pretty much - CRAWFORD: Five steps to a reinvented Big East

[K-Rock Da Bull]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Last week, somebody asked University of Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich who he'd suggest for Big East Commissioner. It's one of those questions a guy would never answer in a million years -- unless he's Rick Pitino. So Jurich joked his way out of it, looked over at me and said, "Probably Eric. He'd be good. He's moving around jobs. He's available."

Not the smartest thing Jurich ever said. Having been nominated for the job of Big East Commissioner, I accept -- for at least the next 1,200 words. I don't know that I'd call these the first five steps, but they'd certainly be five principles to use moving forward.

1). PICK A FIGHT. Since TCU jilted the Big East, followed by the departures of Syracuse, Pittsburgh and West Virginia, the Big East has been portrayed as a loser. The Big East needs to win something. It's not going to beat the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 or Pac 12 in money or marketing, so forget that. The Big East needs to take aim at the ACC and make a clear, creative and borderline obnoxious case that, "We may not be the best conference in college football, but we're better than THOSE guys." I'm picturing a multi-pronged marketing effort. Some billboards in South Beach with the U's national championship trophies and the words, "Hey Miami, how's the ACC workin' out for ya?" Or, how's this for a commercial? "The Big East. Birthplace of ACC champions."

(Note to self: Hire marketing minds better than my own.) Still, the message needs to be strong. It needs to be enough to make news, and to begin conversation around the sport. If the ACC claims to be one of the football powers, it only has the ability to do that because it has poached five teams from the Big East. Capitalize on that. And on the head-to-head BCS record between the leagues. I'd hit the Orange Bowl angle particularly hard, noting that the ACC has been a no-show for the most part since 1997 -- producing only one winner in all that time. But the specifics of the argument don't matter as much as just making an argument. The ACC's a fine league, supplies more than its share of NFL stars and has great schools. But the Big East needs a foil, and it isn't without ammunition in an argument comparing the two. And the Big East needs to begin more forcefully making a case for itself, because no one else is going to make

Read rest here

http://www.wdrb.com/story/19139013/crawford-five-steps-to-a-reinvented-big-east

[charsibb]

Yowza! Eric Crawford for BE Comish! Make it happen, league prez's!

[Skingraft]

We need a BE president with a very large set or someone who can wear her ovaries on the outside

[charsibb]

If we got creative with NBC, we'd have something like this with a Big East theme

Edited July 29, 2012 by charsibb

[BDYZR]

I think the next to last paragraph says it all.

[smazza]

too little too late

big east already lost the best and most recognizable teams

acc is better league

better teams

better recognition

big east needed to expand years ago and built the league

hidesight is 20-20

it is time the big east takes the role as the king of the lower tier

many current big east teams are still hoping to land in the big 5

[Rizman]

too little too late

big east already lost the best and most recognizable teams

acc is better league

better teams

better recognition

big east needed to expand years ago and built the league

hidesight is 20-20

it is time the big east takes the role as the king of the lower tier

many current big east teams are still hoping to land in the big 5

You are part of the problem, now help be part of the solution

[outrunner]

He has some great ideas. I especially love #1 and #5; time to go on the offensive. I see his point with #3, but I'm just not sure how I feel about completely selling ourselves out with gimmicks.

[Who'sYourData?]

Bailey has already started down this path. Hopefully whoever is picked can follow and expand upon the direction he is giving. Don't sit around and wait for things to happen, make them happen. That is how Boise got on the stage. Need some kind of fearless slogan, like "Any time, Anywhere, Anyplace."

I disagree that they should totally focus on football, though. You have a premier basketball league, use it for all it's worth to push the brand in front of people. NBC Sports could get a lot of programming mileage and hours out of BE basketball, use that to your advantage. TV time is marketing time.

[tau.reanb]

I agree with all of those suggestions except for the last one. I'm not sure it helps the perception of the Big East if we're offering "bounties" for knocking off top ten teams.