FYI....

"You lied, Big East...."

(04-11-2011 04:16 PM)Capital Pirate Wrote:  FYI....

"You lied, Big East...."

Nobody stabbed anyone in the back. It's just incompetence. PPL was the only solution available when the offer went out. If it wasn't good enough, the Big East should have let Nova know at the start, not at the finish.

(04-11-2011 04:23 PM)JunkYardCard Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 04:16 PM)Capital Pirate Wrote:  FYI....

"You lied, Big East...."

Nobody stabbed anyone in the back. It's just incompetence. PPL was the only solution available when the offer went out. If it wasn't good enough, the Big East should have let Nova know at the start, not at the finish.

I agree with that, but what I think stinks more is this.....

If Nova didn't think that PPL was going to be an issue, they definately should have known a month ago when the report came out that PITT didn't like it.
Inspite of knowing that, Nova came to the table yesterday without having even talked to PPL about the potential of expanding the stadium, much less a contractual plan to do so.
That is either poor leadership and management of the process, or....
they wanted to use this as their out to be turned down.
How do you know what your biggest weakness is, and come to the table with no real solution to that weakness???

Great points.

Who was in charge on the BIG EAST Presidents side?
I thought ND was "leading" the effort, and USF's Judge Judy was the current chairwoman-president.

I have a feeling whoever was in charge kept telling the other presidents "it's going to work out, TRUST ME!".

What a mess! Why couldn't you figure this out MONTHS ago????

I suspect that Villanova should have known that the PPL option was not going to be good enough. But based on what Villanova's President stated in a press release, they never received a formal invitation to the BE for all sports.... if this is true, and I believe it is, then what exactly did the BE lie about?

What would Villanova prefer? That the BE just summarily dismiss their application because they didn't believe that Villanova could produce a viable plan? Are they upset because the BE gave them the benefit of the doubt?

I think the Big East football programs (particularly Rutgers and Pitt) lost interest in Villanova after TCU came aboard. Now that we have a eight game conference season, what benefit does it do Rut and Pitt to open up a new rival in there sphere of influence?

If this was the case, then they shouldn't have let Nova continue to chase the idea once they no longer were going to take them.

(04-11-2011 04:38 PM)ULdave Wrote:  I think the Big East football programs (particularly Rutgers and Pitt) lost interest in Villanova after TCU came aboard. Now that we have a eight game conference season, what benefit does it do Rut and Pitt to open up a new rival in there sphere of influence?

If this was the case, then they shouldn't have let Nova continue to chase the idea once they no longer were going to take them.

Now the million dollar question is if "BE-9" can make more money with the new TV Contract splitting and going to 12, or staying as is.

If the answer is yes, they can...things will get VERY interesting. And it doesn't HAVE to end in a split....

(04-11-2011 04:47 PM)saxamoophone Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 04:38 PM)ULdave Wrote:  I think the Big East football programs (particularly Rutgers and Pitt) lost interest in Villanova after TCU came aboard. Now that we have a eight game conference season, what benefit does it do Rut and Pitt to open up a new rival in there sphere of influence?

If this was the case, then they shouldn't have let Nova continue to chase the idea once they no longer were going to take them.

Now the million dollar question is if "BE-9" can make more money with the new TV Contract splitting and going to 12, or staying as is.

If the answer is yes, they can...things will get VERY interesting. And it doesn't HAVE to end in a split....

What are you suggesting here???

I honestly don't think the Big East football schools were actually thinking Villanova was going to say yes. And it was never definite..so to save some face...I think the Big East waited on Nova to at least give them an answer and hoped they'd say "not ready". Then the Big East football schools could just say, "Okay...no biggie." And then walk away from it knowing that they at least respected their time and included Nova in the process. But when Villanova was about to vote yes...the Big East pulled the facilities card and probably didn't want to have to do so. As an outsider looking in...I don't think Nova had a shot from the beginning, now.

As far as a split...it sure does look as though that could be a possibility, now.

Obviously the communication was horrendous on all sides but I think characterizing this as a backstabbing is a HUGE stretch. To me it is a MUCH worse sin to openly aspire to become a poor man's Wake Forest and put as few resources as possible into the football program so that they could use it as a loss leader for their men's basketball program. Included in their half-arse effort was a plan to play in an 18K seat soccer stadium located a half hour away from their campus. Again, that should have been shot down months ago when it first came up but better late than never.

To me the fact that VU never even spoke with the people at PPL Park about playing there is REALLY strange and it gives credence to the folks who have claimed all along that VU didn't want to do this any more than the BE wanted them to join. They each needed to save face so they came up with this plan instead. I was always dubious of that conspiracy theory but in light of how this all went down I must say that I believe it now more than ever before.

Has anyone considered the alternative that this was all pre-arranged?

Think about it...EVERYONE knew that Nova was planning to play at PPL. None of this stuff was kept a secret.

I think the conference call was staged. I think it's a ploy to allow the Nova administration to save face. This whole thing stinks to high heaven.

Of course the fans are mad...that's a good motive for doing this. Now they are mad at the Big East, not the administration.

They should back away from the ledge and evaluate their position. Know where you are in life.

Did their fans really think they had a fighting chance to make it? Hope springs eternal, but one needs to face reality with one's head and not the heart. No realistic stadium plan. Inadequate funding. No fan support. Philadelphia is a pro sports town. Villanova is a small, private university that competes with PSU...and the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, Sixers, and ironically the Union.

Someone started a thread on the general discussion board that Pitt recently opened a $30M facility for M/W soccer, softball, and baseball. Four sports that don't get much attention at the University. That number is in the ballpark of what Villanova had in funding (perhaps a little more; I don't have the exact number in front of me) for their move to DIVISION 1 FOOTBALL. How can their fans be bitter? Having an inadequate plan? No. Blame the Big Bad Panther who blew down Villanova's house. I didn't read any quotes from the Chancellor or AD saying they were opposed to Villanova's move to D-1. That may, in fact, have been the truth. Do you think that some of the other FB Presidents/Chancellors may *also* have been in opposition after they learned of Villanova's plan?

Conference expansion is about FB. Villanova's plan is not in the realm of reality - as it stands today. The BEast would have taken one step forward (TCU) and two steps back with the addition of Villanova - with the plan they had to offer today. I understand the desire to move up Villanova in order to not expand the inventory of BB schools and to not further divide the very small Big East pie. And, it is the right of a current conference member to move up to D-1 Big East FB if they so desire. I am in support of that and I would be very happy to see Villanova make the move, but they need to have a plan that will lead to a successful transition to D-1 FB and that effort is sustained in the long term.

Time to look at other candidates, potentially leaving a space for a future move by Villanova, or remain 9/17.

(04-11-2011 04:30 PM)Borncoog74 Wrote:  Nova came to the table yesterday without having even talked to PPL about the potential of expanding the stadium, much less a contractual plan to do so.

Wow - I did not know this. Source?

Pitt has been in the forefront of expansion talks so it doesn't surprise me that they're p*ssed at Nova if the stadium talk is true. Meanwhile there is another candidate that, if reports are true, has been wooed for several months. Hopefully the Big East just adds them and works from there.

Jeez, been in meetings all day. What a pile of (beep) I've missed today. I agree with everything in this article, and I've never even SEEN Nova or been anywhere near it. This is the most outrageous thing I've ever seen... EVERYONE knew what Nova's (likely) plan was. If the BE didn't like it, they should have said so, so Nova didn't WASTE time chasing options that the BE would decide were unacceptable with seconds on the clock. Ridiculous and Disgusting. I feel for the Wildcats tonight... And don't mention those Pitt comments to me, the BE could have manned up, got monthly updates, and help GUIDE Nova instead of stringing them (and us) along for almost a year. Pitt does not speak for the league, the league said NOTHING. IMHO, the BE look like clowns tonight... Didn't the BE say that Nova had a 'standing invitation' on multiple occasions? I don't care who we take in expansion, all the option schools are fine. But I really don't like following fake news stories or being strung along.

(04-11-2011 06:19 PM)Bull Wrote:  I agree with everything in this article, and I've never even SEEN Nova or been anywhere near it. This is the most outrageous thing I've ever seen...

The reports are that Nova has not even contacted PPL to find out how much it would cost to rent the stadium, much less to work on an expansion plan for the future.

If true, the stadium issue was known for months, and Nova simply punted. That's not doing your due diligence, and I can see why the football schools would be upset.

Who you talking about catsclaw?

If that stadium talk is true Nova screwed themselves not the Big East.

CC, a vague hint would be nice. Something like, "a private university with a Catholic affiliation located in the mid west." But like I said, make it vague so you don't compromise your source.

The best thing the Big East can do for the Wildcats is to save Villanova from making a tremendous mistake.