College Football

[rgard]

They're in the Big East for everything but football. And the whole point of Notre Dame joining a confrence would be to get away from their NBC-enforced killer schedule. Adding a third guaranteed loss (Ohio State) to their schedule rotation, along with USC and Michigan -- and likely losses to Iowa, Purdue, Wisconsin, and either Minnesota or MSU -- doesn't seem like the best idea. It looks even worse if Illinois and Penn State get back on their feet.

NBC = NoterDame Broadcasting Company

They wouldn't want to share those big NBC $ with the Big Ten conference.

An even worse side for ND to join a conference would be that they would also have to share their Bowl $ with the other teams in the conference. Moot point at the moment, but they will return to form this year or next.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[rgard]

And everyone knows Notre Dame needs to join the Big Ten. They already play three of our schools yearly (Michigian, Michigian State, and Purdue).

If I was re-organizing things, Penn State would get the boot from the Big Ten, Notre Dame would join the Big Ten and I would probably single out another team/school for removal to bring it back to a real 10 team conference. Probably Iowa and put them in a conference with Nebraska or somplace near there.

While I'm at it, I might as well, re-organize all of college football and figure out a play off schedule.

I'll get started on this right after I win some multi state lottery.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Krieg]

And everyone knows Notre Dame needs to join the Big Ten. They already play three of our schools yearly (Michigian, Michigian State, and Purdue).

The sad truth is that Notre Dame doesn't mean the academic standards of the rest of the institutions within the Big10. The Big10 is not just an athletic conference, it is an association of institutions that are very active in research.

Notre Dame has an excellent undergrad program but to be blunt....it's gradute programs stink. It is also nowhere near being up to par as a research institution.

The cost of upgrading the facilities/programs to meet Big10 standards in those areas was the deciding factor in ND board of regents decision not to join the Big10 a few years back.

I agree that Notre Dame should join the Big Ten, but they can't - they'd be exposed and humiliated. Pretty much the same thing that happened to Penn State, although I like and respect Joe Paterno.

Once JoePa finally hangs them up, Penn State will start generating interest among top recruits & become competitive again. Unfortunately the questions surrounding when he will finally retire have been a dagger to the heart of their recruiting.

Penn State will be fine.

 

[Krieg]

They're in the Big East for everything but football. And the whole point of Notre Dame joining a confrence would be to get away from their NBC-enforced killer schedule. Adding a third guaranteed loss (Ohio State) to their schedule rotation, along with USC and Michigan -- and likely losses to Iowa, Purdue, Wisconsin, and either Minnesota or MSU -- doesn't seem like the best idea. It looks even worse if Illinois and Penn State get back on their feet.

Joining the now toothless Big East would kill ND competitively. I'm sorry but home games with Rutgers, UConn, Louisville and UC just isn't going to consistently sell tickets or draw recruits. If ND ever loses the NBC contract the Big10 is their best choice financially.

Put Ohio State with The School Up North in one division & Penn State with ND in the other. That gives you a yearly Penn State/ND matchup to pair with The Game, with the winners very likely to be playing the next week in a conference championship game. THAT would generate interest...and revenue.

If I was re-organizing things, Penn State would get the boot from the Big Ten, Notre Dame would join the Big Ten and I would probably single out another team/school for removal to bring it back to a real 10 team conference. Probably Iowa and put them in a conference with Nebraska or somplace near there.

Penn State has been a great addition to the Big10. While the football teams haven't been up to their traditional standars, they are very competitve across the board athletically. They have been consistently near the top of the rankings in the Sears Director Cup.

Penn State is also another large research oriented land grant University & brings a lot to the table as an academic institution.

No way would I want Penn State to leave the conference.

 

[Krieg]

*click*

 

[drothgery]

If I was re-organizing things, Penn State would get the boot from the Big Ten, Notre Dame would join the Big Ten and I would probably single out another team/school for removal to bring it back to a real 10 team conference. Probably Iowa and put them in a conference with Nebraska or somplace near there.

While I'm at it, I might as well, re-organize all of college football and figure out a play off schedule.

I'll get started on this right after I win some multi state lottery.

Thanks,
Rich

Somebody at ESPN put this together back about when Miami decided to blow up the Big East...

http://espn.go.com/ncf/columns/forde_pat/1575186.html
http://espn.go.com/ncf/s/2003/0701/1575136.html

 

[drothgery]

Joining the now toothless Big East would kill ND competitively. I'm sorry but home games with Rutgers, UConn, Louisville and UC just isn't going to consistently sell tickets or draw recruits. If ND ever loses the NBC contract the Big10 is their best choice financially.

Joining the toothless "old" ACC didn't kill Florida State, and the toothless "old" Big East didn't kill Miami. And Cinci, UConn, USF, and L'ville are better than VT was when Miami joined the Big East. Temple's gone. My Orange have declined, but Pitt and West Virginia are much better now than they were ten years ago.

 

[Krieg]

Joining the toothless "old" ACC didn't kill Florida State, and the toothless "old" Big East didn't kill Miami. And Cinci, UConn, USF, and L'ville are better than VT was when Miami joined the Big East. Temple's gone. My Orange have declined, but Pitt and West Virginia are much better now than they were ten years ago.

I'm not talking about guaranteed new years day bowls because of a yearly cake walk through a conference full of patsies. I am referring to the athletic department budget & recruiting.

Notre Dame's athletic department generates around 237 million dollars in annual revenue. Currently Syracuse has the largest grossing revenue in the Big East at $185 mil. Contrast that with the top gross programs in the Big 10...Ohio State: $369 mil, Michigan: $270 mil, Penn State $252 mil, Wisconsin $247 mil, Minnesota $217 mil, Iowa $202 mil, Michigan State $197 mil & Illinois $190 mil.

There are eight schools in the Big 10 with athletic departments that generate more money than the HIGHEST grossing team in the Big East (FWIW FSU & Miami both bring in substantially less than Syracuse, the highest grossing school in the ACC is North Carolina at $182 mil).

If Notre Dame loses the NBC contract the ONLY viable option they have financially is to join the Big 10. They simply will not be able to maintain a budget that would allow them to stay competitive in facilities & other expenditures if they joined the Big East.

I can't stress this enough...It is not about football, it is about the financial stability of an entire University.

FSU & Miami are unique in that they can reap the benefits of a population shift of titanic proportions. Quite simply Florida has more HS football talent than anyone other state in the nation. Recruiting is a whole heck of a lot easier if you are the home team for every kid in Dade county.

 

[drothgery]

FSU & Miami are unique in that they can reap the benefits of a population shift of titanic proportions. Quite simply Florida has more HS football talent than anyone other state in the nation.

Radically changing the subject here, but I suspect Florida's not really anywhere near as outstanding as the talking heads make it sound. I'd think California produces at least as much talent, if not more (as well it should; CA has almost twice the population of Florida, a younger population, and better weather). Four major-confrence schools in-state (USC, UCLA, Cal, and Stanford), two minor-confrence schools (Fresno State, SDSU), and it's the recruiting base for the rest of the Pac-10 (and pretty much every western college). Texas is right up there with Florida (Texas' vaunted #1 recruiting classes are almsot entirely local, and Big 12 recruiting lives and dies in Texas). And even Ohio isn't bad -- the Buckeyes are the only truly great team that lives on Ohio talent, but there are seven I-A teams in Ohio, and Cinci, Toledo, Bowling Green, and Miami (Ohio) are often at the fringes of the top 25.

What always bugged me (especially when I lived around Syracuse) is how pathetic New York's high school football is; there's no reason why New York couldn't produce at least as much talent as Ohio or Pennsylvania -- and with only three I-A schools (Syracuse, Buffalo, and Army), and only one of them that's been decent in the last twenty years (Syracuse), the Orange ought to be able to field a top-10 football team with New York State talent.

 

[Crothian]

Soon...the games begin.....