Twelfth Team to the Big East

[QDOG5]

My first choice would be Syracuse but its not going to happen.
BC would be my second choice (see above)
Zags, not going to happen. Too much travel for them and their conference affiliation is no longer a hindrance.
Definite no on UMass Or Rhody. But if it happens I'd pick UMass
I think the best choice would be Dayton. Catholic school. Would be able to develop a rivalry with Xavier an hour away and Butler two hours away. They have a bball tradition and a dedicated alumni base. Very similar to Marquette in both those categories. Marquette lite in a way. I know it's not a school in the east but it's not in Fort Worth either.

 

[SeattleHoop]

People who are saying Gonzaga isn’t a a logical option are underestimating the insanity of conference realignment. If it makes both parties $$ in the long term it will happen

 

[SeattleHoop]

Yeah the question is whether they can be the Boise State of college basketball, where they keep winning despite coaching changes. Not easy to do.

Then again, Few is "only" 58 and doesn't appear to be going anywhere.

I think it's a good risk to assume Gonzaga will be relevant for the foreseeable future. The trajectory is upwards.

They are not going anywhere. They are a juggernaut and will be for a long time

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Expanding to twelve members would (almost definitely) mean two six team divisions. As Connecticut, PC, St John's, SHU, Villanova and Georgetown as one division appears to be a no brainer while keeping Butler, Xavier, Marquette, DePaul and even the outlier Creighton together in a division makes the most sense, if a twelfth member were to be added it would be a school somewhere west of Pennsylvania.

I don't know if travel could ever make sense with Gonzaga added to the Ohio to Nebraska division but at the moment they would be the only potential candidate with a sufficient profile. Any other school that could help us would have to give up some money to leave their current conference (unless someone believes a school like St Louis or Dayton would improve the conference as a whole).

 

[Dogdeacon]

My first choice would be Syracuse but its not going to happen.
BC would be my second choice (see above)
Zags, not going to happen. Too much travel for them and their conference affiliation is no longer a hindrance.
Definite no on UMass Or Rhody. But if it happens I'd pick UMass
I think the best choice would be Dayton. Catholic school. Would be able to develop a rivalry with Xavier an hour away and Butler two hours away. They have a bball tradition and a dedicated alumni base. Very similar to Marquette in both those categories. Marquette lite in a way. I know it's not a school in the east but it's not in Fort Worth either.

I agree with Syracuse #1 and BCU #2
On BC, the move would be for UConn to extend an olive branch, apologize for the Calhoun years & other ill-will over the years and welcome them back with open arms after years of ACC basement dwelling. Then once they are back in the BE, UConn flips and take their spot in the ACC

My #3 is UMass - I was trying to explain to a bunch of friends how/why UConn got screwed in the conference realignment, why football stinks and how/why BC and UMass hate UConn. The reasonging/argument that generated the ill-will, which was mostly Calhoun's, was that we don't want to boost nearby rivals and thereby hurt UConn's recruiting advantage in the northeast. This was short-sighted (not just b/c of the football conference debacle in partially caused) and not in the spirit of college athletics (hypocrisy i know, please don't boo). Many other schools co-exist with rivals in their backyard, if there is room in other much smaller markets there is room in the northeast and adding UMass could grow both schools. UMass is a much better school than it was 30yrs ago when Calhoun started (as is UConn of course) and very arguably will continue to prosper with a wealthier state to fund it. It is so freakin' stupid that conferences blew up based on football and TV & the loss of so many local/regional rivalries. So yes, the Big East needs to zag but not to Gon (sorry) but to local rivalries.

 

[Rocktheworld]

My first choice would be Syracuse but its not going to happen.
BC would be my second choice (see above)
Zags, not going to happen. Too much travel for them and their conference affiliation is no longer a hindrance.
Definite no on UMass Or Rhody. But if it happens I'd pick UMass
I think the best choice would be Dayton. Catholic school. Would be able to develop a rivalry with Xavier an hour away and Butler two hours away. They have a bball tradition and a dedicated alumni base. Very similar to Marquette in both those categories. Marquette lite in a way. I know it's not a school in the east but it's not in Fort Worth either.

Good call on Dayton. Would be a decent middling team

 

[huskiesNhoos]

I'm glad you whackos have no say in the dealings of our AD and conference...

But while we're all blowing smoke...I think raiding the ACC would be the ultimate karma. Lot of mediocre football teams there could form a mediocre football conference that us and Nova could fit right in with (albeit as Depaul level bottom feeders - for a bit). Grab Cuse, UVA, VT, BC and ND for all sports except football and have them do a rights deal similar to their current agreement with ACC. Would need to get creative with football to fill out that roster to 10 teams...but this won't ever happen so...

 

[superjohn]

Yeah the question is whether they can be the Boise State of college basketball, where they keep winning despite coaching changes. Not easy to do.

Then again, Few is "only" 58 and doesn't appear to be going anywhere.

I think it's a good risk to assume Gonzaga will be relevant for the foreseeable future. The trajectory is upwards.

They are at a much higher level than Boise was in football or what Wichita (Rocko brought them up) was in hoops though. They are basically a 10 program the last 20 years or so and top 5 the last five years. Most people probably thought UConn was a flash in the pan early on but when you sustain success for such a long period of time you become a powerhouse program...

I never believed in a million years UConn would go away when Cahoun hung it up. Despite getting screwed in conference realignment and the Ollie debacle we are right back on course. The one thing working against Gonzaga whenever Few hangs it up is that their conference is terrible and they'll have nobody to play for the majority of the season which makes it a lot harder for the new coach. Joining one of the premier basketball conferences in the country fixes that and adds a whole lot of juice to the program.

 

[HuskyinWRNY]

They are at a much higher level than Boise was in football or what Wichita (Rocko brought them up) was in hoops though. They are basically a 10 program the last 20 years or so and top 5 the last five years. Most people probably thought UConn was a flash in the pan early on but when you sustain success for such a long period of time you become a powerhouse program...

I never believed in a million years UConn would go away when Cahoun hung it up. Despite getting screwed in conference realignment and the Ollie debacle we are right back on course. The one thing working against Gonzaga whenever Few hangs it up is that their conference is terrible and they'll have nobody to play for the majority of the season which makes it a lot harder for the new coach. Joining one of the premier basketball conferences in the country fixes that and adds a whole lot of juice to the program.

I believe Gonzaga is here to stay. There is always a drop off when the big time coach leaves and the successor arrives. But a strong program, as long as they don't hire Ollie, will survive and gain strength again.

 

[goskis2018]

UConn was incredibly reliant on Jim Calhoun but he created a huge national brand through all his success where they were set up for the future. Gonzaga doesn't have the hardware but they are always top 5 and always in the mix late in the tournament. Few will be there for a lot longer and they are set up for success when he retires, a move to the Big East makes being successful after Few much easier. From strictly a basketball perspective it's a no-brainer.

Yup, this has come up time and time again in this thread. Logistics, with the Zags being out west, are the major hurdle. If Gonzaga was dominating as part of the A10 in, say, Virginia, no one would be questioning inviting a non-football school with a perennial top-5 program.

Should we dump Villanova because we don't know what the post-Wright era will look like?

 

[superjohn]

Yup, this has come up time and time again in this thread. Logistics, with the Zags being out west, are the major hurdle. If Gonzaga was dominating as part of the A10 in, say, Virginia, no one would be questioning inviting a non-football school with a perennial top-5 program.

Should we dump Villanova because we don't know what the post-Wright era will look like?

If Gonzaga was closer to the Midwest they would've already been in the Big East years ago. All the other stuff people are bringing up is just noise. They had serious talks years ago and I think they're having serious talks now.

 

[Fishy]

I love it when people call an idea dumb without explaining why or offering a better suggestion.

Your prefer some of the other ideas offered in this thread? How come you didn't call out Canisius or Memphis?

Only UMASS gets under your skin, perhaps because they are a rival.

I’ve been very clear - there are no viable options.

Suggesting UMass because they’re relatively close on the map is the work of a simpleton.

 

[CL82]

Give UMASS a Big East upgrade and they would be quite capable of doing what Houston did with a cheaper AAC upgrade.

Based on what, exactly? Anything more than wishful thinking?

 

[Dogdeacon]

I’ve been very clear - there are no viable options.

Suggesting UMass because they’re relatively close on the map is the work of a simpleton.

I have no idea what various non-revenue sports at UConn like track, swimming or polo do for conference/game/opponents. But if even ONE of those niche sports travels to Creighton or Butler for so much as a chukka it'd be infinitely more sensical to use that map & pick a local conference foe. UConn's diving team should be in a conference with whatever 40 pools & schools are within an hour and half drive and that's it.

 

[nomar]

Bring Cuse back.

Let's bring them back and then at the press conference, we dump a bucket of pig's blood over their head.

 

[Ewekon]

If you could add one (only one) team, for all sports (except football) to the Big East.....................who? Please keep in mind this will impact ALL sports, men's and women's, not just basketball. So competitiveness, travel, academics, marketability, rivalries, goeography, etc, all have a role in your decision.

I'll withhold my choice until others respond. I promise not to change my choice based on what others say. Gotta trust me.

Out there thought... BU..

Check marks for hockey, lax, soccer, baseball. Bring in a real HC and shoves it to BC. Gotta commit big to hoops though. At least Pee C big.

Good academics, right in footprint. Cannabalizes no other BU sport. FB goes great with 'Nova in FCS.

Win/win?

edit: plus, great Catholic school too

 

[Fishy]

I have no idea what various non-revenue sports at UConn like track, swimming or polo do for conference/game/opponents. But if even ONE of those niche sports travels to Creighton or Butler for so much as a chukka it'd be infinitely more sensical to use that map & pick a local conference foe. UConn's diving team should be in a conference with whatever 40 pools & schools are within an hour and half drive and that's it.

Understand what we’re talking about…

Men’s sports…soccer is on a plane two or three times a year. Track is going to meets locally and maybe gets on a plane once depending on where the Big East championship is. Golf is always on a plane because it’s cold in Connecticut in the winter - has nothing to do with their conference. Football, basketball and baseball are what they are.

Women’s sports…Track mostly does local meets, but will fly once or twice, depending on where the championship is. Field hockey…there’s a bunch of associate members in the Big East and most are relatively close by, but the program plays a national schedule because they’re good and that’s how it goes. Lacrosse…no home and homes, so you might fly twice to some of the midwest Big East schools and play two games against Butler or whoever. (Or Denver, which I think is an associate member.) Rowing is never on a plane. Soccer is on a plane two or three times a year, depending on where the championship is. Softball, like baseball, travels a lot because you can’t play outdoors here for part of the season. Swimming will always have a local schedule - they’re never on a plane. Tennis will always be local. Volleyball will fly to the midwest once or twice a season.

Basically, adding UMass to the conference does nothing for UConn’s travel budget. They’re already on the schedule of some of the Olympic sports and they’re not going to save us a road trip in some of the others.

It’s like adding Gonzaga would not really affect the travel for UConn that much either. (The travel for Gonzaga, on the other hand, would be disastrous.)

 

[Guapo]

A) the Big East is adding Gonzaga or no one

B) the people here suggesting UMass need their heads examined

 

[Fishy]

Based on what, exactly? Anything more than wishful thinking?

Wishful thinking.

A school that cannot compete on a consistent basis in the A10 is suddenly going to be competitive in the Big East.

It’s idiocy.

 

[Ha Who]

I love it when people call an idea dumb without explaining why or offering a better suggestion.

Your prefer some of the other ideas offered in this thread? How come you didn't call out Canisius or Memphis?

Only UMASS gets under your skin, perhaps because they are a rival.

Love that Amherst market

 

[ecasadoSBU]

Only if we kick out Providence. Somehow I doubt a closeted PC fan like yourself would go for that.

Man... You could've said a closeted Seton Hall fan or St. John's fan since I'm from NYC. But Providence? WTF!

 

[ecasadoSBU]

Said it in another post. Buffalo aka UB, academically light years ahead of UMass and every MAC school except Miami. Crazy as it sounds, another large state school with good academics in the Big East, they would be a much better addition than UMass, and an annual football opponent? Plus might piss off Suckacuse

Can you please request my Seawolves instead? STONY BROOK!!! The better SUNY. (Probably too close to St. John's)

 

[SubbaBub]

UMass. The Big East needs a team in Massachusetts.

I'm torn on this. Not whether or not to invite UMass but whether to reply with the John McEnroe meme or the Heath Ledger Joker meme.

 

[freescooter]

Temple. They can’t be thrilled with the new AAC. Plus Villanova would have a rival.

 

[CallMeBruce]

My first choice would be Syracuse but its not going to happen.
BC would be my second choice (see above)
Zags, not going to happen. Too much travel for them and their conference affiliation is no longer a hindrance.
Definite no on UMass Or Rhody. But if it happens I'd pick UMass
I think the best choice would be Dayton. Catholic school. Would be able to develop a rivalry with Xavier an hour away and Butler two hours away. They have a bball tradition and a dedicated alumni base. Very similar to Marquette in both those categories. Marquette lite in a way. I know it's not a school in the east but it's not in Fort Worth either.

Seems like the Zags conference affiliation is going to be a problem soon