Pitt to Big10 for football only?

Submitted by lhglrkwg on

So I checked around to see if this had been brought up in the older threads but I didn't see it so I figure I'd point this out: apparently part of the Pitt to Big10 rumors suggest Pitt would join as a football only member. Here's where I saw it:
http://twitter.com/freakshowmikey
I don't know how to link to individual tweets but here's the one I saw:

@Bignup412 rumor going around that it might just be football in the big ten, no hoops

it is just a radio host but I'd say thus far his rumor has just as mmuch credibility as the original

Seth9

January 31st, 2010 at 11:17 PM ^

A big part of Pitt's value (versus other schools) is that we could add another high-level team to the Big Ten Network basketball schedule. In fact, without Pitt basketball, I could see us losing money on a school by school basis. I highly doubt this.

On the other hand, it's on the Internet...

GCS

January 31st, 2010 at 11:26 PM ^

All right, this makes it official: from now on, I'm treating this as a "Bielema to coach Notre Dame" style farce that somebody initiated to see how far people will spread unsourced BS as long as it sounds interesting.

Ghost of Bo

January 31st, 2010 at 11:58 PM ^

Guys, guys... This is not simple heresay. I wouldn't call this a 'rumor'. It was posted on Twitter, for Christ's sake! As we all know, in this gossip-leaden world of half-truths, Twitter is a golden oasis of empirical wisdom.

If it's on Twitter, you can bank on it. In fact, Twitter was where I discovered the secrets of the Illuminati, the e-mail addresses of horny chicks in my area who want to strip on webcams RIGHT NOW, and the fact that Paul on the Wonder Years is really Marilyn fuckin' Manson.

tUOS is OSU

February 1st, 2010 at 12:48 AM ^

Well,maybe the football deal is done so they can have it for 2010 season!

Anyone know if they do indeed announce it thursday if we can get pitt in 2010 season?

Wolverine In Exile

February 1st, 2010 at 10:26 AM ^

What part of the 16,000 threads on this haven't you read that this is a really long process? See the Big Ten press release on this process...

Dec 15, 2009

PARK RIDGE, Ill. – The Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors (COP/C) discussed the future of the Big Ten Conference at its winter meetings on Tuesday. The following statement is issued by the Big Ten office on behalf of the COP/C.

Penn State joined the Big Ten Conference in June of 1990 and its addition has been an unqualified success. In 1993, 1998 and 2003 the COP/C, in coordination with the commissioner's office, reviewed the issue of conference structure and expansion. The COP/C believes that the timing is right for the conference to once again conduct a thorough evaluation of options for conference structure and expansion. As a result, the commissioner was asked to provide recommendations for consideration by the COP/C over the next 12 to 18 months.

The COP/C understands that speculation about the conference is ongoing. The COP/C has asked the conference office to obtain, to the extent possible, information necessary to construct preliminary options and recommendations without engaging in formal discussions with leadership of other institutions. If and when such discussions become necessary the COP/C has instructed Commissioner James E. Delany to inform the Chair of the COP/C, Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon, and then to notify the commissioner of the affected conference(s). Only after these notices have occurred will the Big Ten engage in formal expansion discussions with other institutions. This process will allow the Big Ten to evaluate options, while respecting peer conferences and their member institutions. No action by the COP/C is expected in the near term. No interim statements will be made by the Big Ten or the COP/C until after the COP/C receives the commissioner's recommendations and the COP/C determines next steps, if any, in this area.

AMazinBlue

February 1st, 2010 at 12:50 AM ^

a "part-time" commitment would not seem to be on the table.

I think the Big Ten's board has a large enough ego to say either "you're in or you're out".

I can't see Pitt leaving the Big East anyway, the basketball prominence is too much to walk away from. On a basketball front, Villanova, G'town and Syracuse are light years ahead of any three teams the Big Ten has to offer in hoops from a national perspective. Izzo has built a great program at MSU, but from a national perspective, they can't hold a candle to what G'town, 'Cuse and Nova bring to the dance.

My hope is still for Texas, but I just can't picture it. It would be the best for parties. Texas has no equal academically in the B12 and Texas meets all the academic and financial requirements of the B10.

And besides, the $$ the B10 would get from adding Texas is so much more than any school, even ND. Texas is in the top five in football every year, basketball has risen and baseball is excellent as well. The recruiting would be a great advantage for Michigan as well.

Seth9

February 1st, 2010 at 1:03 AM ^

Let us compare the Big Ten and Big East:

The Big Ten is a prestigious conference both academically and athletically. And by prestigious, I mean that the Big Ten brings in a ton of revenue both academically and athletically. The Big East does neither. They have a tiny football contract that requires a bunch of Thursday night games to even get televised and live in fear of losing their BCS auto-berth. Meanwhile, the Big Ten brings in more revenue than any other conference.

The Big Ten enjoys boatloads of wealth, financial stability, and intraconference academic cooperation and excellence. The Big East doesn't have any of those characteristics, and Pitt would be foolish to allow a chance to join the Big Ten to slip through their fingers.

Tacopants

February 1st, 2010 at 2:18 AM ^

Not to mention that the Big Ten routinely places a 2nd team into the BCS, and the Big Ten's numerous better bowl tie ins.

Cap One bowl vs. Gator Bowl,
Outback vs. Sun
Champ Sports vs. Meineke Car Care
Alamo vs. International
Insight vs. Papajohns.com
Pizza vs. St. Petersburg

And that's not accounting for upward movement because of BCS ties.

the Glove

February 1st, 2010 at 1:57 AM ^

this repeat post but:

I thought I heard that Jim Delaney said that he was interested in looking into 12-14 teams? So who's to say that if Pitt is added that they still won't go after Mizzou and maybe another team such as Rutgers or Syracuse.

Tacopants

February 1st, 2010 at 2:24 AM ^

This guy's twitter says that he's a talk radio host in PA. You're basing this post off of Pennsylvania's version of Mike "I'm going to throw 10,000 rumors against a wall and hope something sticks" Valenti?

Edit: Having a name like "Freak Show Mikey" is also probably not the way to present yourself as a credible radio source.

jblaze

February 1st, 2010 at 7:42 AM ^

That makes no sense for multiple reasons.

1) Why would the BE screw themselves in football by letting Pitt go?
2) Why wouldn't the B10 want Pitt for basketball as they are a really solid basketball school?
3) How do you split B10 revenue?
4) What happens to all other sports (e.g. ones that lose money)?

Wolverine In Exile

February 1st, 2010 at 10:29 AM ^

until an official source is revealed or another press release is.... released. This "OMG I got a Twitter from Crazy Carl and Morning Crew on 98.3 POWER FM in Topeka that Texas is going to join the Big 10" stuff is making my head hurt.

Robert's Rules of Order: The motion is made. Do I have a second?

Seth9

February 1st, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^

I understand that some random idiot posting on Twitter is probably not worth reposting to the board, but why should we ban Big Ten expansion as a topic when we are putting up random comments from different recruits' Facebook pages and unsourced Internet rumors about recruiting as a matter of course. There isn't a lot of substantial stuff to talk about this offseason, so why shouldn't we discuss a potential move that will probably affect Michigan for the next century and beyond.

aenima0311

February 1st, 2010 at 10:33 AM ^

The Big Ten doesn't seem like the type or organization that would endorse single-sport-only members. If that isn't what Pitt wants, talk to Mizzou or Rutgers or someone who does.

You're either in or you're not. The sports specific membership thing is what, to me, makes the Big East such a joke.