NY Post reports that BE football and basketball schools poised to part waves with the BB schools retaining the name an BB bid.

http://www.nypost.com/sports/37627.htm

obviously both will have to take in new partners.

Any suggestions as to the new members of each league and a name for the FB conference?

I've always been intrigued by the comments on previous threads that the basketball schools would want to retain the name "BigEast". Somehow, that doesn't sound like a basketball conference. The idea of a set of teams without football having the name "Big" would set them up for all kinds of flak, static, perhaps even some wimp jokes ;). Think of the traditional conferences with the name "big" in them they will be compared to. If they were smart, they would give the "BigEast" to the football schools, and think of a really catchy bb title.

Interesting point, Javaman. I'd cling to that as well except for the fact that the BE was founded as a basketball league and has name recognition as such. Especially considering recent national champions carry the BE banner. I've often touted that this would be the concession made by the factions - The bball schools get the name and tournament berths, the football schools get the BCS berth. I'm expecting the birth of the Big Northeast as an all-sport conference any day now.

Big E, in response to your questions on membership, a lot will be determined by the discussion with the CUSA and A-10. If the BE (the bball schools) drop ND, I suspect they'd prefer A-10 schools in Xavier and UMass, though the option of keeping ND and assuming a midwest division with Marquette, DePaul, St. Louis and Xavier would be very, very solid.

My Big Northeast would add Louisville, Cincinatti, Temple and Marshall. But as I said, lots more politics to be sorted out here.

thats not as bad as the Big South and the Big West. ::)

Maybe the new football conference should change its name to the "Big 9".

BC, UConn, Syracuse, Rutgers, Pitt, WVU, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame

they need to go for 12 so they can have a championship game

In the wings 9.Army,10Navy,11.Temple 12.CFLA/UMASS?for football

Football:

The FEAST

Basketball:

The BEAST

Notre Dame obviously wants nothing to do with the BIG EAST football schools and vice versa...that's how this whole mess started in the first place...

??? Publius . . . My man . . . Come back to us. Re-read the article. Notre Dame is joining the football schools in this new league, although not for football. Clearly they are keeping their Big East football options open . . . & that is just fine with Big East Football. . . . Or was your comment tongue in cheek? :-/ ;)

Javaman, my understanding is that the name goes with the majority in the even of a split. In addition, a league must have 6 continuous members to continue as a league eligible for an automatic basketball bid by NCAA rules. So, on both counts, the football schools will be "Big East" & the rest of the schools will be something else. A shame, in my opinion, since a majority of the schools who invented the name & created the league's reputation will now be ineligible for the rights to it.

By capturing the Notre Dame membership, the Big East football schools achieved a major coup on several levels - name, automatic basketball bid, an option on Notre Dame football. I would not expect them to add any other schools until Notre Dame decides its future, which will probably not be until 2005.

Army Navy will pre date 2005.So will Temple(it will also stay a football member)

FriarFan, clarify this for me.

Are you saying that your impression is that the football schools pulled a coup by getting Notre Dame to side with them, thus getting a majority vote, and so retaining the Big East name? As I reread the story I can read that into it also.. Have the press not caught onto this yet?

Friarfan,
I just reread the article, and it states that Notre Dame was "leaning" toward joining the football schools, and that the formal vote would be in a few days. So we should be careful not to jump the gun on this, although the Post is a pretty reliable sports source

Javaman, it also says that the 6 football schools are "strongly leaning" toward forming their own league. I just gave the 2 "leans" the same amount of credibility. ;) The Big East published an official statement today & all they are saying is that they will not add anyone until the 2005-06 season, with UConn moving to football a year early in 2004.

In clarification of my "coup" comment, your paraphrase is exactly what I am saying. I expect that the press will talk about this if the speculation becomes fact - sometime between now & 2005. ::)