Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[Woody1968]

You laugh now, but some people are already showing their true colors, with statements to the likes of "Well, I am not crazy about ND, but I hope they win the MNC, so the SEC doesn't win it again." Pretty soon, these same people are humming along to the Notre Dame fight song, and then, humming the song when ND isn't even playing.

There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of a Notre Dame binge...

 

[Woody1968]

I like this move by the Big Ten. But I don't want Rutgers added as #14.

The only reason I like Rutgers as a choice is that my Cable provider will finally be forced to carry the BTN, and I can potentially watch the Buckeyes play Rutgers every other year in person. Other than that, I'd rather have UVA as 14.

 

[LovelandBuckeye]

You laugh now, but some people are already showing their true colors, with statements to the likes of "Well, I am not crazy about ND, but I hope they win the MNC, so the SEC doesn't win it again." Pretty soon, these same people are humming along to the Notre Dame fight song, and then, humming the song when ND isn't even playing.

There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of a Notre Dame binge...

That fucking song was my HS fight song. FML.

The Terps are a great add. I wish I would have chose Meade instead of Buckley now. :(

 

[jlb1705]

Good deal. I like Maryland. Interviewed for a couple jobs there before finding something closer to home. Will be a good fit for the B1G.

I've warmed to the idea of a Maryland/Rutgers combo. If this is what comes to pass I think in time these moves will be viewed as bold strokes just as the move to create the BTN was. My first impressions of these two schools is that they have a bit of ambition that is lacking in some of the middle and bottom tier schools in the current membership. I don't think you can entirely look at how good (or poor) these two are in the revenue sports and extrapolate that to how they'd fare in the B1G. I think they are eager to use their share of B1G wealth to get themselves on solid financial footing and start re-investing in their programs. Rutgers especially seems poised to use it as springboard to grow beyond their current level.

 

[Woody1968]

Good deal. I like Maryland. Interviewed for a couple jobs there before finding something closer to home. Will be a good fit for the B1G.

I've warmed to the idea of a Maryland/Rutgers combo. If this is what comes to pass I think in time these moves will be viewed as bold strokes just as the move to create the BTN was. My first impressions of these two schools is that they have a bit of ambition that is lacking in some of the middle and bottom tier schools in the current membership. I don't think you can entirely look at how good (or poor) these two are in the revenue sports and extrapolate that to how they'd fare in the B1G. I think they are eager to use their share of B1G wealth to get themselves on solid financial footing and start re-investing in their programs. Rutgers especially seems poised to use it as springboard to grow beyond their current level.

Both schools have the potential to increase their fan base in a big way with some success. This is a risky move, but one with a potentially huge payoff, if played right.

 

[LovelandBuckeye]

Good deal. I like Maryland. Interviewed for a couple jobs there before finding something closer to home. Will be a good fit for the B1G.

I've warmed to the idea of a Maryland/Rutgers combo. If this is what comes to pass I think in time these moves will be viewed as bold strokes just as the move to create the BTN was. My first impressions of these two schools is that they have a bit of ambition that is lacking in some of the middle and bottom tier schools in the current membership. I don't think you can entirely look at how good (or poor) these two are in the revenue sports and extrapolate that to how they'd fare in the B1G. I think they are eager to use their share of B1G wealth to get themselves on solid financial footing and start re-investing in their programs. Rutgers especially seems poised to use it as springboard to grow beyond their current level.

Yes. They feel slighted by the ND-ACC love fest. I like their vision and motivation to find a better place to sleep. Now, will the BE and ACC just get it over with and merge!

 

[buckeyesin07]

Will be a good fit for the B1G.

I've warmed to the idea of a Maryland/Rutgers combo. If this is what comes to pass I think in time these moves will be viewed as bold strokes just as the move to create the BTN was. My first impressions of these two schools is that they have a bit of ambition that is lacking in some of the middle and bottom tier schools in the current membership. I don't think you can entirely look at how good (or poor) these two are in the revenue sports and extrapolate that to how they'd fare in the B1G. I think they are eager to use their share of B1G wealth to get themselves on solid financial footing and start re-investing in their programs. Rutgers especially seems poised to use it as springboard to grow beyond their current level.

Agreed--when it comes to fit, I don't think the Big Ten could've done any better, in all of the potential candidates to be added, than Maryland.

I hope you're right about Rutgers, if they're added. But their bball program is horrible (3 winning seasons since 2001 in this era of fattening up on the little guys out of conference, coupled with zero NCAA tournament appearances in that time), along with a fringe football program (something like Northwestern, at best, is how I perceive them). I guess I just see this move to primarily be motivated for BTN purposes, and I don't agree that's the right metric the Big Ten should be using when looking to expand.

 

[billmac91]

Good deal. I like Maryland. Interviewed for a couple jobs there before finding something closer to home. Will be a good fit for the B1G.

I've warmed to the idea of a Maryland/Rutgers combo. If this is what comes to pass I think in time these moves will be viewed as bold strokes just as the move to create the BTN was. My first impressions of these two schools is that they have a bit of ambition that is lacking in some of the middle and bottom tier schools in the current membership. I don't think you can entirely look at how good (or poor) these two are in the revenue sports and extrapolate that to how they'd fare in the B1G. I think they are eager to use their share of B1G wealth to get themselves on solid financial footing and start re-investing in their programs. Rutgers especially seems poised to use it as springboard to grow beyond their current level.

Maryland is obviously just the first domino to what Delaney wants out of the ACC, in my IMO.

Really think we make a huge play at UVA and UNC at this point knowing Ga Tech is in the bag if we ever need them.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Swap Rutgers and PSU

Get the Pedsters into a POD with other East Coast teams where they seem to want to be anyway

AND gets us a game in the largest market every other year. We could rep the benefit of merchandising dollars and over time maybe even supplant Notre Dame as THE college team in that market.

I would hope that Delaney is not so stupid as to set things up so that Ohio State and Michigan aren't playing in NYC more frequently than once a decade.

 

[buckeyesin07]

Really think we make a huge play at UVA and UNC at this point

UVA and/or UNC would be great additions, IMO.

 

[MUBuck]

I think they are eager to use their share of B1G wealth to get themselves on solid financial footing and start re-investing in their programs. Rutgers especially seems poised to use it as springboard to grow beyond their current level.

Or, in Rutgers' case at least, pay off the debt accrued by investing in their program during the Schiano era.

I agree on the potential of both programs. The hardest part for both in the transition will be having short-term success. In football, they would likely both finish in the bottom half of a weak B1G. PSU also had more success this year than many predicted, keeping them as the desired location for some of the east coast recruits. This is the right time for them to overtake PSU, though, as the sanctions hit harder over the next few years.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Next move should be Texas'....errrr, the Big 12's. Take some combination of FSU, Miami and Clemson to get to 12.

We swoop in and take UVA and UNC or BC.

How sweet the taste of sweet tears will be when, before the domers even have a chance to settle into their new home, Ohio State-Michigan and Texas burn it to the fucking ground.

 

[buckeyesin07]

We swoop in and take UVA and UNC or BC.

Agreed--I'd take BC too, if UVA and UNC decline.

How sweet the taste of sweet tears will be when, before the domers even have a chance to settle into their new home, Ohio State-Michigan and Texas burn it to the [censored]ing ground.

. Indeed. The only way it would be sweeter for us is if the Big Ten schools do what they should've done 8 months ago and toss those clowns in State College out on their [censored].

 

[Dryden]

Maryland is obviously just the first domino to what Delaney wants out of the ACC, in my IMO.

Really think we make a huge play at UVA and UNC at this point knowing Ga Tech is in the bag if we ever need them.

I think the move could be similar to the Nebraska add. By itself, Nebraska was a solid addition, but it was also a nudge to tip off massive realignment and see if it could shake Texas and/or Notre Dame loose. The net result was that the Big East has been poached so frequently of all football members with a pulse that Notre Dame was in danger of losing its safe harbor where it had parked its basketball and non-revenue sports for years.

Tapping Maryland will do the same thing to the ACC. FSU and Clemson have previously expressed interest in leaving (perhaps for the Big XII) while the SEC could always make a run at two more.

Ga Tech could be in play, but I think that is perhaps a tease like Missouri wound up being. They've tipped their hand and can now be used as leverage by the B1G.

Notre Dame is, and always will be, the grand prize.

 

[Coqui]

This sounds great until you factor in the Mark May effect

What. He might actually stop talking about how bad the B1G is?