Ruminations on the program

[djcon57]

Do you think kids who were 9 (or younger) when we left the BE care? No one thinks of the ACC as a "Southern" conference.

Yeah...think about this.

if you are under 30, Gonzaga is to you what like Georgetown would be to anyone that grew up in the 80s

i think some times, myself included, we like to think everyone has the same memory as us.

 

[ar inj]

The Big East had SU playing games every year in DC, Philly, NYC metro, CT, RI and Boston. The recruits in those locals knew they would play in those cities every year. Now SU plays Boston and maybe NYC once. That may not be a deciding factor for every recruit but over time it adds up.

I am not saying SU should have stayed in the BE, but that is part of what was lost

 

[jdubs30]

I’m 32 and in Connecticut.

I don’t miss the Big East because the Big East I grew up with included WVU, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pitt, Notre Dame. For the most part all those games were competitive and fun.

I couldn’t give 2 s about St Johns or PC or Seton Hall or DePaul. When I remember big east basketball during my time growing up none of those teams were good for the most part. I understand the history of 3 of those teams and what it means to the History of BE basketball. But it seemed like after 2005 or so these teams have been irrelevant for the most part.

I miss UConn and Nova and GTown. But adding Creighton, Xavier or Butler? Meh doesn’t move the needle for me.

The Big East is clearly having a better year, but these tend to be cyclical.

We still have Duke, UNC, ND, Louisville, UVA and FSU. Those are just way bigger brands than what’s in the Big East. Not to mention on the football side with Clemson

 

[Cuse181]

I. Happen. To. Disagree.
Sorry. Not. Sorry.
I. Also. Notice. That. The. Big. East. Has. Largely, Passed. The. ACC. The. Last. Few. Years.
Villanova. Basketball. Is. Now. What. Syracuse. Hoops. Used. To. Be. And. Represent.
It. Is. Not. A. Coincidence.

First off, It’s 100% a coincidence in regards to the conference, not in regards to literally EVERYTHING else that has happened to the school. Hopkins leaving, fine leaving, sanctions, JB aging, G-league alternatives, rise of southern basketball, rise in prep school etc. etc. Just because Villanova (who honestly was always good at basketball) caught lightning in a bottle with Wright doesn’t mean the Big East had to do with it. Jay Wright could win in the big 10 or the ACC because he’s a good coach.

Here’s a couple questions:
- Georgetown stayed, why are they trash?
- St John’s stayed, why are they still trash?
- DePaul stayed, why are they still trash?

Next, the big east has passed the ACC THIS YEAR, but if we’re talking in 1 year increments then the BIG 12 is the best conference of all time. That’s not how it works though, the ACC is in a down swing, just like how a few years ago the big east was also in one of their own. The ACC has far more resilience than the Big East does. The ACC currently has 7 teams in the top 25 of the recruiting rankings, the Big East has 2.

Finally, syracuse is making far more money from Tv deals then they could’ve ever dreamed of staying if they stayed in the BE. Pair that with the fact that the big east no longer has a football offering and you would’ve disbanded one of the top 15 winningest football programs of all time just to play Georgetown and DePaul every year.

Moving to the ACC was an all around great decision and the downturn in the basketball program has everything to do with changes in the broader landscape, and nothing to do with the conference. Kids don’t give 2 sh!ts about the Big East, if they did the conference would have more than 2 top 25 classes.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I really don’t get the Big East commentary going around the boards lately.

it literally wasn’t an option if we wanted to stay in big time college football.

Old man on the porch argument. I’m sure some thought leaving the ECAC was a disaster too.

 

[SU94]

I would love to hear one story, even one, of a recruit saying 'ooh Syracuse is really great with its history, giant stadium, cool factor and all but yeah I really don’t wanna play in the ACC'.

It’s a pretty asinine thought to be honest. Kids dream of playing in an environment that size, against the Dukes and UNCs of the world. Just a simplistic and lazy excuse to semi-justify the gradual downturn of the program which is due, in my opinion and that of many others, largely to the points I noted above.

And you are welcome on the periods.

I’d offer this. When we recruited in the past, kids had to decide am I a Big East-type player (physical, mostly city) or more of a athletic and free flowing player, who might trend toward the old ACC (southern bases). Both were excellent options. If the player chose to take the physical challenge, the looked (primarily) at BE schools. And SU was at or near the top of the list for many reasons, including geography, Boeheim, Dome, great tradition, freedom to play individually as part of a team dynamic.

Now, if a player wants to play geographically (primarily) in the Northeast, they choose the New Big East.

If they choose the ACC for the depth of challenge, we have to fend with a (in my estimation) caliber of recruiting rivals in Duke, UNC, some Virginia, FSU, etc.

That is different than in the past, when we had to beat out Nova, St John’s, Pitt, etc.

Again, this is NOT the only factor. It is one of many. But I think it is just as big as some of the others.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I’d offer this. When we recruited in the past, kids had to decide am I a Big East-type player (physical, mostly city) or more of a athletic and free flowing player, who might trend toward the old ACC (southern bases). Both were excellent options. If the player chose to take the physical challenge, the looked (primarily) at BE schools. And SU was at or near the top of the list for many reasons, including geography, Boeheim, Dome, great tradition, freedom to play individually as part of a team dynamic.

Now, if a player wants to play geographically (primarily) in the Northeast, they choose the New Big East.

If they choose the ACC for the depth of challenge, we have to fend with a (in my estimation) caliber of recruiting rivals in Duke, UNC, some Virginia, FSU, etc.

That is different than in the past, when we had to beat out Nova, St John’s, Pitt, etc.

Again, this is NOT the only factor. It is one of many. But I think it is just as big as some of the others.

It’s almost like the ACC coaches are aging or novices and that’s why the conference stinks.

The argument might hold water if St Johns and Georgetown had their act together, but they are worse than they’ve ever been.

 

[djcon57]

Now, if a player wants to play geographically (primarily) in the Northeast, they choose the New Big East.

The only team I would point to specifically as getting NE guys that matter would be Nova. And they are getting guys due to winning championships more than location.