Around the Big Ten

[lineygoblue]

The problem was his offense destroyed mediocre defenses, yet couldn't do anything against good defenses

Well, things were made a bit easier when opposing defenses realized that we had no other rushing threat than DR. Plus, his passing game was still a work in progress.

That's why SOMEBODY has to step up in the RB position this year, to take the heat off DR. If they don't, we're going to run into the same problem as last year. Defenses will just wait for DR to come to them. We're going to have the OL that can open up holes for a decent RB. Maybe they won't "pancake" everyone at the snap, but they'll be good enough to create some openings. Somebody has to step up at RB. That's the only thing about the offense that has me concerned right now.

[entropy]

Wisconsin sophomore wide receiver Manasseh Garner will miss three to four weeks because of a hernia.

More...

[entropy]

BTN.

OMAHA, Neb. -- Former Green Bay Packers and Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Ahman Green is done playing football. Now he's ready to start talking about it.

The Big Ten network has hired the 34-year-old Green as a sideline analyst for selected games this fall. His first assignment for BTN is Nebraska's Sept. 3 opener against Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Green says his role would be to offer his opinion on strategies and other coaching decisions as well as other in-game issues. He also is doing some volunteer high school coaching this fall in Green Bay.

The Packers' all-time leading rusher played last season in the UFL for his hometown Omaha Nighthawks. He said he hopes to sign a one-day contract with the Packers soon so he can retire as a member of the team

[Jamie H]

Folks don't enjoy watching it as much as the razzle dazzle flash but sometimes it pays to be Coach Carr Conservative (if'ns ya wanna win, that is).

If by "Coach Carr Conservative" you mean "don't turn the f'ing ball over" then I totally agree with you. You can't consistently lose the turnover battle and still win football games.

[entropy]

this was posted on the Northwestern board. I think it was the same guy who was leaking stuff last year.. or at least the same board. Question I have for you guys is how true do you think this is??? I can't see the BIG allowing the LHN to remain. Slippery slope and the leadership in the BigTen is smarter than that. But anyone else hear anything about A&M?

===============

Today was a very busy day in Park Ridge. For the Big Ten, the writing has been on the wall: we're going to 16-team super-conferences.

Invitations to join the conference remain in the hands of the appropriate parties at Notre Dame and Texas. The Big Ten believes that Notre Dame will join once Texas joins the conference. Texas wishes to join the Big Ten with its Longhorn Network, as a non-participant in the Big Ten Network. This scenario remains feasible.

The Big Ten is now operating under the presumption that A&M currently plans to leave the Big XII for the SEC. However, there is haste to consider an invitation to A&M immediately. The message to A&M has not yet been met with adequate response by the relevant parties at A&M. Though an invitation has not been settled upon, one likely will soon be forthcoming to Texas A&M. The Chancellors and Presidents have a conference scheduled to give provisional approval to invite A&M to the conference. It is expected that the Big Ten Chancellors and Presidents will find that A&M would add a unique level of tradition and academic prestige to the conference.

Separately, A&M stands to benefit the most from joining the Big Ten conference. In particular, A&M would reap the benefits from the Big Ten Network - which Park Ridge thinks would vastly outweigh the benefits that A&M would receive from the SEC. In particular, the Big Ten Network's reach is and likely always will capture a vastly wider audience than the Longhorn Network, and with A&M's addition to the Big Ten, will include the geographic footprint of the entire state of Texas.

With regard to the benefits A&M stands to gain from Big Ten membership, the Big Ten feels that the Big Ten Network would obviously more than offset the competition for eyeballs of recruits in the state of Texas from the Longhorn Network. The terms of the offer given to Texas include the right for Texas to maintain and independently operate the Longhorn Network, and thus not share in the financial benefit of the BTN. (Texas would receive equal voting rights and treatment in all other operations and activities of the conference aside from participation in the BTN.)

If A&M left the Big XII for the SEC, the Big Ten believes that the resulting political circumstances in the state of Texas would enable the University of Texas to leave the Big XII to join the Big Ten conference, regardless of the decisions made by the other Texas universities (with regard to the Big XII conference).

The Big Ten is actively pursuing the relevant parties at A&M and expanding discussions. This week, for the first time since the conference explored expansion possibilities, the notion that Texas and Texas A&M could join the Big Ten instead of Texas and Notre Dame as members 13 and 14 were openly considered. In such circumstances, the Big Ten believes that once Texas and Texas A&M join the conference, Notre Dame almost certainly would immediately follow, and several universities are in consideration for the sixteenth member, as I mentioned on the Rock. Should Texas and Texas A&M commit simultaneously to the Big Ten, the Big Ten expects to jointly announce the addition of four teams total to create a 16 team conference shortly thereafter.

We're currently in a period of acceleration of activity much like that which came before the invitation extended to Nebraska. The Big Ten seems poised to act immediately if A&M responds to certain overtures.

[JRB]

Texas wishes to join the Big Ten with its Longhorn Network, as a non-participant in the Big Ten Network. This scenario remains feasible.

Explain to me how that's feasible. I'm not saying it isn't-- I just don't get how that would work, or why the Big Ten would want to agree to that. It would seem easier to me for the Big Ten to grab Oklahoma and/or Missouri, neither of which would demand special treatment, if the Big 12 does fall apart. Maybe neither of those programs brings everything Texas does, but the Big Ten doesn't really need Texas to sell the Big Ten Network, either.

[entropy]

JRB.. agree. I don't think it is feasible. It basically starts you down a path of everyone having their own network. I think it's a non starter.

what about the Aggie recruitment? Is this just rumor to make it look like the BIG is working all the angles or is their truth to it?

[JRB]

I think the Big Ten probably reached out to Texas A&M and other disaffected Big 12 schools once it became clear to everybody that Texas' network plans were going to cause problems. Given that the Big Ten was talking to Big XII schools not that long ago, I'd suspect Jim Delaney has a pretty good idea who'd be interested in joining up. I doubt the Big Ten is A&M's preferred destination, but I'd bet Delaney wants A&M to know that the Big Ten's open to discussions if the SEC move doesn't work out, and I'm sure Delaney wants to know which Big XII schools will be looking to move if Texas A&M's SEC move does work out.

[WM Wolverine]

Its feasible (not likely) because most all of Texas' games would be on ABC/ESPN and not on the BTN as ABC/ESPN receive the first three picks of B10 games. That answers exactly why the B10 would still be interested; it would skyrocket the B10's network deals, especially if ND is involved...

BTN also has a chance to get a decent carriage rate in Texas too w/ A&M so its possible the BTN could have big gains too. No idea if the BTN would allow ND to not participate as well, I'd imagine they would give ND the same offer as Texas.

[Jamie H]

The interesting thing is, the Big Ten only gets A&M if Texas joins. And if A&M were to join, even if Texas opts out of the Longhorn network, then the BTN gets on the air in Texas and renders some of the power of the Longhorn network moot. The biggest strength of the Longhorn Network (IMO) is that it is going to be the only network that is on in Texas (outside of the standards like ESPN). If all of a sudden the BTN is on every TV in Texas, does it really matter that Texas has its own network? A&M would still have their sports plastered all over Texas TV, and we've already discussed the fact that there really isn't enough programming to fill a Texas-only channel, so there is no guarantee the Longhorn network is going to be nearly as good as the BTN.

My only question woudl be, when Big Ten teams play Texas, what network carries the game? Because if the answer is the Longhorn Network, then that seems like a non-starter.

[Jamie H]

I didn't think about ND--I forgot they already have their own network too.

[whodean]

ESPN will probably pay off A&M to keep them in the BigXII

[WM Wolverine]

Currently the LHN is only 1 football game a season but ESPN obviously wants at least 1 more. There shouldn't be too much concern over letting the LHN keep 1 FB game/season; I believe the B12 and SEC are setup to allow 1 game/season (OOC) given to each team to use as PPV...

I can't imagine any scenario where the B10 would give TV rights to B10 games to the LHN.

[Wild Hoss]

I can't imagine any scenario where the B10 would give TV rights to B10 games to the LHN.

I would thnk not, considering the BTN is a FOX entity and the LHN is ESPN. No way in hell.

[iam416]

Preposterous.