The End of an Era- Today's NYT article from Thamel

[Champions990411]

Here is the best quote of Pete Thamel's article from today.
"Not a lot of Providence and Southern Methodist graduates sit next to one another in offices."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/sports/ncaabasketball/louisville-turns-back-cincinnatis-late-run-and-rules-the-big-east.html?_r=1&hpw

If you live and work in the NY Metro area, everybody seems to have a connection to most of the original schools and this has always made the event so special.
I live in Fairfield County and work in NJ and our office is represented by every single member of the original BE, plus Pitt, ND, Rutgers and WVU. There are no USF, Cincy or Louisville grads. Memphis? Houston? SMU? doubtful.
For most of us in the office the BE and BET has always been more special than the March Madness which has become so corporate. For old timers like me that remember UConn being the doormat of the 1980's that last 22 years have been unbelievable.
Syracuse leaves without being able to tie UConn and G'town for most BET championships. I will actually miss the Orange and their obsessed fans.

 

[suzyq]

Well, that was depressing as hell.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Here is the best quote of Pete Thamel's article from today.
"Not a lot of Providence and Southern Methodist graduates sit next to one another in offices."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/sports/ncaabasketball/louisville-turns-back-cincinnatis-late-run-and-rules-the-big-east.html?_r=1&hpw

If you live and work in the NY Metro area, everybody seems to have a connection to most of the original schools and this has always made the event so special.
I live in Fairfield County and work in NJ and our office is represented by every single member of the original BE, plus Pitt, ND, Rutgers and WVU. There are no USF, Cincy or Louisville grads. Memphis? Houston? SMU? doubtful.
For most of us in the office the BE and BET has always been more special than the March Madness which has become so corporate. For old timers like me that remember UConn being the doormat of the 1980's that last 22 years have been unbelievable.
Syracuse leaves without being able to tie UConn and G'town for most BET championships. I will actually miss the Orange and their obsessed fans.

This is the problem with realignment in general. The regional rivals, history and pageantry are what made college sports special. They are cutting of their nose despite their face in my opinion. This move to nationwide conferences in a grab for television money is going to ruin what made college sports so wonderful in the first place.

 

[metsfan2323]

Yawn, the world changes, get used to it. The game yesterday was lousy but it had nothing to do with a lack of a regional rivalry. Cincy and Louisville are in fact regional rivals. Last years final was outstanding in a matchup of non regional rivals UCONN and Louisville.

And this waxing poetic about the old Big East needs to stop. Louisville has brought more excitement to the Big East over the last 8 years then Providence, Seton Hall, and St Johns combined.

 

[djct1999]

its more like the end of a career for Thamel...he is a syracuse guy. how many people who read the ny times are going to care about thamels breakdown of the syracuse wake game in winston salem. not many.

 

[Ts5034]

Maybe next years championship game will be an old classic Uconn vs Pitt, Uconn vs Syracuse. It would be nice to see that one more time as a tribute to the Big East before it all changes.

 

[SAMCRO]

Screw that, Pitt and Cuse made their choice (same one we would have made). I hope the 2013 BET semi's include UConn and 3 other 2013-14 BE teams.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Yawn, the world changes, get used to it. .

Just because it changes does mean it changes for the better. We will surely get used to it but all this conference realignment is horrible for college sports. Good for cash flow but bad for rivalries and all the stuff that makes college sports great.