Iscariot Wing fans.....

[IWB]

I am so freaking sick of the fans of the schools from the Big East's Iscariot Wing.

Of course there are new articles about the Big East on a daily basis, but the comments below those stories are driving me crazy. All of the football school fans blaming the Big East's basketball focus for the demise.

Example:Today I read a response from a Syracuse fan, which is not unlike responses from all of those schools. "The basketball schools have themselves to blame. ......They rejected Penn State, who was on their knees begging to get in. They tried their darnedest to keep Virginia Tech out. After the first exodus, they insisted on keeping a split that for no reason brought in Marquette (nice program, but with the Big East? Really?) and DePaul (no comment needed)."

Yep - bringing in Marquette really downgraded the conference. This is complete BS, and I am sick of the football school fans claiming this as a legit excuse. There were no magical teams that could have been added on the football side. The Judas schools would have left for the Big 10 and ACC no matter what the Big East had done. The only thing that could have saved the conference was to accept ESPN's $1.4 billion offer. Even then, if the Big 10 and ACC offered, those schools would likely have left.

Dear fans of football schools - you took the cash and left. Quit blaming the Big East's basketball schools!

[TheSultan]

I think the comments regarding MU are off base obviously, but I think if the Big East adds Penn State and Miami in the late 80s, then the future of the conference is a lot different. Of course that future likely doesn't include Marquette.

[IWB]

I agree that adding Penn State in the 80s would have changed things, but this is about why they fell apart now, in this decade, not about moves that were or were not made 30 years ago.

[TheSultan]

OK, see I don't see why Syracuse wants to blame others for why they left. Syracuse was looking out for its own best interests. They should just say that.

[ge1974]

We upset Syracuse in the 2011 NCAA playoffs. Perhaps, they are still mad about that. Marquette has made the NCAA tournament every year we've been in the Big East. 'nuff said.

[The Reptile]

I agree that adding Penn State in the 80s would have changed things, but this is about why they fell apart now, in this decade, not about moves that were or were not made 30 years ago.

Even if Penn State was admitted to the Big East it still would have been a hybrid league and it is very likely that Penn State would have been the first team picked off when conference realignment took place. Plus, after years in the Big 10, the school has done nothing to improve the fortunes of its basketball program. In the Big East it would still only have been a doormat. Besides, Penn State's intent all along was for a football first Eastern conference. Clearly, that motive was going to be a mismatch from the start and could have led to an earlier dissolution than we are seeing.

[The Reptile]

We upset Syracuse in the 2011 NCAA playoffs. Perhaps, they are still mad about that. Marquette has made the NCAA tournament every year we've been in the Big East. 'nuff said.

It's more than that. Boeheim constantly points to us as a mismatch for the Big East to this day. Clearly, this is something that is institutionalized at Syracuse. I find it sort of amusing too. Having grown up on Long Island to me it's funny to see folks in upstate look upon Milwaukee with the same disdain that folks downstate look upon not only Syracuse but all of New York north of Westchester county.

[wiscwarrior]

I agree that adding Penn State in the 80s would have changed things, but this is about why they fell apart now, in this decade, not about moves that were or were not made 30 years ago.

And who's to say that Penn State would not have jumped to the Big ? even after being admitted to the Big East. I think they still would have left and the dominoes would still have fallen the same way.

[TheSultan]

And who's to say that Penn State would not have jumped to the Big ? even after being admitted to the Big East. I think they still would have left and the dominoes would still have fallen the same way.


I don't think they would have. At least not immediately. The money back then was nothing like it is now. If you look at the expansion that occurred during that time, it was all about football independents finding a home. (PSU to Big 10, Florida State to ACC, Miami to Big East, South Carolina to SEC) The only exception to that was Arkansas leaving the SWC for the SEC, but that's because the SWC was falling apart more than anything.

So let's just say that PSU joins the BE. Do Virginia Tech and Miami leave? Does the BE become the poacher instead of the poachee? Does Maryland come on board? Are they now sitting on a $20M per year contract instead?

It could have been very different.

[IWB]

Good points, but the Big East would never have been the poacher. They had that chance a couple of times and never pulled the trigger.

[CaribouJim]

I don't think they would have. At least not immediately. The money back then was nothing like it is now. If you look at the expansion that occurred during that time, it was all about football independents finding a home. (PSU to Big 10, Florida State to ACC, Miami to Big East, South Carolina to SEC) The only exception to that was Arkansas leaving the SWC for the SEC, but that's because the SWC was falling apart more than anything.

So let's just say that PSU joins the BE. Do Virginia Tech and Miami leave? Does the BE become the poacher instead of the poachee? Does Maryland come on board? Are they now sitting on a $20M per year contract instead?

It could have been very different.

Agreed, if PSU came on board no VT, Miami, and BC departures and could arguably be the #2 football conference now, but I think there would have been little chance us and our CUSA brothers would have gone to the BE and therefore arguably they would not have ended up as the best b-ball conference as the BE was considered for years.

If we hadn't ended up in the BE with all the other CUSA guys, I wonder how the CUSA would have evolved.

[CaribouJim]

It's more than that. Boeheim constantly points to us as a mismatch for the Big East to this day. Clearly, this is something that is institutionalized at Syracuse. I find it sort of amusing too. Having grown up on Long Island to me it's funny to see folks in upstate look upon Milwaukee with the same disdain that folks downstate look upon not only Syracuse but all of New York north of Westchester county.

Boeheim is going to be on the Dan Patrick Show in a few minutes - I assume the collapse of the BE will come up.

[ValiantSailor]

I don't think they would have. At least not immediately. The money back then was nothing like it is now. If you look at the expansion that occurred during that time, it was all about football independents finding a home. (PSU to Big 10, Florida State to ACC, Miami to Big East, South Carolina to SEC) The only exception to that was Arkansas leaving the SWC for the SEC, but that's because the SWC was falling apart more than anything.

So let's just say that PSU joins the BE. Do Virginia Tech and Miami leave? Does the BE become the poacher instead of the poachee? Does Maryland come on board? Are they now sitting on a $20M per year contract instead?

It could have been very different.

And Marquette would never have been invited. Don't forget that one of the best things to happen to Marquette basketball started with ACC's poaching of the Big East.

VS

[mufansince72]

All I know is that in a good year, Arrowhead would be more competitive than some of the Big East Football programs :cool: