It's not even all that creative, because this is exactly what CUSA is doing, and at the end of the day, they stand a better chance of landing the final AQ than we are going to. I really don't feel that Marinatto has the mandate to do what needs to be done because of the hybrid affiliation with the onlies. It's not that Marinatto is dumb, or not a leader, or anything like that. And it's not that the onlies are provincial or short sighted. They have their needs, and Marinatto is their commissioner too. So, we just need to be creative, but not all that creative.
The concept, perhaps difficult to embrace for many - but as things play out may become less so - is for a 16 team east west alliance with an automatic bid consisting of big east remnants, Houston, and the Mountain West. I get that any AQ for this new league would be more a political compromise than something "earned" on the field ("earned" like Ohio State, USC, Auburn, Miami, and many others not yet actually caught red handed). It is significant that this new league incorporate many states that are not now home to a BCS team, hence the political component. It doesn't hurt that Las Vegas, San Diego, and other more exotic destinations are included because the new league would need to build quickly and it is easier to build at more picturesque locations. We don't have time to build this league with generations of dads and sons watching the State U up in Lincoln playing the other State U down in Stillwater. The critical object is maintaining a bid to the Big Dance. Essentially, maintaining the football program.
Who knows who is next to leave the big east? If we are down to USF, Uconn and Rutgers, then we add other have nots with some reason to be included. Umass (location and state politics); Temple (location, football ability, state politics); Navy (location, tradition, politics); UCF (location, football ability, state politics); All have a logical reason to be included. ECU not so much due to market and location. Memphis would be a better add, basketball. Army would work for obvious reasons. The league could be football "mostly." We could maintain other sports with the Catholics and some new additions. Boise would be more likely to join with its conference mates.
My preference is the Big 10. The ACC. But we can't sit in our soiled diapers and have a tantrum waiting for mama to come to change us.
The concept, perhaps difficult to embrace for many - but as things play out may become less so - is for a 16 team east west alliance with an automatic bid consisting of big east remnants, Houston, and the Mountain West. I get that any AQ for this new league would be more a political compromise than something "earned" on the field ("earned" like Ohio State, USC, Auburn, Miami, and many others not yet actually caught red handed). It is significant that this new league incorporate many states that are not now home to a BCS team, hence the political component. It doesn't hurt that Las Vegas, San Diego, and other more exotic destinations are included because the new league would need to build quickly and it is easier to build at more picturesque locations. We don't have time to build this league with generations of dads and sons watching the State U up in Lincoln playing the other State U down in Stillwater. The critical object is maintaining a bid to the Big Dance. Essentially, maintaining the football program.
Who knows who is next to leave the big east? If we are down to USF, Uconn and Rutgers, then we add other have nots with some reason to be included. Umass (location and state politics); Temple (location, football ability, state politics); Navy (location, tradition, politics); UCF (location, football ability, state politics); All have a logical reason to be included. ECU not so much due to market and location. Memphis would be a better add, basketball. Army would work for obvious reasons. The league could be football "mostly." We could maintain other sports with the Catholics and some new additions. Boise would be more likely to join with its conference mates.
My preference is the Big 10. The ACC. But we can't sit in our soiled diapers and have a tantrum waiting for mama to come to change us.
