Army and Navy to Big East?

[Cheesesteak]

BIG EAST CONSIDERS MILITARY MANEUVER

By LENN ROBBINS
NEW YORK POST

October 12, 2003 --
BOSTON - As the Big East Conference waits to learn if Boston College is ACC-bound, as was reported exclusively last Sunday in The Post, behind-the-scenes discussions focusing on the future of the league have yielded an enticing possibility.

Sources told The Post that Big East athletic directors have had preliminary conversations about adding Army and Navy to the league in football only. The move, if it occurs, will increase the league from eight to 10 teams, probably after the 2005 season.

Navy is one of just four independent programs remaining in Division I-A. Army announced earlier this season its intention to leave Conference USA and consider a league that is more geographically desirable.

"We have relationships with many of the schools in the Big East and we feel there is a similar philosophy in terms of education and integrity in addition to proximity," Army athletic director Rick Greenspan told The Post. "As we said when we announced our decision to leave Conference USA, we are evaluating our options for the future."

Navy AD Chet Gladchuck did not return several telephone calls. But a Big East AD who requested anonymity said that although there have not been any formal discussions about adding the two military academies, there has been much informal discussion.

"I would say they [some other Big East ADs] haven't come around yet," said the AD. "But as the landscape continues to change, I think the attractiveness of Army and Navy will become more apparent."

Certainly the addition of Army and Navy would give the conference a much-needed boost in television negotiations. The loss of Miami to the ACC significantly weakens the Big East's appeal from a television standpoint, but Army-Navy is arguably the most popular rivalry in college football.

Both programs have struggled of late and Greenspan acknowledged that improving the competitiveness of Army's program is important.

The ACC's athletic directors have been meeting continuously over the last week to decide whether to offer an invitation to Boston College. Seven of the nine schools reportedly are in favor of inviting the Eagles. North Carolina and N.C. State are opposed.

[Sam I Am]

Army and Navy would be a good move for the BE even if neither school is a football power these days. Army's decision to leave the C-USA certainly set up this prospect for realignment.

[Cheesesteak]

Army and Navy to BE would make sense from a geographic, historical rivalries and travel costs perspective.

Supposedly, the BE has given serious consideration to UCF and USF. Some in the BE are fearful that if UCF and/or USF become nationally successful in football because of a visibility/prestige upgrade (joining the BE), they will want depart sometime in the future, seeking membership in a southern conference.

Unlike Miami (alumni in the northeast), UCF and USF have zero even remotely obvious ties to a northheast (minus Miami and VT) conference like the BE.

Presently, travel expenses seem to be given importance in BE discussions, unlike the ACC.

[Water Pony]

Forget records and strength, Navy and Army as FB only (Patriot for all else) makes sense for all parties. TV and national exposure will improve, but it still won't assure continued BCS involvement for BE with these two schools plus Louisville and Cincinnati.

Without having to add Army and Navy BB, the remaining BE BB only schools may feel they can remain in BE.