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I don't know how well the old crystal ball is working, but I suspect on this one, it may be working very well:
• Notre Dame will give up its sacred independent status in football
• it will do so fairly soon
• it will join a conference for all sports, but that conference will not be the ACC
Why?
College football is heading towards 4 super conferences with 16 teams each. Is it a good idea? IMHO, it's an awful idea. But it is also a reality.
Three of those conferences will be the SEC, B10, and Pac 12. Decide amongst yourself who gets the 4th slot: B12 or ACC. Damned if I know.
With those 4 super conferences and an already agreed upon four team championship set up the BCS conferences, I think it is fairly safe to say the 4 champions of the super conferences, as they emerge from the highly lucrative conference championship games, will be automatically seeded into the available slots.
and that leaves ND out in the cold. If the ACC outlasts the B12 and reaches that super conference status, it will not give up the ability to put its champion into the 4 team tournament, not ND, which, even with 5 scheduled ACC games, is not a part of ACC football.
Notre Dame cannot survive as an independent without reaching irrelevancy status. The success of this year's Fighting Irish has nothing to do with the equation. Point being, if the equation changes to 4 teams/conference champs going at it for the national championship, ND is left out in the cold. And that changes everything.
so assuming that the 4 team set up kills ND independence, which of the two conferences that it will look at seriously would it join? I'd say, hands down, the ACC. ND would have jumped at a sweetheart deal from the B10 that the ACC gave it. With the new 4 conference set up, the ACC will no longer be able to offer ND such a package and will be on equal footing with the B10 on what it can offer.
and the B10 runs rings around the ACC in this matter. First off, it is a highly stable conference, something the ACC is not. It, of course, give ND membership in the school's own backyard with conference foes which ND has so much tradition in playing......U-M, MSU, and Purdue, of course, but ND has a long history of play against Northwestern, Iowa, and other B10 universities. ND's match up with OSU would be a classic. Irish-Illini would be huge for Chicagoland (which already would have ND-NU), ND's greatest base. And even IU figures to be a nice set up for the Irish insofar as this is an in-state rivalry. a Wisconsin-Notre Dame match up would be a winner, as would Neb-ND. Indeed, the only not attractive match up for ND in the conference is Minnesota.
So ND gets to eat its cake, staying locally, by joining the B10. But it gets to keep it, too, due to B10 expansion into the northeast, ND's home-away-from-home, and a place it considers vaunted.
ND up to this point only would have gotten Penn State among the eastern schools; admittedly PSU is the beast of the east, but it is decidedly non-urban (despite fan bases in Philly and Pgh); the real northeast the Irish covet is the urban northeast.
and now, the B10 not only offers it; it offers it far better than the ACC is able to.
What does ND get in the northeast corridor? well, everything. except New England. Maryland gives the B10 Washington and Baltimore as UMd is suburban DC and as Maryland's flagship state university, only a 1/2 hr. drive from Baltimore. Rutgers, the number one football fan base in metro NY gives the B10 NYC. Philly is part of the fold right now.
So with Washington, Baltimore, Philadephia, and New York, that's four of the northeast corridor's big five for the Big Ten. The fifth, delivered to the ACC by BC, is Boston, which is far smaller than the NYC, Philly, and B/W metro areas.
I don't know how the new 4 conference/16 team set set up will allow ND to remain independent and relevant at the same time (it won't). and I don't see how anyone but the B10, with its home base and that home-away-from-home I spoke of in the northeast, can offer what the Irish will want.
I don't know how well the old crystal ball is working, but I suspect on this one, it may be working very well:
• Notre Dame will give up its sacred independent status in football
• it will do so fairly soon
• it will join a conference for all sports, but that conference will not be the ACC
Why?
College football is heading towards 4 super conferences with 16 teams each. Is it a good idea? IMHO, it's an awful idea. But it is also a reality.
Three of those conferences will be the SEC, B10, and Pac 12. Decide amongst yourself who gets the 4th slot: B12 or ACC. Damned if I know.
With those 4 super conferences and an already agreed upon four team championship set up the BCS conferences, I think it is fairly safe to say the 4 champions of the super conferences, as they emerge from the highly lucrative conference championship games, will be automatically seeded into the available slots.
and that leaves ND out in the cold. If the ACC outlasts the B12 and reaches that super conference status, it will not give up the ability to put its champion into the 4 team tournament, not ND, which, even with 5 scheduled ACC games, is not a part of ACC football.
Notre Dame cannot survive as an independent without reaching irrelevancy status. The success of this year's Fighting Irish has nothing to do with the equation. Point being, if the equation changes to 4 teams/conference champs going at it for the national championship, ND is left out in the cold. And that changes everything.
so assuming that the 4 team set up kills ND independence, which of the two conferences that it will look at seriously would it join? I'd say, hands down, the ACC. ND would have jumped at a sweetheart deal from the B10 that the ACC gave it. With the new 4 conference set up, the ACC will no longer be able to offer ND such a package and will be on equal footing with the B10 on what it can offer.
and the B10 runs rings around the ACC in this matter. First off, it is a highly stable conference, something the ACC is not. It, of course, give ND membership in the school's own backyard with conference foes which ND has so much tradition in playing......U-M, MSU, and Purdue, of course, but ND has a long history of play against Northwestern, Iowa, and other B10 universities. ND's match up with OSU would be a classic. Irish-Illini would be huge for Chicagoland (which already would have ND-NU), ND's greatest base. And even IU figures to be a nice set up for the Irish insofar as this is an in-state rivalry. a Wisconsin-Notre Dame match up would be a winner, as would Neb-ND. Indeed, the only not attractive match up for ND in the conference is Minnesota.
So ND gets to eat its cake, staying locally, by joining the B10. But it gets to keep it, too, due to B10 expansion into the northeast, ND's home-away-from-home, and a place it considers vaunted.
ND up to this point only would have gotten Penn State among the eastern schools; admittedly PSU is the beast of the east, but it is decidedly non-urban (despite fan bases in Philly and Pgh); the real northeast the Irish covet is the urban northeast.
and now, the B10 not only offers it; it offers it far better than the ACC is able to.
What does ND get in the northeast corridor? well, everything. except New England. Maryland gives the B10 Washington and Baltimore as UMd is suburban DC and as Maryland's flagship state university, only a 1/2 hr. drive from Baltimore. Rutgers, the number one football fan base in metro NY gives the B10 NYC. Philly is part of the fold right now.
So with Washington, Baltimore, Philadephia, and New York, that's four of the northeast corridor's big five for the Big Ten. The fifth, delivered to the ACC by BC, is Boston, which is far smaller than the NYC, Philly, and B/W metro areas.
I don't know how the new 4 conference/16 team set set up will allow ND to remain independent and relevant at the same time (it won't). and I don't see how anyone but the B10, with its home base and that home-away-from-home I spoke of in the northeast, can offer what the Irish will want.
I doubt both your claims. ND joined the ACC to keep its independence. ND would have stayed in the BE if it was still a viable conference but they saw the collapse coming so they jumped to the next weakest conference that will still get them BCS eligible. They joined the ACC because they can throw their weight around in the conference and not commit to it. They schedule a few cupcake games, than resume scheduling their own games. They also dont have to share revenue with the ACC. No other conference is going to give ND a deal like this.
ND will only leave the ACC if it is no longer a viable conference and wont offer them a pathway to the BCS/Playoff. ACC is on shaky grounds, but even after being raided by the Big 12, B1G, and SEC the ACC could raid the Big E and lesser conferences and remain viable. In this case ND's power over the conference will only increase and they can get more independence.
If ND HAD to join a conference it would not be the ACC, but we are far from that day.
If indeed the day dawns where ND must join a conference, I agree the B1G is the most likely option. However, there are plenty of rumors that suggest the PAC12 just might consider an eastern pod. And if the PAC can lure Boston College, Pitt and whomever else, ND may have to consider this option (if it's ever presented). They'd have USC, Stanford, BC and Pitt (all rivals) in conference. Then OOC could be Navy and one of Purdue or Mich St.
If indeed the day dawns where ND must join a conference, I agree the B1G is the most likely option. However, there are plenty of rumors that suggest the PAC12 just might consider an eastern pod. And if the PAC can lure Boston College, Pitt and whomever else, ND may have to consider this option (if it's ever presented). They'd have USC, Stanford, BC and Pitt (all rivals) in conference. Then OOC could be Navy and one of Purdue or Mich St.
These are merely internet rumors, far from anything solid. But since the PAC has so little options if they expand, setting up an eastern pod seems logical, and it might be one to lure ND (which means BC and Pitt). I hear ya though.
These are merely internet rumors, far from anything solid. But since the PAC has so little options if they expand, setting up an eastern pod seems logical, and it might be one to lure ND (which means BC and Pitt). I hear ya though.
I don't even know if those are rumors. You might have just made them up. If anything big 12 will partner up with ACC. I wouldn't mind ND to join the big 10, but it wouldn't bring in any extra markets. It just wouldn't do much. BIG 10 is looking to expand it's footprint hence UVA, GT, UNC etc.
I don't even know if those are rumors. You might have just made them up.
Ha, nothing I made up, but thanks for implying it. I read tons of stuff involving realignment and this rumor has been floating around for a few weeks. It's unlikely, but anything goes when it comes to the rumor mill.
It wouldn't give the Big 10 new markets, but it would bring in the massive Notre Dame following and their existing massive TV contract.
I would like to see Notre Dame in the Big 10. It makes the most sense. And it will renew the Notre Dame-Nebraska rivalry that Notre Dame dumped in the mid-20s (replaced with USC) because they were tired of Nebraska beating them.
If indeed the day dawns where ND must join a conference, I agree the B1G is the most likely option. However, there are plenty of rumors that suggest the PAC12 just might consider an eastern pod. And if the PAC can lure Boston College, Pitt and whomever else, ND may have to consider this option (if it's ever presented). They'd have USC, Stanford, BC and Pitt (all rivals) in conference. Then OOC could be Navy and one of Purdue or Mich St.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TNKY
Ha, nothing I made up, but thanks for implying it. I read tons of stuff involving realignment and this rumor has been floating around for a few weeks. It's unlikely, but anything goes when it comes to the rumor mill.
Prove it. Where is there any rumor that the Pac-12 wants Boston College?
Wow, easy tiger. I never said Larry Scott came out and said this, nor did anyone from the PAC. This rumor (and I used this exact word in my original post) was floated on several message boards including a West Virginia and a Texas board. Rumors!!! I guess we can't have any fun on this thread, so I'll opt out in doing this in the future.
Definition of rumor:
unverified report: a generally circulated story, report, or statement without facts to confirm its truth
idle speculation: general talk or opinions of uncertain reliability
The reason these message boards suggested this as an outside possibilty is that Notre Dame is not fond of the B1G at all and if the day ever comes where they are forced to join a conference the PAC is an interesting option if done so with a 4 team eastern pod. The PAC has few exciting options if they have to expand. If Boise St. can entertain joining the Big East, why can't the PAC entertain a pod of eastern schools if ND where on board with this. And the pod would be one that ND values (which is where Pitt/Boston College come in). This way ND can keep rivals like Pitt/BC/Standford/USC in their conference and recruit like mad all over the place.
It's specualtion, but to me it's fun and it would actually make a little sense. Will this scenerio happen? Unlikely. But, again, I will discontinue any theory specualtion on my part.
Last edited by TNKY; 02-01-2013 at 06:24 AM..
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