Ladies and Gentlemen... Your NNBE Football Conference

[OrangePA]

There's not 4 schools he would add because they all suck. The conference is terrible OP, it's Conference USA. It's geographically a trainwreck.

Yes, I understand that that is the conventional wisdom on this board.

I understand that folks want to believe that the teams in the Big East "suck" and that the conference is "terrible."

I think that approach is the wrong one for a few reasons that I have described in the past and will do so again for the final time.

First, I think it is simply bad karma and bad manners to trash the conference. I believe that we should do what Dr. Gross and the University did - treat the BE with respect and decorum and wish it well. One should always be careful to treat others in the situation that the BE finds itself well - you never know what the future might hold.

Second, we want the BE to survive because we don't want there to be pressure on the ACC to add UConn or Rutgers. We want those two teams to remain in a conference that is good enough to keep them still but not quite good enough to allow them to use the conference to out recruit us.

Third, the characterizations of the teams and the conference are just not accurate. Clearly, Boise State is a national power. University of Houston has a proud history and was very, very good last year - having nearly an undefeated season if I recall. SMU also has a proud tradition - Doak Walker, Don Meredith, Jerry Levias et al - and is on the rise with a great offensive mind in June Jones. UCF is a good program and Cincy, L'ville, Rutgers and even UConn are better than we are right now.

Plus, the national character of the conference, though it is unconventional, could be a real positive.

So, I think it is misguided to root against the BE in the manner that so many on this board want to root against it.

Sorry, just the way I feel.

 

[Cuseman78]

Second, we want the BE to survive because we don't want there to be pressure on the ACC to add UConn or Rutgers. We want those two teams to remain in a conference that is good enough to keep them still but not quite good enough to allow them to use the conference to out recruit us.

So you're telling me that you want the BE to survive because otherwise the ACC will be forced to give a pity invite to Uconn or Rutgers? I've heard it all now.

 

[All4SU]

First, I think it is simply bad karma and bad manners to trash the conference. I believe that we should do what Dr. Gross and the University did - treat the BE with respect and decorum and wish it well. One should always be careful to treat others in the situation that the BE finds itself well - you never know what the future might hold.

Most of us were trashing the BE even before SU was invited to the ACC. Since Miami, BC and VT left, the BE as a football conference has been, well, inferior. I don't think it's bad karma when we were trashing it ourselves when we were in it. Also, SU has not trashed anyone. We're just fans on an Internet message board.

Second, we want the BE to survive because we don't want there to be pressure on the ACC to add UConn or Rutgers. We want those two teams to remain in a conference that is good enough to keep them still but not quite good enough to allow them to use the conference to out recruit us.

I don't believe that the ACC will feel pressured to do anything if teams like UConn or Rutgers are left high and dry. I don't see why it would.

Third, the characterizations of the teams and the conference are just not accurate. Clearly, Boise State is a national power. University of Houston has a proud history and was very, very good last year - having nearly an undefeated season if I recall. SMU also has a proud tradition - Doak Walker, Don Meredith, Jerry Levias et al - and is on the rise with a great offensive mind in June Jones. UCF is a good program and Cincy, L'ville, Rutgers and even UConn are better than we are right now.

Individually, those teams have SOME merit. Not a LOT of merit, or they would not be in the situations they are in. They were the best left of the lot, when the BE was forced to add some teams. As others have said, geographically, the "Big East" is a mess. And the schism between the BBall schools and the FB schools is apparent to everyone. They are two dissimilar groups clinging to each other for survival. It is an alliance of desperation, not of strength.

Just my opinion.

 

[PhatOrange]

I don't wish the conference any ill will but I hope they never eat at the big boy table.

I'm glad we're not part of it regardless of any postives.

 

[KaiserUEO]

OPa, you know as well as anyone that TRADITION is what defines who you are in college football. a johnny come lately like boise can win a couple of games, shock a few people, but at the end of the day, theyre still a piss-ant school from idaho playing on a stupidarse blue carpet. look at hoop too, its not like the ACC was ready to invite george mason after 1 nice run in the tourny, same for the b1g and valpo.

the haves and have nots were decided 60 years ago.

Syracuse & Pitt = haves
rut & storz = have nots

who got the ACC invite?? who did not??

who is in the big 5 confs?? who is not??

there is probably 2 spots left...both in the bevo. lville, houston and smu all fit, because they can argue 'have' status better than anyone else. even then, someone is getting left out.

your points sometime seem like you are putting the newnewnewnewbigeast in with the big 5 confs. clearly, they shouldnt be mentioned in the same breath.

 

[VaSaltine]

Ok, I'll ask...what is NNBE? I don't know if this is a joke or serious.

 

[BlazeOrange]

Ok, I'll ask...what is NNBE? I don't know if this is a joke or serious.

Helps to separate the iterations when discussing.

First there was the BE, back when the conference was decent.
Then Miami/VT/BC leave, replaced by USF/Louisville/Cinci = New Big East (NBE)
With this next reconfiguration, we can't re-use the acronym so we end up with the "New" New Big East (NNBE). Also known as the NNBEMTWCUSA..., but I never quite figureed out what all of them stood for. Sun Beast was easier.

 

[DeepThrowIt]

They're not better than us. Last year Boise and Houston would, probably, have beaten us. Currently Syracuse would be even with

As an overall program we're, far, better than any current Big East member.

You are on drugs.

 

[Noexcuse]

You are on drugs.

Personally I think a case can be made for SU when you consider the "overall" athletics Program, ie all sports. Louisville, SU and ND, even though I do not consider ND a full member. Overall could also mean from a historical perspective.

 

[Stern]

Plus, the national character of the conference, though it is unconventional, could be a real positive.

So, I think it is misguided to root against the BE in the manner that so many on this board want to root against it.

Sorry, just the way I feel.

National character could be a real positive? What the hell are you smoking?? They have no bowl tie-in's after this year that are any good and they will be sending their conference champ to play somewhere in the Carolina's on a Wednesday afternoon probably a few days after Christmas in a game nobody watches. No school in the Big East will ever has a shot of making the "new" playoff even if they go unbeaten and without the Orange, Fiesta, and Sugar forced to take them anymore they will die a quick death and make no money in the process of dying.

Also, I, nor anyone else, needs to "ROOT" for the Big East to fail. It already has failed.

 

[Scooch]

How a member perceives their conference is entirely built on their past affiliations and expectations for the future. We saw this play out first-hand in 2004/05. We hated it when Miami, BC and VaTech left because their replacements couldn't hold a candle to them in terms of success or appeal. But to UConn, Louisville, USF and Cincy, joining the BEFB was awesome since it was a huge upgrade from where they were.

Looking at this NNBE roster makes me realize that the vast majority of the conference is psyched. They're going to make more media money than they did in their previous leagues, and most likely have access to better bowls (relatively speaking). UConn fans are pissed, but honestly they hit the lottery by being allowed to join a BCS league straight outta the minors, so I'm not exactly sympathetic. If they had upgraded their program a couple decades ago maybe things would've worked out better. Rutgers fans are pissed, but screw them, they were an anchor on the old BE and don't forget for a second that their miserableness back then played some part in our poor media deals and the desire for other schools to bolt. I guess the only school I have a modicum of sympathy for is Louisville, since they've been committed to big time athletics for quite some time. But but then there Rick Pitino, so screw them too.

 

[orange79]

Rutgers fans are pissed, but screw them, they were an anchor on the old BE and don't forget for a second that their miserableness back then played some part in our poor media deals and the desire for other schools to bolt.

I always hated them, but regardless, also remember that their AD played a major role in the decision to turn down the ESPN deal that was offered that would have brought each BE school much more $$$ than they had been making.

On a related note, I wonder if we would have left the BE (if the ACC had offered) had the BE accepted the ESPN deal. My guess is yes, but it most likely would have engendered a great deal more discussion. Given that the BE turned down the offer, moving was a no-brainer.

 

[OrangePA]

They're not better than us. Last year Boise and Houston would, probably, have beaten us. Currently Syracuse would be even with them.

Most writers have SU finishing last because we finished last this past season. Last year writers picked Rutgers to finish last, know why? They finished last in 20


As an overall program we're, far, better than any current Big East member.

Oh my.

You really are delusional.

It amazes me how myopic so many of our fans are regarding our talent level.

This post tops Stern - I didn't think that was possible.

 

[Bortukal]

They're not better than us. Last year Boise and Houston would, probably, have beaten us. Currently Syracuse would be even with them.

Most writers have SU finishing last because we finished last this past season. Last year writers picked Rutgers to finish last, know why? They finished last in 2010.

As an overall program we're, far, better than any current Big East member.

 

[All4SU]

How a member perceives their conference is entirely built on their past affiliations and expectations for the future. We saw this play out first-hand in 2004/05. We hated it when Miami, BC and VaTech left because their replacements couldn't hold a candle to them in terms of success or appeal. But to UConn, Louisville, USF and Cincy, joining the BEFB was awesome since it was a huge upgrade from where they were.

Looking at this NNBE roster makes me realize that the vast majority of the conference is psyched. They're going to make more media money than they did in their previous leagues, and most likely have access to better bowls (relatively speaking). UConn fans are pissed, but honestly they hit the lottery by being allowed to join a BCS league straight outta the minors, so I'm not exactly sympathetic. If they had upgraded their program a couple decades ago maybe things would've worked out better. Rutgers fans are pissed, but screw them, they were an anchor on the old BE and don't forget for a second that their miserableness back then played some part in our poor media deals and the desire for other schools to bolt. I guess the only school I have a modicum of sympathy for is Louisville, since they've been committed to big time athletics for quite some time. But but then there Rick Pitino, so screw them too.

I love this post from top to bottom. But especially that one line. Nice work.

 

[OrangeCrush22]

Oh my.

You really are delusional.

It amazes me how myopic so many of our fans are regarding our talent level.

This post tops Stern - I didn't think that was possible.

Is the recent Syracuse football program better than SOME of those schools? No. Is the overall Syracuse football program better than all of those schools? YES.

Like all Big LEast apologist's you're flat out ignoring anything that happened more than 10 year's ago. You're glossing over the fact that Syracuse and Pitt have the most Big East national TV games, by a lot, this year. We're better than those school's. The ACC can see it, ESPN can see it, you are one of the few that can't seem to see it.

 

[HOFCeluck]

The Big East is that in name only at this point. It has no resemblence to the football conference Syracuse helped form twenty years ago. I don't know why people feel as if they have to fervently defend it.