EastStang wrote:Not that I really feel too sorry for them. But TCU is the team that really is getting hosed here. I mean, the MWC was on the cusp of BCS status and Utah and BYU leave. TCU lands on its feet apparently in the BE just to see it implode losing three charter members. I appears to me that they're back to square one. They're still in good position to be in a good place after the dance cards fill up, but I'm sure there are some frayed nerves in Ft. Worth right now. My view is that the best move would be for the BE leftovers (Rutgers, Louisville, Cincy, USF , TCU, (and perhaps WVU), to combine with the Big XII leftovers (Baylor, KU, KSU, Mo., ISU) and then to decide whether to go for 12 teams (which means one addition) or 16 teams which means 5 additions. I suspect that the hoops division will split off with Georgetown, DePaul, Marquette, ND, Seton Hall, Providence, St. Johns, Villanova (with enough teams to get an auto-bid to the Tournament) to form a new conference with Xavier, UMass, and perhaps Richmond or VCU.
TCU is/was a "rent a team" for the Big East in their desperate attempt to retain AQ status. I doubt many of the Big East mainstays were very excited about welcoming in another small private school from Texas and I think that is evident now.
Truth is, the PAC 16, SEC, Big 10 (14-16) and ACC will call the shots and leftover Big Xii and Big East schools will be scrambling along with MWC and CUSA schools for their "best fit" going forward.
Best shot at getting an opportunity to play with the big boys will be as part of a far flung alliance of the "best of the rest", with some Division I schools deciding it's not worth the investment and opting to drop down to FCS level. Ultimately, I expect we will see 4 "prremium" bowl games with a "plus one" format to determine a national champion.
