Around the Big Ten

[Hannibal]

Even if the numbers are only a 1/3 of what they are predicting, every team will still come out ahead.

Some e-mailer from Nigeria promised me five million dollars if I just send him a few thousand so that he can get out of the country. That five million number sounds inflated, but even if the real number ends up being one million dollars, I still come out ahead, right?

[entropy]

Dork... Thanks. Very interesting.. I'd like to know how those $$$ were derived, but maybe that is the order... Who knows.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Dr. Tom signed off on it.

You believe Dr. Tom is a clueless asshole, I take it?

Osborne is on his way out...he knows also his vote makes zilch difference and frankly...it probably wasn't his vote...it was Perlman's dipshit...

[Dr. Strangelove]

Osborne is on his way out...he knows also his vote makes zilch difference and frankly...it probably wasn't his vote...it was Perlman's dipshit...

I don't know why you'd even be upset. Practically nothing will change for you. It's Ohio State's schedule that will see the biggest changes. All you'll be doing is sitting back and collecting a much bigger paycheck than before.

[Dr. Strangelove]

And FWIW, I read about this for the first time Friday night on the Penn State Rivals board. The same guy who broke that story now says expect 16 teams by next summer.

Commence Kevin Bacon

[THE_WIZARD_]

It's obvious this is a stepping stone to 16. I fully expect the SEC to add two teams before the B1G does. You had to start somewhere...I was just hoping it was something better than Maryland & Rutgers. I'm looking at this from purely a football standpoint. Obviously the decision was based on more than that.

[Hannibal]

Depending on who those additions are, I'd almost rather have that if it increases the likelihood that we will return to geographic divisions so that some semblance of identity can be preserved. 16 isn't much worse than 14. At 14, the conference is already dead.

[THE_WIZARD_]

14 is the point where the conference dies.

Agreed. With 14 and more you become an "association".

[Dr. Strangelove]

It's obvious this is a stepping stone to 16. I fully expect the SEC to add two teams before the B1G does. You had to start somewhere...I was just hoping it was something better than Maryland & Rutgers. I'm looking at this from purely a football standpoint. Obviously the decision was based on more than that.

If we go to 16, and it looks like we are, it's wholly unrealistic that it'd be something like Texas, Notre Dame, Florida, and Oklahoma.

Maryland is a bad team with ugly uniforms. But historically speaking they are at least as good as Purdue in both sports. And are a much better road trip, IMO. And if they open up only a 1/3 of the B'more & DC markets, they will be worth it. Good recruiting territory too.

I'm less sold on Rutgers but willing to give em a chance. They've made huge strides in the past decade. 10 years ago they were drawing under 20,000 a game in a decrepit stadium.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Depending on who those additions are, I'd almost rather have that if it increases the likelihood that we will return to geographic divisions so that some semblance of identity can be preserved. 16 isn't much worse than 14. At 14, the conference is already dead.

16 allows for pods too. Worth considering.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Pods. Meh.

[Dr. Strangelove]

RE: a sport no one here cares about, the B1G could probably start up it's own lacrosse conference now!

For those who don't know, it's sort of like hockey only without pads and on dry land!

[Dr. Strangelove]

BTW, Delaney announced that the B1G will be opening an East Coast office. My guess is Nebraska was the last Midwestern member this conference will add.

Just mentioning this again. I thought it was a very interesting comment made by Delaney.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Lacrosse. Heh. Another stupid fucking sport run by east coast snooty fucks that nobody else gives a fuck about.

[Whitley]

Before Kansas politics went nutty, I could have seen them as a possibility as Team #15 or #16. However, one has to question how much biological research (especially with stem cells) that the legislature is going allow them to do.

Assuming no Notre Dame....Virginia and North Carolina would be solid additions.