U of M thread (in the Lions Forum) :)

[Whitley]

I read that 4 PAC 10 teams contacted the Big 12 about possibly joining them.

Oregon State Washington State
Utah

seem a likely 3 to me. Who would be the fourth?

It wouldn't be Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Stanford. Cal seems unlikely. One of the Arizona schools?

[chemiclord]

The three I heard were Oregon, Washington, and Stanford.

[froot loops]

Because it has nothing to do with the quality, and everything to do with consolidating the money. Big schools do not want to share the dollars and opportunities with smaller schools, it's why the Pac-12 and ACC shot down a playoff expansion even though it would theoretically been in their best competitive interests. They would rather the entire conference collapse than give a Utah or a Boise State a legitimate title shot.

That's probably true, but as a fan I don't give a shit about this and it's weird that fans get all excited about something like this.

[chemiclord]

That's probably true, but as a fan I don't give a shit about this and it's weird that fans get all excited about something like this.

Because that is all part of the game too. "Our conference" is the big dog, defeating all the smaller ones.

[froot loops]

Sure, I just think it is stupid and it's why the NFL is far superior. The NFL has a lot of flaws and warts but it doesn't have this nonsense.

[chemiclord]

Meanwhile, at least from people I know (none of whom are in any position of authority anymore), Notre Dame continues to value the independence of their football program over everything else, even money.

It sounds like they are going to continue to insist on that going forward barring another massive change in the landscape.

[Whitley]

Meanwhile, at least from people I know (none of whom are in any position of authority anymore), Notre Dame continues to value the independence of their football program over everything else, even money.

It sounds like they are going to continue to insist on that going forward barring another massive change in the landscape.

Notre Dame reminds me of Mayor Pete in the 2020 primaries. They are never going to be in a better negotiating position than right now

[chemiclord]

On the contrary, they can play the SEC and Big Ten against each other as long as one side values the Notre Dame brand enough.

[jaadam4]

ND doesn’t want any part of the SEC competition I assure you. They can use them as a bargaining chip but they’d be a middling team there

[chemiclord]

ND doesn’t want any part of the SEC competition I assure you. They can use them as a bargaining chip but they’d be a middling team there

They'd be a middling team wherever they go.

[froot loops]

Their success under Kelly was underrated. I think Freeman will recruit better as well. If you are consistently in the top 10-15, I'm not sure that qualifies as middling. They occupy the second tier below Alabama, Georgia and Clemson. I think LSU and OSU straddle the that tier and it's unclear if Clemson is still in that tier.

The way it is heading, ND is going.to have to go with the Big Ten. But it might take longer than everyone might expect. Now that USC is in and Stanford is knocking at the door, they are running out of rivals

[Futureshock]

The B1G and ND are a match made in Ann Arbor. Make it happen

Can we just stop it.

All this begging and pleading for those blokes has netted nothing. Over decades of begging, ND is further away from that then ever. F em

Just like dating. The best way to get a pretty woman is to let her see you with other pretty woman and let her stew about missing out. Let em stew. Even if they go to the SEC. Which they won't. They don't want that smoke. Believe me. They'd be exposed and a middling team in the SEC.

I don't understand why they get to pick and choose. the B1G should give them an or else. No more playing Purdue, USC, UCLA or any other B1G team.

Let's see who they find to replace those teams. And how that would effect recruiting.

The B1G doesn't NEED ND. It would be symmetrical for a number of logistical and historical things, but, they aren't needed.

[chemiclord]

Can we just stop it.

All this begging and pleading for those blokes has netted nothing. Over decades of begging, ND is further away from that then ever. F em

Just like dating. The best way to get a pretty woman is to let her see you with other pretty woman and let her stew about missing out. Let em stew. Even if they go to the SEC. Which they won't. They don't want that smoke. Believe me. They'd be exposed and a middling team in the SEC.

I don't understand why they get to pick and choose. the B1G should give them an or else. No more playing Purdue, USC, UCLA or any other B1G team.

Let's see who they find to replace those teams. And how that would effect recruiting.

The B1G doesn't NEED ND. It would be symmetrical for a number of logistical and historical things, but, they aren't needed.

Because the last time the B1G said, "us or else," Notre Dame happily said, "or else what?" and revealed an agreement with the ACC. You can't play hardball with the Fighting Irish on this, simply because the Notre Dame brand is still too strong to be bent that way.

You say the B1G doesn't need Notre Dame; and you're correct. The problem is that Notre Dame doesn't need the B1G either. The Irish happily parted ways with playing U-M for about five years, and it didn't hurt their imprint in the slightest. You can't call their bluff because they aren't bluffing. I suspect the Big Ten would find just as much pushback for cutting out the Irish as they did the last time Michigan led that pressure campaign; for the Purdues and USCs and UCLAs of college football, the ND game is one of their big games too; hell, it's arguably more important to them than it is the Fighting Irish, and Notre Dame knows that.

Notre Dame doesn't necessarily need to join the SEC; they just need to convince the SEC that it is in their best interest to side with Notre Dame on a path to contention that allows them to stay independent, which the SEC will quite happily do if for no reason than to give them a reason to not join the B1G. If the B1G tries to strongarm Notre Dame again, it's going to work about as well as it did last time; which is to say not at all.

[edindetroit]

ND doesn’t want any part of the SEC competition I assure you. They can use them as a bargaining chip but they’d be a middling team there

They would be a middling team in the Big Ten too.

[froot loops]

As a fan it would be better if Notre Dame got back to playing MSU every year. People like Futureshock get too worked up over this issue. If the Big Ten gets Notre Dame, it makes it a better conference. Maybe instead of having them in the conference, the Big Ten and Notre Dame can do an arrangement like ND has with the ACC.

If the conference game is about markets and money, it's better to have ND in or associated with the Big Ten than not.