Boise Says 'i Do'...

[progrocks]

just for the sake of cahuskey I would love Nevada to be a part of it

 

[UCHuskies08]

+1 props for one John Marinatto

That leaves him at roughly -894

 

[WestCoastHusky]

Greg Swaim has plan for 14. Here is his plan:

http://gregswaim.com/2011/11/the-proactive-approach-to-big-east-expansion/

 

[ctchamps]

+ 1

+2

 

[HuskyHawk]

Greg Swaim has plan for 14. Here is his plan:

http://gregswaim.com/2011/11/the-proactive-approach-to-big-east-expansion/

Agree that Tulsa is better than Memphis. But no more all sports teams should be considered unless we go all sports for the western division and split off from BB schools.

 

[Danzz]

This is good news. The Big East took lemons and made something as close to lemonaid as they could:

1. They did not lose the markets and basketball ability of the Catholics by rushing off separately;

2. They did not go after new schools based at all upon basketball (see, e.g., Temple, Memphis and UMass) but rebuilt the football conference the best they could and let the basketball conference fall where it may, knowing that the Big East in basketball would still be a "major" conference; and

3. They did this paying attention to both markets (UCF, SMU and Houston) and national prestige (Navy and AFA), instead of geography (ECU, Marshall, UMass and Temple).

This is not the leagie I would prefer to be in at hte moment, but for an entity that was dead in the water it's a great recovery in five weeks. If they get a good contract, I could see adding western basketball onlies (Gonzaga? Witchita State?) and all sports (San Diego State?) and one day having two relatively separate eastern and western leagues that only came together for playoffs.

Excellent points. The BE executives who did the best they could do with the hand they were dealt and they deserve a lot of credit from their critics. I still think Uconn will be going to the ACC with either ND or Rutgers but we'll see. Good move not taking Temple, ECU (could never figure that one out), or the others you mentioned. Just got power back and have been in the dark (literally) but this is good news.

 

[BarkingDog]

My opinion of Boise's blue field just shifted.

 

[ctchamps]

In addition to BYU, I think the BE should approach Kansas and KS. Give the B12 a taste of their own medicine. Tell those schools Texas has one foot out the door and they will be scrambling with WV in a few years for a home. Tell them if they join the BE the conference will be more favorable to their football programs and, with their addition, make the BE the number one basket ball conference.

 

[John Greene]

That ACC invite better come soon. We all believe that at worst this is a temporary necessity but I really fear that the longer we are in this mess of community colleges, commuter schools and small religious schools the harder it will be to hold UConn's value. Given her lofty non athletic goals I'm sure Herbst would not find many of them to be the type of school that Uconn should aspire to become. I believe the type of public schools most of us would like to see UConn mentioned with are UVA, UNC, even GTech. At this point UConn and dare I say it RU, stick out like sore thumbs. The only school that I can think of that has been able to pull off a complete mismatch with other conference menbers over an extended period of time is Vandy. They have done so by accepting a paycheck along with their place at the bottom of the conference in football, making an occasional mid conference run in BB, and fielding fairly competitive teams in a few sports. Northwestern, Stanford, USC may be private schools in public school conferences but at least have academic peers in the conference.

 

[Revrat]

Football wise im excited by the new league. Maybe it will mean less Buffalo and Mid Western Tennesee State South. This new league is better in football. Maybe not name recognition but football wise it's better. We are not going to be traveling out west for every away game. there will be two divisions I don't care what the western division is or where they are located. It's a good football league.

 

[noeynox]

I like the 14 team idea except in the east id go with east Carolina and the west would be Nevada.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Reno would be cool. Huskies will travel to Nevada. Getting in and out is easy

Two Huskies already have season tix!

 

[metsfan2323]

I love the idea of going to 14 and I want 13 and 14 to be western, football only schools. I also think re-branding the football conference with a new name might be in order. The "Big East" brand for football is forever tarnished and mocked, a new name that brands us as a national football conference should be considered.

 

[ctchamps]

People can play in beer leagues and still be members of important organizations. Certainly there is value with name dropping because many of us don't examine things in detail and over value name dropping. But what has academics have to do with athletics outside of superficially making people think more of something than it really is.

If UConn ends up staying in the NBE, how does this reduce UConn's reputation if UConn continues to rise in the rankings of public universities, continues to draw in research dollars, improves it endowments and develops collaborative relationships with esteemed universities not in the athletic conference.

The B!G have two arrangements, one academic and one athletic, that happen to include the same members outside of Nebraska. But that isn't the only model that can work.

I'm not sure how a university with a good football team but not a great academic reputation would cause UConn to suffer other than in the minds of people. It argues that the only reason UConn has advanced academically over the last three decades is because UConn was associated with schools like Syracuse and Rutgers. That is bs and quite condescending to all the efforts of all the individuals who have worked to the goal of developing a great institution.

I prefer to believe UConn is making a great business arrangement with these "football partners" in that UConn is protecting it's football investment. And I believe UConn will not be prevented by this arrangement in seeking the collaboration with equivalent universities on the academic side if it wants to.

I don't know if the ACC is in UConn's cards. But treating this NBE arrangement with disgust is not only arrogant, but it is inaccurate and detrimental to making the best of a situation

 

[FluxTZ]

I love the idea of going to 14 and I want 13 and 14 to be western, football only schools. I also think re-branding the football conference with a new name might be in order. The "Big East" brand for football is forever tarnished and mocked, a new name that brands us as a national football conference should be considered.

What are everyone's suggestions?

The new UFL? We're practically set up like a mini NFL under this new membership. Perhaps the United Football Conference - Dana White would have a fit if we tried calling ourselves the UFC. Not happening.

Big America Conference?

 

[ctchamps]

The Big Bang Conference!

 

[WestCoastHusky]

I believe UCONN can thrive in this new BE. All the schools are up and coming programs for football and UCONN is one of them. If we recruit well and win some big games, we can be a national player provided BE keeps its BCS bid. All indication that BE will keep its BCS bid.

I advocated for a western division years ago and I am glad BE is finally implementing it. This will give the league way more flexibility to expand if we lose more teams etc. in the future.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Is Navy or UCF out? Kustra talked about a 6 team western division that did not include Louisville and Cincinnati. The only way that is possible is if the East is also 6. UConn, Rutgers, USF, Louisville and Cincinnati make 5. UCF has all but said they have an invite, so it is probably not them.

I think Navy is making the right move by staying independent, but it is an interesting development.

 

[businesslawyer]

I don't know if the ACC is in UConn's cards. But treating this NBE arrangement with disgust is not only arrogant, but it is inaccurate and detrimental to making the best of a situation

Posters here arrogant? Seriously?

 

[whaler11]

I understand that this is a pretty decent development after how bleak things looked a few weeks ago.

Still, I don't feel disgust towards this new league. It's more like a special level of apathy. College sports are about history and rivalry - and it's hard to get too excited about a league that can't possibly last for the medium term, nevermind the long haul.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I understand that this is a pretty decent development after how bleak things looked a few weeks ago.

Still, I don't feel disgust towards this new league. It's more like a special level of apathy. College sports are about history and rivalry - and it's hard to get too excited about a league that can't possibly last for the medium term, nevermind the long haul.

Agreed. I'm relieved because it seems as though we'll have a place to play in an AQ conference, however where is the juice going to come from?

Outside of Rutgers there is no real rivalry with any of these teams. So while it won't be the worst thing in the world, that 'special' feel to college football just won't be there for me, at least initially.

 

[UCHuskies08]

My excitement will come from the fact that my favorite team is lined up across from another quality team in an AQ conference.

 

[metsfan2323]

Is Navy or UCF out? Kustra talked about a 6 team western division that did not include Louisville and Cincinnati. The only way that is possible is if the East is also 6. UConn, Rutgers, USF, Louisville and Cincinnati make 5. UCF has all but said they have an invite, so it is probably not them.

I think Navy is making the right move by staying independent, but it is an interesting development.

Unless it means we are going to 14. That is my hope, go to 14 in advance of the next raid.

 

[Fishy]

I prefer to believe UConn is making a great business arrangement with these "football partners" in that UConn is protecting it's football investment. And I believe UConn will not be prevented by this arrangement in seeking the collaboration with equivalent universities on the academic side if it wants to.

I don't know if the ACC is in UConn's cards. But treating this NBE arrangement with disgust is not only arrogant, but it is inaccurate and detrimental to making the best of a situation

It is making the best of a bad situation, but the best of a bad situation is still a bad situation.

 

[ctchamps]

It is making the best of a bad situation, but the best of a bad situation is still a bad situation.

Not certain of this entirely. But there are worse alternatives than this attempt.