3601,

Agreed. Which is why Pitt, SU, WVU, UL, UC, and UConn need to develop strong viable programs with at least 3 of them at the Wisconsin-Iowa and VT-NC State level for this Super East conference to have a prayer of enticing PSU and ND.

I personally believe, given time, this could be realized. UL and Pitt may already be on the way there and SU and WVU were once there and can be again. I think UConn and UC both have a great opportunity to grow into these types of programs as well, but it might take longer than the other four mentioned.

Cheers,
Neil

TopCoog, we agree on one thing. Expansion does not appear to be an issue now. I think we are in this 16-team amalgamation for at least the next five years.

But keep in mind that ACC expansion to 12 has been around since 1999 behind the scenes. So while it may not be a pressing issue now for the BE, they are indeed thinking about what might happen and what possible directions to consider to go in.

Cheers,
Neil

the operative word is 'may' ...we really don't know much . What we have learned is to expect the unexpected. Who knows where we will all be in 2010.

TopCoog Wrote:the operative word is 'may' ...we really don't know much . What we have learned is to expect the unexpected. Who knows where we will all be in 2010.

Keep this in mind. If something happens in 2010, it will most likely be decided in 2008.

Nobody knows. Nothing could happen. However, if 2010 is when something does happen, it could very well be decided long before that. The "new" Big East conference doesn't officially come into existence until the summer of 2005. However, the decision to add Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida was made approximately two years prior to that.

omnicarrier Wrote:3601,

Agreed. Which is why Pitt, SU, WVU, UL, UC, and UConn need to

Are you shortchanging Rutgers and South Florida?

3601, the decision to add the three was made when three others left. Had the three not left SMU and tulsa would have been added to CUSA and that would have been it. My guess is that if nothing changes in 2010 this board will start expecting it in 2015. Seriously, anything counld happen or nothing.

TopCoog Wrote:Seriously, anything counld happen or nothing.

Anything?

Quote:Are you shortchanging Rutgers and South Florida?

Rutgers has a 100+ year history of shortchanging itself and count me amongst those not all that happy with the Bulls being in the Big East. BC is of course who should be #8, but no control over that. Bulls may develop into a good program, but if Miami couldn't make a go of it in a more powerful BE, just don't see how USF will.

Raymond James road trip is the only thing that even makes them palatable to me. I'd have chosen Memphis over them.

Cheers,
Neil

omnicarrier Wrote:

Quote:Are you shortchanging Rutgers and South Florida?

Rutgers has a 100+ year history of shortchanging itself and count me amongst those not all that happy with the Bulls being in the Big East. BC is of course who should be #8, but no control over that. Bulls may develop into a good program, but if Miami couldn't make a go of it in a more powerful BE, just don't see how USF will.

Raymond James road trip is the only thing that even makes them palatable to me. I'd have chosen Memphis over them.

Cheers,
Neil

Academics at USF are superior to Memphis. Demographics at USF are superior to Memphis. Most Big East fans have friends/relatives in Florida vice Memphis. Plenty of cheap nonstop flights for most schools' fans. Memphis is superior in athletics right now. The Big East pick USF for TV sets/geography/demographics and potential. Memphis will be a shoe in if they expand to 12. If they go to just nine either ECU or UCF will get the nod, IMHO. I'm not too thrilled with USF's lame football crowds for some of their games but their upside is good. RJS is a great venue but USF really needs a 40k seat stadium oncampus. We already have Pitt playing in Steeler Stadium, UConn playing 20 miles away on a taxiway and Rutgers playing in front of 13k.

TexanMark Wrote:

omnicarrier Wrote:

Quote:Are you shortchanging Rutgers and South Florida?

Rutgers has a 100+ year history of shortchanging itself and count me amongst those not all that happy with the Bulls being in the Big East. BC is of course who should be #8, but no control over that. Bulls may develop into a good program, but if Miami couldn't make a go of it in a more powerful BE, just don't see how USF will.

Raymond James road trip is the only thing that even makes them palatable to me. I'd have chosen Memphis over them.

Cheers,
Neil

Academics at USF are superior to Memphis. Demographics at USF are superior to Memphis. Most Big East fans have friends/relatives in Florida vice Memphis. Plenty of cheap nonstop flights for most schools' fans. Memphis is superior in athletics right now. The Big East pick USF for TV sets/geography/demographics and potential. Memphis will be a shoe in if they expand to 12. If they go to just nine either ECU or UCF will get the nod, IMHO. I'm not too thrilled with USF's lame football crowds for some of their games but their upside is good. RJS is a great venue but USF really needs a 40k seat stadium oncampus. We already have Pitt playing in Steeler Stadium, UConn playing 20 miles away on a taxiway and Rutgers playing in front of 13k.

I agree that we had two "Lame-a$$ crowds" for football games last year. There were other factors that impacted those crowds.

1) Our bowl participation was out of the question.
2) Two 11:00am game times.

We are a "young" program. If you look at last years games with Cincinnati (on Halloween) and Louisville, our attendance was good. We will get better. I remember living in Miami and watching the drama play out on weather they were going to drop football. They hired Howie and the rest is history.

USF will be fine & 40K attendance should not be a problem. Lets see after this year.