First, i'm a big fan of having 10 schools...

But if we expand, I also really like trying make Gonzaga work. BYU I would pause on only because of the football problem. At any point, they could change their mind and go to the Big 12.

I could even go for taking Gonzaga, stopping at 11, and playing a 20 game schedule.

I think home and homes for us are going to be huge. I think basketball schools who are trapped in 12+ team football conferences (like Duke) are probably pissed that they can't do this.

No FBS schools. The BE schools just spent the last decade mired in a basketball-football tug-of-war, why would it set that up again? On top of that no school which currently plays football at that level is going to give it up.

Gonzaga would be great, but let's be serious, a coast to coast conference just won't work for the foreseeable future.

(09-10-2013 08:06 AM)itsmejpt Wrote:  No FBS schools. The BE schools just spent the last decade mired in a basketball-football tug-of-war, why would it set that up again? On top of that no school which currently plays football at that level is going to give it up.

Gonzaga would be great, but let's be serious, a coast to coast conference just won't work for the foreseeable future.

I would because, that decade plus also included many years of 8+ NCAA bids, a buttload of elite 8s & F4s, and 3 BE teams winning 5 championships. Really, who complains about that? That was a different BE leadership team, a different network partner & a different time.

BTW...Go Hall!

Do you really think that the presidents of these mostly Catholic Universities would really vote to invite a Morman school in Utah into the Big East? One with a FBS football team and its own tv network set up to convert people to mormonism?

(09-10-2013 02:38 PM)bostonspider Wrote:  Do you really think that the presidents of these mostly Catholic Universities would really vote to invite a Morman school in Utah into the Big East? One with a FBS football team and its own tv network set up to convert people to mormonism?

What does that have to do with anything? They are private, have a national following, great basketball and are are bridge to Gonzaga.

If you don't think it has to do with anything, you do not understand the eastern elite academic circles.. I have dealt with many in them, and they will not look at BYU with anything but condecension. If you think the president of Georgetown does not think highly of a school like VCU, you cannot imagine his feelings on a school like BYU. BYU's mormonism is the main reason they are not in the PAC12. It, along with being located in Provo, UT will keep BYU out of the BEast, that is if they even had any desire to join.

(09-10-2013 03:11 PM)bostonspider Wrote:  If you don't think it has to do with anything, you do not understand the eastern elite academic circles.. I have dealt with many in them, and they will not look at BYU with anything but condecension. If you think the president of Georgetown does not think highly of a school like VCU, you cannot imagine his feelings on a school like BYU. BYU's mormonism is the main reason they are not in the PAC12. It, along with being located in Provo, UT will keep BYU out of the BEast, that is if they even had any desire to join.

And their no Sunday rule kept them out if the Big XII. The WCC and Big East are not the same just because they both have Catholic schools. No way in hell is BYU even an option to the conference. If the Big East wanted Gonzaga and another western member they would look towards St. Mary's.

why would the presidents of the western catholic schools be ok with byu and mormonism but the eastern catholic schools wouldnt consider byu mainly due to being a mormon institution?
byu wont be considered for a number of reasons being Mormon isnt one of them. at least IMO

(09-10-2013 10:31 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  why would the presidents of the western catholic schools be ok with byu and mormonism but the eastern catholic schools wouldnt consider byu mainly due to being a mormon institution?
byu wont be considered for a number of reasons being Mormon isnt one of them. at least IMO

Well using the school to spread mormonism isn't something a bunch of priests would really go for. The WCC needed a big name like BYU. The Big East doesn't so it can be more picky. Also they have their own TV station, refuse to play on sundays and want to call the shots.

(09-10-2013 07:52 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(09-10-2013 03:11 PM)bostonspider Wrote:  If you don't think it has to do with anything, you do not understand the eastern elite academic circles.. I have dealt with many in them, and they will not look at BYU with anything but condecension. If you think the president of Georgetown does not think highly of a school like VCU, you cannot imagine his feelings on a school like BYU. BYU's mormonism is the main reason they are not in the PAC12. It, along with being located in Provo, UT will keep BYU out of the BEast, that is if they even had any desire to join.

And their no Sunday rule kept them out if the Big XII. The WCC and Big East are not the same just because they both have Catholic schools. No way in hell is BYU even an option to the conference. If the Big East wanted Gonzaga and another western member they would look towards St. Mary's.

It wouldn't be St. Mary's. San Francisco, Santa Clara, Pepperdine or LMU.

(09-11-2013 09:42 AM)aughnanure Wrote:  

(09-10-2013 07:52 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(09-10-2013 03:11 PM)bostonspider Wrote:  If you don't think it has to do with anything, you do not understand the eastern elite academic circles.. I have dealt with many in them, and they will not look at BYU with anything but condecension. If you think the president of Georgetown does not think highly of a school like VCU, you cannot imagine his feelings on a school like BYU. BYU's mormonism is the main reason they are not in the PAC12. It, along with being located in Provo, UT will keep BYU out of the BEast, that is if they even had any desire to join.

And their no Sunday rule kept them out if the Big XII. The WCC and Big East are not the same just because they both have Catholic schools. No way in hell is BYU even an option to the conference. If the Big East wanted Gonzaga and another western member they would look towards St. Mary's.

It wouldn't be St. Mary's. San Francisco, Santa Clara, Pepperdine or LMU.

Pepperdine is in LA. No way they are a western partner. That's way to far away. Also St. Mary's is better than all of those schools.

I *gasp* agree 100% with Redman that St Mary's is better than all those schools. I want to say 5 NCAA spots in the last 10 years. Some of those at large selections which is good.

I agree tahtbSt. Mary's is better than all those schools. But all those schools - including St. Mary's - are mid major to the core if for no other reason than attendance. Here's last year's attendance for those schools:

St. Mary's - 2,972
San Francisco - 1,811
Santa Clara - 1,773
Pepperdine - 1,082
Loyola- Marymount - 2,234

Those are MAAC numbers. Midmajor.

(09-10-2013 07:52 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(09-10-2013 03:11 PM)bostonspider Wrote:  If you don't think it has to do with anything, you do not understand the eastern elite academic circles.. I have dealt with many in them, and they will not look at BYU with anything but condecension. If you think the president of Georgetown does not think highly of a school like VCU, you cannot imagine his feelings on a school like BYU. BYU's mormonism is the main reason they are not in the PAC12. It, along with being located in Provo, UT will keep BYU out of the BEast, that is if they even had any desire to join.

And their no Sunday rule kept them out if the Big XII. The WCC and Big East are not the same just because they both have Catholic schools. No way in hell is BYU even an option to the conference. If the Big East wanted Gonzaga and another western member they would look towards St. Mary's.

With attendance under 3,000 in a good hear, St. Mary's wouldn't be considered in a million years. People laughed when Siena was suggested, but there attendance was more than double St. Mary's and that was in a down year.

Fox will make sure that the Big East considers BYU. They are the ONLY option that makes sense as a travel partner for Gonzaga. If they are going to expand to 12, Gonzaga is the only school that is a perfect for (except for geography). Otherwise, they can look to VCU. There really is no one else out there who has demonstrated that they can compete and this level and can make the conference better.

(09-10-2013 08:06 AM)itsmejpt Wrote:  No FBS schools. The BE schools just spent the last decade mired in a basketball-football tug-of-war, why would it set that up again? On top of that no school which currently plays football at that level is going to give it up.

Gonzaga would be great, but let's be serious, a coast to coast conference just won't work for the foreseeable future.

If they're not willing to consider Gonzaga, then there's no point in expanding. The options for schools that can compete at this level and can add to the conference's profile are very few. So, somewhere someone is going to have to compromise. Fox is not going to continue to pay big bucks for a watered down product.

There certainly are ways to make a coast to coast conference work. As for FBS, BYU seems to be intent on going the Notre Dame root of football independence. That really takes the problems with FBS football out of the picture.

(09-10-2013 02:38 PM)bostonspider Wrote:  Do you really think that the presidents of these mostly Catholic Universities would really vote to invite a Morman school in Utah into the Big East? One with a FBS football team and its own tv network set up to convert people to mormonism?

Do you really think that Fox will continue to pay major dollars for a watered down product with Richmond and St Louis?

(09-11-2013 11:16 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(09-10-2013 07:52 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(09-10-2013 03:11 PM)bostonspider Wrote:  If you don't think it has to do with anything, you do not understand the eastern elite academic circles.. I have dealt with many in them, and they will not look at BYU with anything but condecension. If you think the president of Georgetown does not think highly of a school like VCU, you cannot imagine his feelings on a school like BYU. BYU's mormonism is the main reason they are not in the PAC12. It, along with being located in Provo, UT will keep BYU out of the BEast, that is if they even had any desire to join.

And their no Sunday rule kept them out if the Big XII. The WCC and Big East are not the same just because they both have Catholic schools. No way in hell is BYU even an option to the conference. If the Big East wanted Gonzaga and another western member they would look towards St. Mary's.

With attendance under 3,000 in a good hear, St. Mary's wouldn't be considered in a million years. People laughed when Siena was suggested, but there attendance was more than double St. Mary's and that was in a down year.

Fox will make sure that the Big East considers BYU. They are the ONLY option that makes sense as a travel partner for Gonzaga. If they are going to expand to 12, Gonzaga is the only school that is a perfect for (except for geography). Otherwise, they can look to VCU. There really is no one else out there who has demonstrated that they can compete and this level and can make the conference better.

+1 the Big East presidents may have been the ones who eventually decided to break off from the BE leftovers, but it was others in (and outside of) that group who decided to force the issue to become what is the new Big East. Left to its own devices, the C7 presidents would have ended up in a mid/mid major league developed by the same type of folks who would ever advocate on behalf of a St Marys. We are better than that, and it's time for all of us (and Georgetown is no leader or example here) to step up and retake our position as one of the leading bball conferences in D1

(09-11-2013 11:23 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(09-10-2013 02:38 PM)bostonspider Wrote:  Do you really think that the presidents of these mostly Catholic Universities would really vote to invite a Morman school in Utah into the Big East? One with a FBS football team and its own tv network set up to convert people to mormonism?

Do you really think that Fox will continue to pay major dollars for a watered down product with Richmond and and St Louis?

no, they won't....these folks need to think big or gtfo of big time sports

(09-10-2013 03:11 PM)bostonspider Wrote:  If you don't think it has to do with anything, you do not understand the eastern elite academic circles.. I have dealt with many in them, and they will not look at BYU with anything but condecension. If you think the president of Georgetown does not think highly of a school like VCU, you cannot imagine his feelings on a school like BYU. BYU's mormonism is the main reason they are not in the PAC12. It, along with being located in Provo, UT will keep BYU out of the BEast, that is if they even had any desire to join.

Forget about eastern academic circles. With what St John's Seton Hall, Providence, and DePaul have NOT achieved in basketball in the past decade, they should be down on their knees thanking God that Fox is willing to pay them anything for their product.

BYU draws 16,000 fans to its games, is consistently competitive, and has national name recognition as well as a dedicated core following that will boost TV ratings. Where else is the Big East going to find that? Certainly not at Richmond or St Louis.

Do you seriously think that these schools can make this decision on their own? That they can afford to pull that eastern elite stuff? As strong as the conference, this is not the Big East of the 1980's.

(09-11-2013 11:29 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(09-10-2013 03:11 PM)bostonspider Wrote:  If you don't think it has to do with anything, you do not understand the eastern elite academic circles.. I have dealt with many in them, and they will not look at BYU with anything but condecension. If you think the president of Georgetown does not think highly of a school like VCU, you cannot imagine his feelings on a school like BYU. BYU's mormonism is the main reason they are not in the PAC12. It, along with being located in Provo, UT will keep BYU out of the BEast, that is if they even had any desire to join.

Forget about eastern academic circles. With what St John's Seton Hall, Providence, and DePaul have NOT achieved in basketball in the past decade, they should be down on their knees thanking God that Fox is willing to pay them anything for their product.

BYU draws 16,000 fans to its games, is consistently competitive, and has national name recognition as well as a dedicated core following that will boost TV ratings. Where else is the Big East going to find that? Certainly not at Richmond or St Louis.

Do you seriously think that these schools can make this decision on their own? That they can afford to pull that eastern elite stuff? As strong as the conference, this is not the Big East of the 1980's.

this. and, there are a lot more GU alums working alongside, or for, or as the boss of BYU alums, than there are GU or VU alums working with Spiders, not to mention VCU alums. I worked on the Street for 5 years and have spend the past 10 in cap markets for companies outside of NYC and have encountered a heck of a lot more BYU grads than i have Richmond or VCU.