(05-21-2013 09:16 AM)ohio1317 Wrote:  

(05-21-2013 08:16 AM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(05-20-2013 05:38 PM)ohio1317 Wrote:  

(05-20-2013 09:11 AM)DexterDevil Wrote:  I still like Kansas and Mizzou as 15 and 16, and that is what I will want regardless of who they actually add.

If we had to go to 16 (emphasis on had), I'd agree there. We've expanded out east, now back to the Midwestern roots. That said, both Kansas and Missouri strike me as a 2nd team to go along with a main one if a spot was needed (which it probably wouldn't be). That said...

(05-20-2013 09:11 AM)PIRATE TERP Wrote:  I kinda believe if the BIG does do something they will try to keep it even and go one East and one West ... maybe Virginia and Kansas ... something similar etc

I hope that if they do go to 16, they think of the alignment before adding (unlike almost every expansion in every conference so far). Two fixed divisions does not work at 16 (you're two conferences at that point connected by a conference championship; the SEC and ACC are pretty much already there even at 14 given their set-ups). Pods (rotating divisions) would have to be used. That would mean setting things up so you can get 4 groups of 4 with a minimum number of locked games outside of pods.

I think the move to 16 would necessitate a four division setup and a change to the NCAA rules to allow conference semifinals. The 9-game schedule sets up nicely for that - 3 games vs your own division, play one entire other division on rotation (4 games), and play one team from each of the remaining two divisions (could do this many ways, but I like making that arrangement based on how they finished the previous season [i.e. 1st place teams play each other, 2nd place teams play each other, etc.]. If the B1G (and SEC) were to ask for that rule change, you can bet it would go through.

I think a rule change is going to be a lot harder than most guess. Multiple conferences asked for the rules to change to allow CCG without 12 teams, including several power conferences. All were rejected.

Personally, I hope it would be rejected. I like the regular season deciding things and a 4 team conference playoff would diminish that. Beyond that, it would just make expansion easier again (and I'd like it to be very hard to limit it).

The regular season will decide division winners, just like with the NFL. There is plenty of meaning in that. Where most fans are wrong is forgetting that these teams are not really playing like their true selves till later in the season. The New York Giants proved that as a Professional team by winning the Super Bowl after barely going .500 for the season. Watching the four teams that legitimately win their divisions wouldn't be negating the regular season, it would be highlighting the regular season.

The Big Ten Basketball Tournament negates the regular season because damn near the entire conference gets to go to the tourney. When you have only a quarter of the conference going to the tournament, that makes the regular season even more important.