TopCoog Wrote:Syracuse and Pitt are tired old programs, they don't have the poop to come back to a top 10 level on a consistent basis.

That's funny...I seem to recall you pimping all the southwest teams as the future of CUSA because of their long-passed accomplishments.

Which way is it? Is Houston a "tired old" program that doesn't have "the poop" to come back to a top 10 level...or can Syracuse and Pitt return because they've been there before? Make up your mind.

you know what NFL...we have been know to play a little b-ball...and when it comes down to it...Basketball is what fuels the Big East right now...when it splits...and it will...Memphis will be added...nothing else makes any sense...why you ask?...i'll tell you.

1) Current state of the school...Memphis wins hands down...NCAA bid and a Bowl victory...ECU won 1 game and had a losing basketball season.

2) Coaching...Memphis wins...Tommy West has been a head coach in the ACC he knows how to work a major conference team...John Calipari...comon...he's Cal...he speaks for himself.

3) Market...we would give the Big East a line in to the SEC market here in Memphis...their is so much money to be made here you just have to come and take it from the SEC.

4) Facilities...once again...Memphis wins...football is about even...Memphis has the 62,000 seat Liberty bowl and we bring 40,000 a game...ECU has DFS...bringing 35-38 about like us...we win in basketball...we have the brand new 250 Million dollar FedExForum...as compared to Minges...i think we take it.

5) relationship with UL and UC...not to mention the fact we have been playing Cuse in basketball and Pitt this season...Calipari has TONS of Big East ties.

6) WE BRING THE LIBERTY BOWL...a bowl with a 2 million dollar pay off...and i promise you if it became a Big East tie in...Auto Zone (current sponsor) would hook it up with the SEC for a Big East v. SEC match-up they were drooling over when we were in contention for the Big East bid.

and i think when it come to past v. present...present wins...cause i would rather win now then suck in the now and spend all my time celebrating a bowl or championship from 20-30 years ago.

Go Tigers!!!
Drew

Quote:when it splits...and it will...Memphis will be added...

Then I hope it never splits.

Look, I don't dislike Memphis. You have a fine program and will continue to get even better assuming your coaching staff stays intact. But you just don't belong in the Big East. WVU, Syracuse, Pitt, and Rutgers have absolutely no history with Memphis, and it just makes the conference look mid-major spread out all over the place (I don't care if it's not called the Big Northeast, the conference is supposed to be the premiere Northeastern conference in the country much like the Big 10 is midwest, SEC is southeast) and filled with teams that seemed like a good collaboration at the time.

I wish your program the best of luck, but if Memphis is the best option, then I'll take the current 16 team league.

Quote:3) Market...we would give the Big East a line in to the SEC market here in Memphis...their is so much money to be made here you just have to come and take it from the SEC.

I don't see the appeal of 'Hey! We are in the heart of another BCS conferences territory!' Which seems to be one of the selling points of everyone that thinks they are a Big East candidate right now.

Quote:WE BRING THE LIBERTY BOWL...

That, I'll admit, is a big plus, but do we have to take UCF to get the Citrus Bowl or Memphis to get the Liberty? I had heard that the LB was looking to drop the MWC tie in anyways, wouldn't the Big East be a logical replacement considering that we might be losing the Gator tie in (#2 BE has to be appealing to the LB)? We should definitely wait this one out before we make a drastic move just to guarantee a bowl tie in.

The 1-AA route with Uconn looks like it will have been very successful, and I'm sure the guys at the Big East headquarters are very glad that they have Uconn instead of East Carolina right now. I don't see a pressing need to expand right now, and I believe that if they do want to expand anytime soon, why not try another 1-AA project like the Huskies?

Quote:but do we have to take UCF to get the Citrus Bowl or Memphis to get the Liberty?

the problem with that statement is that the Citrus bowl doesn't align itself with UCF...the Liberty Bowl will go with us to whatever conference we end up in...the closest UCF will get to the Citrus Bowl is playing their home games there.

Quote:I had heard that the LB was looking to drop the MWC tie in anyways, wouldn't the Big East be a logical replacement considering that we might be losing the Gator tie in

AutoZone has hinted it will be either SEC West team...or stay with the MVC...and chances are the Liberty Bowl will end up as CUSA Champ v. SEC West 3 or 4...that could prove to be a very interesting match-up...and a guaranteed sellout...the Big East would be too much like the Mountain West...good teams...but too far away.

but to be honest if it wasn't for the BCS money i would have no problem staying in the C-USA and the way things are going C-USA might end up with BCS access in a year or so...but i'll be the first to say...I LIKE THE NEW C-USA...we have good teams...for football...Memphis, Southern, Marshall, Houston not to mention UCF & UTEP all hiring big name coaches...in basketball...Memphis, UAB, Tulsa, UTEP, UCF, USM hiring Larry E...and it will be THE Baseball conference...this conference is going to be good...it will prolly end up with 5-6 bowl games...and 2-4 NCAA bids per season...that would put us above where we were in my opinion...this conference will be VERY competitive...i can promise you that.

Go Tigers!!!
Drew

the problem is the Big East (except for WVa and possibly Louisville) doesn't travel. We played Syracuse in the '96 Liberty...our side was nearly full while Syracuse's side looked like a high school crowd.

The Liberty Bowl will continue to be C-USA vs. MWC, at least according to the newspapers in Salt Lake City so you can all stop the speculation on that front. Also, gomemphistigers1, the LB only paid $1.3 million last year, but with Autozone as the new sponsor, that number will climb to $1.5 million.

Quote:gomemphistigers1, the LB only paid $1.3 million last year, but with Autozone as the new sponsor, that number will climb to $1.5 million.

i know...but if we ever got into a BCS conference and the Liberty Bowl came too it would prolly go up to about 1.7 - 1.8...but still...thats alot of money.

Go Tigers!!!
Drew

There is a report of a five year extention of the deal with the MWC. Thats fine with me...

"What would it take for them to become the 9th team in? Would say... 40k average attendance and a couple seasons of winning records (neither are likely) be enough to forgive and forget?

Does Mikey T really simply not like Temple like I have heard? Just how bad is the bad blood between the Owls and the remaining Big East members? Somebody surprise me with some insider information"


-- First of all...Mikey T had nothing to do with Temple....Temple was basically screwed by the BE football schools...when the BE football league was formed the football schools did not stand up for Temple and say you either take all of us or we are forming our own league...instead we bowed to the wishes of Nova and the other bball onlys and Temple was forced into the limbo which is football only membership...if Temple was allowed to be a full member of the BE like Rutgers and West Virginia...they would still be members of the conference today

-- I could see Temple coming back if....

#1 Penn St comes back to the BE....The Nittany Lions have sometimes play ther role of older brother to Temple and the relationship between the two close schools goes back along way...if PSU were ever to come back....count on Temple coming with them

#2 After the BE football schools seperate....the "EAC" decides it needs a presence in another huge market......don't underestimate the power of the Philly market...especially when you consider Villanova will be staying the Catholic schools...just being able to show the BE game of the week to Philly has to help with the TV contract etc

-- No one is asking that Temple become a power...if Temple could rise to the level of say UC in football....if the can average say 30,000 ( actual attendance...not # of tickets sold) and go to a bowl game say 2 out of every 5 yrs they would be welcomed back to the BE or EAC or whatever with open arms

Jackson

Quote:the problem with that statement is that the Citrus bowl doesn't align itself with UCF...

I was just using that as an example, I know that Memphis has much tighter ties to the Liberty bowl.

Still, the 1.3 million over a 750k bowl doesn't justify taking another team and splitting revenue even further.

Quote:...this conference will be VERY competitive...i can promise you that.

I'm interested to see how that lopsided East division turns out, should be exciting to see what teams float to the top of the divisions.

Quote:#2 After the BE football schools seperate....the "EAC" decides it needs a presence in another huge market......don't underestimate the power of the Philly market...especially when you consider Villanova will be staying the Catholic schools...just being able to show the BE game of the week to Philly has to help with the TV contract etc

I guess this is the most likely of the two scenerios you presented. Maybe Temple can improve playing a cupcake Independent schedule.

nflsucks Wrote:That, I'll admit, is a big plus, but do we have to take UCF to get the Citrus Bowl or Memphis to get the Liberty? I had heard that the LB was looking to drop the MWC tie in anyways, wouldn't the Big East be a logical replacement considering that we might be losing the Gator tie in (#2 BE has to be appealing to the LB)? We should definitely wait this one out before we make a drastic move just to guarantee a bowl tie in.

I don't think the BE would stand a chance at the LB without Memphis. The Liberty Bowl is still mainly supported by Memphians...political pressure alone could easily keep a Memphis-less Big East out of the Liberty. Plus, if they're going to stray away from the CUSA-MWC matchup, I think they would likely go after the SEC because it would be a guaranteed sell-out every year.

Didn't the MWC commish state that they were close to renewing with the LB? That sucks if it's true. The only plus is that Memphis may finially get it's stinkin' return game from TCU.

The LB might look at the Big East again if the MWC deal didn't workout and they could not get a top 5 ACC or SEC team. Since the BE didn't travel well to the Liberty before it would have to be their #2 team to make sense. They would probabl;y rather have MWC #1 than BE #2 however.

Quote:They would probabl;y rather have MWC #1 than BE #2 however.

Probably would get more people with Big East #2 than MWC #1.

I think the Liberty Bowl could get one of the top 5 from the ACC, but the SEC is better off with their current bowl for the 3rd through 5th place teams (Peach, Outback, and Cotton). Would the Liberty Bowl be willing to take the 6th or 7th SEC pick (currently owned by Music City and Independence Bowl but the Liberty is a better bowl than these two)? Still probably'd get a sell out.

nflsucks Wrote:Would the Liberty Bowl be willing to take the 6th or 7th SEC pick (currently owned by Music City and Independence Bowl but the Liberty is a better bowl than these two)?

No.

Then I suppose the Liberty Bowl will go the ACC route (could get 4th pick with them), or stick it out with the MWC.

I would almost say that any SEC team with a winning record would bring more people to the game and spark more interest among our fans than the other choices. The Big East in the Liberty would not be a plus to people in the southwest.

Quote: The Big East in the Liberty would not be a plus to people in the southwest..

Kind of like a southwest team in the Big East, eh?

nevermind