Interesting Information Regarding WVU and B12

[UConnSportsGuy]

According to tweets from Greg Swaim today (says he got information from a B12 source):

1. The 2012 B12 schedule will be released this month and will include West Virginia

2. The B12 source indicates that the B12 is not done expanding and WVU and TCU "is just the beginning". Swaim goes on to indicate that the schools being considered are: Cincinnati, Louisville, USF, Rutgers, and UConn (basically the Big East).



I still can't believe that the B12 is going to include WVU in their schedule for 2012. Doesn't that open them up to be a party in the lawsuit (interfering with a binding contract between WVU and BE)?

https://twitter.com/#!/GSwaim

 

[CTMike]

ha- thought this was interesting :

GSwaim BigTime TV/Radio
@tomsiff The #BigEast isn't allowing them to go...they're just going, and will worry about lawsuit when it comes later.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

ha- thought this was interesting :

GSwaim BigTime TV/Radio
@tomsiff The #BigEast isn't allowing them to go...they're just going, and will worry about lawsuit when it comes later.

Not likely. I think the Big East would be able to get an injunction to prevent WVU playing in the B12 for 2012. I don't think that the court can force WVU to play in the Big East in 2012, but I do think they can prevent them from playing in another league when they have a binding contract with the Big East.

WVU better be careful what they are doing and how hard they are pressing the 2012 B12 thing.....they may end up having to play an independent schedule for two years (with no real time to schedule those games and no open dates on other teams' schedule) and no access to the BCS. They are going all in on this and I hope it completely blows up in their face!

 

[NutmegState]

Again, I have not seen one shred of evidence that Swaim knows he's talking about.

 

[Carl Spackler]

We've talked about this at length before. They could also get hit up with the fees that other schools, in both conferences, would incur in having to schedule 1-time opponents for those slots where they should be playing WVU.

It's sure going to be interesting. I don't think that it's ever happened before, at any level of interscholastic competition, from rural park and rec town programs, through secondary schools all the way to division 1-A intercollegiate, or professional sports.

A single sports program showing up on two different league schedules at the same time. Un-friggin-believable. Un-friggin-believably dumb.

The big east is in control here, and sooner or later, instead of just ignoring the big east leadership, they'll be ignoring the judicial system of the U.S.A.[/quote]

 

[businesslawyer]

Neither WVU nor the Big XII can say anything other than this until they give up the ghost. The moment they say WVU isn't, or doesn't have to, play in the XII, it is easier to get the injunction.

This is not news. It's just another PR statement. The next worthy news on this will come from a court.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Not likely. I think the Big East would be able to get an injunction to prevent WVU playing in the B12 for 2012. I don't think that the court can force WVU to play in the Big East in 2012, but I do think they can prevent them from playing in another league when they have a binding contract with the Big East.

WVU better be careful what they are doing and how hard they are pressing the 2012 B12 thing.....they may end up having to play an independent schedule for two years (with no real time to schedule those games and no open dates on other teams' schedule) and no access to the BCS. They are going all in on this and I hope it completely blows up in their face!

Anyone who schedules WVU would become liable for tortious interference. WVU has the option of suspending the football program for 2 years, but unless they figure out a way to beat the Big East in court prior to kickoff in September, no one can play them.

 

[Rumrunner]

Assuming Swain's source is from Oklahoma (although he does say "conference official"), my gut says UofL and one more eastern school, most likely Rutgers, to get them to 12.

I can't see any directional schools being added (USF), nor a distant second in its market type team like Cincy. Rutgers also can read the tea leaves and see that the Big 10 isn't an option, nor the ACC for that matter. With UConn at least there is the possibility that Notre Dame goes to the ACC, however remote, and that UConn is the tag along 16th. Rutgers has no such hope.

Swaim has been consistent in his belief that the Big 12 invites UofL and someone else, most likely between Cincy and Rutgers. If that is to occur it would be by April, so just a few months away.

 

[uconNYC]

There's a reason Swaim has less than 3,000 followers.

 

[Hoophound]

There's a reason Swaim has less than 3,000 followers.

1. On 1/4 Swaim said that Duke, UNC and others blackballed UConn to the ACC due to our very questionable recruiting practices in Men's Basketball. ACC doesn't want UConn.

Since K has publicly lobbied for UConn and K is good friends with JC, I doubt this. K knows well enough that UConn is not dirty and he loves the idea of a basketball loaded league.

2. It seems like most B12 fans totally disregard UConn as a possibility for their conference. Many of them include Tulane instead of UConn in their expansion scenarios for a 16 team B12. My point is, every one of those fans knows UConn is the better add. The lack of talk of UConn to the B12 is just the result of most everyone thinking UConn to the ACC is inevitable. UConn is very valuable to a B12 that wants an east divison. Swaim claims UConn is at the very end of the B12's long version wish list. I doubt it. He also seems to have no idea that UConn is very strong academically.

I honestly think Swaim makes it all up for attention because many of his claims make very little sense at all. If he really has a source, that source is just with him.

 

[willie99]

the Big12 will not ignore an injunction, and one will be forthcoming

no legal mind seems to think WVU has a chance to win

 

[tduconn]

I'm really afraid that fans of teams in other BCS conferences don't want UConn FB is because it is considered "Temple-esque" in its current stage of program development. (This is not a bash on the current Temple program, which is a lot better than when it was kicked out of the BE......its just a reference point to a program of the early 2000's).

Despite all the other pluses of UConn, its football program isn't that exciting, nor would it garner many eyeballs outside of CT.

Thus, why it is probably low on the totem pole when other conferences fans (Big whatever, ACC, SEC,etc.)speculate on expansion.

Hopefully, PP can change that perception over the next 5 years or so.

 

[Hoophound]

I'm really afraid that fans of teams in other BCS conferences don't want UConn FB is because it is considered "Temple-esque" in its current stage of program development. (This is not a bash on the current Temple program, which is a lot better than when it was kicked out of the BE......its just a reference point to a program of the early 2000's).

Despite all the other pluses of UConn, its football program isn't that exciting, nor would it garner many eyeballs outside of CT.

Thus, why it is probably low on the totem pole when other conferences fans (Big whatever, ACC, SEC,etc.)speculate on expansion.

Hopefully, PP can change that perception over the next 5 years or so.

I don't think so. We got plenty of good press when we were pretty good. UConn has a great brand to work with which is something nobody else in our position has. We have two flagship bball programs that get constant media exposure that grows the brand and we have ridiculously nice football facilities for a program with our history.

I actually think that much like when we were an upstart bball school, most fans just don't want us to get into a great conference or get good exposure because they fear us. It is pretty obvious that UConn knows how to build athletic heavweights. We are good at everything we do. If we get into a strong conference and spend more money on football because of it, we will build the best football program north of Virginia Tech. The institution likes to win, its a fact.

 

[zls44]

Nobody freakin' fears UConn football outside of Chestnut Hill.

 

[Dann]

if the b12 wanted a east division wouldn't the home run be???
west-old-tex/tt/bay/tcu/ok/okst/kan/kst
east-new-ist/wvu/lville/fsu/gt/clemson/ruty/uconn or cincy
or maybe switch tcu/ist

you know those southen acc school would jump at a $$ contract that can grow with adds and a chance for a better fball conf.

 

[Pudge]

Temple-esque?

You folks have no enterprise ability. If you can't see the Market of UConn v what is going on at Temple, then there is no reason to follow-up to your snarky displeasure & pessimism.

I THINK the ACC makes big mistakes. SU? I live in upstate NY. There's a flat market for most everything; and a deeply declining population centered around their campus. They draw some from Rochester; NONE from Buffalo; and very rare in Eastern NY (Albany to Westchester). BC? They are declining.

I believe UConn has a great future. Football & as a Program. I am not throwing Digs at Temple; for I think they can build from where they are at. But ... PLEASE ... UConn as a Football Program has a far better future than BC, SU, VA, Duke, Wake. I can even say that we have the cache & ability to be an Oregon or Washington like flavor. Good solid demographics & longer term prospects. But ... we are in our infancy still.

 

[Hoophound]

Nobody freakin' fears UConn football outside of Chestnut Hill.

I think many fans of lower level BCS programs fear UConn. A good UConn scares fans from BC, Cuse, Pitt, MD, UNC, MD, Iowa, Penn St. etc. Now, I didn't say they fear us on the field now. I said that if they are paying attention to what our sports programs generally do, they fear what we can become.

If UMass started to be really good in bball again and began building everything they needed to compete at the very highest level, it would make us nervous. Its just human nature of the average fan. Fans of other schools don't want UConn to get good at football. Its just one more program to share wins, players and top coaches with. Fans don't want parity. Its much easier to invite Tulane to your conference. They'll never be any better than Wake Forest no matter what they do.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

I must be missing something so can someone please explain to me why anyone is interested in Rutgers to join their conference ? They have never played in a BCS bowl game and the basketball team has not played in the NCAA hoop tourny since 1991 +/- ?? Womens hoops are pretty good. Who watches them ?

 

[TRest]

I must be missing something so can someone please explain to me why anyone is interested in Rutgers to join their conference ? They have never played in a BCS bowl game and the basketball team has not played in the NCAA hoop tourny since 1991 +/- ?? Womens hoops are pretty good. Who watches them ?

If Rutgers was located 5 miles from Syracuse, NY it would never be mentioned in re-alignment discussions.

 

[RS9999X]

If Rutgers was located 5 miles from Syracuse, NY it would never be mentioned in re-alignment discussions.

If Rutgers was located 5 miles from Syracuse, NY, LeMoyne would have more road wins

 

[freescooter]

The idea that UCONN is "Temple-esque" as you say is utterly foolish. This is a program of which people said thing like "it won't be competetive for 25 years" and "they won't get to a bowl in 10 years"--heck, even our own analysis said we would probably average 20-25000 fans for the first 10 years. All we've done is exceed every single expectation.Been to bowl games, beaten Notre Dame at Notre Dame which is still a pretty good feat, shared th eBig East title twice and gone to a BCS bowl. This is a athletic department that has put together national championship contenders in field hockey, mens & womens soccer, mens basketball, women's basketball, and is now building a baseball program that competes even though it plays in New England, where you could very well have snow on the ground for large parts of your season. While some people might question just how high UCONN's ceiling is, but I doubt very many think it is Temple. If they do, they are sorely mistaken. Within two years, I think we'll have a Top 25 team and once we make that level, we won't be out very often.