http://blog.al.com/solomon/2009/10/indep...s_sec.html

So essentially the Gator and Champs switched spots. And the SEC and Big 10 gain a NYD Bowl while we lose a NYD Bowl.

right, but the BE only ever partially had a nyd slot in a bowl that publicly diminished it. Even less so this last contract with sun.

Doesn't it seem like our conference is being slowly demoted to the level of non BCS conferences?

no, because more opponents are vs bcs

(10-07-2009 09:32 PM)MiamiBull2 Wrote:  Doesn't it seem like our conference is being slowly demoted to the level of non BCS conferences?

(10-07-2009 09:35 PM)TIGER-PAUL Wrote:  no, because more opponents are vs bcs

Bowls are now being aligned in terms of BCS versus non-BCS. 5 of the 6 or 7 (if the International Bowl is retained) Big East bowls are against other BCS conferences. The Big Bowl lineup is not ideal, but its a huge improvement.

1. BCS
2. Champs (ACC)
3. MCC (ACC)
4. Yankee (Big 12)
5. PJ.com (SEC)
6. St Pete (C-USA)
7. International (MAC)

It just seems like outside the BCS game, the Big East does not have another premier bowl. The Champs bowl has never received the same attention and prestige as the Capital One Bowl. It just seems like we are being shorted in terms of the type of bowl games we are aligning with...it we could get another New Years day bowl that would be great. Also, playing ACC schools in the orange, champs, and mcc get really old. The PJ bowl is a dump and I hope USF never goes back to Birmingham. The International bowl is a lost. The only bowl that I can see MYSELF getting excited for is the BCS and Yankee bowls and maybe the MCC bowl.

We never had the Gator to begin with, so we really haven't lost anything. We were only gauranteed the Gator 1 out of every 4 years. You can't lose something you do not have.

(10-07-2009 09:45 PM)MiamiBull2 Wrote:  It just seems like outside the BCS game, the Big East does not have another premier bowl. The Champs bowl has never received the same attention and prestige as the Capital One Bowl.

Why should it? The ACC & Big East don't have the prestige that the SEC & Big Ten do when it comes to college football.

The Gator seems to have gotten what it wanted: SEC vs. Big 10, the most desirable matchup from a "marquee value" standpoint, and was willing to take SEC 6 and Big 10 4 over ACC 3 and Big East 2 to get it.

MiamiBull2: I share your concerns. Unlike others around here, i think the loss of an NYD bowl is a blow to the Big East, and the benefits of gaining a favorable situation re Notre Dame with Champs does not outweigh the loss of prestige associated with not playing on NYD, and not playing in bowls with bigger names like the Gator and Sun. Overall, i think the situation with our #2 team is worse as a result of these changes rather than better.

That's why i'm called a "doubting debbie" by some. :)

(10-08-2009 07:54 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  The Gator seems to have gotten what it wanted: SEC vs. Big 10, the most desirable matchup from a "marquee value" standpoint, and was willing to take SEC 6 and Big 10 4 over ACC 3 and Big East 2 to get it.

MiamiBull2: I share your concerns. Unlike others around here, i think the loss of an NYD bowl is a blow to the Big East, and the benefits of gaining a favorable situation re Notre Dame with Champs does not outweigh the loss of prestige associated with not playing on NYD, and not playing in bowls with bigger names like the Gator and Sun. Overall, i think the situation with our #2 team is worse as a result of these changes rather than better.

That's why i'm called a "doubting debbie" by some. :)

I understand your point, and in theory you are correct. I say in theory, because the BE didn't have the Gator to begin with this last time...was only gauranteed 1 out of 4 in Gator. So if we actually had the Gator, and lost it to the Champs, then you would be correct. But I can't say that the Gator 1 of 4, is actually having the Gator Bowl. I see both sides to the argument, and yes, I would have rather had the Gator full time, but I think what the BE has now, is slightly better than the old deal.

With the increasing emphasis on the BCS games, and most of the bowl games tagged w/ corporate sponsors, I think this notion of "prestige" is overrated. It's all about the matchups, the location and the situations for the fans/schools. There is nothing sacred about playing on New Years Day, especially considering how spread out the BCS games are now. I think moving from Jacksonville in a tenuous situation with an organization that was actively hostile to the BE to Orlando, with the same matchup and a bowl that actually wants us, is a win for the BE. The date of the game is wholly irrelevent.

(10-07-2009 09:41 PM)WacoBearcat Wrote:  Bowls are now being aligned in terms of BCS versus non-BCS. 5 of the 6 or 7 (if the International Bowl is retained) Big East bowls are against other BCS conferences. The Big Bowl lineup is not ideal, but its a huge improvement.

1. BCS
2. Champs (ACC)
3. MCC (ACC)
4. Yankee (Big 12)
5. PJ.com (SEC)
6. St Pete (C-USA)
7. International (MAC)

It would be best for the league to drop the International Bowl.
Required fans to get passports and play against a weak non-BCS opponent lower our perception than having a bowl.
A 6-6 team should stay home.

(10-08-2009 10:31 AM)SO#1 Wrote:  

(10-07-2009 09:41 PM)WacoBearcat Wrote:  Bowls are now being aligned in terms of BCS versus non-BCS. 5 of the 6 or 7 (if the International Bowl is retained) Big East bowls are against other BCS conferences. The Big Bowl lineup is not ideal, but its a huge improvement.

1. BCS
2. Champs (ACC)
3. MCC (ACC)
4. Yankee (Big 12)
5. PJ.com (SEC)
6. St Pete (C-USA)
7. International (MAC)

It would be best for the league to drop the International Bowl.
Required fans to get passports and play against a weak non-BCS opponent lower our perception than having a bowl.
A 6-6 team should stay home.

Ridiculous as long as it is still allowed.
Tell that to the 6-6 team.
If Syracuse went 6-6 this year I would be at that crappy bowl game.

Who still doesn't have a passport in 2009?

Coaches will tell you that any bowl is a good bowl. A 6-6 Syracuse team would find the International Bowl a positive development in their trajectory back toward national prominence.

Interesting to see that the deal-killer between the ACC and Gator Bowl apparently was that the Gator Bowl was insisting that the conference drop its "within 1 game rule" for team selections:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/...90411.html

A BC blog has called this "The BC Rule":

http://atleagle.blogspot.com/2009/10/bc-...-deal.html

(10-08-2009 12:09 PM)WacoBearcat Wrote:  Coaches will tell you that any bowl is a good bowl. A 6-6 Syracuse team would find the International Bowl a positive development in their trajectory back toward national prominence.

It's true from the coaching standpoint, if only because those teams get another 3 or 4 weeks of practice time that they wouldn't be allowed to have otherwise. In theory, this extra prep time provides further dividends for the next season. Of course, as the great philosopher Homer (Simpson) once said, in theory, Communism works... in theory.

(10-08-2009 12:06 PM)MichaelSavage Wrote:  Who still doesn't have a passport in 2009?

I've never bothered... didn't need them for Canada, Mexico, or the Bahamas until recent years. Haven't had a need as of yet... plus it is a pain in the ass to get it done when you have nothing planned yet.

I'm quite sure I am not in the minority.

(10-08-2009 12:06 PM)MichaelSavage Wrote:  Who still doesn't have a passport in 2009?

Unfortunately, way more people than you would think. I've seen figures from the State Department that only around 30% of Americans hold valid passports. That's more than the 10% figure often thrown out by Europeans that like to call us "untraveled", but it's still a disappointingly low number.