Because people were enamored with his knowledge and credentials. Eventually more and more recognized the attitude shortcomings. (close-minded, arrogant, stand offish)
I don't have many rules about posting. But in specific situations I'll jump in. I'm very wary of mob mentality where emotions are gaining development in the masses that are not being tempered by reason. Thus if someone is flaming in a thread and is being taken to task I'm not in the least bit concerned unless the group is getting out the rope to hang the individual (emotionally I mean). Then I feel the need to speak up.
The other is teaching moments where I suspect there is a lot of confusion or misunderstanding of things about who we are and why we do the things we do.
I'm a BIG fan, you all know that, though certain schools come first and foremost & I'm very willing to root against conference foes when they play teams from other conferences.
As for your thoughts on FranktheTank - man that board is loaded with certain groups of truly arrogant, self-serving, completely clueless types who pose as intellectuals.
As a BIG fan, it's truly too easy to play devil's advocate to the BIG claims & I can imagine non-BIG fans know the following -
3 stunningly true facts:
1.) Football championships over the past 40 years (ACTUAL MEMBERSHIP MIND YOU)
2.) Second place finishes and actual NC's in basketball the past 20 years
3.) How often blue chips basketball or football recruits leave the conference footprint
And as some of you may know, Illinois, Frank's alma mater is the biggest underachiever in the BIG (football and basketball), and it isn't even close. Chicago Land, alone, = awesome hs basketball. How many NC's does Illinois have? Big, fat ZERO. In football, they are constantly getting out-recruited by neighbors w/their in-state talent. Illinois is the most populated state in the BIG.
On the other hand, there is a tone of constructive discussion, often enough, on that board. And once expansion talk is abandoned for other sports discussions, some of the best threads manifest.
But in terms of expansion, never be fooled by certain loyalists over there. They speak of expansion candidates as if they will come to the BIG with open arms & they so often put their narrow-minded, profit driven rhetoric behind such claims, almost always laced with academic prestige bs. The utter stupidity of some on there to constantly stick with UVa, UNC, GT, among others, as potential & sometimes likely candidates clearly demonstrates the provincial minded reasoning they cling to - never mind how the actual schools, their administration, alum and t-shirt fans feel. This folks didn't bother to observe how upset the vast majority of Md fans were about the BIG move & frankly they don't care. They predominantly see the dollar signs.
But, one thing I've learned about this expansion mania, surprises happen. So I don't need to eat crow if say UNC, GT, or Va do jump for the BIG. However, I'd be shocked.
