ESPN article on B1G/ACC, MD, RU and UCONN....

[WhereistheDove?]

The criteria for membership in the AAU are pretty well known. There are great schools that are not in the AAU, some of them top ranked. But those great schools don't have the research numbers that the included members do. The criteria are pretty straightforward.

I understand what the criteria are. But you're arguing a point that neither myself nor the other poster have denied. No one is disagreeing with what you're saying, we're just pointing out that AAU membership does not necessarily make a school better academically, something which you also seem to agree with.

 

[huskyjawz]

No, not really.

AAU = joke (i.e. lobbying org with absolutely no academic operations)
SUNY = not a joke.

It's hard to see where your confusion lies.

I see where your confusion lies, you didn't realize that I was making a joke.

 

[huskyjawz]

Yea, Stinger, you got it!

 

[Adios]

Copying and pasting.

Here's stuff I posted a while ago that I had to dig up. It goes to show we've been on the B1G's radar for a while (over 2 years).

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/33548/tranghese-big-ten-could-be-big-winner

"Tranghese also discussed whether the Big Ten would pursue Rutgers and Connecticut.

'I don't think so. ... Before the Big Ten took Nebraska, knowing Jim Delany as well as I do ... Jim did a lot of work. He did a lot of analysis, and I believe that Rutgers was looked at, and Pittsburgh was looked at, and Syracuse was looked at, and Connecticut was looked at. And a lot of schools were looked at. And I think the Big Ten came to the conclusion that the addition of any one of those schools wasn't going to deliver them the New York market. ... So that's why I think that ultimately led them to Nebraska. Now they sit there and they ask themselves the same question: Can they get the New York market with Rutgers or Connecticut? You can do it with Notre Dame.'"

(Adding UConn and Rutgers [and UMD and UVA] can force ND to go to the B1G if these conferences ever go to 18.)

http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/index.ssf/2010/01/if_the_big_ten_does_expand_it.html

"CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Big Ten, with 11 members, is seriously considering expanding, either to 12 or to an even Bigger 14.

Expansion by one member is a plan driven by television markets. It should focus on Connecticut, and I have reason to believe that is exactly what is happening at Big Ten headquarters in Chicago."

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/21083956

"Rating the Big Ten expansion candidates", written by Chris Dodd. We're #2 behind Notre Dame.

As far as our football program goes, we do have a top 50 football program when it comes to viewership. I can dig out some Texas grad's numbers if desired.