Villanova officially invited to join Big East....

[Paisa el Toro]

In the short-term, should 'Nova accept, it will settle a lot of the scheduling struggles the BE has with only 8 football playing members. I just hope 'Nova can afford to run their FB program should they decide to jump to the BE. I think money has always been the disuading factor for them, they just didn't want to spend so much on football. We shall see.

[AndytheBull]

This is a great option as far as scheduling, doesn't piss off the basketball schools, etc.

[SilverBull]

I know this is a decision above my pay grade, but I always wondered why, if we were going to play FCS (aka I-AA) schools anyway, we didn't schedule Villanova or Georgetown.

[Cow Pie]

I know this is a decision above my pay grade, but I always wondered why, if we were going to play FCS (aka I-AA) schools anyway, we didn't schedule Villanova or Georgetown.

Good Point 

Also something that I just thought of is that we now have a new whipping boy in the Big East, assuming of course Nova chooses to make the leap. Eventually Cuse and Louisville will dig themselves out of their hole and we will need another sure conference win.

I'm actually a little excited to see what transpires this off-season with Round 2 of the NCAA Expansion Shakeup... I have been wondering which Big East team(s) if any will jump to the Big 10 and which non-Big East teams we will add to replace who leaves.

If I were a betting man I would wager that its Memphis because of the Liberty Bowl deal we inked this past off-season, they own it and would not give it to us without something in return. Maybe they were promised a spot if the Big10 took any of our teams  ???

[South_Florida_Flip]

In the short-term, should 'Nova accept, it will settle a lot of the scheduling struggles the BE has with only 8 football playing members. I just hope 'Nova can afford to run their FB program should they decide to jump to the BE. I think money has always been the disuading factor for them, they just didn't want to spend so much on football. We shall see.

You tap into the Philly tv market and with a Big East TV network there would be better revenue strams to help Villanova stay viable in Division 1 A.

It can work for them.

[nobull.Bulls]

I would love to get a cheese steak and watch a game at the linc!

I am all for this solely for a cheese steak from pats or genos.

[813knight]

you guys hear about this yet?

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20100910_BIG_UPS_.html

say goodbye, UCF.  as an RU fan i always like beating florida teams, but UCF didn't really cut it in the st pete bowl.  glad that we won't have to deal with them whining from INSIDE our conference at any point in the near future.

that's something we can agree upon, right?  anyway, i am looking forward to RU shutting you guys out again this year

Ok you want to say UCF doesn't add value that's fine but you're adding a IAA program in the cemetery of College Football markets and you think that's a better option than UCF or ECU? Big East Leadership only care about Basketball. They don't even average 10K a game.

[SANJAY]

:nope

:throwup2

:baghead

[NewEnglandBull]

Per Greg: http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/content/report-villanova-football-could-join-big-east

[South_Florida_Flip]

Ok you want to say UCF doesn't add value that's fine but you're adding a IAA program in the cemetery of College Football markets and you think that's a better option than UCF or ECU? Big East Leadership only care about Basketball. They don't even average 10K a game.

They have been in the Big East since the second year of the league, so they absolutely should be afforded the courtesy of the invite.

Secondly, they help the scheduling for football while maintaining 16 basketball playing members.

Thirdly, the Philadelphia tv market is much better for the Big East than Orlando, Dallas, Memphis, or Greenville, especially if the league is looking to create its own network, which had been widely rumored.

If you honestly think they'd stay at 10K when they go to the Big East, then you're sadly mistaken.

To answer your question, yes, they're a better option than UCF, ECU and Memphis. TCU would have been better, but then they'd upset the balance of the league in basketball.