BIG TEN EXPANSION – TEXAS OR BUST. (Op ed by Pauly Balst.)

I have a 3 level plan of attack for Big Ten expansion.  I dare say Plan C will definately work but it's a safety valve in case Plan A and B falter.

Before that, I must say, let's let Notre Dame come to us.  We've been beating down their door for years to join the Big Ten and I'm tired of it being slammed in our face.  Screw 'em!  Let them come crawling to us.  I'll get to that later.  It's part of Plan C.

Plan A:   I say we go for the Texas option with our own twist.  Texas, plus A&M, Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado.  Colorado? Yes. Colorado and the others are all members of the AAU (about which the Big Ten presidents have their panties in a wad).  Because of Texas politics, I think that the Big XII schools will say no to this.  The Texas Legislature is hot to move all their Big XII schools as a package, which it looks like the Pac 10 will do.  They can have the non AAU schools, plus I think it's a better fit all the way around anyway.  I think this is something Jim Delany has to try.  He indicated he wanted to move south, why not do it big.  Afterall, EVERYTHING is big in Texas.

Plan B:  If we can't have Texas, raid the ACC.  Ok hear me out.  The Big Ten really wants AAU members, right?  Five of them happen to be some of the best schools in the ACC:  North Carolina, Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia and Maryland.  They might not send a thrill up your leg at the first look, but look deeper.  North Carolina and Duke have a DEEP basketball tradition.  Georgia Tech and Virginia are pretty good in football.  Maryland - well ok but let me continue.  With these schools you get the Atlanta, Charlotte, DC and Baltimore TV markets.  Not too bad.  These institutions are great academically and have the southern expansion that Delaney mentioned.  I think this is a winning move.  It's not Texas, but it's pretty good.

Plan C:  If Texas says no and for whatever reason the southern schools choose to stay with the ACC, raid the Big East.  We take Rutgers, Syracuse,  and Pitt.  Not great, but it gives Delany and his crew the New York City market.  Yes, I know.  Pitt?  This is to help force Notre Dame's hand.  Pitt is part of....you guessed it - the AAU.  If we add these three,  the Big East will blow up and Notre Dame will come, hat in hand, to Jim Delany's office.  Notre Dame is a Big East member in all sports except football.  They will need a home for those sports by then.  Raiding the Big East will force ND's hand. That will leave 1 more team to make 16.  I'm sure Delany can scrounge up another school to shoehorn in.

Plan A would be great but I'm not hopeful.  Plan B, I think is pretty cool.  I'm not a fan of Plan C, but if the Pac 10 is going to peel off the Big XII South, we need something.

I thought the comments about the dispersion of Big 10 alums were interesting.  When you combine the student populations, the academic profile of the schools, and the ongoing exodus from the Rust Belt, it's no wonder that the country is covered in Big 10 offspring.