Conference Expansion: Big East To Hold Expansion Meeting Today
by Ken DeCelles on Oct 7, 2011 9:10 AM EDT
in Big East Obliteration
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PrintThis is a big surprise isn't it. A day after TCU was invited to the Big XII, Pete Thamel at the New York Times is reporting that the Big East will be holding a conference call today to discuss possible expansion candidates and could even extend an invitations to join the conference as well.
Thamel and Bill Koch at the Cincinnati Enquirer are each saying that UCF, ECU, and Temple are the main targets at this point, with Koch going on to say that the Big East will extend invitations to UCF and ECU.
With Navy currently in a holding pattern to see what happens with the Big East, UCF and ECU are the two best possible non-AQ schools out there. They've won the last four Conference USA championships, and UCF ended up in the BCS Top 25 last season. And while Navy can wait it out, both UCF and ECU have been wanting to join a BCS conference, and they both would jump at the chance to leave Conference USA for the possibility that the Big East would keep its BCS bid.
We will keep you updated if anything happens from the conference call today.
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Does Marinatto know about this?
Someone should tell him Miami and VaTech aren’t in the conference anymore. Also, Providence doesn’t have a football team. These are things he needs to know.
Go Bulls!
Tessie! Good news: NO ONE has to watch John Lackey pitch in the postseason this year.
by mpetty99 on Oct 7, 2011 9:32 AM EDT via iPhone app reply actions
What time is this meeting going down?
Can’t wait to play UCF again – I did enjoy that rivalry.
Go Bulls!
Tessie! Good news: NO ONE has to watch John Lackey pitch in the postseason this year.
by mpetty99 on Oct 7, 2011 9:33 AM EDT via iPhone app reply actions
Today?
Haven’t seen anything about a possible timeframe for the call.
Voodoo Five
The Toughest Blog in America
by Ken DeCelles on Oct 7, 2011 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions
ECU yea, UCF
The Big East Leadership is clueless! UCF is its first pick?! It’s in a market we already have, and would ensure two mediocre FL teams instead one dominant one to promote the conference. There are also other markets.
ECU makes sense though.
by Green Bull on Oct 7, 2011 9:35 AM EDT via iPhone app reply actions
my intended headline was "ECU yes, UCF no"
my intended headline was “ECU yes, UCF no”
by Green Bull on Oct 7, 2011 9:36 AM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
I'm going to laugh until I cry...
If the conference collapses after UCF is invited but before they play a game! Sure, we’d be together in C-USA but at least we got a call up to the big time-ish.
Go Bulls!
Tessie! Good news: NO ONE has to watch John Lackey pitch in the postseason this year.
by mpetty99 on Oct 7, 2011 9:51 AM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Get over yourself
UCF is the next logical choice. Houston’s not an option without TCU.
With the Military schools holding out, and for good reason, there’s really no other options. I’d almost be surprised if UCF and ECU joined with the rumors of the conferences eminent explosion, but an shattered non-AQ Big East (ie no UL or WVU) is still a better conference than CUSA, I suppose.
Go Bulls!
I am not talking about myself. I only technically referred to myself to correct a typo.
Regardless, UCF doesn’t really ensure AQ status more than any other serious candidate. This is more a panicked impulse move than a strategic decision. It may feel good for a while, but does not add anything the Big East currently lacks and/or stability to the Big East.
ECU, Houston, the Service Academies, SMU, Memphis, and Tulane offer new media markets and recruiting areas.
In addition, I don’t think the Big East already with a comparable Florida school is even in UCF’s best interest. They should pursue the Big 12 and a back-up plan of combining the best schools in the Mountain West and C-USA for an AQ bid, in case the Big East collapses. Playing each other too much would actually stunt USF’s and UCF’s long-term development to top-tier football programs.
by Green Bull on Oct 7, 2011 10:12 AM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
There are less than zero options the Big East has to add a team that will increase it's BCS credibility
We only have 6 teams. We are forced to add at least two to even maintain a football conference at all.
Boise is the only other school that could lend AQ credibility and they’re really not an option. They are way way too far out there.
Go Bulls!
by Leavitt Town on Oct 7, 2011 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
This.
It’s about survival at this point. And USF cannot survive as a BCS program without the Big East. You don’t get to pick your company in the lifeboat.
Editor and Ombusdman, Voodoo Five, South Florida Bulls SBN Blog
At this point
ECU and UCF coming aboard is like jumping on the Titanic after it hit the iceberg. I’d rather stay in C-USA than join a Marinetto led conference.
At this point, adding all these teams and still saying they deserve a BCS bid is like having the tambourine player from U2 join up with a bunch of studio musicians and still calling it U2. It’s not. Just dissolve the conference so Marinetto has nothing to ruin.
I will say, what has Pitt or Syracuse done for our BCS ranking over the past couple of years?
Voodoo Five
The Toughest Blog in America
by Ken DeCelles on Oct 7, 2011 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions
I can't say definitvely, but probably more than whoever replaces them will.
STR 11 DEX 14 CON 10 INT 16 WIS 14 CHA 16
by delicious.crab on Oct 7, 2011 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Which is what makes TNIAAMs' arguments about
the Big East being better off if it just lets SYR and PITT walk so transparently disingenious.
STR 11 DEX 14 CON 10 INT 16 WIS 14 CHA 16
by delicious.crab on Oct 7, 2011 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions
There's no benefit to letting Cuse and Pitt go.
We need them next year for scheduling purposes. Every team was planning on having 8 conference games. If we let Cuse and Pitt go then we only have 5. No one is going to agree to let them go for next season. You need 8 conference teams to even maintain BCS AQ status next year.
They also don’t hinder adding new teams. They can’t vote anyone down, they lost voting power.
In reality they will probably be let go after next season, but not before.
Go Bulls!
by Leavitt Town on Oct 7, 2011 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Its probably too early for this, but just a little daydreaming...
Of course, USF (and every other school currently not in the B1G, SEC, Big12, PAC, ACC) should exhaust every opportunity to get into a superconference. However, in every projected scenario of superconf build-up at least a few “brand” schools fall through the cracks and are then at a decided disadvantage to the schools on the inside.
Those schools should lead a revolution of mid-major conferences to defect from the NCAA completely, create a new LEAGUE of somewhere between 40 and 64 teams. Arrange an 16-team playoff to be run through Dec and January. Reject the BS bowl system with their corrupt bowl committees. Hold the playoff games at home stadiums! More $$$. Get a TV deal with Fox to ride their regional networks.
Here is the kicker: relax admission standards and allow schools to pay players (up to a point). Give a recruit something to think about. FSU/UF, or USF + $10K per year cash.
by Chester Copperpot on Oct 7, 2011 1:01 PM EDT reply actions
Another benefit...
This would rob the BCS schools of the ability to schedule mid-majors. The BCS schools would have to schedule more Div-II schools or play other BCS conf teams.
by Chester Copperpot on Oct 7, 2011 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Nope
If this happened, this new second tier football league would in effect become the old 1AA. The money generated in the new BCS league would be so great, good luck convincing schools not to take the payday to get beaten to a pulp.
There would be no money in the tier two league.
Go Bulls!
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