New Big East

[Windsorlocks]

Villanova's National Title A Major Big East Win - Today's U


"After a long and messy divorce that had football and the riches that it entails force a rift in the conference, the Big East is once again standing on top of the world. Not even losing the likes of Syracuse, Connecticut, Louisville and Pittsburgh can stop this proud conference from reaching the mountain top once again.

After those schools left, the seven remaining basketball schools (Villanova, St. John’s, Georgetown, DePaul, Marquette, Seton Hall and Providence) banded together to focus on putting together a basketball-centric conference while retaining the iconic Big East name and brand. The conference would later add Butler, Creighton and Xavier to fortify that bond, as all three aforementioned schools were steeped in basketball history and fit the mold that the Big East was looking for.

Now just three years later, Monday’s title for Villanova stands as a defining moment and a coronation of sorts for the conference. After reinventing itself with a re-commitment to basketball — which is what Big East founder Dave Gavitt visioned when he started the league in 1979 — the league has now come full circle.

The Big East has fostered a brand that puts basketball first. Basketball purists certainly can appreciate that, especially in a day and age when football drives the economic wagon for better or worse.

Villanova proved that the Big East does not need football to have a viable and visible conference that can compete with the Power Five conferences (ACC, SEC, Pac-12, Big 12 and Big Ten)."

 

[nelsonmuntz]

People were not suddenly impressed with the AAC after UConn won it.

The NBE got 1 team into the second weekend, granted that is 1 more team then usual, but this win does make think anything more of the conference.

Stop comparing the AAC to the Big East.

 

[Danzz]

Actually Seton Hall is pretty good and have very good young talent. Long term the new BE may be doomed just like the AAC.
Villanova is well coached (that's right you Wright critics) and disciplined. They pretty much take care of the ball and their defense in the FF was great.

 

[pepband99]

No I get that and don't disagree, I just thought Nelson had been carrying the water here for the NBE for the 1st couple of years and now he seems to back away from that a bit, which is interesting to me considering the general feeling shift in the national press.

No, he just wants to drop football, and hates UConn.

 

[Shabazzkets]

I meant that Nova is not now or has ever been a national power. They have on a generational basis leveraged their geographic advantages for a nice run. Something that programs like StJ, PC, and Butler should be able to do.

As much fun as I wish for Nova fans taking 2>1 to the GTown and Cuse message boards, both have been better programs in the 64 team era.

There is another thread ranking the original BE programs as of today. The order hasn't changed from a week ago. It's still Uconn, GT, Cuse, and Nova in that order as the top 4, though Gtown is slipping fast.

If I had to pick one program to follow for the next 20 years, I'd pick Nova over GTown 100% of the time. Now, I get what you are saying--they are just on an upward swing now, and you question if they can sustain that because they didn't after the 1985 title. But this time, they have a fairly young, elite coach who isn't going anywhere, and they can dominate a conference that has no heavyweights in it. Wright isn't going anywhere for 10-15 years. JTIII might not be going anywhere either, but that cuts the other way IMO. I think Nova is slow-building its way to nationally elite status. Everyone on this board is going to HATE this, but if Nova makes another Final 4 run in the next couple of years, and UConn continues at the level is has been since the 2014 title, it will Nova on the tip of everyone's tongue nationally, not the Huskies. We live in a "what have you done for me lately" world.

BTW, if I was a neutral had to pick a program to cheer for between Nova and Cuse, I'd probably pick Nova too. Yes, Cuse is in the ACC, but they look overwhelmed by the competition (14 losses this year), they face sanctions in the short term, and they face uncertainty in the approaching post-Boeheim era.

 

[Jerry1714]

Stop comparing the AAC to the Big East.

Stop being so dense, and learn some reading comprehension. But we all know that is probably too much to ask of you Nelson.

 

[7774]

Stop comparing the AAC to the Big East.

Agree. The Big East is certain death. At least in the AAC we have a chance.