Another Conference Rumor...

[davidnark]

http://www.cusa-talk.com/modules/newbb/vie...=23379&forum=37

Essentially, the CUSA basketball schools move to the Big East, and the Big East football schools move to the CUSA.

[Quality Is Job 1]

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[jjray]

This is the only situation under which I could understand CUSA and the BE talking (as has been reported) about "working together" to find a mutual solution to the current problem. Before, the only senarios that have been discussed involved the BE stealing teams from CUSA with nothing given in return. Thus, this one at least matches some of the rhetoric we have been hearing out of the BE and CUSA camps.

In order to keep the BCS contract alive for the next two years (and attempt to renew it), I would imagine that technically the entire jumble would have to be called the Big East Conference with the b-ball schools comprising a separate division called the "Big East Division" and the football schools being called the "CUSA division". In political science terms, I think this would be a confederation as opposed to a republic. Each conference would retain certain sovereignty regarding its members. Such a deal would not only salvage what is remaining on the BCS contract (think it runs through 2005) but would also keep the valuable "Big East" name for hoops with the Madison Square Garden conference tourney (I think the BE has a long term contract for this) plus the BE TV contract for the season.

[cheeseman]

If this really happens - one can only hope - then it takes a nasty situation created by the ACC and turns it into a win/win for everybody including the NCAA and the BCS. I would think they would endorse this kind of win/win solution. It takes care of the messy lawsuit and any other possible negatives that might be lurking out there.