Can We Stop The Realignment Talk?
by Dr. Charley West on Jun 3, 2009 11:14 AM EDT
in Mountaineer Football
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PrintOK, so Joe Paterno's got a stiffy for Rutgers, Pitt, Syracuse, Missouri, Cal-Poly, and Virgin Island Prep. Basically, anyone but Notre Dame.
Who cares, right?
(Note: I can't get the poll to appear after the jump, so please keep reading. Do it.)
If the Big 10 chooses to expand, there is almost nothing we can do about it. I say almost nothing, because maybe the Big East has nuclear weapons that I'm not aware of -- but short of that, we're screwed. Any of those schools would most likely jump at the chance to join the Big 10. Oh well. Goodbye and good luck is our best response.
If that happens -- and it's a big, big if -- any school in the Big East neighborhood (and we're talking one of three schools: ECU, Memphis, and UCF), would leap over their proverbial mothers to join our conference. There's no doubting that. Personally, I think any of those schools would be a worthy addition. They wouldn't replace the school that's leaving, but they all bring their own strong suits to the table. But, we don't need to worry about it, because it's all out of our hands.
If the Big 10 expands, we can't stop it, then we move on with one of those schools. It's silly to talk expanding to twelve teams, because that would just dilute the conference beyond recognition, and we can't get to nine because we have sixteen basketball schools.
So, why waste the time? Just let Paterno keep listening to himself talk and relax.
But, of course, that's probably not going to happen, so how about this: who do you want to see if the Big East were to add a team (whether through Rutgers, etc. leaving or going to nine teams)?
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Although I think that ECU would be the “best” option (based on its geographic location, decent tradition, and above-average football fan base), I would rather see UCF in the Big East. Mostly that’s because I could handle eventually losing to UCF, while ECU is a little tougher pill to swallow, especially after last year. ECU reminds me too much of Marshall with their inferiority complex.
I can't see Memphis leaving ...
… their cushy spot atop C-USA for basketball. This is, of course, if the NCAA doesn’t crush their program with sanctions.
I think UCF would be a good fit with a natural USF-UCF I-4 rivalry.
Also, for a long shot, how about Delaware stepping up and joining the I-A ranks? They usually dominate FCS. Also, might also want to throw Charlotte in the mix as they look to start their football program in the next few years.
This all assumes of course that the Big East figures out what to do with the football / basketball split.
The War on I-4
Absolutely one of the coolest names for a rivalry game out there.
by Dr. Charley West on Jun 3, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Better than Friends of Coal Bowl? I beg to differ.
by Country Roads on Jun 3, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Memphis would be the best addition to the Big East
For several reasons:
1) The Liberty Bowl and its large payout always includes the conference in which the University of Memphis resides. Would provide a likely bowl match up with a SEC School something the Big East needs.
2) Their top teir basketball program and their home the FedEx Forum.
3) Established rivalries with Louisville and Cincinatti.
4) Located in the middle of SEC territory providing Big East exposure to recruits.
by TN Blues City Eer on Jun 3, 2009 2:17 PM EDT reply actions
I am going to go ahead and post the first video shortly
and introduce some summer plans regarding videos on the site, let me know through email or on here if you have any input on that
The poll has been taken over by UCF fans
Well, at least they travel on the Internet…maybe they’ll do it in real life, too?
by Dr. Charley West on Jun 3, 2009 2:56 PM EDT reply actions
1. UCF 2. ECU 3. Anybody but Memphis
Give me UCF for nothing more than exposure to Florida recruits. Orlando is a huge market and we would certainly get a bowl invite from a florida bowl having 2 teams in the state. UCF is with out a doubt my first choice.
I like ECU for the same reasons except for maybe the market size. They have the biggest fan base this side of the mississippi that is not a BCS school. There has been some talented recruits rolling out of the carolinas recently.
Memphis scares me because the state is lacking recruits (See UT and their lack of in state recruits). Keep your liberty bowl, it is worse than what we have now. Besides who wants to play UK every year in that bowl. I consider the city of Memphis “the Detroit of the dirty south”.
Nasty,
Memphis may have its issues but it is as much a part of Arkansas and Mississippi as it is Tennessee (just look at a map) and with three states the talent pool is formidable. Besides it is a great city to visit with great music attractions such as Graceland, Beale Street, Stax and Sun Records, and the Smithsonian Rock and Soul Museum. Money talks and the Liberty Bowl last year paid out $1.7 Million (which would be second only to the Gator Bowl who is looking to drop the Big East) compare that to the list below of non BCS Big East bowls. We already have two bowls in Florida and I don’t see the major bowl the Outback or Capital One dropping their Big Ten and SEC matchups for the Big East.
- St. Pete Bowl C-USA v Big East December 20 4:30 pm ET ESPN2 $1 million
- Meineke Bowl Big East v ACC December 27 1 pm ET ESPN $1 million*
- PapaJohns.com Bowl SEC v Big East December 29 3 pm ET ESPN $300,000
- Texas Bowl Big 12 v C-USA December 30 TBA NFL Network $500,000 Big East,
$750,000 Big 12
- Gator Bowl ACC v Big 12 or Big East/ND January 1 TBA CBS $2.5 million
- International Bowl MAC v Big East January 3 12 pm ET ESPN2 $750,000
by TN Blues City Eer on Jun 3, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Err... that's one of the issues
Memphis may have its issues but it is as much a part of Arkansas and Mississippi as it is Tennessee (just look at a map)
Memphis would be as far from most of the Big East (except Louisville) as USF is. While there might be a point to have one team a thousand miles from everyone else to have a presense in Florida, having another on the Arkansas/Tennessee border just isn’t as useful.
NONE OF THEM
We NEED to get OUT of The Big East. Period. Paterno is a wrinkled pussy, what;s his beef with WVU? Rutgers! Are you kidding me?
The Big East is the best basketball conference in the NCAA but we sacrifice the biggest revenue producing sports by belonging to arguably a very weak football conference…WVU is the only consistant in the conference, year in and year out. We bring more to any of the top conferences than anybody else coming in the Big East so there is nothing to gain by robbing C-USA or an Independant.
If the Big 10 doesnt want us and you know who would vote against that, then lets lobby hard for the SEC or even ACC. My choice would be BIG 10, SEC, ACC in that order.
KEN
See, this is what I want to avoid
How do we get out of the Big East? Give me a good answer and I will send you an 8″×10″ autographed picture of myself.
We can lobby all we want, but we’re not going anywhere. Our best shot is to make the Big East the best conference it can possibly be.
by Dr. Charley West on Jun 3, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Agreed
The current Big East is basically a collection of teams that deserve to be in a BCS conference, but don’t really fit anywhere else. The problem started when Penn St joined the Big 10, which made it conceivable for BC, VT, and Miami to jump ship in 2004. PSU and BC need to be in the Big East, plain and simple.
by Country Roads on Jun 3, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions
KENJ has no idea...
What in the world would any of those conferences want with WVU? The Morgantown market? a school further out on the “edge”? Charley is right. Make the Big East the best it can be because we’re not going anywhere.
In regards to the original question, UCF is the best choice. They’re pumping money into their athletic dept. Their school is huge. They just expanded their football stadium. The Orlando market would be a great one to uncover.
Memphis isn’t a bad choice due to at least mediocre football and good basketball. It’s just not close to anything geographically. It’s basically in Arkansas!
ECU has the best football and really good baseball, but nothing else worth noting.
Central Florida, Memphis or even East Carolina wont make The Big East a better conference…that is where I am struggling with this.
I am not trying to start a debate because I agree with you, we wont leave The BE.
Here is how you can tell if you have a good conference…would anyone from the Big10, SEC, ACC leave for the Big East? That’s my point. Perception is reality.I want WVU to be respected..they deserve it. I would rather lose 2-3 games in the other conferences than in the Big East…losing in the Big East hurts us more than any one else.
No argument here guys, I am on your side…
KEN
Irony of Cincinnati eer talking down a Memphis eer
TN Blues City Eers,
“Besides it is a great city to visit with great music attractions such as Graceland, Beale Street, Stax and Sun Records, and the Smithsonian Rock and Soul Museum”
You need a job with the Memphis tourism committee. Just admit you want memphis for the chance to see the eers play without having to drive 10-12 hours to Motown. I will not fault you for that. Trust me I was thrilled when Cincy joined so I could have a 20 min drive to see the ole gold n blue fill up the little Nippert Stadium. Also I have a 1hr drive for Lousiville games. It was like a 2 for 1 deal for me.
Look man sorry to bash your city but I have never enjoyed any of my trips to Memphis (could be a isolated situation). Nevertheless I like UCF if we have to make that decision. I really think we need to add another team because like Charley said we aren’t going anywhere.
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