(02-01-2019 09:59 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(02-01-2019 04:39 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(02-01-2019 03:39 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(01-31-2019 05:07 PM)solohawks Wrote:  The Big East would have been much better off if the initial lineup was

Providence
St John's
Georgetown
Syracuse
BC
UConn
Rutgers
Temple

Penn State and Pitt would have both been accepted and Big East football would have been formed immediately under Gavitts terms instead of Paterno's failed attempt.

If Penn St would have stayed when the Big 10 came calling, no one will know for sure but it would have been interesting and led to a northeastern all sports conference having time to lay a foundation on it's own terms

I think I read once that Seton Hall voted yes for Penn St so it probably wouldn't have changed things to replace the Pirates for the Scarlet Knights.

A dream eastern league would have been:

Penn St, Pitt, Rutgers, Temple, WVU, BC, Cuse

G'town, St John's, UConn

Miami and VT could be added later as FB onlys and eventually full members. UConn upgrades their program in 2004.

Villanova and Seton Hall get left out due to duplication of markets. BC and UConn would offer significant coverage of New England to not need Providence. Those 3 end up in a league with Duquesne, UMass, St Joe's, URI, etc.

Ideally, I think Villanova would be in there as well. Even though they duplicate the Philly market, it's a big market. Technically, Rutgers and St. John's are duplicates as well, but NY/NJ is an even bigger market.

Would such a lineup entice ND to join as a non-FB member?

Eastern Athletic Conference (8 FB, 12 BB)
Full: Boston College, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, West Virginia
NFB: Connecticut, Georgetown, Notre Dame, St. John's, Villanova
FBO: Virginia Tech (later Miami, FSU?)

Basketball divisions:

Boston College/West Virginia
Connecticut/Temple
Georgetown/Villanova
Notre Dame/Pittsburgh
St. John's/Rutgers
Syracuse/Penn State

Each team plays its 5 division mates twice, 2 crossovers (1 permanent, 1 rotating) twice, and the rest once for an 18-game schedule.

I agonized over leaving Villanova out in that scenario but they'd be #11 in an era when going beyond 10 was unfathomable. Maybe they sneak in later.

Out the gate this league would have 10 for BB and 7 for FB which was feasible for the era.

Adding the two football affiliates brings them to 9 for FB and more in line what we are accustomed to now. This creates a killer rivalry week:

BC vs Cuse
Pitt vs WVU
Rutgers vs Temple (ESPN 3)
VT vs UVA (OOC)
Penn St vs Miami (w/ the conference title likely on the line)

Admitting the affiliates as full members creates a 9/12 set up and if UConn upgrades that becomes 10/12. Maybe in the mid 90s we see Notre Dame and Villanova join as nonfootball members.

The trouble with the whole thing is a still think that VT and Miami's loyalties would teeter and the ACC would still be a temptation unless Notre Dame is in the Big East for other sports and they could get some guaranteed FB games with the Irish OOC.