These are PREFERENCES, not predictions.
Army
Navy
Air Force
UCF
SMU
Houston
I want two schools in Florida and two schools in Texas - four large markets that are still growing. UCF, SMU, and Houston have improving FB programs that would thrive with an AQ designation.
Army is not enthusiastic. If they decline, that spot should go to Boise, Temple, or ECU. Probably Boise.
IF WVU has to stay...IF! My preference would be
Boise
Houston
Air Force
Navy
ECU
UCF
I am a big fan of what the service academies do, I would rather other teams in the Big East, but it looks as if they are the only locks at this point. I don't want Temple back. If the Big East is to survive. Ugh. It has to look at quality football programs over market. We have markets already. My true hope is that WVU abandons ship. Sorry.
Let's see, right now we sit at 6/14.
I'd go:
UCF (now that they're already invited)
ECU (but the league would probably opt for Temple instead)
Navy (FB-only)
AFA (FB-only)
Boise (FB-only)
BYU (FB-only, but probably not happening)
So we have, in a zipper:
East
UConn-RU
Navy-AFA
WVU-ECU
UCF-USF
UL-UC
BYU-Boise
That would bring it to 8/16/4, so to speak.
It really would be a better FB conference than before. But the basketball product which had been driving the bus took a huge hit.
I'd like to see the following six schools join the Big East.
1.Air Force
2.SMU
3.Houston
4.UCF
5.Temple
6. Boise State or ECU if Boise State won't come East.
Mr.P3242
If its just my preference:
BYU, Boise St, Air Force, SDSU, Fresno, Nevada
All football only.
If we lose UL add Navy
If we lose WVU add Temple.
Since the western division is seemingly out of the question:
Houston
SMU
BSU (Necessary to save AQ)
Temple
Navy
Air Force
UCF has not officially been invited yet, fwiw.
But my preferences:
UCF
ECU
Houston
SMU
Navy
Air Force
(10-11-2011 07:54 AM)MrP3242 Wrote: [ -> ]I'd like to see the following six schools join the Big East.
1.Air Force
2.SMU
3.Houston
4.UCF
5.Temple
6. Boise State or ECU if Boise State won't come East.
Mr.P3242
I forgot Navy--I guess I want 8 teams to join the Big East
Air Force, SMU, Houston, UCF, Temple, ECU, Navy & Boise State
That would make a 14 team football conference.
Mr.P3242
My preference is for the 6 that are left to stay together. But Louisville and WVU want out and will jump if they get that chance. I suppose UC would too but I don't think they will get an invite anywhere else.
After that, I would add:
UCF
ECU
Temple
Navy
Boise (I'm not sure they would join)
Air Force
Central Florida
East Carolina
Houston
Boise State
BYU
Air Force
Army has said they're not interested, Boise has said they're not coming. In all likelihood, we will lose either Louisville or West Virginia. That means the other 7 who have been rumored are all coming:
Temple
Navy
East Carolina
Central Florida
Houston
SMU
Air Force
I would love to see Missouri stay in the Big XII, & then have the SEC surprise everyone & take SMU, leaving the Big East alone.
If Boise were coming, I'd have a different attitude about things, but without them, I believe that BCS dreams have fallen hard. Given the current situation, I don't see any point in burdening schools & athletes with nightmarish travel in a far flung conference juts to have CUSA or MAC level competition. At this point, I'd like to see the conference return to its roots as an eastern league with a basketball focus. To that end, I wouldn't go to 12 at all, but would add Temple, UMass, & Navy. I'm waving the white flag.
When was it announced that Boise was Not coming? I just read a few minutes agio they said they were reviewing the situation?
(10-11-2011 08:29 AM)Bearcat T Wrote: [ -> ]When was it announced that Boise was Not coming? I just read a few minutes agio they said they were reviewing the situation?
Well, it was in my paper this morning:
http://www.hartfordcourant.com
But it's been reported in numerous sources all weekend. I sure hope you're right & they're wrong.
Temple, ECU, UCF, Houston - all sports
Navy, Air Force - football only
And I like Boise, but I honestly don't think its happening.
(10-11-2011 08:43 AM)brista21 Wrote: [ -> ]Temple, ECU, UCF, Houston - all sports
Navy, Air Force - football only
And I like Boise, but I honestly don't think its happening.
Who will replace Louisville or West Virginia when one of them leaves?
Navy (football only), Temple, Memphis, UCF, Army ( football only), Houston. 12 for football, 18 for basketball.
UCF (watching the UCF/USF game would be fun)
Memphis (Old UL rivals and great bball)
USM (miss those games)
Ohio (biggest alumni base in Ohio and deep pockets)
Marshall (great travelling crowd)
Temple (Philly)
That Hartford article does not say they are not coming it says some some sources say they are not interested. But others say they are talking about it? I guess we will see...They do offer the best answer to the BCS formula either way. Nobody else can come close to their numbers which are a step up from TCU.
Other wise if Boise were off the board then UCF, Temple, fit the best and both have good markets...Then you add Navy and Air force. Then it gets complicated do you go SMU Houston? I hate to take non rev sports that far away, but we were already ready to do it for TCU and you get two major markets....Or do you go ECU and Memphis which are better geographic fits but much worse tv markets..Memphis brings you a good replacement for Syracuse in Bball and the Liberty Bowl despite poor Football at the moment. ECU you get 50k fans etc. and poor BBall.
Air Force
Army
Houston
Memphis
Navy
Temple
Temple
Massachusetts
Central Florida
Navy
Villanova
Maryland...yeah, stop taking the ACC's punches. Punch back.
Ok, absent the last two...
SMU
Houston
(10-11-2011 09:04 AM)Bearcat T Wrote: [ -> ]That Hartford article does not say they are not coming it says some some sources say they are not interested. But others say they are talking about it? I guess we will see...They do offer the best answer to the BCS formula either way. Nobody else can come close to their numbers which are a step up from TCU.
Other wise if Boise were off the board then UCF, Temple, fit the best and both have good markets...Then you add Navy and Air force. Then it gets complicated do you go SMU Houston? I hate to take non rev sports that far away, but we were already ready to do it for TCU and you get two major markets....Or do you go ECU and Memphis which are better geographic fits but much worse tv markets..Memphis brings you a good replacement for Syracuse in Bball and the Liberty Bowl despite poor Football at the moment. ECU you get 50k fans etc. and poor BBall. I certainly don't want to bring in mediocre football programs that will be a drag on the basketball side.
At some point, you give up the ghost & say it's not happening. It's one thing to bring non-rev sp0rts to Fort Worth to gain the Rose Bowl champ; it's something else to transform the conference to an upgraded CUSA & travel for that. Without that, I have no interest in any of that, I'd rather concentrate on basketball & let the football programs compete to do what TCU, Utah, Boise, etc. have all done outside a BCS conference.