TCU to Big East? Hopefully....

Rumors that the Big East conference is targeting TCU as a potential new member are beginning to gain serious traction. Reports began to surface earlier this week and by mid-week non denail denials were being issued on both sides as well as talk that the two sides had actually met to discuss.

As a lifelong fan of the Big East, i'm all in favor of such a move and have actually thought TCU would be a great addition to the league for quite some time now. They have become a perennial top 5/top 10 caliber team under Gary Patterson the last several years. The Big East has long been in need of another strong football program to bolster the football side of the conference. The dismal showing by the league thus far in the early season underscores that fact. Not to mention that adding TCU would increase the football teams to 9 and solve the scheduling headaches that an 8 football team league presents. Whether TCU would join as a full member or just in football remains to be seen. Remember, the Big East boasts 16 basketball schools and stands as THE elite hoops conference in all the land (sorry ACC). Critics of TCU joining the Big East are quick to point out that a Texas school hardly belongs in the Big East. However, upon closer inspection, travel distance to most Big East schools would be the same as it is for TCU traveling to far flung MWC schools. Did Texas in the Pac 10 or Big 10 make sense? No, but it almost happened. How about BC in the ACC? I could go on and on..... Throw in the fact the the Big East has an automatic bid into the big money BCS bowls, something that the MWC does not posess (and most likely never will with BYU and Utah bolting for greener pastures) and the TCU/Big East marriage seems all the more realistic.

It would be a win win for both sides and would help the Big East improve its tarnished football image, add a huge TV market for a potential Big East Network, open up fertile Texas recruiting grounds to the league and most of all... fend off potential raids by rival leagues down the line. Here's hoping TCU joins the Big East sooner rather than later.

Thoughts on College Football, Conference Rivalries....

As regular readers of this blog know, I am a college football junkie. To me, it's the greatest sport in the world hands down. After watching a full Saturday slate of college football, NFL Sundays are a huge letdown. The NFL may be football played at a higher level, but it cannot come close to college football's tradition, pagaentry, spectacle, passion & intensity. College football has rivalries that span over 100 years, involve in state rivals, entire regions of the country, conferences and neighboring states. Families are raised on a particular team and it is passed down from generation to generation. NFL stadiums are antiseptic corportate boxes that average around 60,000. College football is played in historic stadiums, some that seat 100,000 rabid fans and up.

Speaking of conference rivalries, as someone that was born & raised in the Northeast and spent most of my adult life on the West Coast, I lean towards the Big East and PAC 10. Both of which get overshadowed by the other conferences. How does this relate to this week's AP poll? How the heck does West Virginia drop a spot after dominating Maryland on Saturday? How does Pitt, after losing on the road by a field goal at current #13 Utah (one of college football's most intimidating home fields) drop from #15 out of the Poll completely in week 1? Bias against the Big East, that's how. Year after year, the Big East gets bashed. You'd think that after suriving the raid by the ACC earlier this decade and seeing WVU beat the almighty SEC's Georgia in the 2005 Sugar Bowl in Atlanta and beating down highly touted Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, people would give the conference a break. Not to mention, Louisville's '06 Orange Bowl win over the ACC's Wake Forest. These BCS bowl wins (compared to the ACC's pathetic BCS bowl record) ought too be enough to give the Big East the benefit of the doubt when they have a down year.

I welcome your comments.....

Week 3 College Football AP Poll -

AP Top 25
1.Alabama (53)
2.Ohio St. (5)
3.Boise St. (1)
4.TCU
5.Oregon
6.Nebraska
7.Texas (1)
8.Oklahoma
9.Florida
10.Arkansas
11.Wisconsin
12.South Carolina
13.Utah
14.Arizona
15.LSU
16.Stanford
17.Auburn
18.Iowa
19.Miami (FL)
20.USC
21.Michigan
22.West Virginia
23.Penn St.
24.Oregon St.
25.Michigan St.

Weekend Sports Roundup: College Football "Monster Saturday", NFL Returns, Team USA Wins Gold

Weekend highlights included College Football's "Monster Saturday" which featured an usual amount of early season high profile games involving traditional powers. While it may not have lived up to the hype (many of the games were lopsided), it did help to bring some clarity to the landscape. Alabama and Ohio State look awfully tough so far this young season. Elsewhere, the almighty NFL returned on Sunday to the delight of fans nationwide. And last but certainly not least, Kevin Durant led a talnted but unheralded group of young NBA stars to the FIBA 2010 World Championships of Basketball. The USA last won Gold in this event in 1994 and won Bronze in 2006. This should hopefully put to rest all the nonsecial debate about who the dominant basketball country in the world is. The USA now boasts the 2008 Olympic Gold and the FIBA 2010 World Championship Gold.

Week 2 College Football AP Poll released

1 Alabama (52) 2-0
2 Ohio State (5) 2-0
3 Boise State (1) 1-0
4 TCU 2-0
5 Oregon 2-0
6 Texas (1) 2-0
7 Oklahoma 2-0
8 Nebraska 2-0
9 Iowa 2-0
10 Florida 2-0
11 Wisconsin 2-0
12 Arkansas 2-0
13 South Carolina 2-0
14 Utah 2-0
15 LSU 2-0
16 Auburn 2-0
17 Miami (FL) 1-1
18 USC 2-0
19 Stanford 2-0
20 Michigan 2-0
21 West Virginia 2-0
22 Penn State 1-1
23 Houston 2-0
24 Arizona 2-0
25 Oregon State 0-1

Random thoughts on AP Poll

Ok, as promised, here are some quick thoughts on who is undervalued and overvalued in the initial AP poll of the season.

Overrated - Nebraska (good, not that good), Iowa (last season was a fluke), Va Tech (too high), Oregon (no Massoli), ACC (enough said), Florida (no Tebow), Boise St. (weak schedule), Oregon St. (not top 25), LSU (weaker every year without Saban), Penn State (not top 25)

Underrated - Big East (tough 1-6), USC (elite talent, may win Pac 10 and AP title), Pitt (loaded with Dion Lewis, Greg Romeus and Jon Baldwin), West Virginia (loaded with Noel Devine & co. to go with solid D), UConn (great coach in Edsall, great running game with Todman, great D with Wilson & Lutrus), Cincinnati (great QB in Collaros, elite receiving corps led by Binns and Hazelton), Auburn (solid D, great offensive scheme), Stanford (great QB in Luck), Washington (Locker's senior swan song)

Well there you go, let's see how the season plays out and what teams end up in the final poll

AP Poll released, College Football set for kickoff

The initial AP Poll of the Season has been released, signifying that the start of College Football is right around the corner. As expected, defending BCS Champion Alabama starts the season #1. The top 5, Alabama, Ohio State, Boise State, Florida and Texas – are the same teams that finished in the top 5 at the end of last season, and that make up the top 5 in the Coaches' poll. 7 teams (No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 11 Oregon, No. 12 Wisconsin, No 15 Pittsburgh, No. 18 North Carolina, No. 20 Florida State and No. 25 West Virginia) land in the same position in the AP and Coaches' polls. Conference breakdown: Big 12 places the most teams in the AP's top 10 (3), the ACC places the most in the top 20 (5) and the SEC has the most in the entire poll (6), due to LSU, Auburn and Georgia coming in at Nos. 21, 22 and 23. At first glance, it seems the Big East has a valid gripe as Cincinnati and UConn are legit top 25 teams. I'll have additional thoughts on the poll, who's ranked too high, too low, or is missing altogether, stay tuned.
1.Alabama (54)
2.Ohio St. (3)
3.Boise St.(1)
4.Florida
5.Texas (1)
6.TCU
7.Oklahoma (1)
8.Nebraska
9.Iowa
10.Virginia Tech
11.Oregon
12.Wisconsin
13.Miami (FL)
14.USC
15.Pittsburgh
16.Georgia Tech
17.Arkansas
18.North Carolina
19.Penn St.
20.Florida St.
21.LSU
22.Auburn
23.Georgia
24.Oregon St.
25.West Virginia
Others Receiving Votes: Cincinnati 108, Stanford 81, Utah 80, South Carolina 71,
Houston 66, Connecticut 32, Notre Dame 31, Missouri 27, BYU 19, Clemson 15, Arizona 15,
Texas Tech 14, Navy 12, Washington 8, Texas A&M 7, Mississippi 6, Oklahoma St. 3, Cent. Michigan 2, Temple 2, Middle Tenn. St. 2, UCF 1, Boston Coll. 1, SMU 1