Who should the Big Ten add???

[KnoxVegas]

Pittsburgh is the #22 Media Market in the country.

Syracuse is the #79.

As for Rutgers, their athletics, save for C. Vivian Stringer's women's basketball teams, has been down for quite some time. I think it is a little premature to crown their football team. I give you Northwestern of the mid-1990s as an example. Also, throw in the the Northwestern basketball teams.

Schools join conferences for two reasons: money for academics and money for athletics. To think of a MAC school joining the Big Ten at this point is ridiculous. Sure the U of Chicago was in the Big Ten and Sewanee was in the SEC but that was 60 years ago. MAC schools do not have the enrollments, the alumni nor the athletic programs to join the Big Ten. Syracuse, Pitt and West Virginia have all of the above. Each school is located in the same geographic region. The Big Ten is not going to look at project schools, ones that will take some time getting up to speed with the other members schools but rather establish schools with an academic and athletic tradition on par with its member schools.

Notre Dame again, has no incentive to jump. They considered it the last time the Big Ten expanded but nixed it based on not wanting to share revenue and research money. Notre Dame is already a member of the Big East in all sports but football (Independent), men's lacrosse (GWLL), men's hockey (CCHA) and men's & women's fencing (MFC).

[KnoxVegas]

You have to think that it would be a team in the Midwest. I think Pitt, Syracuse, WVU, and some of the others are too far East.

Have you heard of a team called Penn State? Pitt is west of them, SU is north of them and WVU is south of them.

Brad,
It is easier nowadays to ignore the facts, in this case geography, when making one's argument.

I, myself, have a state school education. Twice!,
Ethan

[DanGenck]

If they cannot add Notre Dame (which they won't) then they should not add anyone. The Big Ten has a niche right now as the most high profile conference without a championship game and I think it fits in well with the culture of their conference. I like the idea that you need to go 8-0 or 7-1 in the Big Ten to win the conference championship and that a 5-3 league record will not land you in a championship game with a chance to upset one team and dance in to a BCS bowl game.

So, to cut to the chase, the Big Ten is fine as it is. Changes right now would be a poor decision.

[DanGenck]

I also agree that Syracuse's uniforms are terrible.

[KnoxVegas]

The Big Ten has a niche right now as the most high profile conference without a championship game...

That is like being valedictorian of summer school.

[DanGenck]

Yes and no. From one angle, many leagues maintain an interesting dynamic because they lack a championship game. The Ivy League, the NESCAC, the Pac-10, the Big-10, to name a few. I like that these leagues put more importance on the regular season and as a coach, I really love the idea that with a few mild upsets, my team could potentially split a league championship and thus help boost our recruiting, fan base, morale, etc.

I think it's interesting too that in DIII Football, there is only one conference championship game and it's the conference with the worst NCAA play-off winning percentage (NEFC).

I am open to discussion though. My opinions on this are not hard and fast.

[Madlax16]

That is when they make a bowl game.

They always make it to a bowl game...they just never win!

Any team with a winning season can make a bowl game. Notre Dame is just the kings of choking, plus they play one of the easiest schedules in the nation every year makes that bowl game pretty easy to attain. Over hyped if you ask me....brady Quinn being signed later in the draft than expected and being the only brown with out a contract kinda backs that up. I for one with love to se them in the big ten so i can see them get walked all over.

[Sonny]

Pittsburgh is the #22 Media Market in the country.

Syracuse is the #79.

As for Rutgers, their athletics, save for C. Vivian Stringer's women's basketball teams, has been down for quite some time. I think it is a little premature to crown their football team. I give you Northwestern of the mid-1990s as an example. Also, throw in the the Northwestern basketball teams.

Schools join conferences for two reasons: money for academics and money for athletics. To think of a MAC school joining the Big Ten at this point is ridiculous. Sure the U of Chicago was in the Big Ten and Sewanee was in the SEC but that was 60 years ago. MAC schools do not have the enrollments, the alumni nor the athletic programs to join the Big Ten. Syracuse, Pitt and West Virginia have all of the above. Each school is located in the same geographic region. The Big Ten is not going to look at project schools, ones that will take some time getting up to speed with the other members schools but rather establish schools with an academic and athletic tradition on par with its member schools.

Notre Dame again, has no incentive to jump. They considered it the last time the Big Ten expanded but nixed it based on not wanting to share revenue and research money. Notre Dame is already a member of the Big East in all sports but football (Independent), men's lacrosse (GWLL), men's hockey (CCHA) and men's & women's fencing (MFC).

I already covered this topic Ethan. It ain't just about the size of media markets, conference additions is about expanding the footprint of the conference in today's media influenced environment.

Syracuse and Rutgers expand the geographic footprint of the Big 10 (11) conference. Pittsburgh will not do that with Ohio State to the east and Penn State to the west. Pitt would be just another "mouth to feed" without a substantial jump in TV money. The city is already covered by Big 10 media outlets.

WVU would expand the footprint of the Big 10, but only two dozen folks have televisions in the Mountaineer state and their academics (Tier 4) don't match up with the rest of the Big 10.

Syracuse would be a likely candidate (expansion into NY and NYC media markets plus good academic school.

I agree with your analysis of Rutgers athletics. They are a fine academic institution, but have had horrible sports for so long.

Frankly, I think all this posturing by the Big 10 is to put more pressure on ND to join up.

[horn17]

Pittsburgh is the #22 Media Market in the country.

Syracuse is the #79.

As for Rutgers, their athletics, save for C. Vivian Stringer's women's basketball teams, has been down for quite some time. I think it is a little premature to crown their football team. I give you Northwestern of the mid-1990s as an example. Also, throw in the the Northwestern basketball teams.

Schools join conferences for two reasons: money for academics and money for athletics. To think of a MAC school joining the Big Ten at this point is ridiculous. Sure the U of Chicago was in the Big Ten and Sewanee was in the SEC but that was 60 years ago. MAC schools do not have the enrollments, the alumni nor the athletic programs to join the Big Ten. Syracuse, Pitt and West Virginia have all of the above. Each school is located in the same geographic region. The Big Ten is not going to look at project schools, ones that will take some time getting up to speed with the other members schools but rather establish schools with an academic and athletic tradition on par with its member schools.

Notre Dame again, has no incentive to jump. They considered it the last time the Big Ten expanded but nixed it based on not wanting to share revenue and research money. Notre Dame is already a member of the Big East in all sports but football (Independent), men's lacrosse (GWLL), men's hockey (CCHA) and men's & women's fencing (MFC).

I already covered this topic Ethan. It ain't just about the size of media markets, conference additions is about expanding the footprint of the conference in today's media influenced environment.

Syracuse and Rutgers expand the geographic footprint of the Big 10 (11) conference. Pittsburgh will not do that with Ohio State to the east and Penn State to the west. Pitt would be just another "mouth to feed" without a substantial jump in TV money. The city is already covered by Big 10 media outlets.

WVU would expand the footprint of the Big 10, but only two dozen folks have televisions in the Mountaineer state and their academics (Tier 4) don't match up with the rest of the Big 10.

Syracuse would be a likely candidate (expansion into NY and NYC media markets plus good academic school.

I agree with your analysis of Rutgers athletics. They are a fine academic institution, but have had horrible sports for so long.

Frankly, I think all this posturing by the Big 10 is to put more pressure on ND to join up.

Wow, this is just flat out wrong -

If you look at the numbers, who of these programs has more prestige - and is there state's #1 university....WVU....its the largest school in the state - not to mention the only school with an top notch fan atmosphere ON CAMPUS...this is huge in the Big Ten when talking about tv Revenue, NCAA Gameday, media coverage etc.... my uncle played college football at WVU in the late 80's - and the year after they lost in the Fiesta Bowl vs. ND, they did want to jump to the Big 10 - and belief has it they were actually going to be the next one to join, until Joe Pa. suddenly had intrested, and PSU asked if they could join...

Pittsburgh wont work, they need an identity sandwhiched between WVU and PSU...

Rutgers is garbage, Syarcuse is even worse....who from Iowa cares about playing Rutgers????

Maybe you are forgetting the BIG 10 is a midwest confrence....there are no national confrences that spand from east to west...no need for national footholds in upstate New York, or ("gasp") Jersey.....

[Beta]

So I guess it's almost unanimous that the Big Ten should add someone from the Big East or Big 12...if not Notre Dame?

Then they would definitely need to rename the conference since the "Big Ten" adding one more and having 12 teams would be just wrong mathematically

[Sonny]

It was a joke Rob. But the facts remain that the state of WV has a minuscule television population and substandard academics (esp. when compared to the Big 10 schools).

Wanting to join the Big 10 and getting offered a slot are two different things. If the Mountaineers were such a valuable commodity, then why wasn't WVU offered a slot when the ACC expanded?

[Zeuslax]

It was a joke Rob. But the facts remain that the state of WV has a minuscule television population and substandard academics (esp. when compared to the Big 10 schools).

You also have to remember this part of the country (Mid Atlantic) is very connected in the sports world. WVU has live viewing areas throughout the whole region. These areas include Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Eastern OH, & WV.

[horn17]

It was a joke Rob. But the facts remain that the state of WV has a minuscule television population and substandard academics (esp. when compared to the Big 10 schools).

Wanting to join the Big 10 and getting offered a slot are two different things. If the Mountaineers were such a valuable commodity, then why wasn't WVU offered a slot when the ACC expanded?

I thought so Sonny, but I had to make sure....so I edited .....

Because they are not a "costal school" .....neither is Blackburg (when Tech left the Big East to join, and same with BC), but VA is a costal state....

That WVU was going to join, also focused on a coach that could recruit..and they had a couple of down years.....and he did well for a bit, but Don Neilan could hold Bobby Bowdens sunglasses

Im not saying WVU is a powerhouse it just makes more sense due to their location....I think we are going to start seeing the Big East as a midtier confrence soon....

[Danny Hogan]

I think we are going to start seeing the Big East as a midtier confrence soon....

yeah as soon as miami, BC, VT jump to the ACC...oh wait that already hap...

[Sonny]

Im not saying WVU is a powerhouse it just makes more sense due to their location....

If location was the only consideration, the U of Chicago would be the Big 10's 12th school.