What is BE waiting for?

[WestCoastHusky]

What are those guys doing in Providence? The big fat guy got his permission to invite any school he sees fit and why isn't there any invite going out? Is he waiting for the conference to have 2 teams left before he issues invites?

Temple and ECU already said they want in the BE. Why aren't those invites out already? WTF is BE office waiting for?

 

[Hoophound]

I think it is getting to the point that ECU et al may just choose to stay where they are for now. Jumping to the Big East won't do any of them any good if there aren't any teams left here.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

What are those guys doing in Providence? The big fat guy got his permission to invite any school he sees fit and why isn't there any invite going out? Is he waiting for the conference to have 2 teams left before he issues invites?

Temple and ECU already said they want in the BE. Why aren't those invites out already? WTF is BE office waiting for?

Honestly, I think even the Big East officials are wondering if there is going to be a Big East football league left in a couple of months.

If UConn/Rutgers to the ACC and Cincy/WVU/Louisville to the Big 12 were to happen...then the Big East can just get rid of football once and for all. If they invite Temple/ECU/UCF/Memphis now and everyone else leaves, then the Big East is stuck with all of those fringe programs and it just dilutes the Big East basketball league when they could expand with Xavier/Butler/etc instead.

Honestly, I think the Big East is waiting for the Big 12/SEC expansion to finalize before finalizing invites. Even the Big East isn't sure if they will have a football conference by the end of the year. That is the only rational explanation I can think of anyway.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

I think it is getting to the point that ECU et al may just choose to stay where they are for now. Jumping to the Big East won't do any of them any good if there aren't any teams left here.

ECU would absolutely accept an invite now. Best case, they are in a BCS AQ conference. Worst case, they are still in a better football league than now and upgrade all of their other sports as well. The delay isn't from ECU/UCF/etc, it is from the Big East office. ECU will not have to think twice if they are offered.

 

[Fishy]

Ever see one of those National Geographic videos where a pride of lions fights with a water buffalo for like an hour and then at the end of it, the buffalo just sorta sits there quietly while the lions are eating its ass?

That's the Big East.

 

[businesslawyer]

This ought to be obvious to everyone. The basketball schools are willing to take in a ECU and a UCF if UConn and Rutgers and Louisville and WVU are staying. If they are not staying, the basketball schools are not willing to be stuck with ECU and UCF. Nor would we in their shoes.

So everyone is going to have to wait for this to play out a big. Everyone needs to know which of the remaining six football schools is staying for more than the next ten minutes so they know how far they are willing to go to accomodate them.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Honestly, I think even the Big East officials are wondering if there is going to be a Big East football league left in a couple of months.

If UConn/Rutgers to the ACC and Cincy/WVU/Louisville to the Big 12 were to happen...then the Big East can just get rid of football once and for all. If they invite Temple/ECU/UCF/Memphis now and everyone else leaves, then the Big East is stuck with all of those fringe programs and it just dilutes the Big East basketball league when they could expand with Xavier/Butler/etc instead.

Honestly, I think the Big East is waiting for the Big 12/SEC expansion to finalize before finalizing invites. Even the Big East isn't sure if they will have a football conference by the end of the year. That is the only rational explanation I can think of anyway.

That is possibly what is happening. I guess with 3 or 4 current Big East members to build around they would make the attempt but if it gets down to 2 or 1 left I'm sure they would just throw in the towel on football.

 

[Hoophound]

ECU would absolutely accept an invite now. Best case, they are in a BCS AQ conference. Worst case, they are still in a better football league than now and upgrade all of their other sports as well. The delay isn't from ECU/UCF/etc, it is from the Big East office. ECU will not have to think twice if they are offered

I guess I meant to say that the Big East and the potential BE expansion candidates are all sitting around in shock looking at each other but not really saying anything. The Big East won't bother to invite anyone and ECU etc. need to warm up to the idea that there isn't going to be anyplace to go.[/quote]

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

what's the point? at this point, adding those schools would just be putting duct tape on the titanic.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

What I don't understand, is how has The Big East or the commisioner not even put out a press release today? UConn/Herbst has already put out a press release today in regards to the TCU situation. But the conference and commisioner hasn't ? At least re-issue the same press release from a week ago....just do something to show us that you all haven't committed mass suicide in the Big East offices in Providence!

 

[HuskyHawk]

As has been explained, everyone is frozen out. The basketball schools know that all of the FB schools will leave if they can. So adding an all-sports school that the basketball schools would not approve is off the table, unless it guarantees that the FB schools stay. At this point, nothing can guarantee that the FB schools will stay, so it's a waiting game.

Let's be honest for a moment, nobody wants to be in a conference with ECU or UCF. Not the FB schools and certainly not the Olympic only schools. They are an option if all other options fail AND if there are enough FB schools left out of the big 5 conferences to make it worthwhile. At present, we don't know if there will be enough schools left to make it worth the effort.

 

[Fishy]

Honestly, at this point, there is no reason for the Big East to rush anything.

There's the potential that the conference will not exist as a football entity in the near future and anyone they'd invite will still be there whenever they get around to it.

At this point, the absolute best thing for UConn athletics is complete chaos. Let Mizzou go to the SEC, let the B12-ish poach whoever they want and then let's see what shakes out. The status quo is disastrous - dropping a few pegs from where we're at doesn't really matter much. The upside of chaos is higher than the downside. I hope.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

The kind of chaos we need is someone going to 16. I think right now there's an unspoken attitude among the rest of the BCS conferenecs that they don't want to be the first one to 16 unless it's REALLY worth it, as it will likely cause another major tidal wave, and they don't want to be the ones responsible. We need conferences to all start picking from each other. FSU to SEC, SEC going to 16, ND deciding to join a conference, things like that.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The Big East football schools have given up. UConn is filling out is MAC application.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Big East football schools have given up. UConn is filling out is MAC application.

I agree with the first part, not the second. If the 5 conferences all eventually go to 16, UConn will certainly be among the schools invited. Assume the FB BE is dead as of now. Rank all the remaining schools not in the 5 BCS conferences as free agents. At 16 each, there are 2 slots in ACC, 3 in SEC, 4 in Pac, 4 in B1G, and 4 in Big XII. That is 17 slots. I think we're comfortably one of the five most attractive schools on the list. No MAC for UConn, but we might be independent for a bit, which beats the hell out of joining up with Memphis, ECU and CFU.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

I agree with the first part, not the second. If the 5 conferences all eventually go to 16, UConn will certainly be among the schools invited. Assume the FB BE is dead as of now. Rank all the remaining schools not in the 5 BCS conferences as free agents. At 16 each, there are 2 slots in ACC, 3 in SEC, 4 in Pac, 4 in B1G, and 4 in Big XII. That is 17 slots. I think we're comfortably one of the five most attractive schools on the list. No MAC for UConn, but we might be independent for a bit, which beats the hell out of joining up with Memphis, ECU and CFU.

I agree with everything except the indy part. I don't think going indy would be good for UConn regardless of what happens. Our best bet would be to load the Big East up with filler schools and wait until we are able to get out. Then it won't be our concern anymore how the Big East deals with those new additions. If UConn goes indy I doubt we'll have any televised games unless they are against really big name schools.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

I agree with the first part, not the second. If the 5 conferences all eventually go to 16, UConn will certainly be among the schools invited. Assume the FB BE is dead as of now. Rank all the remaining schools not in the 5 BCS conferences as free agents. At 16 each, there are 2 slots in ACC, 3 in SEC, 4 in Pac, 4 in B1G, and 4 in Big XII. That is 17 slots. I think we're comfortably one of the five most attractive schools on the list. No MAC for UConn, but we might be independent for a bit, which beats the hell out of joining up with Memphis, ECU and CFU.

The problem is that because of geography, the SEC, Pac 12, and Big 12 are completely out of the picture. And the B1G is a complete long shot. The ACC makes complete sense from afar, but there is a possibility that there is enough bad blood between UConn and some ACC schools that they will make a point to exclude UConn to make them die a slow death (see BC, Miami, etc). I am not saying it is likely, but it is a fear that is in the back of my head.

There is no question that if you rank all of the schools in the country in terms of 'who should be included', UConn is probably somewhere in the #30-#40 range in terms of athletic performance, revenue, prestige, academics, market size, etc. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean we will abosolutely have a place at the table. If UConn was located anywhere else in the country, we would be in a position of power right now. Unfortunately, we are limited by our geography at this point because of the conference make ups.

 

[CL82]

Honestly, at this point, Rose there is no reason to rush anything.

There's the potential that the ship will not exist as a entity in the near future and the lifeboats that we'd get into might sink as well.

At this point, the absolute best thing for s complete chaos. The upside of chaos is higher than the downside. I hope...

Rose: Get in the damn lifeboat John!

 

[HuskyHawk]

The problem is that because of geography, the SEC, Pac 12, and Big 12 are completely out of the picture. And the B1G is a complete long shot. The ACC makes complete sense from afar, but there is a possibility that there is enough bad blood between UConn and some ACC schools that they will make a point to exclude UConn to make them die a slow death (see BC, Miami, etc). I am not saying it is likely, but it is a fear that is in the back of my head.

There is no question that if you rank all of the schools in the country in terms of 'who should be included', UConn is probably somewhere in the #30-#40 range in terms of athletic performance, revenue, prestige, academics, market size, etc. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean we will abosolutely have a place at the table. If UConn was located anywhere else in the country, we would be in a position of power right now. Unfortunately, we are limited by our geography at this point because of the conference make ups.

I don't disagree that geography hurts us. I said a few days ago that WVU, UL and Cincy were in better positions geographically, as all could fit in the Big XII (possibly) or ACC. UL and WVU could fit in SEC, and Cincy (in theory only) the B1G. We are limited to two, and most think just one by practicality (I disagree however, should the B1G go to 16...in which case I think they would consider UConn and RU).

 

[weyuo]

The problem is that because of geography, the SEC, Pac 12, and Big 12 are completely out of the picture. And the B1G is a complete long shot. The ACC makes complete sense from afar, but there is a possibility that there is enough bad blood between UConn and some ACC schools that they will make a point to exclude UConn to make them die a slow death (see BC, Miami, etc). I am not saying it is likely, but it is a fear that is in the back of my head.

I have a feeling your right. I'll bet there are a lot of ACC women's basketball coaches saying "No Way do I want Geno and his tribe in the ACC". The men's basketball coaches probably feel UConn has the ACC title wrapped up for the next couple years anyways so why go through the beating. BC hates us. Edsall has no reason to want to go up to E. Hartford every other year and get booed. Fla St, Clemson and Va Tech would want ND or WVU over UConn..... or just any good football team over UConn. That's why we're not going to the ACC.

 

[Revrat]

For gods sake they are not going to vote agaisnt UConn out of a grudge. they will vote for what makes the league the strongest and gets the biggest contract. if 16 team armageddon comes the ACC is losing one or two teams they are not going to get stuck needing USF or ECU if thats all thats left. Stuff like BCU voting against us or "academics" or anything else other than money is just crap these people say so they can act like it isnt all about money. If 16 team armageddon comes the ACC will end up being extremely weak comapared to the other conferences and in ten years they will have a contract that reflects that. Swofford and CO are not idiots. Everyone will fall in line

 

[huskeynut]

BC can vote against us if they want but they won't be the deciding factor. Miami, FSU will carry more weight. However Miami has a few more pressing problems than us. The basketball schools will want both Uconn teams. Our baseball and soccer teams are also a plus.

The ACC has two or three potential defections in FSU, Clemson and VT.

The dominos have not finished falling. We have to be patient. All these moves will come out of nowhere without any leaks.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

What are those BE guys in Providence waiting for?

A clue.