gophers/ncaa

Because of the "contiguous state" rule, Georgia Tech, UNC, or anyone from the Pac-12 would not be available. If that rule were to be waived, Texas would be more likely than UNC or GT. Kansas is a western-edge possibility, although they don't deliver the big-market TVs that the east-coasters do. By far the obvious choice - ND - will not happen for the mere fact that ND wants to do nothing more than snub the Big-10 for past inactions.

It is NOT all about football. The Big Ten is a COMPLETE Athletic sport for ALL SEASONS kind of league. It is about Men's basketball, hockey and baseball. It is about Women's basketball, volleyball, hockey, soccer and softball. AND: cable tv is ALL about needing fresh, live sports content. The Big Ten Network offers the WHOLE WORKS. I don't think you will have to worry about too many SUPER CONFERENCES for football. IF you put Alabama, LSU, Florida, Notre Dame, Nebraska, The Ohio State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, USC, Oregon, Florida State, Georgia, South Carolina, Penn State and Kansas State all in the same conference for football, there would be too many former powers that would become bottom half of the new conference. Those schools do NOT want to become losers in football. And, this year, the B1G is arguable the TOUGHEST and BEST Basketball conference from top to bottom this year at least in the early season polls. Not ALL of the powers would want to compete in the same super conference. Just imagine: Duke, Indiana, MSU, THE Ohio State, Louisville, Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, Arizona State, Memphis, Michigan, Syracuse, Illinois, and about 3 other top basketball schools into a 16 team super conference. They would beat each other up SO badly that a number of them might not even qualify for the DANCE at the end of the season. In B1g football, you can't afford to have too many more traditional powers than THE Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, PSU and lately wisky. Oh sure, you could sneak a Notre Dame in there...but...the odds of Notre Dame ever wanting to do anything but remain independent for football are pretty slim. You need some super programs for football...but not too many. The same is true of basketball. B1G Hockey will be starting. They certainly could use a Notre Dame or Boston College...you know programs that play football, basketball AND hockey. The strength of the B1G in football will ebb and flow. The new locals MAY put B1G football programs and basketball programs where they can add POPULATION to the "rust-belt" diminishing population scene. (The state f Michigan was the only state in the nation to actually LOSE population since the previous census. CONTENT is what cable tv needs...and LOTS of it... ; 0 )

Good points Chip, it's all about the money. But then again, is Rutgers any worse than perennial door mat Minnesota? Maybe the Big Ten should be paring some of the dead wood in addition to adding teams. The gophs certainly haven't helped in the perception erosion you speak of. A 2 - 6 big ten record is viewed with pride at the U.

Rutgers is 9-2 and going to the Orange Bowl. By reading this, I would have expected them to be 2-9. I know this is a column, but that doesn't mean important facts should be omitted to try to make a point.

The so-called Big Ten has already been ruined by dividing the schools into two separate divisions. Now we will be playing Maryland every year instead of Ohio State or Penn State. This watered down schedule is bad for the fans.

Chip, completely agree with you. We see commenters (half) jokingly say the Gophs belong in the MIAC, but with geography no longer important to conference makeup, it isn't hard to imagine schools like Ohio State and Michigan leaving to join other football powers like Alabama and Florida in a superconference of sorts. The U of M may not have to leave the Big Ten to end up in a MIAC-like league.

goldengoph3r: "...IF you put Alabama, LSU, Florida, Notre Dame, Nebraska, The Ohio State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, USC, Oregon, Florida State, Georgia, South Carolina, Penn State and Kansas State all in the same conference for football, there would be too many former powers that would become bottom half of the new conference. Those schools do NOT want to become losers in football.oldengoph3r..." How on earth could a "super-conference EVER survive? Once Alabama lost to 3 or 5 or more of the other super-conference members...they would grow VERY tired of that arrangement VERY soon. Too many losses in a single season would disallusion the TIDE's fan base too much. There would be NO peace in Dixie. OR, what if Michigan AND THE Ohio State racked up too many butt-kickings too early in the season...what would THEIR fan bases think about that game played between those two towards the end of November? The fan bases of ALL these super-conference laboratry experiments would NEVER want their prized status of bing "bpecial" because the team they root for and tail-gate with and devote their entire life to was getting beaten by teams like LSU and USC and Notre Dame and THE Ohio State and Nebraska and Georgia and a few others. These types of teams LOVE to hide out in their own conference and only very seldom play other teams that are equal to them or...even BETTER than them and to lose too often too early during the season TOTALLY takes them OUT of the chase in the football polls. THAT is the competition that the super teams like week in and week out: to see where the major polls RATE them. ANY of the pool of "super-conference-candidates" would be greatly diminished by suffering too many losses in any one 12 game schedule. Just THINK about that goldengoph3r...how sexy would any of those teams on that list be with 3...4...5...6 losses in a 12 game schedule? It would NOT be very pretty... ; 0 )

I think expansion is very exciting. I was originally opposed to Penn State, but that has turned out OK. I was unsure about Nebraska, but that seems to be a positive as well. Maryland and Rutgers, bring them on!