Truth be told, rath. The BEast commissioner's job does include making contingency plans, if he's going to do a good job. Good execs plan for every contingency. Bad execs don't, which is why they usually end up failing in their job...

Would you go into a battle without any contingency planning? You plan for everything, or you die in short order. That's been The BEast's problem. They planned for nothing, hoping life would go on as it always had. It didn't, and look where it got them...

(01-11-2012 10:19 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  Truth be told, rath. The BEast commissioner's job does include making contingency plans, if he's going to do a good job. Good execs plan for every contingency. Bad execs don't, which is why they usually end up failing in their job...

Would you go into a battle without any contingency planning? You plan for everything, or you die in short order. That's been The BEast's problem. They planned for nothing, hoping life would go on as it always had. It didn't, and look where it got them...

Technically you could say the same about the Big-12. They didn't have a contingency plan either. They have been in reaction mode for 2 years now; and have major turmoil still within its ranks.

In case you didn't notice, the Big XII does have a contingency plan. The plan is to sic Baylor's legal team on the Longhorns...

(01-11-2012 10:46 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  In case you didn't notice, the Big XII does have a contingency plan. The plan is to sic Baylor's legal team on the Longhorns...

LOL! Isn't that the truth!

(01-09-2012 12:12 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Interesting piece from Chuck Landon. Says many of the same things that have been discussed here. He goes one step futher. WVU might not go to Big 12 afterall, at least according to Landon.

From the article:

If the Big East wins in court it will cause major consequences for any hopes of a WVU move to the Big 12. Does anybody actually believe the Big 12 would wait 27 months on the Mountaineers?

I'm not sure the Big 12 still will take WVU if the Mountaineers aren't on-board for the 2012 season. Remember, that once was a contingency for WVU's potential membership. Then, the league claimed it wasn't.

Don't be surprised if the contingency still exists.

In the meantime, the Big 12 is being held hostage by the legal battles between WVU and the Big East. While all the other BCS leagues are releasing their 2012 schedules, the Big 12 sits idle because it doesn't know whether to include WVU or not.

Furthermore, if WVU isn't a member of the Big 12 in 2012 that would leave the conference with only nine members. That creates a scheduling nightmare that Big 12 officials and member schools won't soon forget.

WVU and The Big 12

If they want to go, they deserve to be able to go to the Big 12. The Big East failed their membership and thus have not acted in the football school's best long term or short term interests.
Thus they owe the Big East little if anything at this point. If all the league cares about is markets, one could argue the Big East came out better by adding three larger markets. Having good teams doesn't matter here. Just markets, a TV contract and money. Doesn't even matter if you win ballgames in that climate.

Might as well let them go. Their accomplishments will only be credited toward the Big 12 in the end anyway. If the Big 12 doesn't take them the SEC eventually would. You can't keep WVU in a deminished, CUSA laiden Big East that doesn't even include CUSA's best programs and expect to keep a WVU. They tried their best to make it work but the hoop side is having a jolly old time of botching it up bigtime.
And now they have...
They're outta here... Pretty soon the only league that is going to matter is the SEC and maybe the Big 12. The rest are just a bunch of also rans and posers. I forgot there was a title game on the other night until the last two minutes. So this is all a lot of fuss over something that the SEC is going to control. Not the Big East, ACC, Boston Globe, ESPN or anybody else. You've given away the farm in the Big East and it's disappointing to watch.

(01-11-2012 09:55 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  Will you feel that way, if, UC gets a Big 12 invite?

Absolutely. Like it or not, its a pretty simple legal reality being dealt with here.

Although I think there's no chance of WVU still being in the Big East in 2013, I think there's a fair chance of WVU playing in the BE in 2012. That would be through a settlement at the courthouse steps. Wouldn't be the first time such an eleventh hour agreement has been reached. The BE would accept just a modest check in exchange for WVU remaining in one more year to alleviate scheduling problems. As I said above, the BE would be entitled to compensatory damages for breach and because of the need to schedule FCS schools and juggle things around there will be a lot more of a monetary hit coming to a 7-member BE in 2012 than to a larger BE in 2013.

The Big East is not settling. No incentive to do so.

(01-11-2012 01:26 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  The Big East is not settling. No incentive to do so.

Can I save this post?

(01-11-2012 01:26 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  The Big East is not settling. No incentive to do so.

The incentive would be knowledge that the chances of obtaining an injunction are slim and none (which I have little doubt the BE's attorneys have told the conference office privately) and that WVU's agreement to remain in for one more year would facilitate putting together a 2012 football schedule.

I didn't mention it before but IIRC, the NCAA won't sanction a 7-member football conference without a waiver. And no NCAA sanction, no automatic qualification for a BCS bowl would be my guess. The WAC has obtained such a waiver for 2012 so it's certainly possible in theory to get one. However, the WAC's application was made like 18 months in advance. Has the BE even petitioned for a waiver for 2012 yet much less obtained one in the event WVU leaves?

Finally this. It's been reported on the MWC board that rumors have been floated about Boise joining this July in the event WVU does bolt. However, those of you who have followed the BE much longer than yours truly are saying you've heard nothing about any such contingency plan from Marinatto. Care to weigh in on that too?

(01-11-2012 01:26 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  The Big East is not settling. No incentive to do so.

The incentive would be to move on and plan for a better future.

WVU is gone 100%. They will pay the price & the price is well worth it....Oklahoma & Texas are juggernauts, WVU will make more $$ so they could care less. Thats the truth & no one can stop them. Im over it.

(01-11-2012 04:13 PM)cardshouse Wrote:  WVU is gone 100%. They will pay the price & the price is well worth it....Oklahoma & Texas are juggernauts, WVU will make more $$ so they could care less. Thats the truth & no one can stop them. Im over it.

You might be but if this board reflects that of the MWC, fans of some of the "leftovers" will remain butt hurt for months. That attitude is understandable but sad in a way since nobody should be blamed for improving their lot in life. As an example, I never criticized Utah for leaving for the Pac-12 nor did other Aztecs but fans of some of the other conference schools still haven't gotten over that.

The big difference is nobody has jumped ship with this short of a notice. I guess there is nothing to stop WVU though. If the Big 12 and WVU are willing to pay a large fee, then it is done. The courts would award a large payment but WVU would be gone.

RI judge orders mediation between WVU and BE.
http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/201201110138

If both sides can't reach a deal the suit will go on.

The judge wants them to come to an agreement. But agreements depend on both sides being willing to give something up. The BEast doesn't sound willing to give up anything. If The BEast is unwilling to negotiate a deal, it will smooth the way out for WVU IMO...

How long until the Big 12 puts out it's schedule? If I was the Big East, I'd do as much to keep West Virginia in limbo, for as long as I can.

(01-11-2012 04:54 PM)ollin Wrote:  RI judge orders mediation between WVU and BE.
http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/201201110138

If both sides can't reach a deal the suit will go on.

This divorce should make husband & wife divorce mediations look clean and friendly!

Well, at least it's not boring.

(01-11-2012 05:21 PM)Butterfly Wrote:  If I was the Big East, I'd do as much to keep West Virginia in limbo, for as long as I can.

That's exactly what The BEast is trying to do. By doing that they have decided not to seek ways to mitigate the loss. That's a failure of epic proportions on Marinatto's part, if The BEast loses this legal battle...