Remember that episode of Community where they had the alternate timelines and at the very end they wore felt goatees and everything was horrible because it was the darkest timeline? Well folks, we are at that time now. I'm sure you've all heard the word that the Big East basketball schools are planning to either leave the conference, or leave the conference by blowing up the league. DePaul, Marquette, Providence, Georgetown, Seton Hall, St John's, and Villanova are all wanting this ship to sink. And friends, it is sinking.
This is pretty much the absolute worst thing that could have happened to Cincinnati. The Big East TV deal, which probably could have been enough to hold everyone together and save us future embarrassment if it was accepted a year ago, has seen the value drop. And drop. And drop. Estimates were $60-80 million a week or so ago. There was word in the ESPN piece last night that it was closer to $50 million. if the 7 are leaving, that's expected to take a fall. It's expected to be around what Boise State and San Diego State would get from the Mountain West.
Oh yes, this comes back to bite football in the ass. You see, after next year, the Big East has no BCS tie in. The Big East, MWC, C-USA, GCL South all have a tie in with an at large spot for one of the new games or something. The details right now are meaningless. What's meaningful however, is that after this year, there is no reason for Boise and San Diego State to stay in the Big East. Meaning that Cincinnati went from a shitty football league, but with Boise, to a shitty football league with no one but Connecticut and South Florida.
The basketball schools leaving is so stupid I can't even pretend to know how it make sense to them. They are being pissy fucking babies about Tulane being invited to the league. Know what? Maybe if your schools actually made money for the league people would care about your opinions of it. The rest of us have work to do to get money in the dying man's pocket. You 7 just sponge off everyone else. Now you want to ruin the Big East and from the sounds of things, ruin the Atlantic 10. All while making no money because who is going to give you a TV deal? Cincinnati, UConn and USF will be in a lifeboat outside the wreckage and be catching hundred dollar bills while the rest of the 7 catch 20s. The very notion that anyone would pay for basketball is absurd. These schools are being completely selfish because people didn't pay attention to them enough. Marquette's AD needs a fucking bottle after the way he has cried and whined about Tulane being added to the league. Heaven forbid a school with a great academic reputation in a beautiful city be added. Marquette's AD is basically admitting that his team will never be good enough to go through the season with a stellar record and things like RPI and SOS will hurt his team forever. They can't schedule great teams out of conference and balance the RPI that way. No no no, they have to cry about the Tulane game that could potentially hurt it because they have to play Savannah State and not take any chances. Shut the fuck up, guy.
I'm surprised how many people on twitter are content to be in a shitty league in the future. It blows my mind. UC has a problem with attendance. How is this going to be better? Are casual Cincinnati fans going to rush to the box office to buy tickets to see UC play Tulane and East Carolina and Memphis State? We know they won't for Connecticut and South Florida because those have been the senior day games the last 2 years and both have had attendance in the 20,000s. I'm not talking year one of Tuberville. I'm talking year 2. Maybe there will be an attendance spike for year one. But if UC goes 6-6, we know how demand for Cincinnati football drops off.
On the basketball side, things are getting better, but nothing is how it use to be. There were only 10,000 at the Alabama game. I'm interested to see if there is an uptick for the New Mexico game. We saw last year that people came when the opposing teams were very good. That could be something that happens less and less in the future. Cincinnati basketball thrived in a lesser league years ago. But that league had Memphis and Louisville and Marquette and DePaul when they were good. This league has Connecticut and Memphis and Temple and no one else. Mick Cronin has done a great job, but people still haven't bought in all the way for whatever reason. They say it's because UC is playing no one. I remember when UC played no one and those games filled up near capacity.
There is a lot to be excited about on the field and on the court. I'm anxious to see where things go with Tommy Tuberville. I love Cincinnati basketball. I believe that they are going to win no matter where they are. That said, seeing a school you love take a free fall from a very good situation to an absolutely horrible one is the fucking pits. I don't know why everyone is banking on the Big 10 snatching up more teams. Why do they have to move to 16? Where is that written? Joining the depleted ACC would be nice, but news flash, Cincinnati is not joining the ACC today. They aren't joining the ACC tomorrow. Keep those dreams alive for as long as you can. The reality is very harsh.
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