Earth X,

That'd definitely be interesting. That's probably the best thing about this move, it'll put pressure on ND, the Big 11, the Pac 10, and possibly the Big 12. Texas will certainly get ticked about their deal there. Hopefully the mid major conferences will see the light and do all they can to beef up, and maybe push for some play-in games, like WAC vs. MWC (though the MWC oughta just raid them). Depending on what the rest of the BE does, C-USA may not even get to their playoff game, so MAC vs. C-USA champ would be an interesting play-in too. Its unequal participation, sure, but I don't think they've earned equal participation rights. They'll have a legit grip though if the Pac 10 ever slides off the face of the earth again. For a couple of years the old WAC dominated them when they were at their worst. That was pitiful. USC is probably here to stay as a top program as long as they keep teir staff together, so that should make the Pac 10 slip proof, even after Neuheisel gets Washington the death penalty.

nert,
my bad...I couldn't see your tongue...and anyway it was only a minor vent. I did stay to the topic. 8-)

YungWan,
ok, perhaps I should've said "all religious" about the WCC essentially they are all faith schools, and excepting Pepperdine, all catholic-based. The point was it's a pretty common practice among these institutions to organize in a league with themselves. Not a new idea, just genesis to re-organize pre-existing institutions that seem to be hanging where they don't totally fit.

The MAAC's genesis was not as a "faith" conference, but it has definitely evolved that way. I did not mention those others because their original genesis just happened to include a preponderence of private non-secular schools.

I still see a mixture of Northeastern/north mid-western catholic based schools forming a football-less all sports conference, IF the fallout of the BigEast/ACC creates trickle down changes in CUSA (read Louisville and Cincinnati to be recruited to BigEast)...and (I'll quote nert here ;D) it makes way too much sense unfortunately to happen. 8-)