The Big East, v 4.0

[zls44]

UConn shouldn't oppose UMass because they are a "threat", they should oppose UMass because its an academic hole with no fanbase or market.

Southern Miss and Tulsa are far, far better choices.

 

[juan]

It's sad when you're talking about UMass, Tulsa or Southern Miss being a better choice. They are all bad choices.

 

[whaler11]

I have Mountain Dew or crab juice. Eww. I'll take the crab juice.

 

[ctchamps]

Ah, you meant his signature. The avatar is the same yoga girl. I agree that the Jenke gif in his signature is ...engaging.

The weird thing is I knew he meant the sig. UConn 08 has Jenke as well. The was real good sleuth work digging up the yoga gal!

 

[obliterata]

West:

Houston, SMU, Cincinnati, Memphis, Tulane, Tulsa

East:

UConn, USF, UCF, Temple, ECU, UMass

North: UConn, Cincinnati, Temple, Army, Navy, East Carolina

South: USF, UCF, SMU, Houston, Memphis, Tulane

This would be a pretty good Big East conference, probably 6th in football and perhaps 3rd in basketball in a good year.

 

[zls44]

and perhaps 3rd in basketball in a good year.

LOLOLOL

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

It's sad when you're talking about UMass, Tulsa or Southern Miss being a better choice. They are all bad choices.

As unpalatable as associating with what's left over of a diminished acc is, please get off our storm damaged NNNBE island. Enabling the mess in amherst and more regional and broader recruiting competition is distasteful at best, but tiny, private school Tulsa's attraction is even more perplexing than another state's 3rd wheel, Southern Miss.

With only 3,000 students, a resulting small alumni base, similarly small football attendance (maybe 20K in good years), minimal gridiron bowl tradition, equally limited hoops' tourney record, etc., it's shockingly revolting to think of associating with the Golden Hurricanes on top of Memphis, ECU, Tulane, USF, UCF, and Cinci. Not that academics matter at this stage, but at least UCF's a huge, expanding school (50,000), well located (guarantees an annual home game for UConn's FL recruits and sizable alumni base in the Sunshine state), etc. New Orleans and Memphis offer some away game travel attractions, but Tulsa, Hattiesburg, Greenville ... how soon can Herbst and Manuel extricate us from NNNBE?

 

[weyuo]

We need another school up north to balance out the new Big East. Preferably a good basketball school with a growing football program just to make an all sports conference a little more palatable for the basketball crowd. Now who fits that bill that's not already in the B1g or the ACC? Kent St? Natural rival for Cincy. Made it to the quarterfinals in the NIT in 2011. Went 11-3 last year in football(albeit in the MAAC). Beat #15 Rutgers. Lost to #21 N. Illinois by a touchdown in double overtime. Lost by 4 points in their bowl game.

Big East South:​

Houston, Memphis, UCF, USF, SMU, Tulane​

Big East North:​

Cincy, UConn, Temple, ECU, Navy, ?​

__________________________________________________________________

 

[UConnJim]

We need another school up north to balance out the new Big East. Preferably a good basketball school with a growing football program just to make an all sports conference a little more palatable for the basketball crowd. Now who fits that bill that's not already in the B1g or the ACC? Kent St? Natural rival for Cincy. Made it to the quarterfinals in the NIT in 2011. Went 11-3 last year in football(albeit in the MAAC). Beat #15 Rutgers. Lost to #21 N. Illinois by a touchdown in double overtime. Lost by 4 points in their bowl game.

​

Big East South:​

Houston, Memphis, UCF, USF, SMU, Tulane​

Big East North:​

Cincy, UConn, Temple, ECU, Navy, ?​

__________________________________________________________________

The best choice for a northern school is Army, but not sure they would accept. If Army doesn't accept, place USF in the North to keep the old BE schools together and select another southern school. For me, UMass is a non-starter. Why? It has nothing to do with competition as I have no problem playing UMass in football or basketball on occasion, but they have little fan support, no football stadium of reasonable size near campus, and poor athletics so they really don't bring much to the party. If in 5 years, they show major improvement in support and performance, then I would reevaluate, but based on current evidence, the answer is no. UMass is not UConn 10 years ago.

 

[weyuo]

Having both Army & Navy in the New Big East would be appealing but:

• What about basketball? Could they attract the next Bobby Knight or Mike Krzyzewski to make the program competitive?
• With the economy and the current administration is there going to be money to upgrade facilities in the military academies so that they can attract a higher caliber athlete?
• The one thing the service academies have going for them is a built in home crowd. But what about TV? What do they add to market share in sports other than football? Is there room for growth or is it what it's going to be?

 

[metsfan2323]

Anyone who thinks UMASS does not have a fan base is ignorant. When Calipari had the basketball program humming along that state was rabid about the basketball team. Their football program has not been supported because they have been D2 all these years. 99.5% of the people in CT did not follow UCONN football when we were D2. If UMASS were bumped up to the Big East support for their athletic teams would double overnight. I understand fear and hypocrisy, but there are benefits from having a local rival.

An argument can be made that UCONN's biggest basketball rival in the mid 90's was UMASS, and that happened without ever playing them. There was true hatred between the programs and that's what good rivalries are made of.

 

[whaler11]

LOL what do Navy and Army add in basketball.

Conference realignment has really caused some serious detachment from reality around here.

First of all adding Army is a joke they can't compete in football. They didn't quit CUSA for no reason. Secondly their basketball team would be so horrendously putrid - they would never dream of putting their team in a competitive league.

Navy basketball? For real? Are they going to limit the height of players in the league to 6'4?

 

[weyuo]

Who was that All American Navy had back in the 80's? 7'1" David Robinson. Point is never say never or it "can't" be. Yeah I agree the services are not competing at all in D-1 basketball but does that mean that they never will if put in a position where they could financially support themselves?

 

[whaler11]

Who was that All American Navy had back in the 80's? 7'1" David Robinson. Point is never say never or it "can't" be. Yeah I agree the services are not competing at all in D-1 basketball but does that mean that they never will if put in a position where they could financially support themselves?

Seriously. Do one second of research on Navy basketball. Robinson got a waiver for being 2 inches too tall to join. He then grew another 4 inches after he enrolled.

It has nothing to do with money. They can't recruit the players to compete. Army and Navy basketball games draw 3 figure crowds for a reason.

Quinnipiac has more basketball upside than either of them do.

 

[obliterata]

LOLOLOL

After the Big10 and the ACC it isn't inconceivable that that Big East could be the third best conference "in a good year". I'm not saying every year or even 25 percent of the time all I'm saying is some of those programs could improve and that BE could get more tourney bids than the SEC, Big12, Pac12, and C7 "in a good year".

Regardless, I think that mix of schools is about as good as the Big East could be at this stage.