I'm confused why no Memphis?

[Shermthegeneral]

I can't remember anyone talking about Memphis but I don't understand why they aren't in the mix to get an invite. They would be a decent rival for Louisville, they have a solid bball team and have a nice stadium. Am I missing something?

 

[44PRIDE]

1) Its considered a commuter college
2) Their football is absolutely positively and totally awful. Has been for years and shows no signs of change

 

[Moontan]

But potentially comes with lots of FedEx ca$h.

Agreed, that they don't fit.

 

[EastCoast2]

basketball doesn't run the show, unfortunately

 

[StopCoolio]

Not enough on-campus beds.

 

[orange79]

Not enough on-campus beds.

And sorely lacking in helicopters.

 

[MaxwellCuse]

1) Its considered a commuter college
2) Their football is absolutely positively and totally awful. Has been for years and shows no signs of change

I don't buy #1. The BE already has commuters schools and wants to add a couple more. Memphis' omission has more to do with its abysmal football product. The basketball schools probably would have preferred Memphis to Boise State but they had to give on this issue to try to save the BCS status, which brings them significantly more money.

The Marinatto plan is a compromise between the ND/basketball faction and the football schools. Not all of it has yet been revealed, although Marinatto hinted at the ultimate plan in yesterday's presser when he said in essence, "we may expand the basketball side." As things stand now, if UCF, Houston and SMU come in as full members the basketball side loses its voting majority, 9-8. That won't be allowed to stand. Once football has been stabilized you can count on at least one additional basketball school, probably Butler. I wouldn't rule out the league going to a 12/20 format either, with the further addition of Dayton and Duquesne (maybe Xavier if Cincinnati doesn't put up too much of a stink).

Memphis as a basketball only addition is possible down the road but I don't think the private basketball schools see a great fit with a large, public university that plays FBS football. While basketball drives the bus in the Big East, they don't want to so alienate the football schools that they split. That would cost the basketball schools too much money and Notre Dame needs Rutgers, UCONN, Louisville and other football schools for its "Olympic sports."

 

[Shermthegeneral]

Good point about Butler, I can see them adding them.

 

[All4SU]

Can any school be more pissed off right now than ECU? They have lobbied hard for BE membership over the years. And now finally the scenario occurs that might lead to them getting in, and they are not even mentioned ahead of Boise State, Air Force, SMU, Houston, etc. They must be steaming.

 

[Cusefan95]

Good point about Butler, I can see them adding them.

I keep hearing people say this, but can't for the life of me figure out why. It seems like picking the flavor of the week - its a program that is one coaching change away from irrelevance. Its not a Catholic school, near a major metropolis. Butler is not going to win many recruiting battles against Indiana/Purdue/Notre Dame, and living in Indiana it seems like the high school focus less on basketball and more on football every year, so the local recruiting pool appears to me to be shrinking. Its the kind of decision that allows you to "win the press conference"...then you look back at ten years later and wonder what the hell they were thinking. (Which, frankly, sounds like exactly the kind of decision the Big East leadership would make...but its still a bad decision).

Xavier would be a good fit, but there's no way Cincy can agree to that. I think Dayton is the right fit from a cultural perspective.

If the Bonnies agreed to pull a Wake Forest and move from Olean to Rochester they'd be a good fit, too. Since that isn't happening the next best fit would be St Louis University.