Rutgers and Maryland possibly to Big Ten? Oh my, oh no!

[armchairqb]

When conferences say they aren't looking to add new teams, I will now take that as they ARE trying to add new teams.

I can't say that I don't enjoy a little shakeup like this now and then, but this potential move seems at least half-wrong to me. I like the "midwestern-ness" of the Big Ten. With Maryland and Rutgers, you get two large TV markets, but how "top of mind" will the Big Ten be in those markets. There is also the potential of expanding the geographic footprint for recruiting purposes.

As compared to existing B10 schools in football, Rutgers outdraws Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois and Northwestern. Maryland's attendance is below Northwestern. Though Maryland has a top-notch basketball program.

I could deal with adding Rutgers, because I believe that they COULD ultimately fit. I would rather add Louisville over Maryland. Above both of these options, I would rather that the B10 stay as is.




http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ap-source-big-ten-talking-034835202--ncaaf.html

[Eric]

I agree. I think the B1G is in a good spot as it is. Maryland doesn't seem like a great fit to me. Rutgers is a "meh" kind of addition. It's not going to move the needle. It's not going to make people in New York care about what happens between Nebraska and Iowa. I've always thought of the Big Ten as a Midwest conference as well.

[donovan]

This conference shuffling is like people of he wrong ethnicity moving into your neighborhood....the regulars just move out. So to be clear, if a bunch of westerners move into the East, self proclaimed Big, the neighborhood is going to hell and they move out. Best thing that could happen is they could move out and the Westerners come to their senses and realize they should just stay put; and they do.

[billybud]

I see that they mention UConn as the "logical" addition to the ACC if Maryland truly gets by the $50 million exit fee.

But...UConn has serious opposition in the ACC...FSU, Clemson, and GT are not wanting another northeastern basketball school...and have been adamant about the ACC, once central Atlantic, moving more northeastern than southern-central (with the additions of Boston College, Pitt, and Syracuse over the last ten years).
And, if Maryland opens the door, FSU might look to bolt as well.

[Brian Roastbeef]

Rutgers is the NYC market and sadly these days the TV prospects rank higher than determining which rivalries get fans to travel. Syracuse is gone, so I'm sure they've been applying the pressure extra hard to Rutgers. I don't necessarily see them as the worst fit - the Rutgers of the past decade or so could develop a good dynamic slugging it out against Mich St, Northwestern, PSU.

Though I agree it is a shame that some of the Midwestern regional aspects of the Big 10 are being diminished as a result of all this, and I type that while sitting in New York State too... Paul Bunyan's Axe, the Little Brown Jug, the Old Oaken Bucket, the Old Brass Spittoon, the Heartland Trophy, not to mention the 115 year old middle finger on the Ohio-Michigan border that starts glowing red hot around Thanksgiving every year... I expect similar stuff will be added for the new things, but in place of the fun of watching these as a kid and the excitement when one team snapped a 20 year losing streak for a trophy, a two year old "rivalry" in the battle for Chris Christie's Hot Dog Wrapper or whatever is just going to seem too manufactured.


As for Maryland, they're a hard working team, though inconsistent results as far as football is concerned. I expect the same dynamic as Rutgers applies with the Big 10 trying to grab a slice of the D.C. market, too. But the determined attempts to undermine the Duke-Maryland basketball rivalry... Dude... Why? Is North Carolina en route to the PAC-12 next? Also a shame too because considering the similarities in the two schools' athletic histories Maryland and Syracuse might have developed into a decent fit in the same conference.

[donovan]

Brian has it correct...you loose all the tradition and history, and it is not replaced by some manufactured made for TV whim.

As stated, hopefully with all the eloquence of Red Foxx, if the ACC gets watered down, FSU will leave, and should.

The other area that Mr. Billybud, who most likely and hopefully, will be attending a National Championship game rooting for his Semicolonoles...I am sure this is not a first, but I just thought of it...is the other sports. This idea that football is one conference and everything else another is ....there are not words to describe a cesspool masquerading as glacier water.

[billybud]

The ACC is a great fit for FSU in most sports....but football funds all sports.

The great women's soccer team (ranked #1 during the season and now in postseason) doesn't earn a dime, neither will a good baseball team, a top five cross country team, etc......A Top Five showing in the Director's Cup (with only 19 sports) does not translate into funding.

The ACC has made some conscious decisions to become the premier basketball conference....and, in a clash of culture, FSU, GT, Clemson, and Miami just do not fit in with the basketball guys.

The Dookies and Tarheels live for basketball and do not get too excited about football d Coach K and Coach Williams have more pull than all of the football coaches together..

Maryland is a dumpster fire, Beamer looks bewildered as VT has a bad year, Miami is about to get hammered, UNC is mediocre and on bowl ban.... ACC football is a mess right now.

The football flag bearers, FSU, Clemson, GT, Miami, & VT must rely on themselves....and when VT and Miami have a bad year, that leaves FSU and Clemson running without wingmen....

[Eric]

Nebraska still feels like an impostor to me. The Big 10 Network was running some series on "Big Ten Legends" and one of the people profiled was Tom Osborne, who has nothing to do with the Big 10. It's like we're just going to ignore the fact that coached in the Big 8 for all of those years. I'm sure Rutgers and Maryland would be even worse since they fit in even less. I still think of Texas A&M as an Big 12 team. And Missouri feels way out of place because they will never get to a very competitive level in the SEC. I just want a moratorium on all this stuff so we can settle down and have some stability for once. But I'll keep dreaming

[Spence]

Every team in the Big-10 is a pretender this year.

[Eric]

Every team in the Big-10 is a pretender this year.

I think there are a couple quality teams. I think it's easy to dump on them, but I think Ohio State, Penn State, Nebraska, and Michigan are pretty good. Penn State was reeling early and I think they got their feet under them. Even if you think Ohio State has issues, they're obviously one of the 15 best teams in the nation. Nebraska has really looked good in the last couple weeks. And Michigan has lost to the current top two teams in the nation and lost to a top 15 Nebraska team because Robinson was knocked out and we had a freshman QB who obviously wasn't ready for the limelight (had Gardner been prepared at QB instead of WR, there's no telling if Michigan could be 9-2 right now). Wisconsin isn't great, but they're okay. Michigan State and Northwestern are decent. The Spartans obviously have QB and WR issues, but they are a handful of plays away from being a 9 win team. I still think they can compete despite the 5-6 record.

I'm not saying it's the best shape the conference has ever been in, but there is still some quality football being played. I don't think there is a team other than Ohio State and Nebraska who could beat a top 10 team though. I think the conference needs to be prepared for another rough New Year's just based on matchups. The Big 10, minus Penn State and Ohio State eating up slots in the pecking order, is going to get paired up against South Carolina, LSU, Georgia, or Florida. And there is also a chance that the Big 10 champion gets Oregon. Those games would be hard enough to win if Penn State and Ohio State got New Year's bids, just imagine how difficult it will be for Wisconsin to beat one of those SEC teams and for Northwestern or Michigan State to beat Mississippi State.

[Eric]

I was also going to add, this opens the door for a Florida State move the SEC. As Billybud was suggesting, the farther north it moves, the less reason FSU has to stay. The SEC is going to be looking for two eastern teams to add (Missouri gets moved the West where they belong). If the Big 10 and the ACC (after adding UConn) are going to expand to 14 teams, expanding to 16 is the logical move in one-up-manship. I can see Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Virginia Tech, and possibly Louisville in the mix.

[Spence]

I look for the Big-10 to add Rutgers and Maryland. I also look for them to go after Boston College down the road. I would not be surprise to see Florida State move to the B-12 or SEC. I think the B-12 is the most likely candidate, but maybe not.

[Swamp Daddy]

As far as the SEC goes, you can eliminate Louisville from any possible mix. Kentucky would nix that; and, their general reasoning is everytime a a team is added to the SEC in football they move down a notch. And, in the modern era, we've beat them most of the time (except for Kragthorpe era) They'd probably like to ditch Louisville from the football schedule but probably don't dare due to the embarrasment of doing that.

As to the Big 12, or the ACC that seems to be the only two possibilities that are even remotely realistic for UL. Big 10, I sorta doubt it.

As to overall sports performance, past just basketball and football but including them, UL is now dominating the Big East. Our nearest rival in BE championships per year was Notre Dame and they were a quite distant second. It looks like many conferences are sinking and bailing water to keep even. It's a bit like musical chairs at the moment.

This situation is still in flux. This upcoming 4 team championship I think will go quickly to 8 teams (and conference championships will be eliminated) for the money if nothing else.

Swamp Daddy

[Eric]

That's the main issue with SEC expansion right now. Every team that would otherwise be completely viable already has in-state competitors. Florida has no interest with having Miami or Florida State joining, Kentucky doesn't want Louisville, South Carolina doesn't want Clemson, and Georgia doesn't want Georgia Tech. That would leave Virginia Tech as the option that doesn't directly hurt any member.

I guess if they really wanted to cause a stir, they could gauge Oklahoma's interest. But I couldn't attest to the likelihood of that happening.

[billybud]

Oklahoma and Okie light are hard to separate...and now, with the grant of media rights in place for the next 13 years, it would be impossibly expensive for a Big 12 team to leave. The media rights for a Big 12 team are assigned to the Big 12 conference no matter where a team might go...that is a stopper.