Barry Alvarez Says Another School Wanted In B1G

[MaxwellCuse]

Interesting article about Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez' take on B1G expansion. Apparently there was another school that was interested in joining at the time Rutgers and Maryland came onboard but their academics weren't up to snuff. WVU??? Also indicates keeping PSU in the B1G was part of the rationale for expanding:

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/182573751.html

 

[Alsacs]

Louisville or UConn probably are my guesses. Neither is AAU. I bet UConn's academics wouldn't have been a problem though. Candidates would have been Syracuse, Boston College, UConn, Louisville, Cincinnati.

 

[oldpinepoint]

I heard it was Oklahoma

 

[Alsacs]

My second guess would be Florida State. It has to be an ACC or Big East team IMO. I have family who are OU grads and while they don't like Okie State the school considers Okie State their little brother and won't break up without them unless they have no other choice.

 

[oldpinepoint]

It was Oklahoma... I have nothing to base this on but that's what I heard.

 

[MaxwellCuse]

It was Oklahoma... I have nothing to base this on but that's what I heard.

I am sure you heard what you heard. However, it would seem out of character for the B1G to reach out to Oklahoma without also giving a vetting to Kansas since geographical integrity has always been important to Delaney & Company. I personally suspect it was Louisville.

Next Question: If the B1G had taken the Mystery School who would they NOT have taken?

 

[Alsacs]

The part that stands out is the keep Penn State happy comment. Obviously, Delany had to be worried about the ACC getting Penn State and Notre Dame and closing shop. Delany was smart to strike the ACC before Penn State wanted to make the jump.

 

[Jeepers]

My money would be on UConn or Louisville.

 

[arbitragegls]

yes...it was real...it was discussed as an option... after all Penn State has never felt comfortable in the B1G...its an eastern school...the B1G kicked mud in Penn State's face fining it $50mm for Sandusky incident...and ACC surrounded Penn State with Notre Dame, Syracuse and now Louisville...the end is not yet written...

 

[oldpinepoint]

I am sure you heard what you heard. However, it would seem out of character for the B1G to reach out to Oklahoma without also giving a vetting to Kansas since geographical integrity has always been important to Delaney & Company. I personally suspect it was Louisville.

Next Question: If the B1G had taken the Mystery School who would they NOT have taken?

I'm the dude of SU, I make up to destabilize conferences and spread lies through out the blogosphere

 

[Alsacs]

yes...it was real...it was discussed as an option... after all Penn State has never felt comfortable in the B1G...its an eastern school...the B1G kicked mud in Penn State's face fining it $50mm for Sandusky incident...and ACC surrounded Penn State with Notre Dame, Syracuse and now Louisville...the end is not yet written...

Penn State isn't leaving now with Rutgers and Maryland there for them kick around. If the ACC plucked Penn State before the Maryland move I think it would have been possible with Notre Dame as 16 and the ACC being a top 3 conference.

 

[cusetown1]

I am sure you heard what you heard. However, it would seem out of character for the B1G to reach out to Oklahoma without also giving a vetting to Kansas since geographical integrity has always been important to Delaney & Company. I personally suspect it was Louisville.

Next Question: If the B1G had taken the Mystery School who would they NOT have taken?

4 geographical" home bases" located in the North South East West. It doesn't matter where they are getting the schools from.

 

[PhatOrange]

adding buttgers and the twerps doesn't keep penn state on board if they decide they want to leave.

 

[supp]

I heard it was Oklahoma

Did you hear it from SU2NASA? Just kidding. I believe that to be accurate too. Oklahoma makes sense to me. They have a big rivalry with Texas but I think they'd like to break their tie there too as their future relies entirely on Texas' whims. They also have a built-in B1G rivalry with Nebraska. I'd always watch Nebraska-Oklahoma on Black Friday and I wasn't even remotely a fan of either team. It fits the B1G too as it helps to balance out East and West with two elite teams on either side.

 

[Alsacs]

ACC could have scheduled the final week like this if Maryland didn't leave and Penn State joined.
BC-SU
PSU-PITT
VPI-UVA
UNC-Duke
NCSU-UMD
Vandy-WF
UF-FSU
Ga.Tech-UGA
USC-CU
ND-Miami

 

[MaxwellCuse]

I'm the dude of SU, I make **** up to destabilize conferences and spread lies through out the blogosphere

?

 

[oldpinepoint]

Did you hear it from SU2NASA? Just kidding. I believe that to be accurate too. Oklahoma makes sense to me. They have a big rivalry with Texas but I think they'd like to break their tie there too as their future relies entirely on Texas' whims. They also have a built-in B1G rivalry with Nebraska. I'd always watch Nebraska-Oklahoma on Black Friday and I wasn't even remotely a fan of either team. It fits the B1G too as it helps to balance out East and West with two elite teams on either side.

I heard it from SU2NASA and I made it up for my own amusement at work.

 

[oldpinepoint]

?

Just messing with you Max

 

[MaxwellCuse]

Just messing with you Max

That's cool. Thought you p*ssed off with me about something.

 

[oldpinepoint]

No way! I was just throwing an unsubstantiated rumor out there like the dude of WVU

 

[cuseguy]

The Penn State stuff makes a lot of sense. Penn State fans haven't been too happy with the B1G. This gives them two schools on their eastern front for easy trips and easy wins.

Wonder if the ACC was in discussions with Penn State.

 

[chakka3421]

Would you people stop this nonsense about Penn State. It doesn't matter about what fans think, it's about $$$$$. No way, no how will Penn St ever leave the B1G.

 

[Scooch]

Why the heck would adding Rutgers and Maryland "keep" Penn State in the B1G?

If they were really intent on leaving the ACC would welcome them with open arms and deep, wet, passionate kisses. If they went to the ACC they'd have Pitt, Syracuse and BC as northeastern partners. At WORST it's a wash (and it's not a wash, that's an upgrade).

It's not like PSU needs Rutgers or Maryland to be relevant in NJ/NYC and Baltimore/DC. PSU is the 2nd most popular team in the broader NY market, behind only ND. I suspect they're top 5 in Baltimore/DC.

 

[Scooch]

Would you people stop this nonsense about Penn State. It doesn't matter about what fans think, it's about $$$$$. No way, no how will Penn St ever leave the B1G.

Per Barry Alvarez:

Jim felt that someday, if we didn’t have anyone else in that corridor, someday it wouldn’t make sense maybe for Penn State to be in our league.

"Jim" is the commissioner of the conference. So if he thinks there's a chance, I'd listen to him.

I think it's a remote chance, but an ACC with ND as a full member and Penn State would probably be able to generate revenue on par with the Big Ten.

 

[Alsacs]

Per Barry Alvarez:

Jim felt that someday, if we didn’t have anyone else in that corridor, someday it wouldn’t make sense maybe for Penn State to be in our league.

"Jim" is the commissioner of the conference. So if he thinks there's a chance, I'd listen to him.

I think it's a remote chance, but an ACC with ND as a full member and Penn State would probably be able to generate revenue on par with the Big Ten.

I agree with that including the Baltimore/D.C. market with Maryland the ACC could have gotten B1G money with ND and Penn State as 15 and 16. With Louisville instead of Maryland, Penn State isn't leaving the B1G. I think the ND partial move to the ACC made Delany realize Penn State was poachable and so they needed to give Penn State some tomato cans to kick around.