The original Big East held on much longer than it should've but the death warrant was signed in the early 80s when Penn State was turned down for membership by a group of small catholic colleges who couldn't see beyond their own self-interest to meet the needs of the other member institutions or to understand just how important football would become to the future survival of major college programs.
A conference with Penn State and eventually Miami, West Virginia, etc would've been a likely survivor as a P5/P6 (the Big XII may well have ended up being the loser) and those same small catholic colleges would have enjoyed an enhanced payout bolstered by the status earned by those larger schools. Beyond that they wouldn't have to sweat out the potential of being left behind when those major conferences eventually leave the NCAA (or split to form some new division).
It's fairly ironic that after being burned by those colleges UConn (which while it hadn't been wise enough to step up yet, at least was wise enough to vote yes on Penn State) now has decided to throw its lot back with those same catholic colleges. Those same disparate interests. The only public school, the only full FBS football school, still the highest athletic department budget now in another group of schools unlikely to care or respect the needs/interests of the institution. The kind of short-term foolish thinking that kills not just the football program, but ultimately the rest of the athletic department.
Ironically all the other schools who supported Penn State's admission managed to find their way to greener pastures and a future.. while UConn has decided voluntarily to get back together with the group that couldn't see past their own self interest to support the needs of their conference brethren originally. Yep, each of those small catholic schools are once again going to be depended on by UConn for its own survival, hope it goes better this time.
A conference with Penn State and eventually Miami, West Virginia, etc would've been a likely survivor as a P5/P6 (the Big XII may well have ended up being the loser) and those same small catholic colleges would have enjoyed an enhanced payout bolstered by the status earned by those larger schools. Beyond that they wouldn't have to sweat out the potential of being left behind when those major conferences eventually leave the NCAA (or split to form some new division).
It's fairly ironic that after being burned by those colleges UConn (which while it hadn't been wise enough to step up yet, at least was wise enough to vote yes on Penn State) now has decided to throw its lot back with those same catholic colleges. Those same disparate interests. The only public school, the only full FBS football school, still the highest athletic department budget now in another group of schools unlikely to care or respect the needs/interests of the institution. The kind of short-term foolish thinking that kills not just the football program, but ultimately the rest of the athletic department.
Ironically all the other schools who supported Penn State's admission managed to find their way to greener pastures and a future.. while UConn has decided voluntarily to get back together with the group that couldn't see past their own self interest to support the needs of their conference brethren originally. Yep, each of those small catholic schools are once again going to be depended on by UConn for its own survival, hope it goes better this time.
