Post your school

[KipsBayEagle]

you would replace pitt with if they do leave for the big ten here!  I am gonna say either St. Josephs or Xavier.

[wyoMUfan]

St. Josephs, would be great.
Another Jesuit school with a good basketball tradition and their rivalry with Nova would be nurtured and showcased because of the conference match-ups.
Nova's football team is ready for DI I think if PITT leaves a "basketball" school will replace.
thus i would nominate UW-Milwaukee

[MU B2002]

Doesn't it need to be a D1 football school?  How about Xavier and Notre Dame?

[MUsoxfan]

Neither makes sense as it has no viable football option (unless Nova gets admitted into the BE for football).  It would probably be Memphis

[wyoMUfan]

Notre Dame would never join the bigeast for football
they are too awesome for a conference
I think xaviers other athletics would be a good fit, women's hoops, soccer etc.
Do they even have a football team?

[Golden Avalanche]

you would replace pitt with if they do leave for the big ten here!  I am gonna say either St. Josephs or Xavier.

It would be football first in the decision which is why Memphis is a front runner and why Tranghese is a consultant for the Tigers.

Besides, Adam Zagoria is now reporting the rumors are false and has quotes from the Pitt athletic department.

[KipsBayEagle]

Pitt staying is clearly the best scenario, but I am sorry, I just can't stand the idea of memphis being in the big east.  It would just be a bad move for so many reasons.

[wyoMUfan]

It's exciting the idea of shaking things up, and seeing a BIGten championship game (sort of)
But agreed, the best for our conference is for the Panthers to stay in the Bigeast

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I would hope against Memphis.

BUT...

It could be worse.

If somehow a real "football school" came in, it could start a chain reaction that wouldn't end up good for MU. Not saying it would be the immediate demise of the current Big East, just saying it could shift priorities and eventually ruin the current Big East.

[Jacks DC]

Is there a good reason why no one has mentioned Butler?  They seem ideal in many ways, aside from the broadcasting nightmare of constantly referring to Butler and Hayward for both teams when they play Marquette.

I cannot think of an established football program anywhere near the level of Pitt that would join the Big East (meaning not already in a BCS conference or ND and geographically feasable) and can also bring basketball.

[martyconlonontherun]

I would hope against Memphis.

BUT...

It could be worse.

If somehow a real "football school" came in, it could start a chain reaction that wouldn't end up good for MU. Not saying it would be the immediate demise of the current Big East, just saying it could shift priorities and eventually ruin the current Big East.

I was thinking the same thing. Football money rules and it will only be a matter of time til we start to fill the impact.

[KipsBayEagle]

I think now more than ever, Notre Dame joining the big east for football is a possibility.  They aren't the program they once were, and their new coach showed that you can put together a powerful team in the big east.  If Notre Dame joined the buig east and Pitt stayed, the big east could really compete with almost all the power conferences in football other than the sec.

[wyoMUfan]

It'd be interesting to see the crowd reaction when the golden domers made their first trip to cincy

[LON]

I was thinking the same thing. Football money rules and it will only be a matter of time til we start to fill the impact.

And the worst thing is...college football = extremely overrated

[TheButlerDidIt]

I'm not sure if they'd just sit on a Nova promotion. Nova jumping up to D-I I'm sure will happen, but they'd probably look to add another football school which'd probably be Memphis. It doesn't matter what the fans want, it's all about $$$. That's why Xavier, St. Joe's, Rhode Island, Delaware (unless their football program goes D-I in the next 5 years) would never be added. Marquette may have to look to the A-10 or CUSA again in the next 5 years if the football schools decide to go their own route. I know there've been ideas of a Catholic Conference for the basketball onlies and that'd be interesting.

[Knight Commission]

If St Louis would commit the necessary money to their program--a condition to getting accepted into the Big East, they would be better than Xavier (canibalizes UC) and St Jospeh's (canibalizes Villanova).

[KipsBayEagle]

I think we are all jumping to conclusions about the complete dismantling of the big east simply because Pitt might leave.  The big east was fine when boston college, miami, and virginia tech left.  If it can rebound from that, it can rebound from this very easily.

[StillAWarrior]

Although I wouldn't mind Xavier, I'd be surprised.  I don't think they will put another team from Cincinnati in the conference.  I would imagine that the conference would want to either keep the Pittsburgh market (Duquesne) or, more likely, pick up a new market (Memphis or some other new area).  From a purely selfish point of view, I'd vote for Cleveland State.  I'd love to have Marquette come play here every couple of years.  Dayton would also at least be fairly close.  Toledo?  Akron?  Kent State?  Noticing a trend here?

[KipsBayEagle]

If St Louis would commit the necessary money to their program--a condition to getting accepted into the Big East, they would be better than Xavier (canabilizes UC) and St Jospeh's (canibalizes Villanova).

Saint Josephs wouldn't lay a finger on Nova.  Nova is too strong academically.

[TheButlerDidIt]

The Big East lost a lot on the football side when those three schools left. IF Pitt leaves (that's a big if) and IF only Pitt leaves, the Big East should be fine...for now. Football money rules and who's not to say the SEC, ACC, Big 12, or the Big 10 want to eventually jump to 14? It's a very weird time in college sports.

[TallTitan34]

I agree that Pitt staying is the best option.  The worst option is adding a dirty program like Memphis.

[KipsBayEagle]

I agree that Pitt staying is the best option.  The worst option is adding a dirty program like Memphis.

+ 1,000,000

[CAINMUTINY]

Should Pitt Leave for the Big Ten then my vote is for Memphis.  The school has great basketball and football programs and my only concern would be on the academic side of things, but froma revenue standpoint Mephis is vastly superior to Xavier/St. Joe's ability to generate funds.

[Jacks DC]

If football is the main consideration why would it be Memphis?  They won 1 game in C-USA last year (to UTEP, who ironically returned the favor in hoops).  East Carolina anyone?

[KipsBayEagle]

East carolina sounds even worse than memphis.