WVU is in a battle with the Big East regarding the term of its stay. The two pending lawsuits are in a turf battle. Both of the Courts are going to try to determine who has Jurisdiction in the matter. The hearings on the motions to dismiss filed in both Courts by the respective plaintiffs will be heard later on this month. This matter is in the hope of WVU fast tracked. But as anyone who practices or has participated in a law suit understands, the court system moves slowly. It is not likely that this matter will be concluded prior to the late Spring even on the fast track. WVU doesn’t have that kind of time to prepare for participation in Big XII sports. Therefore, WVU has to get moving on with the scheduling of all participation sports for next season. It is with that in mind that WVU AD Oliver Luck traveled to New York City to meet with other members of the Big XII conference.
It is the opinion of da Geek, that with the Big East acquiring replacement plus two for Syracuse, Pitt and WVU, the conference is moving on and should simply let the teams who wish to leave, go. “All of our thoughts, quite honestly, have been about the Big XII as we go into the 2012-2013 academic year and prepare all of our sports, from football down to volleyball and swimming, for Big XII competition," Oliver Luck said Wednesday when asked about the newest teams to sign on to the Big East Conference. Luck is correct in the fact that he doesn’t have time to gander at the changing landscape of WVU’s old conference.
What is it that the Big East gains from keeping WVU around? WVU returns the vast majority of its offense. The offensive line is bound to improve (one would hope.) This young defense is going to have Bowl prep/ spring ball and fall ball to improve. The special teams (okay I concede I have no idea what will happen there.) The point is that with all of the returning talent, and the additional talent WVU is to acquire, WVU’s likely going to repeat as Big East Champions for the third straight year, if we are forced to stay. What does that do to help the credibility of the conference if WVU is ultimately leaving? The answer is that it will take away from the new “plan” (as oxymoronic as that sounds in conjunction with anything Big East.) They want to promote their new standard bearers, Boise State and Houston. They can’t do that if WVU is around to cloudy that picture. The point I am making is that the Big East needs to tell us what they want in terms of money, get paid a percentage of that and move on.
On a related note, I find it interesting that the travel for the “New Big East” aka the “Jet Blue Conference,” would have been more taxing on the WVU budget as the travel in the Big XII. Trips to California and Idaho would be considerably further than that of any games in the Big XII. Trips to Houston, South Florida, SMU, and Central Florida would be awash in terms of travel expense. Point is that WVU may have ultimately saved on travel costs by leaving the Big East.
As I have said on other occasions, WVU will be in the Big XII next season. It is my hope that said transition will be smoother than it appears to be at this time. Alas, it shall happen whether smoothly or not. As more information is released either regarding future schedules or lawsuits I shall post on this blog.
Go Eers,
Da Geek
2 comments:
they may have saved or come out even in travel in football, but it's still significantly worse in all other sports.
Weezie, I concur that is the case, however, I simply find it ironic that at least from a football perspective it is six in one half dozen the other.
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