Okay Louisville the love fest is over. As a WVU graduate and big fan, you guys are going to have to earn the big east title. i am glad u guys are in the big east but.....this aint no conference USA teams. This year you will be playing Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse, and Rutgers as conference opponents. Not to put down the old conf. usa but those above mentioned teams are better than any of the old and present conf. usa.

it's just absolutely crazy for the media to think you guys are going to cake walk through the big east. think about it; west virginia has been co-champs and runner up to miami, fla in 2002 and 2003, respectively. in 2004, we shared the big east title again. Va. Tech wins the ACC last year. when in 2003 they finished 3 or 4th behind west virginia 2 years in a row. bottom line is that you guys (U of L) better not think yal are going to be handed the big east title. I see yal losing 2 games for sure in the big east.

[QUOTE] As a WVU graduate and big fan, you guys are going to have to earn the big east title.

WE wouldn't have it any other way! Bring your "A" game, because we sure will when we visit you this season.

I won't spend time here smacking WV or wasting space telling you why Ul is going to be very good. Let's just hurry up and get this rivalry started.

good reply my man. it's going to be a great year for the big east. in all honesty, i hope either pitt or u of l go undefeated and the rest of the conference be competitive and show all the naysayers that they are wrong about the Big East.

bottom line is that we need for pitt and u of l to carry the big east banner nationwide and west virginia, syracuse, uconn, and rutgers to have 8-3 or 7-4 seasons. and u of c and usf to hold their own. whatever happens alot is riding on pitt and u of l.

The doubters will be surprised at the quality teams that the Big East will have this year.

jtwvu87 Wrote:This year you will be playing Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse, and Rutgers as conference opponents. Not to put down the old conf. usa but those above mentioned teams are better than any of the old and present conf. usa.

Ok Time out, I am as happy as anyone to leave CUSA for the Big East, but facts are facts, and it is a fact that Louisville, Cincy, Southern Miss, Memphis, TCU, Tulane, and ECU have all fielded teams in the last ten years that can more than hang with the remaining members of the Old Big East, Rutgers, and Syracuse especially.

Louisville's CUSA team in 2003 beat the Cuse in the Carrier Dome, Rutgers is an improving team and I am not trying to knock a potential sleeping giant, but most of the top five or six CUSA teams over the last seven years could have beaten them. ECU beat Miami a couple of times, Louisville beat FSU, TCU was a pretty good team acouple years back, Tulane in the late 90's had an undefeated season, Southern Miss has placed a hurting on many teams. CUSA's problem was not the top of the leave was weak, the top four of the CUSA any given year could play with any team in the Big East, it's the bottom 5-6 that were so bad that made the league look bad. Think what you may, Louisville has not played a down of football in the Big East yet so go ahead and get it out of your system, but you will find that the Cards are not as far back as you might expect coming from CUSA. The only question mark will be the week after week of increased competition, but it's not like the Big East is the SEC East, it will be tough, but not impossible for the CUSA teams transfers to compete for the BE championship quickly.

MHSCard Wrote:

jtwvu87 Wrote:This year you will be playing Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse, and Rutgers as conference opponents.  Not to put down the old conf. usa but those above mentioned teams are better than any of the old and present conf. usa. 

Ok Time out, I am as happy as anyone to leave CUSA for the Big East, but facts are facts, and it is a fact that Louisville, Cincy, Southern Miss, Memphis, TCU, Tulane, and ECU have all fielded teams in the last ten years that can more than hang with the remaining members of the Old Big East, Rutgers, and Syracuse especially.

Louisville's CUSA team in 2003 beat the Cuse in the Carrier Dome, Rutgers is an improving team and I am not trying to knock a potential sleeping giant, but most of the top five or six CUSA teams over the last seven years could have beaten them. ECU beat Miami a couple of times, Louisville beat FSU, TCU was a pretty good team acouple years back, Tulane in the late 90's had an undefeated season, Southern Miss has placed a hurting on many teams. CUSA's problem was not the top of the leave was weak, the top four of the CUSA any given year could play with any team in the Big East, it's the bottom 5-6 that were so bad that made the league look bad. Think what you may, Louisville has not played a down of football in the Big East yet so go ahead and get it out of your system, but you will find that the Cards are not as far back as you might expect coming from CUSA. The only question mark will be the week after week of increased competition, but it's not like the Big East is the SEC East, it will be tough, but not impossible for the CUSA teams transfers to compete for the BE championship quickly.

MHS, no one doubts that Louisville and company will be able to hang with the remaining BE teams. What everyone can agree on is that there really are no breather teams in the BE anymore. There are no ECU's and Army's in the BE. Louisville may win the BE, I dont doubt that at all, but your not going to be putting up 45 and 60 point games every week in the BE like you guys did in CUSA.

The wins that you recall for CUSA teams against Miami and FSU and the like may be a big deal for CUSA, and they would be for anyone, but the BE teams such as WV and SU, and even a resurging Pitt have all had alot more of those big wins in the last 5-10 years. With the exception of Rutgers and USF last year, all the other teams you will face in the BE will be bowl teams. You certainly could not say that about CUSA last year.

The thing about CUSA last year was that the traditional powers such as USM was way down last year which resulted in the rating being so low. That and the fact that there was so many bottom feeders made the conference look really bad.

If you recall, there was alot of CUSA folks that thought that CUSA was going to be better than the BE at the beginning of last season. That turned out to be way off. Outside of Louisville, there was only maybe 1 CUSA team that could have hung in there with the top 3 BE teams. Keep in mind that CUSA went like 0-3 against the BE last year.

Quote:Ok Time out, I am as happy as anyone to leave CUSA for the Big East, but facts are facts, and it is a fact that Louisville, Cincy, Southern Miss, Memphis, TCU, Tulane, and ECU have all fielded teams in the last ten years that can more than hang with the remaining members of the Old Big East, Rutgers, and Syracuse especially.

A rule of thumb, there are more incentive for non-BCS team to prove themselves than BCS team. Colorado State beat up Colorado on the regular bases that why WV and Marshall game is not good for any of us that associate with WV. How about Louisville and Kentucky? How is that series turn out?

I think 99% of UL fans ENJOY knocking the snot out of UK every year on the Football Field!! (Especially if they had lost to UK in hoops that previous year).

UL takes advantage of any opportunity to beat the "big" State School every chance they get.

In-State Rival games turn into a giant State Festival most of the time.

I think the State of West Virginia will enjoy the upcoming Marshall/WVU games as well.

KL

jtwvu87 Wrote:Okay Louisville the love fest is over. As a WVU graduate and big fan, you guys are going to have to earn the big east title. i am glad u guys are in the big east but.....this aint no conference USA teams. This year you will be playing Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse, and Rutgers as conference opponents. Not to put down the old conf. usa but those above mentioned teams are better than any of the old and present conf. usa.

it's just absolutely crazy for the media to think you guys are going to cake walk through the big east. think about it; west virginia has been co-champs and runner up to miami, fla in 2002 and 2003, respectively. in 2004, we shared the big east title again. Va. Tech wins the ACC last year. when in 2003 they finished 3 or 4th behind west virginia 2 years in a row. bottom line is that you guys (U of L) better not think yal are going to be handed the big east title. I see yal losing 2 games for sure in the big east.

I wouldn't say that Rutgers is better then any of the old C-USA teams. Especially considering UC has beaten Syracuse over the last 5 years, and that West Virginia barely escaped with a 3 point win in Cincinnati and then Cincinnati went into West Virginia and beat them 2 years ago. Just because you played in the Big East doesn't guarantee an 7-4 or 8-3 season. I respect the Big East, but I'm not scared of it, and I sure as hell don't expect UC to bow down and kiss their ****** just because the old Big East schools say so.

SO#1 Wrote:A rule of thumb, there are more incentive for non-BCS team to prove themselves than BCS team. Colorado State beat up Colorado on the regular bases that why WV and Marshall game is not good for any of us that associate with WV. How about Louisville and Kentucky? How is that series turn out?

That theory doesn't hold water with me. If you're good you're good, no matter if the other team has "incentive". Heck, using that logic, UConn's wins weren't that big since they were proving themselves as the new kids on the block. I think it's time for people to understand there is actually some talent outside of the BCS. I know it's shocking to people, but it's true, it really is! Just look at the NFL draft and NFL rosters and see how many players played at non-BCS schools.

cuseroc Wrote:The wins that you recall for CUSA teams against Miami and FSU and the like may be a big deal for CUSA, and they would be for anyone, but the BE teams such as WV and SU, and even a resurging Pitt have all had alot more of those big wins in the last 5-10 years. With the exception of Rutgers and USF last year, all the other teams you will face in the BE will be bowl teams. You certainly could not say that about CUSA last year.

Before you go touting West Virginia, Syracuse and Pitt's "bigger and better" wins, take a look at the win of some of the incoming schools. Over the last 15 years Cincinnati wins over Syracuse, @West Virginia who went on to the Gator Bowl, #8 Wisconsin who went on to the Rose Bowl, @Virginia Tech who went on to, I believe, the Sugar Bowl, @Boston College, and near wins against Ohio State, losing by 5, and OSU went on to win the national championship, #17 Purdue by 7, lost to #17 Wisconsin, at Wisconsin, by a few points in overtime, a Top 20 Kansas State squad by a few points, West Virginia by 3, among others. As much as Big East schools want to deny it, some of the incoming schools are no slouches, especially with the experience of some of these incoming coaches (incoming Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio has a national championship ring as a coach).

Cat's_Claw Wrote:I wouldn't say that Rutgers is better then any of the old C-USA teams. Especially considering UC has beaten Syracuse over the last 5 years, and that West Virginia barely escaped with a 3 point win in Cincinnati and then Cincinnati went into West Virginia and beat them 2 years ago. Just because you played in the Big East doesn't guarantee an 7-4 or 8-3 season. I respect the Big East, but I'm not scared of it, and I sure as hell don't expect UC to bow down and kiss their ****** just because the old Big East schools say so.

Let's see Rutgers has been playing West Virginia tougher as of late. Rutgers and Syracuse only seem to beat each other at home. Rutgers has found ways to be competitive with Pitt. It was only a couple years ago when Rutgers nearly beat Miami. Rutgers is certainly better than most of the old CUSA teams certainly sans for Memphis and TCU. We've been playing BCS teams for over 25 years now (yes I count the old Eastern Indy days too) we're a bit more conditioned to the competition and in later years we're beating or at least competitive with this competition. As many say now we're not that easy of a win anymore and in fact we may start being a tossup or a loss for many others.

I can really envison UC football becoming very similar to Boston College...solid/bowl team most yrs and draw around 30,000 per...maybe 40,000 for huge games like the Eagles do.....

-- As for Rutgers...this is the yr...the talent is in place and its time for those boys to go out and get the job done



Jackson

Once again I am overjoyed to leave the 59-7 games and play better teams every week, but the original post kind of made it sound like we old CUSA teams were making a great jump and should bow down and "know our place" in relation to the old Big East teams when to be honest I think the Old Big East teams should be happy that Louisville is bring the top ten finish with them to the New Big East.

That is not to knock the tradition and place of the other schools but this myth that every BCS team is better than non BCS is just that a myth. UK and Vandy are SEC BCS schools, Baylor is a Big Twelve BCS team and they are horrible, Southern Miss, Louisville and TCU were CUSA teams that most years could compete as well or better than those SEC and Big Twelve teams. Fresno, Boise State, Utah, Colorado State, Louisville, TCU, Southern Miss, ECU all those schools have had some great (and bad years) and could play in a BCS league.

Cat's_Claw Wrote:

SO#1 Wrote:A rule of thumb, there are more incentive for non-BCS team to prove themselves than BCS team. Colorado State beat up Colorado on the regular bases that why WV and Marshall game is not good for any of us that associate with WV. How about Louisville and Kentucky? How is that series turn out?

That theory doesn't hold water with me. If you're good you're good, no matter if the other team has "incentive". Heck, using that logic, UConn's wins weren't that big since they were proving themselves as the new kids on the block. I think it's time for people to understand there is actually some talent outside of the BCS. I know it's shocking to people, but it's true, it really is! Just look at the NFL draft and NFL rosters and see how many players played at non-BCS schools.

In a team sport, emotion play a large role in the out comes in any given game. In a series of games, a superior talent will win out but in a single game an out come is not easily determine when emotion play huge factor to a point it could negate superior talent especially instate game.

NFL rosters are fills with players from a non-BCS or lower division but true BCS programs have more of future NFL prospect on their rosters than non-BCS or lower division programs.

Cat's_Claw Wrote:

cuseroc Wrote:The wins that you recall for CUSA teams against Miami and FSU and the like  may be a big deal for CUSA, and they would be for anyone,  but the BE teams such as WV and SU, and even a resurging Pitt have all had alot more of those big wins in the last 5-10 years.  With the exception of Rutgers and USF last year, all the other teams you will face in the BE will be bowl teams.  You certainly could not say that about CUSA last year.

Before you go touting West Virginia, Syracuse and Pitt's "bigger and better" wins, take a look at the win of some of the incoming schools. Over the last 15 years Cincinnati wins over Syracuse, @West Virginia who went on to the Gator Bowl, #8 Wisconsin who went on to the Rose Bowl, @Virginia Tech who went on to, I believe, the Sugar Bowl, @Boston College, and near wins against Ohio State, losing by 5, and OSU went on to win the national championship, #17 Purdue by 7, lost to #17 Wisconsin, at Wisconsin, by a few points in overtime, a Top 20 Kansas State squad by a few points, West Virginia by 3, among others. As much as Big East schools want to deny it, some of the incoming schools are no slouches, especially with the experience of some of these incoming coaches (incoming Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio has a national championship ring as a coach).

What I was saying is that the BE schools have had some big wins on a regular basis. We dont need to mention our resume as a lot of CUSA schools do, and I am not just talking about the incoming BE schools. Cincy's win over a Syracuse team that ended up 4-7 for the season is not impressive to me. Now had it been against the SU teams that won at least 8 games, now that would be impressive, such as their win over the WV team that went to the Gator Bowl. I was highly impressed with that win, but I did not really appreciate that win until after the season, because WV was like 1-4 at the time of the Cincy win.

I am not knockin the Cards or the Bearcats or the Bull. I am glad that you guys are here. I feel that you guys will help the BE regain some credibility. I am just saying that the Cards are not going to run thru the BE with 45-60 point wins like they did to CUSA. Their are no ECU, and other bottom feeders. Even Rutgers was better last year than at least a third of CUSA.

I could be wrong, it would not be the first time, but even though I feel that the Cards will win the BE, it wont be nearly as easy as it was winning CUSA.

BTW; I never said Cuse, WV or Pitt had bigger and better wins. I said that they had more of them, thats why you dont see any of us spouting off our big wins. We are used to getting big wins, although I must admit that there have not been so many in the last 3 or 4 years.

cuseroc Wrote:

Cat's_Claw Wrote:

cuseroc Wrote:The wins that you recall for CUSA teams against Miami and FSU and the like  may be a big deal for CUSA, and they would be for anyone,  but the BE teams such as WV and SU, and even a resurging Pitt have all had alot more of those big wins in the last 5-10 years.  With the exception of Rutgers and USF last year, all the other teams you will face in the BE will be bowl teams.  You certainly could not say that about CUSA last year.

Before you go touting West Virginia, Syracuse and Pitt's "bigger and better" wins, take a look at the win of some of the incoming schools. Over the last 15 years Cincinnati wins over Syracuse, @West Virginia who went on to the Gator Bowl, #8 Wisconsin who went on to the Rose Bowl, @Virginia Tech who went on to, I believe, the Sugar Bowl, @Boston College, and near wins against Ohio State, losing by 5, and OSU went on to win the national championship, #17 Purdue by 7, lost to #17 Wisconsin, at Wisconsin, by a few points in overtime, a Top 20 Kansas State squad by a few points, West Virginia by 3, among others. As much as Big East schools want to deny it, some of the incoming schools are no slouches, especially with the experience of some of these incoming coaches (incoming Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio has a national championship ring as a coach).

What I was saying is that the BE schools have had some big wins on a regular basis. We dont need to mention our resume as a lot of CUSA schools do, and I am not just talking about the incoming BE schools. Cincy's win over a Syracuse team that ended up 4-7 for the season is not impressive to me. Now had it been against the SU teams that won at least 8 games, now that would be impressive, such as their win over the WV team that went to the Gator Bowl. I was highly impressed with that win, but I did not really appreciate that win until after the season, because WV was like 1-4 at the time of the Cincy win.

I am not knockin the Cards or the Bearcats or the Bull. I am glad that you guys are here. I feel that you guys will help the BE regain some credibility. I am just saying that the Cards are not going to run thru the BE with 45-60 point wins like they did to CUSA. Their are no ECU, and other bottom feeders. Even Rutgers was better last year than at least a third of CUSA.

I could be wrong, it would not be the first time, but even though I feel that the Cards will win the BE, it wont be nearly as easy as it was winning CUSA.

BTW; I never said Cuse, WV or Pitt had bigger and better wins. I said that they had more of them, thats why you dont see any of us spouting off our big wins. We are used to getting big wins, although I must admit that there have not been so many in the last 3 or 4 years.

I understand your point and please don't mistake proud and excited Cardinal fans as thinking that they are going to beat up every Big East team. Few to none think that way, but we are hopeful and not without reason to think that it is possible to win out, not because the Big East is weak but because we have a good team this year, we have had bad teams in the past too, and will struggle again in the future too someday I am sure but right now things look good.

Here is the thing though, Louisville can point to Boise State being on a 22 game winning streak before we beat them and no one respects that, or defeats over our CUSA competition, all anyone cares about are Miami's FSU's, USC's, Texas, Michgan's and such. But the problem is those teams would not schedule play a non-BCS team unless there was little no chance that they would lose. You guys had availiblity to play good teams all through the 90's, you played them every year, we didn't, so if Louisville beat a Name team then it means to us because we never got to even play them and to play Miami so close and beat FSU was important because it was our 1 or 2 shot a year to gain any national respect. So we have gotten used to having to throw out those names because it seems no BCS team fans respect anything else.

Proof is in the pudding, we will all see after this season, the CUSA teams might kick butt, they might get there butts kicked, either way we will see.

MHSCard Wrote:...Southern Miss, Louisville and TCU were CUSA teams that most years could compete as well or better than those SEC and Big Twelve teams. Fresno, Boise State, Utah, Colorado State, Louisville, TCU, Southern Miss, ECU all those schools have had some great (and bad years) and could play in a BCS league.

Hmmmm... Sounds like if the MWC added Fresno and Boise they'd be a BCS league! :D

Here's the thing: While every member program has had solid performances and marquee wins, the New BE represents a deeper pool of stronger football programs in conference for the new comers, meaning the conference title will be more valuable and the bowl berths will be worth more. The low end crowds for the NBE will be the average crowd for CUSA, and as hinted at above Rutgers, Cincy and USF represent the new cellar, which is a compliment in noting they're all better than your Temples, Army, Tulane... For all the reasons we tout the league over CUSA and the MWC, the players themselves should show it on the field, the fans should show it in the stands, and the programs should show by their investment. It ain't the B10, but obviously it's a step up for UofL and friends, otherwise they wouldn't have come.

Now, we just need for everyone to make all the talk become reality.

Louisville has been anticipating playing in the Big East for almost two years. Don't confuse excitment with being over confident...at least not on my part. I am anxious to see how my team responds to tougher competition and believe we arrive at a very opportune time because our program is on the rise. I'll take 9 - 2 and a championship or trip to a BCS game. I hope three teams end up in the final top 25 with very good records and nice bowl games. It's not Louisville and the other old c-usa teams against the big east....remember, we are a part of the team now. We like to brag on our teams like everyone else. Just seems when we brag, others don't like it. But if an old big east team brags, no big deal.

Cat's Claw all i am trying to say to you is that all the teams of the old big east are use to playing pitt, va. tech, miami fla, west virginia, syracuse.....week after week after week. and that doesn't include the normal OOC games against the marylands, wisconsins, fla.st..etc....

the incoming conf. usa teams are going to face tougher competition week end and week out. you are going to see once the season starts. Va.Tech winning the ACC was no fluke. The old big east was a strong conference even though ESPN did not admit it until Va. Tech won the ACC in its first year. Trev Alberts even admitted as much. He stated that he has been mistaken and that the big east was much stronger than anyone gave credit. When you look at the old big east just to finish third and fourth is an accomplishment.

West Virginia has just finished one of its best recruiting years ever; Rivals Ranked WV at 31. No other team in the big east conference is close. If west virginia was winning the big east with miami and va tech in the conference, i feel confident that west virginia and not anyone else in the big east is going to rule. remember this.....ALL BIG EAST FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP WILL GO THROUGH WEST VIRGINIA. PERIOD.

I feel that no matter what other team fans say....WV, Pitt, Syracuse, and Louisville will rotate as champions. UCONN has promise as does the rest of the big east. But the teams i named above will be the powers in the big east football.

Now Cat Claw i understand that u guys have had some quality wins, but Univ. Cinci is not on WV level. I know you guys have maybe beat us once or maybe twice. and that yal have beat penn st....but there is no comparing programs....i am not even going to argue that point. While WV is not a perinnial power, we are a step above any of the teams coming into the big east.

that's just my opinion, as i said if Uof L wins the big east then i will give them their props...but until that occurs Pitt and WV are the reigning Co-Champs. And the year prior, WV was Co-Champs with Miami, Fla, and the year before that we were sole runner up to miami with va. tech in third.

so until you guys show me....we WV are running the big east.

later