The Rest of College Football

[Jamie H]

Why would North Carolina and Duke want to come into the Big Ten? They is no regional continuity there at all, and those teams are both athletically defined by ACC basketball.

I'm not sure bringing in two dominant basketball programs who are both really weak at football is the best move for the Big Ten right now. Big Ten basketball is doing reasonably well as it is, and all adding NC and Duke would do is to push 2 other programs back down some notches.

[lineygoblue]

Its really too bad about Tate Forcier. The kid can play ball but there seems to be too many problems "upstairs".

[WM Wolverine]

I don't believe the North Carolina and Duke rumors but they are two of the most profitable athletic departments in the ACC and NC is the biggest state in ACC country, not counting Florida. Not sure why you add two NC schools other than North Carolina wouldn't leave without taking Duke along as well...

I imagine we'll continue to hear these rumors/fantasies pop-up till the situation in the Big XII settles down, or implodes.

[entropy]

I don't believe the North Carolina and Duke rumors but they are two of the most profitable athletic departments in the ACC and NC is the biggest state in ACC country, not counting Florida. Not sure why you add two NC schools other than North Carolina wouldn't leave without taking Duke along as well...

I imagine we'll continue to hear these rumors/fantasies pop-up till the situation in the Big XII settles down, or implodes.

probably so. Probably also just a sign of how boring sports are in the summer. I know I'm ready for the season to start

[Jeff Buchanan]

Actually, the osu fiasco has made this one of the shortest off seasons I have experienced.

Very entertaining.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I think UNC and Duke would have no interest unless the ACC were falling apart. Possibily as a result of an SEC raid. Due to the academics at both schools, I imagine they would prefer affiliation with the Big Ten if they had to choose. Especially Duke. But very, very speculative.

[Dr. Strangelove]

If the whole 16-team superconference thing is forced upon us and neither Notre Dame nor Texas is realistic, then some combination down the mid-atlantic coast would be solid.

Of the remaining Big12 schools, few interest me. I don't think Oklahoma or A&M would come. Iowa State, Kansas State, TT, and Baylor, forget about it. Missouri and Kansas, only if we're desperate.

[entropy]

Alabama's compliance department sent a cease and desist letter to the owner of a Tuscaloosa men's clothing store in December, asking it not to use the likenesses of football players in any advertising or commercials.

More...

[entropy]

LSU coach Les Miles says video purchased as part of a controversial scouting package was necessary so he could see potential players in action.

More...

[lineygoblue]

More and more, I'm liking the idea that we didn't hire Harbaugh OR Miles ...

[Hannibal]

Even taking into account their prowess at basketball, adding Duke to the Big Ten would be fucking moronic.

[Dr. Strangelove]

If bringing in Duke would guarantee UNC's entry then it might be worth it. North Carolina as a market is far more valuable than Missouri or Kansas or whatever market Rutgers supposedly brings.

But Duke on their own? No

[Hannibal]

North Carolina is nowhere near the caliber of program for which you let in a shit program like Duke just to get UNC.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Should have posted the Auburn stuff here but it ended up in the osu thread.

Something that occurs to me in all of this is that given the apparent amount of gray area in NCAA's rules and the difficulty we've seen in putting teeth in enforcement, what compliance amounts to for NCAA programs is acting with integrity.

Now, given that premise, how the hell does one not expect to see all kinds of cheating going on in CFB. Coaches salaries are off the page; golden hand-shakes from deep pocketed alums, we are seeing, are common place. From the same guy who told me about Chizek's antics at SEC Media Week, I was told a story about a player from the state of Alabama who ended up at Auburn. Seems the player had been employed by an Auburn Alum since he was a Sophomore in HS. Word is, all he did was show up for a pay-check. He was a 4* TE and was offered by both UA and AU. Where do you suppose he played ball?

This stuff happens everywhere and it runs deep. Unfortunately it is part of the fabric of NCAA football at elite programs ( I would suspect the SEC is the worst) where the stakes are high. Coaches learn early, you have to play the game. If you don't your team will be a second tier one.

I think tressel brought this sort of approach, seemingly prevalent in the SEC, to osu. Other than osu getting caught up in tressel's cover-up and now paying a price which may or may not have been worth it - something that I suspect tressel did not see as such but just part of doing business - what were they going to do? Fire him during his early employment period when it seems they knew about his shenanigans?

No. They were winning. Thye were beating Michigan and pulling in big money from playing on the national stage every year including an MNC in tressel's second year. Huge stakes. Huge money. The perfect environment for unethical conduct.

I believe CFB has major problems here that are substantive and are going to be very difficult to solve givne the current structure and charter of the NCAA and compliance.

Time to start over.

[WM Wolverine]

Its largely up to the universities to police themselves in regards to the NCAA. That is a lot like asking everyone to go to the police station and pay their fine every time they speed, run a red light, pass in a no passing zone, etc.