I mean how many people consider/ed MU, PC, Creighton, Xavier, Butler, Depaul, and Seton Hall Big East rivals?
Of course UConn has way more in common with the ACC than they do with the Big 12 but the ACC has made it extremely clear for close to 20 years they want nothing to do with UConn. The Big 12 may want to have something to do with UConn, the Big East certainly wants have something to do with UConn.
Agree. Which raises the interesting question, if we were offered both a seat in the big 12 and the ACC, which would you want the school to take? I think the big 12 is the (far) more stable conference and seems to be better positioned to survive in the long run, but, being perfectly honest, I'd rather play ACC teams. We have a history with a lot of them.
Half of the Big East teams we play were with us since the beginning and we have history with all of them at this point but I don't consider them all rivals. One of the additions we beat in the national title game.
I could be convinced of this, but I worry about conference stability. UNC and Virginia are likely big 10 targets. The SEC would likely pick up at least two schools as well. FSU and Clemson would seem to be a good fit except that it doesn't expand the market for them.
Same feelings as you have. Big 12 feels stable as the third major conference in all sports for a host of reasons. I prefer playing the ACC teams because it's a better fit history wise, culturally, and geographically but the conference is being held together by duct tape and the GOR. The first time a bunch of their schools can leave they're leaving for the SEC and Big 10 and I don't see how they backfill.
Among former BE conference programs, ACC has BC, Cuse, Pitt, VT, Louisville, Notre Dame and Miami.
I think the instability is exaggerated. None of them are going anywhere until 2036. The Big XII GOR ends before that, I have little doubt that WVU may be asked to join the ACC, possibly Cinci as well. They'd jump. SEC is an ESPN league. ACC is an ESPN league. ESPN isn't paying to move Clemson and FSU to the SEC. The B1G might raid for UNC/UVA/GT, but that's 12 years from now so it's hard to predict that. The entire landscape may have changed by then.
If the ACC was smart, they'd go for WVU, UConn, Kansas, and Cincy if the Clemson/FSU/UNC/UVA crew leaves. But then again, this is the same conference that listened to the skid mark on the underpants of society - Boston College - when they blocked UConn from joining in 2013.
I don't see anyone jumping from the Big 12 to the ACC. I also don't see anyone who's in the Big 12 who would be desirable to the SEC or the Big Ten. It's a little ironic, but the big 12s lack of desirability to other conferences is a strength. The same can't be said about the ACC which will almost certainly lose at least four major members in 12 years.
Originals who are still in the Big East- UConn, Seton Hall, Georgetown, St. John's, Providence, Villanova. Nova joined 1 year later, close enough so they get included.
Bingo
I think WVU would jump in an instant if given a chance to play Pitt and VT. The Big XII made more last year, but barely, and their contract is flat per year. The ACC contract escalates each year of the deal. In short order it should be more money. On renegotiation, I don't think you'll see the Big 12 higher than the ACC by much, if at all. To me that date is an opportunity for WVU and Cinci to bolt and ACC to renegotiate based on expansion.
Providence is a rival to me. People circle the game on the calendar. Easy enough for fans of both schools to travel to each other. They've beaten us plenty of times in the last 15 years than i care to remember . Creighton/Xavier/MU could turn into rivals as well, if we can bother beating them.
In all candor, you and six or seven other guys (all boneyarders) view PC as a rival. To the rest of us they're just a conference opponent of limited gravitas who happens to be close geographically. Not really any different than St John's or Seton Hall are or what UMass and URI were many decades ago.
We did play them a handful of times the first few years we weren't in the same conference but obviously (rivalries are a two way street) there wasn't sufficient belief on at least one of the two sides that a series was worth continuing.
I don't know that we have "a rival" per se. But there are definitely teams that I particularly enjoy beating. Syracuse is one of them. BCU I would just like to see fall into a sinkhole.
I think it's different for all of us. Living close to PC and going to most of the old BE games at the Dunk PC and Nova are the only current BE teams I feel that way about. Seton Hall had about 3 good years with PJ and St. Johns hasn't been relevant since Mullin/Berry were there with Lou. Don't really care about either.
Syracuse is not worthy-no need to strengthen their RPI
Providence is definitely a rival. If you don’t think so you also think UConn is getting into the Big 12.
Using your definition, why isn't UMass a rival? BC?
