ESPN: next round (uconn)

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7633311/next-round-realignment-renew-rivalries

Trade that idea of Rutgers to the Big-10 with UConn & I'm all in. Hockey gets an upgrade & plays Big10 Hockey in the XL. Other sports mesh instantly. Forget about the ACC.

cap, as my grandmother used to say, From your lips to God's ear...thoug I'd take the ACC if necessary

this guy thinks the BigTen would take RU or UConn to prevent PennState from being surrounded by the ACC? i hate to say it, but that's an idiotic notion. it's not like this is war, and the BigTen needs supply lines to PSU. they'll take UConn or RU if it'll increase their bottom line and for no other reason. now if they decide adding one or both will increase TV revenues, that's a different matter

the b10 should take nd/md/uva/unc/ruty and uconn

thats the dream

Apparently, you've never read about "Swofford's March"...

Playing at the XL is a non-starter. Not for the long-term anyhow.

if fsu and clemson among others pull the trigger on the b12 then uconn is set. gotta pray for that. i still hold out hope that the end game is 4 18 team confs with a playoff for bcs, but thats another story. if the b12 can go get some acc schools like a grab of clem/fsu/gt and lville then uconn is gold. the acc would have to add us, but at that point we sit and wait for the big10 to make its moves. if we get left out of the b10 then we settle for the acc. would that acc be the worst fball conf of the big timers? yea it would, but it would put us with schools we orginally digned up for fball wise plus the smokers road cartel.

fsu/clem hold our future right now, not so much nd.

I'm not quite as confident in that scenario as you are. I think the problem here is basically - why would the ACC need to go back to 14 teams if they lose CU/FSU? If the reason is to maintain their ESPN contract, then I'd believe it. Otherwise, what's the special attraction to 14? Why not continue with 12 and see what happens? I think the ACC pulled the trigger at 14 because of a few things: 1 - BE was about to cash in, and they did not want that to happen. 2 - They knew that this move would destabilize the BE and formally position them ahead of our conference. 3 - They were promised more money if they did it. But bottom line, is there really incentive for the ACC to add UConn etc to get back to 14? I'm almost more hopeful that ND decides to join and brings us with them - the ACC would go to 16 in a heartbeat for ND/anyone.

I will make one point that I've made before, and it is pure speculation. ESPN took money from the State of Connecticut and then embarassed the administration by being pointed at by DeFillippo as having screwed UConn. Both the Governor and the AG have been too quiet about it. It may be there is an understanding already in place that, within a short period of time, ESPN is working to fix UConn's problem.

Not saying it happened, but it makes more sense to me than our government just lying down and doing nothing.

Now, there is some speculation I can get behind.

Anybody who imagines GT to the B1G is clearly insane. Had the Big 12 imploded, KU and Mizzou would have been realistic (with K-State the only limiting factor for KU).

I think a playoff produces the opposite result and conferences shrink back to 8 or 10.

I wish, but ESPN is more active trying to find Jimmy Hoffa then finding us a home.

Pretty much what I was thinking as I read the article. ESPN is laying the groundwork for a soft landing for UConn.

They have been pushing it a lot recently. Please let this be the case...

I know many people would prefer the B10. I get it. If they wanted UConn for some reason, you better be damn well sure I would be excited.

I'd still like the ACC best. Rutgers getting the call would make my point better, but ND wouldn't be a problem. They could be in a division with: BC, Pitt, Syracuse, Rutgers, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Maryland. Or, the old BE. Regional rivals still matter--or at least they should.

Plus, basketball would be much better.

This. Exactly, this.

Anyone in the right mind would choose to develop rivalries in the B1G over Big East rivalries in the ACC. We can go with Rutgers into the B1G.

The way I see it, there are two optimal scenarios for UConn. One is that ND and UConn go to the ACC. This would stabilize the ACC membership across the board - the chances of the SEC poaching a school after that decrease greatly. I am assuming that the addition of ND will result in a significant increase in the TV contract. Two is that we join the B1G with at least 2 other northeastern schools - or Notre Dame and one other school (assuming that the B1G moves to 16, not 14). B1G TV money will be a nice cash infusion for us and we're instantly in an uber-stable conference.

If we go to the ACC with RU instead of ND, there is a greater chance that the ACC loses football schools to the SEC, B1G or even B12 down the road. That would position the ACC as the lowest rung in the BCS totem pole. If we go to the B1G without a few northeast schools in tow, we end up being an outcast with a fanbase that is 900 miles from the epicenter of the conference.

Penn State's been in the B10 for 20 years and they have no rivals.

I'm a basketball first fan. Games against Syracuse matter. Games against Michigan State or Wisconsin don't.

Don't take it to mean I wouldn't be thrilled to get out of this mess, but B10 isn't happening, and basketball is better in ACC.