Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[OSU_D/]

So is UNL really getting kicked out of the AAU now? WTF

 

[BB73]

So is UNL really getting kicked out of the AAU now? WTF

Yep. That discussion has its own thread.

BP.UNL.AAU

 

[knapplc]

Holy crap - I just saw this poll for the first time. You guys really wanted Texas? For the love of all things holy, why? They do not fit into the culture of the Big Ten in the least. They have destroyed not one but two conferences.

Texas comes with so many strings attached. That's a bizarre poll.

 

[BUCKYLE]

Holy crap - I just saw this poll for the first time. You guys really wanted Texas? For the love of all things holy, why? They do not fit into the culture of the Big Ten in the least. They have destroyed not one but two conferences.

Texas comes with so many strings attached. That's a bizarre poll.

There's 107 pages of reasons both for and against.

 

[knapplc]

I'm going to have to ask for the Cliff's Notes version. Please. :)

 

[BUCKYLE]

I'm going to have to ask for the Cliff's Notes version. Please. :)

AAU membership.

 

[BigWoof31]

AAU membership.

That was the nonsense, holier than thou ORD Buckeye answer.

Most everyone else saw the big picture in inviting Texas to the Big 10

 

[Piney]

I'm going to have to ask for the Cliff's Notes version. Please. :)

Will try to give ya the cliff notes version...

Holy crap - I just saw this poll for the first time. You guys really wanted Texas? For the love of all things holy, why? They do not fit into the culture of the Big Ten in the least. They have destroyed not one but two conferences.

Texas comes with so many strings attached. That's a bizarre poll.

The Texas rumors started back at a blog called Frank the Tank. After Big 10 expansion was announced he did an expansion index and he had Texas as the #1 choice.

http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2...-expansion-index-a-different-shade-of-orange/

It was an interesting pipedream really. At the time we didn't realize how big of a drama queen they were. But that came later.

It simmered for a bit but then rumors started that Texas might be interested. Can't recall when, but I am thinking February/March. And insiders were really saying there was mutual interest.

But really, as an outsider Texas looked like a grand slam. We just had a great series of football games with them. They have the academic chops, athletic department and more importantly the market we all thought the Big 10 was looking for. We all had stars in our eyes thinking of the subcription fees the Big Ten Network would get in Texas. And Frank the Tank later had a blog about the financial impact of Texas going to the Big 10 (we are talking $30-$40 million per Big 10 school by just adding Texas)

What can we say, we were dreaming BIG!

Then throw in the 16 team rumors and really Texas was the lynchpin in that because we would need the money they would bring in to make that happen.

The Texas fans were interested too. At the time they didn't think the Longhorn network would get what they would get and they were watching Missouri beg to get into the Big 10 like Nebraska saw. They were questioning the viability of the Big 12 too.

SO, during the heart of this poll, Texas was the hot chick flirting with us, so of course the votes came in for Texas.

But we didn't see the hot chick's warts... found out she was a lil possessive, controlling and bitchy. Then throw in their family being a problem (ie Texas politcs)

Which in a weird way all led to Nebraska being able to jump to the Big 10.

 

[knapplc]

Ah, OK. So most of the votes came before you truly knew who/what Texas was. That makes sense.

Sure, there's a lot to like about Texas (Austin ladies being one of them), but take it from a survivor, there's a shit-ton of baggage that comes with Texas. And most of it you don't want.

Texas brings a lot to the table, and association with them didn't always hurt Nebraska. We gained an eye-grabbing associate who brought money and prestige to our football conference. We also gained a "friend" who expected the largest slice of the pie, refused to believe in the concept that what's good for all is good for them, and who didn't blink an eye at stabbing you in the back whenever it suited them. The benefits of a Texas friendship do not outweigh the caveats. Not by a long shot.

 

[Muck]

Random BYU Blog

.../snip/...

In recent days a rumor has also surfaced regarding BYU potentially joining the Big East Conference. Deep Shades of Blue has learned that the conference did indeed contact BYU about becoming a football-only member, but that the proposal was turned down by the BYU administration.

.../snip/...

Considering the source I'd take it with a grain of salt but still worth mentioning.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

big 10 = 12 schools
big 12 = 10 schools
pac 10 = 12 schools
big east = tcu (texas) and possibly byu (utah)

*herp* *derp*

 

[BB73]

Since Calhoun's the source of this content, you just know the article will repeat the story of him being suspended, and missing the first 3 games of the upcoming season for recruiting violations.

CBS

Calhoun predicts Big East split in 4-5 years

PONTA VERDA BEACH, Fla. - UConn basketball coach Jim Calhoun admits he likely won't be coaching when it happens, but he still sees it coming. And it can't be stopped.

Rapture? The end of the world? Not quite, but the end of the Big East Conference as we know it now.

"My own personal opinion - and I won't probably see this - in the next couple of years, four or five years down the road, I think you'll see a separation [of the football and non-football membership]," Calhoun said. "I think it's inevitable."

The Big East currently has 16 members, including eight football members. Next season with the addition of TCU, that number inflates to 17 all-sport members and nine football members.

That number could increase even more in the next couple of years with the Big East looking to expand its football membership by as many as three teams, which conceivably could result in a behemoth 20 member conference, including 12 football members.

Big East commissioner John Marinatto has said the Big East's 16-team basketball league could evolve into 20-teams, split into four pods of five teams or two 10-team divisions.

Cont'd ...

What, they never mentioned Calhoun's transgressions? Silly me.

 

[Mrstickball]

I'm going to have to ask for the Cliff's Notes version. Please. :)

Vastly larger market = more $$$$

FWIW, I was the first (as far as I've seen) person to pitch Nebraska to anyone here way back in January 2010.

Of course, all of the Texas problems are in hindsight. Most didn't know how bad Texas has screwed stuff up. Of course, if they were in the B10, they would not have run the show in the least, which would have been good for us (but made it highly unlikely that they'd join).

 

[Muck]

Army, Navy might hold key to Big East football expansion

The Big East is now officially on the clock. The league has until September 2012 to determine its football membership because that's when ESPN's 60-day exclusive media rights renegotiating window with the league begins.

So what schools will the Big East add? Numerous candidates have been mentioned including Villanova, Central Florida, East Carolina and Houston. However, college industry sources told CBSSports.com the league is also considering the possibility of pursuing Army and Navy as football members to get to 12 teams.

"I believe the league will approach the academies first and if they turn the Big East down, then they'll approach the other candidates," a college football industry source said. "There are a lot of hurdles to overcome. The Big East would have to convince them that's where they want to be."

.../cont/...

The more I think about it the more I see the point that the service academies could be of value to the Big East. That being said I don't think it would be beneficial to the academies themselves. To be honest I think they would probably be best served by moving to IAA (the unfolding scandal at Annapolis regarding admittance being granted to marginal student athletes is leaving a sour taste in my mouth).

To be honest I think the BYU rumor would make for the strongest available addition...but again it comes back to does the Big East really offer BYU at this point?

There's also more smoke regarding dissension in the ranks between the FB & BB schools in East...

For Big East, where is all this leading?

.../snip/...

According to several sources within the league, there has been an ongoing internal debate among Big East commissioner John Marinatto and a core group of presidents and athletic directors.

The power struggle is football-driven, led by athletic directors at West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers, and the presidents at West Virginia and Pittsburgh. The three schools flexed their muscles when Villanova was being considered as the 10th team in football last month. To get approval, Villanova needed six of the eight Big East votes. The vote was 5-3.

The internal bickering and bargaining has been intense, with Pittsburgh AD Steve Peterson and Rutgers AD Tim Pernetti having the loudest voices in the room but different agendas. Pernetti has argued the hardest for the bigger formula, i.e. 12 teams in football, 19 or 20 in basketball.

Outwardly, the Big East has tried to put on a ?we are family?? face. It?s not working.

.../cont/...

...and a random Big Ten rumor thrown into the article...

.../snip/...

There may be more trouble coming for the Big East if the Big Ten decides to move forward again in a few years; already there are rumblings that it might go to 14 teams, with an eye on Georgia Tech and Maryland, which would significantly increase its television footprint.

.../snip/...

 

[muffler dragon]

If the Big East lets Steve Peterson have a large say in what's going on, then the conference is fizzucked.