Why the Big East is moving slow

[kwyjibo]

Thanks for all the interesting posts and observations on the CUSA/Big East talk.

There was some talk in various threads about the Big East's motives so I thought I would throw in some points based on some things I have been reading. They will keep their BCS spot until the 2005 season. So in other words they are NOT in a hurry to make changes (in fact, they can make a huge windfall with 6 or 7 teams in football in the 2004 and 2005 seasons staying pat). CUSA/Big East changes do not need to happen from the Bigger East's perspective until 2006.

Of course, they want to improve their quality over time to stay in the BCS/good bowl picture. There are two options for the BCS at that time : First option is to create another at large (Big East is out). The second is to replace the Big East spot with another conference (MWS? WAC? C-USA?--this is where the whole merging with C-USA football comes in as this may allow the merger to keep the spot Big East once held).

On a related note, they will likely move UConn into the conference by 2004 instead of 2005 (Temple is scheduled to leave after this year and presumably the Big East sees their football program as a lost cause).

On another related note, UMass is making a pitch to privately fund a move to I-A from I-AA. The former CEO of Reebok is speerheading the effort and is motivated by the goal of eventually being in the Big East (but that would be a long way off).

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/191/spor..._changes+.shtml

(The article contains quotes from a former rec basketball compadre of mine, Russ Yarrow. Russ, in a previous round of minor sports cuts, precipitated by state funding cuts and athletic department losses stemming from an on-campus arena, sadly lost his nationally ranked men's water polo team.)