has been adamant that its departing teams wait 27 months before joining their new conference, much to the consternation of Pitt, Syracuse and West Virginia fans.
But now the Mountaineers have thrown down the gauntlet, filing a lawsuit against the Big East so it can leave for the Big 12 in time for the 2012 season. Big East commissioner John Marinatto responded to the suit, saying, "We are disappointed that West Virginia has adopted this strategy and cannot imagine why it believes it does not have to respect and honor the bylaws it agreed to as a member of the Big East."
Why the hell didn't we invite East Carolina? Does the Providence group just hate all schools that make regional sense?Big East inviting Boise State, Navy and Air Force for football only and SMU, Houston and Central Florida for all sports.
http://m.espn.go.com/wireless/story?storyId=7177969
CourantBig East inviting Boise State, Navy and Air Force for football only and SMU, Houston and Central Florida for all sports.
http://m.espn.go.com...storyId=7177969
On Tuesday, the fallout from West Virginia's departure will likely be a topic of discussion among Big East officials for a few reasons. It may force the Big East to widen its expansion net — Temple, Memphis, Army and East Carolina have been discussed as possible targets — as the conference attempts to hit its goal of 12 football members. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter issued a statement in support of Temple and has reportedly sent a letter to Big East officials on behalf of the school.
Who are the top 4? SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Pac 12, right?What do we know for certain about the structure of the BCS after 2014?
Maybe there's some NCAA memo I've missed, but I don't see the point of adding Boise State to the Big East (or all those Texas schools). If the only benefit is getting a UConn-type winner into the BCS bowls when it isn't deserved, is that worth trashing any semblance of what we used to think of as a conference?
I don't think the top four conferences are going to make it all that easy for the revamped Big East.
I've been a Big Ten fan for my entire life. Our counting ability is well documented.Who are the top 4? SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Pac 12, right?
Yeah, it's kind of odd you aren't counting one of the conferences raiding the Big East as a threat to the Big East.I've been a Big Ten fan for my entire life. Our counting ability is well documented.
As long as the Big Twelve keeps Texas and Oklahoma happy, five.
As far as voting structure goes, the BCS needs more than half the teams in FBS to be in a AQ leagues when they vote on the next BCS (unless those AQ leagues break apart ) If there are more teams outside of AQ, then those schools would have more voting power to decide how the next BCS would be structured.What do we know for certain about the structure of the BCS after 2014?
Maybe there's some NCAA memo I've missed, but I don't see the point of adding Boise State to the Big East (or all those Texas schools). If the only benefit is getting a UConn-type winner into the BCS bowls when it isn't deserved, is that worth trashing any semblance of what we used to think of as a conference?
I don't think the top four conferences are going to make it all that easy for the revamped Big East.
First off TCU is not in the MWC anymore. Secondly losing Boise to BE pretty much assures that MWC has no chance at all of stealing the AQ bid from the Big East. There is a formula that is in place until 2015. I am not sure the other conferences are going to be running to destroy the system they have every school in the country signed off on to eliminate the Big East from a bowl game. It wouldn't benefit them any and why piss off the biggest basketball conference in the country?Losing WVU to the Big 12 is the final nail in the coffin for the AQ status of BE football. The only teams left from what once was the BE are UConn, Cincy, Louisville, Rutgers and USF. You add to that Boise, SMU, Houston, UCF, Temple, Navy and Army I submit that conference lineup is no better than the MWC. Honestly how different is San Diego State, Colorado State, Air Force, New Mexico, UNLV, TCU and Wyoming from what they are proposing for the future BE? I mean isn't it really C-USA with some mid and lower level BE football programs thrown in??? That never rose to the level of AQ in the past.
The Idaho State Board of Education has given Boise State permission to pursue membership with the Big East Conference, a move that would mean more revenue and give the Broncos a clear path to the Bowl Championship Series.
The board voted 7-1 Thursday to give university President Bob Kustra the authority to move Boise State's football program out of the Mountain West Conference and into the Big East for the 2013 season.
Kustra has had ongoing discussions with Big East representatives, including during a campus visit by conference leaders last week. Boise State has not yet received a formal invitation to join, but Kustra told trustees he expects one to come in the next few days.
So... the western division would have just 5 teams? Meanwhile the eastern division, assuming the conference also adds Navy and UCF, would have 7.But Boise State's entry into the Big East carries a critical caveat.
Kustra told the state board -- and board members agreed -- that the formation of a Western division is essential to joining the conference. Kustra suggested that SMU, Houston, Air Force and one other western school could make up that division. He declined to identify any other western schools that are now in talks with Big East officials.
"The Big East is working on partners for a western division, with a championship game" with the winner of the eastern division, Kustra said.
First off TCU is not in the MWC anymore. Secondly losing Boise to BE pretty much assures that MWC has no chance at all of stealing the AQ bid from the Big East. There is a formula that is in place until 2015. I am not sure the other conferences are going to be running to destroy the system they have every school in the country signed off on to eliminate the Big East from a bowl game. It wouldn't benefit them any and why piss off the biggest basketball conference in the country?
Mathematically yes. It is done by a formula. I know numbers are hard to grasp for a BC grad.This is what is left of the BE for football schools: UConn, Cincy, Louisville, USF, Rutgers. They add Boise (a MWC school) and a bunch of C-USA schools. That is any more qualified than the merged C-USA/MWC?