Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[matcar]

I was just basing my view off of the excitement the Texas games generated.The excitement would be there for Oklahoma and Nebraska.They all have the great tradition the Big Ten offers.We all know as long as ND and NBC are as one we have no shot so thats why I never mentioned them as a possibility.Would you rather pay 100$ to see Texas or Youngstown State?

Speaking of Texas, while I was down in Austin for a game this year, EVERY SINGLE person I spoke with who was affiliated with the university as alumni or otherwise believed that UT would eventually join the Big 10. They understood that geographically, they are far away, but UT is a very strong university academically and would like to pool their resources and gain from the vast network that the Big 10 has. So, while I don't know whether the Big 10 would consider this athletically, UT clearly hopes that the Big 10 will ultimately consider them joining academically. UT feels very out of place in the Big 12 and doesn't believe it's getting the benefits, academically or otherwise, that it knows it would get from the Big 10.

 

[Steve19]

This topic has come up so many times and I've hopped all over the spectrum, but I'm pretty much settled on contraction now, not expansion. Dump Penn State, let them go over to the Big East, where they're a better fit geographically and in the same conference as their natural rival, Pitt, and contract the Big Ten back down to ten teams, playing a full round-robin schedule like the Pac Ten.

Indiana does not have either Ohio State or Michigan on their schedule this year. When you combine the way their offense is running right now, a weak schedule, and how bad Wisconsin and Iowa have looked, there is a very real possibility that IU could go 7-1 in the conference, presuming a loss to Penn St. That might be good enough to win the conference, or at least tie for a share of the conference title.

You think "the Big Ten is down" chorus is loud now? What the hell happens if the Big Ten sends Indi-fucking-ana to a BCS Bowl?

Indiana. Big Ten Champs. Our conference crowned Northwestern back-to-back Big Ten champs last decade on the strength of dodging two of the best teams Ohio State has ever fielded, as well as missing Nick Saban's Michigan State squads, two years in a row, and we've learned nothing from this?

What he said...

 

[BayBuck]

This topic has come up so many times and I've hopped all over the spectrum, but I'm pretty much settled on contraction now, not expansion. Dump Penn State, let them go over to the Big East, where they're a better fit geographically and in the same conference as their natural rival, Pitt, and contract the Big Ten back down to ten teams, playing a full round-robin schedule like the Pac Ten.

Indiana does not have either Ohio State or Michigan on their schedule this year. When you combine the way their offense is running right now, a weak schedule, and how bad Wisconsin and Iowa have looked, there is a very real possibility that IU could go 7-1 in the conference, presuming a loss to Penn St. That might be good enough to win the conference, or at least tie for a share of the conference title.

You think "the Big Ten is down" chorus is loud now? What the hell happens if the Big Ten sends Indi-fucking-ana to a BCS Bowl?

Indiana. Big Ten Champs. Our conference crowned Northwestern back-to-back Big Ten champs last decade on the strength of dodging two of the best teams Ohio State has ever fielded, as well as missing Nick Saban's Michigan State squads, two years in a row, and we've learned nothing from this?

I mostly agree, except I've always felt Iowa (the Big Ten's lone member from a non-Great Lakes state) would likewise make geographical sense to drop, then they could join their state rival in the Big Twelve (which could then drop, say, Baylor). I'd rather keep Pennsylvania over Iowa as a Big Ten state for general recruiting purposes.

 

[BB73]

Damn. Dennis Dodd suggested ND in the Big Ten the day before Mandel wrote that. I didn't bother to paste it into this thread.

The national press just has to keep writing stuff about ND. How long will they have to suck this season before they can just be ignored, like other very bad teams?

 

[coastalbuck]

Damn. Dennis Dodd suggested ND in the Big Ten the day before Mandel wrote that. I didn't bother to paste it into this thread.

The national press just has to keep writing stuff about ND. How long will they have to suck this season before they can just be ignored, like other very bad teams?

If they continue to prove their ineptitude, might not be too long....

 

[Bleed S & G]

The national press just has to keep writing stuff about ND. How long will they have to suck this season before they can just be ignored, like other very bad teams?

I was wondering the same thing as ESPiN had Mallets mug on a graphic for a few minutes during the Miami game last night.. it was like, who the hell cares

 

[Mike80]

Damn. Dennis Dodd suggested ND in the Big Ten the day before Mandel wrote that. I didn't bother to paste it into this thread.

The national press just has to keep writing stuff about ND. How long will they have to suck this season before they can just be ignored, like other very bad teams?

I can't think of a total collapse like the one NoD is having this year which has generated more press already....

Even in recent years, the collapse of Miami, the outright destruction of the Washington Football program after Neuheisel left to the near complete embarrassment Nebraska has become under Beau Bridges....

It should show us, at least, that NoD is on every member of the press' minds even when they suck. It might be fun to point that out to NoD fans when they are claiming they don't get a free pass from the sportwriters

 

[IronBuckI]

If we want the ND press to go away, then they have to stop sucking and achieve mediocrity. One of the greatest programs in college football history being horrible is a story...one that just keeps on giving. That same program being mediocre causes it fade into obscurity.

 

[muffler dragon]

I'm pretty much settled on contraction now, not expansion.

My thought exactly.

 

[Dryden]

The press is just building up the fall of Notre Dame in preparation for their poignant, tri-annual "Return to Glory" form-articles they've been republishing since the mid-80s. Don't worry, Charlie will have ND back to getting blown out by 4 TDs in a BCS bowl in two more years.

 

[calibuck]

I hadn't even considered Dryden's point of view, but it makes waaaay too much sense. Penn State has always complained that they were better off as an independent (they were, I think), and since they came into the B10, they haven't achieved the level of greatness they believe they deserve. They could be the BCS rep most of the years in the Big Least, and take a Lion's () share of the $14 mill. It makes tooooo much sense.

Before the decision makers decided on Notre Dame, UT was prominently mentioned, along with Missouri, Syracuse, and even Iowa State (to keep Iowa company), as somone academically worth of being in the B10. That seemed to be a large criterion (as it should be) to admission. UT is the highest rated academic school in the south (maybe not as high as Rice), and has always been the 'Harvard of the South'. They could still play Oklahoma and A&M, and add to the luster of the B10.

:gobucks3::gobucks4:

 

[Zurp]

I didn't go to a Big Ten school. So I don't know about this. But what does academics have to do with the conference? Sure - I know you want "fine, upstanding" universities in your conference, and that's fine. I agree with that. But I wouldn't have thought that those would be that hard to find. What am I missing?

 

[calibuck]

I'll take a swing at this. The Big 10 was designed to compete academically with the Ivy League (in the far beginnings). It has always been a point of pride that the student/athletes were on a higher plane than any of the other conferences. I want to say it was the second oldest (after the Ivy League, I believe). Originally it had the University of Chicago, but they dropped major sports (at least football), and were expunged from the league.

One of the focuses is on the graduate schools (which explains why Northwestern stays), and that Notre Dame (famous for a great undergraduate program, not so for grad programs) decided not to join. That was because they didn't want to dilute their undergrad program to increase their level and number of grad programs. Nothing to do with their own channel, money, etc.

So, the B10 has always held it's head high when it comes to academics. Putting in a Tennessee, say, would undermine the higher level of academics that the B10 espouses, and the chancellors would not do that just to gain football or basketball prowess. Maybe it's a crutch when the games go bad, don't know. Only do know that the B10 does have a respected academic standing in the country.

Anyone else got something to add? I'm sure that others have their opinions, but it's just something that's known and accepted, but maybe not why.

:gobucks3::gobucks4:

 

[OmahaBeef]

The press is just building up the fall of Notre Dame in preparation for their poignant, tri-annual "Return to Glory" form-articles they've been republishing since the mid-80s. Don't worry, Charlie will have ND back to getting blown out by 4 TDs in a BCS bowl in two more years.

 

[ScarletStorms]

That is exactly what they are doing. It is inevitable that Notre Dame will turn this around next season. They have too many good athletes. And then we will hear about the amazing turn around. It's funny, because I am no fan of Charlie Weiss but he has had a greater impact on Notre Dame than Ty Willingham. He not only took them to two straight BCS games but he resurrected them as the media darlings, which led to the outrageous recruiting classes they have put together. ESPN slams them so that they can turn around and run the underdog story pretending with a straight face as though it wasn't them kicking them when they were down.

If I were a Notre Dame fan, I would feel fine about this season. There really arent that many talented seniors. And the younger classes haven't been brought along efficiently. By next year Notre Dame will be back to running up the score on lesser opponents and taking it from behind when it matters in their inevitable BCS berth.

BTW if we had our choice between Texas and Notre Dame I would probably pick Notre Dame because of the geography. I just relate the Big Ten the midwest. But if we were considering dropping a school, which I am more than sure would never happen I would go with Iowa. Penn State just has a better athletics department. I honestly wouldn't mind picking up either Notre Dame or Texas so long as we don't add the conference championship game. They only serve commercial purposes and it would hurt the integrity of our conference.