RIP Big East

[SWC75]

Bud and the Manchild is reporting a breaking story from Gary parrish of CBS Sports: the "Catholic Seven" are breaking away from the Big East to form their own basketball only conferecne. Also, it seems that when Tranghese was commisisoner, they asked the ACC to take the top football schools so they could return to being a BB only conference.

The conference was always a mix of oil and water.

 

[Madbiker]

Not surprising. If they add Xavier and Butler to get to 9 schools they can play a double round robin 16 game conference schedule. That would be a real good basketball conference. Big question is who keeps the Big East name and the tourney at MSG...the Catholic league or the football schools with UConn, Cincy, Temple, Memphis and the 5 other dreg basketball programs?

 

[pfister1]

It fought a long, brave fight, but it was time, it had been in pain and been suffering for quite some time now. Frankly, I don't know how it endured the pain this long. Rest in Peace Big East.

 

[raf4488]

In a way, you could argue that this move actually rescues the Big East if you consider it to be a basketball league- football is dead anyway. The new league is basically the 1980s BE plus DePaul/Marquette, and minus the current FBS football schools. That league is a lot more "Big East" than the current Big East- I hope they keep the name, it would be a shame if New CUSA got the BE branding and MSG.

 

[Cadillac]

 

[Marsh01]

It also is on the front page of the NY post website.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

In the late 80's, Tranghese wanted the ACC to take BC, Pitt, and SU as "associate members for football only", which would keep the 3 schools happy while keeping the BE out of the football business.

The ACC laughed.

The BE went to "Plan B" ... inviting Miami and starting a FB conference. The last thing Tranghese ever wanted to do.

 

[Knicks411]

They can dissolve the conference right; not just break away? So the BE name would be gone, no?

 

[jncuse]

Congrats to UConn on being the only original Big East member to survive until the end. Don't worry the MAC might take you.

 

[edowd26]

Stop payment on that check SU

 

[sabach]

It also is on the front page of the NY post website.

Sorry Marsh. If I had seen your post, I wouldn't have started one on the NY Post story.

 

[jncuse]

They can dissolve the conference right; not just break away? So the BE name would be gone, no?

It would certainly be in the best interest of the BB schools to kill the name if they legally will have a hard time taking it with them..

 

[armory]

They can dissolve the conference right; not just break away? So the BE name would be gone, no?

Yep, these 7 comprise the majority ATM.

 

[AirForceOrange]

Congrats to UConn on being the only original Big East member to survive until the end. Don't worry the MAC might take you.

...beat ya to it marsh

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[AirForceOrange]

the boneyard must be flipping out...must be a long waiting line at that uconn cliff...

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[SWC75]

Actually a conference of the top Catholic basketball schools would be a great conference and an annual post seaosn tournament in MSG would be most appropiate for them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathol...s#Jesuit_.28Society_of_Jesus.29_Official_Site

There could be two 9 team leagues with 16 game home and home schedules:

East: Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, Villanova, St. Joseph's, LaSalle, Georgetown, Duquesne, St. Bonaventure.

West: Detroit, Dayton, Xavier, DePaul, Loyola, Marquette, Creighton, Saint Louis, Gonzaga. (The tournament could be in Chicago)

There could be an annual "challenge" between them.

I'll bet if the Catholic Church decided that's what they wanted, it would happen.

 

[moqui]

In a way, you could argue that this move actually rescues the Big East if you consider it to be a basketball league- football is dead anyway. The new league is basically the 1980s BE plus DePaul/Marquette, and minus the current FBS football schools. That league is a lot more "Big East" than the current Big East- I hope they keep the name, it would be a shame if New CUSA got the BE branding and MSG.

"we had to destroy the conference in order to save it"

they should rename it the Ben Tre Conference

 

[Earlwolf]

This is obviously the best thing for the Basketball schools, it should also free up MSG for the ACC now...

 

[Cheriehoop]

Actually a conference of the top Catholic basketball schools would be a great conference and an annual post seaosn tournament in MSG would be most appropiate for them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathol...s#Jesuit_.28Society_of_Jesus.29_Official_Site

There could be two 9 team leagues with 16 game home and home schedules:

East: Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, Villanova, St. Joseph's, LaSalle, Georgetown, Duquesne, St. Bonaventure.

West: Detroit, Dayton, Xavier, DePaul, Loyola, Marquette, Creighton, Saint Louis, Gonzaga. (The tournament could be in Chicago)

There could be an annual "challenge" between them.

I'll bet if the Catholic Church decided that's what they wanted, it would happen.

I doubt it's the Catholic Church's decision - each of these schools are run, like SU independently, by its trustees etc. They are affiliated with different orders like Jesuits, Vincentians etc. For basketball I always thought that these small Catholic schools would make an excellent conference without the bigger football schools help. I think many people have underrated the history, tradition and success of the basketball programs by these small Catholic colleges. You have to wonder if schools like Siena, Niagara, Canisius, Fairfield etc will want in eventually or if there will be multiple conferences based on geography.

 

[RoysRunts]

Might as well get StJoes/Lasalle/Niagara/St Marys/St Bona/Canisius/Holy Cross/ Loyola( Calif and Chicago ) in the mix

 

[kingottoiii]

East: Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, Villanova, St. Joseph's, LaSalle, Georgetown, Duquesne, St. Bonaventure.

West: Detroit, Dayton, Xavier, DePaul, Loyola, Marquette, Creighton, Saint Louis, Gonzaga.

Why even go that big? 12 would be fine:

East- PC, St Johns, Seton Hall, Nova, GTown, Duquesne
West- Detroit, Dayton, Xavier, DePaul, Marq, St Louis

You can play cross division teams once and in division teams twice a year for 16 games. Geographically there are no issues. The rest of the schools you listed do not add enough value.

 

[HoustonCuse]

I'll bet if the Catholic Church decided that's what they wanted, it would happen.

So would the Pope be commissioner?

 

[moqui]

So would the Pope be commissioner?

that job is too big for the Pontiff - it has to go to The Black Pope (aka the Superior General of the Jesuits, aka The Most Powerful Man in the World)