Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[Fishy]

That made me laugh, even if I did have to Google Emile Francis.

 

[whaler11]

There are things you read here that seem impossible for anyone to actually think: The athletic department at the University of Illinois is so out of the loop that they are scheduling out of conference games in the future with a school that already is in the league but they don't know it.

The University of Illinois doesn't know what schools are close to a Big 10 invite but random Boneyard posters know it beyond a doubt.

 

[kyleslamb]

There are things you read here that seem impossible for anyone to actually think: The athletic department at the University of Illinois is so out of the loop that they are scheduling out of conference games in the future with a school that already is in the league but they don't know it.

The University of Illinois doesn't know what schools are close to a Big 10 invite but random Boneyard posters know it beyond a doubt.

You do realize that ADs have nothing to do with changing conferences right? In a few isolated cases they have input or even some level of autonomy to negotiate, but in most cases it all happens at the presidential level and most athletic directors are not given routine (if any) updates on realignment discussions.

Like I pointed out earlier, Kevin Anderson was not informed of his schools changing leagues until a few days before it happened even though they had been talking for 6 months and had an NDA signed for nearly 4 months. I assure you that not only is it not impossible to think the Illinois AD could be out of the loop, it is a likelihood.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I tend to think a Big10 invite is fantasy based more on the sheer fact that schools already are giving up football games with Ohio state, Michigan, Penn state and replacing them with Rutgers and Maryland. I don't see how you can sell them on UConn and Virginia, Kansas, etc.

I felt absolutely sick to my stomach the night when mcmurphy tweeted Louisville was getting in over us as unless anything changes, football will be marginalized and basketball becomes tougher to sustain excellence.

I do think the AAC deal will improve and with Fox sports 1 and conference networks in the works we should still get decent exposure but over time we're going to need something to happen.

I think the Big12 eventually breaks apart due to Texas making a move and then thr best of the AAC and Big12 merge. Still not ideal, but you'd replace Tulsa, Tulane and ECU with TCU, Baylor and Iowa state everyday.

UConn, Cincinnati, USF, UCF, Memphis, Houston, Temple

Kansas, Kansas State, Ok State, West Virginia, TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor, Iowa State

 

[Adios]

Interesting coincidence. The 36 million in revenue figure that the Wyoming AD cites they need to be at to afford COA? That's the cutline for the 64 top revenue programs in the country according to this link.

I have to say, this link provides revenue and subsidy numbers which are great indicators of which programs will make the cut. We should have no problem making the cut. Amazing how much Kansas and WVU are losing.

 

[Adios]

I tend to think a Big10 invite is fantasy based more on the sheer fact that schools already are giving up football games with Ohio state, Michigan, Penn state and replacing them with Rutgers and Maryland. I don't see how you can sell them on UConn and Virginia, Kansas, etc.

All three schools are better than Louisana-Monroe, FIU, Texas State, San Jose State, Idaho, etc, on the schedule.

 

[Fishy]

I have to say, this link provides revenue and subsidy numbers which are great indicators of which programs will make the cut. We should have no problem making the cut. Amazing how much Kansas and WVU are losing.

That link omits the thirteen private schools currently in a P5 conference - if you include them, I'd guess the cut off moves up into the $50M range.

 

[whaler11]

You do realize that ADs have nothing to do with changing conferences right? In a few isolated cases they have input or even some level of autonomy to negotiate, but in most cases it all happens at the presidential level and most athletic directors are not given routine (if any) updates on realignment discussions.

Like I pointed out earlier, Kevin Anderson was not informed of his schools changing leagues until a few days before it happened even though they had been talking for 6 months and had an NDA signed for nearly 4 months. I assure you that not only is it not impossible to think the Illinois AD could be out of the loop, it is a likelihood.

So you know but the athletic directors at Illinois and Indiana do not. Makes sense.

 

[kyleslamb]

So you know but the athletic directors at Illinois and Indiana do not. Makes sense.

Nice strawman. Where did I say that?

What I said was that regardless of whether or not something is being discussed behind the scenes (which I've already said I do not believe to be the case on an official basis), the athletic directors, most of them, would not know.

The part about me knowing is you putting words in my mouth.

Let me spell it out for you so that you do not take liberties with my words again... the only people that know anything for sure in most places is the president and a few key trustees. The athletic directors might hear rumors, but most of them are not kept in the loop officially. So like any rational, responsible director of athletics, they will carry on scheduling and 'business as usual' unless they hear differently. It would be reckless to make assumptions without anything being finalized, even if they were aware of rumors about a change of affiliation. Fact is, you stated it's nearly impossible to believe athletic directors would schedule teams they would wind up becoming conference members with. That is false. Most athletic directors simply aren't kept in the loop on negotiations. That's my point. I never claimed to know more than they do, nor have I especially claimed that anything is going on right now in this case (let me state for a third time that i don't believe anything is happening yet and won't for a while longer). I'm merely stating that it's an irrelevant example to cite schools scheduling for 2019 or 2020 on the basis the 'AD would know.'

 

[Adios]

That link omits the thirteen private schools currently in a P5 conference - if you include them, I'd guess the cut off moves up into the $50M range.

I think $40 mil. There's loads of programs under $40 mil that have been working their way up. ODU is already $35 mil. HUGE subsidy, though. Have to wonder if subsidies will continue.

B1G money would put us in the top 30, it seems.

 

[Drew]

Drew is Mike Aresco.

I just choose not to bash the teams we went 3-5 in conference against last year. Would I rather be in the B1G playing Nebraska and Ohio State? Absolutely. But I'm not gonna overreact and freak out and act like we're playing DII football all of a sudden when teams like UCF won a BCS bowl last year and ECU might've been the best team in their state (put the whooping on both UNC and NC State).

I'm cheering for the AAC to succeed just to be able to stick a huge middle finger to everyone who didn't take us. You want to take others? Fine. We'll play basketball in Greenville, NC and still win the NC while nobody watches Wake @ Pitt on ESPNU.

 

[Rappin'Rodney]

I tend to think a Big10 invite is fantasy based more on the sheer fact that schools already are giving up football games with Ohio state, Michigan, Penn state and replacing them with Rutgers and Maryland. I don't see how you can sell them on UConn and Virginia, Kansas, etc.

I know the Big Ten is already planning on adding one additional conference game to the B1G's sleight of conference games in the near future. There is even banter about perhaps adding a tenth conference game to the schedule. That seems to be a popular idea, at least among fans. So, the probability of adding an extra top-tier team to any given season's schedule is just a little greater, even if the conference is expanded. Win/loss/bowl eligibility issues aside, I know I'd much rather pay good money to watch Rutgers, Maryland, UConn, Virginia or Kansas play my home team, than watch a couple of body bag games. Even if my team is not playing Michigan, Michigan St., Penn State, Nebraska, or Ohio St., the atmosphere of the middle-of-the-pack games are a lot of fun, because they're so competitive.

 

[dayooper]

You do realize that ADs have nothing to do with changing conferences right? In a few isolated cases they have input or even some level of autonomy to negotiate, but in most cases it all happens at the presidential level and most athletic directors are not given routine (if any) updates on realignment discussions.

Like I pointed out earlier, Kevin Anderson was not informed of his schools changing leagues until a few days before it happened even though they had been talking for 6 months and had an NDA signed for nearly 4 months. I assure you that not only is it not impossible to think the Illinois AD could be out of the loop, it is a likelihood.

Actually, Kevin Anderson was in on the original meetings between Maryland and The Big10 on October 12th. At least according to The Washington Post detailing how the move was made. Anderson told Loh he was crazy for even thinking of moving, but went with him to the October 12th meeting with the Big10.

Collegial maybe, but in College Park, even the thought of such a meeting was unconventional. When Loh told his athletic director, Anderson responded, “Wallace, you are not serious? You realize this is such a hot issue with our fans. You don’t want to go that direction.”

But acting on Kirwan’s advice, Loh accepted the meeting. On Oct. 12, he, Anderson and two of Anderson’s deputies — Kelly Mehrtens and Nathan Pine — flew to Chicago, where they met Delany and other Big Ten officials at the Hilton at O’Hare Airport.

They also signed a NDA before they met. From the same article:

Before the meeting could take place, the Big Ten asked Maryland officials to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Delany did not want public discourse. A year earlier, when the Big Ten had inquired about several Big 12 schools, conference officials initially wanted transparency in the process. Instead, the public discussion led to mayhem

Anderson did know and knew before there was an NDA.

 

[djct1999]

The hive gets angry when people say stuff like that.

My biggest worry is that we can see the ropes being thrown up around the P5 and there is absolutely no movement towards further expansion. (Please don't bother me with stories about how quiet it always is before storm - nothing is happening because nothing is happening.)

It seems impossible that a school with a $65-70M athletic is on the wrong side, but we are - no one with a bigger budget is outside of the P5 and a couple of dozen in the P5 are behind us. (I have a feeling that we'll fall down that list pretty quickly as the P5 spends their booty - I think $80-85M athletic budgets will be the norm and we'll be marked down by comparison.)

Again, it seems impossible, but right now, it's the odds-on scenario.

The gap in revenue generated by the different conferences in the P5 coupled with this idea that NYC and the Northeast is still up for grabs suggests the movement is not over.

 

[UConn Dan]

@McMurphyESPN: Sources told me #ACC has some big breaking news today. Can’t wait

 

[junglehusky]

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN
Sources told me #ACC has some big breaking news today. Can’t wait
5:19 AM - 29 May 2014

shrug... maybe they decided to play BYU after all.

 

[upstater]

@McMurphyESPN: Sources told me #ACC has some big breaking news today. Can’t wait

People need to stop using the word "big" and "breaking."

 

[Kolumbo]

@McMurphyESPN: Sources told me #ACC has some big breaking news today. Can’t wait

He's such a puppet. ACC going to play OOC games as in-conference?

 

[UConn Dan]

He's such a puppet. ACC going to play OOC games as in-conference?

this or they finally reached a deal with SEC for scheduling agreement

 

[Brochacho]

Well I'm just going to assume the ACC kicked out ND and is adding UConn and Cincy. Only possible scenario, right?

 

[upstater]

The only "big" news that qualifies is a Maryland suit settlement.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

He changed his picture to the ACC new logo. What a tool.

 

[coachcap]

They're probably going to announce the renaming of the NCAA Lacrosse Tournament as the Duke Invitational sponsored by Twitter.

 

[Adios]

Kind of ironic the new ACC logo's colors resemble those of the Fighting Irish.

 

[itgoeslike]

So your stance is no matter what evidence doesn't exist - the fact it doesn't exist is evidence of the opposite.

Oliver Stone couldn't tell a story with your narrative.

Your glass isn't half full. You've filled the Stanley Cup with Natural Ice and you're drinking it on Emile Francis' lawn.

You've created an alternate reality and then decided to attack anyone who doesn't exist there.

The absence of optimism in your posts has always assured me you are the biggest believer of all. . .