West Virginia football coach Bill Stewart became the first Big East coach to openly talk about the league disbanding when he gave this video interview to WTAP in Parkersburg, W.Va., on Thursday.
The quotes first appeared on Brian Bennett’s ESPN.com blog.
There has been much talk about the Big 10 expanding and possibly raiding the Big East for Rutgers or another school. Stewart seemed to indicate that was inevitable and said the SEC and ACC will “do the same.”
“It’s exciting,” he said. “It’s disheartening as well. … The Big Ten could … they’ll pick a couple of our teams. However, the SEC and the ACC will also do the same, so that’s exciting. I don’t know where we’re going to land. We could land, whatever, in one of maybe three conferences, the ACC, the SEC, maybe the Big Ten.
“But right now, we’re still Big East and we need to keep that focus. And that’s the disheartening thing, when you break up a Big East contingency like we had. We had a lot of fun, a lot of rivals, and I hate to see that end. But there are exciting times on the horizon with new conferences. We’ll be in one of them; which one I don’t know, I really don’t. But that’s down the road a couple of years, I do believe.”
Asked by the host how such a shift would impact recruiting, he answered:
“We talked about it today [in] a recruiting meeting,” Stewart said. “Let’s say the SEC invites us in. Well, that gives us a certain prestige. Then you say, where are we geographically compared to them? Now would the ACC be better? Well, geographically it might be, but clout-wise would it be? If the Big Ten would says, hey, come on in, that’s an East-West travel. Probably the ACC would be the best travel league. But, really, football-wise, the ACC, SEC, Big Ten … any will be good. I just hate to see the Big East disband.”
(Photo courtesy MSNBC.com)
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HallBall / March 13, 2010
This would be the dumb a** move of the century. So let me get this straight, Its bad enough we lost Miami and Boston College to the ACC but now you want the whole conference to disband? Rutgers In the Big Ten sounds dumb as hell, Notre Dame I could understand that due the geographical sense It makes with Purdue and Indiana being right In their backyard but who really wants to commute all the to Michigan and Indiana for regular season games from Jersey. Lets see, I guess Rutgers, Pitt, Notre Dame and Uconn will go to the Big Ten. Cincy and West Virginia will go to the ACC and South Florida and L’Ville will go to the SEC. ( I’m just assuming this Is what would happen If they went by the regions the schools were In.) To me, this sounds like one big a** mess the Big East would be In If they considered this dumb proposal. Notre Dame should should just look In the mirror and realize they are not the powerhouse they once were sign with the Big Ten and hopefully restore themselves as a powerhouse in college football because disbanding the Big East would be stupid.
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Peter / March 13, 2010
Adam –
As a Seton Hall alum, I would view this overall as a great thing. The remaining 8 schools can finally form a “pure play” basketball league and add 2 regionally strategic basketball-only schools (i.e. Xavier, Rhode Island and/or Temple, a football independent). This would greatly ease the burden of out of conference scheduling as SHU would be able to play Rutgers, UConn, Syracuse, Villanova etc. each year, and reduce travel expense for both the teams AND the fans. In addiition, SHU would have a statistically easier chance of getting a automatic NCAA bid each year in a 10 team conference rather than a 16 team conference.
Finally, as a Seton Hall fan, I have grown weary of the conference always having to pander to the football schools. There will always be the “threat” of football teams leaving. Let’s let them go and get together with schools that share similar athletic interests.
Lastly, I was hoping you could comment on your thoughts whether you feel Melvyn Oliver and Keon Lawrence will be on the team next year. In addition, of the 3 recruits signed for next year, I am guessing that 2 tops will enroll come September.
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pastaboy / March 13, 2010
So the Big East get raided for 6 or 8 teams …they’ll still have 26 left
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HallBall / March 13, 2010
With a name like pastaboy your dumb post doesnt even catch me off guard!
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HallBall / March 13, 2010
Wait a minute so you want to bring Temple back to the Big East along with Rhode Island and Xavier because Seton Hall you think has a “statistically better chance of getting a NCAA bid” wow some faith you have In the basketball program. Seton Hall In my book had a great year this season and If you look at our loses all of them were close and were a posession or two away from being wins. Lets say we use your method, the Big East loses West Virgina and Invites Xavier, the Big East loses a quality basketball and football program and adds a decent basketball program that It really doesnt need when they already have a school In the Ohio media market In Cincinnati. I agree that Temple shouldnt have left the conference but It works geographically for the A-10 and the Big East, using your argument If the Big East Invites Temple back they might as well offer LA SALLE and St. Joe’s seeing how they are In Philadelphia also. The Big East Is just fine the way It Is but If one team that decides to jump ship It should be Notre Dame, then maybe we could bring Temple back to the Big East.
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Peter / March 14, 2010
HallBall –
I think you are missing the point. The football teams are going to leave. If Pitt and/or Rutgers go to the Big Ten, UConn West Va & Syracuse go to the ACC, the rest of the footall teams, Cincinnati included, will leave the Big East. I am saying that this is fine, in fact it is better for SHU and the other basketball only schools in the long term. It is easier to get an automatic bid in a 10 team league. I do not think basketball only Providence, who went 10-8 in the toughest conference ever last year only to be denied a NCAA bid, feels they benefitted from being in a 16 team conference. It would also be easier to schedule out of conference games against the football teams who have left the conference. Finally, it would be nice for the Big East to resume its focus as a basketball league first. Adding high calibur basketball only schools like Xavier would ensure all member schools share the same mandate and we no longer have to go thru the defection / expansion conversations every 5 years.
And as a final point of disagreement, I would love to see a 12 team NYC, NJ & Philly league form. St. Johns, Manhattan, Hofstra, Fordham for NYC. Seton Hall, Rider, Monmouth, St. Peters for NJ. Villanova, St. Joes, LaSalle, Temple for Philly. Just think, as fans we could easily attend every road game and you would get great new rivalries. From a school standpoint, travel costs would decline substantially and a school like SHU could probably reinstate track & field. Make no mistake, the need to send all sports to away games at Louisville, Cincinnati, etc have taxed the athletic budget and caused the need for SHU to drop track & field. The only reason these teams are even in the Big East is because of football.
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HallBall / March 15, 2010
You keep saying Seton Hall’s basketball program will benefit from this method of yours but I dont see how. The reason why the Big East Is the best basketball conference Is because of the media coverage It gets from the top of the eastcoast to the bottom, with teams from Conneticut all the way over to Milwaukee and down to Southern Florida It garners Interest from the whole coast not just the northeast. This new leauge your proposing wouldnt gain that much Interest from the major TV networks such as the Big Easts current contracts with CBS and ESPN and we all know money talks. Also the ” Rivalries” that you claim there could be In this leauge would be meaningless and boring, just Imagine Seton Hall being rivals with Monmouth or St. Peters or Villanova playing St. Joes or La Salle. Villanova already plays St Joes, La Salle and Temple which to me sometimes Is a bore because of the lack of talent besides Temple In the conference to beat heavily favored Villanova. Seton Hall Is one of those teams thats on the rise I the Big East but still I would put my bet on them to beat Monmouth or St. Peters 9 times out of 10. Recruiting In this leauge would be so one-sided because of what the prestige that the the Big East schools would have over the teams In the A-10 and the NEC, could you Imagine Hofstra and St. Johns, Seton Hall and St. Peters or Villanova and La Salle neck and neck for recruits? Leave the Big East the way It Is for everyones sake!
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