Shannon Panther Wrote:Marinatto discussed camaraderie and being "comfortable where we are in the BCS" 
God help us, it is status quo.
If the BE continues status quo then so be it. Both interviews state the Presidents , AD's, and schools are very happy at this time. Both interviews state that you have to hire quality coaches and win on the field. It was stated the same for BB as well as FB. Calhoun had the same effect in a BE down time in BB as Rich Rod had in a BE FB down time.
As I stated on another thread now is not the time that BE problems will be discussed. Changes are not going to announced during the FB and BB seasons. Change cannot take place until after July 1st anyway when the new conmmish takes over and puts his stamp on this league and change is not going to be a rapid thing. At the very least the split card has been extended behind closed doors because of the MONEY. There are contracts in place that apparently bring more cash to the coffers as a unified BE than then they would bring as a Split BE. It appears that the BE will continue in its current state until the BCS is in jeopardy again and at least until the end of the current TV contracts. This will give the new commish time to work on better bowl bids ( the BE needs better attendance there besides WV, L'Ville, and Rutgers), and the FB scheduling problem that the FB coaches perceive to be there. If the FB scheduling problem cannot be addressed through scheduling alliances then you will see a return to a FB only to fix this problem unless the conference as a whole is willing to expand cautiously with one all sports team for a 16 game single round robin BB season and a 4 home / 4 away conference Fb season. If the BB schools reject this and the cash can't justify adding two schools, one on each side for balance, then the FB only appears to be the only way to go without splitting.
As for the FB schools they can increase their posture in the BCS by increasing their stadiums to increase their income to buy games and meet the salary demands they need to meet to keep their coaches. If they don't they will always have the perceived opinion of looking like mid majors. Basically the BE schools need to get to at least 60k stadiums for the most part and fill them every week. Pitt, USF, and WV are already there and Rutgers and L'ville are attempting to get there with expansion to 56K first and further expansion projects further down the road when those seats are sold out on a regular basis. Winning records with quality OOC wins, larger stadiums that are packed, traveling to bowls in mass like the ND's, Ohio St's, and Nebraska's, will go a long way in obtaining better bowl bids and fatter prime time TV contracts. Cuse can only go to 50k in the Dome but they need to pack it with ravenous fans like they did before the GRoB era (winning will help) and Cinn needs to expand as far as they can even if it is only 45K and pack the stadium every home game. Then this conference has stadium capacities equivalent to the ACC and most of the PAC -10, B-10, B-12, and SEC schools except for the top two or three teams in those conferences that have 80k or larger stadiums.
If the new commish solidifies enough QUALITY BOWL BIDS down through the 6 & 6 bowl eligible teams, maintains the BCS bid, and takes care of the 4H / 4A scheduling problem then the BE is secure as is for years to come. One way to take care of the FB problem is to get Memphis in for FB only with the Liberty Bowl if they can't get them in for all sports right away. Would they leave an all sports conference where they dominate in their BB strength to do this with 4 or 5 BE BB against along the the way. I don't know if they would and I don't blame them if they wouldn't which leaves only ECU which would sell its soul for BE inclusion and Temple who could move back in seamlessly as their sports are all ready in the A-10 as before when the were the step child of the BE for FB only and blocked by Nova and the BB from further inclusion like Rutgers, WV, and VT eventually received. I for one believe you are about to see a conservative BE repeat history by continuing with the HYBRID that brought it's success on in the past and that you will continue to see change addressed conservatively, and only addressed conservatively, when a crisis situation throws this conference into a turmoil again, if it ever happens again like Trained Goose being "blind sided by the ACC in 2003".
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Tranghese and Marinatto Interviews on Mike Francesa (WFAN)
