There is no way the conference shake out happens without politics/lawsuits/etc getting involved. There is too much money involved.
My worst nightmare is hearing a question asked for the presidential candidates about this during a debate.
After all the whining about the refs and the dueling banjos manufactured outrage,
I say let 'em twist in the wind a while.
Added a couple
Wonder what could be going on here. What can Louisville tell them that they don't already know, after they have done their expansion due diligence? I wonder if they might be bargaining, offering to take a lesser share for a while in exchange for getting in.
I agree with all of this.Let's not laugh about this, because one thing is for certain, we WANT at least one more team to leave, and personally I think WVU leaving hurts the Big East football prospects more than Louisville leaving. Not sure why the hoops schools would say that Louisville leaving would be the deal breaker that would make them break away, but we definitely WANT this to happen as soon as possible.
The Big East must go down in flames for us to get to the ACC quicker, and kill any talk of keeping us in the Big East for essentially three more seasons (that's what June 2014 will be). That would be HELL.
Matt I'm pretty sure Lville is a deal breaker for hoops because from their perspective, the only football schools worth playing in their opinion are Syr, Pitt, UCONN and LVille. they don't care about WVU...it doesn't help them.
I agree with all of this.
The destruction of BEFB would get our football team out of the BE quicker, but I wonder if the BB schools (plus UConn?) might stick to the 27 month requirement, which would get them at least one additional--and very lucrative--hoops season.Let's not laugh about this, because one thing is for certain, we WANT at least one more team to leave, and personally I think WVU leaving hurts the Big East football prospects more than Louisville leaving. Not sure why the hoops schools would say that Louisville leaving would be the deal breaker that would make them break away, but we definitely WANT this to happen as soon as possible.
The Big East must go down in flames for us to get to the ACC quicker, and kill any talk of keeping us in the Big East for essentially three more seasons (that's what June 2014 will be). That would be HELL.
that's the logical thing to do! All 3 are solid programs in both football and basketball! Sounds like a grand slam to me for the big 12I wonder if this doesn't force Texas's hand and the Big 12 goes to 12 instead of ten...and end up taking both along with Cincy.
yeah matt, something is going on with mizzou. maybe the SEC is be dragging their feet, but its got to be mizzou doing something odd, because it seems they got the green light.
it also seems like all the confs are scared of being the aggressor. they want the schools to act independently and other than atm, pitt and SU, nobody has the balls to just stand up and say ' this, we're out of here.'
ACC should take Notre Dame and WVU...okay WVU academics arent so good...but their Medical School is and that is good enough to breathe air into the ACC football program...well, of course 'Cuse is there now and we are going to blow ACC full of holes...(is that politically correct?)
PS: Louisville for this stunt deserves a What...get off to the floor
Politicians are now involved in the person of Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Shades of us getting boned by Virginia Politics. Would suck for WVU.
The longer this drags on, the more I'm thinking that Missouri is still holding out hope that Notre Dame is forced to join a conference, and Missouri hopes it will be the Big 10, and that they can tag along as the final team.
Missouri dragging this out like they are definitely reinforces the idea that they are not that crazy about the division set ups being offered in the SEC, or perhaps even playing against these schools in the first place.
They have shot their mouth off way too much in public compared to other schools, practically begging the Big 10 for acceptance when the last round wound up with Nebraska changing conferences.
The longer this drags on, the more I get worried that Missouri decides to stay in the Big 12, and that they decide that WVU and Louisville (or BYU) won't get them enough additional money to want to reopen the sweetheart (0verpriced) deal that they currently have for 10 teams from ESPN. ESPN gave them that deal to avoid blowing up the Big 12, and the Big 12 doesn't want to tip over that apple cart, because they won't get that much money on the open market, with Texas having its own network to deal with.
I think the B12 will ultimately decide that they need to get to 12. Despite the greater number of partners for distribution, it will (a) give them the ability to continue with a Championship game -- which is important to everyone not named Texas, and (b) help them maintain the perception that they are one of the big boy conferences. Like it or not, conferences with 10 (or fewer) teams, are passe. And just the opportunity to get more teams in the polls, and into bowls makes a difference in national perception. With the Pac12, the B10(at 12), the SEC looking at 14, and the ACC at 14, they will not want to be perceived as the little guy.