LastMinuteman

We'd obviously prefer that Temple stay in the MAC. If they don't, maybe we'll talk to the MWC-CUSA alliance about the eastern football-only spot they were offering to Temple to balance Hawaii's football-only membership. But if the MAC offered us assurances that they won't terminate our football-only deal, we'd probably stay put in MAC/A10 arrangement.

MSG77

Wait... the NY Times is credible? Since when?

And the new BE football is "big time"? Even without Cuse, Pitt, WVU, and probably soon without UConn, Rutgers, and Louisville?

Oh well, now on ESPN. Must be true. Gospel, there.

We'll miss you Temple.

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"If you're a coach or a leader you don't listen to the fellowship of the miserable. If someone listens to call-in shows, then more than likely they're not succeeding if they have that much time on their hands. If you're someone that gets on a message board, then you're probably someone who's unsuccessful knocking someone who's successful." - Rick Pitino

owlfan2272

I was speaking toward some of the other sources I was hearing not particularly New York Times and on my first post I said I was going to wait until the official announcement. But I think it is apparent that the only thing holding this is the MAC agreement and the MAC is not going to play hardball and keep us out of the Big East. The other times that had this held up was the vote but the vote is already finished.

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Temple Owls have won a lot.

STLfan

If Temple really is leaving that sucks but how about Butler as a replacement. Indianapolis is a good market, crazy about hoops, Butler currently has a strong program, good fan support, plays in a good size historic venue, is close to Dayton, SLU, and X, and would help bridge the gap between STL and the rest of the conference.

PVP

Butler - Yes please. Add George Mason and VCU (Richmond may say no). Gets us to 16. 2 eight team divisions.

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2005 Regular Season Locks of the Day Champion
2007-08 A10 Regular Season Contest Champion

MSG77

URI will be in the NEC for all sports in 10 years. Maybe 5. Mark it down. What a waste to build the Ryan Center. We could still be playing in Keaney Gym.

We just left the CAA for the NEC in football. So not going back there.

Not joining the MAC without bigtime football.

PC will never let us in to the same league as them. When the BE schools break up, there is no way we are getting in there. Too bad this has been a "lost decade" where we didn't build on the success of the 90s, even with the new building. If we were closer to what Xavier is we would have more pull. But we have none right now.

So what does that leave? Whatever leftovers there are in the A10 and CUSA and maybe MWC after everything settles?

I really do think that 4 x16 is coming sooner rather than later and when it does every school not in there will be getting scraps anyway because those leagues are going to be swimming in all the money. New BE basketball and CAA will still get more than whatever the new BB conf is anyway.

Can totally see URI saving money, thinking small, and just going back to be a regional NE school. Bus trips to everywhere and save some of the non-revenue sports. We'll become a "buy" team for basketball and that's how we'll pay for our Athletic Department. Save on travel, save on coaches, just give up and play CCSU and Bryant.

Its a done deal.

__________________
"If you're a coach or a leader you don't listen to the fellowship of the miserable. If someone listens to call-in shows, then more than likely they're not succeeding if they have that much time on their hands. If you're someone that gets on a message board, then you're probably someone who's unsuccessful knocking someone who's successful." - Rick Pitino

rusty X

I think Temple to the Big East on such short notice means a couple of things:

1. Louisville is getting ready to leave, probably in a year. The Big East will needs Temple and Navy, which joins in 2015, or so they say. If Louisville leaves after next year, Navy shows up just in time for the league to have a football championship game.

2. You can say one thing good about the Big East, they know how to get a TV package. Something no one in the A10 has ever figured out. And Temple knows it.

3. I hope the A10 does not expand, and guess that the A10 headquarters is hoping for one more departure so it can be a 12 team league.

4. Losing Temple is a big blow to the basketball programs throughout the conference.

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Mac539

The good news is that Temple may be able to smack Nova 2X a year.

owlfan2272

That will be the sweetest part of all of this.

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Temple Owls have won a lot.

Bill Russell

Exactly. Plus, with UMass and UNCC moving up to 1-A football, their potential departures could hang over the league's head for years. Adding three really strong programs like Butler, GMU, and VCU (or a Boston U to be proactive in case UMass leaves) would put the A-10 in a very strong place moving forward.

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owlfan2272

Wish we could bundle all of you up in our suitcase and smuggle you into the Big East with us.

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Temple Owls have won a lot.

Mac539

Also, it would be an unreal situation to actually root for a Big East local team instead of hoping they get ground to dust every time they lace up the sneakers.

Moliva

Sure, that would be great thinking by Bernie but who is the team that leaves? If it is another one of the high profile schools, it would be a bad, bad thing for everybody else.

I mean, we're not going to get a nice, neat 'Fordham decides to hop to the Patriot League' type of deal where we get to 12.

The A10 needs to play some dominoes or the dominoes are going to fall on us.

Bill Russell

Yep. We have to make a move here. With the way the football landscape is shifting, I can't envision UMass and Charlotte staying for non-football sports long term. If we want to get to 12 eventually, add one school now (Butler or George Mason would be ideal). If we see 14 as a strong number in the future, add three. Unlike some here, I don't see the non-football schools in the Big East breaking off anymore. Still, standing pat would be B-A-D for the A-10.

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Moliva

Totally agree. The hoops-only schools are trying to ride that roller coaster for as long as they possibly can. I don't think it would be in anybody's best interest to sit and wait for that split to happen.