Why is there so much hatred of the Big Ten? Specially within this website. I understand we have tOSUcks and scUM and their garbage t-shirt fans who can make anyone's day awful, but what else about this conference irritates you or people you know?

Also, who else other than James Delany actually wants Notre Dame in the Big Ten?

Try being in the ACC. Lots of hate.

For me its very simple. The B1G and their fans seemed to look down on other conferences. Nobody can deny the history and tradition of the B1G. Your average B1G school draws at least 90k fans. That can't be taken away from the B1G. Where the hatred begins, for me at least, is that on the field the B1G doesn't "walk the walk" but it sure as hell "talks that talk". For the better part of the past 6, 7 years the B1G hasn't been much better than the Big East, ACC, or even the MWC on the field. But PSU, OSU, and Michigan fans are sure as sh*t going to talk this or that about the Big East and how it sucked. The fact is, the B1G is and has been overrated. The current trends are bound to change and the B1G will be on top again. I just wished the fans didn't have such a high and mighty attitude. On a lighter note, the fans on this board have been awesome. I never noticed that attitude from Frank, and the few OSU fans that roam this board.

I think people mistake my ego and self love as Big Ten born...but they would be mistaken.

I just like being the bad guy sometimes.

As for the Big Ten hate, people really do need an "Evil Empire" in their lives to give them some excitement. Big Ten fills that role. It's all good.

People also hate what they can't be a part of.

There's a couple things.

1. The Big Ten is the traditional Midwestern conference (outside of a few western plain states). That's created animosity in a few ways:

a) Against Notre Dame: The Big Ten and Notre Dame fans have gone at for this big Midwestern school first not be admitted and then refusing to enter the regions conference.
b) Non-Big Ten schools: There's some animosity from non-Big Ten schools fanbases in Big Ten states. Trying to drag down the Big Ten's place in the region somewhat as their school is on a different path. I.E. to the extent that Ohio State and Penn State are followed state wide, Cincinnati and Pitt fans feel the Big Ten is getting too much attention at their expense. The less the Big Ten is thought of, the more their schools will probably benefit.

2. They are a popular target. It makes good TV discussion to talk down on big names. The SEC has been too good to do this too. The Big Ten hasn't. It's brand is arguable most or 2nd most valuable, but it's been weak enough to portray badly, which gets both critics and fans watching and arguing.


For the record, these flaws have been greatly exaggerated. For all the criticism of the conference, over the last decade, it's still got an decent argument as the 2nd best football conference.

3. The conference is legitimately in decline. This doesn't mean it is going to fall away and won't lose its spot as one of the top couple of conference for brand, but it does mean that the name recognition of the schools is now slightly higher than it probably legitimately deserves. In bowl games for example, we've tended to play up in competition against everyone beside the SEC. That's led to a bad bowl run in most those series (although it should be pointed out, we were pretty even against the SEC until the last year or two despite perception and the BCS record is still pretty decent).

(05-08-2013 09:05 PM)AtlanticLeague Wrote:  People also hate what they can't be a part of.

Yep, simple jealousy.

B1G Ten schools represent history, pageantry, academic excellence and tradition. That's a brand no conference can compete with, not even the SEC.

Add those key ingredients to a huge fan base, B1Gtime money coming from commercial interest and media access and people who aren't in that club find it easy to look for any reason to take shots at it.

The B1G Ten is like Apple.

I don't agree that it's just OSU and UM fans. B1G is a power conference that think's they're better then everyone else, and that's all fan bases in the B1G. There is a lot of news abou the B1G on ESPN, CBSSports and not a lot of publicity for other conferences like the MAC, WAC, Sun Belt, MWC etc. I could point out a flaw about every B1G fan base.

Just a few:
Indiana- A school that only cares about basketball, they don't even show up for football game. But they are so competitive to be better then everyone else.
Northwestern- If they lose they give excuses. Simple as that they say crap like "At least we have academics"
Michigan State- There fan base says they do no wrong. They complain if the lose, and are arrogant if they win.
Michigan- Keep's there heads up high, but they refer to the past way to much.
Ohio State- Where do I begin..... IMO worst fan base in the B1G from a non-biased stand point. They trash there stadium, they swear and throw things at opposing fans.

As far as ND goes, they are free to do what they want. I think it would be a better fit in the B1G them Maryland and Rutgers.

UMD will need to learn the BIG culture very quickly so it can compete on all levels ... it'd be nice if somehow we can put an Eastern whippin on the Midwest ... time will tell!

(05-13-2013 08:48 AM)PIRATE TERP Wrote:  UMD will need to learn the BIG culture very quickly so it can compete on all levels ... it'd be nice if somehow we can put an Eastern whippin on the Midwest ... time will tell!

I am pulling for Rutgers in particular for their inaugural year in the Big Ten but I do hope for Maryland to surprise the country as well. All this negative talk about the two programs, it is very irritating considering what makes Football great is that it is decided on the field, not before the actual contest.

FWIW I think Rutgers is a sleeping giant ready to wake up.

The B1G is on TV all the time, gets great bowl matchups, gets gobs of revenue, but has lost some big games. The hate is part jealousy and part smugness.

(05-08-2013 12:15 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  Where the hatred begins, for me at least, is that on the field the B1G doesn't "walk the walk" but it sure as hell "talks that talk". For the better part of the past 6, 7 years the B1G hasn't been much better than the Big East, ACC, or even the MWC on the field.

Wait, say what? I had to read that two or three times, since I was expecting to see Big12 and PAC-12 in there, but instead I see Old Big East and ACC.

There have been numbers of years when the Big Ten hasn't been as good as the Old Big East or ACC on the court ... but if they weren't substantially better than that on the field, why is there daylight between the Big Ten and the Big East / ACC in the Sagarin conference rankings?

2013
1 SEC (A) = 81.75
2 BIG 12 (A) = 79.99
3 PAC-12 (A) = 76.15
4 BIG TEN (A) = 75.87
5 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 72.83
6 BIG EAST (A) = 72.16
7 ACC (A) = 71.64

Top two ~ SEC/Big12; Middle two ~ PAC-12/BigTen; Bottom two ~ OBE/ACC

2012:
1 BIG 12 (A) = 83.61
2 SEC (A) = 80.88
3 BIG TEN (A) = 75.55
4 PAC-12 (A) = 74.72
5 BIG EAST (A) = 72.41
6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 71.92
7 ACC (A) = 71.23

Top two ~ Big12/SEC; Middle two ~ BigTen/PAC-12; Bottom two ~ OBE/ACC

2011:
1 BIG 12 A) = 83.61
2 SEC (A) = 80.88
3 BIG TEN (A) = 75.55
4 PAC-12 (A) = 74.72
5 BIG EAST (A) = 72.41
6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 71.92
7 ACC (A) = 71.23

Top two ~ Big12/SEC; Middle two ~ BigTen/PAC-12; Bottom two ~ OBE/ACC

So, no, the theory that people hate the BigTen because its covered as being better than the ACC or Old Big East in football when it really isn't runs against the problem that it actually is.

Actually, though, that structure kind of gives two distinct pools of dislike:

From SEC/Big12 fans, the fact that they are on average over the past few years a bit better than the average BigTen school but the BigTen gets treated like its all that, because the BigTen has the largest media fanbase of the six.

From OBE/ACC fans, the fact that the Big Ten gets treated like its all that in football when the average Big Ten school actually IS better than the average OBE or ACC school on the field ... since Denial aint just a river in Egypt.

There's a lot of the second on this board, given an Old Big East and ACC tilt.

What we see is the B1G getting killed by either USC or the SEC in BCS Bowl games. The B1G has been getting better the past 2-3 years tho. We also see the B1G's overall Bowl records for each year. Maybe there is too much stock in glorified scrimmages in late December/early January.

I think folks that do not regularly follow the Big Ten are most irritated by the fact that many Big Ten programs continue to have great followings despite their records. Their Stadiums still fill. Hell, Penn State almost averaged 100k despite the fall out there. Not many schools have that kind of a following.

All the talk about Big Ten performance is blown up to a comical degree. Yes the conference needs to wake up to modern college football but the situation is hardly permanent. It is just as likely that the conference as a whole changes it's ways to play National ball and not just conference ball.

(05-13-2013 04:51 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  What we see is the B1G getting killed by either USC or the SEC in BCS Bowl games. The B1G has been getting better the past 2-3 years tho. We also see the B1G's overall Bowl records for each year. Maybe there is too much stock in glorified scrimmages in late December/early January.

There absolutely is. Bowl games are mini vacations for these Big Ten teams. They get to go away to nice places and they have all kinds of activities planned for them to bring them out into the community. Bowl Games are not just about the game for these kids.

That is why we needed the Tournament that we got but it needs to be expanded and we need conference tournaments too in order to turn the postseason into more of a competitive time for more programs than it is now.

(05-13-2013 05:00 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  

(05-13-2013 04:51 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  What we see is the B1G getting killed by either USC or the SEC in BCS Bowl games. The B1G has been getting better the past 2-3 years tho. We also see the B1G's overall Bowl records for each year. Maybe there is too much stock in glorified scrimmages in late December/early January.

There absolutely is. Bowl games are mini vacations for these Big Ten teams. They get to go away to nice places and they have all kinds of activities planned for them to bring them out into the community. Bowl Games are not just about the game for these kids.

That is why we needed the Tournament that we got but it needs to be expanded and we need conference tournaments too in order to turn the postseason into more of a competitive time for more programs than it is now.

Maybe that will do the trick but I think Urban Meyer and Hoke have OSU and Michigan on the right path. Both seem to realize that they need to recruit more on a national scale rather than just regional.

(05-13-2013 04:51 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  What we see is the B1G getting killed by either USC or the SEC in BCS Bowl games. The B1G has been getting better the past 2-3 years tho. We also see the B1G's overall Bowl records for each year. Maybe there is too much stock in glorified scrimmages in late December/early January.

There is too much stock put into that. The B1G actually has a winning record against the SEC in bowl games in the BCS era. But it's the OSU losses to UF and LSU and some of the other drubbings that have happened that spur the stereotype. The B1G holds its own very well.

I'm not upset that the average B1G school has a tremendous following. That's 100+ years of success for most schools in the league. I can't argue w/ that kind've tradition.

As noted, I don't think the top of the B1G will be down forever. OSU and Michigan are on the right track and may separate themselves from the pack quickly.

(05-13-2013 05:13 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  I'm not upset that the average B1G school has a tremendous following. That's 100+ years of success for most schools in the league. I can't argue w/ that kind've tradition.

As noted, I don't think the top of the B1G will be down forever. OSU and Michigan are on the right track and may separate themselves from the pack quickly.

Everything is cyclical. The SEC won't rule CFB forever. Not to brag, but I think OSU will have a special season this year. Urb's got those kids pumped.