Louisville "Aggressively Pursuing" Big 12 Invitation
by Mike Rutherford on Jan 31, 2012 5:11 PM EST
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PrintCBS' Brett McMurphy is out with another extensive and informative piece on the potential for Big 12 expansion.
Especially noteworthy is McMurphy's statement that sources are saying Louisville is still "aggressively pursuing" an invitation to the conference.
Go to 11? Multiple sources have told CBSSports.com if/when the Big 12 decides to expand to 11 schools, Louisville will be the choice. "They are clearly the best fit," a college football industry source said. Not only are the Cardinals the overwhelming favorite as the Big 12's 11th team, but sources told CBSSports.com that the Cardinals are aggressively pursuing a Big 12 invitation.
However, after Navy announced last week it would join the Big East, the Cardinals' exit fee to leave the Big East increased to $10 million. "The cost of poker just doubled," a source said. Even so, it's doubtful the additional $5 million is enough to keep the Cardinals from jumping to the Big 12 if they get the chance.
When the Big 12 extended an invitation to West Virginia last year it was a two-horse race between WVU and Louisville. The Mountaineers ultimately got the bid in a photo finish, but there remains a large sentiment for Louisville. Even though having 11 schools is an odd number, the Big Ten, which added Penn State in 1990, showed that a league can function -- and succeed -- with 11 schools.
Go to 12? If Louisville is No. 11, what school would be No. 12? BYU continually gets mentioned as a Big 12 target, but everything I hear -- and I mean everything -- from sources is "look east, not west" for the Big 12's 12th school.
If that's the case, Cincinnati would appear the most likely candidate as the 12th team, but the league hasn't seriously discussed a 12th member and the Bearcats have nowhere near the support of Louisville, making the move to 12 even more tricky
So how does this whole thing ultimately play out? McMurphy offers his educated guess:
So what's the Big 12 ultimately to do? The new commissioner will obviously play a role in that decision. We do know West Virginia is joining one of these days/weeks. After that, I think the Big 12 has some serious discussions on the benefits of adding Louisville and somewhere in the future, the Cardinals receive -- and accept -- an invitation.
All sounds good to me.
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I've gotten my hopes up way too many times concerning this whole Big 12 expansion deal ...
If we have to win a few BCS bowls before we make the jump, so be it.
It will be coming soon.
I venture to say before the BCS decides their next step… I think there may be pressure there.
Why
Do you not see how weak the Big East will be once every school gets to there new conference? We will be dominant, yes. But I would rather play better competition. I can hear ESPN “haters” no. Louisville wins another Big East Championship, but with no other “real” schools in the conference. They already hate on us enough
by CARDS#1ALLDAY on Jan 31, 2012 5:58 PM EST up reply actions
Since you asked why
I like the Big East. I like going to Cincinnati for away games because it’s close and I have friends there. I’ve gotten cheap flights to go to Tampa when its cold here to watch away games @ South Florida, and I like that too. The battles with Marquette over the years have been freaking awesome and, guess what, I like those too. I actually enjoyed being dominant there for a little while in conference USA and the beginning of our Big East tenure in football and to be perfectly honest, I didn’t give a shit what any “haters” said. The additions to the Big East in football aren’t Texas/Oklahoma/OK st., I’ll give you that, but as awesome as the Big 12 looks there some downside to the change as well. I might add, no one is certain if PJCS or YUM! will be able to serves beers still with the move.
You are probably right
About Austin, not autism. Part of me is just sick of the runaround and I’ve reflected on what I know is good about the Big East. I just don’t see us getting any more love from the four letter network or anyone else if we are in the Big 12. Seems like most of their weekday basketball games start at nine too. Guess I forgot to mention I like the 7 o’clock tips as well
NO BEER!?!?!?!
The no beer policy would be devasting. No sarcasm there either. You do make a good point. But I would rather have better competition. It will help us in the long run with recruiting, I believe. I’m just tired of people always hating on Louisville. We are not just strong in Football or Basketball. But I dont follow other sports. I am a die hard fan no matter what conference we play in
by CARDS#1ALLDAY on Jan 31, 2012 7:30 PM EST up reply actions
I would love to see us have a few ranked opponents on the schedule
It seems like we could do that through non-conference though. The recruiting is getting better and better the longer HCCS stays here, so I’m not too concerned with that. The Big 12 seems a little shady too. The whole Texas is bigger than the conference shit is pretty weak and the Big 12 urging WVU to leave early and to hell with everyone else in the Big East’s schedule is pretty whack too. I’ll root for the Cards no matter who we are playing in whatever conference, but us hanging out here to dry looks a hell of a lot worse than being in a rebuilt BE.
From what I've read... the Big XII leaves selling alcohol up to the individual schools.
WVU fans have already been fretting over this since they were invited to the conference… http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=159&f=2508&t=8634222
Well… that was my only reservation about joining the conference if invited. I say go for it now.
"Free throws don't win and lose games." -John Calipari
Beer sales barely make a difference to the university's bottom line.
All alcohol sales do is turn the flight deck into a party at PJCS and keep the rich in the bars under their seats at the Yum.
by CardinalDude on Jan 31, 2012 8:42 PM EST up reply actions
You have to ask yourself..
Will staying in the Big East help retain Charlie Strong? I really feel the guy is loyal, but c’mon, this conference does not retain coaches. Facts are Facts.
by ville 606 on Jan 31, 2012 10:45 PM EST via Android app up reply actions
yeah, we'll be weak
We will only have 8 or 9 schools that went to the NCAA tournament last year.
"I am willing to donate to the charity that is working on the prevention of whatever the hell Dick Vitale has." - noobmaster
by rickmbari on Feb 1, 2012 2:05 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Conference USA wasn't that good either and we were in it.
Just because the new Big East isn’t going to be great or might be similar to Conference USA 2.0… doesn’t mean change cannot be facilitated. I mean, at one point, we were considering eliminating the football program altogether. That was only slightly over 20 years ago. Now we’re talking fairly seriously about NC contention in the next few years. If we can do it, surely other universities can too. Just a thought. I guess maybe I love playing devil’s advocate too???
GO! CARDS!
BEAT!
PURDUE!
11-1 in C-USA: Liberty Bowl
11-1 in Big East: Orange Bowl
If the BCS gets what they want and auto bids are stripped, a 1 loss team from the revamped Big East is going to be a BCS long shot in favor of 2 and 3 loss teams from the B1G, SEC, Pac-12, and Big XII.
The Big XII helps football exponentially and with the departure of 3 of the best basketball teams in the Big East and an actual tournament that decides the basketball champion, I just don’t get the opposition to this jump.
Liking the basketball rivalries and places we travel to as a rationale for not maximizing the potential of our football program reminds me of the resistance we get from the BCS leaders about the “value of the regular season”.
by James Sutherland on Jan 31, 2012 8:30 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Please don't compare my personal values as a fan to the screwed up system known as the BCS
If we don’t get an invite, I’m sure more comments like mine will be showing up. And feel free to call me a hypocrite when I’m raising hell as a member of the Big 12, if, we get an invite
I didn't call you a hypocrite. I said I think it's a weird rationale, and that's what I meant.
by James Sutherland on Jan 31, 2012 8:59 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Haha no, I was inviting you to call me a hypocrite
If we are in the Big 12 one day and I’m all stoked about it. It prob is weird to most, that’s why I said I’m in the minority on this one. We’ll just see how it goes
The Big East is on a collision course with disaster. The only variable is time.
I said this before. It cannot last.
You have a group of 6 basketball only schools. You have a group of basketball / football schools. You have a group of football only schools. And you have the arrogant “I’m too good for you in football” Notre Dame.
However many schools this adds up to you will have that many opinions plus at least three more. This conference is too diverse to succeed. It will morph every other year until it implodes.
It's only a matter of time.
I’ve been saying that since we announced our desire to join. Louisville has the most valuable basketball program in the NCAA and a football program with rapidly rising stock. If it’s not for the 2012 year, it will be in 2013.
"that place laid the foundation for who I am. A lot of outsiders make fun of it and say negative things about West Virginia. Fuck them" - Jerry West
by MountaineerAirman on Feb 1, 2012 10:56 AM EST reply actions
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