With my recent plant closing, I have had more time on my hands recently than I have had in a long time. (BTW if anyone needs a degreed manufacturing / plant manager with over 20 years of experience in the Louisville, Southern Indiana or Florida areas, IM me...LOL) Anyway with the extra time I have spent a lot of time online reading. Mostly reading about how disappointed Louisville fans have been with our football team this fall for a number of reasons. I have also read much about the Big East. One thing I have noticed, with Louisville, Rutgers and WVU all losing early in the season, the media hasn't attacked the Big East and honestly this surprises me.
Much of this because USF has proven themselves to be one of the best programs in the country (Thank you Bulls) and the credibility of our conference, at this point in the season, now rests with them. The just released BCS rankings confrim this with the Bulls being ranked #2.
It is imperative that Rutgers, Louisville, UConn and Cincinnati continue to play exceptional football. (I don't mention WVU because they have already played USF, only have 1 loss an in true Mountaineer tradition won't hurt the Big East by losing a game they shouldn't have like Louisville has this year) Anyway I can't say that I would ever root against my Cardinals but I just can't see how my team beating USF in Tampa, something they have never done, could help the Big East. I don't think it would ever happen with the defense we have this year but you never know. The whole USF team could forget there is a game that day and not show up. That's about the only way I see my Cardinals having a chance in that game and I don't believe that's going to happen.
Thats why I believe it falls squarely on the shoulders of Rutgers, UConn and Cincinnati. These game need to happen one of two ways, in my opinion. If they don't then the Big East conference will suffer. USF needs to win it's remaining games by a large margin. Much like the no-doubter, beatdown the Bulls laid on UCF this past weekend. If the Bulls don't win, the games need to be USF losses on a last second field goal or some fluke play. In my opinion the worst thing that could happen to the Big East this season is for the Bulls to get blown out by another Big East team.
I know it isn't the fault of any program in our conference but if USF losses badly then it will be seen as the weakness of the Big East and not the depth the conference by the bias media. Our conference won't be afforded the same luxury that the SEC, Big Eleven and Pac 10 are given. Just my opinion.
Sorry this post is getting so long (Like I said I have plenty of time on my hands..LOL) but I want to mention how much I enjoy our program being part of a conference like the Big East. I see a comraderie on all the Big East boards that you don't see with the other conferences. You feel it at the games, at conference tournaments and at bowls. I was at a Louisville bar last January watching WVU in the Gator Bowl and you would have sworn you were in Morgantown. The people there were rooting for the 'Eers as hard as I have ever seen them root for our Cardinals. One guy from WVU, also a UofL season ticket holder, decked out in Blue and Gold, got up at half-time, after a few adult beverages karaoked "Country Roads" and everyone in the place joined in. It was an awesome time. I'm sure others here have examples of this happening in their cities too. Fans of the Big East support their schools and they support the conference as well. I can't tell you how many Big East fans have come to this board, the Louisville Rivals and Scout boards to offer support during this tough season here in The 'Ville. All I can say is it hasn't gone un-noticed by Louisville fans.
I can't tell you the games between are schools aren't hard fought because they are. But I can tell you that the mutual respect among the schools, the teams and fans is there. I want to see us keep that. The other conferences may have more teams and more collective football tradition but they don't have the sense of community we have in our conference. That's one thing special about being a member of the Big East conference. Good luck to all of our teams the remainder of the season.
Jim