- Delany said he anticipates the first Big Ten championship game being played at the end of the 2011 regular season. He still isn't sure where the game will be played, and even said the league might sign a one-year contract with a venue this fall and then visit multiple sites next spring to find a permanent home. (Delaney means that they’ll play at Ford Field in Detroit next year out of pity for the city, give a couple charity visits to Green Bay, Cleveland, and Chicago, before deciding it will be played in Indianapolis’ retractable roof facility every year.)
- Delany said the league's 12 teams would be split into two six-team divisions within the next 30 to 45 days. The divisions would go in effect in 2011, when the Cornhuskers join the league. He said league officials were examining several criteria as to how to divide the teams, from geography to on-field success to making sure long-standing rivalries are kept in place. (Delaney means he’ll spend the next month or so trying to figure out how to split up Indiana, Minnesota and Northwestern plausibly while also figuring out how to not screw Penn State’s traveling budget.)
- Delany said the Big Ten might play a nine-game league schedule, maybe as early as 2012 or at least within four years. He said adding an additional conference game would improve its teams' schedule strength and would make its games more attractive to TV networks. (Delaney means any advantage he can get against the Pac-10’s expansion he’s going to take it.)
- Delany said the Big Ten would remain the Big Ten, even if the league decides to add more teams in the future. "The Big Ten is the Big Ten regardless of the number," Delany said. (Delaney means his hands are tied because there’s already a Big 12, he hasn’t added more teams so Big 14 doesn’t make sense and let’s be honest there’s only ten or so “Big” programs in the conference.)
- Delany said the league wasn't currently exploring future expansion, and probably wouldn't address the issue again until its university presidents meet in December. The Big Ten could stop at 12 teams or explore the possibility of adding two or four more teams. Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who has long been a proponent of Big Ten expansion, said he hoped the league would add schools from the East Coast if it decides to further expand. (Delaney means Missouri screwed up, Rutgers is in New Jersey, Texas stopped returning phone calls, Iowa State isn’t the big time and Pitt doesn’t quite mesh.)
- If the Big Ten adds more schools, Delany doesn't believe Notre Dame will be one of them. Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick has consistently said his school prefers to keep its independence in football. "I think Jack Swarbrick has been consistent from the beginning," Delany said. "I see Notre Dame playing in the Big East [in basketball and other sports] for many years to come and I see Notre Dame playing as an independent [in football] for many years to come." (Delaney means Jack Swarbrick and his boosters are delirious. Besides, the conference doesn’t need a fading powerhouse with looney fans. That’s what the Michigan Wolverines are for.)
I implore you to share your thoughts below.
7 comments:
The Pac-10 already plays a 9-game conference schedule and it has been announced that the Pac-12 will do so as well when that begins next year.
That being said, your opinion on your first point is SPOT ON. That is exactly what will happen with the championship game.
Sad but true:
" (Delaney means that they’ll play at Ford Field in Detroit next year out of pity for the city, give a couple charity visits to Green Bay, Cleveland, and Chicago, before deciding it will be played in Indianapolis’ retractable roof facility every year.)"
BTW... forgot Minneapolis! Even though it's a dome and in a great city, the perception is that it is negative 20 daily in December so that's not a viable option.
I didn't forget Minneapolis. They're not going to even bother w/o a new stadium plan in place. Btw Owen the Pac-10 plays their entire conference now and won't anymore after this year, while the Big 10 will add a conference game to improve s.o.s. I'd say that plays to the Big 10's advantage. MN adds Neb to the schedule, Ore potentially loses OSU or USC from there's. I hope I make sense with that point.
There will be two conference teams they don't play every season. But don't disregard the fact that the Pac-10 added Utah...they are a great program.
Granted, Colorado isn't a great add, but they are adding a powerhouse in Utah.
I would say Utah is a potential power, not a current one...I agree that they're a solid team but let's not forget they had 4 gimmes a year being in the MWC in UNM, SDSU, Wyoming, and CSU. Obviously they've been really good lately, but the difficulty of their schedule will show their true depth.
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