(11-04-2011 08:52 PM)USAFMEDIC Wrote:  

(11-04-2011 08:05 PM)Lolly Popp Wrote:  The problem with the Big East goes back to before its formation. In the 1970s, Penn State wanted to get the Eastern Independents together in one conference, but also wanted unfair advantages and concessions in football, which killed the deal. Pitt was coming off the 1976 national championship and was every bit the equal of the Nittany Lions. So the idea went nowhere at that time.

The second problem came when the Big East was formed. Dave Gavitt and Providence wanted to create the greatest basketball league in NCAA history, based on capturing all the big Northeast markets. Rutgers and Temple were original target schools, but both said no, because they were loyal to Joe Paterno and his plans. Those rejections completely changed the direction of the Big East.

As you know, Seton Hall and Villanova were the second choices in the New Jersey and Philadelphia markets, and the problems began. If the Big East had only included Providence, St. John's, and Georgetown as Catholic schools, it could have still worked out. UConn might have upgraded earlier. BC, Syracuse, Rutgers, and Temple would have eventually gotten Penn State and Pitt voted in.

What happened in real life was Penn State applied in 1982. Five teams voted yes and three voted no (believed by some to be Seton Hall, Villanova, and Georgetown). Problem was they needed six to get in. Then, to prevent Paterno from luring BC and Syracuse to a new conference, the Big East voted to add Pitt instead. This bit of egotistical treachery was basically the point of no return.

A new President took over at Penn State in the late 1980s and decided he wanted them in the Big Ten. At that point, the Big East opted to grab Miami for all sports, to substitute for the star power lost due to Penn State's move. Then they added Rutgers, Temple, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia as football-only members, joining the Hurricanes, BC, Syracuse, and Pitt in the gridiron hybrid.

A huge opportunity was also missed in 1994. CBS offered the football schools a contract to break away, form their own all-sports league, and expand. Instead, they compromised by adding Rutgers and West Virginia for all sports, plus Notre Dame in everything but football. Temple and Virginia Tech got screwed, although the Hokies did eventually get basketball membership, shortly before leaving.

You know the rest, with the ACC pulling off a raid in 2003, followed by the chaos of this year. So the reason the Big East is where it is, in my opinion, is because of bad decisions and half-baked compromises. Rutgers and Temple should have said yes in 1979. Penn State should have been admitted in 1982. The football schools should have taken the money from CBS and broken away in 1994.

Thanks for all the effort. Awesome post. Glad I asked. I think a lot of us just know the details and history of the BE. I cannot believe they turned down Penn State. That rates right up there with Coke refusing to pay $29,000 for a bankrupt Pepsi...

No, it doesn't. Adding Penn State to a basketball conference made little or no sense at the time. And trying to get to an all sports conference via a basketball conference would only have left us with the same mess of a hybrid that we have today.

What's more, Penn State never would have stayed in the Big East even if they had been admitted. Bryce Jordan arrived at Penn State the following year with the express purpose of taking them to the Big Ten. Membership in the Big East would not have changed that.