Big East Looking To Add 9th Football Team

[ChiTownBull]

http://sports.tbo.com/sports/MGBR893S74F.html

NEWPORT, R.I. - Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese said that although his league is interested in adding a ninth football-only member, there isn't a viable option available.

Tranghese said his league has had recent discussions with Army and Navy, but "there just isn't any interest on the other side."

"We've talked about a ninth member," Tranghese said. "I think our league members would strongly consider it if there was a ninth team that would make us better. But we don't see it out there right now."

The Big East's dream team, of course, is Notre Dame. But the Fighting Irish, who are Big East members in all other sports, remain content as an independent.

DAVID VS. GOLIATH: Every Big East team except Syracuse and West Virginia will play a Division I-AA team this year. Because league teams need five non-conference games, Tranghese said he doesn't have a problem with league members scheduling I-AAs.

"People are playing I-AA teams because they can't fill their schedules out," Tranghese said. "I'm hoping our schools will schedule some quality non-conference games."

This is the sixth consecutive season Syracuse has not scheduled a I-AA team. Of the six BCS conferences, the Pac-10 has the fewest games against I-AA teams (one), while the SEC and Big 12 (eight each) have the most.

Here is the breakdown, by percentage, of the number of teams in each BCS league with scheduled games against I-AA: Pac 10 (one team, 10 percent), ACC (six teams, 50 percent), Big Ten (seven teams, 64 percent), Big East (six teams, 75 percent), Big 12 (eight teams, 75 percent) and SEC (eight teams, 75 percent).

ODDS AND ENDS: Tranghese said he has no opinion on USF's decision to discontinue the UCF series and said it's USF's call to make. "That's up to the institution to decide what's best for them," Tranghese said. … Louisville's Tom Jurich was recently named national athletic director of the year by Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal. The Cardinals, who had nine teams reach the NCAA tournament in 2006-07, and Florida are the only schools to play in the College World Series, a BCS bowl game and the Final Four in the past three seasons. … Here are the final standings in the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup all-sports standings for the 2006-07 school year for the Big East's 16 members: 22. Notre Dame; 28. Louisville; 54. Rutgers; 57. West Virginia; 71. Pittsburgh; 75. Providence; 76. Georgetown; 82. UConn; 85. St. John's; 110. Syracuse; 127. Marquette; 132. USF and Villanova; 153. DePaul; 196. Cincinnati; and 289. Seton Hall.

Brett McMurphy

[Jamie]

Why would you have that as your headline when Tranghese makes it very clear there's no viable option for a 9th team? I know that's not Brett's fault, he doesn't write the headlines, but come on... it's in the first sentence! At least read the story before you write a headline. Something like "Tranghese: No Viable 9th Big East Team" does better.

[goodknightfl]

I agree... the point is there is no one out there that wants a fb only invite thats worth taking..  exactly what that means is up for debate.. is there a couple of schools out there that the BE would like.. but wont come as a fb only???  or is there simply no one out there that the BE would be interested in??  my guess is probably some where inbetween.  I had to laugh at some who were excited over the Navy/Army deal.. there was no way army/navy was going to do that.

[Cubanbull]

I think the point it makes is that things are not set as they are right now. For those who said an unbalanced schedule with 8 teams is ok, this proves that this is NOT the case. MT is all for the staus quo, he doesnt want the current situation to change.

Will any team outthere improve in next two years to become viable?,

Will the pressure for an 8th conference game continue to push for a new addition?

Will this lead to an all sports addition?

Could that lead to a split?

Notice the key is that the league is LOOKING for a 9th football member and that there is no worthy one available as a FOOTBALL ONLY member.

[Joe]

While I don't think they are necessarily looking for a 9th team per se, I do think they are trying to figure a way to alleviate schedules. WVU, Louisville, and Rutgers have all complained about having to schedule 5 games. Rutgers in particular has complained about the lack of leverage it gives them. They still have teams asking for 2 for 1s knowing they have 5 games need to be filled.

I think the BE will definitly expand the football side, no doubt in my mind. If the football schools don't do it, the BCS will force it. And it will all come as a result of the basketball and football schools splitting (which I also think is inevitable)

[crambone]

Notre DANG will never join us...

[Bullpride08]

Typical Trib...

I think the point is crystal clear, there really isn't a way to add a 9th team, football only or all sports.  The issue is the non-football members adamently refuse.  Tranghese never says never, but predicates it on being someone that would bring value....so you're talking ND, PSU types and good luck on that in the near future.

This is why the ND and Army/Navy game agreements.

[smazza]

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS NEED TO GO

army or navy would be a terrible addition

9th team should be for all sports

[Triple B]

ODDS AND ENDS: Tranghese said he has no opinion on USF's decision to discontinue the UCF series and said it's USF's call to make. "That's up to the institution to decide what's best for them," Tranghese said. …

Trying to stir that pot, as usual. Tranghese made it quite clear what sort of ooc teams he'd like to see the conf schedule...

"I'm hoping our schools will schedule some quality non-conference games."

 

[Triple B]

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS NEED TO GO

That's a bit drastic .... Just need to provide armed guards for the ball boys wherever they go to play.