tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021784699791897498.post8141888465692123286..comments2023-11-03T11:55:51.177-04:00Comments on PJS: Minnesota Golden Gophers Sports: Big Ten Expansion: Dollars vs. SensePJShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023907292156758267noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021784699791897498.post-31883693353973564062007-07-31T01:13:00.000-04:002007-07-31T01:13:00.000-04:00Please God, let this not come to pass.I'd be infin...Please God, let this not come to pass.<BR/><BR/>I'd be infinitely more pleased with kicking out one school and having full round-robin ala Pac-10.Erik Tylczakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17301913715276280809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021784699791897498.post-3711770660310895852007-07-30T11:12:00.000-04:002007-07-30T11:12:00.000-04:00In my opinion, it's Notre Dame as the very first c...In my opinion, it's Notre Dame as the very first choice. If the Big Ten is 110% sure that the Irish won't join, then the next best option is Syracuse. Even though the city of Syracuse isn't a large TV market, you can argue that the Orange draw more media interest in New York City than any other college. Pitt really draws from the same media base and Penn State (and isn't nearly as prominent in that region), so they wouldn't really expand the footprint. Illinois also already provides a base in the St. Louis market, so Mizzou wouldn't really add much to the footprint, either. Rutgers needs a lot more time to develop its athletic programs if it's going to be a Big Ten school - the location is fantastic, but the Big Ten needs a ready-made power, not just potential.<BR/><BR/>The "major research university" isn't going to be factor when it comes to Notre Dame. The Big Ten already extended an invitation to them a decade ago, so it obviously wasn't a factor. The trade-off is that Notre Dame's undergrad program is one of the top-15 in the nation, which none of the other potential invitees are even close to. There's no splitting hairs with the Irish - if they want to come to the Big Ten, the conference will take them. The splitting hairs will only come with anyone considered for membership other than Notre Dame.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, here's a blog post that I wrote last year about this very subject:<BR/><BR/>http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2006/03/05/big-ten-from-eleven-to-twelve/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021784699791897498.post-32272092907877614012007-07-30T01:06:00.000-04:002007-07-30T01:06:00.000-04:00Good point. But my bet would be all the university...Good point. But my bet would be all the university presidents would take the increased cash flow from Notre Dame's arrival.PJShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15023907292156758267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021784699791897498.post-31437421619182831382007-07-30T00:17:00.000-04:002007-07-30T00:17:00.000-04:00Just to point out the academic perspective: Nebras...Just to point out the academic perspective: Nebraska, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Missouri are all major research universities. Notre Dame is not. <BR/><BR/>Splitting hairs, perhaps, but given the background of the Committee on Insitutional Cooperation (the "Academic Big Ten"), it could make a difference.Jon Marthalerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06944190417082632635noreply@blogger.com