MissouriStateBears Wrote:

KNIGHTTIME Wrote:I don't see the Big East expanding for a long time until an all-sport offer is on the table. Ask Marshall how tough it is to move into two different conferences at the same time. The basketball conferences do not want to expand just to add a team that might bolt in a few years.

UCF has no real options outside of an all-sports offer

ECU doesn't have any options - The colonial has 12 teams and A-Sun has 12 teams. Besides the fact that those two don't want to add a team and they lose them quickly.

Memphis might be a possibility. They could put their other sports in the Missouri Valley Conference??? I'm not sure if they want to add a team to turn around and lose them quickly.

MVC would take Memphis in a heart beat.

If Memphis had to park their other sports in the MVC, I'm sure an arrangment could be worked out where the MVC gets to keep all the credits if Memphis later left the conference.

Two years ago, based on preformances to date I would say the race for #9 stood as....

1.Memphis
2.UCF
3.East Carolina

Turn the clock forward.....Memphis is back to its old tricks in football, losing with crowds of 20k. UCF is about to open a new football stadium and they have finally topped the 30k mark in average attendance. ECU is back on a winning track under Skip Holtz.....

1.East Carolina
2.UCF
3.Memphis

East Carolina is really the only school the Big East could expand with that would add something to Big East football (Carolinas recruiting, Traveling fans).

UCF maybe if they can turn it around.......Memphis....hell no!

And if you are thinking Southern Miss, you might as well add the Ohio Bobcats as they are located a lot closer to Big East members....I mean really....

Airport KC Wrote:Two years ago, based on preformances to date I would say the race for #9 stood as....

1.Memphis
2.UCF
3.East Carolina

Turn the clock forward.....Memphis is back to its old tricks in football, losing with crowds of 20k. UCF is about to open a new football stadium and they have finally topped the 30k mark in average attendance. ECU is back on a winning track under Skip Holtz.....

1.East Carolina
2.UCF
3.Memphis

East Carolina is really the only school the Big East could expand with that would add something to Big East football (Carolinas recruiting, Traveling fans).

UCF maybe if they can turn it around.......Memphis....hell no!

And if you are thinking Southern Miss, you might as well add the Ohio Bobcats as they are located a lot closer to Big East members....I mean really....

If the BE is looking at FB only ECU might get the call. However if you go back to articles written in 2003 you find find that MT wanted both Florida teams USF all sports and UCF FB only which was suppose to be voted on after 11/4 of that year. He saw more recruiting and bowl opportunities and better TV markets there for the BE. The UCF thing never went through but since then UCF has made all the right moves with a new stadium and BB arena and stayed on the radar for any potential future moves.

If the BE adds an all sports school Memphis is the strongest candidate because of the BB program and the Liberty Bowl. The BE still covets BB first as was seen in 2003. Four basketball schools (L'ville, Cinn, Marquette, and De Paul) were added - two with good FB programs (L'ville & Cinn), and a Florida school (USF programs on the rise at the time) in a rich recruiting and bowl state.

If the BE stays together adding FB only ECU is my guess because of the FB following for bowls and the 40k they put in the stands. They also improved this year to 7 & 5 and are bowl bound. If they take an all sports team I' ll go with Memphis for their BB program and the potential to get the Liberty bowl too. UCF has a chance because of the Florida location and a travel partner USF but that is not a priority right now. I do believe they will get in if the BE or Split BE goes to 10 FB teams one day though.

If the decision is left to MT and he can save the BE as is plus one FB only then ECU is in if they expand. Memphis is in if they go to 17 with an all sports. That guy loves BB first. Of course Navy is who he covets for FB only but they just won't bite because they have their own successful thing going on.

panite, I think that Navy will decline if their coach takes the NC State job.

From my take, it seems ECU would no doubt join as a football only member. Thus, i suspect that would force either UCF or Memphis to also join as a football only member since they wouldn't want to be left out. Yet, why the big east would want a football only is a mystery, well they want to go on the cheap, but really they should either split or go the 9/9/9 format.

Brick City Pirate Wrote:panite, I think that Navy will decline if their coach takes the NC State job.

I said they won't bite. According to their AD, he says that Navy is happy with the system they currently have. I really don't think they are in play for the FB only position whether they hold on to their coach or not. I did say that it is the impossible dream of MT to get them but he can't get them. Thanks for the response and info though. I read that the Navy coach is on some of the university coaching lists including NC ST. Just have to see how things fall out. By the way I love football in the Carolina's. I use to go to the University of South Carolina games when I went there. Pre and after game parties on a fall night in the Carolina's with a bunch of rabid southern FB fans is great.

bluesox Wrote:From my take, it seems ECU would no doubt join as a football only member. Thus, i suspect that would force either UCF or Memphis to also join as a football only member since they wouldn't want to be left out. Yet, why the big east would want a football only is a mystery, well they want to go on the cheap, but really they should either split or go the 9/9/9 format.

Uh, the scenario is to add a football only for the short term before the big split happens in 2010 time frame. The basketball only schools are expected to split from the football schools. 9 teams solves scheduling problems which will be an immense help to the conference. For some schools the chance at Big East inclusion is enough for them to sacrifice their other sports temporarily. However, that's a difficult situation for most. Then the next question is "After the 2010 split will the Big East go to more than 9?". So if the Big East goes to 9, should they wait until the big split and deal with scheduling headaches? Should the Big East go to more than 9 after the big split? Who should they add? What types of things should prospective members bring to the table? Should they go up to 12 to get a championship game? Now you're caught up. We could fill an encyclopedia with the many answers to these questions from different posters on this board.

I would think the hoop school's and Mike T would want the 9/18 format, that is two 9 team hoop divisons and one 9 team football league since it would stablize the conference but their going on the cheap if they are just trying to get a football only member. I also think Mike T is whacked for stating he only wants a top tier football program, ala Penn state or any other current bcs school. Guess what if penn state or other every joined up, than the 8 football programs + the 1 new comer would bolt and form their own league, so the hoop school's would still be left out. If i were a hoop school advocate i'd want to add memphis and St.Louis U and hope the football school's stay around.

bluesox Wrote:I would think the hoop school's and Mike T would want the 9/9/9 format, that is two 9 team hoop divisons and one 9 team football league since it would stablize the conference but their going on the cheap. I just think Mike T is whacked for stating he only wants a top tier football program, ala Penn state, guess what if penn state every joined, than the 8 football programs would bolt and form their own league, so the hoop school's would still be left out.

Agree

bluesox Wrote:I would think the hoop school's and Mike T would want the 9/9/9 format, that is two 9 team hoop divisons and one 9 team football league since it would stablize the conference but their going on the cheap. I just think Mike T is whacked for stating he only wants a top tier football program, ala Penn state, guess what if penn state every joined, than the 8 football programs would bolt and form their own league, so the hoop school's would still be left out.

Will you please stop typing 9/9/9 format. I get so annoyed everytime I see that. It looks like you want 27 teams.

All you have to type is 9/9 format or 9/18 format. And there would be no need to go into divisions with 18 teams.

Everybody plays everyone else once and your biggest rival an extra time giving us 18 Big East basketball games.

Looking at a map as a Louisville fan, the best scenario for expansion would be to 1) get VT back, 2) add ECU, 3) add Memphis, 4) add Navy after they decided to recruit fooball players who can be soldiers rather than soldiers who try to be football players.

army56mike Wrote:Looking at a map as a Louisville fan, the best scenario for expansion would be to 1) get VT back, 2) add ECU, 3) add Memphis, 4) add Navy after they decided to recruit fooball players who can be soldiers rather than soldiers who try to be football players.

Soldiers? I think you mean Sailors

TexanMark Wrote:

army56mike Wrote:Looking at a map as a Louisville fan, the best scenario for expansion would be to 1) get VT back, 2) add ECU, 3) add Memphis, 4) add Navy after they decided to recruit fooball players who can be soldiers rather than soldiers who try to be football players.

Soldiers? I think you mean Sailors

lmfao Good catch.

TexanMark Wrote:No way do we expand after this season...the only reason was to secure BCS status or strengthen bowl ties. We can keep our bowls with ND in tow.

I'll keep one ear open to the 9th team scenario but I don't see the Presidents doing anything despite the logic of a 9th team for scheduling/improving bowl situation.. With that said the BE office needs to stay flexible to ND's change of heart or the willingness by another BCS team or two willing to come onboard.

Keep Memphis, UCF and ECU on the Rolodex.

Its been dead all along. If it comes back up it will be UMASS or Navy.

TopCoog Wrote:Its been dead all along...

That is, unless ECU alumni buy Providence College and become Northeast Carolina University. ;-)

TopCoog Wrote:

TexanMark Wrote:No way do we expand after this season...the only reason was to secure BCS status or strengthen bowl ties. We can keep our bowls with ND in tow.

I'll keep one ear open to the 9th team scenario but I don't see the Presidents doing anything despite the logic of a 9th team for scheduling/improving bowl situation.. With that said the BE office needs to stay flexible to ND's change of heart or the willingness by another BCS team or two willing to come onboard.

Keep Memphis, UCF and ECU on the Rolodex.

Its been dead all along. If it comes back up it will be UMASS or Navy.

UMass Minutemen :patriot: - Navy is going to loose their coach again and sink off the radar. :titanic: :boat:

Time will tell and all the posts on this and other boards mean nothing.
There are some issues like the unbalanced schedule and the difficulties of obtaining five out of conferences games yearly.
Obviously there are some on this board that dont feel those are crucial problems to add another football member and others think they are.
As time goes by the AD's will decide if it is or not and the decision will happen or not till then i guess we can just rewrite our posts over and over again.

Expansion is not dead. Until the issues of scheduleing are taken care of this issue will be a hot debate and even a hotter debate over who will be chosen for a 9th FB only or an all sports member making the conference 17 teams. At any rate the addtion of another a member continues to fuel the desicion to split an over burdened, extremely large, and cumbersome conference in 2010 or shortly there after. One thing that is certain is that the FB part of the league will be stuck at, at least 8 teams for another season or two since there was no movement on this issue again this year.

The success on the field this year may temper some on the issues but as long as the issues continue to fester, the expansion debate and the possiblity of a split continue to live on and are not dead. Besides it makes for great debate until something happens.

If the Big East goes to 9 and 9, it might force the SEC and/or ACC to expand in self defense. An 18 school Big East could easily cause another entire round of changes.

As for Big East fans traveling to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl, I think you would find it a great trip. We have Beale Street open for all night partying and the Tunica Casinos are a quick drive south. There's no beach or Disneyland, but the accomodations for an adult good time are excellent.

Claw Wrote:If the Big East goes to 9 and 9, it might force the SEC and/or ACC to expand in self defense. An 18 school Big East could easily cause another entire round of changes.

As for Big East fans traveling to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl, I think you would find it a great trip. We have Beale Street open for all night partying and the Tunica Casinos are a quick drive south. There's no beach or Disneyland, but the accomodations for an adult good time are excellent.

I have been there. Enjoyed the city and a nice little dinner cruise on the river. Went up river then floated down to the city lights during and after dinner. Had a great experience in Memphis. Recommend the trip to anyone.