http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/colum...1104p1.asp

Bob Smizik: Big East won't escape minor-league status

Tuesday, November 04, 2003








It seems incongruous that the Big East Conference might have survived the defection of football giants Miami and Virginia Tech but could be crippled and rendered small-time by the withdrawal of Boston College, which brought nothing more than a mediocre athletic program to the league.

But that's the way it shapes up today just hours from an expected announcement by the Big East that it will replace the three departing schools with Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida.

If it sounds as if the Big East is turning into Conference USA, that's because it is.

The football league that will be announced today is Big East in title only. That brand name is, of course, too valuable to walk away from, but it is one that simply no longer fits the new eight-team configuration.

Supporters of the expansion will rave about the basketball prowess of the conference, which also is expected to add Marquette and DePaul to the mix in that sport. But if there's one thing we've learned throughout the slow, despicable strangulation of the Big East by the shameless Atlantic Coast Conference, it's that college athletics today are all about football.

The ACC was not just willing, but eager to lessen the prestige of its basketball league -- the best and most celebrated in America -- to strengthen its football. So while it's possible that with a cumbersome 16-team, one-division format, the Big East might be a better basketball grouping with the new additions, it is a decidedly lesser conference.

It is in this world that Pitt must now compete and exactly how that plays out isn't clear and won't be for several years.

But the composition of the Big East football league has the distinct ring of minor league. It will consist of: Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse, Rutgers, Connecticut, Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida. Think about that. If the biggest three names in the league are Pitt, West Virginia and Syracuse, what does that say?

Compare that to the biggest three names in the one-time inferior ACC: Florida State, Virginia Tech and Miami. In the Southeastern Conference, it's Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. In the Big 12, it's Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska. In the Pac-10, its USC, UCLA and Washington State. In the Big Ten it's Ohio State, Michigan and Iowa.

And if Pitt, Syracuse and West Virginia don't sound like much -- only Pitt, No. 25, is ranked -- that's a lot better than what follows. If the Big East is decidedly lackluster at the top, it's pathetic once away from the top.

Among the so-called six major football leagues, the Big East, which as recently as last week was ranked fifth by Sportsline.com, is now a definite sixth. And who's to say in some years it might not be seventh to the Mountain West?

The loss of Virginia Tech and Miami, currently ranked fifth and sixth in the nation, was a staggering blow to the Big East, but one from which it seemed capable of recovering and forging ahead, if not to a better day, at least to continuing success.

Louisville and Cincinnati were set to replace Virginia Tech and Miami. Although neither was nearly as good as Virginia Tech and Miami in football, they were at least mid-major markets with programs on the cusp of the big time and with basketball programs that were long-time powers.

But the loss of Boston College has put the Big East down and out. South Florida, as BC's replacement, not only brings nothing to the mix, it is a distinct drawback. The same can be said for Central Florida, which is believed to be in line for membership in the not-too-distant future. The two schools bring the Conference USA/Sunbelt-type prestige to the Big East.

The schools do not open the Florida market to the Big East, they open up the Big East markets to themselves. They bring nothing but numbers that will temporarily satisfy the Bowl Championship Series.

Of greatest significance, the league is in danger of being left out of what ever replaces the BCS -- and the lucrative bowl invitations that come with it -- after the 2005 season.

That's where the loss of Boston College really hurts.

Commenting about the league's future in August, before Boston College announced its departure, Pitt athletic director Jeff Long said, "When you look at the factors that will be involved in determining who are players in the next BCS contract, if you look at it just from a television marketing standpoint, 50 percent of the television homes are in the Eastern time zone. The highest concentration of those televisions are in the northeast. So to think the BCS would go forward without having the major schools in the northeast as a player, I think is unrealistic and just isn't going to happen.

"We are a major player. The geography we are in makes us a major player."

Losing Boston College changed all that and adding South Florida and Central Florida -- although they are in large markets -- makes it worse.

Pitt football might turn out to be the dominant team in the new league. But being the dominant team in a Conference USA look alike isn't worth much.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1468.

Bob Smizik is a Pitt and Big East hater. He is a Penn St/ Big 10 kinda guy.

Sure the Big East proved him wrong since 2003. But who really thought the Big East would be as strong as it is right now in 2003 I surely didn't.

So, what’s he saying today? That’s the important thing.

It's not the first time Smizak has been wrong. It won't be the last.

Jose_Jalapeno_on_a_Stick Wrote:So, what’s he saying today? That’s the important thing.

Honestly Jose all he writes is how bad Pitt will be this season then after the spring game he give praises for the progam. Then he says the Big East looks weak this season and Pitt could run through it and he says other things. Bob Smizik is a scumbag and shouldn't be taken seriously. I don't really try to pay attention to his articles whether its Steelers, Penguins or even Pirate related.

"But the loss of Boston College has put the Big East down and out. South Florida, as BC's replacement, not only brings nothing to the mix, it is a distinct drawback."

He sure likes to bash USF in this article and we made him eat his words. He had absolutely no clue what he was talking about. USF may actually end up being MORE powerful that the previously departed BC.

animus Wrote:

Jose_Jalapeno_on_a_Stick Wrote:So, what’s he saying today? That’s the important thing.

Honestly Jose all he writes is how bad Pitt will be this season then after the spring game he give praises for the progam. Then he says the Big East looks weak this season and Pitt could run through it and he says other things. Bob Smizik is a scumbag and shouldn't be taken seriously. I don't really try to pay attention to his articles whether its Steelers, Penguins or even Pirate related.

He also trashed the Big East basketball tournament. Just another Big Ten hack.

He also didn't vote for Larry Fitzgerald for Heisman but voted for Jason White.

animus Wrote:Bob Smizik is a scumbag and shouldn't be taken seriously.

:ncaabbs:

Smizik is unfortunately a Pitt alum who thinks he has to bash his alma mater at every turn to show his "objectivity". He is a Crusty the Clown looking *******.

Shannon Panther Wrote:Smizik is unfortunately a Pitt alum who thinks he has to bash his alma mater at every turn to show his "objectivity". He is a Crusty the Clown looking *******.

Wow, with alums like that, Pitt certainly doesnt need any enemies. I would like to read his reports on a program that he really doesnt like.

LOL. well Lets see what he says today about the current situation.

why would you dig this up and post it here?

3601 Wrote:http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/colum...1104p1.asp

Bob Smizik: Big East won't escape minor-league status

Tuesday, November 04, 2003








It seems incongruous that the Big East Conference might have survived the defection of football giants Miami and Virginia Tech but could be crippled and rendered small-time by the withdrawal of Boston College, which brought nothing more than a mediocre athletic program to the league.

But that's the way it shapes up today just hours from an expected announcement by the Big East that it will replace the three departing schools with Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida.

If it sounds as if the Big East is turning into Conference USA, that's because it is.

The football league that will be announced today is Big East in title only. That brand name is, of course, too valuable to walk away from, but it is one that simply no longer fits the new eight-team configuration.

Supporters of the expansion will rave about the basketball prowess of the conference, which also is expected to add Marquette and DePaul to the mix in that sport. But if there's one thing we've learned throughout the slow, despicable strangulation of the Big East by the shameless Atlantic Coast Conference, it's that college athletics today are all about football.

The ACC was not just willing, but eager to lessen the prestige of its basketball league -- the best and most celebrated in America -- to strengthen its football. So while it's possible that with a cumbersome 16-team, one-division format, the Big East might be a better basketball grouping with the new additions, it is a decidedly lesser conference.

It is in this world that Pitt must now compete and exactly how that plays out isn't clear and won't be for several years.

But the composition of the Big East football league has the distinct ring of minor league. It will consist of: Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse, Rutgers, Connecticut, Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida. Think about that. If the biggest three names in the league are Pitt, West Virginia and Syracuse, what does that say?

Compare that to the biggest three names in the one-time inferior ACC: Florida State, Virginia Tech and Miami. In the Southeastern Conference, it's Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. In the Big 12, it's Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska. In the Pac-10, its USC, UCLA and Washington State. In the Big Ten it's Ohio State, Michigan and Iowa.

And if Pitt, Syracuse and West Virginia don't sound like much -- only Pitt, No. 25, is ranked -- that's a lot better than what follows. If the Big East is decidedly lackluster at the top, it's pathetic once away from the top.

Among the so-called six major football leagues, the Big East, which as recently as last week was ranked fifth by Sportsline.com, is now a definite sixth. And who's to say in some years it might not be seventh to the Mountain West?

The loss of Virginia Tech and Miami, currently ranked fifth and sixth in the nation, was a staggering blow to the Big East, but one from which it seemed capable of recovering and forging ahead, if not to a better day, at least to continuing success.

Louisville and Cincinnati were set to replace Virginia Tech and Miami. Although neither was nearly as good as Virginia Tech and Miami in football, they were at least mid-major markets with programs on the cusp of the big time and with basketball programs that were long-time powers.

But the loss of Boston College has put the Big East down and out. South Florida, as BC's replacement, not only brings nothing to the mix, it is a distinct drawback. The same can be said for Central Florida, which is believed to be in line for membership in the not-too-distant future. The two schools bring the Conference USA/Sunbelt-type prestige to the Big East.

The schools do not open the Florida market to the Big East, they open up the Big East markets to themselves. They bring nothing but numbers that will temporarily satisfy the Bowl Championship Series.

Of greatest significance, the league is in danger of being left out of what ever replaces the BCS -- and the lucrative bowl invitations that come with it -- after the 2005 season.

That's where the loss of Boston College really hurts.

Commenting about the league's future in August, before Boston College announced its departure, Pitt athletic director Jeff Long said, "When you look at the factors that will be involved in determining who are players in the next BCS contract, if you look at it just from a television marketing standpoint, 50 percent of the television homes are in the Eastern time zone. The highest concentration of those televisions are in the northeast. So to think the BCS would go forward without having the major schools in the northeast as a player, I think is unrealistic and just isn't going to happen.

"We are a major player. The geography we are in makes us a major player."

Losing Boston College changed all that and adding South Florida and Central Florida -- although they are in large markets -- makes it worse.

Pitt football might turn out to be the dominant team in the new league. But being the dominant team in a Conference USA look alike isn't worth much.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1468.

Hahah......Hey Bob- Open mouth and insert foot you douche...I'm going to email him.

yea...just emailed him. hahahahahah

Is this retro week or something? Who cares that some obscure writer was down on the future of the Big East in 2003? Bob Smizik was not exactly alone in that opinion. Anyone with enough time on their hands could probably dredge up more than a hundred articles with similar tones and conclusions. All of them have been proven wrong, are being proven wrong, and will continue to be proven wrong. Oh well.

Krocker Krapp Wrote:Is this retro week or something? Who cares that some obscure writer was down on the future of the Big East in 2003? Bob Smizik was not exactly alone in that opinion. Anyone with enough time on their hands could probably dredge up more than a hundred articles with similar tones and conclusions. All of them have been proven wrong, are being proven wrong, and will continue to be proven wrong. Oh well.

The point of posting it was a capsule to show people want the Big East was up against and how the detractors look like idiots now. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. So why forget history when you can laugh in its face sometimes?