Is a BE split off the table?

[businesslawyer]

if the BE split before the ACC poached us the first time there's a decent chance we'd be with the bball schools. you have to keep that in mind when you go back that far. when we still had Miami, Vtech and BC we probably could have split and made plays at other BCS teams, but that ship has sailed so long ago it's hardly worth thinking about, and we weren't a football school then anyhow.

No other BCS school was joining us. Kansas et al weren't going to bail on the Big XII if the Big East was stronger -- they were looking for a landing if the Big XII fell apart. Maryland -- please. We were, even before the first raid, the weakest BCS conference. Not on the field necessarily, but certainly in terms of revenue and prestige. i

 

[Husky68]

The football schools didn't need the vote of a single basketball school to split over the last few years. So, again, stop making your case and ask yourself why it is that they didn't leave?

You think there is one reason alone for not splitting? Let's see: Syracuse and Pitt did not want to separate to FB only as would require more commitment and look even worse as they split and left 7 or 6 team conference (or other new guys also if expanded more). Also, think they wanted to sign an ESPN contract with BE and then leave? Rutgers thinks they will get B10 offer next time out. WV is working to get to SEC and sees their simpliest way out is have FB schools with BB so they aren't "FB school league killers" and also the additional commitment a FB conference only makes (like Pitt and Syracuse). Louisville/Cin. are new guys in BCS and are good BB schools and see medium term stability in the combo league and "eventually" FB schools will expand either within BE or outside (counting on Syracuse and Pitt as part of the power of FB schools). USF is newby in FB and more concerned with just getting better and being part of BCS conference is good enough for them. Uconn is not about to go behind the backs of other schools and takes others at face value that will not either. Sees things same as Louisville/Cin.

So, yes each had reason, and only Pitt and Syracuse had their reasoning work out. How exactly do you as a group decide to go on your own when two of the group are without your knowledge making suggestions, and asking questions at your meetings with the eye on "I'm almost out, I'm almost out, let me not show a tell". Think Syracuse has been eyeing ACC since ?; when did Pitt and Syracuse know each other were on ACC list.

It would definitely be better to go on their own for 7 of the 9 if it kept the other 2 in. 3 teams (Uconn, WV, Rutgers) were in the second part of "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me"; 3 teams (Cin, Lou, USF) were in "the 2003 scenario won't happen again mode", happy to be in any BCS league and playing BB in MSG is cool; 2 team (Pitt, Syr) were in "I'm going to do or say anything I need to in order to get out of BE with the minimum of commitment = do not under any circumstances go to a FB only BE or sign a new ESPN contract).

So the "THEY" had different reasons for not leaving the BB schools. Sometimes decisions are made poorly, especially when a participant in the decision making does not reveal all the facts. I mean poorly for the left over 6/7, not poorly for the 2 who beat it.