West Virginia filing suit vs. Big East

[nathanziarek]

Interesting. If they can get away with it, why not the rest of the league?

West Virginia is filing suit against the Big East Conference so it can join the Big 12 next season, according to a document obtained by CBSSports.com.
The Big East requires its members to pay $5 million and provide 27 months notice before it may leave the conference. However, on Friday when West Virginia accepted an invitation to join the Big 12, WVU and Big 12 officials both indicated the Mountaineers would begin play in the Big 12 in 2012-13.

In an e-mail to the league's presidents Monday, Big East commissioner John Marinatto wrote that "we have been advised by West Virginia league council that the University is filing suit against the Big East Conference today (Monday) – presumably to get relief from the withdrawal provision contained in our bylaws."

http://brett-mcmurphy.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/29532522/33054284

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I'm no attorney but I can see this.  Sounds like they are just trying to force a settlement.

[downtown85]

I say let them out for $50mil.

[77ncaachamps]

I say let them out for $50mil.

Or drag your feet so the legal bills mount and WVU's ears start to blow smoke.

Either way, it's still gonna cost them: $5 million or $__ million plus legal bills, operation hours/costs dedicated to the case, etc.

[brewcity77]

Strange...it seems like just a month ago that Bob Huggins was commenting on why he supported Notre Dame over Pitt in a Saturday football game: "Because the Big East sticks together". Now his school is suing the league so they can leave. How quickly things change.

[muhs03]

Strange...it seems like just a month ago that Bob Huggins was commenting on why he supported Notre Dame over Pitt in a Saturday football game: "Because the Big East sticks together". Now his school is suing the league so they can leave. How quickly things change.

Its just funny that coaches think their opinion matters. Coaches come and go while a conference affiliation will likely last decades. Im guessing there arent a lot of coaches that can even name a handful of university trustees...the ones that make the final decision. At the end of the day, coaches are nothing more than employees of the university. Guys like Pitino simply like to think their opinion matters. Why? I wish I knew. It's prob just their ego speaking since nothing these coaches dont seem to use their brains before they talk.

[T-Bone]

Its just funny that coaches think their opinion matters. Coaches come and go while a conference affiliation will likely last decades. Im guessing there arent a lot of coaches that can even name a handful of university trustees...the ones that make the final decision. At the end of the day, coaches are nothing more than employees of the university. Guys like Pitino simply like to think their opinion matters. Why? I wish I knew. It's prob just their ego speaking since nothing these coaches dont seem to use their brains before they talk.

I agree that most coaches think their opinions matter.

The next two points don't seem right:
- This day and age,  I think conferences are temporary.  At least in a schools affiliation. 
- I'd guess every head coach knows who every trustee is.  They're the ones that need the schmoozing in order to get money. 

[muhs03]

I agree that most coaches think their opinions matter.

The next two points don't seem right:
- This day and age,  I think conferences are temporary.  At least in a schools affiliation. 
- I'd guess every head coach knows who every trustee is.  They're the ones that need the schmoozing in order to get money. 

To your first point, of all the recent conference expansions, the vast majority of these schools that have moved have been affiliated with their original conference for a VERY long time.

To your second point, I look at it like this (example):
VP of Corporate Finance--->CFO---->CEO----BOD

I'd say a coach is a lot like the VP. The AD is a lot like the CFO and the Chancellor(President) is a lot like the CEO. Is the VP going to jump over the hierarchy and ask the BOD for a pay raise/bonus? Of course not. There may be some outliers....like Coack K, or Calhoun, or Boeheim but that field isnt very deep.   

[Stronghold]

Strange...it seems like just a month ago that Bob Huggins was commenting on why he supported Notre Dame over Pitt in a Saturday football game: "Because the Big East sticks together". Now his school is suing the league so they can leave. How quickly things change.

The thing is though Huggins probably had 0 say over what course of action WVU took.  Boeheim wasn't happy with Syracuse's decision to leave the conference either I believe.  I can't see why any Big East basketball coach would want his school to leave the league.  Unfortunately, they can't do much about it.