Well we have been together offically for 1 year today. Some things went well but some did not. Here are a few of my thoughts.
The Good
1. Ended any speculations that this league would lose it Automatic BCS Bid with the performance of Louisville and especially West Virginia with both teams finishing in the Final BCS Top 20 and WVU win over Georgia in the Georgia Dome at the Sugar Bowl.
2. Established this league has a lot of good young football coaches/recruiters in Rich Rodriguez-(WVU), Bobby Petrino-(Louisville), Greg Schiano-(Rutgers), Mark Dantonio-(Cincinnati), Randy Edsell-(UConn) and Jim Leavitt-(USF).
3. Established this league has some National Stars/All American/Heisman Candidates in players like Pat White-(WVU), Steve Slaton-(WVU), Brian Brohm-(Louisville), Michael Bush-(Louisville) and Brian Leonard-(Rutgers).
4. Rutgers is now finally drawing interest in NYC, little known fact but they had the highest TV rated non BCS Title College Football game in NYC in about 4 years with their game against Arizona State in the Insight.com Bowl.
5. It is highly possible the Big East will enter 2006 with 2 Top 10 teams but more then likely 2 Top 15 teams.
6. Big East Basketball was as good as advertised. UConn and Villanova were top 5 teams throughout the season and both ended up with number 1 seeds in the NCAAs.
7. The Big East tournament was a huge success with the surprising run of Gerry Mac and the Syracuse Orange.
8. Regular season Big East Basketball games was a TV Ratings success-(ie the UofL-UConn Final Regular Season Game).
9. The Big East dominated the NBA Draft.
10. A record 8 teams made the NCAA Tournament.
The Bad
1. Pittsburgh, very disappointing year for Wanny, Palko and the boys.
2. Having to share the Gator Bowl and Sun Bowl with the Big XII.
3. Having to now share the Meineke Car Care Bowl with Navy due to Mike Transghese being "BLINDSIDED".
4. The Big East needs one or two more schools to step up to help UofL and WVU in Football.
5. The Houston Bowl falling apart only to come back as another Minimum Payout Bowl. At least it is still after Christmas.
6. No Big East schools in the NCAA Final 4.
7. Disappointing years at Cincinnati and Louisville. Two Top 10 All Time programs not making the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
8. Providence Basketball, they need Dave Gavitt help.
9. The way Nancy Z tried to kill UC basketball, at least Andy Kennedy did not let it happen and she did make the right choice in hiring Mick Cronin.
10. Seeing the SEC winning the NCAAs, that just makes my stomach turn.
The Ugly
1. Syracuse Football, 1-10 just doesn't cut for this proud program.
2. USF Basketball, at least they won a league game.
I agree and I also think this could be the year BE has 3 top 25 teams in football.
Cubanbull Wrote:I agree and I also think this could be the year BE has 3 top 25 teams in football.
The two schools I see that can make the Top 25 are Pitt and USF. I would not be surprised going into your final 2 games that USF is either 9-1 or 10-0, your schedule sets up very well.
I think Pitt, USF, or Rutgers has a shot. It just depends on the OOC record and who beats who out of the 3. Believe it or not I feel Connecticut is a sleeper for this as well.
brista21 Wrote:I think Pitt, USF, or Rutgers has a shot. It just depends on the OOC record and who beats who out of the 3. Believe it or not I feel Connecticut is a sleeper for this as well.
The main reason why I did not mention Rutgers was because of schedule. You will win IMHO between 7-8 games but you do have a tough schedule this year.
Maize Wrote:brista21 Wrote:I think Pitt, USF, or Rutgers has a shot. It just depends on the OOC record and who beats who out of the 3. Believe it or not I feel Connecticut is a sleeper for this as well.
The main reason why I did not mention Rutgers was because of schedule. You will win IMHO between 7-8 games but you do have a tough schedule this year.
I guess on paper it looks tougher but I'd say marginally so. North Carolina and Navy (@ Navy) are going to be tough road games. We did replace the backstabbing, pathetic Buffalo Bulls with a much better Ohio team so that helped SOS a bit. We went from a top 1-AA in Nova to Howard. As long as we make another bowl and this time win it, we will have continued to progress and it will cement what is shaping up to be the best recruiting class we've ever seen at Rutgers and if things go the way they're going one of the better classes in the conference and even the country.
brista21 Wrote:Maize Wrote:brista21 Wrote:I think Pitt, USF, or Rutgers has a shot. It just depends on the OOC record and who beats who out of the 3. Believe it or not I feel Connecticut is a sleeper for this as well.
The main reason why I did not mention Rutgers was because of schedule. You will win IMHO between 7-8 games but you do have a tough schedule this year.
I guess on paper it looks tougher but I'd say marginally so. North Carolina and Navy (@ Navy) are going to be tough road games. We did replace the backstabbing, pathetic Buffalo Bulls with a much better Ohio team so that helped SOS a bit. We went from a top 1-AA in Nova to Howard. As long as we make another bowl and this time win it, we will have continued to progress and it will cement what is shaping up to be the best recruiting class we've ever seen at Rutgers and if things go the way they're going one of the better classes in the conference and even the country.
You have to beat UNC. Louisville has not played a bigger bunch of wusses than them this century.
Maize Wrote:The Bad
1. Pittsburgh, very disappointing year for Wanny, Palko and the boys.
That should change in the near future. They've had some good recruiting classes since Wannstadt got there.
Maize Wrote:2. Having to share the Gator Bowl and Sun Bowl with the Big XII.
That doesn't bother me so much. I don't think much of the Big 12, and don't think they'll have a team available to push out a BEast team very often.
Maize Wrote:3. Having to now share the Meineke Car Care Bowl with Navy due to Mike Transghese being "BLINDSIDED".
I think we all know what I think of MT's sight on the football schools.
Maize Wrote:4. The Big East needs one or two more schools to step up to help UofL and WVU in Football.
Rutgers and South Florida are working hard on it. Pitt should be back soon, and UConn may step up to the plate in a couple of years.
Maize Wrote:5. The Houston Bowl falling apart only to come back as another Minimum Payout Bowl. At least it is still after Christmas.
The BEast should even bother with Houston. It's not going to draw a following unless a traveling fan base gets invited.
Maize Wrote:6. No Big East schools in the NCAA Final 4.
Wait until next year.
Maize Wrote:7. Disappointing years at Cincinnati and Louisville. Two Top 10 All Time programs not making the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
See above.
Maize Wrote:8. Providence Basketball, they need Dave Gavitt help.
Dave's not here man.
Maize Wrote:9. The way Nancy Z tried to kill UC basketball, at least Andy Kennedy did not let it happen and she did make the right choice in hiring Mick Cronin.
The book is still out on this one.
Maize Wrote:10. Seeing the SEC winning the NCAAs, that just makes my stomach turn.
I live in SEC country. They are a natural choice for a rival to the BEast. All we need to do is make it happen.
Maize Wrote:The Ugly
1. Syracuse Football, 1-10 just doesn't cut for this proud program.
Syracuse has their work cut out for them. It looks to be a long road they have to hoe.
Maize Wrote:2. USF Basketball, at least they won a league game.
Miracles never cease.
Quote:10. A record 8 teams made the NCAA Tournament.
Not the accomplishment it's cracked up to be, IMO, with an overbloated 16 team conference. From where Cincy fans sit, it should have been NINE. But, certainly all eight teams who did make it, easily deserved to be there, and most acquitted themselves well once they made it.
As for Zimpher, it wasn't so much a mission to destroy as it was incompetence in the way Huggins dismissal was handled. Thank God for loyal alumni like Mick Cronin, because, I doubt too many other high caliber coaches would have touched UC's job with a ten foot pole. In short, Zimpher lucked out.
Basically agree with the consensus that Pitt, USF and RU are poised to give the league additional top-25 representation. If we don't see them ranked this year, we certainly will in the immediate future, the way they're all recruiting.
BJUnklFkr Wrote:Quote:10. A record 8 teams made the NCAA Tournament.
Not the accomplishment it's cracked up to be, IMO, with an overbloated 16 team conference. From where Cincy fans sit, it should have been NINE. But, certainly all eight teams who did make it, easily deserved to be there, and most acquitted themselves well once they made it.
With slightly better scheduling (SU and Louisville taking the brunt of the bad scheduling) and better fortune (Cincinnati being hurt by injuries, ND losing 9 games decided by 4 points or less - four of them in OT), the Big East could have had 10 or 11 teams make it to the dance last year.
It will be interesting to see how things shape up and whether or not there truly is an invisible ceiling of 8 teams from any one conference.
Cheers,
Neil
bitcruncher Wrote:That should change in the near future. They've had some good recruiting classes since Wannstadt got there.
The thing is, we don't know if Wannstatdt can coach them up. If he doesn't at least he will leave the cupboard full for the next Pitt Coach.
bitcruncher Wrote:That doesn't bother me so much. I don't think much of the Big 12, and don't think they'll have a team available to push out a BEast team very often.
I just don't like potentially not having a Eastern Bowl for our Number 2 only 1 time in this 4 year period. We now have to root for ND to make a BCS Bowl every year and that sucks.
bitcruncher Wrote:I think we all know what I think of MT's sight on the football schools.
Blind as a BAT.
I don't think the book out at all on Mick Cronin, this was an outstanding hire and one that will help Cincinnati basketball for years to come. I love the hire. Pitt is my surprise team this year in football. I can see them cracking the Top 25 4 or 5 games into the season, maybe even after the 3rd game.
I think the loses by Pitt and UC in football to the MAC were in the ugly catagory for BE. You had a hard time telling who was the BCS team in each of those games.
OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote:I think the loses by Pitt and UC in football to the MAC were in the ugly catagory for BE. You had a hard time telling who was the BCS team in each of those games.
Bah, that happens more often then people realize. Fresno has ambushed plenty of people and TCU beat Oklahoma soundly on their home field. Considering Cincinnati is a year removed from a non-BCS league and is in complete rebuilding mode that can be excused. Pitt's loss is inexcusable though but, again, it happens.
L-yes Wrote:You have to beat UNC. Louisville has not played a bigger bunch of wusses than them this century.
That is so true.... lmfao
L-Yes, they probably don't want to schedule you guys anymore.
ECU Pirate
ECU_Pirate Wrote:L-yes Wrote:You have to beat UNC. Louisville has not played a bigger bunch of wusses than them this century.
That is so true.... lmfao
L-Yes, they probably don't want to schedule you guys anymore.
ECU Pirate
I loved all the trash talking they did prior to the games about their superior recruiting classes in a superior conference and how Louisville was playing "real" competition when they played them, and then they proceed to bend over and let Louisville do whatever they felt like doing. That ACC power up in Chapel Hill, what a juggernaut!
CatsClaw Wrote:ECU_Pirate Wrote:L-yes Wrote:You have to beat UNC. Louisville has not played a bigger bunch of wusses than them this century.
That is so true.... lmfao
L-Yes, they probably don't want to schedule you guys anymore.
ECU Pirate
I loved all the trash talking they did prior to the games about their superior recruiting classes in a superior conference and how Louisville was playing "real" competition when they played them, and then they proceed to bend over and let Louisville do whatever they felt like doing. That ACC power up in Chapel Hill, what a juggernaut!
All you have to do is visit Chapel Hill once and it would be enough to make you puke. For all there advantages they have in this state, being the flagshipp University, they still can not be a power in football. Why you think Mack Brown left. Its a basketball school that plays football.
ECU Pirate
ECU_Pirate Wrote:CatsClaw Wrote:ECU_Pirate Wrote:L-yes Wrote:You have to beat UNC. Louisville has not played a bigger bunch of wusses than them this century.
That is so true.... lmfao
L-Yes, they probably don't want to schedule you guys anymore.
ECU Pirate
I loved all the trash talking they did prior to the games about their superior recruiting classes in a superior conference and how Louisville was playing "real" competition when they played them, and then they proceed to bend over and let Louisville do whatever they felt like doing. That ACC power up in Chapel Hill, what a juggernaut!
All you have to do is visit Chapel Hill once and it would be enough to make you puke. For all there advantages they have in this state, being the flagshipp University, they still can not be a power in football. Why you think Mack Brown left. Its a basketball school that plays football.
ECU Pirate
It's crazy. But if you listen to North Carolina fans you would think they were a perennial Top 25 program. Upsetting Miami didn't help squelch their egoes either.
I really want to go unscored upon against them. That would be amazing.
brista21 Wrote:I really want to go unscored upon against them. That would be amazing.
Come on Brista. Is your defense going to be that good? Didn't you lose a lot in the trenches?
That said, I certainly think you guys can beat that team. NC is without question a talented team. They can beat Miami and the like when they put their mind to it, but seem to have a hard time getting up for most games.