Candidates?

[Dew]

This board is great- I check it periodically through the day and always find something informative or entertaining. Keep up the good work.

[MUSeashells&Balloons]

I would take Kansas now I don't count that as a football school. They pay students to go to the games is there any other school that does that? if the Big 12 falls apart take Kansas why not we would then have one of the elite historical Basketball schools. Kansas would ensure us a top basketball conference status no one could over look us. While I don't see it happening I certainly wouldn't be opposed.

Are you kidding me? I was joking, this is crazy. Kansas would not join the Big East. Why are we wasting our time discussing all of these schools who are not going to be members?

I know you were kidding but Kansas tried to join the Big East in the past. Its a better conference than the Big XII.

[TheHall]

Each "x" represents a person on this website:

Here are the "two camps":

Number of people here that want UConn back in the Big East:
x x

Number of people that don't want UConn:
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x ...

wow compelling data there...what can i say except sheep travel in herds.

[Bill Marsh]

Of course UConn will persist into getting into a big top dog conference, maybe for 20+ years. Still doesn't mean they are going to get in. And heck, i'd rather have UConn for 20 years and then send them on their way then not have UConn. Thats a legit program. The only way i could see that adding UConn is a minus is if they join and left in less than 5 years - then we'd have egg on our face.

You don't understand the way they think. Persisting for 20 years means being in an all sports conference with football. They're not interested in a conference that doesn't sponsor football.

[billyjack]

Each "x" represents a person on this website:

Here are the "two camps":

Number of people here that want UConn back in the Big East:
x x

Number of people that don't want UConn:
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x ...

wow compelling data there...what can i say except sheep travel in herds.

Just pointing out that there aren't really "two camps", just two posters who favor UConn re-joining. I understand your reasoning for wanting UConn back, and under much, much different circumstances it could be a good idea. But I don't think it works for us, and as Bill Marsh has pointed out in several ways, it also doesn't work for UConn.

By the way, goats travel in herds too, and they're really intelligent animals...!

[TheHall]

Just pointing out that there aren't really "two camps", just two posters who favor UConn re-joining.
Also, Bill Marsh has also pointed out in several ways that UConn would never agree in the first place.

And marquette has repeatedly pointed out several legitimate ways Uconn could become interested/motivated/compelled so I'm not sure what your point is. Remember the AD said 5 years to decide on expansion....btw I'm a 1 man camp wherever I go but that's neither here nor there....

[ElDonBDon]

I don't know if there is a camp for me, but count me as "open to hearing UCONN, Temple, Memphis, and Cincy's case for letting them back in"

With respect to candidates, I really like the Zags, obviously. I don't know enough to comment on whether the logistics are too big a hurdle.

Richmond, in my opinion, has enormous potential. Similarly, Detroit also has great potential--big TV market, NBA/NHL arena, and new recruiting grounds. However, I think Richmond has a pretty decent shot at actually realizing its potential. Detroit, I'm not nearly as confident in.

From what I know, SLU's president isn't too high on athletics, which makes me hesitant. However, I love that they have had recent success, big tv market, new recruiting grounds, NHL arena, and great academics.

I don't like Dayton. I respect their fans for selling out games despite knowing that the team is going nowhere, but Dayton is the paragon mid-major. Honestly, whenever I hear the word "mid-major," I immediately think of UCF for some reason. But then immediately after that, I think of Dayton. More objectively, they technically bring in a new TV market, but it's the Dayton market, meaning that it's very, very small. Also, they don't add much in terms of geographical footprint--X already has that region covered.

So by speculating like we are, I'm assuming we're all on the same page here--Xavier's AD is basically saying that "the list is CURRENTLY SLU, Dayton, Richmond, and VCU, but a lot can happen in five years so who knows"

While we're speculating, what about the prospect of letting WVU back into the BE for all sports except football. Let them work out a deal with the BigXII for football, let us have their basketball? I can see advantages and disadvantages.

[DanofXav76]

I don't know if there is a camp for me, but count me as "open to hearing UCONN, Temple, Memphis, and Cincy's case for letting them back in"

With respect to candidates, I really like the Zags, obviously. I don't know enough to comment on whether the logistics are too big a hurdle.

Richmond, in my opinion, has enormous potential. Similarly, Detroit also has great potential--big TV market, NBA/NHL arena, and new recruiting grounds. However, I think Richmond has a pretty decent shot at actually realizing its potential. Detroit, I'm not nearly as confident in.

From what I know, SLU's president isn't too high on athletics, which makes me hesitant. However, I love that they have had recent success, big tv market, new recruiting grounds, NHL arena, and great academics.

I don't like Dayton. I respect their fans for selling out games despite knowing that the team is going nowhere, but Dayton is the paragon mid-major. Honestly, whenever I hear the word "mid-major," I immediately think of UCF for some reason. But then immediately after that, I think of Dayton. More objectively, they technically bring in a new TV market, but it's the Dayton market, meaning that it's very, very small. Also, they don't add much in terms of geographical footprint--X already has that region covered.

So by speculating like we are, I'm assuming we're all on the same page here--Xavier's AD is basically saying that "the list is CURRENTLY SLU, Dayton, Richmond, and VCU, but a lot can happen in five years so who knows"

While we're speculating, what about the prospect of letting WVU back into the BE for all sports except football. Let them work out a deal with the BigXII for football, let us have their basketball? I can see advantages and disadvantages.[/quote

Good post El Don. I believe Detroit's facilities and physical location make them less than a desirable candidate for expansion. Their profile pales in comparison to the other schools you mention.

[Bill Marsh]

Just pointing out that there aren't really "two camps", just two posters who favor UConn re-joining.
Also, Bill Marsh has also pointed out in several ways that UConn would never agree in the first place.

And marquette has repeatedly pointed out several legitimate ways Uconn could become interested/motivated/compelled so I'm not sure what your point is. Remember the AD said 5 years to decide on expansion....btw I'm a 1 man camp wherever I go but that's neither here nor there....

You don't understand what UConn's agenda is. It goes beyond athletics. They want to be taken seriously as one of the premier public research universities in the country. They're very excited about the fact that they just broke into US News top 20 for the first time at #19. They are in the process of building a major biogenesis research facility as part of a billion dollar investment to establish themselves as the "go to" center for this cutting edge 21st century research. They are also partnering with United Technologies, whose corporate HQs are in state, on fuel cell research.

Athletics are just a piece of a larger package to distinguish themselves as a premier national research university. They are not backing off that plan, which means that they are not backing off a commitment to being in an all sports conference which sponsors football and being competitive in both revenue sports.

[mel ott]

From what I know, SLU's president isn't too high on athletics, which makes me hesitant. However, I love that they have had recent success, big tv market, new recruiting grounds, NHL arena, and great academics.

SLU's President will be stepping down when they get a replacement. That should make for even a better situation.