Tigers2B1 Wrote:

TexanMark Wrote:

Brick City Pirate Wrote:Coach Holland has connections few other AD's can claim. It's appears that Coach Holland might be friends with Coach Boeheim. Does he have any clout with Syracuse? Who knows which school will get the call from the Big East, if any?  I just think from a leadership standpoint, ECU is in the best position for consideration.

ECU makes more sense geographically than Memphis. ECU has a Big East caliber FB stadium and fans who travel. ECU's bigest problem is timing---having their worst streak in football at this time.

If you're talking location alone than of course East Carolina is closer. I think that South Florida was included for reasons outside of location however. This reasoning might also apply to a program like Memphis. Big East expansion to Memphis would give Big East school access to a recruiting market yet untapped by them. There are loads of D1 players coming out of Memphis and Mississippi each year. Now, most of that talent heads directly to one of the SEC schools. With the presence of Big East schools in the area - inroads in that SEC monopoly of area talent would more than likely be made. Talent that Big East schools would never have a chance to recruit otherwise. I suspect that was one of the reasons the Big East went into south Florida. If so - the same reason exists for the Memphis / Mississippi recruiting market -

I agree to a point. If the BE goes to 12 FB teams Memphis is a favorite. I think for 9 teams ECU is the favorite of the likely candidates to say yes. ECU is near the talent rich Tidewater area and within a 12 hour drive to all of the BE schools unlike Memphis.

Quote:If so - the same reason exists for the Memphis / Mississippi recruiting market -

I don't think Memphis has quite as many recruits as Florida.

TexanMark Wrote:...I think for 9 teams ECU is the favorite of the likely candidates to say yes. ECU is near the talent rich Tidewater area and within a 12 hour drive to all of the BE schools unlike Memphis.

Well if what is posted in the initial post is true - and RC Johnson (Memphis' AD) is taking a position of full invite or none ---- I suspect you're right -- and I suspect there will be calls for RC's dismissal -- (for the reasons already posted above)

nflsucks Wrote:

Quote:If so - the same reason exists for the Memphis / Mississippi recruiting market -

I don't think Memphis has quite as many recruits as Florida.

No - and that's not what I said. Nor did I say that the Memphis / Mississippi area has as many as Florida. Certainly, it doesn't. Yet, I do believe that the recruits in the Memphis / Mississippi area that can compete at quality D1 programs are there. I also believe that the Memphis / Mississippi recruiting area is one of the better recruiting areas in the country. As a consequence, there exists a real possibility to compete for those players out of high school.

Quote:I don't want Memphis until there is a change in attitude. Memphis took a few clear shots at USF this weekend, in addition to the whole Louisville debacle, and them doing everything in their power to stop us from moving.

Just some quick points as I'm not looking to argue:

1. What shots at USF?? Should we have thrown the bball game?

2. Lousiville debacle does look pretty bad, but does it matter? Not Memphis's fault that BB told us one thing about the contract.

3. C-USA said you guys could move a year early for $6 million since you didn't give a year's notice. Was Memphis and the rest of C-USA supposed to let you guys leave for free?? Damaging the TV contract and bowl contracts? Don't really see anything wrong there. Your ADs were the ones that didn't want to pay the $6 million. Its too bad, UL would have easily covered that this year.

Tigers2B1 Wrote:

nflsucks Wrote:

Quote:If so - the same reason exists for the Memphis / Mississippi recruiting market -

I don't think Memphis has quite as many recruits as Florida.

No - and that's not what I said. Nor did I say that the Memphis / Mississippi area has as many as Florida. Certainly, it doesn't. Yet, I do believe that the recruits in the Memphis / Mississippi area that can compete at quality D1 programs are there. I also believe that the Memphis / Mississippi recruiting area is one of the better recruiting areas in the country. As a consequence, there exists a real possibility to compete for those players out of high school.

For example -- in football this year the city of Memphis was down in football as far as quality D1 players. Still, there were still 3 or 4 that could have played for any school in the country. Those 3 or 4 had Memphis on their final lists, and I mean to the last 2 or 3, until their decisions were made. Three went to Tennessee and another went to Mississippi (he lived with a famous Mississippi alum). I'm guessing here - but as I recall, there were 15 to 20 out of the city that went on to major D1 programs. IF Memphis could have offered these players more than the depleted CUSA I suspect some of that talent would have headed Memphis' way. Add this to the players we get already and I suspect membership in a BCS conference would make THE difference for a program situated as Memphis is.

That's the reason RC Johnson would be foolish to turn down a footbal only invite for Memphis. As already expressed, we don't need a boost in basketball in regard to recruits --- football is where we'll see a major boost in recruiting. Players that consider us and then go to Tennessee just might decide to stay close to home and play for Memphis. But no matter -- the Memphis / Mississippi area does produce a high number of D1 ball players year in and out ---

fsquid: I got this from the Tampa Tribune-
"MEMPHIS BLUES: When the Big East was seeking its final member, Memphis AD R.C. Johnson was outspoken on his thoughts that USF did not belong.''
It just gives you an idea that Memphis is treating USF the same way they are treating Louisville and UC.....not good.
When the time comes to expand, the schools added will be from CUSA East. And who better to ask about CUSA East schools than UL, UC, and USF? That is why these schools will be instrumental in which school gets added as the next member.
A lot of it will come down to RC Johnson. If he is right about playing UL and UC in basketball, and is right about playing ND in football, then clearly he is the man for Memphis. If he can work those out, mend some problems with UL etc, there should be no reason to worry. But if he doesn't come up good on those promises...it is time to say goodbye to him.
Memphis is a very good school...no doubt about it. But they will get passed up if they piss off enough schools.

BullsFanatic Wrote:fsquid: I got this from the Tampa Tribune-
"MEMPHIS BLUES: When the Big East was seeking its final member, Memphis AD R.C. Johnson was outspoken on his thoughts that USF did not belong.''

Well if that's it – it's sort of a puny shot and one delivered during the heat of competition – while, as your quote indicated - "the Big East was seeking its final member." Granted, RC should have been describing Memphis' positives rather the other way around – but considering that the goal was to get Memphis into a BCS conference, it's clear he wasn't making the statement just because he has some deep hatred of South Florida. His goal and focus was Memphis –

Quote:ECU makes more sense geographically than Memphis. ECU has a Big East caliber FB stadium and fans who travel. ECU's bigest problem is timing---having their worst streak in football at this time.

-- Agreed...I am very interested in seeing who ECU hires as its new hoops coach...if they can make a splash with that hire (Matt Doherty, Pete Gillen?)....I think it will go along way to there inclusion

-- If the orginial poster is correct and ECU is seemingly very close to a football only invite...where are its other sports going to go...the A10 seems full unless all of Temple's sports go to the MAC

-- Personally...I have few concerns about ECU football...if we can get those guys into a BCS league..there program will be back...all they need is to be on a level playing field with there ACC neighbors for recruiting reasons


Jackson

Jackson, ECU would probably be willing to place the other sports in a lesser conference if we could schedule topnotch out of conference opponents for basketball. Our baseball team could go Indy, like Miami was when they were in the Big East. I also don't see why ECU couldn't place some of the non-revenue sports in the Big East if there are slots available. I think CUSA allowed Kentucky to play soccer as a CUSA member, since the SEC didn't have enough participants. Basketball would be the main program that would suffer if it didn't land in the A-10.

Quote:Jackson, ECU would probably be willing to place the other sports in a lesser conference if we could schedule topnotch out of conference opponents for basketball. Our baseball team could go Indy, like Miami was when they were in the Big East. I also don't see why ECU couldn't place some of the non-revenue sports in the Big East if there are slots available. I think CUSA allowed Kentucky to play soccer as a CUSA member, since the SEC didn't have enough participants. Basketball would be the main program that would suffer if it didn't land in the A-10.

-- I wouldn't have any problem with some of ECUs olympic sports coming in too...the trouble is the football schools only have the right to grant a football only membership...anything more then that will have to be approved by the whole league...and given the nature of the strained realtionship between football/bball only (at least it appeared that way in the BE Papers)...I'm not sure such a proposition would get enough votes

Jackson

Something ECU COULD do...and I say COULD...is join the sun belt for all sports but football until the split takes place.
Starting 2006, the Sun Belt will have 13 teams. Ugly, ugly number.
But, it is a decent basketball league, and a good baseball league.
Of course, all of this depends on the whole WKU/Temple to the MAC thing.
If WKU does not go to the MAC, they are still at 13, and could use another member.
If WKU does go to the MAC, it will be with Temple (see MAC board). So the Sun Belt will be ok at 12, but then the Atlantic 10 will have an open spot.
I think one way or another, ECU will work its other sports into a league and get their football into the Big East by 2007.

Jackson, If the other schools think ECU will always be a football only member, as was Temple, why wouldn't they allow ECU's other sports to participate when there were openings? It seems to me they would feel threatened by ECU only if they didn't believe the Big East Commissioner as far as a potential future split is concerned.

Since we're throwing out potential expansion canidates, we can't underestimate the Big East's seemingly insatiable obsession with the state of Florida. Therefore, if UCF shows some assemblence of improvement, they will probably be thrown onto the list of possibilities too.

Quote:Jackson, If the other schools think ECU will always be a football only member, as was Temple, why wouldn't they allow ECU's other sports to participate when there were openings? It seems to me they would feel threatened by ECU only if they didn't believe the Big East Commissioner as far as a potential future split is concerned.

-- I think the bball onlys are going to feel threatened by any football only addition that is not named Army or Navy....especially if an all sports membership in the future is dangled out to ECU like the orginial poster said....frankly...the only way the football schools could provide the Pirates with all sports membrship is in a new league

-- I think the BE football schools would want to stay away from a Temple like situation....the only reason the Owls weren't in all sports all along is because Villanova was scared to death to put the Owls on a level playing field as the Wildcats...I think if ECU is coming for footbal only it will be more similar to the VT situation


Jackson

'-- I think the BE football schools would want to stay away from a Temple like situation....the only reason the Owls weren't in all sports all along is because Villanova was scared to death to put the Owls on a level playing field as the Wildcats...I think if ECU is coming for footbal only it will be more similar to the VT situation'


thats why i think temple will be an all sports member when the split occurs. so could the 2 teams end up being temple and ecu.


whats the beef between memphis and ul/uc all bout. did i miss somethin cuzz i always thought highly of memphis being the best all round option.

Quote:thats why i think temple will be an all sports member when the split occurs

I'm thinking either Temple or UCF as the 9th member. I was actually surprised that USF was chosen over Temple as an all sports member back in 03.

that philly market is goin to be rough to lose when we split paths.

only possibly way of gaining that market is picking up psu. but thats another thread.

i can't see ucf as a possible 9th spot. maybe a 11th or 12th. its lookin more and more like ecu/temple. funny how memphis stock went down in the past week. i thought of them as a lock for the 9th spot.

Many of us need to face the fact that Notre Dame and PSU are not going to play football with us.

So we will have to raid the MAC or CDOA. ECU, Marshall, Southern Miss and UCF are the best from CDOA. Miami Ohio, Nothern Illinois and Toledo are the best from the MAC!

The question is "will we be a 9, 10, or 12 team all-sports conference"!

From what I have been told and from what I understand about this whole thing is:

First, if a spilt did occur, the NCAA Tournament would have to expand by 3 more teams, one more at large bid for the Big East basketball schools, and one more play-in game.

Second, some Big East ADs that voted for Marquette and DePaul to join over adding a football school are now kicking themselves in the arse. Making basketball into a super-power conference may backfire and hurt the NBE's overall RPI.

Third, the Big East and A-10 have had a long relationship in working together. There has been increasing support from Charlotte, the University of Richmond, and George Washington University for the addition of East Carolina University for basketball and other sports besides football. This would provide all of these schools with another regional opponent, give the A-10 a top 25 baseball, softball, indoor and outdoor track and field, mens and womens swimming, cross-country, and women's golf team (all ECU teams which are/have been ranked in the top 25 this academic year), making the A-10 have more say so on the national level.

Fourth, don't be surpised to see St. Louis leave the A-10, and even if St. Louis stays, there would be not much difference between a 14 member A-10 and a 15 member A-10.

From what I have been told and from what I understand, I have no doubts that East Carolina will be the 9th member for football only at first, and if a split does occur, they would be extended full membership.

Football members of the current New Big East really should not worry about the BCS revenues because each school would receive the same if there were only 8 or 9 members. The pie would be extended, but not sliced even more, look at the ACC's move....

Last, don't be surprised to see a push for Nova to bring its football program up to D-1A. I am not saying that it is going to happen, but Nova may see a push from Mike T if a split seems likely as a way to save the 16/17 member Big East.

In my opinion, I think we should have split during expansion and a split will occur before 2010.