What do you think?

Do they accurately portray a conference that has weathered the storm and which looks like will be able to manage the current 16 member configuration?

OR

More spin by Mike T. and the basketball schools in an attempt to keep the status quo?

I do find it somewhat interesting that the bulk of all of the quotes from these warm and fuzzy articles are from Mike T. and representative from the non-FB schools. Maybe and I'm just cynical and caught up in wishful thinking. I'd be curious to know what others think.

3601 Wrote:What do you think?

Do they accurately portray a conference that has weathered the storm and which looks like will be able to manage the current 16 member configuration?

OR

More spin by Mike T. and the basketball schools in an attempt to keep the status quo?

I do find it somewhat interesting that the bulk of all of the quotes from these warm and fuzzy articles are from Mike T. and representative from the non-FB schools. Maybe and I'm just cynical and caught up in wishful thinking. I'd be curious to know what others think.

Probably a little bit of both. I would rather have a 9-10 school All Sports league with Penn State and Boston College. Since I know that is impossible I would settle for ECU and Memphis.

Maize Wrote:I would rather have a 9-10 school All Sports league with Penn State and Boston College. Since I know that is impossible I would settle for ECU and Memphis.

And I'd like a date with Scarlett Johansen and for Memphis to take Arkansas' place in the SEC. However, I'd settle for the 6th best BCS conference.

It's kind of like the old joke...What do they call the guy who graduates last in his medical school class?

Doctor.

I don't know. It seems that the BE is at least presenting a unified front about staying at 16. And Pitt's AD did have some glowing comments recently about the league, so it's not all coming from the non-FB schools.

The football scheduling issue is clearly something that needs to be addressed, and I'm sure it is being addressed by the BE. Once we know the result of that - whether its Navy, or a football only elsewhere, or maintaining the status quo - then I think we will finally be able to put alot of this expansion/split discussion to bed.

We are going to have to get used to the idea of a 16 team confederation. Personally, at this point, if we're not going to split I would say go to 18. Bring in Memphis or ECU, and Boston U. Call it the Big East Association or something like that, and it can basically be two leagues under one umbrella.

At this point, who knows... nothing seems to make sense half the time.

wvucrazed Wrote:Call it the Big East Association or something like that, and it can basically be two leagues under one umbrella.

An idea similar to that was actually floated out there by Dave Gavitt back in 2003 when all of the dominos starting falling.

You wouldn't expect the Big East leadership to leak an article discussing how everyone hates the hybrid just before a t.v. contract negotiation. The Big East is smart. They know they can't split for a few more years. They know they need a new t.v. contract before they can split. Why would they come out in the press and say, "This is just a band-aid contract until we can split. We aren't going to stay together any longer than we have to."

I still think the Big East will split. They're just working the press to maximize their current t.v. contract.

If this new t.v. contract expires and the Big East is still a 16 team hybrid, that will be newsworthy. Until then, nothing has really changed, except for the t.v. contract.

3601 Wrote:

wvucrazed Wrote:Call it the Big East Association or something like that, and it can basically be two leagues under one umbrella.

An idea similar to that was actually floated out there by Dave Gavitt back in 2003 when all of the dominos starting falling.

If the TV money is as tremendous as the office is touting it this is the only alternative I believe many of the football program fans could tolerate. It would have to be 2 divisions with the all-sport members in one and everyone else in the other with a round robin format in your division and a few crossover games. The conference tournament however would be a hang up. It would take some creativity to satisfy everyone come tourney time because the football programs would have all the basketball muscle or in the least the vast majority.

Cowboy Junky Wrote:You wouldn't expect the Big East leadership to leak an article discussing how everyone hates the hybrid just before a t.v. contract negotiation. The Big East is smart. They know they can't split for a few more years. They know they need a new t.v. contract before they can split. Why would they come out in the press and say, "This is just a band-aid contract until we can split. We aren't going to stay together any longer than we have to."

I still think the Big East will split. They're just working the press to maximize their current t.v. contract.

If this new t.v. contract expires and the Big East is still a 16 team hybrid, that will be newsworthy. Until then, nothing has really changed, except for the t.v. contract.

Good God I'm agreeing with you for a change. ;-) Good to see you over here. Its the only scenario that actually makes sense to me.

Why the hell else would you go to the press and claim everyone is thrilled to death? No one is happy with the 16 team hybrid, except the basketball only schools and Mike T. That article was a public relations piece. That was written for t.v. execs, not Big East fans.

3601 Wrote:

Maize Wrote:I would rather have a 9-10 school All Sports league with Penn State and Boston College. Since I know that is impossible I would settle for ECU and Memphis.

And I'd like a date with Scarlett Johansen and for Memphis to take Arkansas' place in the SEC. However, I'd settle for the 6th best BCS conference.

It's kind of like the old joke...What do they call the guy who graduates last in his medical school class?

Doctor.

WVU will get into the SEC before Memphis. But I do think this is a smoke screen. The football schools are waiting to see what MT can do, and with all the recent activity from the bowl situation I don't think they like what they see. If so, watch what happens in the near future to the 16 team configuration.

Quote:What do you think?

Do they accurately portray a conference that has weathered the storm and which looks like will be able to manage the current 16 member configuration?

OR

More spin by Mike T. and the basketball schools in an attempt to keep the status quo?

-- I don't think anyone really knows....not even the ADs and presidents and certainly not us. Yes, the statements made this week were suprising but I can't tell you how many times Miami said that they were "committed to the BE". I think their last statement concerning their loyalty to the league was about a yr before the raid.

-- There is no need to make an rash descions. If CUSA east can provide a no brainer addition like Louisville was the descion becomes much easier...if a football power does not form in CUSA that is within the BE's geographic boundries...then perhaps staying is an option untill a slam dunk 9th all sports member can be found


Jackson

Yes the sky is falling in the middle of the mwc.Things are great in the BE.

3601......we'll know more when this "magical" tv contract comes out


Jackson

bitcruncher Wrote:

3601 Wrote:

Maize Wrote:I would rather have a 9-10 school All Sports league with Penn State and Boston College. Since I know that is impossible I would settle for ECU and Memphis.

And I'd like a date with Scarlett Johansen and for Memphis to take Arkansas' place in the SEC. However, I'd settle for the 6th best BCS conference.

It's kind of like the old joke...What do they call the guy who graduates last in his medical school class?

Doctor.

WVU will get into the SEC before Memphis.

You don't get it, do you?

3601 Wrote:

bitcruncher Wrote:

3601 Wrote:

Maize Wrote:I would rather have a 9-10 school All Sports league with Penn State and Boston College. Since I know that is impossible I would settle for ECU and Memphis.

And I'd like a date with Scarlett Johansen and for Memphis to take Arkansas' place in the SEC. However, I'd settle for the 6th best BCS conference.

It's kind of like the old joke...What do they call the guy who graduates last in his medical school class?

Doctor.

WVU will get into the SEC before Memphis.

You don't get it, do you?

I did see the sarcasm. But I also get it that there is no way that Memphis will get into the SEC. They don't need a weak sister.

bitcruncher Wrote:

3601 Wrote:

bitcruncher Wrote:

3601 Wrote:

Maize Wrote:I would rather have a 9-10 school All Sports league with Penn State and Boston College. Since I know that is impossible I would settle for ECU and Memphis.

And I'd like a date with Scarlett Johansen and for Memphis to take Arkansas' place in the SEC. However, I'd settle for the 6th best BCS conference.

It's kind of like the old joke...What do they call the guy who graduates last in his medical school class?

Doctor.

WVU will get into the SEC before Memphis.

You don't get it, do you?

I did see the sarcasm. But I also get it that there is no way that Memphis will get into the SEC. They don't need a weak sister.

I never said Memphis would get into the SEC. I don't think that would ever happen. However, Memphis would be anything but a weak sister.