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

[Kstat]

Even if the Big East does eject Notre Dame, there is no sign at all that the Irish are interested in the Big 10. Like... at all.

They have rejected any and all overtures from the Big 10. They have gone as far as to tell the Big 10 to stop asking. The regents at Notre Dame have claimed on occasion that they will never join the Big 10.

That is a lot of sentiment to overcome, even with the seeming shifting landscape.

They'll stand their ground until they can stand their ground no more. Money talks, and the Big Ten network is proving to be highly profitable.

They can say no a thousand times. It only takes one yes.

[nhwbrooklyn]

I laughed at the big ten networks shoddy production level but they have admittedly improved quickly. Still 'off' at times but so is everyone else.

It's amazing how much money can be saved when you cut out the middle man.

[WingsFan]

But But Kiffin was with USC from 2000 to 2006 so he was around for the shenanigans.

Kiffin bolted on UT, this after after creating all the drama there - to go back to the 'promise land' and snoop dog. I don't believe in 'karma' sometime things just do work out right.

[chemiclord]

Brooklyn is going to like this... and I might need to find a hat to eat.

Word on the street is that Jim Delaney took a call Friday afternoon from a location that rhymes with Mouth Tend, Indiana.

No details about said call were available as far as I can discern.

[WingsFan]

Don't plan on eating that hat

[nhwbrooklyn]

When you go with absolutes as much as you do chemi you are bound to get caught

I'm wrong just as much but I usually give myself an escape

I think ND will be tempted by the money myself... but who knows what will happen.


(the 'escape' is in red)

[chemiclord]

When you go with absolutes as much as you do chemi you are bound to get caught

I'm wrong just as much but I usually give myself an escape

I think ND will be tempted by the money myself... but who knows what will happen.


(the 'escape' is in red)

Well, to be fair, the call could have been, "We're calling pre-emptively. Don't even think it. Don't call us. We aren't interested. Ever."

There very well may be a handful people in the athletics department trying to get a gauge on what sort of deal they can make. But they will have to overcome a shit ton of anti-Big 10 sentiment among the regents and the board to make it happen.

I still don't see it happening any time in the near future.

[FVD]

I don't see them joining anytime soon either, and if they did, they'd have to bring a partner to the dance because I doubt the Big 10(2) wants an uneven amount of teams. Its funny though, Missouri got a lot of this started and they most likely are gonna end up with their dicks in their hands

[SeattleLionsFan]

ND and Pitt would be great. It would make sense geographically and academically. It would still be a coherent conference, not some gerrymandered freak show.

"They" say the CIC is a big part of it. Admission to the Big Ten (and therefore the CIC) could mean 100's of millions in research grants.

It's an interesting offseason though, that's fer sure.

[Mainevent]

Even Lou Holtz has flipped and thinks ND should consider the Big Ten. If that lisping little leprechaun has changed his mind, there's probably some regents with dollars signs in their eyes thinking the same.

[froot loops]

I think Notre Dame is realizing that this seismic shakeup is much bigger that a few teams bolting. If you have an implosion of the Big 12 and a raiding of the Big East it makes being a independant in football even harder.

There might be bad blood stemming back 100 years with the Big 10 and Notre Dame but they still are the best fit for each other. Some of ND resistance would happen with any conference as they are proud of not being in a conference.

[Rocky Bleier]

Yep. I think ND joins the Big Ten conference. They're a better fit than Nebraska.

[Mainevent]

There's also the talk that if the 4 superconferences end up being formed that they will split from the NCAA eventually, which would leave independents out in the cold (and more importantly, out of the money).

[froot loops]

I question the legitimacy of such talk of cutting the NCAA out. I've heard people talk about it but it doesn't make sense when you look at the whole totality of NCAA sports. From what I've gathered this sort of talk is generated by playoff wishful thinking. One of the biggest obstacles in ever getting a playoff instituted is you have to get a vote from the greater NCAA memebership. If they are voting for something they want a cut. If they get a cut of the pie then the financial advantage of going to a playoff system is greatly diminished.

[chemiclord]

I question the legitimacy of such talk of cutting the NCAA out. I've heard people talk about it but it doesn't make sense when you look at the whole totality of NCAA sports. From what I've gathered this sort of talk is generated by playoff wishful thinking. One of the biggest obstacles in ever getting a playoff instituted is you have to get a vote from the greater NCAA memebership. If they are voting for something they want a cut. If they get a cut of the pie then the financial advantage of going to a playoff system is greatly diminished.

That's what it boils down to.

If the theoretical "superconferences" broke ties with the NCAA, it would be to prevent things like a playoff. The Big Bowl Fat Cats don't want to share their money with the "little fish" in college football, and they sure as hell don't want these mid-majors to prove they belong in the discussion.