Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[jwinslow]

For those who claim that NYC is a "pro town," let me ask you this: what alternative do they have? Would you be a big college grid fan if the biggest play were Big Least football? If suddenly Rutgers is playing Big Boy football against Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State, the interest level will rise exponentially. Syracuse would have a similar, if somewhat less significant, effect.

There's no reason to follow Rutgers football because they are terrible. How will moving to a better conference change that? Even the elite JoePas have struggled in this league. What is going to happen to perennial 4-5 loss squads (or worse) like Rutgers & Syracuse?

Would New York really care about Syracuse basketball if they went 18-13 every year?

 

[JCOSU86]

The Big Ten is a large, land-grand, midwest college conference. Texas and Notre Dame do not fit that mold. Only Missouri does, and they have solid athletics.

I say "No" to expansion, but if they are hell-bent then Missouri is the only program being mentioned that fits the mold.

 

[RugbyBuck]

Take Mizzou now and tell ND to fcuk off once and for all.

 

[BigJim]

Not an unequivocal statement from Notre Dame, but not exactly positive:

Notre Dame isn't interested in joining Big Ten -- chicagotribune.com

Interesting article. Basically:

• ND understands that they would probably make more money if they were in the B10
• Despite the financials, ND wants to remain independent so that they can be a "national program"
• They are however aware that if the B10 picks up a BE team, the way the dominoes could fall may force them to have to re-evaluate the situation (The BE may have to restructure for football reasons leading to a situation with the other sports that is no longer appealing to ND)

 

[Oh8ch]

The Big Ten is a large, land-grand, midwest college conference. Texas and Notre Dame do not fit that mold. Only Missouri does, and they have solid athletics.

I say "No" to expansion, but if they are hell-bent then Missouri is the only program being mentioned that fits the mold.

Bit of a traditionalist myself. (Still can't sleep nights thinking about that damn designated hitter and am just coming around to the idea that an offensive player can advance the ball by throwing it to another offensive player who is closer to the goal line.)

But the molds have all been broken. It is about TV and money - not whether or not you are a land grant college.

2008 is the first time since 1969 that Missouri lost fewer than four games. That is not the kind of program I am hoping for. Nebraska I could live with. But ND is still my first choice. Texas if the Big Ten can live with the distance.

I don't see any other candidates that don't dilute the conference.

 

[lord vegas]

I'll throw another name into the hat.

University of Maryland

1. Land Grant College
2. Adjoining to a B10 Member state
3. Academics appear up to snuff
4. Nice urban tv markets (including DC spill over)
5. Solid sports programs (womens bball, mens bball, mens soccer)
6. Nice sports recruiting base.
7. Not sure they have etched in stone rivalries. So the OOC schedule shouldn't be too much of a concern.

Especially a nice choice if we choose to add more than one team as suggested in some of yalls post.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

There are only two perfect fits, Notre Dame & Texas. The problem is the chance of either of those two happening are so remote they shouldn't be talked about as they are pipe dreams.

Then the best other choices are Pitt, Missouri and maybe Nebraska? Color me unimpressed and would rather keep 11 than to expand just to expand. If Syracuse or Rutgers are brought in, then I am just going to superglue earplugs in my ears for the next 10 years as that will be such a running joke.

We need to go big or not do it at all.

Of all BCS schools, Nebraska is #8 all-time in winning percentage, with five national championships. Pitt is right in the middle at #31, but they have good history, with two modern national championships. Missouri checks in at #40, and they are obvious the weakest choice of the three that you mentioned.

Winning percentages of current Big Ten schools and prospective new members (only the 64 eligible BCS schools rated):

Rank..Team name.......Win-Pct...Won...Los...Tied
01....Michigan........0.73982....872...295....36
02....Notre Dame......0.73639....831...284....42
03....Texas...........0.71785....832...317....33
05....Ohio State......0.71508....808...306....53
08....Nebraska........0.70101....817...337....40
10....Penn State......0.68934....800...349....42
26....Michigan State..0.58993....611...418....44
29....Syracuse........0.58501....674...471....49
30....Minnesota.......0.57883....633...455....41
31....Pittsburgh......0.57607....653...475....42
36....Wisconsin.......0.56306....603...462....53
40....Missouri........0.53998....602...509....52
41....Purdue..........0.53752....570...487....49
44....Iowa............0.52643....568...509....39
45....Illinois........0.52131....562...514....50
49....Rutgers.........0.50367....597...588....42
60....Iowa State......0.45822....482...574....45
62....Northwestern....0.42626....453...617....42
63....Indiana.........0.42541....440...602....44

The Big Ten is a large, land-grand, midwest college conference. Texas and Notre Dame do not fit that mold. Only Missouri does, and they have solid athletics.

I say "No" to expansion, but if they are hell-bent then Missouri is the only program being mentioned that fits the mold.

Seven Big Ten schools are land grant - Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Purdue. Of the potential new members, Nebraska, Missouri, and Rutgers are land grant.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

I have said this before, but if the Big Ten is serious about picking up Notre Dame, they should cancel all of the football games that Notre Dame has scheduled against the Big Ten (1/4th of their schedule or more every year) and let them squirm.

How about this. If, as the President of UCONN said, Notre Dame's treatment of Big East schools and membership in the Big East is an item on the agenda for conference's next meeting, The Big Ten quietly approaches the Big East with the following offer they can't refuse.

1. You kick Notre Dame out of the Big East for everything so that they'll have no other option than to come to us, or.....
2. The Big Ten goes to a 14 team conference, and we take Pitt and Syracuse....and maybe Rutgers too. We decimate your conference. After you pick up the rest of Conference USA, you will essentially be Conference USA and will most likely lose your auto bid in favor of the MWC.

It'll never happen, but I can dream.

 

[BigWoof31]

You guys can have Kentucky and Vanderbilt and we'll pick up Da U and Memphis.


Win/Win

 

[bigdog3300]

One thing to consider is the way the Big 10 has said they will go about the process: contacting any conference involved before contacting a team. I can see the Big 12 being ticked off that the Big 10 is coming after Missouri. But if we come calling for the crown jewel in Austin, the Big 12 will go rip[censored].

They're doing that more out of respect than anything. They want to make sure it looks like the Big Ten is doing things the "honorable" way.

In reality, there's really not a thing the Big 12 can do if the Big Ten wants Texas and Texas wants the Big Ten. They'll be mad as all get out, but too bad. What are they going to do....pirate Iowa from us? :pirate1:

My dream scenario is the Big Ten brings in 3 schools; Notre Dame, Texas and Nebraska/Missouri. Dangle the big attraction of Texas in front of ND's face and see if it gets them more interested. You have to know how to speak to ND, and they speak only in $$$'s (aside from the choking sounds you hear).

Getting both ND and Texas involved would likely make both more interested, and Nebraska/Missouri would even it out, add a quality university and would help get at least one closer location to UT.

 

[Buckeye86]

How about this. If, as the President of UCONN said, Notre Dame's treatment of Big East schools and membership in the Big East is an item on the agenda for conference's next meeting, The Big Ten quietly approaches the Big East with the following offer they can't refuse.

1. You kick Notre Dame out of the Big East for everything so that they'll have no other option than to come to us, or.....
2. The Big Ten goes to a 14 team conference, and we take Pitt and Syracuse....and maybe Rutgers too. We decimate your conference. After you pick up the rest of Conference USA, you will essentially be Conference USA and will most likely lose your auto bid in favor of the MWC.

It'll never happen, but I can dream.

all of the Godfather analogies have really gone to your head

 

[jlb1705]

You guys can have Kentucky and Vanderbilt and we'll pick up Da U and Memphis.


Win/Win

If the SEC got Miami the ACC would probably go after Kentucky - and they'd be smart to go there instead.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

The Big Ten is a large, land-grand, midwest college conference. Texas and Notre Dame do not fit that mold. Only Missouri does, and they have solid athletics.

I say "No" to expansion, but if they are hell-bent then Missouri is the only program being mentioned that fits the mold.

I am sure that being a Morrill land-grant university is secondary to being an AAU university when academic considerations will be evaluated. Texas, academically and culturally, really is almost a stereotypical Big Ten university where it not for geography. I say the same thing about the University of Washington.

Of the current membership, IU, Michigan, Iowa and obviously Northwestern are not land-grant universities.

 

[Muck]

Interesting article. Basically:

• ND understands that they would probably make more money if they were in the B10
• Despite the financials, ND wants to remain independent so that they can be a "national program"
• They are however aware that if the B10 picks up a BE team, the way the dominoes could fall may force them to have to re-evaluate the situation (The BE may have to restructure for football reasons leading to a situation with the other sports that is no longer appealing to ND)

Sounds like the domers ultimate goal is Big East membership once they know they can control every facet of the conference.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Sounds like the domers ultimate goal is Big East membership when they know they can control every fact of the conference.

I have never seen a more spineless, grab your ankles organization than the Big East. Give the domers everything they want, and the domers raid them for coaches, tamper with other coaches, refuse to play Rutgers in its new stadium, demand that UCONN play them in neutral site games in NYC.

If they do join the BE for football, it'll serve them right if every promising young faculty member says, "fuck this arrogant football factory, I'm outta here."

Domer arrogance makes me sick. I am really starting to feel that we should just preemptively hold a press conference and say we want nothing to do with Notre Dame. They football program is irrelevant. Their academics are nowhere up to speed, and the CIC would waste resources and time trying to build them up.