Interesting. Pulled from BE forums

[TyBull]

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The Big East has received a great deal of criticism for it's BCS participation. Schedule bashing and trashing talking aside, at least two of the "major" conferences weren't always very competitive. So what, if the NBE has only two "real" programs at this point. Let's go back in time:

Nebraska and Oklahoma carried the Big 8 for a couple of decades when the others were not so good. Same for Michigan and Ohio State in the Big 10, but since there was no BCS then, no one made a big deal about it. IMO the Big East bashing all comes down to greedy schools and greedy conferences demanding more of the pie than they already have.

What period am I talking about? 1970-1989.

My math could be off a little, but I think these are pretty much correct totals. Anyway, you get the jist.

Big 2 Conference

1. Michigan 186-45-5

2. College of Ohio, Columbus 172-55-5

3. Michigan State 114-99-7

4. Iowa 107-118-5

5. Illinois 101-115-8

6. Purdue 100-118-4

7. Minnesota 96-122-4

8. Wisconsin 92-125-6

9. Indiana 84-136-3

10. Northwestern 46-170-2

The Other Big 2 Conference

1. Nebraska 200-40-4

2. Oklahoma 193-39-5

3. Oklahoma State 126-96-6

4. Colorado 117-109-2

5. Iowa State 107-116-5

6. Mizzou 103-121-4

7. Kansas 82-134-8

8. Kansas State 58-159-3

Other than the four dominant teams only three of the other 14 schools had winning records. Only one (Oklahoma St.) averaged over 6 wins a season. They had good teams under Jimmy Johnson and Pat Jones in the '80s and then got slapped with some of the most severe sanctions ever dished out by the NCAA. Iowa (Hayden Fry) was a very good program in the '80s, but they played so badly in the 70s that they could not pull their record up to .500 for those two decades. I miss Jerry Faust. I wonder if the Irish would consider rehiring him. Back then, my circle of friends did refer to them as the Big 2 and the other Big 2. The SWC was Schools Who Cheat and the SEC was Schools Excelling In Cheating.

At that time the major bowls were the Rose (Big 10 & Pac 10), the Cotton (SWC), the Orange (Big 8) and the Sugar (SEC). Later the Fiesta stepped up and began paying out more than the Cotton Bowl, but both slots were at-large. No one then talked about the Big 10 and Big 8 losing their guaranteed spots because of cupcake conference schedules. Just like the ACC's raid on the Big East, whenever I hear that the Big East does not deserve a BCS spot, I just chalk it up to greed.  

http://www.ncaabbs.com/forums/bigeast/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=17487

[Joe]

Ya, it is about greed and it's stupid

However to compare the two eras is completely off base. There was very little TV money and bowl payouts were MUCH less than they are today.

Bowls made bids based on who they thought would draw (and other factors), it wasn't uncommon to have the best team in the country playing the Cotton Bowl, Citurs Bowl, or Orange Bowl against the 10th ranked team.

To compare teams too is kinda hard. Scholarship limits were MUCH higher and teams like Nebraska, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, and ND woul stock talent (Nebraska had something like 130 guys on scholarship when the NCAA laid down scholarship limits.) Therefore only the top teams in each conference were able to pull in what was left to compete.

Finally TV was very very different. It wasn't until 1993 (or 94) when the SEC took the CBS offer that the CFL was destroyed and college football TV money is what it is today. You didn't have anyone EXCEPT the top teams/conferences on which is a complete opposite of what it is today, where ESPN and FSN show obscure schools all the time.

Comparing the eras is weak, however, there is no doubt in my mind that the other 5 are going to try and squeeze the Big East out in 2008.

[SRQ]

Have you ever seen Traghese and his two 'cohorts' walk into a room togetha'?

The BIG EAST ain't goin' nowhere.

Thing aboud it.  

[bulls96go]

if the BE has a top 10 team and a top25 team every year it will be

almost impossible to kick us out. esp if we keep spanking the SEC.

[smazza]

there will be super conferences before too long

big east in some form is here too stay

[TheGimp]

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The Big East has received a great deal of criticism for it's BCS participation. Schedule bashing and trashing talking aside, at least two of the "major" conferences weren't always very competitive. So what, if the NBE has only two "real" programs at this point. Let's go back in time:

Nebraska and Oklahoma carried the Big 8 for a couple of decades when the others were not so good. Same for Michigan and Ohio State in the Big 10, but since there was no BCS then, no one made a big deal about it. IMO the Big East bashing all comes down to greedy schools and greedy conferences demanding more of the pie than they already have.

What period am I talking about? 1970-1989.

My math could be off a little, but I think these are pretty much correct totals. Anyway, you get the jist.

Big 2 Conference

1. Michigan 186-45-5

2. College of Ohio, Columbus 172-55-5

3. Michigan State 114-99-7

4. Iowa 107-118-5

5. Illinois 101-115-8

6. Purdue 100-118-4

7. Minnesota 96-122-4

8. Wisconsin 92-125-6

9. Indiana 84-136-3

10. Northwestern 46-170-2

The Other Big 2 Conference

1. Nebraska 200-40-4

2. Oklahoma 193-39-5

3. Oklahoma State 126-96-6

4. Colorado 117-109-2

5. Iowa State 107-116-5

6. Mizzou 103-121-4

7. Kansas 82-134-8

8. Kansas State 58-159-3

Other than the four dominant teams only three of the other 14 schools had winning records. Only one (Oklahoma St.) averaged over 6 wins a season. They had good teams under Jimmy Johnson and Pat Jones in the '80s and then got slapped with some of the most severe sanctions ever dished out by the NCAA. Iowa (Hayden Fry) was a very good program in the '80s, but they played so badly in the 70s that they could not pull their record up to .500 for those two decades. I miss Jerry Faust. I wonder if the Irish would consider rehiring him. Back then, my circle of friends did refer to them as the Big 2 and the other Big 2. The SWC was Schools Who Cheat and the SEC was Schools Excelling In Cheating.

At that time the major bowls were the Rose (Big 10 & Pac 10), the Cotton (SWC), the Orange (Big 8) and the Sugar (SEC). Later the Fiesta stepped up and began paying out more than the Cotton Bowl, but both slots were at-large. No one then talked about the Big 10 and Big 8 losing their guaranteed spots because of cupcake conference schedules. Just like the ACC's raid on the Big East, whenever I hear that the Big East does not deserve a BCS spot, I just chalk it up to greed.  

http://www.ncaabbs.com/forums/bigeast/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=17487

You have to take into consideration that that era is COMPLETELY different from the College Football Era of today.  That being said, I agree with Smazza, the BE is here to stay.  I think the era of Super Conferences (12 teams mandatory) is coming very soon and the BE will be forced to expand.  The BE will probably consist of its current football members along with Memphis, UAB, UCF, and S. Miss (Georgetown, who may be forced to make the jump from 1AA, is also a possibility).  I also heard a rumor that Arkansas may be leaving the SEC to join it's old conference mates in the Big 10.  If that is the case, look for one of those schools to be gobbled up by the SEC and the BE will take a team like ECU.

PS One win over someone (Especially the SEC) doesn't consititute spanking someone.

[USFan]

The BE will probably consist of its current football members along with Memphis, UAB, UCF, and S. Miss (Georgetown, who may be forced to make the jump from 1AA, is also a possibility).  I also heard a rumor that Arkansas may be leaving the SEC to join it's old conference mates in the Big 10.  If that is the case, look for one of those schools to be gobbled up by the SEC and the BE will take a team like ECU.

PS One win over someone (Especially the SEC) doesn't consititute spanking someone.

Gimp... why would the SEC take "those" schools instead of taking schools from other BCS conferences?  I know we all remember what the ACC did to the Big East.  Why wouldn’t this happen again?

Why would the SEC not take UL, for example, and take a team like Memphis, UAB, UCF, and Southern Piss?  Come on... that's non sense.

We all know that the BE is the weakest out of the BCS conferences.  The BE needs to build up (and they are as we all know).  But to think that the SEC (arguably the best conference in the nation) would look at a non BCS conference for expansion is ludicrous.

After all.... you said it best... it's a rumor.... a rumor that UCF believes in :

[South_Florida_Flip]

Arkansas had old conferernce mates in the Big 10? Since when?

[TheGimp]

Arkansas had old conferernce mates in the Big 10? Since when?

I meant Big 12.  Arkansas was in the SWC with Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, Oklahoma, and OSU.

[TheGimp]

The BE will probably consist of its current football members along with Memphis, UAB, UCF, and S. Miss (Georgetown, who may be forced to make the jump from 1AA, is also a possibility).  I also heard a rumor that Arkansas may be leaving the SEC to join it's old conference mates in the Big 10.  If that is the case, look for one of those schools to be gobbled up by the SEC and the BE will take a team like ECU.

PS One win over someone (Especially the SEC) doesn't consititute spanking someone.

Gimp... why would the SEC take "those" schools instead of taking schools from other BCS conferences?  I know we all remember what the ACC did to the Big East.  Why wouldn’t this happen again?

Why would the SEC not take UL, for example, and take a team like Memphis, UAB, UCF, and Southern Piss?  Come on... that's non sense.

We all know that the BE is the weakest out of the BCS conferences.  The BE needs to build up (and they are as we all know).  But to think that the SEC (arguably the best conference in the nation) would look at a non BCS conference for expansion is ludicrous.

After all.... you said it best... it's a rumor.... a rumor that UCF believes in :

Since it is just a rumor (no one actually believes it is going to happen until it happens), I don't really know the details.  But if the rumor becomes reality, Look for the SEC to "cherry pick" from the BE (Probably UL and WVU would be the top candidates) and a team like ECU would be included in the mixup.  It may also be a team from CUSA as well.  It all depends on location and politics.  Most people also asked why the Big East would choose USF (or UCF for that matter).