PITT leaving the Big East for the Big 10?

[DVINNY]

Rumor mill is flyin' big time around this area,

anyone heard anything?

 

[OSUguy98]

I haven't heard anything besides the rumors a month or two ago about the Big Ten wanting to expand and eying a few of the Big East schools, Pitt being one of them... other than that, I haven't seen anything on ESPN, nor have I heard anyone talking about it... I asked the sports-related "I hear everything first" guy here at work and he hadn't heard anything....

of course, in the "Lunch time links" blog from the Big East reporter on ESPN, the comment section mentions this... but nothing "official"...

 

[TouchDown]

Missouri talking heads / message boards have said that from insiders it looks like between these three if the B10+1 decides to add one additional member:

Missouri / Pitt / Rutgers

If they decide to add 3 and go to 14 members, then who the hell knows.

It'll be probably next year before you hear anything official.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

I hope they take Pitt. I'm tired of L'ville getting whooped by their basketball team.

 

[NCcarguy]

I think the ACC expansion a few years ago was the worst thing this conference has ever done, and I don't see ANYTHING that's going to turn that around. I'm not sure what the attraction is? Money I'm sure....but do the numbers really work out in the long run?

 

[ALBin517]

Missouri talking heads / message boards have said that from insiders it looks like between these three if the B10+1 decides to add one additional member:
Missouri / Pitt / Rutgers

I'd probably rank Pitt third in that final three. Rutgers would be great for East Coast exposure. Missouri would get the B10 into the St. Louis and Kansas City markets, plus their sports fit very well into the B10 (including wrestling).

With all due respect to Pitt, I don't see what they bring to the party. They are a distant second IN THEIR OWN TOWN - maybe third behind Ohio State.

 

[chaosiscash]

With all due respect to Pitt, I don't see what they bring to the party.

Basketball credibility?

 

[Freon]

In the end, it is always about the money. "Super Conferences" like the SEC & Big 12 get to play the cash-cow conference championship game; they also (right or wrong) get the advantage of the additional media exposure right before the bowl selection is done. I think the Big 10 + 1 wants to get in on the action; but they need to attract a big school to make it legimate. They would love to pull in The Evil Empire (Notre Dame); but Pitt is probally thier best hope. If Mizzou does leave the Big 12; there are a couple programs that would quickly fill the void, TCU, SMU or even Boise State. As a side note, the PAC 10 has toyed with the idea of expanding for a while, but USC fights the expansion every time.

Freon

Also, Tom Osborne said that the Big 12 would be the death of Nebraska football dominance back in the mid 90s. Kind of hard to argue with the man...

 

[DVINNY]

When asked about this, the PITT athletic director said something like "you shouldn't rely on internet message boards as a credible source of information, its not responsible journalism" or something along those lines.

BASICALLY, no where in that statement is a denial. he might as well have said "YUP, its true"

If PITT were not leaving, he'd of simply stated so.

 

[Master slacker]

As a side note, the PAC 10 has toyed with the idea of expanding for a while, but USC fights the expansion every time.

No surprise there. Like the SEC, there's always a chance to get knocked out of the national championship game during the conference champ game.

 

[ALBin517]

With all due respect to Pitt, I don't see what they bring to the party.

Basketball credibility?

Have the Panthers won conference titles? Seriously, I don't know. But when I think of Big East basketball, they are not the first school to jump to mind - probably not the fourth or fifth.

If Mizzou does leave the Big 12; there are a couple programs that would quickly fill the void, TCU, SMU or even Boise State.

One of my former Florida State classmates thinks (hopes?) that Arkansas would go to the B12 and FSU to the Southeast.

 

[MechGuy]

If the Big 10 expands to 12 teams, would it still be called the Big 10?

I for one am for expansion so the conference can divide into 2 regions and have a championship game like the SEC and Big 12.

Even though I hate ND with a passion, I would vote for them as the most logical choice since they already play many of the Big 10 teams in their schedule.

As for Pitt, Missouri or Rutgers, I don't know much about any of those teams. In my mind they don't really bring anything to the conference except being a filler team.

I would vote for Missouri first, then Pitt then Rutgers....

 

[ALBin517]

Even though I hate ND with a passion, I would vote for them as the most logical choice since they already play many of the Big 10 teams in their schedule.

I think ND will join the Big East because the Irish can get whatever they want from the Big East. ND would not get any special treatment from the B10.

For example, ND might say they want a couple of their conference road games to be played in NFL stadiums, each year. Or they might want a guarantee that they never be passed over in bowl selection. I could see the Big East making these concessions but not the B10.

Plus, the Irish are already in the Big East for basketball.

 

[OSUguy98]

Even though I hate ND with a passion, I would vote for them as the most logical choice since they already play many of the Big 10 teams in their schedule.

I think ND will join the Big East because the Irish can get whatever they want from the Big East. ND would not get any special treatment from the B10.

Plus, the Irish are already in the Big East for basketball.

I can't see the Irish giving up their damn-near guaranteed bowl spot(s).... In the Gator Bowl contract, I think they had a deal that the bowl was required to pick them once every x number of years... which usually happened over a more deserving Big East team

 

[DVINNY]

I hate to inform you all that Notre Dame is ALREADY in the Big East in every sport except Football.

The Big East should force them in football or kick them out of everything else, IMO

 

[wilheldp_PE]

I hate to inform you all that Notre Dame is ALREADY in the Big East in every sport except Football.
The Big East should force them in football or kick them out of everything else, IMO

I agree...Louisville needs a cupcake football team that we can beat every year.

 

[ALBin517]

The Big East should force them in football or kick them out of everything else, IMO

That’s like a group of fat guys telling Beyonce: “If you don’t join us for the Star Trek convention, you aren't welcome at our comic book store.”

 

[MechGuy]

I hate to inform you all that Notre Dame is ALREADY in the Big East in every sport except Football.
The Big East should force them in football or kick them out of everything else, IMO

They're in the CCHA for Hockey, which is essentially the Big 10 with a few smaller schools.

Football and hockey are the only REAL sports in my opinion

 

[DVINNY]

The Big East should force them in football or kick them out of everything else, IMO

That’s like a group of fat guys telling Beyonce: “If you don’t join us for the Star Trek convention, you aren't welcome at our comic book store.”

maybe 20-30 years ago, Notre Dame wouldn't have finished in the top 5 of the Big East for the last however many years.. and the Big East hasn't been all that great

 

[ALBin517]

The Big East should force them in football or kick them out of everything else, IMO

That’s like a group of fat guys telling Beyonce: “If you don’t join us for the Star Trek convention, you aren't welcome at our comic book store.”

maybe 20-30 years ago, Notre Dame wouldn't have finished in the top 5 of the Big East for the last however many years.. and the Big East hasn't been all that great

I don't think much of ND (both now and going forward) but I think even less of the Big Least.