(05-24-2012 08:36 AM)Yes I Am A Pirate Wrote:  The gap between C-USA and the Big East isn't as wide as some folks want to believe.

The gap between USM/ECU and the BE is nonexistant, imo; the gap between the remainder of CUSA and the BE is larger than it's ever been.

(05-24-2012 08:57 AM)coogrfan Wrote:  

(05-24-2012 08:36 AM)Yes I Am A Pirate Wrote:  The gap between C-USA and the Big East isn't as wide as some folks want to believe.

The gap between USM/ECU and the BE is nonexistant, imo; the gap between the remainder of CUSA and the BE is larger than it's ever been.

I would include Tulsa and Marshall, but other than that, you are correct.

Right you are. My apologies for the oversight.

(05-24-2012 09:07 AM)goldenhurricane2 Wrote:  

(05-24-2012 08:57 AM)coogrfan Wrote:  

(05-24-2012 08:36 AM)Yes I Am A Pirate Wrote:  The gap between C-USA and the Big East isn't as wide as some folks want to believe.

The gap between USM/ECU and the BE is nonexistant, imo; the gap between the remainder of CUSA and the BE is larger than it's ever been.

I would include Tulsa and Marshall, but other than that, you are correct.

I disagree. Other than Boise, what Nbe school has been outstanding? Navy was beat by SJSU. Cincy, last year's Nbe Champ, was soundly thrashed by Tennessee, and the Volunteers were 1-7 in SEC. It is a question of having the right coach, for both Nbe and Alliance schools, the conference with its tv and bowls, the facilities, they are there in place to establish a winning program.

And, of couse, getting the right coach is the hardest thing in the world to do. Nbe bb is, of course, superb.

I think FIU, UNT, and La Tech will be very solid CUSA additions almost immediately.

Long term I really like the potential of ODU, Charlotte, and UTSA.

(05-24-2012 08:36 AM)Comet Wrote:  

(05-24-2012 08:30 AM)Oceana Tiger Wrote:  

(05-24-2012 08:06 AM)Tallgrass Wrote:  The ACC and Notre Dame are working on an agreement for the ACC Champ to play Notre Dame annually in the Orange Bowl, a BCS bowl of course. This effectively takes the Nbe out of a prestige bowl, a second major loss in addition to losing AQ status. It is also a message that the ACC really doesn't want to match its top teams against the Nbe. Do you really think Miami wants to play UCF in a major bowl? Pitt wants to play Temple in a major bowl?

The Nbe's goals and perceptions are not meeting reality. Regarding bowls, my guess is that ACC will attempt to set up bowl matchups against the expanded SEC-14, the expanded B12/14/16 whatever, and the PAC-12 (like the Sun Bowl). There is no doubt in my mind that the Nbe will lose the Champs Bowl, the Charlotte Bowl, and the Pinstripe Bowl.

The Nbe has made a full circle. The solution is for cooperation between the Nbe-12/14 whatever and the CUSA/MWC Alliance. The reality of the situation is that the Nbe has fallen further behind, much further behind the BCS. The reality of the situation is that the gap between CUSA/MWC and Nbe is significantly closed.

lol

It's true, UTSA, ODU, UNCC football are pretty much there with Boise State.

LOL!!!

The gap between C-USA and the Big East on the hardwood is massive, and on the field top to bottom is wide and did get wider after this raid. However what did narrow is the gap in public perception. The Big East is no longer viewed as a major football conference. It's been made very clear they will not be treated as peers of the SEC/B1G/PAC/B12. It will still make more money than us, and can still take our teams pretty much at will, but it's not going to be viewed as making some huge leap and arriving like it was when UL, Cincy, and USF joined.

The biggest difference is going to be the $$$$$....according to the NY Times Boise State as a "Football Only" member could make more per year then the entire MWC TV Contract as a conference per year, from the article:

Before the league’s epitaph can be chiseled, it is important to remember that the remnants of the Mountain West and Conference USA are not attractive alternatives. The potential money differential is so drastic that Boise State’s television deal in the Big East could end up being in the same financial ballpark as virtually the entire Mountain West contract.

Consider that the best football program remaining in the Mountain West is Nevada and the best Conference USA school is either East Carolina or Southern Miss. The reality in the new Big East is that its football schools may not sizzle on television, but they have found the comparable stability of higher ground. For now, anyway.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/24/sports...ref=sports

But that only happens if UConn, Louisville & Rutgers don't bail...it is what it is.

Yeah because everyone is comparing BCS hell to the Big East. Good luck with your new marketing plan. BE football haha you had to raid lower leagues to get the only addition you can brag about. Talk about crap at least CUSA has Southern Miss and ECU and didn't have to raid to get their gems. Also don't forget USM donkey punched your #2 team on national tv, bet that was awesome press.

(05-24-2012 09:17 AM)Tallgrass Wrote:  

(05-24-2012 09:07 AM)goldenhurricane2 Wrote:  

(05-24-2012 08:57 AM)coogrfan Wrote:  

(05-24-2012 08:36 AM)Yes I Am A Pirate Wrote:  The gap between C-USA and the Big East isn't as wide as some folks want to believe.

The gap between USM/ECU and the BE is nonexistant, imo; the gap between the remainder of CUSA and the BE is larger than it's ever been.

I would include Tulsa and Marshall, but other than that, you are correct.

I disagree. Other than Boise, what Nbe school has been outstanding? Navy was beat by SJSU. Cincy, last year's Nbe Champ, was soundly thrashed by Tennessee, and the Volunteers were 1-7 in SEC. It is a question of having the right coach, for both Nbe and Alliance schools, the conference with its tv and bowls, the facilities, they are there in place to establish a winning program.

And, of couse, getting the right coach is the hardest thing in the world to do. Nbe bb is, of course, superb.

Tallgrass, There is no "Alliance" so to throw in the MWC schools in this comparison isnt accurate - There is still a gap between the Big East and CUSA besides serveral schools at the top of CUSA.

LINK: ACC vs Notre Dame in Orange Bowl (See Plan A)
http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=571342

And it sure appears Nbe will lose Champs, Charlotte, and Pinstripe Bowls.

Yeah but be has a huge bottom now too. Memphis isn't getting better over night, Rutgers and UConn are headed down the crapper. Fact is as much as the be wants to act like they are superior they are far more in reach now. I would also be concerned if that money gap was meaning be teams were accomplishing a lottery but they aren't. Some have actually regressed during be time.

(05-24-2012 08:06 AM)Tallgrass Wrote:  The ACC and Notre Dame are working on an agreement for the ACC Champ to play Notre Dame annually in the Orange Bowl, a BCS bowl of course. This effectively takes the Nbe out of a prestige bowl, a second major loss in addition to losing AQ status. It is also a message that the ACC really doesn't want to match its top teams against the Nbe. Do you really think Miami wants to play UCF in a major bowl? Pitt wants to play Temple in a major bowl?

The Nbe's goals and perceptions are not meeting reality. Regarding bowls, my guess is that ACC will attempt to set up bowl matchups against the expanded SEC-14, the expanded B12/14/16 whatever, and the PAC-12 (like the Sun Bowl). There is no doubt in my mind that the Nbe will lose the Champs Bowl, the Charlotte Bowl, and the Pinstripe Bowl.

The Nbe has made a full circle. The solution is for cooperation between the Nbe-12/14 whatever and the CUSA/MWC Alliance. The reality of the situation is that the Nbe has fallen further behind, much further behind the BCS. The reality of the situation is that the gap between CUSA/MWC and Nbe is significantly closed.

Just because you join the Nbe, doesn't make you The B East. Unless you just got interested in college football yesterday and don't know, there's more CUSA in Nbe than B East. And the ACC see's it. Now I wonder if the networks can see as well?

The on-field difference is debatable and decent arguments can be made for either conference, as demonstrated above.

IMHO, the most obvious difference at this time is the size of athletic budgets/income/operating expenses.

It's up to each member of both conferences to:

(1) increase income/capital as much as possible with Louisville being a very good historical model

(2) utilize available funds wisely, with USM being the model of efficiency.

(05-24-2012 08:36 AM)Comet Wrote:  

(05-24-2012 08:30 AM)Oceana Tiger Wrote:  

(05-24-2012 08:06 AM)Tallgrass Wrote:  The ACC and Notre Dame are working on an agreement for the ACC Champ to play Notre Dame annually in the Orange Bowl, a BCS bowl of course. This effectively takes the Nbe out of a prestige bowl, a second major loss in addition to losing AQ status. It is also a message that the ACC really doesn't want to match its top teams against the Nbe. Do you really think Miami wants to play UCF in a major bowl? Pitt wants to play Temple in a major bowl?

The Nbe's goals and perceptions are not meeting reality. Regarding bowls, my guess is that ACC will attempt to set up bowl matchups against the expanded SEC-14, the expanded B12/14/16 whatever, and the PAC-12 (like the Sun Bowl). There is no doubt in my mind that the Nbe will lose the Champs Bowl, the Charlotte Bowl, and the Pinstripe Bowl.

The Nbe has made a full circle. The solution is for cooperation between the Nbe-12/14 whatever and the CUSA/MWC Alliance. The reality of the situation is that the Nbe has fallen further behind, much further behind the BCS. The reality of the situation is that the gap between CUSA/MWC and Nbe is significantly closed.

lol

It's true, UTSA, ODU, UNCC football are pretty much there with Boise State.

No but they are right there with SMU and Memphis!

Actually I shouldn't talk smack on my new mates like there.....

They are right there with SMU and better than Memphis.

(05-24-2012 09:42 AM)cyc46 Wrote:  Yeah but be has a huge bottom now too. Memphis isn't getting better over night, Rutgers and UConn are headed down the crapper. Fact is as much as the be wants to act like they are superior they are far more in reach now. I would also be concerned if that money gap was meaning be teams were accomplishing a lottery but they aren't. Some have actually regressed during be time.

If I remember right Rutgers football program eats up a lot of cash it doesn't have and except for a few recent years, they are not a good football team.

(05-24-2012 09:17 AM)Tallgrass Wrote:  I disagree. Other than Boise, what Nbe school has been outstanding? Navy was beat by SJSU. Cincy, last year's Nbe Champ, was soundly thrashed by Tennessee, and the Volunteers were 1-7 in SEC. It is a question of having the right coach, for both Nbe and Alliance schools, the conference with its tv and bowls, the facilities, they are there in place to establish a winning program.

CUSA is adding Sun Belt schools, a WAC school and at least three programs that have never played a down of FBS football. To say the overall strength of the conference isn't diminished by that fact (or at least the national perception of said strength) is naive at best.

Let's see, UAB went 2-1 against the defecators last year. That would be 3-9 UAB "coached" by Bear Junior's drinking buddy Neil Callaway. You remember, the UAB who lost by 40 to Tulane.

That's a mighty powerful conference y'all are constructing. Mighty powerful indeed.

(05-24-2012 10:09 AM)58-56 Wrote:  Let's see, UAB went 2-1 against the defecators last year. That would be 3-9 UAB "coached" by Bear Junior's drinking buddy Neil Callaway. You remember, the UAB who lost by 40 to Tulane.

You also went 1-1 against the two best FB programs remaining in CUSA. What's your point?

(05-24-2012 08:06 AM)Tallgrass Wrote:  The ACC and Notre Dame are working on an agreement for the ACC Champ to play Notre Dame annually in the Orange Bowl, a BCS bowl of course. This effectively takes the Nbe out of a prestige bowl, a second major loss in addition to losing AQ status. It is also a message that the ACC really doesn't want to match its top teams against the Nbe. Do you really think Miami wants to play UCF in a major bowl? Pitt wants to play Temple in a major bowl?

The Nbe's goals and perceptions are not meeting reality. Regarding bowls, my guess is that ACC will attempt to set up bowl matchups against the expanded SEC-14, the expanded B12/14/16 whatever, and the PAC-12 (like the Sun Bowl). There is no doubt in my mind that the Nbe will lose the Champs Bowl, the Charlotte Bowl, and the Pinstripe Bowl.

The Nbe has made a full circle. The solution is for cooperation between the Nbe-12/14 whatever and the CUSA/MWC Alliance. The reality of the situation is that the Nbe has fallen further behind, much further behind the BCS. The reality of the situation is that the gap between CUSA/MWC and Nbe is significantly closed.

The only reason the Orange Bowl was ever a major bowl since 1998 was becuase Roy Kramer and Co. told you it was. They tried to tell us a lot of things that were not really factual.

History will show that the Orange Bowl has had "major" moments, but the teams playing in it in a given year make it major or not.