Villanova delays Big East FB vote

[Mitch McConnell]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6329520

[couch 'em]

Looks like the big meeting of Big East football schools reviewing Nova's plan didn't go well for Nova. The thought is that their choice of stadium was unacceptable.

[StallionsModelT]

Gotta think UCF is now at the top of the wish list then right?

[couch 'em]

The interesting question is what the rejection means.

Everyone knew the Nova stadium choice long ago. They could have told them it wasn't acceptable before now.

Is this going through the motions so Nova can be rejected but certain people save face? Is this a formality needed to raise stadium money?

We shall see.

[Stallion]

yes but I thought that Nova was pressing their alums for Stadium funds in the near future. It may be that the expected funds to build a Stadium aren't there so The Big East is not interested in a minor league program playing in a high school stadium. Hmm that sounds vaguely familiar

[Mitch McConnell]

Is this a formality needed to raise stadium money?

I think that's what it is. IMO, the Big East would really prefer that Villanova take the bid for the sake of uniformity...and that it doesn't want to add another program...and is giving the university every possible opportunity to get the football stadium resolved.

I just get the feeling that conference doesn't want to get so bloated that it becomes too big for its own sake.

I understand how UCF could be the wiser choice. But part of me thinks the Big East isn't as itchy to add another outside school like others suggest.

Oh, well. We'll see.

[skyscraper]

Some random tidbits from the Philly paper's story:

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/col ... layed.html

Sources cautioned last night that the delay does not mean talks between the school and the Big East about Villanova becoming the 10th member for football have hit a snag, just that discussions are continuing on a variety of issues. The sources said those issues need to be resolved before a decision can be made.

Representatives of the Big East's current eight football schools held a conference call yesterday to review Villanova's situation. Texas Christian, which does not join the conference as a full member until 2012-13, was not included.

At the moment the logical stadium solution being targeted is PPL Park in Chester, home of the Union soccer team. Whether that's feasible going forward for the long run is probably a question the Big East would like answered. That too could be a major sticking point in the equation.

If Villanova says no, there's always a chance that at some point Temple could be asked to join the Big East for all sports, which wouldn't figure to be a good thing for the Main Line.
If Villanova says yes, the chances of another Philadelphia school getting invited would appear to be slim at best.

[PonyKai]

Interesting article on the 'Nova situation with the Big East.

http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2011/ ... a-for-now/

[PonyKai]

And, if you believe senior sports writers and what they have to say, Dennis Dodds had this to say:

"It's Nova's call. Whether it gets approved is another thing. Central Florida waiting in wings."

[GoRedGoBlue]

What does nova do for their fb strength of conference? If not for tcu, they probably lose bcs status.

This makes little sense to kick out temple and now backfill w a 1aa

[leopold]

I was wondering this exact thing.

Yes, you need a stronger football conference, and yes, Nova is already a Big East member who can bring a team to the field, but it will take at least 5 years, most likely, to become a team that will contribute anything to the league's strength.
And it seems like the push is coming from the Big East, not Nova itself. So I don't really understand.

The only thing I can see is if the Big East is trying to get to 12 teams. The list is short of schools that would contribute anything at all to the conference, and they may have quietly settled on two already (say, UCF and ECU, for example) that would bring something to the table and who they know absolutley would join if offered. Nova may be the needed 12th school for a Championship game and they are trying to bring them along to know they'll be there.

[West Coast Johnny]

The Big East is a joke and they need to get their head out of their [deleted] soon. On the basketball side, its too frigg'in big and should be broken up along football / basketball lines.

[Mexmustang]

Just hope that TCU hasn't written that check yet--the Big East is a problem ready to happen.