I have gotten to the point where...whatever happens just happens.

the debate is getting endless...there are a million directions you could go...all i know is we (memphis) need to keep winning...because that will help us no matter what conference we are in...or end up in.

we will miss Louisville and Cincy because they are...and have been rivals for many years...Cincy has shown they want to keep playing...UL does not...if that is the way it has to be...thats fine to.

Go Tigers!!!
Drew

gomemphistigers1 Wrote:I have gotten to the point where...whatever happens just happens.

the debate is getting endless...there are a million directions you could go...all i know is we (memphis) need to keep winning...because that will help us no matter what conference we are in...or end up in.

we will miss Louisville and Cincy because they are...and have been rivals for many years...Cincy has shown they want to keep playing...UL does not...if that is the way it has to be...thats fine to.

Go Tigers!!!
Drew

ditto

Jackson1011 Wrote:Easily #3....wait for a split and see who out of CUSA has stepped up......There is no need to take all the dead weight out of CUSA east...one more solid school will do...


Jackson

Exactly. I could list MAJOR flaws with each one of the proposed additions with the possible exception of Memphis.

templefootballfan Wrote:It not as simple as dividing tv money by 12 instead of 8. Travel cost go down, Spliting BB tourn, NCAA berths & NIT berths money by 12 instead 16. proabbly get better deal from Meadowlands [2000 more seats] than MSG. FB Championship game, more bowl berths. BB tv money divided 12 instead 16. FB TV money increases because more markets

9 all-sport members is ideal for the EAC, BE or whatever a split conference is called unless some miracle happens and Penn State or ND want to join or even a mid-level BCS program like UK comes sniffing around. The trend seems to be away from the championship game as we have seen rumblings out of the Big 12 and from SEC coaches. I don't think Championship games are all they were cracked up to be considering the structure of the BCS. When you have the 8 programs we are talking about playing round robin basketball with RU and USF as the only questionable programs you are talking 5-6 NCAA bids most years split 8-9 ways. That looks much better to me than 16 or 12.

brista21 Wrote:

Cat's_Claw Wrote:One thing to consider, the only reason Cincinnati wasn't considered a clear favorite originally was because no one had talked to Cincinnati.  Louisville had planned their move to the Big East publically, Cincinnati wasn't as vocal, and it almost hurt them.  But once Bob Goin talked to the Big East schools Cincinnati immediately became the runaway #2 option and were a virtual lock.

And naturally so, I can't imagine a conference anymore without having Louisville and Cincy in it with us. South Florida for as good as they likely will become are a Southern team in my opinion not an Eastern one and if we're moving towards a true eastern conference at any point if we needed them to get the boot to get more Eastern teams than so be it. My dream conference I think in the long run in a 12 team model would end up as this:
Louisville Pittsburgh
Cincinnati Penn State
Maryland West Virginia
Syracuse Boston College
Temple Rutgers
Conn ECU

It makes for a top-notch, geographically compact conference that would likely make more money than any other in the country. It would comprise North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, West Virginia, Connecticut, and Massachusetts and would have significant reach into markets throughout the Northeast, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, and the Carolinas.

Now here's something kind of unrelated. What do you folks from Ohio consider yourselves Northeastern or Midwestern? I was in a discussion about this with someone the other day that says many in Ohio consider themselves to be from the Northeast not the Midwest.

Replace ECU with UK and that would get me excited. The rivalries would be off the charts. UK v UL (arch rivals), UC v UL (historic rivals), UC v UK (hate each other because of UK's arrogance and proximity, the consistent history isn't there but the rivalry is), UK v WVU (freaking boarder war), UL v WVU (regional rivals with some football history and a hell of an elite 8 matchup to kick things off), UC v WVU (close regional rivals with some history), Pitt v UC (etc. etc. etc.) You get my drift...

My observation would be the Big East need stay at 8 teams a few years until a team emerges from CUSA. (The MAC doesnt have the facilites or attendance to warrant an invite IMO).

5 years from now by the end of the current BE contract should be enough time to see if Memphis is a real with their recent success or if ECU can rekindle our past success, and our Basketball keeps progressing in a still solid CUSA. Also just to see how UCF does as well.

I think at that point the BE should go to 9 teams to keep up with the 9 teams in MWC, 10 is a possibility if you want an edge over the MWC or if the MWC starts an Arms race for teams with you.

I think Memphis and ECU (when we get it turned) could add a lot to the Big East, and I do think ECU will be back, coaching was clearly the problem the last two season and that was addressed. (Any time you have 5 guys go to the NFL the season a team that goes 1-11 with the only win over a winnless Army by 6 points that is coaching) Hopefully both Memphis and ECU will warrant invites.

Of course if Notre Dame or Penn State or a team like that knocks it's hard to shut them out, but that is very unlikely and we all know it.