Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[sandgk]

This here's the wattle, the emblem of our land.

You can put in a bottle - or hold it in your hand.

 

[IronBuckI]

...
If the Big 10 forced a ninth conference game the MAC would go belly up...

Iowa, Penn State, and Michigan State are the only Big Ten teams not playing D1AA teams this year. Everyone else would drop their cupcake AA opponent, if the Big Ten forced a ninth conference game. Of the three that aren't playing a AA opponent. Only Iowa would likely drop a MAC team, due to their annual OOC against Iowa State. The MAC would be fine, and possibly get stronger. Since their Big Ten games will likely be covered on a bigger network than ESPN Plus.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Bingogo?

Fat fingers...Weis was at my keyboard (now I have to clean the bun crumbs and the mustard drips from it).

 

[Jagdaddy]

EH, here's an outside the box concept: The University of Toronto. It's an absolutely huge school, has a stellar academic reputation (18th in the world per one google search I just did) and would bring in not only Toronto's several million person market, but probably all of Canada. Granted they'd have to work hard to catch up athletically at first, but I'll bet they get every decent prospect in Canada and a fair number of Michigan, PA, and NY kids as well if they join and make a serious commitment.

 

[AKAK]

EH, here's an outside the box concept: The University of Toronto. It's an absolutely huge school, has a stellar academic reputation (18th in the world per one google search I just did) and would bring in not only Toronto's several million person market, but probably all of Canada. Granted they'd have to work hard to catch up athletically at first, but I'll bet they get every decent prospect in Canada and a fair number of Michigan, PA, and NY kids as well if they join and make a serious commitment.

There would have to be a serious philosophical change regarding sports/scholarships...

Anyway... its an interesting idea... but I tend to think they wouldn't be intersted.

 

[Jagdaddy]

There would have to be a serious philosophical change regarding sports/scholarships...

Anyway... its an interesting idea... but I tend to think they wouldn't be intersted.

Probably not. Still, the whole country would root for 'em against the American teams and they might like joining the academic side of the conference.

 

[jwinslow]

Bingo-fucking-go. I just loathe how dipshits in positions of power love fuck with shit just to squeeze some extra coinage...

Bingogo?

I was more disturbed by the way the powerful are turning tricks

 

[Muck]

The academic side they are more worried about graduate programs and research than the undergrad you linked.

Which was a big influence on why ND turned it down the last go 'round. The cost to upgrade to meet Big10 requirements in those areas was too great.

For some reason you never heard that part of the equation.

I guess "Notre Dame can't meet Big 10 academics" doesn't sell.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

I was listening to 1460 today on this issue, and I agree with Hooley... It is alarming that Delaney would suggest expansion being needed because it would help the B10 network.

Hey, Delaney, you might want to secure your own friggin regional coverage before you go expanding. It's a power play, pure and simple. "Hey, TimeWarner, you better sign on, because when we get Rutgers and the NY market, we won't need you any more"

Ridiculous.

As a pure "expansion for expansion's sake" matter, I don't see the problem. I feel Rutgers is who they're after... not Cuse... not WVU.. not ND... Not Mizzu or even Texas (which I've never understood). I guess I do see the weakening of the OSU v. Mich tradition, but from a Big ten perspective, it's gotta be about more than just that. If the Big Ten spends effort amplifying the importance of OSU Mich, it all but admits those are the only two teams that matter. As OSU fans, this makes sense... but... in terms of a conference wide analysis.... well.. maybe not.

I don't know.. I guess I feel... even when OSU and Mich play and nothing is on the line, I still want to see OSU beat the shit out of them. I don't' think that'll change with a 12th member and a championship game. But, I surely understand - from an OSU fan perspective (or Mich fan) - how distasteful the idea is that there'd be an "and one" after the battle that matters.

Truth is, I don't like any conference championship games. They're money grabs far as I can tell.. but if the Big 10 insists on each team not playing every other team, I'm hard pressed to say a championship doesn't make sense (Not "perfect" sense, but sense)

 

[Best Buckeye]

Ever since the idea of the big ten network has been made public there has been the idea in the back of my mind that the powers that be were doing this for the money and to that end they would prostitute themselves and the conference.
IMO The projected games they have advertised are a joke as far as promoting the big ten and of course they are going to pressure whoever they can in whatever way they can to get subscriptions.
I can't think of any reason to bring in Rutgers. We don't need another weak team in the conference. Yes they have a good team now but if they played in the bigten what would happen? Look at how disappointed PSU is in their football team since they joined and they are far better than Rutgers.
I can't see the network furthering the cause of the conference without having good games showcased and that won't happen with the contracts they have now.

 

[starBUCKS]

Ever since the idea of the big ten network has been made public there has been the idea in the back of my mind that the powers that be were doing this for the money and to that end they would prostitute themselves and the conference.
IMO The projected games they have advertised are a joke as far as promoting the big ten and of course they are going to pressure whoever they can in whatever way they can to get subscriptions.
I can't think of any reason to bring in Rutgers. We don't need another weak team in the conference. Yes they have a good team now but if they played in the bigten what would happen? Look at how disappointed PSU is in their football team since they joined and they are far better than Rutgers.
I can't see the network furthering the cause of the conference without having good games showcased and that won't happen with the contracts they have now.

Agreed. Rutgers had a great season last year, and we can't take that away from them. I'm sure Schiano is building something good... but, I guarantee he won't be there 3 years from now. It's still a team with only 38 wins in the last 10 years. They'll have a run that will be as worthy as Utah's or Marshall's some years ago. We would have to add a power team to continue to compete with the SEC and ACC... they're not it. If we were building a Women's basketball conference I'd have a different opinion.

 

[Crashcup]

I assure you that if it isn't ND, there will be no expansion. In the meantime if ND says no then the Big 10 waits. In the meantime Delaney has to posture.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Which was a big influence on why ND turned it down the last go 'round. The cost to upgrade to meet Big10 requirements in those areas was too great.

For some reason you never heard that part of the equation.

I guess "Notre Dame can't meet Big 10 academics" doesn't sell.

The domer faculty begged their administration to join the Big Ten, so they could get access to the CIC and beef up their weak graduate, research and faculty reputations. I believe that the ND faculty senate voted 34-2 in favor of joining but were overruled in favor of what was best for the football program. Can you imagine the howls from the domers had a Big Ten school made such a blatant tail wagging the dog decision. Then again, hypocritical domers are nothing new.

The presidents and faculties have been pretty clear that the only non-AAU school that they'd let into the CIC is Notre Dame which leaves out (and rightfully so) Louisville, WVU and a host of other pretenders. Personally, I think Pitt is the perfect choice: strong academics, decent football and basketball traditions and they provide a natural rival for Penn State. They don't, however, turn on any additional television sets, and that's what this is all about.

Delany is worried that a failed BTN will be his lasting legacy, and he's getting desperate. My hunch is that this is all about the NYC television market, and if ND says no (they will), the offer will go to Rutgers (good academics and an AAU school to appease the faculties).

I also don't want ND anywhere near the Big Ten. While it would be nice to watch them go through the kind of eye opening that Penn State fan has, I have no desire to see them gain access to the CIC--not after the hypocritical priests stood behind the podium last time and insinuated that they were turning the B10 down because they were too good academically. Screw 'em. They've already lost their 14 million dollar payout for making a BCS game, and in a few years Fat Bastard will have proven himself to be a fraud and a failure. I'd much rather watch them wallow into insignificance and irrelevance. Oh wait, they're already there, but for now, they just don't realize it.

 

[Wells4Heisman]

Another thought I have heard is Penn State leaving.
A lot of Nits aren't happy with how things have turned out for them.
They really thought they would dominate the conference. :tongue2:
After JoePa leaves this could be a possibility as he is against leaving the conference.

Then, the conference would go back to a round robin of 10 teams.

I hope PSU stays.... they add some competition in the conference and are a strength to the conference.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Nothing has changed with ND since they were last asked to join, it'd be stupid to ask them again. Furthermore, they've signed a big deal with NBC. Even more reason to ignore them from consideration here.

I do see adding Pitt as making sense, especially to give PSU a conference rival.

You know, the other thing is... Who does Delaney work for and how much power does he really have? The school Presidents could put a swift end to this whole expansion discussion by voting "no."