<a href='http://www.dailymail.com/news/Sports/2004121319/' target='_blank'>http://www.dailymail.com/news/Sports/2004121319/</a>
Quote:The Big East loss of Miami (Fla.), Virginia Tech and Boston College to the ACC, followed by the addition of Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida for 2005 (following Connecticut's football entry this season), has changed the Big East profile.
"The Big East is not the same animal," Catlett said. "To us, the biggest loss (for the Big East) isn't Miami, it's Virginia Tech (and its large fan following to bowls). You're adding Louisville, which has a good team and is building, but Cincinnati and South Florida aren't traditional football names.
"So the Big East has been slightly weakened in the process. In our eyes, keeping Notre Dame in the mix is the key to putting together their future bowl agreements.
Looks like the Gator Bowl wants schools who's fans travel to bowl games. I think that there is a team in Greenville, North Carolina that has a fanbase known to travel. By the way, if I'm not mistaken, the Tire Bowl matches the Big East against the ACC as well as the Gator Bowl. Either of those bowls would be sellouts if ECU were matched against just about any ACC school, especially the North Carolina ACC schools. Are there any other Big East Bowls with ACC tie-ins?
I agree Louisville has had a great season, and some time ago they went to the Fiesta Bowl under Howard Shnellenberger, and they have a great new stadium and a good fan following.
But to be honest, how does this all of a sudden put them on an annual par with other BCS teams? Let them back it up it next year, which I fully expect them to do. Louisville hasn't exactly been a traditional football name eiother until the last few years.
But I guess I am just tired of UC getting all the negative attention. If anyone would care to check, UC leads the all time series with UofL by 10 games I think. The last several years we have lost to them, but up until this year we were competing pretty closely with them.
UC has many issues, and fan support is near the top of the list. But I am sick of seeing all the press write us off before we even get to play in the new league.
bearcatfan, Cincy had a very good year. I think most years you will have 6-5 type teams, but every now & then, you will have 2 to 3 loss teams. One day your Bearcats will have that magical season. Count on it!
it's no secret that the Gator Bowl was not happy w/ the changes in the BE. However, this factor, as well as all the other factors, will be solved if the NBE performs. That is what we must do.
wvucrazed, just how long do you think the Big East has to prove themselves. The way I read the article, it appears that the Gator Bowl is going to look for a better option after the upcoming bowl. It also appears that they would rather take a barely bowl eligible Notre Dame team than any other Big East team, that didn't go to a BCS bowl, no matter what the record. If the Big East were to add Army/Navy as mentioned on this board, it would be very possible that two of the Big East's bowl slots could be taken by a school that either doesn't play conference games or schools that play 4 conference games. That just doesn't seem like a good thing to me.
Quote:If the Big East were to add Army/Navy as mentioned on this board, it would be very possible that two of the Big East's bowl slots could be taken by a school that either doesn't play conference games or schools that play 4 conference games. That just doesn't seem like a good thing to me.
-- Army and Navy travel very well and the always have high TV ratings (something else bowls care about)...so I think if they were added that would be helpful not harmful with this issue
-- The problem with the Gator will be solved by giving the bowl the opportunity to select Notre Dame whenever it wants...I'm sure nobody here likes it...but right now that is something we need to do
-- However I do agree with the general premise offered by Brick City Pirate...if and when the BE football schools decide to go it alone (and assuming ND stays in the BE) we are going to have to be prepared to add some schools that actually have fans that travel....and I think both Memphis and ECU would fall into that category...
-- When looking at the BE now....WVU has great fans that travel everywhere...Louisville has some very good fans but I think their #s are lower right now then schools like WVU and VT...I also think UConn will be a very good traveling school once that football program gets going...but other then those three its really slim pickens when trying to find BE schools that travel
Jackson
Looks like adding South Florida did not get us much goodwill in Florida.
Quote:The problem with the Gator will be solved by giving the bowl the opportunity to select Notre Dame whenever it wants...I'm sure nobody here likes it...but right now that is something we need to do
Doesn't this suck? The Big East seems to be getting in a position to survive without ND or perhaps put a little pressure on the Domers to maybe join or partially join, the raid happens and we need them more than ever for bowl ties. Sucks.
Quote:Doesn't this suck? The Big East seems to be getting in a position to survive without ND or perhaps put a little pressure on the Domers to maybe join or partially join, the raid happens and we need them more than ever for bowl ties. Sucks.
-- It sure does....the BE developed faster then anyone dreamed it could in 10+ years....and then the raid happens and we literally have to start all over...honestly were about at the same spot we were at in 1992 ...but at least then we had Miami....its going to be a long row to hoe for sure and we are going to have to be patient...two out of our eight football ( USF and Uconn) programs are in there infancy and another two (Rutgers and UC) have never had any major success at football
Quote: Looks like adding South Florida did not get us much goodwill in Florida.
-- gator bowl officials don't care for Flordia teams...they want schools that have to travel long distances so fans spend $$ for hotels, food etc...the head of the Gator bowl said it himself that VT was a much bigger loss then Miami in their eyes...what the BE needs to have happen is Louisville and Uconn need to transfrom from being good traveling schools to great ones....and someone like Pitt, SU or UC needs to somehow develop some kind of traveling fan base
Jackson
Brick City Pirate Wrote:bearcatfan, Cincy had a very good year. I think most years you will have 6-5 type teams, but every now & then, you will have 2 to 3 loss teams. One day your Bearcats will have that magical season. Count on it!
Considering how crappy East Carolina has been the last 4 or 5 years, talking crap about UC should be the LAST thing you should do. Especially since UC had an 8-3 record in recent time. Mark Dantonio got his system into place and UC went on a tear. That will be the norm, not 6-5 seasons. Especially since Coach Dantonio is locking up a strong recruiting class.
Jackson1011 Wrote:Quote:If the Big East were to add Army/Navy as mentioned on this board, it would be very possible that two of the Big East's bowl slots could be taken by a school that either doesn't play conference games or schools that play 4 conference games. That just doesn't seem like a good thing to me.
-- Army and Navy travel very well and the always have high TV ratings (something else bowls care about)...so I think if they were added that would be helpful not harmful with this issue
-- The problem with the Gator will be solved by giving the bowl the opportunity to select Notre Dame whenever it wants...I'm sure nobody here likes it...but right now that is something we need to do
-- However I do agree with the general premise offered by Brick City Pirate...if and when the BE football schools decide to go it alone (and assuming ND stays in the BE) we are going to have to be prepared to add some schools that actually have fans that travel....and I think both Memphis and ECU would fall into that category...
-- When looking at the BE now....WVU has great fans that travel everywhere...Louisville has some very good fans but I think their #s are lower right now then schools like WVU and VT...I also think UConn will be a very good traveling school once that football program gets going...but other then those three its really slim pickens when trying to find BE schools that travel
Jackson
read my heading "THE REAL REASON ECU WILL BE ADDED TO THE BIG EAST..........the bowls with BE affilation are WORRIED about the makeup of the new BE....WHY?????? outside of WVU and Louisville the BE dosn't travel well to bowl games......these bowl people are quietly pushing the BE behind the scene, to add a school that has a great fan base win or lose, travels well win or lose, SELLS ITS BOWL TICKET ALLOTMENT!!!!!!,spends $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ in the bowl cities,show up in large numbers at the bowl game, that school they( bowl people in affilation with the BE) want added to the BE is, ECU!!!!!......this is not a rumor........this has been leaked weeks ago..........it has nothing to do with tv markets......its about paid fannys in seats at these bowl games...........look for the BE to quickly add ECU......and other schools, Memphis, ?UCF?.......pressure ND, etc to keep these bowl ties..........these bowl people mean business
Crappy the last 4-5 years where have you been. Here are our records dating back to 99' to the present.
99' 9-3 Mobile Alabama Bowl
00' 8-4 Galley Furniture Bowl
01 6-6 GMAC Bowl
02- 4-8
03- 1-11
04-2-9
Only in the last 3 years has our program declined and that was mostly due to the graduation of some of our best players. It wont take too long for us to get back to where we were in the 90's and earlier in 00.
Quote:-- It sure does....the BE developed faster then anyone dreamed it could in 10+ years....and then the raid happens and we literally have to start all over...honestly were about at the same spot we were at in 1992 ...but at least then we had Miami....its going to be a long row to hoe for sure and we are going to have to be patient...two out of our eight football ( USF and Uconn) programs are in there infancy and another two (Rutgers and UC) have never had any major success at football
Sorry, but am I the only one who sees the irony in this statement?
Quote:Only in the last 3 years has our program declined and that was mostly due to the graduation of some of our best players. It wont take too long for us to get back to where we were in the 90's and earlier in 00.
Much easier said than done.
Quote:-- gator bowl officials don't care for Flordia teams...they want schools that have to travel long distances so fans spend $$ for hotels, food etc...the head of the Gator bowl said it himself that VT was a much bigger loss then Miami in their eyes...what the BE needs to have happen is Louisville and Uconn need to transfrom from being good traveling schools to great ones....and someone like Pitt, SU or UC needs to somehow develop some kind of traveling fan base
Another thing to consider is the location of the teams, other than USF, your southern-most team is Louisville. That's a long way to travel for most fans. Basically, with Miami and Virginia Tech, you had two teams whose fans could make the drive. And yes, you can be too close to a bowl...I doubt many of the Southern Miss fans stayed in New Orleans tonight.
Why do you think we can not get back to where we once were? If memphis can get back to respectability after 8 straight losing seasons certainly we can come back after 3. Our new staff is already paying off and i am confident that Skip will win not in 2 years but next year.
Cat's Claw, you are living in a dream world if you think I was putting down Cincy by stating that most years you will have winning 6-5 type teams, some years you will have 8-3 or 9-2 type teams, & every now & then you will have a magical 11-1 or 12-0 dream season. If you think that was a put down, I think you are in the very small minority.
Quote:..........the bowls with BE affilation are WORRIED about the makeup of the new BE....WHY?????? outside of WVU and Louisville the BE dosn't travel well to bowl games......these bowl people are quietly pushing the BE behind the scene, to add a school that has a great fan base win or lose, travels well win or lose, SELLS ITS BOWL TICKET ALLOTMENT!!!!!!,spends $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ in the bowl cities,show up in large numbers at the bowl game,
-- I don't disagree with the statement...but we can survive as long as we have Notre Dame around
-- Speaking of the Irish...it will be interesting to see who (if anyone) is going to be added to the BE for football only membership this winter...In my opinion if Army and Navy are added then the BE hasn't given up on ND joining at some later date yet...
- If East Carlina or Memphis are added....then that tells me that BE football has given up on ever having ND and we are starting to get ready for bowl life without the Irish....The more i think about it the more I wouldn't be shocked to see both ECU and Memphis with the BE football schools if the split happens and if ND stays in the BE.....Memphis is going to be a must because of their bowl ties with the Liberty bowl (BE is assured of losing the Gator if ND is not around) and ECU is going to be useful with keeping the Tire bowl and maybe having to attract more bowls if neccesary
-- While I am coming around to this idea...I'm not sure the timing is right today or this year for ECU to be added for football only...I really think we shold wait unitill the Pirate program gets rolling again before they are added....also ECU must do something about its basketball...losses to Garden-Webb (or whoever that little school was ) and Western Carolina are unacceptable....There are a lot of bball powers in BE football and they already comprismised once to bring in USF to add some quick muscle....I doubt they will comprimise again
Jackson
Jackson, Let's say that the Big East caves & allows the Gator Bowl to take a 6-5 Notre Dame team. Next year Louisville goes 10-1 & gets your BCS slot & Notre Dame goes 6-5 & gets your Gator Bowl slot. What happens if Army & Navy both go 8-3 since they go 2-2 in the Big East & schedule an easy non-conference slate, & Pitt goes 8-3 & West Virginia goes 8-3? What bowls do these teams attend? It is possible that Louisville goes BCS, Notre Dame goes Gator, Army goes to a bowl, Navy goes to a bowl. How many bowls are left for the other schools that depend on going to bowls for recruiting, coaches bonuses, etc. I love Army/Navy as much as anybody, but I think a partial schedule just complicates a conference that already sticks out like a sore thumb. You are basically putting a band aid on a gapping bullet wound.
Brick City Pirate Wrote:Cat's Claw, you are living in a dream world if you think I was putting down Cincy by stating that most years you will have winning 6-5 type teams, some years you will have 8-3 or 9-2 type teams, & every now & then you will have a magical 11-1 or 12-0 dream season. If you think that was a put down, I think you are in the very small minority.
Brick City - I did not see your initial post as a a put down either.
I would be very happy with 8-3 or 9-2 teams and I think UC is capable of doing that.
Thanks bearcatfan. Only a handful of teams in the country can expect 11-0 or 10-1 type season every year. The problem I see with Cincy next year is, if I'm not mistaken, you lose your QB that has started the past 4 years. Ask NC State how important it is to have a veteran QB that can get the job done. NC State had one of the best defenses in the country but ended the season with a losing record.