Yes, I know what the press release from the Big 12 says.
The Big 12 Conference Board of Directors have voted unanimously to accept West Virginia University as a full conference member effective July 1, 2012. The Mountaineers will begin competing in the Big 12 beginning with the 2012-13 athletic season.
And yes, I know what the Big East press release says:
West Virginia is fully aware that the Big East Conference is committed to enforcing the 27-month notification period for members who choose to leave the conference.
I’m also aware of a rumor that the Big East would let the schools out early for a $21 million check.
Simply put, the Big East isn’t going to release WVU, Pitt or Syracuse early at this point.
Not out of spite. Not for negotiation of money. Not to see if the will change their mind. They are not releasing these schools because the Big East needs to survive.
The Big East is a BCS member. That automatic qualifying bid is worth a lot more than enhanced exit money. It is why MWC and C-USA schools would sooner jump to the Big East than try and get their own bid or see if they can get it instead of the Big East.
Now, among the many things needed to keep the bid is one very simple rule. There have to be at least 8 members of the conference that play football.
That is the Big East membership right now.
The Big East may be looking at other schools. Courting, wooing, begging. But they haven’t joined yet. More importantly, those schools that may join have to leave their old conferences and get past all the hoops to leave them — which includes waiting at least another year.
Even potential members that are independent, like Navy and BYU have contracts to play a bunch of games for next year. That’s a lot of buy out money — potentially 7 games to get out of.
That loss of the BCS AQ status — and the money it is worth to the Big East and individual members left behind: Rutgers, UConn, Louisville, Cinci and USF. That represents real damages.
If WVU or Pitt or Syracuse tried to say, screw the contract we are bolting, we will just pay extra money. The Big East and members would be able to get an injunction against such actions. They could point to real damages and losses if they left. Not theoretical. Not possible. Real, tangible economic harm, that merely paying extra money could not replace.
It would be ugly. There would be railing against the Big East for keeping schools that don’t want to be there. But this would be about the survival of the conference.
The injunction would be a slam-dunk. So, WVU can posture all they want, but they aren’t going anywhere until the Big East says so. Same for Pitt and Syracuse.
Yes, I will always miss Pitt Stadium. The alluminum bench seats and the parking issues didn’t bother me. I don’t need a jumbo-tron to appreciate the game. I prefered the terrific sight lines in the old stadium where we closer to the action. I’ve heard people refer to it as a dump, but for the purist it was good place to see the game………..as long as you didn’t have to use the rest rooms.
Football not good enough for the SEC, academics not good enough for the ACC.
You got beat by Syracuse and barely beat Rutgers, I wouldn’t be pounding my chest about WVU football.
You had about 40,000 for the Bowling Green game, your coach even came out publicly and chastised you about it.
The coach that will be moving on to Georgia at the end of the year!! LOL!!!
Good luck finding a spot in the 4 super conferences of 16 in a few years from now.
You’ll be back at the same place you have been for several months, begging and begging and begging to be let into one.
Let’s see, the SEC and ACC allready declined you, the Big Ten would never take you, hey, how about the PAC 12??? Nope, Texas, OK, OK ST. and Texas Tech are allready slated for there……..
hmmmmm….maybe Conference USA will still be around!!!!
They paint a red x on the sheep that kick!!!!
That article simply points out the struggle of all colleges who play in NFL cities have with attendance. All moving off-campus did was to provide many alleged Pitt fans another excuse for not attending … noon start, weather, parking, quality of play, quality of opponent, economy, etc. The fact remains that too many local Pitt alums would much rather would rather be at Heinz on Sunday (or Monday or Thursday night) no matter what the starting time was (1, 4:15 or 8:30), weather (late December/early Jan), quality of opponent (Browns, Bengals), etc.
and Crappy Valley? all good pts rebutting the blog troll. Add in the fact that there is little to nothing else to do in that area (farm shows, Blockbuster), as opposed to Pittsburgh. They have a loyal alumni fan base there, in addition to the undergrad population. Not defending our poor attendance, but you just can’t compare an “only act in town” with a sporting event in da Burgh.
on a hoop note, Birch and Gilbert will be fun to watch this season. I know it was LaRoche, but those two give us an inside presence we haven’t seen for a while (shot blocking). Birch led with 16 pts; Gilbert had 4 blocks.
Pitt – Steelers (arguably the most successful NFL franchise in the past 30 years), Penguins (premiere NHL franchise that annually competes for playoff berths), Pitt basketball (enough said), Pitt football, Pirates (baseball purists will always attend games – aside from that ?), also add in arena football.
PSU – State Penn football, State Penn basketball, Spikes minor league baseball, pretty much it.
WVU – Hoopie football, Hoopie basketball, Marshall ??, Nailers Minor League hockey.
I think this gives a pretty good rundown of available sports entertainment in each market (feel free to add if I missed anything).
this is not an excuse for the poor attendance, but some perspective on the choices available for fans to spend however much money they have on sporting events.
We will never draw like Penn State, but if Tod Graham is successful and can put an exciting brand of football on the field, fans will turn up for the games. College football is a different experience than the NFL and the university has to cultivate a following. We’ll be seeing some new competition with the move to the ACC. The solution is, to quote Al Davis, Just win baby.”
On a side note – Scout has our recruiting class ranked at 18. I dont think anyone can argue the fact that Todd Graham is a hell of a salesman. Just hope the on field results back it up.
The second is the quality of the entertainment value, as Outlaw points out, there is plenty of competition for the entertainment dollar. Higher profile opponents, better team, and promotions, fireworks, bobblehead nights certainly help the Pirates. Who wouldn’t want an Ironhead bobblehead.
You can tell by the quiet crowds that we have less than a rabid fan base. You need to attract the casual fan by increasing the entertainment value. Even the move to the ACC will not bring in the casual fan. I know we made fun of the mounties, but beer outside the club seats is not a bad idea. Maybe make the endzone a family section if you have reasonable concerns for childen.
How about $2 tickets for high school students to fill the upperdecks when we play the dogs.
I think the game atmosphere is much improved over the Pitt Stadium days, Food is better, tailgating, luxury boxes, bars and restaurants, hotels to make a weekend event. I am sure the University has a long term plan. If they ever run the T to Oakland, more students would attend.
I know we have to sell out for these weeknight events, but I am guessing that even mighty Penn State would have difficulty on a Wed. night.
Jackie s you troll dont you have a wvu site to go to. you are not wanted here.
and all ways remember your only chance at a national title was killed when we beat you 13 to 9
remember that for ever.
now go back to wvu.
now, go tuck your son/nephew to bed!!
By the way, proud of sliding by Rutgers, and you think you’ll take on Texas and Oklahoma, ha ha!!
ps, enjoy Conference USA in a couple years.
And no matter what, your still a hick!!!!!
I apologize for all of my ramblings, it’s very simple and to the point, Jealousy.
You were wanted by one of the four soon to be 16 super conferences, and no one wanted us.
Very jealous, all of us pump-kin’eers!!!
We ended up in a Mickey Mouse conference that will be falling apart shortly,
The ACC didn’t want us because our university’s degree isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on, and we’d finish dead last in the SEC in football.
Well, we’ll have to take being Texas’ bitch for a few years, what else do we have.
Now, if you’ll please get out the banjo, shout to the heavens “squeal like a pig, boy”, I have to go do my Sunday night re-enactment of Deliverance.
Good night John Boy, good night Mary Ellen, good night pa/uncle jed, good night aunt sue/mom,….
now….Timmy Joe, where were we!!!
Now, Bobby Bobby, turn over, your smashing my skoal can!!!
West Virginia graduate leads all NATO forces in Europe helping to secure a free future for the world:
link to en.wikipedia.org
LMAO!!
Almost took out the whole trailer park!!!
Two!
One to eat, and one to watch for cars!!!!
Start hiding from your Daddy and Uncles ASAP
Yes, I know, some of your Daddy’s are your Uncles at the same time, never the less, get hiding!!
Signing off from the West Coast. Have fun!
9. Funniest suggestion for how to solve the West Virginia-Louisville battle? A teeth-off.
The fan base with the most teeth gets the Big 12 invite.
Given that Kentucky and West Virginia have the worst teeth in the United States — this is an actual stat — this has reality show written all over it.
It’s like The Biggest Loser meets teeth. Someone steps up to a dentist with their mouth closed and we all write down how many teeth we think they have. Then they open their mouth and the tally goes up on a screen.
To the victor goes the spoils, the fairest method to decide conference realignment of all. It’s the electoral college of teeth.
Welcome to Conferencepalooza 2011 .
Just reversed it back on him, but, look, being from WV or being an WV alum, you have no chance. I mean, the cards are stacked against you, and it’s just too easy.
We’re you go for a few days, vacation time??
Foge went back to being a very successful D coordinator at Notre Dame and Minn Vikings.
BTW, one of Foge’s recruits at Pitt while he was D Coordinator under Sherill was Sal Sunseri, who happens to be the father of the BE offenisve player of the week.
The B12 may accept ND on that basis with the hope that ND would join full time. It is also reported that ND may consider part time membership in CUSA.
The B12 may welcome ND on a non-FB basis with the hope that they would eventually join full-time but there is no guarantee nor would ND tie themselves into any exclusive arrangement at this time.
No question that the Pitt Administration was largely at fault for the decline of Pitt football. They were too cheap to keep Jackie Sherrill. Then they hired Fazio who was incompetent as a head coach. As a result of this and further errors they cost Pitt hundreds of millions in revenues and cost Pitt fans an untold amount of joy over the last 30 years.
The Big 10 probably realizes that too which may be one reason they’re not making any more moves at this point.
WVU fans are delusional. You only have to look at the posts above to know that.
ACC is excellent right where it is, if it has to be. #1 Hoops conference out of the someday Big 4 super conferences. Can jockey for position with the Big 10 and Pac 12 yearly for football behind the SEC.
If ND wants to come, awesome, but no deals!!!!
That could implode at any given time.
Welcome to West Virginia University, Diploma Mill.
I do that on occasion to remain sane. lol
Send this over the Pitt Law School…..
Hey Mel, I actually made that name up, pretty proud of myself!!! ha ha
Maybe others made it up first, have heard the pump-kin jokes for eons, never heard that one before, then it hit me.
Pump-kin-eers!!! Battling with a few trolls lately!!
Hope all is well in the Carolinas!!
