Big East must refocus priorities

[Harry]

"Go West, Big East!"

Never made sense, did it?

So let us all hope the Big East comes to its senses now that Boise State and San Diego State are staying where they belong, in a geographically friendly conference home for all their sports. Their agreement to join the Big East was never practical. It was never convenient. It was not done to expand the Big East footprint from East to West, no matter that starry-eyed -- or was it bleary-eyed? -- talk of staggered Saturday start times from noon to 10 p.m. ET.

It was done as a last-ditch effort to stay nationally relevant with the biggest program outside the power conferences joining up (Boise State) and a travel partner to come along for the ride.

From the moment they agreed to join the Big East as football-only members, folks wondered how long this disjointed marriage would last. Now we have an answer. They did not even make it to their first football season together.

And in the end, that is good for the Big East.

What this league must do is re-focus its efforts and try to become a regionalized brand again, with Texas as its western-most boundary. Look, the Big East has already lost its battle to have a seat at the big boy table in the future playoff structure. It will not get the same TV dollars as the other big conferences. So it should come to terms with what it is -- and that is a league that has an opportunity to play its way into the national spotlight with a lineup it can help cultivate.

Read more: http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/id/41643/big-east-must-refocus-priorities

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---Several years ago after some conference shuffling ... I said the Big East was the next problem conference... too large, diverse, and not really unified... too many basketball only schools ....which is largely what did the old Missouri Valley in... UNT (then NTSU) was a memberwhen I was a student. The football guys wanted to move on. There is no telling what will happen now with that BE mess. SMU was screwing up in my opinion when they joined although I honestly say that doesn't bother me any.. Those basketball schools which were really core of the Big East conference did not want to travel 100's of miles to play.

[ragpicker]

Although we may be guilty of drinking too much green Cool-Aid around here, I have always thought SMU's decision to join the Big East was the result of drinking way too much Peruna.*

*

Peruna: A heavily alcohol base elixir popular during prohibition for which the mascot is named.(She will be coming around the mountain when she comes, she will be loaded with Peruna when she comes...)

[Arkstfan]

---Several years ago after some conference shuffling ... I said the Big East was the next problem conference... too large, diverse, and not really unified... too many basketball only schools ....which is largely what did the old Missouri Valley in... UNT (then NTSU) was a memberwhen I was a student. The football guys wanted to move on. There is no telling what will happen now with that BE mess. SMU was screwing up in my opinion when they joined although I honestly say that doesn't bother me any.. Those basketball schools which were really core of the Big East conference did not want to travel 100's of miles to play.

From the Dallas Morning News in 2010 when former Arkansas AD Frank Brolyles was asked to comment on the shake-ups in the Big XII

"The Big 12 was a misfit from the beginning," he said.

He cited disproportionate population bases in the Big 8 and Texas, giving the Southern half of the league a bigger stick. The emphasis was different, too. Some were football powers. Some, basketball. Only a couple could claim proficiency in both.

Tom Osborne wasn't kidding when he said in 1996 that the Big 12 merged "two cultures." He predicted growing pains. The league simply never outgrew them.

This should be mandatory reading for all in college athletics.

"Business people tell me if you make decisions just for the money, it's wrong," Broyles said. "Build relationships and success will follow."

[NM Green]

It is interesting because I am in the Islands this week and of course the news about Tae'o has dominated local radio. However, they did mention the SDSU return and divisional split on a talk show and the MWC feels set. I don't hear any kind of potential further expansion talks coming from the far far west. I think they all live: BE, CUSA, MWC, MAC, SBC.

GMG