I feel a little conflicted. As a Pitt guy, I know it is in Pitt’s best interest to get out of the Big East and to the ACC ASAP. Unfortunately, it increasingly appears that the only way that can happen is for the Big East to die, and die soon.
Don’t get me wrong. I have no sympathy for the Big East itself. Nor is this about the basketball schools. My conflicted feelings are for the football programs that will beleft behind. The ones that have no where to go or will have to wait and sweat a while. The ones that are just there waiting for the Sword of Damocles hanging over their head to fall and strike them down
We have been sweating this out for years. When the Big East was raided in 2003, it has been a countdown for when the end would come. It has lasted longer than expected. The conference Pitt is heading to is different from expected in 2003, but Pitt is moving on. Meanwhile, the Big East fault lines are being laid bare.
For yet another day, the Big East tried to have a meeting to discuss getting new members and other issues. And for yet another day, nothing came of it.
Why? Because the split in the interests have things as paralyzed as anything we have seen in Washington D.C. over the summer.
All of this uncertainty, which has been dominated by arguments between the basketball and football factions of the Big East, has slowed the talk of expansion, if not stopped it.
At yesterday’s meeting, potential candidates such as Boise State, Central Florida and Temple were discussed, but no consensus could be agreed upon which teams to invite first, or at all.
The basketball factions were adamant about not adding anyone, while the football faction argued that if the Big East is going to survive as a BCS conference, whose champion gained automatic entry to a BCS bowl it is imperative for Boise State, with its high national ranking was a necessity for survival.
The basketball schools have locked in to the issue of raising exit fees first. This is obviously a non starter with Louisville, Rutgers, WVU and UConn at the moment. The Big 12 expansion has Louisville and WVU waiting. UConn wants to go so badly. Rutgers wants options. Heck, arguably Notre Dame wouldn’t want any higher fees considering some other scuttlebutt…
But if Missouri leaves — and as of this morning the prevailing theory was that the Tigers were still focused on joining Texas A&M as the 13th and 14th members of the SEC — the Big 12 would make a move to go from 9 to 12 teams with Big East members Louisville and West Virginia as the prime schools on their wish list. Such a move might also happen even if Missouri remains.
The SEC might have one back up plan if Missouri decides to stay. Word is spreading throug the SEC that Clemson may come into play as team No. 14.
The Tigers are more of an SEC fit than ACC fit in many ways. If that happens, the ACC will be forced to go for a 14th team. The first choice would be Notre Dame, but if the Irish still want to remain as an independent than UConn comes into the picture.
Not really buying Clemson to the SEC. Yes it is a cultural fit (but then so would WVU), but the SEC is already in South Carolina. It isn’t exactly a major market that they need or have to solidify. Nor is Clemson some sort of national brand — like Nebraska to the Big 10 — that makes much sense.
Still, if — and it’s a big if –the scenario of the Big 12 taking Louisville and WVU and the ACC needing a new 14th came to pass — whether ND finally surrenders or the ACC just goes with UConn/Rutgers. Then the Big East is done with football and Pitt is free.
Cinci and USF have done nothing wrong. In fact they have worked hard to be players in the Big East. They have invested in their programs. They have made good hires. They are screwed. At best they are back to Conference USA, splitting really low TV money and getting the occasional game on CBS College Sports Network.
UConn is potentially screwed as is Rutgers. Maybe eventually they get into another conference. But they don’t know when or how. Even worse, is their status in the next two to five years. That just sucks.
UPDATE: If you have any doubt about the fault-lines being laid bare. This article should put that to bed.
•?Though Boise State is the Big East’s best chance to retain its automatic bid to the BCS when the next evaluation period comes up in 2014, Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida are lukewarm to the idea.
And Boise won’t commit to the league until the six holdover football schools do;
•?The basketball schools proposed doubling the exit penalty to $10 million while also asking for a 15-year commitment. The football schools have flatly rejected that, causing a bigger fissure between the two sides;
•?Villanova spent part of yesterday’s conference call undermining Temple as an expansion candidate, saying it would accept the Owls as a football member only. The football schools want Temple as an all-sports addition;
•?The football schools are trying to put together an expansion plan that meets with approval from the basketball schools, since DePaul’s vote on any proposal counts as much as West Virginia’s (or Rutgers’).
Geez.
You wimps worried about schools ‘dangling in the wind’, need to obtain some cajoles. Or get a sexchange.
After reading Chas’ link, I think there is little hope for the Big East surviving as anything more than a baskeball league. The football and basketball schools are still dead locked over turf.
No. Pitt and Cuse have no say in Big East actions.
Lou,
Until Pitt is actually gone from the Big East, I really won’t be too focused on ACC blogger stuff. I’ll keep tabs, but since they don’t directly impact Pitt yet, it is a bit premature.
As for Clemson going to the SEC, I think South Carolina will fight against that with a passion. Clemson belongs in the ACC. Their students actually go to classes.
Penn State on the other hand, can rot in hell. They are the breaker of rivalries, tradition and spirited football.
They would be more of a academic fit in the ACC then the SEC. not saying they will go there.
May god walk with you all and keep you safe,
When the final epithet is written for the Bug East, it will be Providence and Villanova revealed as the true selfish villians, not John Swofford.
ECH, poignant comment
I can care less if BE FB survives but hope that WVU, Louisville, Cincy, UCF and UConn end up alright … for some reason, I can care less about Rutgers and assure you that it has nothing to do with last Saturday.
Rutgers also had its 15 minutes .. with its 3 best years in their history. Since then, the whole conference has been prety much a trainwreck … even Kelly’s teams at Cincy were pasted in their two BCS games.
The sad fact is that Pitt and Cuse, with their histories, did not step up … and it’s not only Wanny; as you all know, Pitt has had some good teams but has never really a produced a legit BCS team in the entire history of BE FB which began 20 years ago.
This is part of the reason of my reluctant feelings .. and feel fortunate to escape all of the madness.
I do not feel bad for WVU at all. They made their bed, now they can lie in it (probably with their sister). The reason WVU hasn’t already bolted the Big East for the SEC or the ACC (and left the rest of us hanging) is because their academics suck and their fans are a bunch of inbred lunatics who beat up pregnant ladies because they root for a different team…and the solution to these issues are to serve beer in the stadium ($) and continue to accept the dolts that no other schools will ($).
The other significant issue is the small TV market…but I think that one would be overlooked/acceptable if they were better academically and their fans were the slightest bit civilized.
Besides…it’s WVU…f ’em.
Sad to see how dysfunctional the B.E. has become. I am beginning to realize that it has always been this bad and Nordenberg was the one voice of reason with those folks. Painful to watch. Like watching a family member self destruct.
FYI, the NFL is capitalism that is run like socialism so educate yourself or stfu.
Don’t know who the heck you are. But F*ckoff chump.
You lack a clear understanding of college sports,
clearly.
Like I said, grow up, educate yourself and then maybe if you’re ready, come back and act like adult.
UConn, Rutgers, Cincinnati, and USF are screwed. They have all worked to improve their football programs – and look where it has gotten them. WVU can pound salt for all I care and the same goes for Louisville.
I hope the SEC takes Missouri and starts the next chain reaction that finishes the Big East as a football conference.