Most of the stories in papers where a Big East school is located is like this from the Trib. Essentially, it regurgitates the Big East Press release. It was announced too late to do much else, but expect some comments from some coaches in the next couple of days — especially from Jim Calhoun who was pushing a 2 division format.
There were some minor exceptions, like this from NY Newsday:
How this will affect St. John’s is uncertain. Geographically, the Red Storm is closest to Seton Hall, Rutgers and Connecticut. In terms of rivalries, St. John’s-Georgetown was among the keystones of the conference in its formative years and, because both programs are starting over with new head coaches, they remain a good match. But the Queens school also has a great history with Syracuse.
“St. John’s is excited about the future of the Big East and, with the new structure, we’re hopeful that the traditional rivalries stay intact,” coach Norm Roberts said yesterday. “We’re also looking forward to creating rivalries and traditions with the new member teams.”
The setup sounded familiar in Louisville.
Tranghese said the repeat matchups will be designed to “help our television partners and accentuate rivalries.”
U of L coach Rick Pitino recognizes the sound of that. In Conference USA, the Cardinals and several other high-profile teams played a more difficult league schedule in order to set up more attractive TV games.
“We’ll get the worst part of it,” Pitino quipped. “We’re not going to come out smelling like roses. TV will influence it, and that will make it tough, but that’s a tribute to the great tradition of Louisville basketball and Freedom Hall and our fan support.”
Pitino even began a tongue-in-cheek lobbying effort. He’ll have eight newcomers on next season’s team, among them a freshman class that Hoop Scoop recruiting service already ranks as No. 1 in the nation. But Pitino had a different message for TV executives and Big East schedule makers.
“I’d just tell them that we’re just a bag of doughnuts trying to get a break in life,” Pitino said. “They should put us on the back burner for a year. I wouldn’t even put us on TV next year we’re going to be so young. We’ll still have pimples all over our faces, so don’t put us on TV.”
Cinci coach Bob Huggins naturally was one that doesn’t relish the idea of facing tough opponents too often.
“I’d rather play everybody,” said UC coach Bob Huggins. “I think that’s more equitable, but they’ve got to do whatever they think is best.”
Each school will have three “mirror” schools that it will play on a home-and-home basis each year.
A source close to the Big East said that one of UC’s mirror schools will be Louisville, a longtime Bearcats rival. Cincinnati’s other two mirror schools have yet to be determined.
No one is going to complain too loudly. The whole expansion and revamping the Big East and all conferences is about money and TV. This is just part of it.
