Jeff MacGregor on why expanding the Big 10 is stupid

[Songbird]

Terrific column.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?id=4754157

 

[playthrough]

Awesome.

 

[Jersey_Guy]

All it lacked for some sort of official old crank award would be the obligatory "Hey you kids! Get off my lawn!"

Seriously, what a bunch of crap. Whether you agree or disagree with the Big Ten expanding, it's got absolutely nothing to do with 4,000 square foot houses.

 

[Armchair_QB]

That's three minutes of my life I won't get back.

 

[Boom_70]

How about ESPN Jeff - think that is too big also?

 

[DanOregon]

Agree that it is a great read. Forget the sentiment, the writing alone is worth the time.
The Big 10 took the first leap when they let in another team. When you are willing to scar your brand like that - I don't care whether the extra team was Penn State, Notre Dame or USC - subsequent tweaks are that much more easily digested.
They already trashed the "midwestern" roots of their conference bringing in Penn State, they may as well go all the way and bring in Hooters State - Pompano Beach. And there isn't anything "big" about most of the out of conference teams brought in during football season.
You think the Ivy League couldn't raise some cash by admitting a couple more colleges? They don't, because Ivy League still means something.

 

[Harry Doyle]

Wow ... Hard to understand the vitriol here.

What makes great column writing? Turns of phrase, concise writing, sticking to your guns, having one point. The man is a master. His writing is melodic -- and yeah maybe the lyrics are a little angry, but so were Kurt Cobain's.

Maybe I'll get hassled because this isn't the Writer's Workshop, but look at the way the man writes. His argument be damned and to hell with whether or not you agree with him.

"Long thought of as the conference of earnest ham-necked farm boys, lead-footed and dim-witted and grave, smiling shyly, courageous and square-jawed in sepia team photos in their shawl-collar letter sweaters and raccoon coats, the Big Ten has traditionally sold Midwestern toughness, character and simplicity as its main product."

That's writing I can appreciate. And there is not a single person on this board who can't learn something about our craft by reading it.

 

[GB-Hack]

How about ESPN Jeff - think that is too big also?

Didn't read it, did you?

But there's another dollar to be turned, so let's all play along. Don't rock the boat. Mum's the word. (And yes, it's an easy enough thing to criticize this very company for its part in all this overhyped supersizing. Feel free to do so, vigorously, in the comments area below.)

 

[YGBFKM]

Maybe I'll get hassled because this isn't the Writer's Workshop, but look at the way the man writes. His argument be damned and to hell with whether or not you agree with him.

I'm sure he can turn 2,000 well-written words on how to make a tuna casserole. Doesn't mean it's interesting beyond the verbiage.

 

[PopeDirkBenedict]

The verbiage was top notch. But I'm not sure I understand what his argument is, which makes this a waste of nice phrases.

 

[Mystery Meat II]

"Long thought of as the conference of earnest ham-necked farm boys, lead-footed and dim-witted and grave, smiling shyly, courageous and square-jawed in sepia team photos in their shawl-collar letter sweaters and raccoon coats, the Big Ten has traditionally sold Midwestern toughness, character and simplicity as its main product."

Nice imagery in a cumbersome sentence -- the equivalent of using diamonds to build a leaky toilet.

 

[YGBFKM]

The verbiage was top notch. But I'm not sure I understand what his argument is, which makes this a waste of nice phrases.

My point exactly. Better stated without dragging tuna casserole into it.

 

[Football_Bat]

I see the above criticisms (and praises) falling right along the predictable political fault lines. Nothing new under the sun.

 

[YGBFKM]

I see the above criticisms (and praises) falling right along the predictable political fault lines. Nothing new under the sun.

That's just a stupid ****ing post. The column is well-written, but doesn't make a good argument. Only one person seems to be making it political.

 

[Mystery Meat II]

Problem is, it doesn't really tell us WHY the Big Ten expanding is a crime, except perhaps against nostalga. It's great to draw the analogy to fat Americans McMansions and Starbucks and Walmart, but in what ways are they similar, other than their eyes towards getting bigger?

And what traditions are getting frittered away? You might not play everyone in the conference every season? You're already not doing that. Tradition of not having a conference title game? I'm confused.

 

[Football_Bat]

I see the above criticisms (and praises) falling right along the predictable political fault lines. Nothing new under the sun.

That's just a stupid ****ing post. The column is well-written, but doesn't make a good argument. Only one person seems to be making it political.

Just an observation. You don't have go all Laz Diaz.

 

[GB-Hack]

Problem is, it doesn't really tell us WHY the Big Ten expanding is a crime, except perhaps against nostalga. It's great to draw the analogy to fat Americans McMansions and Starbucks and Walmart, but in what ways are they similar, other than their eyes towards getting bigger?

And what traditions are getting frittered away? You might not play everyone in the conference every season? You're already not doing that. Tradition of not having a conference title game? I'm confused.

I think the point is that too often entities getting bigger makes everyone think that as a result they will automatically get better.

But the bigger things have gotten, whether in business, life, or sports, the quest for getting actually better has diminished because of the assumption that bigger is better.

 

[Jersey_Guy]

If he had written an ode to a hamburger, it would have made more sense. There is no THERE there in this column. There is no meat, aside from "Big Ten expansion bad because Big Ten good as is."

Just a lot of pretty words signifying nothing.

And it's a shame to see how many find value in that.

 

[Mystery Meat II]

Problem is, it doesn't really tell us WHY the Big Ten expanding is a crime, except perhaps against nostalga. It's great to draw the analogy to fat Americans McMansions and Starbucks and Walmart, but in what ways are they similar, other than their eyes towards getting bigger?

And what traditions are getting frittered away? You might not play everyone in the conference every season? You're already not doing that. Tradition of not having a conference title game? I'm confused.

I think the point is that too often entities getting bigger makes everyone think that as a result they will automatically get better.

But the bigger things have gotten, whether in business, life, or sports, the quest for getting actually better has diminished because of the assumption that bigger is better.

Which would be a fine component to a grander argument that he teases but never delivers. Adding a team isn't a panacea (just ask ACC followers), but it doesn't follow that expanding means the end of the innocence, either.

Sound and fury, signifying nothing new.

 

[DanOregon]

I don't know if the argument is FOR tradition, I just don't see the Big 10 conference needing a handout anytime soon, yet money and late season exposure seem to be the prime motivations for expanding. They could easily do what the Pac 10 has done and shifted back some of their games into December. Dump the stupid ban on night games after October. Schedule some "big" games in their big stadiums early on. The Pac 10 and the Big East were both "in the mix" without championship games.
And having a Diet Pepper promotion at halftime isn't really all that.