All Realignment Talk Here

Mick Cronin's comments---


“I don’t blame them,” Cronin said. “It’s a shame that football, one sport, has dictated all this and the money that one sport apparently is swinging around and swaying universities to make the decisions. We’re sitting here in a state where the state school is 800 miles from its closest road game. It’s ridiculous. Don’t tell me that people care about student-athletes.”

“Lost in the shuffle in all this is our volleyball team, our soccer team, Marshall’s tennis team,” Cronin said. “It’s all ridiculous. Let’s call it what it is. I’ve thought about this long and hard and I’ve waited to say this. If it’s all about this much money and money grabbing, the players need to get paid.”


http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbc...15/SPT0101/312150052/&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1
 
A poster on another school's message board wrote that his fiiendmhad dinner with Lavin and that Lavin is glad that it is happening because he though the divorce was overdue after the departure of $yracuse, Pitt$, Notre Da$me, Loui$ville, We$t Virginis, and rutger$.

Who knows if the anonymous poster was truthful of merely making the story up but Lavin is a smart guy and I doubt that he liked the status quo.
 
Forgetting things like travel, here is how I would rank the teams that have the most appeal for making this basketball conference:

1.) Butler
2.) Gonzaga
3.) Xavier
4.) VCU
5.) St. Louis
6.) Dayton
7.) Creighton
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Insofar as Butler, my gut is that Stevens will eventually move on to a super elite program and big bucks. He will be UCLA's top target, and if not UCLA it will be a job too good to pass up. At that point Butler will once again be an unheralded mid major. There are safer choices than Butler, even if at present they don't look quite as appealing.
 
The below letter was forwarded to me. The letter was sent to Villanova students, alums and others within the Villanova community.

______________________________________________________________


December 15, 2012

Dear Alumni, Parents and Friends,

Villanova is embarking on a new and exciting course for its athletic programs -- one that seizes control of our future, while building on the traditions, values and rivalries that energize our teams and fans.

Last week, I and the Presidents from Georgetown, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, DePaul and Marquette, spoke with the Big East Commissioner about the future of the conference. We informed him that our schools are actively exploring avenues through which we can best support our interests and ensure our national prominence. Earlier today, we voted unanimously to pursue an orderly evolution to a foundation of basketball schools that honors the history and tradition on which the Big East was established. This is a group of like-minded schools with excellent academics, great athletic histories and traditions, national caliber basketball programs, and passionate fan bases in major media markets.

As members of the Villanova community and fans of Villanova athletics, I want to assure you that this was a thoughtful and strategic decision. We have the necessary resources to support all our athletic programs, and we are confident and excited about this direction -- especially as we know there will always be an appetite for elite basketball.

Villanova, and this new basketball framework, is well positioned to capitalize on that hunger. Villanova offers top tier basketball in the fourth largest media market in the country, and together with our fellow Big East basketball institutions, we account for four of the top five media markets. Collectively, these seven schools can claim three men's basketball national championships and 18 Final Four appearances. Villanova teams alone boast 82 conference championships and 19 NCAA team championships. I am confident that Villanova's athletic programs -- men's basketball and beyond -- will continue to compete at the highest levels.

This is not a move that will be made overnight. This will be a strategic evolution into a new framework, involving a period of transition to address issues of structure, membership and media partnerships. Villanova is working closely with these like-minded institutions to protect and advance our common interests at all levels. I strongly believe this is the best course for Villanova, our student-athletes, and our alumni and supporters.

Together, these institutions look forward to building this new foundation with an emphasis on elite competition and a commitment to the development of our students engaged in intercollegiate athletics. That is where we will now spend our energy as we move forward.

At Villanova, we are looking to protect our University and promote it -- to ensure that Villanova is a nationally recognized institution that lives by its values, and seeks to educate all its students to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. This decision is about controlling our future, strategically positioning the university for future growth, and securing an environment in which Villanova can thrive.

This is the right decision for Villanova. Vince Nicastro, Villanova's athletic director, and I have worked closely with our board, University leadership and coaches, and I know that we are all eager for this new chapter in Villanova's history. I look forward to keeping you updated as we move forward.

Go Nova!

Sincerely,

Fr. Peter Donohue, OSA
President
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I am a strong VIllanova supporter, and am thrilled they have elected to break away along with St. John's and the others. Father Peter is the perfect President for a school like Nova - he has all of his priorities in order, with the first being to " live by its values, and seeks to educate all its students to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others".

As such, with it's rich athletic tradition, I'd much rather be in business with these 7 schools than some of our former associates in the Big East.
 
Does anyone have an idea of what Lavin thinks about all this? I'm a bit worried about losing him...
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Despite the fact that Lavin is merely an employee, and this decision is about the long term viability of our basketball program, I cannot imagine that the decision would have been made without Lavin being consulted and offering positive input.
 
The Wünder 7. Now this is funny...(warning, not a PC theme, may offend due to subject matter)

=youtube_gdata_player
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This is without a doubt the best video ever put on this site. Freaking Hilarious !!

It deserves it's own thread just so more people see it.

+1 karma MCN
 
I have watched this film on numerous occasions. The actor who portrayed Hitler was fabulous! Listening to it again in this context had me rolling on the floor! Great job!
 
I know there are logistical considerations but I would like to see Gonzaga and USF in this new configuration.

And - I think there's someone else we're all familiar with who would love to see USF a member of this new league.
 
I was ambivilant about the 7 schools departing. But I feel the ACC will have more defections and Cincy and U Conn would bolt, although Memphis and Temple were great BB additions. The 7 departing schools w Butler and Xavier and 1 more would make an excellent BB conference with stability since they would all be BB centric schools.
 
I have lost all respect for zagoria wth that line. Bad form by him.

Xavier & Butler agree to join new Big East as per Zags
hh
http://zagsblog.com/articles/big-priest-schools-cut-ties-with-big-east/#more-85224
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Wow!

Great news.

This move is looking better and better.
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Great news, if true. But hate the Big Priest tag. Hope Zagoria drops it and that it's quickly forgotten ... although once journalists think they've come with something clever, they hang on to it like a dog with a bone.
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The BIG ? Will do much better with a ten team league. Butler and Xavier as reported will be nine teams Virginia Commonwealth or any other team will be the tenth team. That will be perfect. Because each team will play each other twice in the season. We wish St John's well.
 
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