Texas or Notre Dame a must for a super Big Ten do you agree?

[NYBuckeye96]

Interesting article..........do you agree or disagree with the author???

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100513/COL08/5130380/1006/news04/Texas-or-Notre-Dame-a-must-for-a-super-Big-Ten&template=fullarticle

May 13, 2010

Texas or Notre Dame a must for a super Big Ten
BY DREW SHARP
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

The game of Big Ten expansion roulette continues. Every week pops up a new name, a new configuration.

But nothing has changed since the conference first publicly acknowledged in December that it's seriously considering increasing its membership, perhaps by as many as five teams: the conference that gets the state of Texas wins this arms race of collegiate superpowers.

Notre Dame becomes an acceptable consolation prize in the wake of a Lone Star snub.

But should the Big Ten fail in luring either Texas or the Irish, any new 14- or 16-team realignment would stand considerably shy of college sports' first true super conference. An amalgam of Missouri, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Connecticut, Rutgers or Maryland disappoints more than excites, establishing another missed opportunity for a conference that too often can't flex its muscle without reflexively punching itself in the head.

It's only "super" if it includes the Texas Longhorns or Notre Dame.

Anything less is a joke.

The conference steadfastly denies the conveying of any formal offers to prospective schools. Speculation runs amok in these circumstances, but the Big Ten doesn't mind applying the brakes to rumors. At least it keeps them at the forefront of the inevitable changing landscape of college athletics, and that's its primary strategy right now. The Big Ten willingly takes the first step in the consolidation of the major Bowl Championship Series conferences. Applaud the conference for its foresight, but it must also accept the pressures that come with those seeking radical change.

Blow it and take the hit.

This is a money grab ... period.

The conference's strongest asset is its in-house network. The Big Ten envisions the Big Ten Network becoming a national staple of basic cable comparable to the stable of ESPN networks, but that doesn't simply require more teams. It demands having at least one additional program with true national appeal.

Only Texas and Notre Dame satisfy that criterion among those courted.

As a Big Ten official explained it to me Wednesday, adding more teams strictly for the sake of getting more teams doesn't fully maximize the opportunity staring at the conference right now. If you're going to do this, do it right and don't accept less.

Texas remains the best revenue-production fit, even if it requires the Big Ten swallowing Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor, forming a four-team Lone Star Division of the new conference.

But that dream scenario also creates the perfect environment for a compromise between Notre Dame and the Big Ten, because both stand to lose plenty if they're too stubborn to give a little ground in appeasement. The primary reason Notre Dame even contemplated the possibility of shedding its football independence was concerns that the Big Ten actually might tempt Texas.

Notre Dame needs the protection of a conference for its non-football programs. If the Big East crumbles from this massive consolidation as expected, the Irish must find a home for their other sports, and it's improbable that the surviving BCS conferences would permit Notre Dame to remain independent from the other conference football teams. The Irish also must be concerned with the possibility of condensed BCS conferences freezing it out of major bowl games.

The Big Ten finds itself in an advantageous position, orchestrating the gerrymandering of major college athletics. Succeed and it becomes the principle power broker. Screw it up and it again becomes the laughingstock.

[Orange and Brown]

I don't think ND has to be included. I would like to see Texas, that would raise the bar real high!!!

[NYBuckeye96]

In a perfect world, I would love to see both Notre Dame AND Texas in the Big Ten! I actually think its more likely Notre Dame would join than Texas. Texas is too demanding --at least they have been in the Big 12. The Big 10 is a different story. Texas could not bully the Big 10 schools. It would have to come in as an equal to the other 11 or no deal. It could not demand special concessions like it gets in the Big 12.

Texas would probably also demand Texas A&M, Tech, and Baylor be included as well. Do we really want four Texas schools in the Big 10? Maybe Texas and A&M, but I certainly wouldn't want more than 2 Texas schools in the Big Ten.

If the Big 10 looked east and took 3 or 4 Big East schools, that would pretty much force Notre Dame into joining the Big Ten because that would destroy the Big East.

Concerning the article, I don't agree with the writer. While it is true that either Notre Dame or Texas would be a major pickup by the Big Ten, the conference can still grow in teams and revenue without either program. I agree with the article up to a point --- Texas or Notre Dame would be the two biggest pickups by the Big Ten. That's where I draw the line. There are other great teams that the Big Ten could add without the Irish or Longhorns included.

Saturate the major television markets, and nearly any expansion should be a success.

[Orange and Brown]

I think that the Big 10 should jump asap! The pac 10 is ready to expand and once the Big 12 is raided then the MWC and the WAC are going to get raided.....I think that even the SunBelt Conference will feel a little pain over this, The MWC will loose teams to the big 12, the WAC will loose teams to the MWC and the SunBelt will get raided by the WAC.....
The MAC, C-USA, and the ACC will more than likely go untouched........The SEC is going to be waiting and if the Big 10 doesn't get Texas then they will. I think the SEC would go to 18 or more teams if they had to. Simply because they want to out do the Big 10. Once the Big 10 acts things are going to get crazy! There will be bidding wars!! Name calling backstabbing, It's gonna be a good time!

[seofan_via_dublin]

I a perfect world, they would take Texas, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Pitt, and Syracuse.

Adding strength first should be the priority.

Syracuse is what will get the most attention from the NYC market, not Rutgers.

If they are going to add a crappy Big East school, solely for the TV market, then add UConn.
You get NYC and Boston with that move, and you're network is now in the back yard of ESPN.

And, for anyone that thinks UCon is anything but a crappy Big East school. In football alone,
they would finish no better than middle of the pack Big 10 at best. This makes you crappy for expansion purposes.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

i'm kinda suprised cincinatti is not a target of big ten expansion, even with brian kelley at notre dame, it still seems very marketable to me. and cincy heavily recruits ohio. they will rise again quickly. i've always said notre dame belongs in the big ten. and west virginia wouldbe another school , just right geographically that would be solid at all sports.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

i'm kinda suprised cincinatti is not a target of big ten expansion, even with brian kelley at notre dame, it still seems very marketable to me. and cincy heavily recruits ohio. they will rise again quickly. i've always said notre dame belongs in the big ten. and west virginia wouldbe another school , just right geographically that would be solid at all sports.

[Orange and Brown]

i'm kinda suprised cincinatti is not a target of big ten expansion, even with brian kelley at notre dame, it still seems very marketable to me. and cincy heavily recruits ohio. they will rise again quickly. i've always said notre dame belongs in the big ten. and west virginia wouldbe another school , just right geographically that would be solid at all sports.

There is no more money to be gained by adding Cinci!!

[seofan_via_dublin]

Cincinnati doesn't have the facilities to support Big Ten football.

[Orange and Brown]

Cincinnati doesn't have the facilities to support Big Ten football.

They are in the process of upgrading so you can't really use that as an excuse.

They don't get in because it isn't going expand the Market.

[seofan_via_dublin]

They are not in the process of anything, they are in the process of talking about it.

They are also not going to expand Nippert to the level that they need to
in order to be on par with Big Ten facilities.

So, yes, I can use that as an excuse

[dazed&confused]

Cincinnati gets the southern Ohio sympathy vote. The Big Ten is hunting for big game!

[theassassin]

and that big game is markets and $$$$$$

[qualified101]

osu would never allow it. they dont want to play second fiddle to anybody in ohio. osu knows that cincy would get a win every 5 years or so and osu could never handle that.

[caglewis]

^^^^^ I agree on that point - but I think UC might win more often than that!
The Big Ten started out as an academic and research association of originally established Land Grant Public Universities in the Great Lakes geographical region.
I think it ought to stay that way! Public schools within shouting distance of a Great Lake only - WVU and Pitt would both fit that description. But I'd hate to lose them from the Big East.
Texas? - You've got to be kidding!! How can you raise tuition for all the non-athletes at OSU for an education, and yet grossly inflate the travel cost expenses for all athletic team travel to far-away schools? ND fits geographically, but is an expensive Private School. "Fancy athletes" can "afford" the "fancy schools" nobody else can because they're getting a free ride due to their talent. Granted, there are also academic scholarships - but I'll bet the standards are tougher than those for athletes because athletics do indeed bring in big money - never mind their cost.

[Black Panther]

Cag, I dont want to see Pitt leave the Big East either...And I dont think they will...Long Live the Big East!

[NYBuckeye96]

The Big Ten started out as an academic and research association of originally established Land Grant Public Universities in the Great Lakes geographical region.

There has always been an exception to this statement. Founding member University of Chicago, which was replaced in the Big Ten by Michigan State, was a private school.

Northwestern University is a private school.

I agree the Big Ten could lose its identity as we have always known it with this expansion. But you have to consider the fact that times change, and if you do not change with the times, you are often left behind. I want the Big Ten to be the best conference in the country and that will be increasingly harder to do in the future if things remain status quo in the Big Ten.

[bigtimehitter]

^^^^^ I agree on that point - but I think UC might win more often than that!The Big Ten started out as an academic and research association of originally established Land Grant Public Universities in the Great Lakes geographical region.
I think it ought to stay that way! Public schools within shouting distance of a Great Lake only - WVU and Pitt would both fit that description. But I'd hate to lose them from the Big East.
Texas? - You've got to be kidding!! How can you raise tuition for all the non-athletes at OSU for an education, and yet grossly inflate the travel cost expenses for all athletic team travel to far-away schools? ND fits geographically, but is an expensive Private School. "Fancy athletes" can "afford" the "fancy schools" nobody else can because they're getting a free ride due to their talent. Granted, there are also academic scholarships - but I'll bet the standards are tougher than those for athletes because athletics do indeed bring in big money - never mind their cost.

You are kidding right? Don't get it confused, UC is a mid-major in a BCS conference. Now that Kelly is gone, they will fall back to mediocrity of going to a bowl game in December every 3-4 years. I'm not putting UC down, but comparing them to The Buckeyes is like apples to oranges, now saying they would win against The Buckeyes 40% of the time time is flat out stupidity. And yes caglewis I realize you believe you're the most intelligent on this site and flash the most insight, but you just proved yourself wrong with that one sentence. I could point out other ignorant remarks, but I will show mercy.

[NYBuckeye96]

The AP is reporting that Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick attended the Big Ten Conference Meeting today....

http://www.collegefantasyfootballinsider.com/news/16692/Notre-Dames-Swarbrick-at-Big-10-Meetings

An AP report pins Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick as in attendance at a meeting with eleven Big Ten presidents and chancellors on Sunday. Jim Delaney was quoted as saying "the majority of time was spent on expansion dialogue."

For those of you running leagues with Big Ten player pools, the possible addition of Notre Dame could add some juice to your drafts. If Nebraska also joins the Big Ten, all bloody hell is going to break lose in college football, so stayed tuned.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Notre Dame joining the Big 10 WILL happen.

It's simply a matter of does it happen with the first wave of teams, or do they join in 3-4 years.

But Notre Dame will be in the Big 10 before 2016.