Why Tulane?

[ctchamps]

Tulane was voted in unanimously. Naturally everyone questions it including myself. The only explanation for the invite has to be it was media pushed. It has been reported Aresco has been in contact with several networks. They have to be guiding him.

When the BE lost Cuse the C7 decided they were going to be relegated to a bb only conference sooner or later. It was not a well kept secret that the C7 started their exploration to leave the BE six months ago. This means the remaining universities suspected their departure before the vote to invite Tulane and ECU. More importantly, I'm sure Aresco was in discussion with NBC or whomever about the direction they would prefer the BE to head under various scenarios including the C7 departure. Certainly Rutgers and MD invite to the B!G was a shock. But Rutgers really wasn't a star in the BE. By themselves, their loss was a not very serious.

The real hit was that the ACC was going to raid the BE to replace Md.

Everyone knew well ahead of time that if expansion took place Ville and UConn were going. And everyone knew with near certainty more dominoes were going to be dropping. So the networks(s) that Aresco has been in contact with were well appraised of things that were likely to happen to the BE six months ago and had set up contingencies how they wanted Aresco to proceed. Hence the reason the BE schools voted unanimously on Tulane.

With the C7 discussing things it wasn't a major leap to predict ND was going to leave the conference. Any of the rocket scientists in this forum would know ND just bought time to stay independent for a while until the CR starts its end game with this season. So I would bet Aresco, and the network(s) he has been in contact, discussed ND was heading to the ACC because the B!G won't touch them unless they were "all in" This left only the ACC to park their diseased butts.

Maryland going to the B!G and Ville over UConn were probably the only things they (Aresco and the networks) didn't predict ahead of time. But they had a lot of scenarios that the ACC would lose members so the modality of ACC change wasn't important. Furthermore they knew both Ville and UConn couldn't be counted to stay, so the order of their departure wasn't critical. More to follow.

 

[Dann]

 

[uconNYC]

Honestly, I think it was irrational exuberance on Aresco's part. Tulane probably approached him and given their academics, facilities upgrade and big city location - in the heat of the moment - Aresco pushed through their membership with the university presidents who were still concussed by Rutgers defection and the potential of UConn leaving for the ACC (yeah UConn, not UL).

It was a very poorly thought out move. The Big East is a short term league and Tulane is a long term add. I know it sounds silly, but the Big East really needs quick fixes and Tulane certainly not one. They, along with ECU, also make it difficult to geographically balance the divisions.

 

[mattp]

I saw the other day in my Business School newsletter that the president of Tulane University was a UConn alumni. Not only that but according to wikipedia he played football for us after being recruited by then UConn assistant, Lou Holtz. I have no idea if this would factor in, but I thought it was an interesting connection

 

[Final4 42]

I saw the other day in my Business School newsletter that the president of Tulane University was a UConn alumni. Not only that but according to wikipedia he played football for us after being recruited by then UConn assistant, Lou Holtz. I have no idea if this would factor in, but I thought it was an interesting connection

Not only that but he is the new Chairman of the AAU association executive committee; so he better help Uconn get admittance there.

 

[SubbaBub]

If Tulane was brought in to get a New Orleans bowl tie in, then it was worth it. May as well be them over whatever other bottom feeding FB program was under consideration. Bring in UNLV, too.

Our bowl tie-ins will surely change. If we're going to stuck here, may as well try to get upgraded bowl trips out of this mess.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ctchamps]

If Tulane was brought in to get a New Orleans bowl tie in, then it was worth it. May as well be them over whatever other bottom feeding FB program was under consideration. Bring in UNLV, too.

Our bowl tie-ins will surely change. If we're going to stuck here, may as well try to get upgraded bowl trips out of this mess.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

More in line with what I was thinking. Aresco knows the inner thoughts with media. So he's not thinking of history with football or bb. He's thinking how to maximize the revenue stream to the conference. His model is different than Delaney's for obvious reasons, but all the models are different between conferences.

Aresco's problem is he can't get traction. Events have submarined his vision even before it gets into place. Furthermore people don't have anything concrete to observe regarding his vision, so they aren't willing to take a chance. But your idea is exactly what can make things work for whoever remains in Aresco's conference.

Rivalries are important. But in the end most rivalries are in a state of flux. UConn fans loved beating the Johnnies but that switched to a greater passion for many to beat Pitt once the strengths of those teams changed. I don't consider Pitt close geographically relative to St. Johns.

Early on beating Georgetown or Cuse was equal. A victory over Cuse gets more attention in recent years.