Date Posted:07:31:48 04/06/04 Tue Author: JoltinJoe Subject: This issue came up on the Fordham board last week. In reply to:
Class of '83
's message, "WEEI last night" on 12:33:29 04/02/04 Fri
I'd say yes, a split of the Big East into football and non-football playing members may present an opportunity. (Don't forget ND as the 8th basketball playing member of the Big East, although ND may eventually align with a I-A football conference for all sports). If the split were to occur, you'd have eight basketball playing members of the Big East: ND, Marquette, DePaul, Villanova, Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, & St. John's. Perhaps they would like to expand to 12 basketball members. Now of those eight schools, only two play I-AA football: Georgetown and Villanova. If these two schools would want to keep all their sports in one conference, the new "Big East" would need to add four schools playing both Division I basketball and I-AA football. Holy Cross and Fordham would be in a strong position if the situation were to break like this. Perhaps Duquense and Dayton too. Fordham and Holy Cross need to be on the same page here, and also they need to be speaking to Georgetown now in order to get Georgetown's support (which would be critical to have this expansion decision driven by bringing in I-AA football). Drawbacks to this rosy scenario: (1) Would Villanova sever conference ties with Delaware in football, given their rivalry? (2) Would this primarily basketball driven conference overlook Catholic schools with higher basketball profiles (Xaiver, St. Joe's) and expand based on the existence of a I-AA football program? (this suggests Fordham needs to upgrade its basketball program now)(3)How will Seton Hall and St. John's react to adding a third team to the New York market? (St. John's has always been concerned that Fordham might get serious about basketball some day);(4) Would Providence resist adding Holy Cross? (don't know enough about that situation to opine). Short answer: yes, an oppotunity, but people at HC and Fordham need to be addressing the potential that this split may occur, and setting the stage for a move now in anticipation of this split.
