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Big East: Can the non-football schools survive?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by BYH, Mar 16, 2008.

  1. BYH

    BYH Active Member

    Thought about this the other day when I read Providence fired Tim Welsh.

    Basically, can the non-BCS schools in the Big East--Marquette, Georgetown, Villanova, Providence, St. Johns, Seton Hall and DePaul--survive long-term? People now are wondering about SJU's ability to survive, but I remember when the same thing was being said about G-town prior to the arrival of John Thompson III. So can these non-BCS schools survive if they have a brilliant recruiter and tireless head coach? Seems to be working for G-town, Marquette and 'Nova. Is that the only way they can survive?

    Of course, that's A LOT of pressure, and it leaves the schools with no room for error.

    And if these schools aren't long for the Big East, what happens to them? These are tradition-rich programs with multiple Final Four trips and national championships under its collective belt. I don't see them settling for a mid-major conference.

    Could a new conference be formed? It feels as if the NCAA looks at 31 conferences as the limit (you know, to keep those friggin at-larges at 34).

    Thoughts?
     
  2. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    On an unrelated note, despite all the wailing by college coaches about expanding the NCAA field, I'd like to see it cut down to 32 teams.

    Only allow the conference tournament champions into The Big Dance.

    It might turn a North Carolina-Duke game for the ACC crown from simply being about seeding in the NCAA Tournament into a knock down drag out affair if they know their berth in the NCAA tournament itself is on the line...

    Then again, the NCAA would never do that.
     
  3. chester

    chester Member

    I will always think of the non-football schools - Georgetown, Providence, St. John's, Villanova, Seton Hall - as the Big East long before I think of places like Louisville, Cincinnati and West Virginia. To me, those schools, along with Syracuse and Pitt and UConn, obviously, were what made the league so great growing up in the 80s. It just wouldn't be the same if they weren't in the league.

    That's why I can't imagine those schools NOT being able to compete. I mean, what comes to mind first when you think of the Big East - Georgetown basketball, or Louisville football?
     
  4. BYH

    BYH Active Member

    I'd love that too. Make these fucking big six title games mean something. As great as Kansas-Texas was, there was no real drama. They're both going and they're both going to be among the top eight teams in the field. Yawn.

    It takes a Georgia to make a big six game dramatic.

    After all, isn't that three-OT NC State ACC title game victory from the mid-70s considered one of the greatest games of all time precisely BECAUSE the loser missed the NCAAs?
     
  5. farmerjerome

    farmerjerome Active Member

    I'd like to see some of the fat trimmed in the Big East, but I would never want to see Georgetown go.

    Though there is no conference affiliation for lacrosse, Georgetown/Syracuse is becoming quite the rivalry.


    f_t, I'd like to see it expand, actually. But just four play-in games. I'm split on who should play in those games, however.

    I'd like to see the bubble team play, but that isn't fair to the No. 1 seeds who get to play the crappiest mid-major tournament winners.
     
  6. BitterYoungMatador2

    BitterYoungMatador2 Well-Known Member

    I want all non-football members to break away and form their own conference. Providence and St. Johns aren't doing a damn thing for the football members schools and have actually blocked a lot of progress, progress that could have prevented the three defections to the ACC. You can always schedule Nova and Georgetown out of conference. This conference is too damn big and a clusterfuck.
     
  7. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    That battle was lost 35 years ago.
     
  8. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    As long as Mike Tranghese is commissioner these schools will not get thrown under the bus.
     
  9. spnited

    spnited Active Member

    Remember, the Big East was formed as a basketball conference in '78 with seven schools: Providence, St. John's, Georgetown, Syracuse, Seton Hall, Connecticut, and Boston College with Villanova joining the next year.
    No way will the conference throw its original members out for the sake of football. It is still better known as a basketball conference
     
  10. pallister

    pallister Guest

  11. Beaker

    Beaker Active Member

    As far as Big East football is concerned, I'd assume that with only eight teams, they'll be looking to add members (god knows who) in the future.

    The conference is still known for its basketball, and I don't think that will be changing soon. Although I wouldn't mind them breaking the league into two divisions and trying to get some semblance of balance in the schedule.

    You could have two eight team divisions, something like this:

    Connecticut
    Pittsburgh
    Louisville
    West Virginia
    Syracuse
    Cincinnati
    Rutgers
    South Florida

    Georgetown
    Notre Dame
    Marquette
    Villanova
    Providence
    Seton Hall
    St. John's
    DePaul
     
  12. BYH

    BYH Active Member

    Please contribute to the actual basketball discussion and leave the grammar fixes to IJAG. Thank you. Now walk on home boy. :D :D :D
     
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