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If and when the BIG expands

sammyk

Well-Known Member
Oct 26, 2001
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I think that the University of Houston should get a look. Fourth largest city, fastest growing city, lots of talent in the Houston area, Huge state school, only New York City has more fortune 500 companies headquartered in the city limits. The perks of Houston is you can get into Texas without the University of Texas headache also lots of TV sets. Houston has been solid and at times spectacular over the past 12 years with 105 -53 record.. I can see if invited to the BIG them getting top talent and being on par with Texas and Texas A&M. The setback is the distance from other schools but they could add $$$$$ and good athletics to the BIG with a footprint in Texas.
 
I think that the University of Houston should get a look. Fourth largest city, fastest growing city, lots of talent in the Houston area, Huge state school, only New York City has more fortune 500 companies headquartered in the city limits. The perks of Houston is you can get into Texas without the University of Texas headache also lots of TV sets. Houston has been solid and at times spectacular over the past 12 years with 105 -53 record.. I can see if invited to the BIG them getting top talent and being on par with Texas and Texas A&M. The setback is the distance from other schools but they could add $$$$$ and good athletics to the BIG with a footprint in Texas.

I'm not trying to be a University of Houston hater ----- it's an Urban University who has a different mission statement than many other Universities. It's a bit like two other schools that are close to my heart: University of Cincinnati (I used to live in Cinci) and Wayne State University in Detroit.

But UH is called "Cougar High" by some folk for a reason. Their academics are not anywhere near on par with other B1G schools.

If the B1G goes to Texas, the #1 target is Texas. The #2 target is Texas A&M. Houston as a target is about 10,000 miles below those two. All of Rice, SMU and TCU would honestly be higher on the "B1G's target list" than Houston.
 
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I think that the University of Houston should get a look. Fourth largest city, fastest growing city, lots of talent in the Houston area, Huge state school, only New York City has more fortune 500 companies headquartered in the city limits. The perks of Houston is you can get into Texas without the University of Texas headache also lots of TV sets. Houston has been solid and at times spectacular over the past 12 years with 105 -53 record.. I can see if invited to the BIG them getting top talent and being on par with Texas and Texas A&M. The setback is the distance from other schools but they could add $$$$$ and good athletics to the BIG with a footprint in Texas.
What brought this on?
 
For some reason was looking at their football records and then looked up info on the school. I compare them to APP State or UNCC here in North Carolina. 20 years ago they were a punchline but now they have become pretty competitive and tougher to get into and the schools are growing and gaining a better academic reputation
 
B12 is so silly for not adding Houston, BYU, and UConn. and probably CSU to keep things even.
 
I think that the University of Houston should get a look. Fourth largest city, fastest growing city, lots of talent in the Houston area, Huge state school, only New York City has more fortune 500 companies headquartered in the city limits. The perks of Houston is you can get into Texas without the University of Texas headache also lots of TV sets. Houston has been solid and at times spectacular over the past 12 years with 105 -53 record.. I can see if invited to the BIG them getting top talent and being on par with Texas and Texas A&M. The setback is the distance from other schools but they could add $$$$$ and good athletics to the BIG with a footprint in Texas.

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I just see the potential that Houston Brings, Huge state school in a talent rich area in a talent rich state. Big upswing. I see the SEC the Big 12 and PAC sooner or later growing to 16 teams so Oklahoma and Texas will not be on the table so the AAC, Mtn West and Conf USA will be targeted. Hell I think Old Dominion has similar potential. I think either one is a better option than say Kansas
 
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ACC is off limits now that stable, which is a bummer because I would have loved UVA and UNC as 15 and 16 for B1G. I think the B12 2025 TV Contract will fall apart, if so, Oklahoma for B1G West and West Virginia for B1G East would slide in nicely. Of course if TX is available and willing, you can't pass them up.
 
UH would be too much of a geographic outlier, IMHO. Aside from that, many of the points you cite could also be used to make a case for UCF and/or USF. Why no love for them?
 
I think that the University of Houston should get a look. Fourth largest city, fastest growing city, lots of talent in the Houston area, Huge state school, only New York City has more fortune 500 companies headquartered in the city limits. The perks of Houston is you can get into Texas without the University of Texas headache also lots of TV sets. Houston has been solid and at times spectacular over the past 12 years with 105 -53 record.. I can see if invited to the BIG them getting top talent and being on par with Texas and Texas A&M. The setback is the distance from other schools but they could add $$$$$ and good athletics to the BIG with a footprint in Texas.
Houston does not support enough sports to be in the B1G and their academic profile is also not up to snuff. This was discussed ad nauseum a few years ago when you last suggested it. Nothing has changed to make Houston any more or less attractive as an expansion candidate.

https://bwi.forums.rivals.com/threads/conference-realignment.150781/#post-2375491
 
I think that the University of Houston should get a look. Fourth largest city, fastest growing city, lots of talent in the Houston area, Huge state school, only New York City has more fortune 500 companies headquartered in the city limits. The perks of Houston is you can get into Texas without the University of Texas headache also lots of TV sets. Houston has been solid and at times spectacular over the past 12 years with 105 -53 record.. I can see if invited to the BIG them getting top talent and being on par with Texas and Texas A&M. The setback is the distance from other schools but they could add $$$$$ and good athletics to the BIG with a footprint in Texas.

Houston, really? They might as well go ahead and add Rutgers while they're at it.
 
My wish list for expansion is strictly based on weather. Therefore we should add University of Hawaii and UCF. Every Bigten team deserves at least one weather reward game a year.
 
There are reasons to add numerous schools such as UVA, UNC, GT, Florida, Vanderbilt, A&M, Texas. Heck, UCLA, Cal and Colorado make more sense than Houston. The B1G considers a lot more than just getting into a big market.
 
1. Georgia Tech - Start nabbing those Georgia recruits
2. North Carolina/Duke - If not both, then one. I just feel they may be a package deal. I don't think NC State would hold either one back
3. Texas
4. Miami
5. Notre Dame. Kinda like when WWE purchased WCW; you're really just buying the history.

1. I would prefer NC State over Duke or UNC. It is the state school, Ag school, etc. We have enough over the top arrogant fan bases, do not need cheaters or dukies.
2. I would be fine with UVA or VT.
3. Won't ever happen but I have a soft spot for the service academies.
4. If the Big 12 every does begin to truly die, try to get two biggest names you can, Oklahoma and Texas, and place them both in the west and slide Purdue and either NW or Illinois over to the east.
5. ND, but only if they stop getting special deals.
 
4. If the Big 12 every does begin to truly die, try to get two biggest names you can, Oklahoma and Texas, and place them both in the west and slide Purdue and either NW or Illinois over to the east.

If you add two to the west, you only need to move one to the east to make it 8 and 8. Purdue would be the obvious choice to join the east since they are the furthest east and match up with Indiana.
 
Plus, in a dream, if Texas and Oklahoma joined the west, moving Purdue to the east, would balance the strength of the divisions.

The west might be better top to bottom. Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, Northwestern, Minnesota and Illinois is pretty strong 1 thru 6.

Compare that to Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Maryland, Indiana, Purdue and Rutgers.

The top 4 in the East are perceived to be better right now, but with Michigan's recent history are they really?
 
Too many schools as it is. Why not kick out Purdue and Northwestern - does not reduce the footprint (TV revenue) but results in a stronger 12-school conference...where, incidentally, all the remaining schools can actually play each other on a fairly regular basis.
 
I’m still pulling for Toronto & McGill. Two fine academic institutions, would bring in the Toronto & Montreal markets, and help bolster the BigTen’s hockey, lacrosse, and rowing.
 
Too many schools as it is. Why not kick out Purdue and Northwestern - does not reduce the footprint (TV revenue) but results in a stronger 12-school conference...where, incidentally, all the remaining schools can actually play each other on a fairly regular basis.

Sure, kick out two founding members. Makes sense to me. :eek:
 
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I’m still pulling for Toronto & McGill. Two fine academic institutions, would bring in the Toronto & Montreal markets, and help bolster the BigTen’s hockey, lacrosse, and rowing.

I've been suggesting them as affiliate members for a few years. They would be great additions.
 
I’m still pulling for Toronto & McGill. Two fine academic institutions, would bring in the Toronto & Montreal markets, and help bolster the BigTen’s hockey, lacrosse, and rowing.

There ya go.
 
Folks. there is no "academic profile", there are just $$$$$$$$$. The only reason that academics is ever mentioned is that the presidents of the schools don't want to appear as crass ("Tote that barge. Lift that bale.") as they really are.
 
We should dump Rutgers. They offer nothing to the conference other than an extra bye week for football. I’d like to see us add VT, UVA and UNC. They are quality schools with strong combination of academics and athletics.
No, Rutgres is the ugly chick with the rich parents. You'd normally have nothing to do with her, but you get to use the boat and the beach house.
What Rutgres brings is the NY television market. No, not because people actually watch Rutgres, simply because they extend the BTN "footprint" into NYC. BTN can charge more per subscriber simply because they exist. Nobody has to even watch them.
Brilliant move. Extra TV money, bye week for good teams.
 
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Sure, kick out two founding members. Makes sense to me. :eek:

Brian Jones was a founding member of the Rolling Stones but they kicked him out.

Those Rasmussen guys were founding members of ESPN but they kicked them out.

England was a founding member of the American colonies but the USA kicked them out.

(Not making any statements here, just using the post for raw material.)
 
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No, Rutgres is the ugly chick with the rich parents. You'd normally have nothing to do with her, but you get to use the boat and the beach house.
What Rutgres brings is the NY television market. No, not because people actually watch Rutgres, simply because they extend the BTN "footprint" into NYC. BTN can charge more per subscriber simply because they exist. Nobody has to even watch them.
Brilliant move. Extra TV money, bye week for good teams.

So Rutgers is the Tori Spelling then?

The thing about charging more per subscriber is that I think the model of people being forced to buy channels they don't watch is gradually going away.
 
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No, Rutgres is the ugly chick with the rich parents. You'd normally have nothing to do with her, but you get to use the boat and the beach house.
What Rutgres brings is the NY television market. No, not because people actually watch Rutgres, simply because they extend the BTN "footprint" into NYC. BTN can charge more per subscriber simply because they exist. Nobody has to even watch them.
Brilliant move. Extra TV money, bye week for good teams.

Oh, not they can't. Cable companies that service the NY metro area ain't Armstrong Cable, or did you not notice what Brian Roberts just did to the BTN?
 
Brian Jones was a founding member of the Rolling Stones but they kicked him out.

Those Rasmussen guys were founding members of ESPN but they kicked them out.

England was a founding member of the American colonies but the USA kicked them out.

(Not making any statements here, just using the post for raw material.)

Okay, humorous. But a conference that wants to be considered academically superior to other conferences isn't going to kick out two schools like Northwestern and Purdue. Especially Northwestern. Maybe they both eventually decide they can't compete in the arms race and become like the University of Chicago. But nobody is kicking them out.
 
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