Here's a Hartford Courant story on Big East expansion (via the Chicago Tribute). Pretty good, I thought, and very interesting.

Here's the excerpt that talks about the addition of San Diego State:

Paul Doyle Wrote:After watching TCU turn its back on the conference and BYU withdraw from consideration, Big East officials might be desperate to find a willing candidate and a team from the west needed to partner with Boise State.

So while SDSU makes no sense geographically, the school's presence is necessary. The Aztecs have some football tradition, with a list of NFL alumni that includes Marshall Faulk, Joe Gibbs, Herm Edwards, Brian Sipe and Fred Dryer. The Aztecs, who were led by Michigan coach Brady Hoke before this season, are 8-4 this year and were 9-4 in 2010.

Link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bre...4215.story

(12-06-2011 09:18 PM)SmallVoice Wrote:  Here's a Hartford Courant story on Big East expansion (via the Chicago Tribute). Pretty good, I thought, and very interesting.

Here's the excerpt that talks about the addition of San Diego State:

Paul Doyle Wrote:After watching TCU turn its back on the conference and BYU withdraw from consideration, Big East officials might be desperate to find a willing candidate and a team from the west needed to partner with Boise State.

So while SDSU makes no sense geographically, the school's presence is necessary. The Aztecs have some football tradition, with a list of NFL alumni that includes Marshall Faulk, Joe Gibbs, Herm Edwards, Brian Sipe and Fred Dryer. The Aztecs, who were led by Michigan coach Brady Hoke before this season, are 8-4 this year and were 9-4 in 2010.

Link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bre...4215.story

On paper, it looks crazy...But I could think of worse cities to visit. I just hope however this plays out, that its enough to keep UConn, Rutgers, Louisville, Cincy and USF intact. Houston had a great run this year, Boise is consistent and SMU has the $$$$, just need Jones to keep building back up the program. I for one am pretty excited for this move, again, just hope it all holds together.

Really looking forward to the Basketball side of the conference too!

I am more excited about the new Big East than I was when we entered the old Big East.

I won't say i am excited about this conference. More trying to make the best of a bad situation. Still have worries that both UH and SMU lose their coaches and become irrelevant again. But six months ago, i would have never thought of FB only schools as a way of grabbing Boise and others. It will never be confused with the other big conferences but can be serviceable and sticks a fork in the other two lesser conferences. Really the large Pac12/B12/B10/SEC all should be thanking us for eliminating all other BCS at large leagues. Yeah MWC and CUSA still go on but none of the leftovers have made any move toward a BCS inclusion. So in reality, this has eliminated a 2nd grab for current BCS spot.

The New Big East will be really cool. But I'm thinking long-term. If Navy does well, I think Army will consider joining. And I think BYU will have regrets about not joining in a few years, so .....

EAST ***

UConn
Rutgers
Army
Navy
Cincinnati
USF
UCF

WEST ***

Louisville
Houston
SMU
BYU
Air Force
Boise
SDSU

If we succeed (big TV contract, win our bowls) , this is a possibilty.

(12-06-2011 10:07 PM)Slypenny Wrote:  I won't say i am excited about this conference. More trying to make the best of a bad situation. Still have worries that both UH and SMU lose their coaches and become irrelevant again. But six months ago, i would have never thought of FB only schools as a way of grabbing Boise and others. It will never be confused with the other big conferences but can be serviceable and sticks a fork in the other two lesser conferences. Really the large Pac12/B12/B10/SEC all should be thanking us for eliminating all other BCS at large leagues. Yeah MWC and CUSA still go on but none of the leftovers have made any move toward a BCS inclusion. So in reality, this has eliminated a 2nd grab for current BCS spot.

If June leaves voluntarily or involuntarily, the powers that be have already committed to upgrade the coaching position. Nice to have a Circle of Champions as they are called.

Sure hope so, i am sure when UC joined many current BE fans were worried whether they would compete or just become a bottom dweller. I think the distance and the all sports contributes to my worries.

Houston, Dallas and Orlando have major airports not far from the schools. June Junes used the Dallas one to interview with Arizona State during a recruiting weekend.

(12-06-2011 10:17 PM)Slypenny Wrote:  Sure hope so, i am sure when UC joined many current BE fans were worried whether they would compete or just become a bottom dweller. I think the distance and the all sports contributes to my worries.

Why waste time worrying? It will be what it will be and regarding UH coaching . . . we're not worried.

Briles and Sumlin were both good hires but not impossible to find. There are plenty of good quality assistant coaches from all the AQ conferences out there to keep building our momentum.

We're confident based on the progress we've made in our program the past 6 years, the sellout crowds the past couple seasons, the bowl games, the new stadium (big news coming) and the most committed university president/chancellor and athletic director our school has seen since its existence.

(12-06-2011 10:14 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  If June leaves voluntarily or involuntarily, the powers that be have already committed to upgrade the coaching position. Nice to have a Circle of Champions as they are called.

SMU literally has everything going for it (nice stadium, solid academics, long tradition, great campus, generous alumni, prime location, top recruiting area). The only drawback is the attendance issue. Hopefully more money from the TV contract will flow to the marketing department and build better relations with the city & more awareness of the football program. They need to do something like TCU did in Fort Worth.

Division 1 FB is a bargain - there must be a lot of people out there who would rather pay $20 for a college FB ticket than $250 for an NFL ticket.

(12-06-2011 11:32 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  

(12-06-2011 10:14 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  If June leaves voluntarily or involuntarily, the powers that be have already committed to upgrade the coaching position. Nice to have a Circle of Champions as they are called.

SMU literally has everything going for it (nice stadium, solid academics, long tradition, great campus, generous alumni, prime location, top recruiting area). The only drawback is the attendance issue. Hopefully more money from the TV contract will flow to the marketing department and build better relations with the city & more awareness of the football program. They need to do something like TCU did in Fort Worth.

Division 1 FB is a bargain - there must be a lot of people out there who would rather pay $20 for a college FB ticket than $250 for an NFL ticket.

Yeah, it really annoys me how much of a problem this is...

UH / SMU were major programs once and will be again well before UConn move up from FCS and USF had a program..and before Cinn got the call over them because of Geography.. Think Big East should be happy they accepted the invites or you could of been back in CUSA..

Think a lot of us tend to forget what it was like when we were left behind.. some of us could still be in the future..

I'm happy for the Big East and the programs joining most our well deserved..

But expansion was long over due, Big East should added few teams few years back..

I believe it will work out for the best..