(04-11-2011 11:36 AM)PirateNation Wrote:  UCF? Houston? ECU?

I think ECU's only shot at full membership is if they go to 12. UCF/Houston seem to be frontrunners.

ECU is likely front-runner if football-only invites are going to be made.

I'm not so sure who the frontrunner is anymore. USF was pushing for "any school but UCF" (see, they aren't "blocking us", they just aren't supporting us ), so with Nova being rejected ( who knows for how long ), they will probably put their full effort behind Houston & ECU. No idea how much power they have within the board of presidents.

That ECU stadium pic gets my vote.

Honestly the Villanova brass should simply conduct a 10 year capital campaign in which the goal is to raise enough money to build a quiant little 35-40K seat stadium on or near their campus. UConn built one just a few years back for less than $100M and UCF did it for half that cost. There is no reason why Villanova - with all of its well-heeled alums - could not raise that type of money to do something similar if they too were given a 5-10 year window. In the meantime all VU would have to do is make a deal with the Big East to not expand to 12 teams until it becomes clear that the Wildcats will be able or unable to reach their financial goals. The Big East would take that deal too because none of the other candidates are going anywhere and will be available whenever we want them. Also, depending on what happens elswhere on the landscape newer, perhaps more attractive candidates might shake free.

The best thing that could happen out of this would be if VU decided that it was still serious about football and was willing to put its money where its mouth is to prove it. That would be the best situation for all involved even if it takes them a little more time to get there than anyone would like to see.

I read somewhere on here or another board that the PAC 16 concept is not dead. If there is even a 10% chance that Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri could be looking for homes in the next five years, the Big East would be beyond stupid to fill its three openings with any of Nova, ECU, Houston, SMU, or even UCF. How Memphis stays in the discussion I will never understand.

Then again, that only applies if a PAC 16 doesn't cause the Big Ten to go to 16, which would gut the Big East anyway. If that happens, all bets are off.

(04-11-2011 11:50 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Honestly the Villanova brass should simply conduct a 10 year capital campaign in which the goal is to raise enough money to build a quiant little 35-40K seat stadium on or near their campus. UConn built one just a few years back for less than $100M and UCF did it for half that cost. There is no reason why Villanova - with all of its well-heeled alums - could not raise that type of money to do something similar if they too were given a 5-10 year window. In the meantime all VU would have to do is make a deal with the Big East to not expand to 12 teams until it becomes clear that the Wildcats will be able or unable to reach their financial goals. The Big East would take that deal too because none of the other candidates are going anywhere and will be available whenever we want them. Also, depending on what happens elswhere on the landscape newer, perhaps more attractive candidates might shake free.

The best thing that could happen out of this would be if VU decided that it was still serious about football and was willing to put its money where its mouth is to prove it. That would be the best situation for all involved even if it takes them a little more time to get there than anyone would like to see.

This is exactly what should have happened when Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida joined up. I fear that it's too late for this plan now.

I think if history has proven anything to the Big East, sitting around and assuming programs will be where they are currently isn't a smart move. There really are only a handful of legitimate programs that would help any AQ BCS conferences. Assuming they'll always be there isn't necessarily smart.

(04-11-2011 11:55 AM)UCF08 Wrote:  I think if history has proven anything to the Big East, sitting around and assuming programs will be where they are currently isn't a smart move. There really are only a handful of legitimate programs that would help any AQ BCS conferences. Assuming they'll always be there isn't necessarily smart.

It depends on who you're competing with from a conference standpoint and who we're talking about from a school standpoint.

Are the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC or SEC ever going to invite any combo of UCF, Houston and/or ECU if people are being honest with themselves? Heck, why would any of those conferences expand with anyone other than Notre Dame/Texas-types involved? BYU is completely a BCS school from a financial and fan base standpoint, yet it's still on the outside looking in. Boise State has been consistently competitive for the last decade at the top level and will never sniff the Pac-12. So, I actually believe it's VERY reasonable to assume that none of the realistic BE candidates have viable AQ options elsewhere, so it's a false argument to add someone in fear that they might go somewhere else. TCU has done as much as a non-AQ program could possibly do (with a great TV market and recruiting territory) and the BE was *still* that school's only AQ option - the Big 12 wanted nothing to do with them.

Unless 16 becomes the number of choice, nobody has anywhere to go except the Big East and maybe the Big 12. BYU may have an outside shot at the Big 12, but I have no idea who could profitably balance out the divisions for that conference.

And if 16 become the number of choice, the Big East will get smoked anyway, with some new conference forming from the Big 12 and Big East leftovers. I really don't see any reason to move from 9/17 anytime soon.

(04-11-2011 12:11 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  It depends on who you're competing with from a conference standpoint and who we're talking about from a school standpoint.

Are the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC or SEC ever going to invite any combo of UCF, Houston and/or ECU if people are being honest with themselves? Heck, why would any of those conferences expand with anyone other than Notre Dame/Texas-types involved? BYU is completely a BCS school from a financial and fan base standpoint, yet it's still on the outside looking in. Boise State has been consistently competitive for the last decade at the top level and will never sniff the Pac-12. So, I actually believe it's VERY reasonable to assume that none of the realistic BE candidates have viable AQ options elsewhere, so it's a false argument to add someone in fear that they might go somewhere else. TCU has done as much as a non-AQ program could possibly do (with a great TV market and recruiting territory) and the BE was *still* that school's only AQ option - the Big 12 wanted nothing to do with them.

Some of the schools in those conferences may want "nothing to do" with the "usual candidates," but to say that some of those conferences (in general) haven't had "casual talks" with some of those schools is very incorrect in my opinion.

I don't expect the BIG12 to announce expansion back to 12 anytime soon, but they already have a short-list of who they want WHEN they move. The ACC also has a short-list of who they would want if one of their teams went elsewhere.

Who else is going to pick them up?

Again, you're expecting things to stay the way they are which has always been the Big East's problem.

If the Big East expected things to stay the same they wouldn't have expanded.

That response isn't really accurate. They didn't expand because they expected a shift in Conference makeup, they did it to shore up the football side of their conference and gain new markets.

And why would they shore up football and markets? To adjust to the conference landscape.

(04-11-2011 11:50 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Honestly the Villanova brass should simply conduct a 10 year capital campaign in which the goal is to raise enough money to build a quiant little 35-40K seat stadium on or near their campus. UConn built one just a few years back for less than $100M and UCF did it for half that cost. There is no reason why Villanova - with all of its well-heeled alums - could not raise that type of money to do something similar if they too were given a 5-10 year window. In the meantime all VU would have to do is make a deal with the Big East to not expand to 12 teams until it becomes clear that the Wildcats will be able or unable to reach their financial goals. The Big East would take that deal too because none of the other candidates are going anywhere and will be available whenever we want them. Also, depending on what happens elswhere on the landscape newer, perhaps more attractive candidates might shake free.

The best thing that could happen out of this would be if VU decided that it was still serious about football and was willing to put its money where its mouth is to prove it. That would be the best situation for all involved even if it takes them a little more time to get there than anyone would like to see.

The whole problem is that Villanova isn't really serious about FBS football. They're serious about being in an FBS, BCS-AQ conference and pulling down BCS money, but the fact that they aspire to be a "poor man's Wake Forest" indicates that their football desires promptly end with the aforementioned things.

That's why they want to find just the bare minimum to join the BE in football and are putting as little effort into it as possible so they can funnel as much of that money to their basketball program as possible.

(04-11-2011 01:47 PM)Steelbeard Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 11:50 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Honestly the Villanova brass should simply conduct a 10 year capital campaign in which the goal is to raise enough money to build a quiant little 35-40K seat stadium on or near their campus. UConn built one just a few years back for less than $100M and UCF did it for half that cost. There is no reason why Villanova - with all of its well-heeled alums - could not raise that type of money to do something similar if they too were given a 5-10 year window. In the meantime all VU would have to do is make a deal with the Big East to not expand to 12 teams until it becomes clear that the Wildcats will be able or unable to reach their financial goals. The Big East would take that deal too because none of the other candidates are going anywhere and will be available whenever we want them. Also, depending on what happens elswhere on the landscape newer, perhaps more attractive candidates might shake free.

The best thing that could happen out of this would be if VU decided that it was still serious about football and was willing to put its money where its mouth is to prove it. That would be the best situation for all involved even if it takes them a little more time to get there than anyone would like to see.

The whole problem is that Villanova isn't really serious about FBS football. They're serious about being in an FBS, BCS-AQ conference and pulling down BCS money, but the fact that they aspire to be a "poor man's Wake Forest" indicates that their football desires promptly end with the aforementioned things.

That's why they want to find just the bare minimum to join the BE in football and are putting as little effort into it as possible so they can funnel as much of that money to their basketball program as possible.

Really?

Please show me the information from Villanova that supports this claim?
Any? .. At all?

Now I understand people not wanting Nova to join, both already in the conference and especially people who know this might prevent their school fron joining in the future (such as yourself.)

But to post a statement like this is asinine.

(04-11-2011 12:44 PM)CatsClaw Wrote:  And why would they shore up football and markets? To adjust to the conference landscape.

To guarantee that they would have a BCS bid next evaluation period and to make more money from their upcoming TV deal? But this is a stupid argument, and doesn't really prove anything for either you or I so I'm just gonna go ahead and stop.

(04-11-2011 02:58 PM)dogma Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 01:47 PM)Steelbeard Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 11:50 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Honestly the Villanova brass should simply conduct a 10 year capital campaign in which the goal is to raise enough money to build a quiant little 35-40K seat stadium on or near their campus. UConn built one just a few years back for less than $100M and UCF did it for half that cost. There is no reason why Villanova - with all of its well-heeled alums - could not raise that type of money to do something similar if they too were given a 5-10 year window. In the meantime all VU would have to do is make a deal with the Big East to not expand to 12 teams until it becomes clear that the Wildcats will be able or unable to reach their financial goals. The Big East would take that deal too because none of the other candidates are going anywhere and will be available whenever we want them. Also, depending on what happens elswhere on the landscape newer, perhaps more attractive candidates might shake free.

The best thing that could happen out of this would be if VU decided that it was still serious about football and was willing to put its money where its mouth is to prove it. That would be the best situation for all involved even if it takes them a little more time to get there than anyone would like to see.

The whole problem is that Villanova isn't really serious about FBS football. They're serious about being in an FBS, BCS-AQ conference and pulling down BCS money, but the fact that they aspire to be a "poor man's Wake Forest" indicates that their football desires promptly end with the aforementioned things.

That's why they want to find just the bare minimum to join the BE in football and are putting as little effort into it as possible so they can funnel as much of that money to their basketball program as possible.

Really?

Please show me the information from Villanova that supports this claim?
Any? .. At all?

Now I understand people not wanting Nova to join, both already in the conference and especially people who know this might prevent their school fron joining in the future (such as yourself.)

But to post a statement like this is asinine.

I'd say any plan to play Big East football games in a soccer stadium supports that claim....without a long term plan to build a 40,000 on campus football stadium, which would still be one of the smallest AQ stadiums in the country....so , yes I agree, they aren't really serious.

Nova's biggest problem is this....they arent STATE funded...