Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[BrutusBobcat]

The Big Mountain USA Conference. Exciting.

 

[MaxBuck]

The Big Mountain USA Conference. Exciting.

Just a reminder that Mountain's lead man, Leslie West, grew up in Hackensack, NJ. So there's precedent.

 

[Muck]

Good plan. Combine shit with even more shit and call it a BCS Conference.

I don't know why but I actually think it is kind of appealing.

Now granted that's in a so ridiculously over the top it makes me giggle...but still.

The Big Mountain USA Conference. Exciting.

If they have any sense they'll push the patriotic angle (Navy & AFA) and call it the All American Conference....but of course the leaders of at least two of the current leagues (BEast & MWC) have pretty conclusively shown they don't have any sense soooo....

 

[Mike80]

I hope not.

If it were up to me, the Big Ten and Pac-Whatever would leave the NCAA, play all their games on their on TV networks, the champions would meet in the Rose Bowl and everybody else could go pound sand.

I think the bitterness shown by some in their "bold" predictions (e.g. the predictions given by that drooling idiot Andy Staples and the non-reality prediction from whoever "Rubin" is at si.com here: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...dseason-crystal-ball/index.html?sct=cf_t12_a1) really works against the mediots driving this process.

It's not just ESpin but they deserve the majority of the blame. The dipshits at SI are just as complicit in this mess with their constant conference superiority drivel.

 

[IronBuckI]

This gigantuos conference would actually be great for the rest of the BCS conferences. Last year, the BCS was require to let two teams from this cluster into the BCS, two years ago, it was three teams. This plan gives only one team a guaranteed payday from the BCS, and my bet is that you could probably pull one team out of that mess every year that would actually be deserving of a bid. In turn, this opens up one or two more spots for the rest of the BCS conferences.

 

[Muck]

This gigantuos conference would actually be great for the rest of the BCS conferences.

I was thinking that as well. It consolidates essentially all of the BCS 'wannabees', taking away their ability to complain about access while at the same time eliminating excessive slots for the group.

It would also serve as a good parking area for teams. ECU finally starts living up to all that potential it's fans claim is there? Boom the SEC can finally scoop them up and have the NC team they so desire. At the same time Appalachian St is showing themselves to be competitive at the 1A level...just slot them into the conglomeration.

I also seriously doubt it will actually come to fruition...32 is a lot of pieces from the revenue pie.

 

[Nutriaitch]

How about Texas A&M/Mizzou to the West and Bama/Auburn to the East? Sounds like a win/win to me.

FUCK THAT!

if Bama/Auburn went East, someone from the East would have to come to the West.
Vandy being Westernmost, it would probably be them.

leaving us in a division of

LSU
Arky
Ole Piss
Miss St
A&M
Missouri
Vandy


that may be the shittiest LSU conference schedule I have ever seen.
especially when you consider we would probably no longer play at least 2 of our top 3 yearly rivals (Bama/Auburn/Florida).

Trading Bama/Auburn for Missouri/Vandy would hand us the west on a silver platter most years, but season ticket prices had better be cut in half on the years when our 4 SEC home games look like this:

Vandy
Kentucky
Missouri
Miss. St

 

[Muck]

Oh come on...A&M and Missouri are sleeping GIANTS that everyone is going to want to watch.

Just ask their fans.

 

[Nutriaitch]

Oh come on...A&M and Missouri are sleeping GIANTS that everyone is going to want to watch.

Just ask their fans.

I think A&M can be competitive in the SEC.
maybe not on a yearly basis, but at least a few times a decade, they'll be in the discussion for division titles.


Mizzou will be hard pressed to ever finish above .500 in conference.
even in a division with Kentucky and Vandy.

Tenn, UGA, USCe, and Florida are all better than Mizzou right now, historically, and looking into the future.

if they can only get to 2 conf. cg in a division with Kansas, K-State, Iowa St., Colorado, an Nebraska during their worst stretch since the 60's, they're gonna be hard pressed to ever win the East.

 

[Muck]

All time:
24 Texas A&M...674-444-48.....59.86%
55 Missouri.......620-517-52.....54.33%

Conf:
Texas A&M...320-278-30.....53.36%
Missouri.......327-292-31.....52.77%

Big 12 (1996-):
39 Texas A&M...106-80...56.99%
40 Missouri.......104-79...56.8%

Conf:
Texas A&M...65-57.....53.31%
Missouri.......58-64.....47.51%

I really don't see much difference there.

Historically A&M and Arkansas aren't that different. Missouri isn't far behind the two of them and is historically much better than South Carolina. The Gamecocks have actually performed better since joining the SEC as compared to their history.

Missouri isn't going to be the next Alabama but I think they'll be fine.

 

[Gothmog8]

Surprised that there is not an ESPN conference... Those teams that make us the most money vs all the rest.

 

[Muck]

Surprised that there is not an ESPN conference... Those teams that make us the most money vs all the rest.

There is, they call it the SEC.

 

[Mike80]

the apologizing for the LSU players this morning was written into ESECPN's contract. Corso, Fowler and Big Orange get bonuses.

 

[Gothmog8]

There is, they call it the SEC.

Yeah I knew that, but I was thinking more of a cherry picking of all the best teams...

 

[knapplc]

I don't know that Missouri can't compete in the SEC. I think they're going to find the defensive speed to be quite a bit of a shock, but over the past decade Pinkel has built a few pretty good teams. They need a breakout season to get the confidence that they actually belong up in the upper echelon, but I think if they can establish some recruiting bases in the South, they can pull in the players they need, plug them into Pinkel's system, and make some noise.

It'll be difficult for them to compete regularly, but I see them as more competitive annually than Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Auburn (minus Cam) and Ole Miss. They'll have a tough time of it because there aren't many off weeks, but really, the Big XII has had some pretty decent football for them to go up against, and they've done well enough. They're not going to win the SEC, ever, but they'll scare a team or two once in a while. They'll probably go .500 against the Georgia teams we've seen over the past ten years. Probably about .500 against SC.

The big thing with Missouri is, what happens when Pinkel leaves? I see them much the same way I see Boise - Pederson has been the guiding light behind their success. When he goes, I see nothing to prevent Boise from plummeting into the depths of D1A. I don't know if Missouri can hire a replacement for Pinkel that will be a "name" who will build on what Pinkel started, that's the biggest thing. But maybe being an SEC school will help that. Dunno.