ESPN gets in on B10 expansion talk

[ScottBonz]

Here is some discussion of The Deacon Report being false:
http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=603763&page=6

Only one thread for Conference Realignment? Amateur hour in the Queen City.

 

[Dann]

"We don't want to get outflanked," Hollis said.


Outflanked:
1. : to get around the flank of (an opposing force)
2. : get around, circumvent
Examples of OUTFLANK

The army outflanked the enemy.
trying to outflank the competition

The Big 10's flanks are secure everywhere except the northeast. There are no conference enemies in position to encroach on its territory/footprint.

Only with the addition of Rutgers and MD has the big 10 put itself in the position of being between hostile conferences. The north flank of the MD/Rutgers/Penn state line finds uconn, pitt, bc and syracuse.

Below that flank, it's enemy territory as far as the eye can see. No teams can outflank the big 10 from north to south.



The only flank which is in jeopardy is above RU/md/psu.

of the 4 choices, bc and syracuse cannot command a footprint state.

pitt is covered by psu.

that leaves uconn.
would the big 10 just add uconn and see what happens when the sec picks clean the acc? uconn/psu/
md/ru render bc, syracuse and pitt worthless to the much more southern acc.

hollis is a member of the uss connecticut it seems

 

[Adios]

TheDeaconReport Dec 3, 4:15pm via web
At least 1 B1G Athletic Director has been privately campaigning for UConn. Trying to figure out Hollis' angle here and no luck yet.

... and reported by a Wake Forest focused Twitter account.

Ten championships in basketball. You are jealous if you don't see any "angle".

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I don't know if UConn makes the cut for 16. More likely for 18.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I will say, if McMurphy is reporting that they are looking to expand, it usually means invitations are already out.

 

[uconnbaseball]

If McMurphy says the Big 10 may be interested in expanding, and the B1G does not want to "get outflanked," that is a very good sign. And I am naturally pessimistic.

 

[UConnDan97]

If McMurphy says the Big 10 may be interested in expanding, and the B1G does not want to "get outflanked," that is a very good sign. And I am naturally pessimistic.

I agree. The way I see it is that means a one-in-three chance, right? I'll take it...

 

[uconnbaseball]

50/50 chance. Either we get in, or we don't.

(I have lost a lot of money on lottery tickets with this logic, but maybe conference realignment is different)

 

[UConnDan97]

50/50 chance. Either we get in, or we don't.

(I have lost a lot of money on lottery tickets with this logic, but maybe conference realignment is different)

Well said! I've been known to make the occasional wager myself. I feel better at 50/50. I'll feel a $#itload better if nobody tells the Cuse or BC that they also have 50/50 chances...

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I will say, if McMurphy is reporting that they are looking to expand, it usually means invitations are already out.

I wouldn't go as far to say that invites are out, but it's a clear sign that they're actively looking for new members.

 

[uconNYC]

That North pod is really tough. They'd probably swap the Michigan and Indiana teams.

Yes - but the Ohio State - Michigan rivalry is untouchable. I also don't think those schools would be too upset. Michigan expects to play OSU and MSU annually and vice-versa. The only schools that would be aggrieved would be the East schools because PSU is not in their pod, but there is no way around that if both UVA and UConn were to get in.

 

[uconNYC]

Maybe I have UConn colored glasses on, but football season is only 4 months and I think B1G Network wants inventory for the non-football months as well. That is where UConn would be a great fit with its basketball programs. Also B1G would find an extra Ice Hockey school attractive - something many of the prospective schools do not have.

 

[coachcap]

B1G would be perfect with a 16 team Pod system. Play every team in your pod and 2 teams each from the other three pods for a total of 9 games. Essentially everyone would play each other at least once every two years. For basketball play every team once and every team in your pod twice for a total of 18 games. If UConn and UVA are added the pods and rivalry games workout perfectly.

MidWest
Nebraska
Iowa
Wisconsin
Minnesota

Central
Illinois
Northwestern
Purdue
Indiana

North
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn State

East
Virginia
Maryland
Rutgers
UConn

We know that team strength is cyclical, & the rivalry preservation makes sense,BUT there's no way that this pod alignment could come to fruition. The teams in the "North" would scream bloody murder. They would have to bash their brains against each other annually. The other divisions, by comparison, have some "weak sister" teams & allow easier access to a Conference Championship Game.
This alignment reminds me of the premerger NFL of the 60's. Four divisions of 4 teams each. Anyone remember the squabbles in the Eastern Conference? Everyone wanted to play the Giants in New York for media exposure. The solution was to flip the Giants from the Century division to the other division annually so that the East teams would play in New York at least every other year. If memory serves, the team that they flipped with was the Cleveland Browns.

 

[HuskyHawk]

That North pod is really tough. They'd probably swap the Michigan and Indiana teams.

The East is also too easy as well...very weak.

 

[husky210]

"We don't want to get outflanked," Hollis said.


Outflanked:
1. : to get around the flank of (an opposing force)
2. : get around, circumvent
Examples of OUTFLANK

The army outflanked the enemy.
trying to outflank the competition

The Big 10's flanks are secure everywhere except the northeast. There are no conference enemies in position to encroach on its territory/footprint.

Only with the addition of Rutgers and MD has the big 10 put itself in the position of being between hostile conferences. The north flank of the MD/Rutgers/Penn state line finds uconn, pitt, bc and syracuse.

Below that flank, it's enemy territory as far as the eye can see. No teams can outflank the big 10 from north to south.



The only flank which is in jeopardy is above RU/md/psu.

of the 4 choices, bc and syracuse cannot command a footprint state.

pitt is covered by psu.

that leaves uconn.
would the big 10 just add uconn and see what happens when the sec picks clean the acc? uconn/psu/
md/ru render bc, syracuse and pitt worthless to the much more southern acc.

If this is indeed the strategy. Then why the hell would GT be a plausible candidate? Why would you take a "Wake Island" member if you don't want to get outflanked when you can have a mainland member. This is why I think the GT talk is just to smoke out who they really want or just a fabricated rumor based on maket size and AAU membership. I seriously doubt GT ends up in the B1G.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yes - but the Ohio State - Michigan rivalry is untouchable. I also don't think those schools would be too upset. Michigan expects to play OSU and MSU annually and vice-versa. The only schools that would be aggrieved would be the East schools because PSU is not in their pod, but there is no way around that if both UVA and UConn were to get in.

Current 14 team proposal is to split Mich-MSU, and have it as a protected rivalry game. They won't split Mich and OSU.

 

[SubbaBub]

B1G would be perfect with a 16 team Pod system. Play every team in your pod and 2 teams each from the other three pods for a total of 9 games. Essentially everyone would play each other at least once every two years. For basketball play every team once and every team in your pod twice for a total of 18 games. If UConn and UVA are added the pods and rivalry games workout perfectly.

MidWest
Nebraska
Iowa
Wisconsin
Minnesota

Central
Illinois
Northwestern
Purdue
Indiana

North
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn State

East
Virginia
Maryland
Rutgers
UConn

If you want a protected rivalry game, then the rivals need to be in different pods for a 7+1 conf schedule. Take two teams from the midwest and north with two from the central and east and it would work and balance the pods

Uconn and Maryland would likely join Michigan and Michigan State in the North. NW and Indiana join Neb and Iowa in the west.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Adios]

50/50 chance. Either we get in, or we don't.

(I have lost a lot of money on lottery tickets with this logic, but maybe conference realignment is different)

I actually agree with you. They'd consider 4 schools at most. UVA, UNC, Kansas, and UConn. We are a better fit if they go to 16. Assuming UVA is a lock, UNC either goes to the SEC or Duke goes to the B1G later. Duke is "always there for the taking". Kansas is tied in with a GOR and it "always there for the taking". They can add Duke and Kansas if they go to 18. We're definitely in a very good position. I'd say 75/25. Maybe even 100. I might be too optimistic. But this is a market that cannot be passed over. I am sure they know we have football fans.

 

[CL82]

Manuel showed him stats that prove UConn is 4th in the nation in message board posters slinging rumors on Twitter, and we're looking to move up the rankings. Hollis asked him if he thought we could defeat West Virginia, and Manuel told him we are penned in for the top slot.

The Guy at UConn has become a national figure and opinion shaper. We all owe him our thanks.