Big East Play Thread

[Tugg Speedman]

In yesterday's PTI (Jan 5) Wilbon admonished Kornheiser for not watching college basketball.  Wilbon said the six week old CBB season has been great because so many teams are passing up "buy games" for real match ups that make the early season more interesting.

Wilbon also called Nova/Butler a great game and both agreed that the Big East is the best basketball conference in the country, noting they have 4 teams ranked this week, including #1.

Jan 5, 2017 PTI Podcast (comments about start around 20:30)
http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=18415423

These two guys absolutely carry the water for the mother-ship of ESPN.  So in 2014 when "30 for 30" did 'Requiem For The Big East' these guys spent literally a year talking about the Big East in the past tense.  One for be forgiven for thinking the Big East no longer existed.

http://www.espn.com/30for30/film?page=requiemforthebigeast

It was pointed out here and elsewhere that part of ESPN's "bashing" of the Big East might have been their move to Fox Sports.  ESPN was literally created to broadcast Big East basketball and its early years where defined by showing Big East Basketball.  So they came off, at least to me, acting like the Big East moving to Fox Sports was some sort of betrayal.

So this got me thinking, if they are now admitting that the Big East not only still exists and might also be the best basketball conference in the country, is this becoming accepted wisdom?  And if so, has the Big East finally move past the "funeral stage" of 2014 and still carries the swagger with basketball fans and high school recruits that it always has?

Thoughts?

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

And if so, has the Big East finally move past the "funeral stage" of 2014 and still carries the swagger with basketball fans and high school recruits that it always has?

I think that is pretty obvious to anyone that pays any attention whatsoever to CBB.

[brewcity77]

If you look at recruiting and bid history, we never lost that swagger. The league is still pulling both McDonald's All Americans and top-100 recruits on par with almost anyone. 5 bids per year is the equivalent of 8 in the old league.

Some ESPN personalities tried to bury the league, and the Requiem piece was an insult to the current membership, but others (Dana O'Neill comes to mind) always treated the league fairly.

At the end of the day, ESPN simply can't be intellectually honest by disregarding the league that has the defending national champs and 4 teams in their own top-25 poll. As the recruits, other media, and Selection Committee treated us with respect, it was only a matter of time before the four letter network had to do the same.

[Tugg Speedman]

I think that is pretty obvious to anyone that pays any attention whatsoever to CBB.

It was not obvious to ESPN watchers the last few years.  They did a eulogy of the league!!

[naginiF]

It was not obvious to ESPN watchers the last few years.  They did a eulogy of the league!!

Can you think of any reason it would be in ESPN's interest to belittle the Big East?

[bilsu]

Can you think of any reason it would be in ESPN's interest to belittle the Big East?

They do not have the Big East television contract.

[fjm]

Can you think of any reason it would be in ESPN's interest to belittle the Big East?

Ratings.
If people don't think the BE is good, then they won't watch.
Belittle the BE and fans will tune in to watch #2 Kentucky vs Arkansas instead of #10 butler vs #13 Xavier.

Ratings = money.

[naginiF]

They do not have the Big East television contract.

That's what i was pushing heisy to

[Tugg Speedman]

That's what i was pushing heisy to

Pushing me to what?  I said they did not have the TV contract in my post.  In fact I said it twice.  Did you read it?

[GGGG]

Pushing me to what?  I said they did not have the TV contract in my post.  In fact I said it twice.  Did you read it?

Read what?

[Tugg Speedman]

The post at the top of page 5.

See this is why I start new threads, you guys are utterly incapable of following conversations in multi-page threads, because multi-page threads are impossible to read.

[GGGG]

The post at the top of page 5.

See this is why I start new threads, you guys are utterly incapable of following conversations in multi-page threads, because multi-page threads are impossible to read.

I'm sorry...who are you?

[tower912]

No, I think we all followed it fairly well and are completely yanking your chain.   

[brewcity77]

The post at the top of page 5.

Is that in the future? This thread is only on page 3.

[rocky_warrior]

Is that in the future? This thread is only on page 3.

You must have modified you posts per thread settings.  By the default settings, we are definitely on page 5.

Profile -> Look and Layout -> Messages to display per page:  (default is 25)

But this brings up a good point.  Since that's a variable thing, it would be better to reference reply #100, which does not vary..

[Tugg Speedman]

You must have modified you posts per thread settings.  By the default settings, we are definitely on page 5.

Profile -> Look and Layout -> Messages to display per page:  (default is 25)

But this brings up a good point.  Since that's a variable thing, it would be better to reference reply #100, which does not vary..

Give it up and just start new threads.  It appears Brew has been lost since the E8 season.

[brewcity77]

You must have modified you posts per thread settings.  By the default settings, we are definitely on page 5.

Profile -> Look and Layout -> Messages to display per page:  (default is 25)

But this brings up a good point.  Since that's a variable thing, it would be better to reference reply #100, which does not vary..

Oh absolutely modified. Max PPP always on every site. 25 PPP is for chumps.

[naginiF]

Pushing me to what?  I said they did not have the TV contract in my post.  In fact I said it twice.  Did you read it?

you mean that post where you talked about ESPN viewers believing the BE is dead because they ran eulogy on the conference? 

It was not obvious to ESPN watchers the last few years.  They did a eulogy of the league!!

did you read it?

[brewcity77]

Georgetown has taken Butler to overtime. Tied at 68 on the Fox mothership.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Georgetown has taken Butler to overtime. Tied at 68 on the Fox mothership.

GT just can't figure it out. Had this game won in regulation and are now down 6 with 1 to go into OT.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Pryor 0/8 with a goose egg today.

[brewcity77]

10-0 run by Butler, put a nail in Georgetown, this one is done.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

10-0 run by Butler, put a nail in Georgetown, this one is done.

Hoya scoop has got to be in full meltdown.

[brewcity77]

GT still fouling with 9 seconds on the clock, trailing by 8. It's over, lads.

[GGGG]

GT still fouling with 9 seconds on the clock, trailing by 8. It's over, lads.

One thing I appreciate about NBA ball.  When the game is out of reach, the fouling stops.  These college coaches who continue fouling even though there is no chance of a comeback is really annoying.