Mandel: No Matter What They Do, Big East Isn't Staying In BCS

[zls44]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...ig.east.automatic.qualifier.status/index.html

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Should we give up?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

This guy doesnt have a clue. Just another member of the national media talking out of his ass.

 

[Excalibur]

Should we give up?

If he's right, then your strategy is a lot closer to giving up than anyone else's. Personally, I think he's right.

 

[sportsart]

So that's where Jason Page works now. Just using a different name.

 

[upstater]

They can change the BCS rules. Why not? Automatic bids for 5 conferences, 5 at-large bids for schools like Boise St and teams from the other 5. 12 bids if the Cotton Bowl is added.

Mandel does have his facts wrong though when he writes this: "The Big East has been fortunate to stay part of the BCS cabal for as long it has."

The BE finished ahead of the ACC. And the ACC has put 7-5 teams in a BCS bowl, worse than UConn's record. And the ACC has a worse record than the BE in BCS bowls.​

 

[The Funster]

The "in" schools have to watch their step. They can't just do what they want and exclude other schools. If they do, the spectre of anti-trust and financial impropriety related to the BCS bowl games will loom quite large over the college fb landscape.

 

[upstater]

The "in" schools have to watch their step. They can't just do what they want and exclude other schools. If they do, the spectre of anti-trust and financial impropriety related to the BCS bowl games will loom quite large over the college fb landscape.

How does opening up extra bids for non-AQ conferences constitute an exclusion? MWC, CUSA and WAC won't be complaining. Only the BE will.

 

[Santini35]

He seems to also forget that Oklahoma had to have the BIG12 pay for 10,403 tickets that they didn't sell. UConn "buying" only 4,500 tickets and losing 1.6 mill wasn't because our team or our fan base sucks, its that the deck was stacked against us. Taking into account the location and price of the schools ticket allotment - bad location, high price, and the flooded secondary market because of the co-location and required ticket purchase because of the BCS Championship Game, it's no wonder the school didn't sell all that many tickets. Everyone bought them somewhere else.

But you'll never hear that in this sort of article since it doesn't fit the argument they're going for...

 

[BlueMAB]

Should we give up?

No we should invite UMass, that will do wonders for our status.

 

[gibhunter]

So that's where Jason Page works now. Just using a different name.

Compared to the current guy on 1410 that replaced him, Jason Page was a UConn chearleader. ESPN definitely has an ax to grind with their UConn coverage on local AM radio station.

 

[RS9999X]

They are leaning to opening the BCS up without rules except for the Championship Game. 10 games and as many slots as the SEC can eat.

The beauty of that is the effect on the ACC. Presumably the threat of the ACC champ and the Big East and ND stealing 3 bids doesn't much scare them. It's what I'd do. That means the 4 champs would get their invites based on bowl deals and the 6 at large would go to the Big 4. Likely a cap at 3 teams as a compromise and squeezing the ACC and BE out of the guaranteed pool.

Boise, Clemson and G Tech are the only possible gate crashers this year .

 

[HuskyHawk]

He omits a few things, but the general point is on target. There is nothing the BE can do, no teams it can add, that would make it truly appealing for football. So the BCS AQ status is definitely in jeopardy after the 2013 regular season, no matter what. There is no guarantee that there will even be a BCS after 2013. Congress could step in and force a playoff system.

This is why I believe we must push for ACC or B1G membership, or failing that, begin assembling a north/east FBS all sports league. It would be a huge step back, but essentially UConn, RU, Cincy, Louisville, UMass, Temple, Villanova (if they will upgrade) and Delaware (which could probably do well if it upgrades). It's weak, but better than the MAC. If WVU has no home, then they actually make it a tolerable league, and pretty strong for Hoops. The alternative is independent for football and BE for everything else.

 

[BlueMAB]

He omits a few things, but the general point is on target. There is nothing the BE can do, no teams it can add, that would make it truly appealing for football. So the BCS AQ status is definitely in jeopardy after the 2013 regular season, no matter what.

This is 50% false. The BCS status is in jeopardy, but it certainly can be saved. The "no matter what" is wrong.

"Appeal" doesn't matter. The computers matter. That's how they determine how you become BCS worthy.

Boise State has recent top 10 finishes. UCF has a recent top 25 finish. Adding these programs helps tremendously. WVU has top 25 finishes. The rest of the conference finishing strong is also necessary.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

They said the same thing back in 2003. They will be wrong again.

The Big East isn't losing the BCS AQ. They may expand the BCS, or get rid of the BCS system. But as long as there is a BCS system, the Big East will not lose its BCS AQ status.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

If you look at the histroic data that they use to evaluate BCS conferences, the ACC is below the Big East. But you don't hear anyone lobbying to get rid of the ACC AQ status?! Hmmm?!

 

[The Funster]

How does opening up extra bids for non-AQ conferences constitute an exclusion? MWC, CUSA and WAC won't be complaining. Only the BE will.

How do you know they would do that? They could restructure the agreement so there are only 5 AQ conferences and keep the recouped bid for the remaining 5 conferences after 2013. The tone I take from the article is that the elite conferences/programs feel they deserve more bids because they feel that the 2nd or 3rd best team in their conference is a better team and would generate more interest/dollars than a mid major champion on a year in/year out basis. If a mid major team hits the jackpot and has a great year they have a path to a BCS and would most likely generate a lot of interest and so, "deserve" their seat at the table for that year. The elite programs simply do not want to share.

 

[Waquoit]

Anyone disagreeing with this article is just whistling past the graveyard.

 

[HuskyHawk]

This is 50% false. The BCS status is in jeopardy, but it certainly can be saved. The "no matter what" is wrong.

"Appeal" doesn't matter. The computers matter. That's how they determine how you become BCS worthy.

Boise State has recent top 10 finishes. UCF has a recent top 25 finish. Adding these programs helps tremendously. WVU has top 25 finishes. The rest of the conference finishing strong is also necessary.

Right now the computer formulas matter. But in 2014, what will matter? Whatever the networks decide matters. Performance on the field is certainly helpful. Boise and WVU are solid, no question. They also are both in lousy markets. I think it is "possible" that AQ status could be saved. I think it is impossible that a league constructed of unrelated castoffs from the four corners of the continent will stay together long enough for it to matter. Every school in the league, save the Florida schools, would be looking to leave as soon as they could.

If the big 5 go to 16, there are plenty of openings. Meanwhile, Congress and the FTC and DOJ will likely be looking at the antitrust implications of whatever they do.

 

[BlueMAB]

Right now the computer formulas matter. But in 2014, what will matter? Whatever the networks decide matters. Performance on the field is certainly helpful. Boise and WVU are solid, no question. They also are both in lousy markets. I think it is "possible" that AQ status could be saved. I think it is impossible that a league constructed of unrelated castoffs from the four corners of the continent will stay together long enough for it to matter. Every school in the league, save the Florida schools, would be looking to leave as soon as they could.

If the big 5 go to 16, there are plenty of openings. Meanwhile, Congress and the FTC and DOJ will likely be looking at the antitrust implications of whatever they do.

The networks don't decide the BCS status, the consortium of schools does. They know very well what the networks want and don't want, but the networks don't have to answer to congress as they aren't the official decision makers.

If they are going to change the requirements and pass a congressional sniff-test, they are going to have to use something to justify inclusion/exclusion. Other than performance on the field, there isn't much else to go by.

No, I'm not sure it will be around long enough to matter, but like you said if the conferences go to 16, we'll have a seat somewhere and this is all moot.

 

[toppencil]

Performance on the field is what will matter most. If the Big East is the 6th conference by measure, than there is a risk. However, if the Big East is 5th or higher than it doesn't matter. Adding Boise State would be big step in the right direction.

 

[upstater]

How do you know they would do that? They could restructure the agreement so there are only 5 AQ conferences and keep the recouped bid for the remaining 5 conferences after 2013. The tone I take from the article is that the elite conferences/programs feel they deserve more bids because they feel that the 2nd or 3rd best team in their conference is a better team and would generate more interest/dollars than a mid major champion on a year in/year out basis. If a mid major team hits the jackpot and has a great year they have a path to a BCS and would most likely generate a lot of interest and so, "deserve" their seat at the table for that year. The elite programs simply do not want to share.

With the addition of the Cotton Bowl and the elimination of the BE's AQ, you'd have 7 open bids, which is more than the current 4.

 

[upstater]

The networks don't decide the BCS status, the consortium of schools does. They know very well what the networks want and don't want, but the networks don't have to answer to congress as they aren't the official decision makers.

If they are going to change the requirements and pass a congressional sniff-test, they are going to have to use something to justify inclusion/exclusion. Other than performance on the field, there isn't much else to go by.

No, I'm not sure it will be around long enough to matter, but like you said if the conferences go to 16, we'll have a seat somewhere and this is all moot.

It could simply be a finish in the top 14 of the BCS standings qualifies you for a bid.

If that's the case, the coach's poll should be totally eliminated from the BCS calculations and only writers/computers should count.

 

[RS9999X]

It could simply be a finish in the top 14 of the BCS standings qualifies you for a bid.

If that's the case, the coach's poll should be totally eliminated from the BCS calculations and only writers/computers should count.

Top 14 Colley Matrix

1. Alabama
2. Oklahoma
3. Oklahoma St
4. LSU
5. Michigan
6. Kansas St
7. Boise St
8. Clemson
9. Illinois
10. Georgia Tech
11. Texas
12. Stanford
13. Houston
14. Wisconsin

 

[Pudge]

I think this has to break the current structure.

It's a PLUS One with a 14 team BCS system for the top 7 bowls. More money for the Big 5. Some opportunity for the BE, CUSA, MWC, WAC, MAC & SunBelt. Yup ... we slipped.