ESPN: Big East must refocus priorities

[Water Pony]

"What this league must do is re-focus its efforts and try to become a regionalized brand again, with Texas as its western-most boundary. Look, the Big East has already lost its battle to have a seat at the big boy table in the future playoff structure. It will not get the same TV dollars as the other big conferences. So it should come to terms with what it is -- and that is a league that has an opportunity to play its way into the national spotlight with a lineup it can help cultivate."

The article provides a reasonable argument on the value of being in the BE with an acknowledgement that the conference has served its former and current members very well by helping them grow their individual brands, while becoming nationally competitive and attractive to Power Conferences.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/ ... priorities

[ponyscott]

Good article...and it may be very true for a school like SMU. We just have to make a BCS game

[SMU_Alumni11]

Good article, however the Big East should keep football school numbers low. They should focus rebuilding their basketball brand by getting school who aren't in a big time conference because of the lack of a football presence. Lets just talk football since that's what matters to us. If the big east could get 32-40 mil contract for 8 football programs we would be satisfied plus it will be far more than the mediocre of the west conference could ever get making BSU and SDSU to cough up a lung when they get barely a mill a team. We would be seen as the best non conference football schools left and be known as the intermediary conference that gets small programs to the big time. With hopefully an alliance with the coogs, we should be next in line for conference realignment (only going to get ACC but still)

[RGV Pony]

Ya think.?

[couch 'em]

Good lord we have to get out asap

[CA Mustang]

Good lord we have to get out asap

And go where? Which conference is interested in adding SMU?

[smustatesman]

SMU, as a new member of the Beast is leading the way on trying to refocus the conferences priorities. Hence, the formation of the new SMU Men's Body Building Team. As we oil and pump up, other member schools are bound to notice our presence as, SMU is (here "to pump you up"), Dallas. They too will want to strike a pose, and flex their muscles in their respective cities.

[FoxRaider]

I come in peace.

Lifelong Dallasite here. Have been to several SMU games in the last few years with friends though I'm a Red Raider and my allegiance lies with Tech. You guys need to put some butts in seats. Ford Stadium is a respectable venue. Dallas is a huge market, albeit mainly a pro sports and Big 12 town.

Your fanbase needs to get a little hacked off. Things started changing in Lubbock when people suddenly got sick and tired of doing things second class. I know you've got some major donors. You have to do something drastic to get publicity in this market. That may mean wearing chrome uniforms, building an absurdly nice/expensive/unnecessary indoor practice facility with platinum toilet seats, or otherwise spending a ton of money. Sell beer at the games.

The programs that getting noticed are buying their way in. Surely some of you can recall that just ten years ago OSU's Fighting Aso Pogi's were the laughingstock of the Big 12. You need a T-Boone, or a few different folks to get together and commit to financially pushing the program to another level.

[Water Pony]

Clever imagery by ESPN's Ivan Maisel:

"Mike Aresco may not have a drinking problem, but otherwise the Big East commissioner is beginning to mimic the character Denzel Washington portrayed in Flight. Aresco has all but flipped the conference upside down in midair in order to withstand the turbulence of realignment. Now that San Diego State has rejoined Boise State in the Mountain West, Aresco may get it done. The sea-to-shining-sea conference membership was a bad idea, and the Big East has spent a lot of time and money undoing it."

[ponyinNC]

I come in peace.

Lifelong Dallasite here. Have been to several SMU games in the last few years with friends though I'm a Red Raider and my allegiance lies with Tech. You guys need to put some butts in seats. Ford Stadium is a respectable venue. Dallas is a huge market, albeit mainly a pro sports and Big 12 town.

Your fanbase needs to get a little hacked off. Things started changing in Lubbock when people suddenly got sick and tired of doing things second class. I know you've got some major donors. You have to do something drastic to get publicity in this market. That may mean wearing chrome uniforms, building an absurdly nice/expensive/unnecessary indoor practice facility with platinum toilet seats, or otherwise spending a ton of money. Sell beer at the games.

The programs that getting noticed are buying their way in. Surely some of you can recall that just ten years ago OSU's Fighting Aso Pogi's were the laughingstock of the Big 12. You need a T-Boone, or a few different folks to get together and commit to financially pushing the program to another level.

Agree completely. Wining big games or having a 1-2 loss season would get it done, but short of that, we may need a gimmick or some greater influx of $. Have to win some of the old SWC games on our OOC schedule, starting with Tech.

[MustangStealth]

Your fanbase needs to get a little hacked off. Things started changing in Lubbock when people suddenly got sick and tired of doing things second class. I know you've got some major donors. You have to do something drastic to get publicity in this market. That may mean wearing chrome uniforms, building an absurdly nice/expensive/unnecessary indoor practice facility with platinum toilet seats, or otherwise spending a ton of money. Sell beer at the games.

... and don't "pencil in" Rice as a loss at the beginning of the season.

[sbsmith]

I come in peace.

Lifelong Dallasite here. Have been to several SMU games in the last few years with friends though I'm a Red Raider and my allegiance lies with Tech. You guys need to put some butts in seats. Ford Stadium is a respectable venue. Dallas is a huge market, albeit mainly a pro sports and Big 12 town.

Your fanbase needs to get a little hacked off. Things started changing in Lubbock when people suddenly got sick and tired of doing things second class. I know you've got some major donors. You have to do something drastic to get publicity in this market. That may mean wearing chrome uniforms, building an absurdly nice/expensive/unnecessary indoor practice facility with platinum toilet seats, or otherwise spending a ton of money. Sell beer at the games.

The programs that getting noticed are buying their way in. Surely some of you can recall that just ten years ago OSU's Fighting Aso Pogi's were the laughingstock of the Big 12. You need a T-Boone, or a few different folks to get together and commit to financially pushing the program to another level.

Nice idea, but it takes us a little longer to figure things out. We'll get around to this in 5 years when it'll be too late.

[Water Pony]

Expectations are rising in Tulsa, that a BE invitation is likely:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/T ... teri702491

Helps with BB too. How about we add Creighton and Butler to strengthen BE BB?

[PonySnob]

Expectations are rising in Tulsa, that a BE invitation is likely:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/T ... teri702491

Getting harder and harder to get real excited about the BE.......maybe Tulsa will start bringing some fans to games again.......

[ponyboy]

I'd love to see snob's witty retort. Unfortunately he's on my ignore list. Let me know if I missed anything.