Not sure I understand the ND being forced thing

[MCuse44]

Why not take sweat heart deal to the next level and not have to bend on football at all.

Start a catholic league with:

GTown
Nova
St Johns
Marquette
DePaul
Xavier
St Joes
UMass
Seton Hall
Providence

I still think Congress has way too much free time to let college athletics be ruled by 4 16 team conferences. It not like theres anything pressing going on in the country these days.

 

[omniorange]

I think ND is so wedded to football independence, that this is what they will likely do. They will hold their noses and hope it doesn't damage their olympic sports too much.

And with the BiG seemingly in no hurry to expand, they know they will have a spot waiting for them if they need to join a conference for all sports.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Scooch]

UMass isn't catholic, that's just a stereotype.

 

[MCuse44]

Hah. I figured they would convert for ND.

 

[dash-30-dash]

The problem for N.D. is who are they going to play? It's easy to say they are N.D. and can play anyone they want. That has always been true but in the new 64 team world, teams will be playing a lot of league games.

 

[Bcwest]

If ND goes the way of aligning with the ball schools, it has made all its non football sports 2nd class citizens. Unless it can work something out with the Big 12 and Big East leftovers, even football games will be hard to come by after mid october. Of course teams want to play them, but they will not have open dates. ND will be playing Louisville, USF, and Kansas in October. Hardly the kind of schedule your fight for independence to keep.

It seems the independence factor is extremely important to NDs alums and their view of ND. But the reality is ND is not a top ten program. They are living in the past just like those who long for 1985 and the Big East. I would bet Father Jenkins is far more open to joining a conference than he will say publicly. He will be far more inclined to join the ACC than Big Ten. ND has a lot more in common with ACC then Big Ten. ND is an eastern school in its alumni base, private, academic, mall (compared to Big Ten), etc. It will be the ACC or independence.

 

[44USMC]

The problem for N.D. is who are they going to play? It's easy to say they are N.D. and can play anyone they want. That has always been true but in the new 64 team world, teams will be playing a lot of league games.

This is it. Join the monopoly superconferences (capable of telling the NCAA to stick it) or die...