Houston, Southern Methodist, Tulsa, Memphis, Southern Miss, Tulane

Connecticut, Temple, Cincinnati, East Carolina, South Florida, Central Florida, and Navy

So, would football work as a two division set-up and basketball as one? If so, I like this.

It looks like we need one more. Move Navy west and add Marshall or Massachusetts?

(01-31-2013 12:21 PM)chess Wrote:  Houston, Southern Methodist, Tulsa, Memphis, Southern Miss, Tulane

Connecticut, Temple, Cincinnati, East Carolina, South Florida, Central Florida, and Navy

So, would football work as a two division set-up and basketball as one? If so, I like this.

It looks like we need one more. Move Navy west and add Marshall or Massachusetts?

Some Houston fans don't like this split and I can understand why. Maybe if it was like this...

Houston, Southern Methodist, Tulsa, Memphis, Cincinnati and Navy

Connecticut, Temple, East Carolina, South Florida, Central Florida, Southern Miss, Tulane

I guess you could swap Navy with USM or Tulane but that leaves the West with only one "new" team.

When will something be announced?

Let's be real for a second.

The conversation should NOT be "under what conditions can Southern Miss join as a 12th/13th team and pair with Houston, Memphis, and Tulane".

Instead, the conversation should be "in how many years should we be considering Tulane as a nBE invite considering that they are an athletically-developing AAU school that is a natural opponent to Houston, Southern Miss, and Memphis?".

If you're going to allow a WIP AAU school in Tulane, then you need to let in their next door neighbor that already brings more to the table in the athletic sense already.

The schedule just doesn't look right if Southern Miss isn't playing Tulane, Memphis, and Houston almost every year. It's a no brainer.

Tulsa also works as well - and I hope they earn either a MWC or nBE invite themselves. Tulsa and Tulane are very similar to each other.

UCF
East Carolina
Memphis
Southern Miss

Houston
SMU
Tulane
Tulsa

USF
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Temple

Navy

This looks familiar somehow...

(01-31-2013 04:18 PM)TampaKnight Wrote:  UCF
East Carolina
Memphis
Southern Miss

Houston
SMU
Tulane
Tulsa

USF
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Temple

Navy

This looks familiar somehow...

Yes, something we all saw months ago and have discussed ad nauseum. It is still better than remaining in the current C-USA. Time to accept it and move on.

Add Tulsa and Southern Miss now then give UMASS a few years to get better and add them with navy boom problem solved.

(01-31-2013 04:32 PM)apex_pirate Wrote:  

(01-31-2013 04:18 PM)TampaKnight Wrote:  UCF
East Carolina
Memphis
Southern Miss

Houston
SMU
Tulane
Tulsa

USF
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Temple

Navy

This looks familiar somehow...

Yes, something we all saw months ago and have discussed ad nauseum. It is still better than remaining in the current C-USA. Time to accept it and move on.

Accept? I guess you're speaking from ECU's perspective. It would be suicidal for USM or Tulsa to remain in CUSA. I think that really became apparent when schedules were released. Ours consists of a bunch of teams that were I-AA when CUSA was founded plus two money games (on the road). If our AD even thinks about turning the BE down, well... that Hawaii Bowl uprising was nothing compared to what will happen.

(01-31-2013 05:33 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(01-31-2013 04:32 PM)apex_pirate Wrote:  

(01-31-2013 04:18 PM)TampaKnight Wrote:  UCF
East Carolina
Memphis
Southern Miss

Houston
SMU
Tulane
Tulsa

USF
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Temple

Navy

This looks familiar somehow...

Yes, something we all saw months ago and have discussed ad nauseum. It is still better than remaining in the current C-USA. Time to accept it and move on.

Accept? I guess you're speaking from ECU's perspective. It would be suicidal for USM or Tulsa to remain in CUSA. I think that really became apparent when schedules were released. Ours consists of a bunch of teams that were I-AA when CUSA was founded plus two money games (on the road). If our AD even thinks about turning the BE down, well... that Hawaii Bowl uprising was nothing compared to what will happen.

I was speaking to those few disappointed new Big East fans that can't see through the cloud (which is long gone). I guess to many it's black or white. All of what they wanted/hoped for or nothing.

(01-31-2013 06:30 PM)apex_pirate Wrote:  

(01-31-2013 05:33 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(01-31-2013 04:32 PM)apex_pirate Wrote:  

(01-31-2013 04:18 PM)TampaKnight Wrote:  UCF
East Carolina
Memphis
Southern Miss

Houston
SMU
Tulane
Tulsa

USF
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Temple

Navy

This looks familiar somehow...

Yes, something we all saw months ago and have discussed ad nauseum. It is still better than remaining in the current C-USA. Time to accept it and move on.

Accept? I guess you're speaking from ECU's perspective. It would be suicidal for USM or Tulsa to remain in CUSA. I think that really became apparent when schedules were released. Ours consists of a bunch of teams that were I-AA when CUSA was founded plus two money games (on the road). If our AD even thinks about turning the BE down, well... that Hawaii Bowl uprising was nothing compared to what will happen.

I was speaking to those few disappointed new Big East fans that can't see through the cloud (which is long gone). I guess to many it's black or white. All of what they wanted/hoped for or nothing.

What would be the ideal scenario? To get Boise State and SDSU back? To get AQ status back? Those seem like odd things to worry about.

(01-31-2013 12:36 PM)GoApps70 Wrote:  When will something be announced?

Per Dan Wolken article in USA Today (today), it will happen after the TV negotiations are done, probably in the next few weeks.

(01-31-2013 05:03 PM)Billy Free Wrote:  Add Tulsa and Southern Miss now then give UMASS a few years to get better and add them with navy boom problem solved.

This makes sense...however...realignment and negotiating with the TV folks on WHICH teams to add sometimes don't make sense.

The nBE is sitting with these 10 FB members for 2013 - Connecticut, Cincinnati, Temple, USF, UCF, SMU, Houston, MEMPHIS, Louisville, Rutgers.

In 2014 - Drop UL and RU and replace with ECU (FB only) and Tulane. This is still 10 members.

In 2015 - Add Navy (FB only). This moves it up to 11 members.

I would NOT be surprised if the mindset at the BE office is to take two new teams for 2014 to get up to 12 for the FB championship. IMHO the two should be Tulsa and Southern Miss. Here are the reasons:
1) Those two have won the C-USA FB title about 10 times in the past 15 years.
2) Adding both also keeps them from being taken by the MWC should that conference seek to expand a bit eastward.
3) Locking in Tulsa with SMU and Houston creates a natural western boundary for the nBE along I-35.

Here are the 2 divisions in 2014:
East - UConn, Cincy, Temple, ECU, UCF, USF
West - SMU, Houston, Tulsa, MEMPHIS, So Miss, Tulane

However, ESPN / NBC / FOX have a voice in any new member. That is reality. Basically, TV must bless the invitation before the Presidents vote on any new member.

Now, once Navy comes on board for 2015, it creates unbalanced divisions with 13 FB teams. But that is two years from now. A lot can happen in this realignment game in 24 months. A current member might get an invitation from the ACC, Big 12, etc. There is no need to rush out and grab UMass, Marshall, NIU, Miami OH, or whomever. Be patient.