More conference realignment talk

[Oldgym]

I guess you're missing the point.

I think Herman meant "I put the link for the actual interview on the original post"

[Herman Cain]

I think Herman meant "I put the link for the actual interview on the original post"

I agree with this analysis

[Newsdreams]

I think Herman meant "I put the link for the actual interview on the original post"

Ok but WhiteTrash was addressing SEC (Russia)...

[brewcity77]

I think Herman meant "I put the link for the actual interview on the original post"

And I think that too was evidence of Herman missing the point.

[dgies9156]

Some guy on twitter:

Marc Fiscarelli
@MarcFiscHoops
Anonymous coaching source:

Gonzaga is set to join the Big East, and it's going to happen sooner rather than later.

Both sides have been in contact with each other since 2021.

It is not currently known when the move will happen.

https://twitter.com/MarcFiscHoops/status/1549416712533168129

Gonzaga has to join for the same reason Creighton joined. If Gonzaga ever wants to win a Natty, they better start playing teams worthy of the talent they put on the court.

Gonzaga won't get that in the Intermountain Baby League, or whatever conference they play in.

[The Lens]

Gonzaga has to join for the same reason Creighton joined. If Gonzaga ever wants to win a Natty, they better start playing teams worthy of the talent they put on the court.

Gonzaga won't get that in the Intermountain Baby League, or whatever conference they play in.

LOL. 

Gonzaga has played in 2 of the last 5 CHAMPIONSHIP games. 

3 of the last 5 Elite 8's and 5 of the last 5 S16s.

Find me a program that has that track record.  Their conference is not the reason they haven't won it all.  The only issue they have is time because that's the only thing standing in their way.  It's gonna happen. 

[WhiteTrash]

LOL. 

Gonzaga has played in 2 of the last 5 CHAMPIONSHIP games. 

3 of the last 5 Elite 8's and 5 of the last 5 S16s.

Find me a program that has that track record.  Their conference is not the reason they haven't won it all.  The only issue they have is time because that's the only thing standing in their way.  It's gonna happen.

I think that both Gonzaga and the Big East would like to join up as it would benefit both. The distance issue is material and I think the only hurdle to it happening. But Gonzaga can win it out of the WCC, I have no doubt.

Long term I would suspect that resolving the distance issue and coming into the Big East would be in their best interest since nobody knows what Gonzaga will be after Few leaves. The Big East would definitely add more money to Gonzaga's program to help sustain what has been built.

[Scoop Snoop]

I think that both Gonzaga and the Big East would like to join up as it would benefit both. The distance issue is material and I think the only hurdle to it happening. But Gonzaga can win it out of the WCC, I have no doubt.

Long term I would suspect that resolving the distance issue and coming into the Big East would be in their best interest since nobody knows what Gonzaga will be after Few leaves. The Big East would definitely add more money to Gonzaga's program to help sustain what has been built.

Hopefully the NCAA will finally allow "basketball only" so that the travel issues of Gonzaga's other sports could be resolved and those can stay out West.

Gonzaga's track record in the tourney makes it very clear that for now, (with Few) they do not need to be in the BE or any other conference to be competitive in the Big Dance. With that said, I think ending their season in our solid conference rather than their current one would help make them even more formidable in the tourney.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Hopefully the NCAA will finally allow "basketball only" so that the travel issues of Gonzaga's other sports could be resolved and those can stay out West.

Even if the NCAA allowed it, I have no idea why the WCC (or any other conference) would go along with it.

[MU82]

In their latest "mailbag," The Athletic's Dana O'Neill and Brian Hamilton answer readers' questions, and the very first one they addressed was "How much credence do you give to the Gonzaga-to-the-Big East rumors?"

Dana O'Neil: In normal times — back before the Los Angeles-to-State College commute became a normal conference swing — I'd say zero. Right now, I believe absolutely nothing is out of the question. For all I know, Hawaii could join the Atlantic 10, so why couldn't the Spokane-to-Providence ride become a thing?

Here's what I believe, having put out a few feelers about this very topic: Both sides are going to be very intelligent and choosy. Gonzaga is in a pretty nice position of power, or at least as much power as a non-football school can have these days. The Zags are doing just fine right where they are in the West Coast Conference and yet are wildly desirable to conferences looking to glam up the basketball side of things. They don't have to jump, unless they want to.

The Big East, once the carcass of conference realignment, is perhaps the least vulnerable league out there. Everyone wants football, so no one wants what it has. It's proven to be quite capable of competing at a national level and has a steady and committed membership. The caveat: The Big East's deal with Fox is up in 2024-25, and if you hadn't heard, Fox just spent a gazillion dollars on football. Fox and the Big East have been terrific partners, the league helping bolster FS1 and the network giving the league a TV home. But it's fair to wonder how much money Fox has left to spend on college basketball, and it's also fair to question if, as currently constructed, the Big East is attractive enough to garner a good deal. You add Gonzaga to the package, and maybe a few other hoops-minded schools, and suddenly the Big East has a lot more to offer.

If you asked me do I think it should happen, my answer would be yes. Will it? That's trickier.

What do you think, Mr. Hamilton?

Brian: As our friend Andy Staples has astutely said on all things realignment: The only limit to any of this is the imagination of a commissioner or president or administrator. It's foolish to wave off any potential outcome. I'm not inclined to believe Gonzaga is in any rush to change anything. But if I'm the Big East, I'm keeping the lines of communication open, if not red-hot with negotiations. Logistically, I'd imagine adding Gonzaga requires adding another West Coast-ish travel partner to have this make any sense from an athlete-welfare perspective; it doesn't seem altogether sensible to do this and make teams fly three time zones away and back for one game. Finding said partner is probably one of the easier parts in this pretend (for now) version of reality, though. Money talks.

Here's where I would really apply the pressure, if anyone in the Big East is inclined to do so: reconnect with some old friends who are absolutely going to be left behind in any Football Megaconference Structure and offer a lifeline. Under those circumstances, does the UConn model look so bad to say ... Syracuse, especially? Or Pittsburgh? Or even Boston College? No one is arguing any of them should drop football. That's a non-starter. But if you're not playing football in one of the two or three leagues that matters — according to this thought exercise, anyway — why not play your hoops and other sports in a conference that definitely matters and put the gridiron product in the American or Conference USA or some such?

I'd love to say this is entirely my idea, but it's generated by conversations with people in the sport, so I wonder how many legs it could have.

And also call Duke. Because why not?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Regarding the idea of a "west coast travel partner." I like the idea in concept, but I'm not sure any school fits the profile.  You'd think St. Mary's, but its not as though that's easy jump from Spokane.

I really wish Denver would have been able to get their basketball program in gear because it would be a nice fit with the addition of Gonzaga. And is already a BE conference member in lacrosse.

[brewcity77]

The addition of UCLA and USC to the Big 10 I imagine will accelerate things between the Big East and Gonzaga. If the big boy leagues are going to ignore geography in expanding their footprint, other leagues will need to be willing to follow suit in order to keep playing at that level. I do think Greg Sankey's recent comments about eliminating auto-bids will end up proving to be the route they go, which makes it imperative that programs not wanting to be left behind are in leagues that are too good to ignore. The Big East definitely looks to be one of those, but the WCC is not.

[Tha Hound]

LOL. 

Gonzaga has played in 2 of the last 5 CHAMPIONSHIP games. 

3 of the last 5 Elite 8's and 5 of the last 5 S16s.

Find me a program that has that track record.  Their conference is not the reason they haven't won it all.  The only issue they have is time because that's the only thing standing in their way.  It's gonna happen.

They've earned it for sure and you cant scoff at those numbers by any means - they've had some really good teams. But coasting to a basically unbeaten record all year and therefore easily earning a 1 seed time after time diminishes anything outside of a final four run IMO. If you're a 1 seed the run is basically laid out there for you. Whatever, I'm just salty it's not us

[brewcity77]

They've earned it for sure and you cant scoff at those numbers by any means - they've had some really good teams. But coasting to a basically unbeaten record all year and therefore easily earning a 1 seed time after time diminishes anything outside of a final four run IMO. If you're a 1 seed the run is basically laid out there for you. Whatever, I'm just salty it's not us

If what Gonzaga was doing was easy, wouldn't everyone do it? They don't just go basically unbeaten, they beat the brains in of a league that is typically a top-10 league. Programs like Loyola-Chicago, San Diego State, Dayton, and Houston have every opportunity to do the same, but none have. In the past 4 years that Gonzaga was 1-seed worthy and finished top-2 at kenpom, they have 2 league play losses combined.

In that same span, only two teams in the MVC, MWC, A-10, or American have finished their season with 0-1 league losses. Both were in 2020, when 18-0 Dayton would have been a 1-seed and 17-1 San Diego State would've been a 2-seed. It's there for other programs, Gonzaga's the only one good enough to do it consistently.

[Uncle Rico]

If what Gonzaga was doing was easy, wouldn't everyone do it? They don't just go basically unbeaten, they beat the brains in of a league that is typically a top-10 league. Programs like Loyola-Chicago, San Diego State, Dayton, and Houston have every opportunity to do the same, but none have. In the past 4 years that Gonzaga was 1-seed worthy and finished top-2 at kenpom, they have 2 league play losses combined.

In that same span, only two teams in the MVC, MWC, A-10, or American have finished their season with 0-1 league losses. Both were in 2020, when 18-0 Dayton would have been a 1-seed and 17-1 San Diego State would've been a 2-seed. It's there for other programs, Gonzaga's the only one good enough to do it consistently.

At this point, the only thing Gonzaga can do is win it all to prove what they're doing is special.  I have a Zags polo I wear occasionally and people always say, "ah, they choke in March every year."  Sign me up for their recent run

[GoldenWarrior11]

I would love for Gonzaga to join the Big East as #12.  The league would definitely see a bump in $$$, and it would add yet another elite men's basketball brand to the conference.  Geography was tossed out the window as soon as UCLA and USC announced they were leaving for the Big Ten.  Gonzaga has developed a strong enough run, over a sustained period of time (20 years), where there is a strong (now) enough history for whenever Few steps aside.  It is a program capable of competing for a national championship annually, and regularly having deep runs in March. 

Gonzaga would also (finally) be able to join a power conference in basketball with like-minded members.  Win/win for everyone. 

[drewm88]

Regarding the idea of a "west coast travel partner." I like the idea in concept, but I'm not sure any school fits the profile.  You'd think St. Mary's, but its not as though that's easy jump from Spokane.

I really wish Denver would have been able to get their basketball program in gear because it would be a nice fit with the addition of Gonzaga. And is already a BE conference member in lacrosse.

Don't add for the sake of a travel partner. No good options worth cutting another slice out of the pie.

Give schools heading west an extra couple days and let them use it to travel or schedule a non-con while they're out there if they want. I imagine there are enough mid-major schools who would jump at the chance to get a BE squad at home that you can find someone who fits the schedule if you want.

[MU82]

BEast schools on the east coast can play a midwest school on the way to or from Spokane. And Gonzaga can play a midwest school on the way to or from the east coast.

I really don't think it's a very big deal for Gonzaga's basketball program, which has a huge budget, or for the rest of the BEast schools, which will only have to make the trip once a year each.

It's possibly a much bigger deal for the non-revenue sports at all schools, especially Gonzaga, though there might be ways to mitigate those costs. For the Zags, getting significantly more TV money because they're part of the BEast could certainly help its entire athletic program travel.

[Uncle Rico]

BEast schools on the east coast can play a midwest school on the way to or from Spokane. And Gonzaga can play a midwest school on the way to or from the east coast.

I really don't think it's a very big deal for Gonzaga's basketball program, which has a huge budget, or for the rest of the BEast schools, which will only have to make the trip once a year each.

It's possibly a much bigger deal for the non-revenue sports at all schools, especially Gonzaga, though there might be ways to mitigate those costs. For the Zags, getting significantly more TV money because they're part of the BEast could certainly help its entire athletic program travel.

It's happening

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Don't add for the sake of a travel partner. No good options worth cutting another slice out of the pie.

Give schools heading west an extra couple days and let them use it to travel or schedule a non-con while they're out there if they want. I imagine there are enough mid-major schools who would jump at the chance to get a BE squad at home that you can find someone who fits the schedule if you want.

Oh I agree. Adding two to balance it out would be nice, but there just isn't anyone that makes sense.

[muwarrior69]

Would Gonzaga be as good once Few retires? He turns 60 this year.

[Herman Cain]

Would Gonzaga be as good once Few retires? He turns 60 this year.

My guess is they go down a notch

[tower912]

Will Villanova?  Duke?   Will Kansas ever get punished?   

A fair point, though.  If Gonzaga's coach retires after they have joined the Big East, would that make the next deal worth a Few less million?

[Oldgym]

Will Villanova?  Duke?   Will Kansas ever get punished?   

A fair point, though.  If Gonzaga's coach retires after they have joined the Big East, would that make the next deal worth a Few less million?

Bra-vo.

[Uncle Rico]

Would Gonzaga be as good once Few retires? He turns 60 this year.

Yes or no.  Who can say?  Will Indiana ever be good again?  UCLA hasn't won a national title in nearly 30 years. 

Zags are a brand.  Bigger brand than everyone in the Big East at the moment not named Villanova