Espn disses Big East

[south o jay]

Hey all, I'm a short time lurker who has decided to introduce myself tonight. I support the Jays and am thankful to be in this excellent conference. Also am happy to have Fox Sports and the Holy Land to come to. It bummed me out to read the Syracuse/Duke article on espn where Dana O'Neil declared the B. East dead and credits Syracuse for killing us. My post was deleted when I replied that the conference was very much alive on FS 1.Anyways I am glad to be done with that site and am happy to be here. I do hope our teams make serious noise in the dance. Thanks and I look forward to discussing hoops and whatever else.

[NJRedman]

Hey all, I'm a short time lurker who has decided to introduce myself tonight. I support the Jays and am thankful to be in this excellent conference. Also am happy to have Fox Sports and the Holy Land to come to. It bummed me out to read the Syracuse/Duke article on espn where Dana O'Neil declared the B. East dead and credits Syracuse for killing us. My post was deleted when I replied that the conference was very much alive on FS 1.Anyways I am glad to be done with that site and am happy to be here. I do hope our teams make serious noise in the dance. Thanks and I look forward to discussing hoops and whatever else.

Welcome! Don't pay attention to that dumb broad Dana O'Neil. She just does what her master tells her.

[ReynoldsWrap]

Surprised to see that "watch the Big East die" line. Dana is and always has been a huge supporter of Villanova basketball.

[gosports1]

Just more espn propaganda trying to convince the world that the move by syracuse (and the others) was the right one. Maybe this will draw attention away from whatever part they played in helping it along.
Its Duke, of course they will draw the crowds. Especially their first time at the dome. Interesting that in its 1st season in a new conference Syracuse was able to find additional seating, that somehow wasnt available during many of the other sell outs against teams like Villanova and georgetown. Demand was there for those games as well but people turned away
we'll see how things go when its wake forest, virginia tech and georgia tech coming to town and not duke or unc

[ChelseaFriar]

Surprised to see that "watch the Big East die" line. Dana is and always has been a huge supporter of Villanova basketball.

Well, remember this article the next time this two-faced sloot supports Villanova basketball.

[GumbyDamnit!]

That line didn't bother me as much. She meant the old big east. But this whole Syr-Duke love Fest is a little much. The whole College Game Day broadcast of Boeheim and Coach K gushing over how much they love each other made me want to puke. It was like two annoying young lovers in the first week of their relationship: "You're the best poopsie!" "No, you're the best sugar booger." ESPN: "No, you're both the best!" And then to proclaim it after one game the best rivalry in all of college hoops? Please.

I did not advocate this before but I say Nova, SJU and G'twn should just let Syr, Pitt and ND lie in the bed that they've made. No more "home and homes" that help Boeheim or Dixon or Pitino with recruiting. 90% of his roster comes from kids who live between DC and NY. Screw helping them in any capacity. A home and home with UK, Kansas, Ariz, Mich St, Fla, etc does just as much as ones with Syr and L'ville. F the ACC. Let's keep building and when the two lovers from NY and NC retire in 3-4 years we'll see what happens.

[DeltaV]

Lets be honest with ourselves...Syracuse (with a little help/nudging from ESPN and football viewers) did kill the Big East. Without them leaving, Pitt & ND still stay. Maybe the Big 10 still poaches Rutgers, but that is no big loss. There is no crazy talk of having SMU and Houston in the Big East. But that was the 'old' Big East...the Big East that tried to be a football conference.

The Big East has been reborn, however; a more focused, more pure Big East. Kinda like how the Batman and Bond movie franchises were reborn; got rid of the fluff, the stuff that wasn't our strong suit. But it isn't the same. We aren't in the discussion for #1 conference in the country; last year it was Big East vs. Big 10, while ACC was discussed but dismissed due to lack of depth. ACC got their depth...from us. The ACC is the new Big East; best basketball, but they also get the tension between basketball powers and football powers (I've already read that it is lurking). We're still going to be in the discussion of top 5 conferences, but not #1.

Dana recognizes that in her article...that Boeheim would rather be in Philly and DC than the Carolinas. Syracuse did what was best for (cough...ESPN...cough) Syracuse. What did annoy me yesterday watching the game was Dukie V constantly calling Duke Syracuse a 'rivalry'. It's not a rivalry...they had played what, twice in history? You could even argue that Nova UNC is a rivalry due to the number of times we've met them in March...but Duke Syracuse doesn't have that history yet.

[Piratefan]

ESPN will do whatever it can to devalue the BE. It is in its financial interest to do so. Fortunately, we have FOX, fertile recruiting geographies and terrific rivalries. If I were king, I would add SLU and play 10 home and homes. The league would be outstanding and we would be unique among power conferences in playing all teams twice. League members are investing in facilities and conference recruiting looks to be outstanding. Good luck and go BE!

[SecureDaBall]

What annoyed me was Boeheim saying that was the best game he has ever been a part of.

[TheHall]

That line didn't bother me as much. She meant the old big east. But this whole Syr-Duke love Fest is a little much. The whole College Game Day broadcast of Boeheim and Coach K gushing over how much they love each other made me want to puke. It was like two annoying young lovers in the first week of their relationship: "You're the best poopsie!" "No, you're the best sugar booger." ESPN: "No, you're both the best!" And then to proclaim it after one game the best rivalry in all of college hoops? Please.

I did not advocate this before but I say Nova, SJU and G'twn should just let Syr, Pitt and ND lie in the bed that they've made. No more "home and homes" that help Boeheim or Dixon or Pitino with recruiting. 90% of his roster comes from kids who live between DC and NY. Screw helping them in any capacity. A home and home with UK, Kansas, Ariz, Mich St, Fla, etc does just as much as ones with Syr and L'ville. F the ACC. Let's keep building and when the two lovers from NY and NC retire in 3-4 years we'll see what happens.

I give you lots of credit for revisiting this point. It was a huge debate here last fall about this very issue. I was surprised how many people were cool with continuing these recruiting advertisements for former BE schools. There was a small minority of posters including me who hated the idea since it was announced the BE was splitting up. Seriously, I'm curious what changed your mind because nothing new or unexpected has happened since the fall, cuse is still picking off NYC area recruits, the ACC is still being showcased by ESPN & ESPN/Beoheim are still dissing the BE.