Still shocked at Defilippo's idiocy

[Carl Spackler]

Not only at what the Globe reported, but now with the apologies....

I've read everything over several times.

Basically Eugene is sorry for saying things to a reporter, but he's not actually sorry for anything he said.

And still - the most ironic thing, is that if Friar Tuck can pull off the east / west deal in football and land boise and another football program or two to solidify the BCS standing AHEAD of the ACC, in a 12/16 model conference....

ESPN will still lose out on the northeast college sports broadcasting market, and they'll have Defilippo and his turf war and personal vendetta against UConn to thank, and the ACC and Espn can broadcast boston college, syracuse and pittsburgh sports to the new england and tri-state area....

I bet there have been lots of bottles of Scotch opening and pouring around wood paneled offices in Bristol and in North Carolina the past few days trying to figure out how to clean this mess up.

 

[ctchamps]

Not only at what the Globe reported, but now with the apologies....

I've read everything over several times.

Basically Eugene is sorry for saying things to a reporter, but he's not actually sorry for anything he said.

And still - the most ironic thing, is that if Friar Tuck can pull off the east / west deal in football and land boise and another football program or two to solidify the BCS standing AHEAD of the ACC, in a 12/16 model conference....

ESPN will still lose out on the northeast college sports broadcasting market, and they'll have Defilippo and his turf war and personal vendetta against UConn to thank, and the ACC and Espn can broadcast boston college, syracuse and pittsburgh sports to the new england and tri-state area....

I bet there have been lots of bottles of Scotch opening and pouring around wood paneled offices in Bristol and in North Carolina the past few days trying to figure out how to clean this mess up.

No one knows how this will play out. This scenario was my hope before Defillpo's statement. Its a long shot. And there are a lot of people who don't think it has a chance. The odds seem to favor that assumption. None the less, I would love to see it happen. I would be thrilled to see the tables turned on the ACC. This would only be possible if the six BE members really decided to try commit to it. I would understand it if they didn't chose to take this option. There are a lot of things that can cause this to fail. And things have gone badly twice already.

The question I ask myself is how is going to the ACC any less likely to be a problem in the near future. If the 4 conference model of 16 teams continues, what makes people believe the ACC will be one of the conferences and not the B12. Or vice versa. They are both on equally unstable footing. Only the SEC, PAC and B!G are assured of surviving. So how does going to the ACC or B12 provide any security for any BE football schools wanting to join either of these conferences. That is a dismal development that people originally looked at before Cuse and Pitt decided to leave. That hasn't changed.

The SEC is in need of three schools. The B!G and PAC need four each. Eleven for these three surviving conferences plus sixteen schools for the x conference. This is a total of twenty seven schools needed if we are looking at a four conference 16 team model.

So the BE has six, the ACC has fourteen and the B12 has ten for a total of thirty teams to fit twenty seven slots. But there are at least two if not more schools from other conferences that will be considered. So three to five teams are outside looking in if this takes place. It will be anyones guess which teams make it and which don't.

So why not just bide time in the BE conference and take the best teams in. Boise State is a no brainer. I doubt they come. But if they do, they gain instant access to markets, an AQ at least temporarily and they already are one of the teams likely to be in the final configuration of four super conferences so the BE won't be hurting their chances down the road. The six current BE schools are already competing against Boise for entry into the super conference model so they won't be hurt by adding Boise to the conference. They would get instant security of the BCS AQ for an additional few years beyond 2014 if the super model does not take place before that time.

I would add the service academies next. They offer decent viewership therefore they can help the BE get the best possible contract when it comes up in 18 months. I would then take Temple to give a strong northeast footprint. That gives the BE 1o teams. Add Houston and UCF if you want to go for 12 teams but realize if they improve significantly now there are an additional two teams competing for the twenty seven spots.

The beauty of going this route is that if the four super conference model does not come into play, this NBE conference could hold its own for some time. And if the conferences realign again, the configuration will likely see the demise of either the B12 or the ACC as well as the BE so there will be no net failure. And if the BCS still gives six AQ bids, I know I will live long enough to see UConn surpass BC as the NE team. And I'm an old dude.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Keeping the perspective in mind of focusing on things taht possibly/probably can be controlled and affected by the university's on actions...

I've reiterated my position a few times now....as time goes by.

Best case scenario right now is to retain all current members of the conference at least until the existing broadcasting contract runs out in 2013.

Next step is to move to a 12/16 conference model with two 8 team divisions along the natural divide in basketball/all sports.

Temple is a natural fit for all sports. The other natural fit I suppose would be Central Florida to match up the Orlando region with the Tampa region that we have in an outlier in South Florida.

So Temple and Central Florida replace Pitt and Syracuse. We lose in the basketball a lot, but I believe UCF is in the polls, and BCS type stuff is actually a gain.

You add 4 more western teams to the football side of things, for a 12 team football conference, and a 6/6 east west division split and a championship game in Yankee stadium, and or alternate with a a venue out west/south. I'm sure Jerry world wouldn't turn down a cahpionship game if we've got a Texas presence.

The 8 regulars in the basketball side.

8 team new all sports division

UConn
West Virginia
Louisville
Rutgers
Cincinatti
South Florida
Central Florida
Temple

12 team football
East
UConn
South Florida
Central Florida
Temple
West Virginia
Rutgers

West
Cincinatti
Louisville
Boise State
Air Force
Houston
SMU

Now that would be a powerful football conference when it comes to money making and broadcasting. A football championship game in new york city to go with the basketball tournament?

Worst case scenario right now for the big east, is that another BCS conference poaches, anybody else, including US, and the best way to keep another conference from doing that, it to make our conference stronger.

I think at this point in time, it's in the best interest of UConn to strengthen our own position as much as possible, and make sure whatever happens, the BCS bid is staying with us at least til the end of the next calculation cycle.

 

[ruskin]

Having paid little attention to BC in recent years (other then cheering their losses the few times they popped up on TV) I did not realize what a hated man Flipper was at the Heights before Sunday (check fun threads to read below).
In this context, The Globe comments now have the feel of a dictator grasping at straws in his final days as the people close in.

http://bo.st/r0y2EC
http://bo.st/q7ztSl
http://www.bcinterruption.com/2011/9/17/2432029/why-gene-must-go-too
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/375315-gene-defilippos-shrinking-footprint

 

[Carl Spackler]

Boston College, the whole thing just really confuses me. What the hell is going on up there?

I seriously don't know what the problem is.

I simply cannot believe that the people in charge up there, can look at their athletic programs, look at their demographic and attendance and all the things like that, look at their travel expenses, all the rest, and come to the conclusion that avoiding home and home scheduling in sports with Connecticut is in their best interest.

I know that 7-8 years ago, a lot of things were said, and done that were hurtful, on both sides of the equation.

BC has had a football team ranked as high as #2 in the country I think in 2007. But so what, attendance at their sporting events, specifically basketball, have fallen through the floor. They're selling less and less football tickets. They've got no broadcast market share in their own neighborhood.

Do these people really think that a college football who's not already a BC fan in New England is going to tune into a BC/Syracuse, or BC/Pitt football game because they're in the ACC?

Fans watch games of teams they are actually fans of, or for some reason have a compelling interest....

BC is not getting any new fans in new england with this move. It's so ridiculous what has apparently happened over the past several years that it's really, really sad.

The only way BC is going to get any new viewers in New England, is by actually competing with new england "playmates" I think was the term he used in Globe.

 

[Carl Spackler]

BTW - I forgot Cincinatti, trying to juggle all these teams makes me loony.

Swap Navy out as a football only and put West Virginia in the east division and Cincy in the west.

You add Temple and Central Florida as all sports, and SMU, Houston, Air Force and Boise as football onlies, and voila - 12/16 model - two 8 team divisions in all sports except football and a 12 team football conference that makes some kind of geographic sense.

 

[Carl Spackler]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/375315-gene-defilippos-shrinking-footprint

I remember this article. Please feel free to post more, ESPN is apparently in radio silence, blackout propoganda mode, understandably, but this isn't 1930's Europe.

This is the information age.

Idiots are slowly eating away at northeastern US intercollegiate athletics.

The comments on boston college from BC people are very telling.

How is this guy in charge? How in the hell did anyone actually let this guy be part of any important decision making?

has to make you wonder a little bit about the ACC leadership too.

We just need to do what's best for UConn right now.

I've advocated very strongly in the past for a split of the big east conference. I still think that eventually it's something that should happen.

But for right now, for the next few years, I think it's in everybody's best interest in this conference to make it as strong as possible.

Adding Temple, and UCF to replace PItt and Syracuse, and creating a two division 8 team basketball/olympics conference along the natural divide, and adding Boise, Air Force, SMU, and Houston in an east/west 12 team football alignment, is the best possible scenario I can come up with. You've got enough firepower to retain the BCS bid through another cycle.

The basketball tourney in MSG remains intact, which is a giant piece of the puzzle for the catholics, and we can actually get a football championship game out of it,

and in 2013, when the basketball contract runs out with ESPN in the spring, talks can start on broadcasting basketball with companies like NBC/Comcast.

And then when the football broadcsting contract runs out in December 2013, the conference can start talking football broadcasting as well.

The conference will already be aligned at that point, such that if market forces for broadcasting basketball vs. football would favor a split, it would be easy, and if not - we're fine and dandy.

 

[Carl Spackler]

P.S. I would wonder how Syracuse people would feel about being excluded from a men's basketball tournament at MSG........

 

[Carl Spackler]

My hope, is taht what I'm writing actually happens - VERY soon.

Lock up Temple and Central Florida as all sports. Divide the conference in half into two divisions of 8 for scheduling along natural lines for eveyrthing but football and basketball. Keep the 16 team scheduling model we had for b-ball.

Lock up Boise, Air Force, Houston and SMU as football members beginning play in 2012, divide into two 6 team divisions, play a championship game in Yankee stadium.

UConn
Rutgers
Temple
West Virginia
South Florida
Central Florida

Louisvilee
Cincinatti
Boise St
SMU
Houston
Air Force

Lock everybody's media broadcasting rights down to the big east until December 2014.

then collect the $10 mill from Pitt and Cuse and eject them now, cya - no b-ball in MSG in the spring. figure out your own schedule for all sports, b/c UCF and Temple are taking your spots.

Make it happen Marinatto!!! As if you're actually reading....

I've got to do some actual work now... LOL

 

[Jarhead_1775]

Having paid little attention to BC in recent years (other then cheering their losses the few times they popped up on TV) I did not realize what a hated man Flipper was at the Heights before Sunday (check fun threads to read below).
In this context, The Globe comments now have the feel of a dictator grasping at straws in his final days as the people close in.

http://bo.st/r0y2EC
http://bo.st/q7ztSl
http://www.bcinterruption.com/2011/9/17/2432029/why-gene-must-go-too
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/375315-gene-defilippos-shrinking-footprint

What's even more entertaining about the blog is the links at the top of the page for the sports teams... Sox, pats, celtics, bruins, and revolution! Then to the right in about 6pt font it says "college". Love it. Own new England, flipper, you moron?!?

I apologize to morons in advance for the crude reference that flipper may be one of you.

 

[Stinger92860]

Unfortunately, I think a championship game would need to be played at a home stadium. Possibly based on BCS ranking. How many fans will come to NYC if the game is USF vs Houston? Look at the ACC Championship game, it has not been successful. It's much easier to get 20K into MSG when everyone is represented. It will be difficult to get 50K to a remote city on one weeks notice. The home team should block out 10K seats on the 50 yard line for the opposing team. Sell the balance day of game. I'd rather see a full stadium as opposed to 15-20K.

Fair? Probably not, but the place will be hopping. How do you get 10K into BSU? I guess you don't.

 

[huskeynut]

If these moves do take place, and I'm a little skeptical because of the history of the BE leadership, hold the championship football game at Yankee Stadium.

So now you have your two biggest championships in NY. This is a definite possibility.