What do you hear/think? As an alum of a tiny little directional school here in FL, I'd obviously like to see it happen. Any indications on who the school may be if they decide to expand? East Carolina? UCF? Memphis? Do you even want to expand?
in the talk for years to get Buffalo out of the MAC and into a bigger conference. They are in the the region of almost every school in the conference and makes the most sense to move into the Big East.
in the blistering cold, and last year, when they won the conference title, they drew just north of 16,000 fans a game...I'd say calling them a longshot would be generous.
They used the Big East and got a sweetheart deal with both the BCS and in all sports outside of football, there is zero reason for ND to ever join the BE or any other conference as long as they have the NBC deal.
Its kind of hysterical though. The heartfelt, outpouring of emotion from some students that fell they're "robbing me of my College experience," because they lopped an hour off the tailgate time is just damn funny.
And before you start, I'm not suggesting those idiots represent the whole school.
At WVU, we usually starter tailgating around 9pm Friday night, but we didn't need to be in the lots to get that done.
We're still getting used to this on campus tailgating thing...this upcoming season is only year 3 of the on campus stadium. The stadium is tucked on the far north end of campus, so it's not like there are a bunch of people right around the stadium, everyone is spread out around campus throughout the day.
There are murmurs that this is a cost cutting move, less time to have to pay to staff the tailgating...much ado about nothing...6 hours of pregame drinking and grilling is enough for me.
where the Stadium is a little bit away from the main part of the campus. At least away from where most of the bars are, but we have the PRT.. And me and my buddies had hockey teammate that had a place fairly close to the stadium.
Its a funny, but nothing story, I just heard about it on Jim Rome's show because he was laughing at the distraught students..
Here's a shot of the Athletic village...the football stadium is on the far far north side and the closest open tailgate area starts with the grassy sections in the bottom right of this picture. The campus is huge, I really don't see what the issue is other than people needing to whine about change.
East Carolina seems like it already has a bit of history with some existing Big East teams, but I'm all for any team joining the conference. I'd like a couple.
seem to think it will be either them or us when it comes down to it, Memphis plays in a dump with not much fan support for their football team. And with Coach Cal gone conventional thinking is that they won't have the monster basketball program as a selling tool either.
They've had more success than we have in football, they are certainly more consistent, but we're the 5th biggest school in the country in a top 20 TV market with top notch facilities and a 2 yr old on campus stadium. UCF will eventually go BCS, it's just a matter of when.
but they built it with room to add on when fan support warranted. We were awful last yr, 4-8 with the worst offense in 1-A and drew right around 40K a game.
The athletic facilities really are something, we have the only college indoor practice field in the state right now.
But in terms of region it makes sense - add Notre Dame to the Big Ten and then move Penn State to the Big East. Since the Big Ten is mostly central teams, having Penn State in it doesn't really make sense.
floating around the internet that Maryland may be interested but A.D. Debbie Yow shot it down right away. I believe the rumor was Maryland and BC switching to the Big East. I'm not sure how it got started. Probably just blogger speculation.
Would be just about the dumbest business decision I could imagine. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose from joining a conference..especially a mediocre conference like the Big East.
Notre Dame is in a position any other school in the country would kill to be in... I don't expect them to give that up any time soon.
How does the kid from LI look (Calabrese), I watched him a ton in HS, always thought he was built to be a SS/LB, but was surprised as shit to see him actually taking snaps at QB as a true frosh. Was their injuries last year? Where does he stand going into camp?
is for Notre Dame to join the conference in football, but since that's a pipe dream, the league has two options if it wants to expand in football.
Either kick Notre Dame out or split the basketball conference into two leagues. One for the football schools and one for the non-football teams.
The latter move has the problem of breaking apart Syracuse and UConn from Villanova, GTown, and St John's.
If you they were to kick Notre Dame out, Penn State would not be an option considering the Big East voted against them from joining the conference originally. Also I'd be surprised to see BC or Miami jump back to the Big East anytime soon.
That sadly leaves the Buffalo, East Carolina and UCF's of the world as options. Considering that all three schools are small time, it's probably not worth it to the conference. If they were able to get a Penn State to reconsider, it is something that needs to get done...
The plan wasn't to play him last yr, but we had such dogshit QB play that we pretty much threw him in there to see what we had.
With that said, the talk of camp is that he's the most improved player on the team and looks the part of a starting 1A QB now. He had a great spring and looks much more comfortable. He's got the tools, so we're hoping throwing him into the fire last year has him ready now, because I'm not sure my liver can take another year like last one.
UCF may not be an established football power, considering we've only been 1A for about 12-13 yrs...but we are the 5th biggest school in the entire nation, in a big TV market and cranking out 10000-12000 new alumni every year. The potential here is immeasurable.
Wow, good for him. He was a very "good" QB in HS, who ran a lot. With that said he had has a cannon for an arm, but most people thought he would be better suited on the defensive side of the ball if he was going to play 1A football.
The kid is a warrior, his junior year, he played QB, returned kicks, was the punter, kicker and played FS on defense. In the LIC against my alma mater Bellport, EI gets the ball first and our coach calls an all out blitz on the first play, Rob gets crushed and ends up with a really bad ankle sprain, yet played every play until the end and never came off the field. EI lost, but the brass balls on this kid was the bigger story.
Good stuff thanks for sharing...he absolutely has a gun. We were a mess on offense last year, and Calabrese wasn't ready to play, we just really had no other options. Last yrs starting QB is now a safety.
Hopefully your O-Coordinator got his shit together and has some good recruits coming in. Always good to see someone from LI succeed somewhere outside of the Northeast in 1A football.
Ask Scott in Morgantown about Gwaltney at WVU, what a prize he was for them.
The Big East already has USF. I'd imagine getting UCF into the conference would get a great rivalry going, however, both schools will always play second fiddle to Florida, Florida State and Miami on a national stage.
I much rather have a UCF than a Buffalo or East Carolina, however, I do not see their inclusion as a worth while investment considering the conference would either need to break the basketball conference apart (it's biggest asset) or kick Notre Dame out.
Would be the right choice, no need for the Butt Pirates or Buffalo to be added. That would really bring down the conference in regards to computer rankings.
and the unbalanced schedule is a problem. However, that's all outweighed by having to give 1/9 of the league football revenue to a new member, along with 1/16 of the basketball revenue to a team that won't be competitive and further distorts the league's brand (obv., split would change that factor a little).
Basically, when adding any of those teams is guaranteed to improve each team's football share of football revenue, then they'll expand. Won't happen until then. There's no chance of Buffalo, and teams like UCF, ECU, or Memphis need years of success before it's even an option.
The Memphis rumor comes and goes.
No one has even suggested Buffalo.
but UCF would be great for obvious reasons. Those pussies can't even tailgate at 7am!!!! the horror!
If ND goes to a BCS game or a big bow, they get the entire pot, no splitting with the conference.
And before you start, I'm not suggesting those idiots represent the whole school.
At WVU, we usually starter tailgating around 9pm Friday night, but we didn't need to be in the lots to get that done.
What is the UCF campus set up like?
There are murmurs that this is a cost cutting move, less time to have to pay to staff the tailgating...much ado about nothing...6 hours of pregame drinking and grilling is enough for me.
Its a funny, but nothing story, I just heard about it on Jim Rome's show because he was laughing at the distraught students..
Here's a shot of the Athletic village...the football stadium is on the far far north side and the closest open tailgate area starts with the grassy sections in the bottom right of this picture. The campus is huge, I really don't see what the issue is other than people needing to whine about change.
They can't get fucked up anywhere else?
I don't get it myself...we'll end up with a few less kids sleeping on the sidewalk on the way in to the stadium, no idea why this was blown up so big.
They've had more success than we have in football, they are certainly more consistent, but we're the 5th biggest school in the country in a top 20 TV market with top notch facilities and a 2 yr old on campus stadium. UCF will eventually go BCS, it's just a matter of when.
The athletic facilities really are something, we have the only college indoor practice field in the state right now.
Clearly has nothing to do with they make a killing being independent and not having to split any money within a conference.
If other schools could do it, they would do the exact same thing.
NBC doesn't give ND all that money unless people are watching
Notre Dame is in a position any other school in the country would kill to be in... I don't expect them to give that up any time soon.
Either kick Notre Dame out or split the basketball conference into two leagues. One for the football schools and one for the non-football teams.
The latter move has the problem of breaking apart Syracuse and UConn from Villanova, GTown, and St John's.
If you they were to kick Notre Dame out, Penn State would not be an option considering the Big East voted against them from joining the conference originally. Also I'd be surprised to see BC or Miami jump back to the Big East anytime soon.
That sadly leaves the Buffalo, East Carolina and UCF's of the world as options. Considering that all three schools are small time, it's probably not worth it to the conference. If they were able to get a Penn State to reconsider, it is something that needs to get done...
that's a project and would probably do damage to the conference in the computers for years to come.
With that said, the talk of camp is that he's the most improved player on the team and looks the part of a starting 1A QB now. He had a great spring and looks much more comfortable. He's got the tools, so we're hoping throwing him into the fire last year has him ready now, because I'm not sure my liver can take another year like last one.
The kid is a warrior, his junior year, he played QB, returned kicks, was the punter, kicker and played FS on defense. In the LIC against my alma mater Bellport, EI gets the ball first and our coach calls an all out blitz on the first play, Rob gets crushed and ends up with a really bad ankle sprain, yet played every play until the end and never came off the field. EI lost, but the brass balls on this kid was the bigger story.
Ask Scott in Morgantown about Gwaltney at WVU, what a prize he was for them.
I much rather have a UCF than a Buffalo or East Carolina, however, I do not see their inclusion as a worth while investment considering the conference would either need to break the basketball conference apart (it's biggest asset) or kick Notre Dame out.
Miami really, really needs to turn it around. the move has been a disaster for them.
Basically, when adding any of those teams is guaranteed to improve each team's football share of football revenue, then they'll expand. Won't happen until then. There's no chance of Buffalo, and teams like UCF, ECU, or Memphis need years of success before it's even an option.
Jerry- I think so too, but I'm fairly biased.