(06-07-2011 06:59 AM)CatsClaw Wrote:  Just an added note, yes I do think these rumors of WVU looking for a new conference is a power play to force the conference to expand.

You may be exactly right. However, lets think of this through the eyes of ESPN.

1. Their first choice is to keep the Big East together and hold the television contract.


2. If they cannot keep the contract, they have a decision to make. They can allow the Big East to shop itself to other networks and get in a bidding war. OR, they can "encourage" the SEC or ACC to devalue the Big East by dividing it before they leave for another network. This would be a second choice for them, but perhaps better than losing the Big East to NBC.




ESPN's strength in this is the knowledge that "most" Big East teams would leave if offered. They do not have to get into a bidding war if they don't want to. Oliver Luck and others (read: Pitt and Rutgers admins) know this already. If these schools want to leave the Big East, then they have an incentive to encourage the Big East to walk away from ESPN.

I think some of these rumors are just started by a select few in the media because of slow new periods. The SEC didn't want to expand last year, the only reason they considered expanding was because the Texas market became available and Oklahoma became available, They thought they could steal a few ACC schools. Now that that is off the table the SEC is pretty much done. I do think that WVU is putting pressure on the Big East leadership to expand, maybe even split. That's probably why they're nurturing these rumors.

Many of you look but do not see, hear but do not listen, touch but do not feel and eat but do not digest.

Sorry guys, but my sources are better than everyone who claims to be connected.

West Virginia has a major Schism to contend with that could blow the schools supports in multiple directions.

I don't think the SEC has any reason to expand, unless there's a major change in the landscape. If they do...they'll most likely target the Big 12 and ACC, first. They can pretty much get their pick of the litter from the ACC. The Big 12 and the Texas bunch isn't as easy considering the politics.

If the SEC digs out of the ACC, then I could see the ACC going after some Big East schools, for sure.

The SEC won't get OU & OSU as they will stay with Texas. So if WVU is listening to the SEC the most likely "partner" in the SEC West would be Texas A&M but even the pro-sec aggie fans seem to be backing off right now.

I don't think any other B12 schools break ranks (with the Texoma 4 not going east I don't think MU or KU are a big enough draw for the SEC to upset the apple cart) and I think the SEC's ego won't let them take a CUSA school directly.

The pair of WVU to the sec east and missouri to the sec west could set things off on the super conference front. I'd think both would accept offers and from that 14 team league the sec could sit back and wait for texas A&M and than add another eastern school...Is the big 12 viable without Missouri + do other leagues jump to 14 if the sec makes a move? I'd be surprised if the acc jumped to 14 with wvu rather than 2 from uconn, cuse, and rutgers so that doesn't add up on that front. As for the big 12, pitt + wvu seem like an odd pair for them to get to 12. Yet, maybe this could work if the big 12 also liked the 14 team format:

texas
texas a&M
texas tech
baylor
ou
osu
byu

kansas
ksu
isu
missouri
Louisville
pitt
wvu

Why would any other conference want WVU? They are considered poor academically and they have no television market.

[/sarcasm]

(06-07-2011 11:42 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Why would any other conference want WVU? They are considered poor academically and they have no television market.

[/sarcasm]

At least our coaching changes remain drama free.

(06-07-2011 09:14 AM)bluesox Wrote:  The pair of WVU to the sec east and missouri to the sec west could set things off on the super conference front. I'd think both would accept offers and from that 14 team league the sec could sit back and wait for texas A&M and than add another eastern school...Is the big 12 viable without Missouri + do other leagues jump to 14 if the sec makes a move? I'd be surprised if the acc jumped to 14 with wvu rather than 2 from uconn, cuse, and rutgers so that doesn't add up on that front. As for the big 12, pitt + wvu seem like an odd pair for them to get to 12. Yet, maybe this could work if the big 12 also liked the 14 team format:

texas
texas a&M
texas tech
baylor
ou
osu
byu

kansas
ksu
isu
missouri
Louisville
pitt
wvu

I'd be happy with it. Big 12 strengthened, Big East expansion hopefuls are likely scooped up as well.

(06-07-2011 12:08 PM)EerMeNow Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 11:42 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Why would any other conference want WVU? They are considered poor academically and they have no television market.

[/sarcasm]

At least our coaching changes remain drama free.

Now that was funny

(06-06-2011 08:03 PM)miko33 Wrote:  

(06-06-2011 07:56 PM)animus Wrote:  I'm not buying this... felt like a blogger trying to get hits in the mist of everything else going on. Where could WVU go if no one wants to add them. Unless miko33 pulled something out of his ass and Pitt and WVU are heading to the Big XII, which I doubt.

I've already said too much...

miko has got such bad gas that he breathes flames. I don't want to be a part of anything that comes out of his ass. God only knows if it will explode or not...

(06-07-2011 08:20 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  West Virginia has a major Schism to contend with that could blow the schools supports in multiple directions.

There's no major scism. It's just that WVU has a man who is being replaced and doesn't want to be. So he's trying to use the media to do what he can't - and that's to save his job...

But I think all he's done is hurry his exit out the door...

(06-07-2011 12:14 PM)Sammy11 Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 09:14 AM)bluesox Wrote:  The pair of WVU to the sec east and missouri to the sec west could set things off on the super conference front. I'd think both would accept offers and from that 14 team league the sec could sit back and wait for texas A&M and than add another eastern school...Is the big 12 viable without Missouri + do other leagues jump to 14 if the sec makes a move? I'd be surprised if the acc jumped to 14 with wvu rather than 2 from uconn, cuse, and rutgers so that doesn't add up on that front. As for the big 12, pitt + wvu seem like an odd pair for them to get to 12. Yet, maybe this could work if the big 12 also liked the 14 team format:

texas
texas a&M
texas tech
baylor
ou
osu
byu

kansas
ksu
isu
missouri
Louisville
pitt
wvu

I'd be happy with it. Big 12 strengthened, Big East expansion hopefuls are likely scooped up as well.

that conference would be sick.

Rick has always been full of air and biased against Louisville but if WVU has a chance to get to a better conference I would not blame them....Them leaving would be the death of the Big East football conference, at least for me.

(06-07-2011 12:14 PM)Sammy11 Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 09:14 AM)bluesox Wrote:  The pair of WVU to the sec east and missouri to the sec west could set things off on the super conference front. I'd think both would accept offers and from that 14 team league the sec could sit back and wait for texas A&M and than add another eastern school...Is the big 12 viable without Missouri + do other leagues jump to 14 if the sec makes a move? I'd be surprised if the acc jumped to 14 with wvu rather than 2 from uconn, cuse, and rutgers so that doesn't add up on that front. As for the big 12, pitt + wvu seem like an odd pair for them to get to 12. Yet, maybe this could work if the big 12 also liked the 14 team format:

texas
texas a&M
texas tech
baylor
ou
osu
byu

kansas
ksu
isu
missouri
Louisville
pitt
wvu

I'd be happy with it. Big 12 strengthened, Big East expansion hopefuls are likely scooped up as well.

Texas will say no to WVU as a result of their poor academics. I've heard while they don't have issues with BYU for scheduling, the do have an issue with BYU as a conference member. Not to mention the nonsense of a 3 time zone conference.

People are out of their minds on this board. First of all, it was mostly BE basketball schools that turned down the ESPN offer (Seton Hall, RU, ND and GTOWN). It was not WVU. People are out of their minds with these ridiculous rumors.