UC's Williams on what's next for Big East
May, 7, 2012

By Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com

Cincinnati president Gregory H. Williams is in charge of the search committee for the next Big East commissioner. So what is the league looking for in its next leader?

I had a chance to briefly catch up with Williams in a phone conversation this afternoon.

"We want someone that can take the Big East to the next level," he said. "We're excited about where we are right now. We feel the conference is stronger than it's ever been. We have some great new teams we are bringing in, there's a huge opportunity for us to build, so we're looking for someone who can facilitate that and make that happen."

Along those lines, what are the biggest priorities for Big East moving forward?

"There are a lot of priorities; TV negotiations are one of them," he said. "What happens in regards to the BCS is another issue, and we are making a transition for some teams to come in and we're working through that. That's going to be an issue as well. There's a whole range of issues the person has to be conversive with and provide the type of leadership we need."

When I tried to ask Williams more probing questions, he declined to answer. I specifically asked why the presidents asked Marinatto to resign. Williams referred me to the statement from the Big East. "John decided to leave the Big East and we wish him well," Williams said. "He did a fantastic job, but now all of us are moving on in different directions."

When I asked about the different interests among the football and basketball schools, Williams said, "I don't think there's any dissension between the football and basketball schools. In my involvement at the meetings, everyone works together, everyone tries to figure out what's in the best interest of the Big East. The basketball schools have been very supportive of the issues that have been faced."

Then I asked whether Marinatto deserved the blame for what happened to the league in the past year. Williams said I was getting off topic, and referred me again to the Big East statement.

As for a timetable for hiring a new commissioner, Williams said the sooner the better. It is critical to have somebody in place before the start of television negotiations in September.

"It's more important we get the right person than we do it quickly," he said. "The critical factor is making sure we have the right person."

Williams has been president of Cincinnati since 2009 and is a member of the Big East executive committee.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/i...r-big-east

It's great to see Williams taking the lead in this. I still have my concerns, but I'm looking for big things for UC and the Big East.

Glad we have Williams as our Pres. Him landing this opportunity shows others have alot of respect for him.

I like Williams. He seems pro-active and very pro-sports. That is good for UC.

The problem is that UC is still stuck in the Big East, which as a conference has had horrible leadership and hasn't been pro-active at all during this re-alignment stuff, just re-active.

If Williams does not have backup plans (feelers) for the Big 12 he is not the leader UC needs in this situation. UC must be posied to move with Louisville to the Big 12 if the opportunity presents itself. I feel the committment to the Big East is good for UC as long as Louisville is part of the league. If we are not ready willing and able to move at the call UC will be left behind forever.

I think all of the UC faithfull should demand that Williams take action to assure UC's future. If that is in the Big 12 then so be it. If they are left behind it will be the end of any chance to play real D1 football with the Big Boys.

UC has argueably a better football program then many schools that are currently in the SEC, ACC. PAC 12, Big 10 and Big 12. Example UC has better football then Mississippi, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Wake Forest, Maryland, North Carolina State, Virginia, Northwestern, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas St, Iowa St, Washington, Washington St, Oregon St, Arizona. The only difference is money received via the conference TV contract. Where would any of these programs be with out there conference affilaition. If UC has the same afiliation they would prosper to even greater heights.
Williams should work behind the scene to get UC in the Big 12 in conjuction with Louisville.

Tranghese should have been more proactive years ago. If the Big East added TCU, Houston and SMU (at the same time) or invited them years
ago so they would be members in 2010 or 2011, the ESPN retroactive deal would have been done. Cuse and Pitt would still be in the conference, maybe WVU stays maybe not. 14 Million per football school, something like that.

North
UConn
Cuse
Pitt
Rutgers
WVU
Cincy

South
USF
Ville
TCU
SMU
Houston
UCF

Totally agree with you on the Big 12. If Louisiville leaves UC absolutely needs to be doing all they can to get to the Big 12. The Big East is flat out dead if there are anymore defections.

Plus, I'm still extremely skeptical about this whole Big East TV deal. Just put me in the category of one who has to see it to believe it.

Babcock is a former Mizzou/Big 12 guy so that can't hurt.

Agree completely with kyucat. The jury is still out on President Williams at this point. If, the Big East can be stabilized and obtain the new TV deal it will be smooth sailing and he's to be commended for his role. On the other hand, the Big East appears shaky right now. It could just as easily implode with Louisville to the B12 and UCONN scooped up by the ACC prior to the much ballyhooed TV deal being consumated. If that happens, people will be asking why Williams didn't invest the time and resources to rally support for a B12 invite instead of trying to patch up the Big East.

I am hopeful that Dr. Williams is just giving PC answers at this point. I like to think his ascendancy to a leadership position within the conference is beneficial to UC's move to greener pastures (after all, Pitt's chancellor was at the top of the totom pole before they bailed). However, the quotes Dr.Williams gave in this article frighten me:

Williams jumped into the fray, he said, because he’s convinced the Big East is the best place for UC.

“I looked at this and thought about this for quite some time,” Williams said. “It appeared to me after my discussions with coaches and other folks that our best possibility to emerge as a school of athletic prominence in this country was to be in the Big East. It was quickly clear to me that I needed to do everything I could to help the Big East not only to stay alive but also to thrive.

“We have the opportunity really to be a truly national conference,” Williams continued. “With these new additions, the Big East will play in every time zone in prime time across the country. That’s a great opportunity for us. The future is very bright.”

UC athletic director Whit Babcock declined via text message to comment on Marinatto’s departure, but said he has “complete confidence in Dr. Williams to lead the search for a commissioner to lead the conference moving forward into this new era.”

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120...NTPAGE%7Cs

(05-08-2012 01:15 PM)indycat Wrote:  Agree completely with kyucat. The jury is still out on President Williams at this point. If, the Big East can be stabilized and obtain the new TV deal it will be smooth sailing and he's to be commended for his role. On the other hand, the Big East appears shaky right now. It could just as easily implode with Louisville to the B12 and UCONN scooped up by the ACC prior to the much ballyhooed TV deal being consumated. If that happens, people will be asking why Williams didn't invest the time and resources to rally support for a B12 invite instead of trying to patch up the Big East.

Couldn't agree more with you on that. I am definitely worried about what appears to be UC's administration focusing everything on trying to save an already poached and watered down league instead of focusing like U of L is doing, on what is best for their own interests.

The thing is ..you have to be wanted by The Big 12 and invited . You just cant work hard behind the scenes and pick up and go with Louisville because you want to.

I have faith that the president and the AD are doing everything possible to get UC if the best possible position for the future . But at this moment we are in the Big East and we need to make the best of the situation we are in . First on that list is getting a commish in here to help get us the best possible TV deal.

(05-08-2012 01:35 PM)Bearcat2012 Wrote:  The thing is ..you have to be wanted by The Big 12 and invited . You just cant work hard behind the scenes and pick up and go with Louisville because you want to.

I have faith that the president and the AD are doing everything possible to get UC if the best possible position for the future . But at this moment we are in the Big East and we need to make the best of the situation we are in . First on that list is getting a commish in here to help get us the best possible TV deal.

Your post is exactly what I am afraid of; not that Williams and Babcock are not doing what they can, but that nobody wants UC. If we are being honest, our athletic teams are worthy of an invite, but our fan base is not worth a hill of beans as evidence by attendance and television viewership.

If UC is left behind it is the fault of UC students, alumni and residents of Greater Cincinnati.

(05-08-2012 01:32 PM)Marcus Wrote:  Couldn't agree more with you on that. I am definitely worried about what appears to be UC's administration focusing everything on trying to save an already poached and watered down league instead of focusing like U of L is doing, on what is best for their own interests.

Nothing you can do if there isn't interest from the other side... and for all intensive purposes it seems like the Big 12 has BYU, Clemson, FSU, and UL all ahead of UC. The ACC would likely react by adding Rutgers and UConn over UC if they lost Clemson and FSU. UC is just in no man's land right now, no matter how much anybody in the administration tries to fix that.

UC is not big time college football, neither are we CUSA material we used to be . We have come A LONG way in 5 years. This is why the Big East is a perfect UC fit right now and why the Pres and AD are touting such

Given the opportunity UC would surely bolt to that next level and grow into it like they did jumping to the Big East. You just have to convince Big 12 folk of that

It is in President Williams' best interest to stay quiet if the UC athletic department is in fact interested in moving to the Big 12. It does him no good to outright blurt that he prefers the Big 12 over the Big East. Tom Jurich did that and took an egg to the face when WVU was invited over Louisville and UConn's AD didn't do his university any favors by saying he'd rather be in the ACC. Missouri flat out declared they wanted to be in Big Ten, which turned around and snagged Nebraska, then Mizzou looked like a bunch of d*cks to the Big 12. They were lucky to wind up in the SEC.

Conference realignment is like an iceberg. You only see (hear) 10% of what is actually going on underneath. Williams could very well be talking with the Big 12 brass in collaboration with Jurich for all we know. Until things are signed and sealed, it's best for Williams to not lay all the cards on the table.

(05-08-2012 01:43 PM)Bearcat2012 Wrote:  UC is not big time college football, neither are we CUSA material we used to be . We have come A LONG way in 5 years. This is why the Big East is a perfect UC fit right now and why the Pres and AD are touting such

Given the opportunity UC would surely bolt to that next level and grow into it like they did jumping to the Big East. You just have to convince Big 12 folk of that

Completely disagree about big time college football. UC has shown they can play with the top... maybe not a top 5 program, but over the past 5 years certainly a top 25 which makes them big time. The problem is not the play, it is the fan base. We always harp on this, but UC fans need to do the talking for the school now, not the administration. The fact that season ticket numbers are down this year speaks volumes to the Big 12.

(05-08-2012 01:47 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(05-08-2012 01:43 PM)Bearcat2012 Wrote:  UC is not big time college football, neither are we CUSA material we used to be . We have come A LONG way in 5 years. This is why the Big East is a perfect UC fit right now and why the Pres and AD are touting such

Given the opportunity UC would surely bolt to that next level and grow into it like they did jumping to the Big East. You just have to convince Big 12 folk of that

Completely disagree about big time college football. UC has shown they can play with the top... maybe not a top 5 program, but over the past 5 years certainly a top 25 which makes them big time. The problem is not the play, it is the fan base. We always harp on this, but UC fans need to do the talking for the school now, not the administration. The fact that season ticket numbers are down this year speaks volumes to the Big 12.

I completely agree with you with that . By big time college football I was referring the whole experience and national perception. UC can hang on the field with anyone .

(05-08-2012 01:50 PM)Bearcat2012 Wrote:  

(05-08-2012 01:47 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(05-08-2012 01:43 PM)Bearcat2012 Wrote:  UC is not big time college football, neither are we CUSA material we used to be . We have come A LONG way in 5 years. This is why the Big East is a perfect UC fit right now and why the Pres and AD are touting such

Given the opportunity UC would surely bolt to that next level and grow into it like they did jumping to the Big East. You just have to convince Big 12 folk of that

Completely disagree about big time college football. UC has shown they can play with the top... maybe not a top 5 program, but over the past 5 years certainly a top 25 which makes them big time. The problem is not the play, it is the fan base. We always harp on this, but UC fans need to do the talking for the school now, not the administration. The fact that season ticket numbers are down this year speaks volumes to the Big 12.

I completely agree with you with that . By big time college football I was referring the whole experience and national perception. UC can hang on the field with anyone .

Not sure what "Big time" actually means. We are not historically a top 10 or 15 team. Over the last 5 years we are a top 20 team. I feel versus our competition we are definately power conf material. With a couple exceptions we can play with anyone. Been producing at the level of a top tier team in any conf.

I do agree with one point being brought up. Where the team has produced above and beyond - I cannot say the same for the fanbase. The B12 and ACC are worried about on thing regarding UC - will the fans support the program? They consider support in the form of showing up no matter the opponent and even in down years.

ACC and Big 12 are concerned about 1 thing related to expansion, TV money.
The TV people told the Big 12 to take WVU because they are a good draw.