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Message: [QUOTE="Gfunk, post: 1228946, member: 3634"] I think you're dead wrong about Neb. They're a great cultural fit for the BIG and their administrative desire to join the BIG goes back a long, long ways when discussions were at least raised during the Devaney era. Alvarez was quite instrumental in the negotiations to bring Neb into the BIG as well - a Devaney disciple. They have far fewer fans wanting back in the Big12 than say PSU fans discontent with the BIG. The only sport they fill incompatible with the BIG is baseball and some fans are upset about the fading Tx pipeline in football. I just think some Neb fans are shell shocked that Wisconsin, especially, has kicked their behinds in football & Minny has two wins against them since their membership. Neb had to adjust to the BIG & but I think their success will come in perhaps dominating fashion within 5 years - at least in the BIG West. I think Wisky will struggle under Chryst - Andersen was reaping the success, somewhat, of Bielema's recruits and structure. For Neb, all other sports are a great fit in the BIG, esp football, wrestling, volleyball, gymnastics & they feel they've gotten an upgrade in basketball, which they have - the Big12 has for too long been dominated by KU, like Ky in the SEC. A lot of Neb alum spread into the BIG's western footprint for careers as well, albeit Colorado, Kansas and Mo as well. The AAU thing is a bit overrated, despite Perlman's quoted claims. The AAU is overblown and the CIC as well. It's sports at the end of the day. Neb will climb up the academic rankings, but in due time. These are big state schools who answer, foremost, to their respective states - not the damn BIG. Your thoughts on Ky are interesting, as over the years a Ky to the BIG thread occasionally pops up on Rupp Rafters: they do border In, Ill and Ohio. But they succeed more than all other BIG schools at recruiting the hot spots of the BIG footprint, without BIG membership. Their past 3 NCAA titles have included key starters out of either Ill, In or Ohio. Bottom line: they're a charter member of the SEC, which is the 3rd oldest P5 conference. Unlike Md leaving the ACC, they have 20 more years of SEC membership - two decades is a long time to further establish history & as the SEC gets closer to 85 years as a conference - loyalty stands tall. I distinctly remember the backlash most Md fans levied against the decision makers in College Park. Ky has no discontent similar to Md against the SEC. In fact most SEC fans, the homers they are, genuinely depend on Ky basketball to carry the conference. On the other hand, and I've argued this point on here for a half year: a Ky-Duke killer in basketball is right smack center on this board: UConn. It's UConn that has won the most men's and women's titles the past 30 plus years. More specifically, it's the men's program that has won more titles than any other program in the modern era - but Ky may tie them this year - I hope not. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach