Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[Tlangs]

Iowa State actually fits your description better than Missouri: they are a land grant school with over 25,000 students and do a ton of research (mostly livestock and agricultural).

On the other hand, they just plain suck at life.

FIFY

 

[buckiprof]

ND simply does not fit in the Big 10. We are all large, mid-western, land-grant, state institutions given to research (save for Northwestern, who was a founding member of the conference).

And the schools in the Big Ten all have well respected graduate programs whereas ND's graduate school is, and I will be kind here, considered a joke.

No one should ever forget that when the university presidents of the Big Ten voted on whether or not to extend an invitation to ND to join the Big Ten, that vote was hardly unanimous in approval to extend the invite. It was fairly split as some university president's pointed out that ND's graduate school was so bad that it would tarnish the overall perception of the Big Ten and that the time required to bring ND's program up to snuff with the rest of the conference wasn't worth it.

As an aside, many Domers are clueless about that little factoid. When hit between the eyes with it, you can almost see their little mental hamster getting knocked off the wheel, laying there unconscious, while their little mental leprechaun supplies CPR.

 

[BUCKYLE]

As much as we all love The Game, it's time as relevant could be over.

This is the stupidest fucking post I've ever fucking seen...on any message board...ever.

PSU leaving would make sense to them.(they don't think like we think, Buckyle. They still think they're The Beast of the East.)

"They" meaning fans? Because the people that actually make decisions for the university are not that fucking stupid. PSU isn't going anywhere, despite what you read on a psu fan blog four years ago.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

it has been a while, but we have been to the Horseshoe.

I remember it well. I was one of the "20,000 who stayed".

If many of the players on your current team weren't born when that trip was made, is it even worth mentioning?

Am I really that old?

Yes, a generation ago. More than two decades.

We're just warming up to you, don't go all "notre dame" on us! :tongue2:

Yup, I guess I am.

Now where did I put my metamucil-prune shake?

 

[BigWoof31]

Anybody considered taking a look at West Virginny?

Pretty big school, decent tradition.

 

[BUCKYLE]

Anybody considered taking a look at West Virginny?

Pretty big school, decent tradition.

No. In all honesty, the only schools I would be ok with are Nebraska, Texas, or ND. What's the point of adding a team that's not on par, tradition, fan base, or historical significance wise with tOSU, UM, and PSU? In other words, why add another MSU or Illinois type program? I wouldn't like it one bit.

 

[calibuck]

I had heard (from a Domer fanatic) that ND was told they could keep their TV revenue, etc. if they joined the Big Ten, BUT, as Bukiprof said, they had to make their graduate programs 'more robust'. They have a very fine undergrad program, but their grad programs suck. The Big Ten, as well as the Pac Ten have very good grad programs (plus research) that make them more academic than our SEC, Big 12, or Big East brethern. THAT's why the Big Ten is on top, not because of a silly football team.......

I don't think Iowa St or WVa fit the bill, as their grad programs are at best mediocre, let alone their market (sells advertising dollars), much less their overall sports teams, (or their academics). Texas and Missouri, and Syracuse have always been mentioned, due to their academics, but geographically it would put a crimp on some of the smaller B10 schools athletic budgets. OSU enjoys being the only 'big' school in Ohio, so that lets out Cincy (none of the others really qualify, even my undergrad, Miami). It really comes down to ND, if they kow-tow to the other B10 Presidents. I seem to recall that before Penn St was allowed to join the B10, they had to enhance their airport runways, to allow team planes in, rather than the two hour bus rides from a normal airport to the campus, and they did it. I agree with Buckylee, Penn St isn't going anywhere. They gain more from their association with the B10 in many ways other than losing to OSU and Michigan and not getting a chance to be national champ.

:gobucks3::gobucks4:

 

[Nutriaitch]

I remember it well. I was one of the "20,000 who stayed".

ok, I was still a young-un, so can you tell me why only 20,000 stayed for a 3 point game?

i do remember (somewhat) the tie game between us in '87.
was the 1st time I ever found out a game could END in a tie.
kinda bothered me a bit that they didn't play til someone won.

 

[Buckeye86]

This has probably been mentioned already, but if expanding to 12 teams is inevitable for the Big Ten (not sure if it is or not) then I think all Big Ten teams should cancel their future games with Notre Dame to put the pressure on them to join. When they play 3-5 games against the Big Ten every year I feel like they are half in the conference anyways. Take away those games and watch them struggle to schedule competitive games each year and put the pressure on.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

ok, I was still a young-un, so can you tell me why only 20,000 stayed for a 3 point game?

OSU was down 13 with less than 2 minutes left. LSU scored (on a fluky play, I think) with 4:29 to go to go up 13.

 

[Zurp]

Maybe this has been mentioned, but maybe not - I see a lot of people considering academics in this discussion. I realize that these are all schools, and that academics should (and usually do) play the largest role in all activities associated with that school, but does anyone really care what the academic-status is of any of the other schools in a certain conference? Sure - it's nice to have bragging rights about your team's conference's academics, but I'd rather have the quality sports. If I said, "My team beat your team in football," and the other guy said, "Oh yeah? Well... our academics are better!" I'd decide that person doesn't have anything to say.

So I guess my questions is "What am I missing?"

 

[jwinslow]

If you're going to blow up tradition, zurp, they better be a quality addition, and that includes academics.

It's like adding Tennessee, even if they're good at football in a few years from now, they better not be an embarrassment off of the field.

 

[Gatorubet]

Maybe this has been mentioned, but maybe not - I see a lot of people considering academics in this discussion. I realize that these are all schools, and that academics should (and usually do) play the largest role in all activities associated with that school, but does anyone really care what the academic-status is of any of the other schools in a certain conference? Sure - it's nice to have bragging rights about your team's conference's academics, but I'd rather have the quality sports. If I said, "My team beat your team in football," and the other guy said, "Oh yeah? Well... our academics are better!" I'd decide that person doesn't have anything to say.

So I guess my questions is "What am I missing?"

Pants.

 

[BB73]

Maybe this has been mentioned, but maybe not - I see a lot of people considering academics in this discussion. I realize that these are all schools, and that academics should (and usually do) play the largest role in all activities associated with that school, but does anyone really care what the academic-status is of any of the other schools in a certain conference? Sure - it's nice to have bragging rights about your team's conference's academics, but I'd rather have the quality sports. If I said, "My team beat your team in football," and the other guy said, "Oh yeah? Well... our academics are better!" I'd decide that person doesn't have anything to say.

So I guess my questions is "What am I missing?"

The University Presidents care, and they make the decision, and/or tell their ADs how to vote on important topics.

 

[calibuck]

And when the guy from Tennessee tells the guy from Harvard, "My team beat your team", he gets an instant ofgratification (Buckylee insert something here). When the guy from Harvard responds, "Yes, but I'll have a degree from Harvard", he gets a lifetime of gratification (and a few million extra over his/her life). Agree that the university to be added must have the academic chops to keep up with the other B10. (Refer back to the academic posts, about a year ago). Or do you want a compromise, such as Stanford, that loses in football, but wins every other sport (witness the complete domination of the Sears/Director's Cup). And the academics are a bit above average also.

:gobucks3::gobucks4: