Conference Realignment

[Obadiah]

PC fans, for the last 40+ years, have looked down on URI because they're in a superior conference. I agree, they have been in a superior conference. But they are in that conference for one reason and one reason only. That reason just happens to be the exact same reason that URI isn't in that superior conference. When the Big East was formed, URI was the better program. One man changed that.

Billyboy, while I agree with your overall sentiment, I have to check you on a bit of hyperbole and your Gavitt fixation in the comment that "when the Big East was formed, URI was the better program. One man changed that". This is simply not true as the URI dominance began to erode in the mid-fifties and by the time the Big East was formed in May, 1979, the URI series lead of 30-13 was turned into a PC series lead, 46-42. Your contention ignores Joe Mullaney who took PC from obscurity to a national stage in his first season, '55-'56, when he beat Notre Dame in an overtime thriller and in his 14 year reign notched nine 20+ win seasons. Mullaney was followed by Dave Gavitt who produced similar results so that in a span of 24 seasons these two coaches had 17 seasons of 20+ wins. URI in a comparable span of 22 seasons span had three coaches, - Guy, Caverley and Carmody - who produced exactly one 20 win season. This all occurred before the BE was formed.

PC has had its share of bad coaches, but the difference is they had some great coaches over long periods and URI has had very, very few. Say what you will about commitment, money, etc, but give me a great coach any day because that's what counts.

[Billyboy78]

PC fans, for the last 40+ years, have looked down on URI because they're in a superior conference. I agree, they have been in a superior conference. But they are in that conference for one reason and one reason only. That reason just happens to be the exact same reason that URI isn't in that superior conference. When the Big East was formed, URI was the better program. One man changed that.

Billyboy, while I agree with your overall sentiment, I have to check you on a bit of hyperbole and your Gavitt fixation in the comment that "when the Big East was formed, URI was the better program. One man changed that". This is simply not true as the URI dominance began to erode in the mid-fifties and by the time the Big East was formed in May, 1979, the URI series lead of 30-13 was turned into a PC series lead, 46-42. Your contention ignores Joe Mullaney who took PC from obscurity to a national stage in his first season, '55-'56, when he beat Notre Dame in an overtime thriller and in his 14 year reign notched nine 20+ win seasons. Mullaney was followed by Dave Gavitt who produced similar results so that in a span of 24 seasons these two coaches had 17 seasons of 20+ wins. URI in a comparable span of 22 seasons span had three coaches, - Guy, Caverley and Carmody - who produced exactly one 20 win season. This all occurred before the BE was formed.

PC has had its share of bad coaches, but the difference is they had some great coaches over long periods and URI has had very, very few. Say what you will about commitment, money, etc, but give me a great coach any day because that's what counts.

When I say we had the better program, I mean specifically at that time. The '78 team played PC three times that year and beat them twice, including the ECAC Championship. We played UConn twice and beat them both games. We lost that heartbreaking game to Duke by one point in the tournament that would have sent us to the sweet 16. We had a legit chance to win a NCAA championship that year (Duke lost to Kentucky by 6 in the championship game.) Jack Kraft was one of the best coaches in the country and scheduling was outstanding. We lost only 7 games that year....Clemson, Michigan State, Stanford, Texas Tech, So. Carolina, PC and Duke. We were on the rise, becoming a national power. We graduated two all time greats that year in Jiggy Williamson and Stan Wright. We replaced them with two highly rated freshmen in Pappy Owens and Marc Upshaw. Recruiting was rolling. That's how a power is built. Lose great players to graduation and replace them with promising young talent. Then the Big East started. We were still good the next couple of years because we still had that young talent. We split with PC in both 79 and 80 and went 2-3 vs. Uconn in those two years. But we no longer were getting recruits to add to Pappy, Upshaw and Roland Houston. We simply couldn't compete with all of these teams like PC, UConn, Syracuse, St. John's, Georgetown and Seton Hall for recruits. Our scheduling suffered also. The next few years were awful. We were then recruiting 'diamonds in the rough'. We came up with Wheeler, Garrick and Green in the mid 70s because they were lightly recruited by other schools (Uconn didn't want Wheeler, PC didn't want Garrick). But that wasn't sustainable. Of course, losing Kraft to bad health in the early 80s didn't help, and we should have done a better job replacing him. Once again, coaches were also attracted to the new Big East. So, to this day, I still believe we would have been a national power if Gavitt hadn't formed the Big East. That's the way we were trending. But, we'll never know.

[Blue Man]

If ND is a pretender football program, then so is every program outside of SC, AL and GA. And, ND has academic standards that are not a joke.

Of course. OF COURSE. You're a perfect ND fan.

Brian Kelly killed a kid.

[rhodylaw]

Sure,
But lets look at Notre Dame the last 5 years:

Overall Record/End of Season Rank, (Highest Rank During the Season)
2021: 11-2, Ranked #8, Highest Rank 5th
2020: 10-2, Ranked #5, Highest Rank 2nd
2019: 11-2, Ranked #12, Highest Rank 7th
2018: 12-1, Ranked #5, Highest Rank 3rd
2017: 10-3, Ranked #11, Highest Rank 3rd

Notre Dame has a very powerful fan following. Soldi performance last 5 years. No ties to any conference to have to pay buy out penalties. Great catch for any conference.

Odds that Notre will suck at the time they join a conference are about the odds of winning the last Mega-Millions

So this is where I disagree - ND cannot compete with the top of the SEC. They are ranked high because they generally avoid those teams, a full schedule against the SEC would be a problem unless they significantly lower their academic standards. I think going to the SEC would be a mistake. They can probably hang out near the top of the Big10, even the expanded version so that is where they should go competition-wise. Still think they should just take some Saudi LIV money. They say the Saudis are mostly looking to disrupt American sport, make a splash in college sports would be huge.

Here is Notre Dame's Schedule for 2022 including Preseason AP Ranking:

Play @ #2 Ohio State, @#22 Brigham Young, #4 Clemson, @ #8 USC

Notre Dame is Ranked #5 Pre-Season

@ #2 Ohio State (cheapest ticket $329)
Marshall
California
@ #30 North Carolina
@ #22 Brigham Young in Las Vegas
Stanford
UNLV
@ Syracuse
#4 Clemson (cheapest ticket $259)
@ Navy in Baltimore
Boston College
@ #8 USC

Fun..now do last or the year before and tell me that those schedules are more difficult then a typical SEC schedule.

[Rhody72]

Hotel rooms in Ann Arbor for the night of a UM conference home game are going for $750.

[Rhodymob05]

If ND went to the SEC, they would be a monster. They already have the history and pedigree. Now add the SEC patch to the jersey and recruiting would skyrocket. They would engulf recruits that would typically go to most SEC schools. Majority of the SEC is only good because they’re in the SEC. (Thank to the Alabama mostly).

[ramster]

So this is where I disagree - ND cannot compete with the top of the SEC. They are ranked high because they generally avoid those teams, a full schedule against the SEC would be a problem unless they significantly lower their academic standards. I think going to the SEC would be a mistake. They can probably hang out near the top of the Big10, even the expanded version so that is where they should go competition-wise. Still think they should just take some Saudi LIV money. They say the Saudis are mostly looking to disrupt American sport, make a splash in college sports would be huge.

Here is Notre Dame's Schedule for 2022 including Preseason AP Ranking:

Play @ #2 Ohio State, @#22 Brigham Young, #4 Clemson, @ #8 USC

Notre Dame is Ranked #5 Pre-Season

@ #2 Ohio State (cheapest ticket $329)
Marshall
California
@ #30 North Carolina
@ #22 Brigham Young in Las Vegas
Stanford
UNLV
@ Syracuse
#4 Clemson (cheapest ticket $259)
@ Navy in Baltimore
Boston College
@ #8 USC

Fun..now do last or the year before and tell me that those schedules are more difficult then a typical SEC schedule.

Nah, not going back any more, enough research.
I already went back 5 years and showed you how Notre Dame was ranked. Their WORST Ranking in the last 5 years at the END of the season was #12.

Sounds like you are now moving the goal posts. This is what you said "ND cannot compete with the top of the SEC. They are ranked high because they generally avoid those teams, a full schedule against the SEC would be a problem unless they significantly lower their academic standards. I think going to the SEC would be a mistake"

Give Notre Dame the NIL and I'll be very surprised if handing out tons of money doesn't make their team better than it is now. Notre Dame has fans all across the country. I remember as a kid when every Notre Dame was televised in Rhode Island. RI is and was heavily Catholic and heavily Irish.

Notre Dame is Ranked Preseason #5 and is playing AT #2 Ohio State, they are hosting #4 Clemson and they are playing AT #8 USC. Hardly the look of a team trying to avoid competition or the look of a "Pretender" as RR@ refers to them.

I am not even a fan of Notre Dame, but the Conference that lands them, if any conference ever does, I doubt will be feeling they landed a Pretender.

Overall Record/End of Season Rank, (Highest Rank During the Season)
2021: 11-2, Ranked #8, Highest Rank 5th
2020: 10-2, Ranked #5, Highest Rank 2nd
2019: 11-2, Ranked #12, Highest Rank 7th
2018: 12-1, Ranked #5, Highest Rank 3rd
2017: 10-3, Ranked #11, Highest Rank 3rd

[ramster]

No surprise this kind of thing would be on the horizon:

[ramster]

If ND went to the SEC, they would be a monster. They already have the history and pedigree. Now add the SEC patch to the jersey and recruiting would skyrocket. They would engulf recruits that would typically go to most SEC schools. Majority of the SEC is only good because they’re in the SEC. (Thank to the Alabama mostly).

Looking forward Notre Dame ranked 1st

NIL might be a nice present for Notre Dame Athletics

[rjsuperfly66]

ND tops that list only because of volume (total number committed). If you look at legit talent comparative to Alabama, ND does have the best recruit of the two, but then Alabama rolls off 4 straight top 25 guys and is on the final 5 list of 3 more Top 30 players. Alabama then rolls off another commit and another top 5 list before ND lands two recruits to solidify the Top 50 list. If you expand that to 51-75, Alabama adds 2 additional commits + 3 Final 5 lists, to ND who is on one final 5 list. Total top 75 players: Alabama 7 commits + 7 Final 5 lists. ND 3 commits + 1 Final 5 list. ND will still be up there, but I think there thing is just missing on some of the athleticism the others have.

[ramster]

Yep. Number 1 because of volume. Not too shabby for a pretender.

[Blue Man]

Here is Notre Dame's Schedule for 2022 including Preseason AP Ranking:

Play @ #2 Ohio State, @#22 Brigham Young, #4 Clemson, @ #8 USC

Notre Dame is Ranked #5 Pre-Season

@ #2 Ohio State (cheapest ticket $329)
Marshall
California
@ #30 North Carolina
@ #22 Brigham Young in Las Vegas
Stanford
UNLV
@ Syracuse
#4 Clemson (cheapest ticket $259)
@ Navy in Baltimore
Boston College
@ #8 USC

Fun..now do last or the year before and tell me that those schedules are more difficult then a typical SEC schedule.

Nah, not going back any more, enough research.
I already went back 5 years and showed you how Notre Dame was ranked. Their WORST Ranking in the last 5 years at the END of the season was #12.

Sounds like you are now moving the goal posts. This is what you said "ND cannot compete with the top of the SEC. They are ranked high because they generally avoid those teams, a full schedule against the SEC would be a problem unless they significantly lower their academic standards. I think going to the SEC would be a mistake"

Give Notre Dame the NIL and I'll be very surprised if handing out tons of money doesn't make their team better than it is now. Notre Dame has fans all across the country. I remember as a kid when every Notre Dame was televised in Rhode Island. RI is and was heavily Catholic and heavily Irish.

Notre Dame is Ranked Preseason #5 and is playing AT #2 Ohio State, they are hosting #4 Clemson and they are playing AT #8 USC. Hardly the look of a team trying to avoid competition or the look of a "Pretender" as RR@ refers to them.

I am not even a fan of Notre Dame, but the Conference that lands them, if any conference ever does, I doubt will be feeling they landed a Pretender.

Overall Record/End of Season Rank, (Highest Rank During the Season)
2021: 11-2, Ranked #8, Highest Rank 5th
2020: 10-2, Ranked #5, Highest Rank 2nd
2019: 11-2, Ranked #12, Highest Rank 7th
2018: 12-1, Ranked #5, Highest Rank 3rd
2017: 10-3, Ranked #11, Highest Rank 3rd

I don't think he's saying that ND isn't a perennial top 25 team. Sometimes, at their best, they're a top 10 team. At their absolute best. Even as a top 10 team, they get the advantage of catching one or two legit teams during the year, and coasting through a fairly easy schedule. This year notwithstanding (though acting like a ranked BYU is comparable to having to play a multitude of SEC teams with SEC recruits - ranked or not - is wild).

There is an OCEAN between 10-5 when it comes to college football. In big games when the Irish have been "undefeated" they get SMOKED.

In the 2 semifinals and the 1 national championship they've been to in the last decade they've been outscored 103-31. They didn't deserve to be in the same conversation, nevermind the same field.

5-15 in bowl games since 1994. The only ranked team they beat in that stretch was #17 LSU.

In the last 20 years, for the top 10 teams that they've played in bowls? 0-8. Outscored 300-133. Average loss by 3 almost 3 TD's.

No one would have a problem if ND just said - yeah we're a good team but we're not a perennial national championship contender. But they don't. Their fans don't. They pretend that a bunch of titles won before the internet was invented (all of them), we put a man on the moon (80% of them), or before the end of WWII (1/3 of them) - that they're still the kings of college football.

Their fans are insufferable, their greed and singular participation in the BCS ruined college football, and Brian Kelly killed a kid.

I am excited for them to disappoint their fans in a legitimate bowl game, or celebrate another Camping World Bowl win.

[RhowdyRam02]

Fun..now do last or the year before and tell me that those schedules are more difficult then a typical SEC schedule.

Nah, not going back any more, enough research.
I already went back 5 years and showed you how Notre Dame was ranked. Their WORST Ranking in the last 5 years at the END of the season was #12.

Sounds like you are now moving the goal posts. This is what you said "ND cannot compete with the top of the SEC. They are ranked high because they generally avoid those teams, a full schedule against the SEC would be a problem unless they significantly lower their academic standards. I think going to the SEC would be a mistake"

Give Notre Dame the NIL and I'll be very surprised if handing out tons of money doesn't make their team better than it is now. Notre Dame has fans all across the country. I remember as a kid when every Notre Dame was televised in Rhode Island. RI is and was heavily Catholic and heavily Irish.

Notre Dame is Ranked Preseason #5 and is playing AT #2 Ohio State, they are hosting #4 Clemson and they are playing AT #8 USC. Hardly the look of a team trying to avoid competition or the look of a "Pretender" as RR@ refers to them.

I am not even a fan of Notre Dame, but the Conference that lands them, if any conference ever does, I doubt will be feeling they landed a Pretender.

Overall Record/End of Season Rank, (Highest Rank During the Season)
2021: 11-2, Ranked #8, Highest Rank 5th
2020: 10-2, Ranked #5, Highest Rank 2nd
2019: 11-2, Ranked #12, Highest Rank 7th
2018: 12-1, Ranked #5, Highest Rank 3rd
2017: 10-3, Ranked #11, Highest Rank 3rd

I don't think he's saying that ND isn't a perennial top 25 team. Sometimes, at their best, they're a top 10 team. At their absolute best. Even as a top 10 team, they get the advantage of catching one or two legit teams during the year, and coasting through a fairly easy schedule. This year notwithstanding (though acting like a ranked BYU is comparable to having to play a multitude of SEC teams with SEC recruits - ranked or not - is wild).

There is an OCEAN between 10-5 when it comes to college football. In big games when the Irish have been "undefeated" they get SMOKED.

In the 2 semifinals and the 1 national championship they've been to in the last decade they've been outscored 103-31. They didn't deserve to be in the same conversation, nevermind the same field.

5-15 in bowl games since 1994. The only ranked team they beat in that stretch was #17 LSU.

In the last 20 years, for the top 10 teams that they've played in bowls? 0-8. Outscored 300-133. Average loss by 3 almost 3 TD's.

No one would have a problem if ND just said - yeah we're a good team but we're not a perennial national championship contender. But they don't. Their fans don't. They pretend that a bunch of titles won before the internet was invented (all of them), we put a man on the moon (80% of them), or before the end of WWII (1/3 of them) - that they're still the kings of college football.

Their fans are insufferable, their greed and singular participation in the BCS ruined college football, and Brian Kelly killed a kid.

I am excited for them to disappoint their fans in a legitimate bowl game, or celebrate another Camping World Bowl win.

Holy shit, this is legitimately perfect

[TruePoint]

The persistent narrative the Notre Dame doesn’t play a hard schedule is one of the stupidest things in sports. Their schedule is perennially among the hardest in the sport. I can’t always tell if the people that make that argument just hate Notre Dame or really don’t follow college football closely enough. I think people that just hate Notre Dame make the argument fully aware of how dumb it is and they do it anyways because they know there are rubes that will buy it, but casuals just get confused because they don’t play all their tough games against teams from a single conference. Instead, they’re playing good teams from all of the power conferences. Their exact SOS ranking may go up or down in a given year depending on how strong USC, Michigan, Michigan State, Stanford, and the rest of their usual stable of opponents are at the time. But the scheduling philosophy is to geographically cover the country to nurture their unique fan base that is not local to any particular place. Since the demise of the old big east, when they aligned themselves with the ACC for non-football sports, they have been a quasi-member of that conference for football also. That’s meant consistent matchups with a Clemson program that has been second only to Alabama over that timeframe. Notre Dame has beat good Clemson teams and hung with great Clemson teams. The worst team they play in most years is Navy, who isn’t great but who would SMOKE the worst teams on every SEC team’s schedule every year.

Notre Dame unquestionably has been a level below Alabama and the best Clemson and Ohio State teams over the last dozen years or so, but so has everyone else. Look at what happened with Michigan last year. Nobody blames that on Michigan’s schedule. The gap between them and the very elite teams is narrower than it is for most programs that don’t get the same level of shit as Notre Dame does. I think there is a very decent chance that their coaching change could further close that gap. Freeman could end up being David Cox, I guess. But people around program are hopeful he’s more like Kirby Smart. We’ll see, but I think Brian Kelly had hit his ceiling so I’m happy to take my chances with Freeman.

[Rhodymob05]

I must say ND does need to get over the hump, but that really means winning the whole thing. That doesn't make them a bad program, that makes them in position to compete for a National championship which is more than 98% of the country can say. They had two losses last season. #7 Cinci, and in my mind, and underrated #9 Oklahoma State team by 2. They also did beat #1 Clemson in 2020. And I agree, SEC OOC schedule is abyssal.

[rjsuperfly66]

ND beat Clemson without their Heisman QB in 2 OT then got whipped by them a month later in the ACC Championship game.

When conversations like this arise, I always fall back on an interview I heard from Barry Alvarez last year. He was asked his position on Cincinnati and if he thought they should be a playoff team.

His story, as dictated by me, was that when he first got to a Wisconsin, his program wasn't the most skilled, but they were tough. They went down to an elite Penn St team that year, and lost handily, but played tough and hit hard. The following Tuesday, Joe Paterno called him to praise him. He said something along the lines of, "You may not have won the game, but you beat us up and we haven't been able to fully practice all week." Alvarez point was that playing the weekly grind of an SEC or Big Ten isn't just about the quality of the wins, but the beatings taken even from the bad teams, week after week, and that's why he didn't fully respect Cincy because of the softer schedule of the AAC. ND plays a much tougher schedule historically, but they also tend to benefit from the strategically scheduled cupcakes.

[ramster]

ND beat Clemson without their Heisman QB in 2 OT then got whipped by them a month later in the ACC Championship game.

When conversations like this arise, I always fall back on an interview I heard from Barry Alvarez last year. He was asked his position on Cincinnati and if he thought they should be a playoff team.

His story, as dictated by me, was that when he first got to a Wisconsin, his program wasn't the most skilled, but they were tough. They went down to an elite Penn St team that year, and lost handily, but played tough and hit hard. The following Tuesday, Joe Paterno called him to praise him. He said something along the lines of, "You may not have won the game, but you beat us up and we haven't been able to fully practice all week." Alvarez point was that playing the weekly grind of an SEC or Big Ten isn't just about the quality of the wins, but the beatings taken even from the bad teams, week after week, and that's why he didn't fully respect Cincy because of the softer schedule of the AAC. ND plays a much tougher schedule historically, but they also tend to benefit from the strategically scheduled cupcakes.

RJ
Get all you are saying. The below statement is the main point of the discussion.

I’m assuming with all your negativity towards ND you agree ND is a pretender and couldn’t compete with the top of the SEC?

ND is ranked 5th preseason. How much lower would you have ND if you were ranking?

For me 5th sounds right.

"Notre Dame cannot compete with the top of the SEC. They are ranked high because they generally avoid those teams, a full schedule against the SEC would be a problem unless they significantly lower their academic standards. I think going to the SEC would be a mistake"

[rjsuperfly66]

I don't know if ND is a pretender, but if you put them in the SEC West with a crossover game against a Georgia/Florida, I don't see them having any less than 3 losses, at least for who've they've been the last several years. I think in the Kelly era at ND, they were .500 against Top 25 teams and just above .200 against Top 10 teams. Not really a recipe for SEC success.

And I like ND and always root for them, but am probably jaded by their lack of success in big games over the last 20 or so years. I think ND generally struggles with the speed and athleticism of the SEC teams. I think they would matchup better in the Big Ten which tends to feature more rugged play outside of Ohio St.

[PeterRamTime]

Notre Dame's schedule took a hit when they pseudo joined the ACC. Not the easiest of schedules but nothing compared to what you see in the SEC or sometimes the Big Ten.

Okay there's been a gap between Notre Dame's recruiting and the elites of the world. Notre Dame has sat around top 15 to top 10 for a decade. Hardly ever touching top five or anything similar to Clemson actually. But the gap between Notre Dame's recruiting and the rest of average ass ACC is far greater. Your Pitts, UVA's NC States of the world are recruting in the 30's and 40's and if you're notre dame all you have to do is show up and your talent will take care of the rest. So the schedule has been okay. This year will probably be the toughest it's had in a while.

Brian Kelly made sure they took care of business there but were they ever overachievers? No way. Lots of ugly wins under his tenre and didn't recruit well enough to have a chance to win a national title.

They really belong in the Big Ten, but maybe their ACC affiliation will be the thing that keeps conference alignment from totally going off the rails. Freeman is also recruiting his face off right now.

[ramster]

Just out for the Notre Dame fans

Overrated: No. 5 Notre Dame
Look, I love Marcus Freeman. The first-year coach of the Fighting Irish has injected new energy into the program and it's paying off -- particularly on the recruiting trail. This year, however, a preseason top-five ranking is a little absurd.
The absence of running back Kyren Williams, safety Kyle Hamilton and quarterback Jack Coan are all issues that need to be resolved before anointing the Fighting Irish as legit playoff contenders. Tyler Buchner and Drew Pyne are solid options at quarterback, but neither is experienced enough to elevate this team to the top five at this time. All-American Brandon Joseph taking over one of the safety roles after a successful stint at Northwestern is a big deal, but we have to see it before we believe it.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... eason/amp/

[ramster]

20 reasons fans hate Notre Dame


https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/ ... e.amp.html

[Blue Man]

20 reasons fans hate Notre Dame


https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/ ... e.amp.html

This is well done. Couple reaches but I support the theme.

I did a semester-long thesis project for a Com400 course on how Notre Dame ruined college sports. First class education baby!

[Jersey77]

20 reasons fans hate Notre Dame


https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/ ... e.amp.html

This is well done. Couple reaches but I support the theme.

I did a semester-long thesis project for a Com400 course on how Notre Dame ruined college sports. First class education baby!

Yeah, I am not an ND fan, as a matter of fact I typically root against them in both football and basketball.

Actually, one of the few times I rooted for them was in 1974 when they beat UCLA 71-70 and ended their 88-game winning streak.
Shumate and Brokaw led ND that game and both were from Jersey.

But still ND has a huge following and market appeal and probably not going anywhere for a while, unless there are some changes which I mentioned in an earlier post.
If they do my thoughts are still the B10, not the SEC.

[ramster]

What a dream opportunity to be starting QB for Notre Dame vs Ohio State on September 3rd.


Korean American university sophomore Tyler Buchner is set to play as the starting quarterback in the 2022 season opener against Ohio State next month, the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, announced over the weekend.

In a press conference on Saturday, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish announced that Buchner, 19, will be playing as its starting quarterback when the intercollegiate football team faces off against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Sept. 3. Buchner beat Notre Dame junior Drew Pyne for the position.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/notre-dame-a ... 18171.html

[Obadiah]

The Big Ten has finalized a multi media TV package worth $1 billion annually that will give the conference coast to coast -with Fox airing games in the morning, CBS in the afternoon and NBC in prime time. The deal also sets parameters for further Big Ten expansion. Further details will be provided after the official announcement sometime today.

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/20 ... -agreement

[Jdrums#3]

Ooph. That’s some big $’s.

Thanks for posting this, Ob.

I wonder if, how this will impact ND’s TV deal? How about the SEC? Could their deal exceed the Big 10’s?

Wild time for college sports.

[ramster]

1st official meeting about governing College Football outside of the NCAA


https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... ources-say

[Jdrums#3]

Thanks for posting.

Personally, I don’t care if they spin off the governing of football as long as doing so doesn’t set a precedent for doing so with basketball.

[Rhodymob05]

Slippery slope is becoming a land slide.

[ramster]

Thanks for posting.

Personally, I don’t care if they spin off the governing of football as long as doing so doesn’t set a precedent for doing so with basketball.

NCAA is not spinning College Football off like it’s their decision. NCAA doesn’t control the FBS Championship. NCAA does not select the 4 Teams in the Championship or manage the 4 Team Playoff.

The weak, poorly led NCAA is continuing to lose whatever power remains.

Basketball and all sports for P5 Conferences will be run by the P5 just like the FBS Playoffs are.

[Jdrums#3]

Didn’t mean the NCAA. I meant the “they” in the story you posted. The same ones you mentioned above.

Thanks, though.

[Rhode_Island_Red]

Thanks for posting.

Personally, I don’t care if they spin off the governing of football as long as doing so doesn’t set a precedent for doing so with basketball.

Don't be surprised if the football schools break off completely from the NCAA and start their own basketball tournament. Why should they share with the riffraff?

[RhowdyRam02]

Thanks for posting.

Personally, I don’t care if they spin off the governing of football as long as doing so doesn’t set a precedent for doing so with basketball.

Don't be surprised if the football schools break off completely from the NCAA ands start their own basketball tournament. Why should they share with the riffraff?

Well they would share because they need an inventory of games for the tournament. The SEC commissioner has been talking about expanding the tournament, so it would seem odd to suddenly shrink it

[Jdrums#3]

Red, I understand your cynicism with the P5. I share it. The P5 can do what they want with football because personally, I don’t care. It is unfortunate for those that do care about FB. That said, I really hope you are wrong.

I like the tourney as it is: Rhody has a chance of making a run periodically, the P5’s make money, the David v. Goliath story lines draw much interest, the fan engagement is widespread spanning the whole country and the gamblers (and gambling houses) sure like it.

It would be even better if the bb game board wasn’t so tilted in favor of the P5’s but, I have a better shot at becoming Pope than that ever changing.

[rjsuperfly66]

Well they would share because they need an inventory of games for the tournament. The SEC commissioner has been talking about expanding the tournament, so it would seem odd to suddenly shrink it

I feel expansion talks by Sankey are disingenuous. He's trying to find a way to load the field with more SEC teams. More SEC teams = more tournament shares. Of the top 16 seeds in the NIT last year, 4 were SEC teams, a 5th a soon-to-be SEC team. SEC has only gotten in the field about 6 teams per year over the last 4 years, less than half of conference membership. Meanwhile their main competition, the Big Ten, regularly has put in 8-9 teams, more than half conference membership.

[Rhody72]

The reality is that many non-invited teams in some P5 conferences could beat to their economic benefit some automatic qualifying teams in the tournament. Is this fair? The P5 teams are trying to make money from their participation in revenue producing sports, I suggest that the problem is less with at large teams making the tournament and more from the automatic qualifiers from weak conferences.

[Jdrums#3]

For me personally and as a Rhody fan, here’s how I see it, 72…

Sports isn’t fair. If the P5 conferences believe they are suffering under representation in the tourney then they should tell their marginal teams to win the conference championship, win more games and/or play more of the better non-P5 anywhere, anytime and prove it on the court.

Look, I don’t blame the P5’s for trying to tilt the board game
even more in their favor than it already is. It is part of the human condition and how our economics system operates. But, when is enough, enough?

No one forced marginal P5 teams to join the conferences they are in. They already receive huge revenue, widespread exposure and other bene’s non-P5’s don't receive. That’s enough in my book.

If the P5’s don’t like the current bb tourney set up then scrap the whole thing for a fairer, more revenue sharing system for all D1 bb schools, set a fair 3rd party scheduling system and give all teams an equal shot at the tourney as realistically and logistically as possible. But, that will not happen; it is not realistic and still will not be totally fair to all.

Look, I don't care what the P5’s do with football. They can F it up to their hearts desire. I don't give a flip. But, just leave college bb alone and let me enjoy a periodic tourney run by my Rhody Rams.

[Rhode_Island_Red]

Thanks for posting.

Personally, I don’t care if they spin off the governing of football as long as doing so doesn’t set a precedent for doing so with basketball.

Don't be surprised if the football schools break off completely from the NCAA and start their own basketball tournament. Why should they share with the riffraff?

Well they would share because they need an inventory of games for the tournament. The SEC commissioner has been talking about expanding the tournament, so it would seem odd to suddenly shrink it

Left unsaid is the manner of expansion. I'll bet money that his idea of expansion is more at-large berths rigged to benefit the Cartel. They'll position themselves so they can tell the networks, "you want our football? You'll buy our basketball -- and our tournament -- or no football for you."

[Jdrums#3]

That is not beyond the realm of possibility for the P5’s, P2’s or whatever is left from this current shitstorm re-arrangement, Red. It’s the endless need to feed the beast to create a monopoly.

I don’t care for monopolies in cbb. There’s no benefit to Rhody. So, I am hoping you are wrong with respect to cbb.

[Rhody72]

It's all about money. URI hiring Archie was all about money. P5 schools spend more than a URI because they have more money. It takes money to make money. URI struggles to fund a third rate practice facility that will be far inferior than most P5 schools. The P5 want a return on their investment.

[Billyboy78]

It's all about money. URI hiring Archie was all about money. P5 schools spend more than a URI because they have more money. It takes money to make money. URI struggles to fund a third rate practice facility that will be far inferior than most P5 schools. The P5 want a return on their investment.

You have a great day too.

[Blue Man]

It's all about money. URI hiring Archie was all about money. P5 schools spend more than a URI because they have more money. It takes money to make money. URI struggles to fund a third rate practice facility that will be far inferior than most P5 schools. The P5 want a return on their investment.

Do you know about money because you opened a checking account once?

[Blue Man]

That is not beyond the realm of possibility for the P5’s, P2’s or whatever is left from this current shitstorm re-arrangement, Red. It’s the endless need to feed the beast to create a monopoly.

I don’t care for monopolies in cbb. There’s no benefit to Rhody. So, I am hoping you are wrong with respect to cbb.

I agree that it's possible - and money does drive everything. But, in that light, there's so much money in the NCAAT that I can't ever see them coming up with a different scheme that would make them more money.

The bulk of that is driven by the TV deal, and contractually, no way is CBS going to let that deal ($11 BILLION annually through 2032) get altered in any way shape or form.

I agree that a lot of those conferences would like to see it change to benefit them even more, but I don't think that scenario exists.

The closest they'll get is the NET process and not really scheduling the lower level teams. But there will still be cinderellas and autobids. No way to stop it.

[Rhody72]

It's all about money. URI hiring Archie was all about money. P5 schools spend more than a URI because they have more money. It takes money to make money. URI struggles to fund a third rate practice facility that will be far inferior than most P5 schools. The P5 want a return on their investment.

Do you know about money because you opened a checking account once?

Thor/URI needs money from revenue producing sports to fund the Athletic budget. URI needed to spend money on a coach to restore funding from MBB. our only sport that can raise more money than the sport costs. Do you believe that URI's athletic facilities are at a par with most P5 schools?

[Jdrums#3]

72, I won’t speak for anyone else here but I can gather everyone here is intelligent and understands the value of money as a tool.

Money is important at Rhody and every other educational institution. So, I agree with you there. But, as for me, I did not appreciate your description of the practice facility.

I will leave it at that.

[Rhode_Island_Red]

Interesting story ...

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/wh ... e-numbers/

[ramster]

Interesting story ...

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/wh ... e-numbers/

Thanks for sharing RI_Red
I’ve always like Nate Silvers 538 work. With this analysis he goes well beyond the normal thinking in evaluating Big 10 Dxoansuon targets.
I liked how he included population growth out 20-30 years.

Once the P5 Expansion is done it will be interesting to see which schools back fill openings left behind from the Big 10 additions.

[Jdrums#3]

Excellent story, Red. Thanks for posting.

Boy, New England is no-mans land when it comes to football. Not surprising to me - other’s too, I am sure. But, the metrics used in the story really, really drive home the point.

Definitely worth reading and bookmarking to refer back to as expansion progresses.

[Blue Man]

It's all about money. URI hiring Archie was all about money. P5 schools spend more than a URI because they have more money. It takes money to make money. URI struggles to fund a third rate practice facility that will be far inferior than most P5 schools. The P5 want a return on their investment.

Do you know about money because you opened a checking account once?

Thor/URI needs money from revenue producing sports to fund the Athletic budget. URI needed to spend money on a coach to restore funding from MBB. our only sport that can raise more money than the sport costs. Do you believe that URI's athletic facilities are at a par with most P5 schools?

I have some time between meetings, so I'll feed the troll.

1) It's T-H-O-R-R. THORR. 2 R's.

2) This is an erroneous argument, as 12% of collegiate athletic programs are profitable. The ones that actually make a dent are big money football, and simultaneously own the rights to their broadcasts. Our budget comes from student athletic fees.

Athletics isn't about turning a profit in a business sense, it's about being good so that you reach a wider audience of prospective students and alumni donors. You don't just spend money on a coach - like the numerous times you said we should pay Dave Cox $1.5M because that's what a coach should make. You spend money on the right coach, like Archie or Dan Hurley.

3) URI needed to spend money on a coach because that's what you have to do if you want to compete. Not just to make money. Every school has the money - Fordham has an over $1 BILLION endowment, URI has like $140 million. Why have they been so terrible and we've had periods of greatness?

4) well we're not a P5 school. I've been to many P5 schools and seen their facilities. You'd actually be surprised how close URI's weight room is to them. Now, for non-P5 schools? We're on par or ahead. In the conference? This practice facility won't be what VCU has, but it will be top half at a minimum. And if you're including the Ryan Center? It's a top 10 basketball-only building to watch basketball in the country.

Damn your life must suck if your only joy is coming on here and either a) believing what you write, or b) just being purposely obtuse and trolling. Not sure which is worse.

[Jdrums#3]

Excellent post, especially point # 4 Blueman. I didn’t appreciate the wording he used in his description of the yet to be completed practice facility. Odd wording for a fan to use. The words hit me like a screeching chalk board.

That said, thanks for the reminder regarding the accurate spelling of Thorr’s name. I’ve used the one R version and didn’t catch it. I need to pay closer attention to that.