Big East OOC thread '25/'26

[nelsonmuntz]

I'm not saying anyone would want a weak Big East because that would weaken OUR negotiations with any conference situation...
That said, I see the ACC losing enough teams to need to backfill but not so many teams that they'd have to merge with the Big East. If they lose 4 or 6 teams, that still leaves a viable football conference with still-strong-enough basketball programs to make a re-done ESPN contract viable and attractive enough to UConn, USF, etc. to join a remade ACC.

If the ACC loses UNC and UVa to the Big 10, Miami, GTech, Clemson and FSU would literally beg their way into the SEC, even at a significantly reduced payout. The Big 12 could scavenge what they want (Louisville and Pitt). Do you really thing whatever was left would be remotely near a major conference for hoops? It would become the MWC overnight.

The ACC Collapse scenario many here love is a fantasy. There are two realistic paths to UConn making a P4:

1) a full blown merger between Big East and ACC.
2) Prestige Universities split off and ACC backfills.

 

[John]

If the ACC loses UNC and UVa to the Big 10, Miami, GTech, Clemson and FSU would literally beg their way into the SEC, even at a significantly reduced payout. The Big 12 could scavenge what they want (Louisville and Pitt). Do you really thing whatever was left would be remotely near a major conference for hoops? It would become the MWC overnight.

The ACC Collapse scenario many here love is a fantasy. There are two realistic paths to UConn making a P4:

1) a full blown merger between Big East and ACC.
2) Prestige Universities split off and ACC backfills.

You want us to be Seton Hall North, we heard you the first dozen times.

 

[How Sway?!]

Thanks Nelson. Glad you and your friends finally understand the nobody, not a single soul, is advocating for return to the American. When we discuss getting out of the New Big East it is always in the context of getting into a P4 conference. So now that you and your little friends understand, can we assume you will drop the argument that people who want to get out of the NEWBE are advocating returning to the American? No? I didn’t think so.

This you?

 

[UCSouth]

View attachment 114607
If you think this is good, I don’t know what to tell you. We should be in a league with better teams. This is not good enough.

You, hopefully, understand that in order for Uconn to get into a Power Conference we need to get an invite. Just by you saying that our current situation isn't good enough will change absolutely nothing. Unless you have the financial resources to cut a large enough check to buy a seat at the table, you're being delusional and wasting keystrokes.

 

[freescooter]

UConn's 2014 National Championship remains the only National Championship by a school outside of the major conferences since UNLV's championship in 1990. Prior to that, there were Louisville (1980 and 1986) and Marquette (1977) were the only other National Championships going back to Texas Western in 1967. That makes 5 schools that did it in almost 60 years, and an argument could be made that the Metro should be considered a major conference, which would take Louisville's titles off the list. Even with the tighter definition, Kevin Ollie did something no other coach has done in 35 years (and counting), and only 3 other coaches, all of whom are in the Hall of Fame, have done in 58 years (and counting).

Something to consider for the Big East bashers who think there is no difference between the A10 or AAC and Big East.

Huh? So UConn won the title from the American, something that is very hard to do. And that proves the New Big East is better than the A-10 or the American? I think it more likely shows that UConn is a major program that competes nationally regardless of where you put them.

And I think there have been 5 non-FBS football schools to win National Championships in basketball history since 1975. Villanova did it 3 times. Marquette and Georgetown 1 time each and UConn did it but was transitioning to FBS football at the time. So we’ll give you that for 6. Marquette, Georgetown and Villanova #1 happened over 40 years ago so I think we can put them in the category of ancient history now. Basically it says that large schools with major athletic programs are more likely to have major basketball programs, too. In fact, except for a sport like baseball where weather is a major drawback to northern competitors, or niche sports like lacrosse, it is really difficult for small to midsize urban programs to have the resources to be competitive at the highest level. And that problem will be getting worse as time goes on. One other thing to note, since the demise of the original Big East, UConn has won 3 championships, Villanova 2 . Those are also the only NBE teams to make it to the Final Four. Between 1999 and the break up of the Big East, there were six different Big East teams in the Final Four. A couple of times there were multiple teams. That speaks to quality and depth of the old league. With Villanova in rebuild mode for who knows how long and nobody else having shown what it takes and even the pretenders Creighton and Marquette struggling, where is the quality depth in this league? Yeah, it’s better than the A10 and the American. Big Whoop.

 

[rashadray11]

You, hopefully, understand that in order for Uconn to get into a Power Conference we need to get an invite. Just by you saying that our current situation isn't good enough will change absolutely nothing. Unless you have the financial resources to cut a large enough check to buy a seat at the table, you're being delusional and wasting keystrokes.

You, hopefully, can read that’s not what I suggested.

 

[UCSouth]

You want us to be Seton Hall North, we heard you the first dozen times.

Don’t respond and you won't have to read his incessant opinions.

 

[RuffRuff]

For anyone thinking Xavier is even halfway decent, they're getting beat 71-36 at home to Creighton. Let's please scratch any notion they are even decent - they're abysmal.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

What I knew: McDermott is a vastly superior coach in comparison to little Ricky.

What I suspected and now fully believe: Creighton is a bit more dangerous than most thought prior to thevstary of conference play.

 

[BFieldHusky]

For anyone thinking Xavier is even halfway decent, they're getting beat 71-36 at home to Creighton. Let's please scratch any notion they are even decent - they're abysmal.

Creighton just jumped 21 spots in KP. They dug themselves too big a hole in the non conference, but they may win a lot of games in this league.

 

[RuffRuff]

Creighton just jumped 21 spots in KP. They dug themselves too big a hole in the non conference, but they may win a lot of games in this league.

In this BE, they may still be top 3.

 

[youseethat]

In this BE, they may still be top 3.

I went to the game. Score says it all. X looked lost from the tip. Creighton hit shots, yes (60% overall; 48% from 3), as a direct result of doing whatever they wanted and putting the right guys in the right spots. Creighton is OK, and agreed with top 3rd in BE (which isn't saying much this year); X is terrible.

Let’s not forget - (New) Big East saved UConn from literal purgatory - we can support the league for a time - it will not stay down like this year - doesn’t mean P4 is not the long game, but keep the faith.

Go, Huskies!

 

[RuffRuff]

I went to the game. Score says it all. X looked lost from the tip. Creighton hit shots, yes (60% overall; 48% from 3), as a direct result of doing whatever they wanted and putting the right guys in the right spots. Creighton is OK, and agreed with top 3rd in BE (which isn't saying much this year); X is terrible.

Let’s not forget - (New) Big East saved UConn from literal purgatory - we can support the league for a time - it will not stay down like this year - doesn’t mean P4 is not the long game, but keep the faith.

Go, Huskies!

Good stuff. Thanks.

The future of the BE is hard to determine, as a couple of our best coaches are close to retirement, and recruiting trends don't point to the BE being a destination league for top recruits.

 

[FightOnCT]

Creighton just jumped 21 spots in KP. They dug themselves too big a hole in the non conference, but they may win a lot of games in this league.

Like I said before with Butler and PC, stuff like this invites a 3-bid discussion

 

[superjohn]

For anyone thinking Xavier is even halfway decent, they're getting beat 71-36 at home to Creighton. Let's please scratch any notion they are even decent - they're abysmal.

Holy cr@p. How much do West Virginia and Cincinnati suck?

 

[RuffRuff]

Holy cr@p. How much do West Virginia and Cincinnati suck?

Both in the 70s in KP, so they're not great.

 

[UCFan1513]

Creighton just jumped 21 spots in KP. They dug themselves too big a hole in the non conference, but they may win a lot of games in this league.

Ugh… my favorite type of Big East team every year - the one that does the conference zero favors out of conference then cuts down its conference mates

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Good stuff. Thanks.

The future of the BE is hard to determine, as a couple of our best coaches are close to retirement, and recruiting trends don't point to the BE being a destination league for top recruits.

What recruiting trends? Cash is the first, second and third criteria.

 

[RuffRuff]

What recruiting trends? Cash is the first, second and third criteria.

Let's see, the fact that other than us the BE gets few to zero top 50 recruits. Look around college hoops at this glorified freshmen class - how many do you see in the BE? Outside of Mullins, it's zero.

The ACC has them across Duke, UNC & Ville, Miami, the Big12 has them across Kansas, AZ, BYU, Houston. The SEC has them in Arkansas. Not a lot of juice in the old BE. Next year's class isn't much different.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Let's see, the fact that other than us the BE gets few to zero top 50 recruits. Look around college hoops at this glorified freshmen class - how many do you see in the BE? Outside of Mullins, it's zero.

The ACC has them across Duke, UNC & Ville, Miami, the Big12 has them across Kansas, AZ, BYU, Houston. The SEC has them in Arkansas. Not a lot of juice in the old BE. Next year's class isn't much different.

There are a lot of reasons why many coaches don't even look at freshmen anymore. Heck, this board shreds Shaka Smart on a daily basis for trying to build his roster in a traditional manner.

 

[superjohn]

Let's see, the fact that other than us the BE gets few to zero top 50 recruits. Look around college hoops at this glorified freshmen class - how many do you see in the BE? Outside of Mullins, it's zero.

The ACC has them across Duke, UNC & Ville, Miami, the Big12 has them across Kansas, AZ, BYU, Houston. The SEC has them in Arkansas. Not a lot of juice in the old BE. Next year's class isn't much different.

You've been saying over and over for months now that the freshman class next season is going to suck. If that's the case shouldn't schools be putting their money towards the portal for next season?