ESPN article reporting that as expected,Pittsburgh and the BE have reached a"divorce settlement" with apparently the same terms that Syracuse received.Link at http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... -july-2013

ESPN article reporting that TCU/BE have reached a "divorce settlement" and have concluded their lawsuit.Link at http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... rned-frogs

Lenn Robbins at New York Post reporting that BE will discuss BCG report at next week's BE meetings.No mention of any specific recommendations by those consultants in this article.Link at http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/college/ ... Basketball

That article started out so dramatically.... and then ended up being absolutely devoid of substance...

I guess Lenn Robbins was having a slow day.....

Why is it the Big East always tries to get aggressive when the conference is down on the canvas with the last count?

First, meeting at "Georgetown" to speak about Big East football may be a clue as to how the show is run. The BE is the very best in bb? How long shall that debateable claim be sustained? In terms of the "number" of teams, am confident that will hold.

The BE has earned the reputation for lawsuits. The message is "beware to get involved". Having teams from 4 time zones is not seen as a virtue by all; rather, more of an act of desperation to "look BCS-type" and be pretentious.

What can be deducted is the BE has no intentions to split. They want the hybrid and mixture. Conformity to all-sports is not option; and if any faction goes for it, they'll pay dearly. Any all-sports/fb only members (which is really all of them) looking to head for one of the "big 5" conferences, must look "happy" in the revamped BE that is presented; and if anyone is fortunate enough to get to leave, the price tag is very costly.

So, the BE is projecting the illusion they can move up from being #6, by the acting Commish referencing the NFL? Nice try, but the better question is can they sustain the general impression, down the road, that they will be above the MWC, C-USA, or even the Sunbelt in the pecking order?

I respect the individual schools in the BE. But the history of their conference's managerial system, coupled with the narrow and conflicting focuses of so many of their member schools' Presidents that have come and gone, it's been so puzzling and damaging to much potential.

What should the Big East football schools do to ensure football stability?

I no longer see the value of remaining with basketball schools and especially Notre Dame. Not that I ever understood this value of the Big East hybrid. With the new post season, Notre Dame no longer needs Big East bowl deals and for that reason the football schools no longer are helped by Notre Dame. This is assuming they were ever helped by Notre Dame for football which is very subjective.

Assuming basketball is only a fraction of the TV revenue conference generate and football is by far more percentage of conference revenue, it appears the basketball only schools need the football schools more than the football schools need basketball only markets. At the same time the basketball schools continue to allow Notre Dame a safe haven for all sports and at the same time Notre Dame is allowed to work out bowl deals with the Big East arch enemy the ACC.

Less face it, the ACC caused as much harm in the recent raid of Syracuse to the basketball only schools as it did to the football schools, yet, both group of schools allow Notre Dame to sleep with the enemy.

It is time this nonsense stops.

I think the current new 10 all sports football members along with San Diego State and Boise State should bolt and form a new 16 member all sports league with an eight member eastern division and eight member western division.

East: UConn, Rutgers, Temple, Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, UCF, USF

West: Houston, SMU, Boise State, San Diego, UNLV?, New Mexico?, Colorado State?, BYU?

You have to believe BYU is going to be hurt by the power conferences going to 9 team schedules and others forming scheduling alliance, BYU is just not going to be able to remain independent. BYU is not Notre Dame.

If the above took place, the MWC would have no other choice by take the remaining WAC schools just to have enough members to qualify as a league (i.e. New Mexico State, Idaho).

The new league could work with the WAC to use that name and the NCAA automatic bids that go along with the league to house the 16 member league.

By creating a solid eight member western division of fairly good traveling football schools, the new league could try to work out a deal with the Fiesta Bowl which has already lost the Big 12. In years the Fiesta Bowl is hosting a semi final game, the league champions could go to the Las Vegas bowl or possibly work out a deal with the Orange bowl.

If the Fiesta Bowl were willing to consider taking the champion of this league would go a long way toward bringing respectability back to the formal Big East schools that did not land in one of the new power conferences.

Securing an bid to host BCS bowl game is just not going to happen with the current structure of the hybrid Big East with only a few football only schools out west where a host BCS bowl is much more likely.

Blog article out of Syracuse discussing tv coverage of Tuesday's BE FB Media Day at http://blog.syracuse.com/orangefootball ... t_188.html

So your kicking Navy to the curb too? Besides Navy has no desire to pull their other Olympic sports and BB from the Patriot League where they are somewhat competitive to get clobbered in the BE as an all sports member.

If the FB schools leave they would have to pay out $10 million a piece. Currently with 13 FB schools in the fold the exit fee would be $130 million plus millions in earned BB credits for them to leave as a group. The FB schools are not going to walk away and pay out that kind fee to do so. As long as ND which joined for everything but FB remains in the BE they will side with the rest of the Catholic schools giving them a virtual block and lock on the hybrid and the FB schools will bide their time waiting for deals similar to what WV, VT, Syracuse, BC, and Miami received to leave. ND is even trying to negotiate their way out of the BE by playing the B-12 against the ACC to get what they want from the ACC. Basically they want the same deal they have with the BE but will settle for 3 - 4 ACC FB games in the end. Trouble is the ACC is having no part of it with out a definite drop dead date to join for all sports further down the line. The BE started as an I-95 BB league with FB independents Syracuse and BC. Pitt joined a year later but the FB remained independent like the rest of the major NE FB schools. The true hybrid was pieced together to appease Pitt, BC, and Syracuse when independents joined all sports conferences for better TV and Bowl deals. VT, WV, Rutgers, Temple, joined for FB only and Miami joined for all sports so the BE could get their FB program. It took years for VT, WV, and Rutgers to become all sports members while Temple remained the red haired step child until they were kicked out. They were only readmitted as an all sports program over Nova's protests this time because they had the edge in the negotiation with the BE needing their FB program for this year. The BE will remain in its current hybrid form until ND leaves. Then and only then will the FB schools begin to get the upper hand in the BE and it is doubtful that they will kick the NE BB schools to the curb with their TV markets then either. The BE is the intermediary between the have not's on the bottom of the pecking order and the all sport big boy conferences on top. As long as they can hold that position they will be fine. At best the BE Hybrid without ND will probably look like this:

East: Rutgers, UConn, Temple, L'Ville, Cinn, UCF, USF - all sports.
West: BYU, Boise, SDSU, SMU, Houston, Memphis - all sports + Navy FB only
Catholic BB/Olympic/D1AA FB - St Johns, Providence, Nova, G'town, Seton Hall, Marquette, DePaul

Not a bad conference at that with decent TV contracts, a Championship Game, and 8 or 9 bowl tie in's along with shots at annual revolving play in the Orange and Fiesta Bowls depending on whether the BE Champion came from the East or West Division. On the BB side you loose ND and get BYU, Boise, and SDSU for a net gain of only 2 more mouths to feed at the at the NCAA BB credit table. The gain of BYU and SDSU should bring in more than enough BB TV revenue to make up for the net 2 gain in BB distribution dollars. The East, West, and Catholic factions can play double round robin in BB and Olympic sports and have a rotation system for a few additional conference games to cut down on travel costs. For the BE tournament at the end of the BB season have the bottom 8 teams match up for a play in round before the tournament and then send the 4 winners plus the 13 top teams to Madison Square Garden for the Tournament. Not a bad Hybrid if you work all the positive positions of the Hybrid BE to the max. This situation works too if ND decides to stay and works with the BE on better bowls scheduling 3 FB games with BE teams a year. They technically would only have to pick up 2 games a year as they play Navy annually any way, and might only need one additional game per year with a rotating BE team if they continue to work on the BYU long term scheduling contract for a late season game when the other top conferences kick into their conference schedules. There are so many avenues to take if you really sit down and work out the positive angles to this Hybrid. Perhaps the new outside Commissioner with out of the box thinking capabilities, football mentality, and TV contract experience can mesh the great football potential of this league with its top notch BB potential to make and keep this conference among the top BIG SIX CONFERENCES in collegiate sports.

_________________
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS - SEC
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS - BIG EAST / AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE / BIG TEN

Lash, a good opening for further commentary. It's nice you renewed certain points and perspectives because the BE is really in a transitioning moment to define itself. I agree that if ND actually left the BE, the conference would have better flexibility to improve its direction.

Carolinaknights, a thoughtful post you delivered.
You gave considerable background analysis that would give additional understanding to those relatively new in comprehending BE developments over the years. Your model may be close to what the BE is currently hoping to achieve.

Your point, regarding Notre Dame playing the B12 and ACC against one another for ND's objectives with the ACC, is a revealing theory few have reflected upon. Such, in part, may have involved all the rumors pertaining to FSU and Clemson being interested in hearing what the B12 could offer. It makes sense in that shortly afterwards new pitches were made to ND, and the ACC had a not-so-secret meeting among some of their Presidents and Notre Dame.

As to the model, parts of it, look good. But would it be sustainable as a whole? Yes, if no other conference decides to expand in the next several years. The B12 could break this, so could the ACC if they went to 16. Even Rutgers could be in play if the B1G ever decided it would be worth it.

SDSU & Boise State for all-sports could be tough. I suppose I am one of the remaining few here who believe travel costs and time involved would be a huge strain per non-fb sports. Most of the olympic-style sports at BSU, for example, are considerably under-developed compared to much of the BE schools. Don't expect the BE would want this.

I may be wrong, but I just don't see BYU or the AFA ever buying into the BE hybrid anytime soon. Both could have taken a bite earlier, and chose not to. Why would it be more attractive now in light of the new playoff arrangements and the discontinuing of the former BCS bowl structure? I'm not convinced BYU will be largely hampered in putting near-future and decent fb schedules together. However, perhaps, certain TV constraints/outlets and the absence of conference bowl revenue sharing could hurt BYU, but only primarily if BYU doesn't reach enough bowls on their own.

Though your model did not have this, I've often liked the idea of the three service academies in the same conference for fb; maybe Navy & Army in an eastern division, and AFA in the west; but scheduling is done whereby all 3 continue to play each other every year.

What you articulated very well, is the idea that the BE is positioning itself as the in-between (intermediary) among the big, powerful all-sports conferences and the "have-nots" of FBS. While such gives BE all-sports schools an edge and value over clear wannabes', and helps sustain bb prominence, it may not do a whole lot for stability as long as expansion/re-alignment happen. However,the BE is getting use to exiting and in-coming, and has gotten more thrifty in collecting fees for such. Evidently, they are most willing to live with that, to hold onto their "spot" in the subjectively viewed pecking-order. They must believe also there is enough out there to reload, wherever geography takes them.

Another good point you made, Carolinaknight, paraphrasing of course, is that future exiting from the BE will be done on a case by case basis by individual schools that play BE fb/all-sports, rather than a mass departure to form a new conference or bond in mass with another conference.

Agree, if ND departs the BE at some point, it could tip the balance toward all-sports/fb contributors. Also agree, if such happened, BE bb-only schools would still be retained.

That said, I still believe a split is best, in the long-term, for all (except the special interests of ND who would seriously pursue another affiliation for non-fb sports only as the prime initiative).

Carolinaknights,
You are probably not going to like this post as it is really about doom and gloom for Big East football.

The Big East football conference ship is currently on the bottom of the ocean and all the football schools are in a raft in the middle of the ocean with the basketball schools.

With the BCS AQ gone and lack of a new BCS host bowl tie in, the last ACC torpedo finally sank the ailing ship.

The football schools have to decide if they want to get off the dingy and onto a ship with the basketball schools and continue in the opposite direction of where the five power football leagues are heading or try to get on a new non hybrid ship and try to catch up.

The remaining football schools are quick to bring up the likes of Navy and Boise State as saviors for the Big East football conference when either school are not in a position to do so.

I love the service academies and believe they do wonder things for our country, however, major football is not one of their accomplishments. When is the last time Navy was in the top 25 rankings for football?

Boise State would have to be regular top 4 football school to ensure the current Big East conference will survive in the current BCS structure after 2014 without AQ and host bowl tie ins. The fact is Boise State is not close to being a top five or for that matter a top 10 program in comparison to the Alabama’s, Oklahoma’s, USC’s of the world. Boise State is located in a small state and will have to continue to requite California and can they have consistent success in requiting as the past at the point to ensure a top five requiting ranking every year, I think not. No other Big East football schools is anywhere close to a top 10 program in college football.

Your other point is valid and maybe a school like Rutgers can get into one of the Big 5 power conference life boats. The risk with this thought is there are only two or at long shot four seats left at the big boy table. With the new playoff format the 16 member super conference idea is basically dead. There is no way conference including the SEC are going to expand to 16 and split into two eight team divisions. The four pod system and semi conference championship games could have possibly worked in plus one, however, no way a major conference is going to have multiple conference playoff games and risk injury of players and miss out on the playoff. If there are difficulties in 12 and 14 member leagues splitting up traditional rivalries in conference such as the Big Ten and SEC, splitting up into eight team divisions just does not work because you finally have basically two conference in one. The only conference that may someday go to 16 is the ACC if Notre Dame would be willing to join and a 16 school would be needed for balance. This would be a huge risk for Rutgers to wait for this scenario to happen.

If the Big Ten were going to expand to 14 or 16, this would have happened when the conference took a year to evaluate expansions and decided on 12. The new playoff format seals this deal as well. Again only a Notre Dame wanting Big Ten membership would move this conference beyond 12 members. This would be a higher risk for Rutgers to wait on Big Ten expansions. Notre Dame has passed on Big Ten membership on multiple occasions and has other options if someday the school wants to join a league for football.

The only power conference that has a realistic change of expansion is the Big 12 may someday want to get back to 12 schools. This is more of risk to Rutgers because current Big East schools could be more desired by the Big 12 especially if Memphis every gets it act together and has a pulse for football. As a pair, both Memphis and Louisville would fit very nicely into the Big 12 foot print especially if the ACC improves to the point no school needs to look elsewhere in the future and the Big 12 wanted to continue expand its foot print to the east.

Speaking of Memphis and Big East basketball, will the Big East continue to be considered one of the six power conference in basketball. If you use revenue as a measure of power, the Big East will slip in this area as well after 2014. Pitt and Syracuse will command far more revenue compared with Villanova and St John’s. Factor in the ACC will have four corners of the old Big East core region with Syracuse and Pitt joining Boston College and Maryland and will to some extent overshadow the Big East which no longer has an exclusive core region to call its own. The new Big East 18 member basketball league is more like the old Conf USA league before the Big East raid. The old Conf USA was a good basketball league, however, very fragmented by regions. Basketball is one sport that continues to need a strong regional core to promote TV interest. Will the new Big East without Syracuse/Georgetown, Pitt/Villanova, Pitt/Syracuse, Boston College/UConn continue to have the same regional success as the old Big East in basketball?

I see the media start to refer to the five power conferences in basketball as they formally did in BCS football and the Big East will slip in this area as well for perception.

That is why I believe the only chance the Big East football schools have to get back to power conference status someday is to split, form a new league and try and build up two separate divisions taking the best of non power schools in the east with the remaining non power schools in the west and chase after the five power leagues.

Otherwise, my fear for the current Big East football schools is they will no longer be considered a power league for basketball as well. Why not take chance to see if you can catch the power leagues because the power leagues have made sure the current Big East hybrid is never going to get there.

I would like to see the BE remain strong in BB. As far as FB, there really aren't many places for their teams to go now, so they will probably cling together and enrich the airlines.

I believe the Big East conference will always remain strong in basketball, however, will they continue to be considered a top 6 power league is the question in basketball. The Atlantic 10 is strong in basketball. The issue is the A10 is not considered one of the current 6 power basketball leagues. Will the Big East keep this status once Syracuse and Pitt bolt to the ACC?

This would be the only reason for the football schools to keep aligned with basketball only schools.

If the football schools want to peruse creating a western division of all sports schools, I do not believe they can afford to keep the basketball only schools was my point. If power translate into revenue, can the Big East afford to keep aligned with basketball only schools and provide revenue sharing to an additional four to six football all sports schools out west.

To me the only chance the Big East football schools have of making in big time football is try desperately to get aligned with host BCS bowl to build on football reputation.

The only way to get this done and there is not guarantee is to create a western division of schools and push for a possible Fiesta bowl tie in. I see the Fiesta as the only possible BCS bowl tie in for the Big East football schools. The Fiesta is unique in the fact it has an excellent chance of remaining a host bowl and the potential local BCS conference is tied to the Rose Bowl. Otherwise the Fiesta could just as easily take the at large approach for both tie ins and on most years would eliminate the Big East champion from consideration. The Pac 12 would always get preference as well as the Big 12 which always has provided great fan support for this bowl. Less not rule out 2nd place team from the Pac 12 and Big Ten in years those conferences did not make the four team playoff and the Rose bowl got the champions.

I do not see the Fiesta bowl taking a chance on the Big East by having only two schools out west along with other eastern schools that have a reputation of not traveling well. UConn which brought about 3 thousand fans to Phoenix did not help with perception of the Big East for fans willing to travel out west for a bowl game.

The ACC will do everything possible to keep the Big East out of the Orange Bowl tie in. This would be the only other option back east, however, the ACC and Notre Dame appear to be adamant of keeping the Big East football schools out of the discussion for Orange Bowl participation.

No way the Big East gets access to SEC and Big 12 BCS host bowl tie ins. (Sugar, Cotton). Ditto Rose bowl which does not have an opening to begin with.

Without a host bowl tie in and ability to regularly make the four team playoff, the Big East will be competing with SEC third and fourth tier schools for openings in the other host bowls. The Big Ten 3rd and 4th tier schools with much larger fan bases will also be competing with the Big East for eastern host BCS bowl games.

A few years of the Big East champion playing in the middle of Christmas and New Year’s week in a minor bowl will finally reduce the Big East to the level of the Mountain West (i.e. Las Vegas Bowl).

At 18, the BE will still get several in the NCAA bb tourney every year. The BE has long used #s' for such placement while fielding a few top 25 each year fairly consistently.
Agree though, old rivalry draws shall take a hit with schools such as Pitt & 'Cuse gone. A school such as UCONN will have a few less intense rivalries, and competition is now more "stretched" to develop much more intensity.
Added all-sports schools such as Memphis, Temple, & Houston have had dandy bb programs; but it is not just fb in the BE that will find the sense of cohesion an increased challenge.

ESPN article discussing BE FB Media Day topics to include finding or starting a bowl game for it's champion starting in 2014. Link at http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... e-champion