(05-16-2016 11:31 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote: I think the Big 12 clearly screwed up by not taking Louisville and Cincinnati when it took West Virginia. I don't care what bullshitt anyone tries to sell me, that was definitely a miscalculation on their part and it is one of the reasons why they find themselves in their current straits.
I get why it happened: they were in survival mode and could not afford to think long term. Texas was holding a gun to the heads of everyone else and the other members had no choice but to capitulate to UT's demands.
However, think about how different the entire landscape would look had they added Louisville and Cincinnati to go along with West Virginia. The B12 would be in a radically different position and the ACC would've had no choice but to replace Maryland with Connecticut.
Big mistake by the XII.
Well, depending on the time we are talking, the Big East knew they had Pitt, Cuse and TCU leaving. But they still had Uconn, Rut, USF, Louisville, Cincy and WV. BIG12 needed a team ASAP to play in 2012, which is how they ended up with WV, because WV was the best choice that was willing to pay the penalty and leave with short notice. If the Big 12 could have waited a year, they might have invited WV, Louisville and Cincy to all join in 2013.
Then the Big East would never had needed to invite Temple on short notice to play in 2012.
But even then, it depends on when Rutgers and MD knew they were leaving. Otherwise USF, UConn and Rutgers would have still sent out at least 4 invites anyway to UCF, Houston, SMU, and Memphis
At that point, Temple might have been the next best choice anyway, or maybe they would have skipped over Temple and picked Tulane. But UConn and Rutgers would have left anyway, so at that point ECU and Temple get invited anyway.
The only difference is the AAC might have stopped at only 10 schools instead of 12.