WVU AD Oliver Luck says Big East will take 3 more schools

[PoconoPony]

Ucf uh and navy or ecu would be pretty stout.

I would've guessed ucf Memphis uh..Memphis is killed by their crappy football program

Big East can immediately discard us based on basketball alone.

[Hoop Fan]

the TCU move was a no brainer for both sides. No downside. As for SMU being considered, that would be great, i have my doubts that we would be seriously considered, but these Big East rumors underscore one thing and that is that the time is now and a precious opportunity is there to be had. It may or may not come back. This notion i have heard that Orsini is sitting back smartly and waiting for the REAL shifts in a few years is laughable to me. Nobody knows what UT is going to do or not going to do, or the Big 10. My money says the Big 10 is finished expanding unless it gets Notre Dame. 12 is enough for a champ game and they have all they need.

June Jones has done a fantastic job the past two years (no comment on Doherty). It may be too little, too late in the context of the next BCS contract period etc. since the jockeying has started. Thats SMU's fault for waiting as long as it did to get serious but maybe we can catch a break. Maybe the football gods will let us out of purgatory from the DP.

[ponyinNC]

this may be a stupid comment, but i also think the more pub we receive the more likely that an invite from an AQ will come our way. The 30 for 30 peice, the constant media about "life after death", etc. We win against UCF, and play UGA well in the liberty bowl...only helps our chances.

That being said, Boise St. gets tons of attention and I don't see a Pac 10 offer coming their way, so what do I know. Hey, speaking of, since geography doesn't matter, why doesn't the Big East take Boise? Helps their AQ status...

[Harry0569]

This notion i have heard that Orsini is sitting back smartly and waiting for the REAL shifts in a few years is laughable to me. Nobody knows what UT is going to do or not going to do, or the Big 10. My money says the Big 10 is finished expanding unless it gets Notre Dame. 12 is enough for a champ game and they have all they need

I cant tell you for a fact that Orsini and the Board are being extremely proactive in trying to get SMU into a AQ conference. I am sure that he is well-connected with the AQ AD's, and if anything were to open up he would pounce.

[S....M....U]

I trust that orsini will do all he can to put us in the best possible position for our team to continue to grow and return to national prominence

[ReedFrawg]

Plus, they aren't any "ready-made" big quality schools for them to take. SMU/TCU/UH are projects with lots of potential in huge markets.

You really believe at this point that TCU is a "project"? I agree regarding UH, SMU and Tulsa.

[ReedFrawg]

No one is mentioning it but why wouldn't the Be want to solidify their presence in Florida with UCF? UCF is a massive school and could start drawing the 50k+ attendance every conference wants for their football games. Also Florida is another major area for recruitment so that is at least a push with what SMU brings to the recruitment table. If they were smart the 3 teams added should be UCF, U Houston, and ECU or SMU, ECU and SMU have positives and negatives. ECU has more fan support and at this moment only more likely to compete as a AQ football team (i'm not bashing SMU but lets give respect to ECU's accomplishments in CUSA). SMU has growing potential as a football powerhouse, and brings a better TV and recruiting market and is better acedemics. IT all depends.

However how would they add 3 more schools and keep basket ball at all manageable? Are these 3 football only?

If they add 3 teams then ECU and UCF seem like very logical choices. Not sure about the 3rd school...

[BeatNavy]

Many schools are uncomfortable with academies, due to the number of "walk-ons" they are capable of having.

I've heard a LOT of reasons for not wanting a service academy in a conference, but I've NEVER heard this one.

[couch 'em]

Plus, they aren't any "ready-made" big quality schools for them to take. SMU/TCU/UH are projects with lots of potential in huge markets.

You really believe at this point that TCU is a "project"? I agree regarding UH, SMU and Tulsa.

In terms of attendance and media presence, yes.

[Charleston Pony]

just remember that any move by the Big East to expand to 12 football members is COMPLETELY driven by king football and will ultimately mean a split from DePaul, Marquette, St Johns, Providence, Seton Hall and Georgetown. Big East football schools may have to negotiate a deal to buy the name/brand. Will be interesting to see if the cast off bball schools unite with part or all of the A-10 to form a new bball conference.

TCU's joining and bringing their number to 17 is awkward. Perhaps if they could get Nova to upgrade football, UCF to join as full member and Navy as football only member they could hold things together as a 12 member football and 18 member bball conference.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[RednBlue11]

i've said this before but people on this board don't empathize well w/ the attitudes regarding the popularity of basketball in the upper midwest and the NE.

it has a lot to do w/ where most of the people here grew up, and it makes sense why most of us here would think that football rules everything.

but understand this clearly.

the BEC will do nothing whatsoever to weaken their basketball conf. (and grip on the top spot in NCAA bball) in adding "football" schools and maybe cutting those who do not have a D1A or any program.

I am very confident in my opinion of this for a couple of reasons...

I went to HS and played basketball in Chicago...and noticed astonishingly (having moved from Austin, TX) that football is an absolute after thought compared to the veracity w/ which people care about basketball there. I am almost certain that is the case as well in NYC, and that basketball is much more highly thought of and often put before football in a lot of the areas covered by the BEC.

Obviously substantiating that claim beyond a doubt is next to impossible but I have a strong feeling about it.

What I can guarantee you is that if there are whispers about programs being cut out because of this maneuvering I will definitely know about it.

[mr. pony]

So, the small private college is the odd man out. Three decent to large state schools against a small SMU. Not liking those odds.

Yeah, but it's a small SMU heading toward a TCU.

[ponyscott]

SMU does not offer as much as Houston, this is correct. It is more a question of whether the Big East desires another school on the Atlantic, or if they would rather make a larger footprint in Texas. If the Big East's drive is to increase its exposure in Dallas, then SMU will be taken. That, above all else, would be the motivation for taking SMU were we to be selected.

I don't know of a simpler way to put it: The Big East will not be adding SMU.

1. The BE isn't interested in the Texas market per se, they want TCU for continued AQ status
2. The BE doesn't really care about academics like the B10 and ACC do
3. TCU would fight tooth and nail for our exclusion (opposite of inclusion)
4. Our basketball program sucks, and our football team has still averages at least 10,000 empty seats a game in a 32,000 seat stadium

1. If the Big East is not interested in the Texas market, why is it examining Texas schools and specifically named SMU? If it was only looking to preserve its AQ status, why was Southern Miss. not mentioned? Because you are wrong.

2. I never said a word about academics as a motivating factor.

3. TCU will do what is best for them. Their only objection to SMU would be if SMU damaged their AQ status. Also, TCU does not control the Big East. Whereas the Pac-10 required that all members approve a candidate for expansion, it is not so in the Big East. TCU may object to SMU joining, but they would not leave the Big East over it.

4. By your own admission, football is driving this expansion. However, attendance in football and basketball will improve with joining a BCS conference. This is similar to how winning improves attendance.

Lastly, I realize that you are the troll onttheedgeofmyseat. You argue in the same style, ignoring facts presented to you and simply rephrasing your original argument. This, of course, is because you do not believe a word you say, but only want to create controversy.

Nope SStang this is not a ontheedgeofmyseat/Dickster post...East Coast Mustang made a good constructive post without attacking with weak BS.

[NickSMU17]

i've said this before but people on this board don't empathize well w/ the attitudes regarding the popularity of basketball in the upper midwest and the NE.

it has a lot to do w/ where most of the people here grew up, and it makes sense why most of us here would think that football rules everything.

but understand this clearly.

the BEC will do nothing whatsoever to weaken their basketball conf. (and grip on the top spot in NCAA bball) in adding "football" schools and maybe cutting those who do not have a D1A or any program.

I am very confident in my opinion of this for a couple of reasons...

I went to HS and played basketball in Chicago...and noticed astonishingly (having moved from Austin, TX) that football is an absolute after thought compared to the veracity w/ which people care about basketball there. I am almost certain that is the case as well in NYC, and that basketball is much more highly thought of and often put before football in a lot of the areas covered by the BEC.

Obviously substantiating that claim beyond a doubt is next to impossible but I have a string feeling about it.

What I can guarantee you is that if there are whispers about programs being cut out because of this maneuvering I will definitely know about it.

If the big east spins off some bball teams won't that mean the conference is splitting? I think its entirely possible the bball schools split from the fball teams, it wouldn't weaken the bball conference that much...I am sure there are a lot of teams in the big east that know with the expanding tourney their chances of making the tourney would be better if they were in a smaller conference...

Growing up in Illinois you should know this is big ten country and football rules, I agree bball has a bigger presence but football is king everywhere...still brings in the most $$$ and thats all that matters

[RednBlue11]

I think so.

And I'm pretty sure those schools who would the left out to dry as it were will fight tooth and nail to stay if that talk arises.

If the BEC does actually grow to 20 bball teams then I'm going to guess that they will be happy to give that a shot until, or if, it fails before making a move.

The funny thing is, currently, if a team is in the top half of the BEC they are almost certainly getting into the Tourny if they take care of business in the OOC part of their schedule, no matter what. I don't think any University would willing leave knowing that they can either finish in the top half of the BEC or go have to finish in the top 2 or win outright both the regular season and conf. tounry to make it to the Dance in March.

Now if the commish decides to force the issue that could be a different story.

I see what you are saying and it makes sense, football is king everywhere. but there is a substantially larger amount of people who care about bball as much and more in BEC areas than down here.

Which is why i am cautioning people on this board from making assumptions in our usual football-centric fashion that works for us very well here in Texas.