This is from Rivals.com Sr. Football Writer Olin Buchanan

May 11, 2007

Olin Buchanan
Rivals.com College Football Senior Writer

Don't worry, though. Living in the present is a good thing.

Of course, there are stubborn ones out there that maintain that when Miami, Boston College and Virginia Tech jumped ship for the ACC, the Big East became a sinking ship.

Admittedly, that appeared the case when Utah blasted Pittsburgh 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2004 season. Big East detractors will still reference that as proof the Big East doesn't belong among the NCAA power conferences.

Yeah, and the horse-and-buggy will never be replaced.

Anyone who doubts the legitimacy of Big East football has obviously had their heads in the sand. West Virginia and Louisville are firmly established as national powers, Rutgers is close and South Florida is also an emerging program. Pittsburgh is usually respectable, too.

Still not convinced? That's OK. Some skeptics still doubt the moon landing, too.

But this isn't meant to chastise anyone. If this debate causes bad blood among any Big East detractors then sit back, apply some leeches and continue to read.


OLIN'S MAILBAG
Big East really big
Do you think the Big East should be a BCS conference? I don't. I just can't see Louisville and West Virginia beating teams like Michigan or USC or Florida. I think that the best teams in the Big East would have a hard time beating only decent teams in other BCS conferences. What do you think?

Maize Wrote:

Quote:Eastern football has sucked for years.

So Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia have sucked for years. What about the National title teams from Army and Navy as well.

Point is Top Coog, Eastern Football has a Proud tradition and in this present day and age it is a better brand of Football that is now being displayed in the Southwest/Great Plains.

Penn State
Rutgers
West Virginia
Louisville

Those 4 Eastern teams are better right here/right now then any 4 that can be put together by anyone from the C-USA West, TCU or the Big XII.

Quote:It is? He did?

Compared to Coog he did.

just keep hanging out in that twilight zone maize. The big east was a joke before all the good teams decided to leave.

Like Rivals Senior Football Writer said along with CBS Sportsline Dennis Dodd, Sports Illustrated Stewart Mandel, ESPN.com Pat Forde get your head out of the sand. Big East Football is pretty good today.

BTW, I am still laughing that you try to put Big XII Football on the same level as the SEC.

Maize Wrote:Like Rivals Senior Football Writer said along with CBS Sportsline Dennis Dodd, Sports Illustrated Stewart Mandel, ESPN.com Pat Forde get your head out of the sand. Big East Football is pretty good today.

BTW, I am still laughing that you try to put Big XII Football on the same level as the SEC.

bearcatfan Wrote:UC and USF finished tied for 3rd in the Big East last year. So they are not in the bottom half of the Big East and certainly not "laughers". Both teams would have challenged for, if not won, a CUSA championship last year. UC went toe to toe with OSU and Va. Tech at their places last year and beat Rutgers easily. USF beat WVU at WVU.

How did UC and USF tie for 3rd, when UL, WVU, and Rutgers were 1,2, and 3?

And no, UC would not have challenged for, or won, CUSA's title. You couldn't do it the entire time you were here, so what makes you think you could do it now? UC had a nice 8-5 record, but you didn't beat a single good team all year.

TopCoog Wrote:

Maize Wrote:Like Rivals Senior Football Writer said along with CBS Sportsline Dennis Dodd, Sports Illustrated Stewart Mandel, ESPN.com Pat Forde get your head out of the sand. Big East Football is pretty good today.

BTW, I am still laughing that you try to put Big XII Football on the same level as the SEC.

So you are saying the College Football Media is

What is is trying to put the Big XII over the ACC, Big Ten, Pac Ten and even the Big East and on the same level as the SEC.

As much as I dislike the Big XII and its arrogant fanbases.....putting the Big East ahead of the Big XII is ridiculous. Sure, the Big East had a great season last year and the Big XII had a bad one but it'd take 3 straight good seasons for the BE and 3 straight bad seasons for the Big XII in order for the BE to be ahead of the Big XII.

Let's compare the 4 top teams in the Big XII and the Big East (based on last year):

Oklahoma
Nebraska
Texas A&M
Texas

Louisville
West Virginia
Rutgers
South Florida

Let's be honest here. Do we really think the top 4 BE schools have the recruits, facilities, history, tradition, attendance and national prestige than those of the top 4 Big XII schools? Absolutely not. Like I said before, in order for the BE to be ahead of the Big XII is if the Big XII keeps having seasons like last year. Same for the ACC....like the Big XII they had a bad season last year. But if people believe Miami, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Florida State will have seasons like last year then I have beachfront property I can sell you in Montana.

In The Know Wrote:

bearcatfan Wrote:UC and USF finished tied for 3rd in the Big East last year. So they are not in the bottom half of the Big East and certainly not "laughers". Both teams would have challenged for, if not won, a CUSA championship last year. UC went toe to toe with OSU and Va. Tech at their places last year and beat Rutgers easily. USF beat WVU at WVU.

How did UC and USF tie for 3rd, when UL, WVU, and Rutgers were 1,2, and 3?

And no, UC would not have challenged for, or won, CUSA's title. You couldn't do it the entire time you were here, so what makes you think you could do it now? UC had a nice 8-5 record, but you didn't beat a single good team all year.

It's amazing that such a small paragraph can be so wrong on every level.

1. Because Rutgers and WVU tied for 2nd with 5-2 records.

2. UC finished tied for 2nd in CUSA in 2000, 2001, tied for FIRST in 2002, and tied for 2nd in 2004.

2. I guess beating #7 ranked Rutgers 30-11 does not count?
I guess beating USF (a team that beat WVU) 23-6 does not count?
I guess beating a good MAC team in Western Michigan does not count?

UTEPDallas Wrote:As much as I dislike the Big XII and its arrogant fanbases.....putting the Big East ahead of the Big XII is ridiculous. Sure, the Big East had a great season last year and the Big XII had a bad one but it'd take 3 straight good seasons for the BE and 3 straight bad seasons for the Big XII in order for the BE to be ahead of the Big XII.

Let's compare the 4 top teams in the Big XII and the Big East (based on last year):

Oklahoma
Nebraska
Texas A&M
Texas

Louisville
West Virginia
Rutgers
South Florida

Let's be honest here. Do we really think the top 4 BE schools have the recruits, facilities, history, tradition, attendance and national prestige than those of the top 4 Big XII schools? Absolutely not. Like I said before, in order for the BE to be ahead of the Big XII is if the Big XII keeps having seasons like last year. Same for the ACC....like the Big XII they had a bad season last year. But if people believe Miami, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Florida State will have seasons like last year then I have beachfront property I can sell you in Montana.

The article was not talking about a historical perception but a current one.

Let just say this and go by level of finish in 2006 and the way it looks going into 2007.

Louisville would be favored over Oklahoma.
West Virginia would be a slight favorite.
Rutgers would be a slight favorite over Nebraska
Texas A&M would be favored over USF

Like Mandel said everything is cyclical and right now the Big East is on a up tick while the Big XII is on a downward turn.

Maize Wrote:

UTEPDallas Wrote:As much as I dislike the Big XII and its arrogant fanbases.....putting the Big East ahead of the Big XII is ridiculous. Sure, the Big East had a great season last year and the Big XII had a bad one but it'd take 3 straight good seasons for the BE and 3 straight bad seasons for the Big XII in order for the BE to be ahead of the Big XII.

Let's compare the 4 top teams in the Big XII and the Big East (based on last year):

Oklahoma
Nebraska
Texas A&M
Texas

Louisville
West Virginia
Rutgers
South Florida

Let's be honest here. Do we really think the top 4 BE schools have the recruits, facilities, history, tradition, attendance and national prestige than those of the top 4 Big XII schools? Absolutely not. Like I said before, in order for the BE to be ahead of the Big XII is if the Big XII keeps having seasons like last year. Same for the ACC....like the Big XII they had a bad season last year. But if people believe Miami, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Florida State will have seasons like last year then I have beachfront property I can sell you in Montana.

The article was not talking about a historical perception but a current one.

Let just say this and go by level of finish in 2006 and the way it looks going into 2007.

Louisville would be favored over Oklahoma.
West Virginia would be a slight favorite.
Rutgers would be a slight favorite over Nebraska
Texas A&M would be favored over USF

Like Mandel said everything is cyclical and right now the Big East is on a up tick while the Big XII is on a downward turn.

Maize knows the Big East is the same old eastern football we have seen for decades, a decent second or third tier league.

Maize Wrote:

UTEPDallas Wrote:As much as I dislike the Big XII and its arrogant fanbases.....putting the Big East ahead of the Big XII is ridiculous. Sure, the Big East had a great season last year and the Big XII had a bad one but it'd take 3 straight good seasons for the BE and 3 straight bad seasons for the Big XII in order for the BE to be ahead of the Big XII.

Let's compare the 4 top teams in the Big XII and the Big East (based on last year):

Oklahoma
Nebraska
Texas A&M
Texas

Louisville
West Virginia
Rutgers
South Florida

Let's be honest here. Do we really think the top 4 BE schools have the recruits, facilities, history, tradition, attendance and national prestige than those of the top 4 Big XII schools? Absolutely not. Like I said before, in order for the BE to be ahead of the Big XII is if the Big XII keeps having seasons like last year. Same for the ACC....like the Big XII they had a bad season last year. But if people believe Miami, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Florida State will have seasons like last year then I have beachfront property I can sell you in Montana.

The article was not talking about a historical perception but a current one.

Let just say this and go by level of finish in 2006 and the way it looks going into 2007.

Louisville would be favored over Oklahoma.
West Virginia would be a slight favorite.
Rutgers would be a slight favorite over Nebraska
Texas A&M would be favored over USF

Like Mandel said everything is cyclical and right now the Big East is on a up tick while the Big XII is on a downward turn.

I agree with you. However, for this coming season...I see this (based on the order of finish from last year):

Oklahoma over Louisville. (Sorry, I'm still not sold on Coach Kragthorpe)
West Virginia over Nebraska. (WVU has the better coach)
Rutgers over Texas A&M. (IMO, Franchione is gone after this season)
Texas over South Florida (Texas too much for USF)

So I see a 2-2 record. Once again this is based on last year's standings for each conference.

As for the national media....you know too well they're not reliable. Two years ago they were downgrading the Big East at every chance they got by saying idiotic things like "the Big Least"..."the BE does not deserve BCS status"...."the BE is dead after the ACC raid"......."USF to a BCS bowl? U have to be kidiing me"...and at the end they had to eat crow since the BE proved they're a BCS worthy league.

Like I said before....I'm no fan of the Big XII (but I'd give my left nut for UTEP to be in that conference) but this coming season will prove if we're right or wrong.

UTEPDallas Wrote:

Maize Wrote:

UTEPDallas Wrote:As much as I dislike the Big XII and its arrogant fanbases.....putting the Big East ahead of the Big XII is ridiculous. Sure, the Big East had a great season last year and the Big XII had a bad one but it'd take 3 straight good seasons for the BE and 3 straight bad seasons for the Big XII in order for the BE to be ahead of the Big XII.

Let's compare the 4 top teams in the Big XII and the Big East (based on last year):

Oklahoma
Nebraska
Texas A&M
Texas

Louisville
West Virginia
Rutgers
South Florida

Let's be honest here. Do we really think the top 4 BE schools have the recruits, facilities, history, tradition, attendance and national prestige than those of the top 4 Big XII schools? Absolutely not. Like I said before, in order for the BE to be ahead of the Big XII is if the Big XII keeps having seasons like last year. Same for the ACC....like the Big XII they had a bad season last year. But if people believe Miami, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Florida State will have seasons like last year then I have beachfront property I can sell you in Montana.

The article was not talking about a historical perception but a current one.

Let just say this and go by level of finish in 2006 and the way it looks going into 2007.

Louisville would be favored over Oklahoma.
West Virginia would be a slight favorite.
Rutgers would be a slight favorite over Nebraska
Texas A&M would be favored over USF

Like Mandel said everything is cyclical and right now the Big East is on a up tick while the Big XII is on a downward turn.

I agree with you. However, for this coming season...I see this (based on the order of finish from last year):

Oklahoma over Louisville. (Sorry, I'm still not sold on Coach Kragthorpe)
West Virginia over Nebraska. (WVU has the better coach)
Rutgers over Texas A&M. (IMO, Franchione is gone after this season)
Texas over South Florida (Texas too much for USF)

So I see a 2-2 record. Once again this is based on last year's standings for each conference.

As for the national media....you know too well they're not reliable. Two years ago they were downgrading the Big East at every chance they got by saying idiotic things like "the Big Least"..."the BE does not deserve BCS status"...."the BE is dead after the ACC raid"......."USF to a BCS bowl? U have to be kidiing me"...and at the end they had to eat crow since the BE proved they're a BCS worthy league.

Like I said before....I'm no fan of the Big XII (but I'd give my left nut for UTEP to be in that conference) but this coming season will prove if we're right or wrong.

You 2 are actually putting some thought into your posts. It's a shame the conversation has to be interrupted by TopCoog's drivel.

Bearcatfan:

Sometimes I don't understand TopCoog either but if I was a Houston fan and if I'm seeing how my ex conference mates moved up (UT, A&M, Tech and even freaking Baylor)...I'd still be nostalgic of the good ol' SWC days. I think that's the feeling among Houston fans (and SMU, TCU and Rice fans as well)....they still live in the past. They have to realize those days aren't coming back and now instead of Texas, A&M and Tech coming to town is now UTEP, Tulane, Tulsa and Southern Miss.

At least TopCoog is respectful while trying to explain his argument.

bearcatfan Wrote:1. Because Rutgers and WVU tied for 2nd with 5-2 records.

Then that means the USF and Cincy tied for 4th.

Quote:2. UC finished tied for 2nd in CUSA in 2000, 2001, tied for FIRST in 2002, and tied for 2nd in 2004.

Keyword TIED for first. You didn't represent the conference in the champ's bowl, though. Who cares about 2nd?

Quote:2. I guess beating #7 ranked Rutgers 30-11 does not count?
I guess beating USF (a team that beat WVU) 23-6 does not count?
I guess beating a good MAC team in Western Michigan does not count?

Missed the Rutgers win. That was a nice one, but other than that, you just beat a bunch of crap teams. USF sucked. They barely beat a terrible UCF team, and FIU. The MAC sucks. USM slaughtered their #2 team, so we know how bad that conference was last year.

Besides all of that, you keep losing coaches. Cincy is a stepping stone, and will never amount to anything.

Keyword TIED for first. You didn't represent the conference in the champ's bowl, though. Who cares about 2nd?



That keyword also applies to Southern Miss's lone basketball regular season championship. Does that lessen the accomplishment?

bearcat65 Wrote:That keyword also applies to Southern Miss's lone basketball regular season championship. Does that lessen the accomplishment?

I'm not claiming that we could march into the BE and win the basketball title, either. ;-)

In The Know Wrote:

bearcat65 Wrote:That keyword also applies to Southern Miss's lone basketball regular season championship. Does that lessen the accomplishment?

I'm not claiming that we could march into the BE and win the basketball title, either. ;-)

No you didn't. I wouldn't say that UC would have won CUSA last season but for the most part UC was competitive while in CUSA and I think they would have been last year as well.

bearcat65 Wrote:I wouldn't say that UC would have won CUSA last season

But you did...

bearcatfan Wrote:Both teams would have challenged for, if not won, a CUSA championship last year.

In The Know Wrote:

bearcat65 Wrote:I wouldn't say that UC would have won CUSA last season

But you did...

bearcatfan Wrote:Both teams would have challenged for, if not won, a CUSA championship last year.

Bearcatfan and bearcat65 are not the same posters.

bearcat65 Wrote:

In The Know Wrote:

bearcat65 Wrote:I wouldn't say that UC would have won CUSA last season

But you did...

bearcatfan Wrote:Both teams would have challenged for, if not won, a CUSA championship last year.

Bearcatfan and bearcat65 are not the same posters.

Ahhhhh.