(04-18-2013 04:49 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 04:21 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 03:53 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  The Big XII and SEC are similar in having two blueblood programs in Kansas and Kentucky, the rest of their teams are from very good to mediocre. Both conferences are not as deep in basketball like the old Big East, ACC and even the Big Ten and Mountain West but are capable of winning a NC like Kansas, Kentucky and Florida in the last 10 years.

The ACC in 2014 will have 3 "Blue Blood/Elite" Programs...UNC & Duke joined by the 1 NIT Title, 10 NCAA's Final Fours & 3 NCAA Men's Basketball Titles in Louisville...doesn't hurt that the same Athletic Department also has 2 BCS Bowl wins, 2 NCAA women Basketball Runner-up finishes and a College World Series in the past 6 years...outside of TV what was the Big XII thinking...should have taken both but the Big XII loss is the ACC gain and we are very happy in the ACC

The Big XII made a fine choice in West Virginia because they're the better football brand. The ACC made a fine choice with Louisville because they're a good athletic program from top to bottom. I just sometimes feel some Louisville fans can't get past the "we got rejected by the Big XII" issue which is normal because rejection is hard to assume. But this shouldn't be an issue anymore because after all, the ACC is a better fit and their gain is the Big XII loss, right?

No, understood the reason why the Big XII took WVU at the time...the only thing I am saying maybe "Long Term" it would have been better off for the Big XII to take both.

But in the end we are extremely happy being in the ACC, WVU is happy to be in the Big XII...point blank.

(04-18-2013 04:49 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  I just sometimes feel some Louisville fans can't get past the "we got rejected by the Big XII" issue which is normal because rejection is hard to assume. But this shouldn't be an issue anymore because after all, the ACC is a better fit and their gain is the Big XII loss, right?

You mean like the misinformation about The ACC that butt hurt WVU bloggers churn out to their legion of lemmings? Is that what you mean? How many times did The ACC reject WVU? That is what you mean isn't it? Or does that only apply to Louisville fans?

I seem to remember a number of posts here last year after WVU beat Clemson in a BCS bowl. Don't recall much call for calm then when WVU fans reminded us The ACC could have had them.

The reality is Louisville has the hottest athletic program in the country. Of course you are going to see these kind of articles. It is rather ironic that two of the more recent ones were written by the Oklahoma and Texas media. I believe that says more than anything else.
CJ

(04-18-2013 08:54 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 04:49 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  I just sometimes feel some Louisville fans can't get past the "we got rejected by the Big XII" issue which is normal because rejection is hard to assume. But this shouldn't be an issue anymore because after all, the ACC is a better fit and their gain is the Big XII loss, right?

You mean like the misinformation about The ACC that butt hurt WVU bloggers churn out to their legion of lemmings? Is that what you mean? How many times did The ACC reject WVU? That is what you mean isn't it? Or does that only apply to Louisville fans?

I seem to remember a number of posts here last year after WVU beat Clemson in a BCS bowl. Don't recall much call for calm then when WVU fans reminded us The ACC could have had them.

The reality is Louisville has the hottest athletic program in the country. Of course you are going to see these kind of articles. It is rather ironic that two of the more recent ones were written by the Oklahoma and Texas media. I believe that says more than anything else.
CJ

Which the same applies to West Virginia as well. The ACC rejected them for the longest time so even though they're in a better situation now and will make tons of money, some of their fans wish for the destruction of the ACC. That's why I said rejection is hard to assimilate. Pride sometimes gets in between common sense. Heck, you want to talk about rejection, what better example than UTEP and the Mountain West. Even though it was UTEP's fault we were left behind, we still hated the MWC and especially BYU and we wished nothing but their destruction which ironically happened when Utah, BYU and TCU left. Now we feel sorry for them just as they feel sorry for us for being stuck in C-USA with no natural rivals and a bunch of Sun Belt schools.

(04-18-2013 04:49 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 04:21 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 03:53 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  The Big XII and SEC are similar in having two blueblood programs in Kansas and Kentucky, the rest of their teams are from very good to mediocre. Both conferences are not as deep in basketball like the old Big East, ACC and even the Big Ten and Mountain West but are capable of winning a NC like Kansas, Kentucky and Florida in the last 10 years.

The ACC in 2014 will have 3 "Blue Blood/Elite" Programs...UNC & Duke joined by the 1 NIT Title, 10 NCAA's Final Fours & 3 NCAA Men's Basketball Titles in Louisville...doesn't hurt that the same Athletic Department also has 2 BCS Bowl wins, 2 NCAA women Basketball Runner-up finishes and a College World Series in the past 6 years...outside of TV what was the Big XII thinking...should have taken both but the Big XII loss is the ACC gain and we are very happy in the ACC

The Big XII made a fine choice in West Virginia because they're the better football brand. The ACC made a fine choice with Louisville because they're a good athletic program from top to bottom. I just sometimes feel some Louisville fans can't get past the "we got rejected by the Big XII" issue which is normal because rejection is hard to assume. But this shouldn't be an issue anymore because after all, the ACC is a better fit and their gain is the Big XII loss, right?

It is an issue and will continue to be an issue every time a WVU poster tries to say how happy they are in the Big12. The fact of the matter is, the Big 12 was WVU's last choice, they never wanted/want to be in the conference. That is why the Big 12 media has no problem putting them in their place now.

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/...ig-12-move

Quote:MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Texas A&M looked likely to leave the Big 12 in late August. Rumors and speculation reigned on the topic of who could replace the Aggies.

At least one report placed Pittsburgh on the supposed "Big 12 short list."

West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck saw it, and thus began the Mountaineers' road to the Big 12.

"If Pitt is on the short list, there’s no reason that West Virginia shouldn’t be on the Big 12 short list," Luck told ESPN.com. "That’s when, to myself, I began to think, because normally, you don’t think Big 12 and Pittsburgh. You don’t think Big 12 and West Virginia.

"I remember saying to myself and saying to my wife, 'If that story was accurate, and Pitt used that as leverage to get in the ACC,' I remember thinking: Well, this is certainly a possibility.”

You would never hear the stuff coming out of us that you hear from WVU about the Big 12, we would have considered ourselves fortunate to be apart of such a great Conference. That's just how we role. We wanted in the Big 12 and we wanted in the ACC. WVU wanted in the SEC and they wanted in the ACC. We lucked out!

(04-18-2013 09:49 PM)Dasville Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 04:49 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 04:21 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 03:53 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  The Big XII and SEC are similar in having two blueblood programs in Kansas and Kentucky, the rest of their teams are from very good to mediocre. Both conferences are not as deep in basketball like the old Big East, ACC and even the Big Ten and Mountain West but are capable of winning a NC like Kansas, Kentucky and Florida in the last 10 years.

The ACC in 2014 will have 3 "Blue Blood/Elite" Programs...UNC & Duke joined by the 1 NIT Title, 10 NCAA's Final Fours & 3 NCAA Men's Basketball Titles in Louisville...doesn't hurt that the same Athletic Department also has 2 BCS Bowl wins, 2 NCAA women Basketball Runner-up finishes and a College World Series in the past 6 years...outside of TV what was the Big XII thinking...should have taken both but the Big XII loss is the ACC gain and we are very happy in the ACC

The Big XII made a fine choice in West Virginia because they're the better football brand. The ACC made a fine choice with Louisville because they're a good athletic program from top to bottom. I just sometimes feel some Louisville fans can't get past the "we got rejected by the Big XII" issue which is normal because rejection is hard to assume. But this shouldn't be an issue anymore because after all, the ACC is a better fit and their gain is the Big XII loss, right?

It is an issue and will continue to be an issue every time a WVU poster tries to say how happy they are in the Big12. The fact of the matter is, the Big 12 was WVU's last choice, they never wanted/want to be in the conference. That is why the Big 12 media has no problem putting them in their place now.

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/...ig-12-move

Quote:MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Texas A&M looked likely to leave the Big 12 in late August. Rumors and speculation reigned on the topic of who could replace the Aggies.

At least one report placed Pittsburgh on the supposed "Big 12 short list."

West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck saw it, and thus began the Mountaineers' road to the Big 12.

"If Pitt is on the short list, there’s no reason that West Virginia shouldn’t be on the Big 12 short list," Luck told ESPN.com. "That’s when, to myself, I began to think, because normally, you don’t think Big 12 and Pittsburgh. You don’t think Big 12 and West Virginia.

"I remember saying to myself and saying to my wife, 'If that story was accurate, and Pitt used that as leverage to get in the ACC,' I remember thinking: Well, this is certainly a possibility.”

You would never hear the stuff coming out of us that you hear from WVU about the Big 12, we would have considered ourselves fortunate to be apart of such a great Conference. That's just how we role. We wanted in the Big 12 and we wanted in the ACC. WVU wanted in the SEC and they wanted in the ACC. We lucked out!

But once again, everybody is happy where they're at, right? Trust me, I live right in the middle of Big XII country, surrounded by the Big XII propaganda machine (aka DFW media) and thousands of their obnoxious fans. They have nothing but good things to say about WVU. For the first time, WVU is getting tons of coverage in the Great State of Texas which will translate into Texas recruiting. Louisville just won the NCAA Tournament and we're in that part of the year where the college athletics cycle is slow unless you're a die hard college baseball fan. No football games, no basketball games so what's left to talk about? Oh yeah, what if scenarios like the articles out of Texas and Oklahoma and realignment from the likes of The Dude and Tuxedo Yoda. In other words, nothing.

Do you really believe the SEC was Missouri's choice? Of course not. But realignment in the last decade has shown us it's all about survival and who can get the best deal. 10 years ago nobody thought Utah would be in the Pac-12, Nebraska in the Big Ten, Missouri in the SEC, Louisville in the ACC, TCU in the Big XII, etc. Once Pitt and Syracuse announced they were leaving the Big East to the ACC, it was either the Big XII or a crumbling Big East for West Virginia. Do you really blame them for that?

(04-18-2013 10:03 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 09:49 PM)Dasville Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 04:49 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 04:21 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 03:53 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  The Big XII and SEC are similar in having two blueblood programs in Kansas and Kentucky, the rest of their teams are from very good to mediocre. Both conferences are not as deep in basketball like the old Big East, ACC and even the Big Ten and Mountain West but are capable of winning a NC like Kansas, Kentucky and Florida in the last 10 years.

The ACC in 2014 will have 3 "Blue Blood/Elite" Programs...UNC & Duke joined by the 1 NIT Title, 10 NCAA's Final Fours & 3 NCAA Men's Basketball Titles in Louisville...doesn't hurt that the same Athletic Department also has 2 BCS Bowl wins, 2 NCAA women Basketball Runner-up finishes and a College World Series in the past 6 years...outside of TV what was the Big XII thinking...should have taken both but the Big XII loss is the ACC gain and we are very happy in the ACC

The Big XII made a fine choice in West Virginia because they're the better football brand. The ACC made a fine choice with Louisville because they're a good athletic program from top to bottom. I just sometimes feel some Louisville fans can't get past the "we got rejected by the Big XII" issue which is normal because rejection is hard to assume. But this shouldn't be an issue anymore because after all, the ACC is a better fit and their gain is the Big XII loss, right?

It is an issue and will continue to be an issue every time a WVU poster tries to say how happy they are in the Big12. The fact of the matter is, the Big 12 was WVU's last choice, they never wanted/want to be in the conference. That is why the Big 12 media has no problem putting them in their place now.

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/...ig-12-move

Quote:MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Texas A&M looked likely to leave the Big 12 in late August. Rumors and speculation reigned on the topic of who could replace the Aggies.

At least one report placed Pittsburgh on the supposed "Big 12 short list."

West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck saw it, and thus began the Mountaineers' road to the Big 12.

"If Pitt is on the short list, there’s no reason that West Virginia shouldn’t be on the Big 12 short list," Luck told ESPN.com. "That’s when, to myself, I began to think, because normally, you don’t think Big 12 and Pittsburgh. You don’t think Big 12 and West Virginia.

"I remember saying to myself and saying to my wife, 'If that story was accurate, and Pitt used that as leverage to get in the ACC,' I remember thinking: Well, this is certainly a possibility.”

You would never hear the stuff coming out of us that you hear from WVU about the Big 12, we would have considered ourselves fortunate to be apart of such a great Conference. That's just how we role. We wanted in the Big 12 and we wanted in the ACC. WVU wanted in the SEC and they wanted in the ACC. We lucked out!

But once again, everybody is happy where they're at, right? Trust me, I live right in the middle of Big XII country, surrounded by the Big XII propaganda machine (aka DFW media) and thousands of their obnoxious fans. They have nothing but good things to say about WVU. For the first time, WVU is getting tons of coverage in the Great State of Texas which will translate into Texas recruiting. Louisville just won the NCAA Tournament and we're in that part of the year where the college athletics cycle is slow unless you're a die hard college baseball fan . No football games, no basketball games so what's left to talk about? Oh yeah, what if scenarios like the articles out of Texas and Oklahoma and realignment from the likes of The Dude and Tuxedo Yoda. In other words, nothing.

Do you really believe the SEC was Missouri's choice? Of course not. But realignment in the last decade has shown us it's all about survival and who can get the best deal. 10 years ago nobody thought Utah would be in the Pac-12, Nebraska in the Big Ten, Missouri in the SEC, Louisville in the ACC, TCU in the Big XII, etc. Once Pitt and Syracuse announced they were leaving the Big East to the ACC, it was either the Big XII or a crumbling Big East for West Virginia.Do you really blame them for that?

No, I guess your right. I am a baseball fan though. FYI we're pretty good in that as well!

(04-18-2013 10:03 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 09:49 PM)Dasville Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 04:49 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 04:21 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 03:53 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  The Big XII and SEC are similar in having two blueblood programs in Kansas and Kentucky, the rest of their teams are from very good to mediocre. Both conferences are not as deep in basketball like the old Big East, ACC and even the Big Ten and Mountain West but are capable of winning a NC like Kansas, Kentucky and Florida in the last 10 years.

The ACC in 2014 will have 3 "Blue Blood/Elite" Programs...UNC & Duke joined by the 1 NIT Title, 10 NCAA's Final Fours & 3 NCAA Men's Basketball Titles in Louisville...doesn't hurt that the same Athletic Department also has 2 BCS Bowl wins, 2 NCAA women Basketball Runner-up finishes and a College World Series in the past 6 years...outside of TV what was the Big XII thinking...should have taken both but the Big XII loss is the ACC gain and we are very happy in the ACC

The Big XII made a fine choice in West Virginia because they're the better football brand. The ACC made a fine choice with Louisville because they're a good athletic program from top to bottom. I just sometimes feel some Louisville fans can't get past the "we got rejected by the Big XII" issue which is normal because rejection is hard to assume. But this shouldn't be an issue anymore because after all, the ACC is a better fit and their gain is the Big XII loss, right?

It is an issue and will continue to be an issue every time a WVU poster tries to say how happy they are in the Big12. The fact of the matter is, the Big 12 was WVU's last choice, they never wanted/want to be in the conference. That is why the Big 12 media has no problem putting them in their place now.

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/...ig-12-move

Quote:MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Texas A&M looked likely to leave the Big 12 in late August. Rumors and speculation reigned on the topic of who could replace the Aggies.

At least one report placed Pittsburgh on the supposed "Big 12 short list."

West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck saw it, and thus began the Mountaineers' road to the Big 12.

"If Pitt is on the short list, there’s no reason that West Virginia shouldn’t be on the Big 12 short list," Luck told ESPN.com. "That’s when, to myself, I began to think, because normally, you don’t think Big 12 and Pittsburgh. You don’t think Big 12 and West Virginia.

"I remember saying to myself and saying to my wife, 'If that story was accurate, and Pitt used that as leverage to get in the ACC,' I remember thinking: Well, this is certainly a possibility.”

You would never hear the stuff coming out of us that you hear from WVU about the Big 12, we would have considered ourselves fortunate to be apart of such a great Conference. That's just how we role. We wanted in the Big 12 and we wanted in the ACC. WVU wanted in the SEC and they wanted in the ACC. We lucked out!

But once again, everybody is happy where they're at, right? Trust me, I live right in the middle of Big XII country, surrounded by the Big XII propaganda machine (aka DFW media) and thousands of their obnoxious fans. They have nothing but good things to say about WVU. For the first time, WVU is getting tons of coverage in the Great State of Texas which will translate into Texas recruiting. Louisville just won the NCAA Tournament and we're in that part of the year where the college athletics cycle is slow unless you're a die hard college baseball fan. No football games, no basketball games so what's left to talk about? Oh yeah, what if scenarios like the articles out of Texas and Oklahoma and realignment from the likes of The Dude and Tuxedo Yoda. In other words, nothing.

Do you really believe the SEC was Missouri's choice? Of course not. But realignment in the last decade has shown us it's all about survival and who can get the best deal. 10 years ago nobody thought Utah would be in the Pac-12, Nebraska in the Big Ten, Missouri in the SEC, Louisville in the ACC, TCU in the Big XII, etc. Once Pitt and Syracuse announced they were leaving the Big East to the ACC, it was either the Big XII or a crumbling Big East for West Virginia. Do you really blame them for that?

Well, actually I do blame West Virginia for that. They had been making loud noises for months before Pitt & syracuse even considered leaving. I believe that WVU AD Luck helped to fuel greater feelings of instability than had been there before and thereby helping to push Pitt & Syracuse out the door.

I'm not saying that Pitt & SU wouldn't have left anyway, but that WVU helped to create an increased climate of instability that made their leaving more likely. I think that Luck was trying to create interest from other conferences in WVU and that it backfired on him, thereby leaving the Big XII the only real option they had.

On the positive side, I think that Luck was probably also lobbying for the all-sports schools to assert themselves and to put football first, probably hoping for a split. Unfortunately he was clumsy in the way he went about it.

End of the day, the Big 12 screwed itself royally! Why do you say?

1) the Big 12 owned the name Big 14 and was down to 8 teams at its lowest point.
2) Should have gone to 14 teams with:

BYU
TCU
West Virginia
Pitt
Louisville
Cincinnati

(04-19-2013 06:34 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  End of the day, the Big 12 screwed itself royally! Why do you say?

1) the Big 12 owned the name Big 14 and was down to 8 teams at its lowest point.
2) Should have gone to 14 teams with:

BYU
TCU
West Virginia
Pitt
Louisville
Cincinnati

Replace BYU with Memphis and I would agree with your list completely. Nothing against BYU but Memphis would have tied the entire conference together geographically and would have been a good add for basketball. The poor football product would improve being in a major conference especially with the large amount of talent around the Memphis area.

The misguided quest to bag the Golden Domers makes this missed opportunity all the more tragic.

(04-18-2013 08:34 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 06:37 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  If WVU could get to a Final Four in a much tougher Big East, they could have done the same in the Big XII with that team. This past season was an anomaly for the Mountaineers and Huggins. Wait and see...

Huggins got to start recruiting again...it was a lack of talent in Morgantown this year.

IMO it wasn't a lack of talent. There was plenty of talent available. But they have to play together as a team, and I watched a lot of sandlot play on behalf of several WVU players...

BTW, IMO the perfect size for a conference is 10 teams, so you get round robin play in every sport every year. Once you go beyond 10 factions begin to grow which eventually tear a conference apart. It's happened many times in the past, and will happen again in the future. Bet on it...

A bigger conference doesn't make it better. It just makes it bigger...

(04-19-2013 09:17 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 08:34 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 06:37 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  If WVU could get to a Final Four in a much tougher Big East, they could have done the same in the Big XII with that team. This past season was an anomaly for the Mountaineers and Huggins. Wait and see...

Huggins got to start recruiting again...it was a lack of talent in Morgantown this year.

IMO it wasn't a lack of talent. There was plenty of talent available. But they have to play together as a team, and I watched a lot of sandlot play on behalf of several WVU players...

BTW, IMO the perfect size for a conference is 10 teams, so you get round robin play in every sport every year. Once you go beyond 10 factions begin to grow which eventually tear a conference apart. It's happened many times in the past, and will happen again in the future. Bet on it...

A bigger conference doesn't make it better. It just makes it bigger...

I see the same "sandlot" style of play almost everywhere these days. I think that part of the problem is with high school coaching. Many of the old style disciplinarians simply were too close to retirement about a decade ago and had a belly full of not being able to discipline their kids per school board and administrative decisions. Teaching the game went out the window when the coaches hands were tied. While this hasn't been universal what I see today are extremely young high school coaches who are only about 6 to 8 years older than many of their players and who also played during the time that many of the older coaches had opted to retire. The basketball knowledge exhibited by the average high school team is just about nil. I've seen the same thing on the football field as well.

When I was a kid there were always teams built around one stud on the pine and one or two studs on the field. But those were the exception rather than the rule. Over the years while staying active in watching high school ball I would say the average team now is the one built around one or two studs and the concept of team play has gone by the boards. Further complicating the issue are the obvious lack of fundamental skills exhibited in the play. To me this screams that the kids are not being taught those skills at practices. Defense in hoops is a glaring deficit as is offensive sets. Blocking skills, particularly down field run blocking is one that sticks out in football.

I think our college coaches have their hands full now when these kids arrive fresh from high school fame complete with the fragile egos that go with that former status and having played all their lives without discipline and the ingrained desire to hone fundamental skills. Plus, without the teamwork concept what you wind up with are 5 narcissists or 11 narcissists that think the whole game revolves around them. Well probably not 11 in football since most on the line don't expect the glory but you get my point.

We may need freshman football more now than ever just to have a year to get the skill sets up to speed. I don't think red-shirts get quite the attention as the old freshman teams did. I'm not saying that freshman shouldn't play varsity ball, just that they may need individual opportunities to get up to speed and the old JV team approach was a proven way to get there.

(04-19-2013 09:39 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(04-19-2013 09:17 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 08:34 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(04-18-2013 06:37 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  If WVU could get to a Final Four in a much tougher Big East, they could have done the same in the Big XII with that team. This past season was an anomaly for the Mountaineers and Huggins. Wait and see...

Huggins got to start recruiting again...it was a lack of talent in Morgantown this year.

IMO it wasn't a lack of talent. There was plenty of talent available. But they have to play together as a team, and I watched a lot of sandlot play on behalf of several WVU players...

BTW, IMO the perfect size for a conference is 10 teams, so you get round robin play in every sport every year. Once you go beyond 10 factions begin to grow which eventually tear a conference apart. It's happened many times in the past, and will happen again in the future. Bet on it...

A bigger conference doesn't make it better. It just makes it bigger...

I see the same "sandlot" style of play almost everywhere these days. I think that part of the problem is with high school coaching. Many of the old style disciplinarians simply were too close to retirement about a decade ago and had a belly full of not being able to discipline their kids per school board and administrative decisions. Teaching the game went out the window when the coaches hands were tied. While this hasn't been universal what I see today are extremely young high school coaches who are only about 6 to 8 years older than many of their players and who also played during the time that many of the older coaches had opted to retire. The basketball knowledge exhibited by the average high school team is just about nil. I've seen the same thing on the football field as well.

When I was a kid there were always teams built around one stud on the pine and one or two studs on the field. But those were the exception rather than the rule. Over the years while staying active in watching high school ball I would say the average team now is the one built around one or two studs and the concept of team play has gone by the boards. Further complicating the issue are the obvious lack of fundamental skills exhibited in the play. To me this screams that the kids are not being taught those skills at practices. Defense in hoops is a glaring deficit as is offensive sets. Blocking skills, particularly down field run blocking is one that sticks out in football.

I think our college coaches have their hands full now when these kids arrive fresh from high school fame complete with the fragile egos that go with that former status and having played all their lives without discipline and the ingrained desire to hone fundamental skills. Plus, without the teamwork concept what you wind up with are 5 narcissists or 11 narcissists that think the whole game revolves around them. Well probably not 11 in football since most on the line don't expect the glory but you get my point.

We may need freshman football more now than ever just to have a year to get the skill sets up to speed. I don't think red-shirts get quite the attention as the old freshman teams did. I'm not saying that freshman shouldn't play varsity ball, just that they may need individual opportunities to get up to speed and the old JV team approach was a proven way to get there.

As long as NCAA rules drastically limit the amount of time coaches can actually spend teaching these kids the fundamentals they need to succeed, that will remain the case. The coaches only have so much time they can spend with their kids due to NCAA rules. So only a few kids see any real benefit from that instruction time...

(04-19-2013 07:06 AM)Lurker Above Wrote:  

(04-19-2013 06:34 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  End of the day, the Big 12 screwed itself royally! Why do you say?

1) the Big 12 owned the name Big 14 and was down to 8 teams at its lowest point.
2) Should have gone to 14 teams with:

BYU
TCU
West Virginia
Pitt
Louisville
Cincinnati

Replace BYU with Memphis and I would agree with your list completely. Nothing against BYU but Memphis would have tied the entire conference together geographically and would have been a good add for basketball. The poor football product would improve being in a major conference especially with the large amount of talent around the Memphis area.

The misguided quest to bag the Golden Domers makes this missed opportunity all the more tragic.

I think that the next two invited to the Big 12 could be Cincinnati and Memphis

(04-20-2013 12:38 AM)Theodoresdaddy Wrote:  

(04-19-2013 07:06 AM)Lurker Above Wrote:  

(04-19-2013 06:34 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  End of the day, the Big 12 screwed itself royally! Why do you say?

1) the Big 12 owned the name Big 14 and was down to 8 teams at its lowest point.
2) Should have gone to 14 teams with:

BYU
TCU
West Virginia
Pitt
Louisville
Cincinnati

Replace BYU with Memphis and I would agree with your list completely. Nothing against BYU but Memphis would have tied the entire conference together geographically and would have been a good add for basketball. The poor football product would improve being in a major conference especially with the large amount of talent around the Memphis area.

The misguided quest to bag the Golden Domers makes this missed opportunity all the more tragic.

I think that the next two invited to the Big 12 could be Cincinnati and Memphis

Do Cincy and Memphis add money to our TV contract? I'm not sure they do because they would be getting paid more than they are in the AAC. The Big 12 won't expand unless we can get a Florida St/Clemson type school. No one else adds value to our TV contract.

(04-20-2013 12:44 AM)jml2010 Wrote:  

(04-20-2013 12:38 AM)Theodoresdaddy Wrote:  

(04-19-2013 07:06 AM)Lurker Above Wrote:  

(04-19-2013 06:34 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  End of the day, the Big 12 screwed itself royally! Why do you say?

1) the Big 12 owned the name Big 14 and was down to 8 teams at its lowest point.
2) Should have gone to 14 teams with:

BYU
TCU
West Virginia
Pitt
Louisville
Cincinnati

Replace BYU with Memphis and I would agree with your list completely. Nothing against BYU but Memphis would have tied the entire conference together geographically and would have been a good add for basketball. The poor football product would improve being in a major conference especially with the large amount of talent around the Memphis area.

The misguided quest to bag the Golden Domers makes this missed opportunity all the more tragic.

I think that the next two invited to the Big 12 could be Cincinnati and Memphis

Do Cincy and Memphis add money to our TV contract? I'm not sure they do because they would be getting paid more than they are in the AAC. The Big 12 won't expand unless we can get a Florida St/Clemson type school. No one else adds value to our TV contract.

More games means the conference could go back to the networks doesn't it? That's what the SEC did. The Cincy and Memphis TV markets are bigger than most of the existing Big XII TV markets.

(04-20-2013 12:44 AM)jml2010 Wrote:  

(04-20-2013 12:38 AM)Theodoresdaddy Wrote:  

(04-19-2013 07:06 AM)Lurker Above Wrote:  

(04-19-2013 06:34 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  End of the day, the Big 12 screwed itself royally! Why do you say?

1) the Big 12 owned the name Big 14 and was down to 8 teams at its lowest point.
2) Should have gone to 14 teams with:

BYU
TCU
West Virginia
Pitt
Louisville
Cincinnati

Replace BYU with Memphis and I would agree with your list completely. Nothing against BYU but Memphis would have tied the entire conference together geographically and would have been a good add for basketball. The poor football product would improve being in a major conference especially with the large amount of talent around the Memphis area.

The misguided quest to bag the Golden Domers makes this missed opportunity all the more tragic.

I think that the next two invited to the Big 12 could be Cincinnati and Memphis

Do Cincy and Memphis add money to our TV contract? I'm not sure they do because they would be getting paid more than they are in the AAC. The Big 12 won't expand unless we can get a Florida St/Clemson type school. No one else adds value to our TV contract.

Just looking from the outside you would think that they do.

As a Cincinnati fan I am not holding my breath on the B12. It is clear the schools in the conference find us revolting. Sad to say they are looking at the name on the jersey and history from 20 years ago and not at what we bring today: large market, quality academics, large endowment, strong football and basketball programs, etc.

I have heard the argument we don't bring the tv sets before and shake my head. Last year UC played in the 3rd highest rated Thursday night game on ESPN and the 2nd highest rated Friday night game of the season. We played Duke in the Belk Bowl the ratings were up 22% from the Louisville-NC State game from the year before. Back in 2009 the UC-Pitt game scored a 4.4 rating which was more than the Ohio State-Penn State game from a few weeks before. We have 11M in the state of Ohio and while Ohio State rules the roost, people in this state will support other Ohio programs when they are doing well. Ohio is not like some other larger states that have 3-4 power conference schools- after 2014 they will just have one--- with 11M people.

I have no problem with UC. Cincinnati is a great town, and UC was a good add for The BEast. But I don't think anyone in the B12 really wants to expand. The perfect size for a conference is 10 schools. That allows for round robin play in every sport every season. For WVU that's the perfect solution. We no longer have any rivals, so building new rivals is a priority. Round robin conference play is the best way to establish some new rivals...

If UC does eventually join the B12, they'll be a good add. But I think most B12 schools are looking for bigger name schools, like FSU, Clemson, or someone of that nature. It is what it is...

As for Memphis, before they even get a sniff from the B12, they'll need to prove they value football. That's going to take some extended success, and not just 1 or 2 good seasons. The B12, with the lone exception of Kansas, is not a basketball first conference. Football runs the show...

Bit...if true then you guys better get used to being out on the island. Cincy and Memphis make the most sense to me of the realistic schools left. I think the B12 knows they were outplayed...all they can hope for now is the SEC to make a move on the ACC.

I'm happy on the island, as long as the B12 allows WVU to stay on the road for multiple road games. Just adding schools at random won't help things, and will hurt the bottom line. Until Memphis improves their football program, they make no sense at all. But like I said, I'd have no problem with UC. It's a great city, and they've got a good athletic program. But I don't see Memphis as a solution to anything as long as their football program is in the state it's in. Adding them to build a bridge to WVU isn't helping WVU. It's just reducing our conference pay, and not adding enough reduction in travel payments to make the trade off worthwhile...