So how did this happen? How did it happen that Louisville got left out in the conference re-alignment cold? How did the Cards go from proud Big East member, with major basketball bonafides and automatic BCS qualifier status, to clinging to flotsam and jetsam from its sunken ship as the better, luckier boats continue on down the revenue river?
West Virginia over Louisville for the Big 12? Really?
Where was Tom Jurich?
After all, Jurich is considered one of the nation’s better athletic directors. He’s among the highest-paid. Even the most loyal Kentucky fan must recognize the good work Jurich has done at U of L. (It’s the reason why most in the Big Blue Nation spit at the mere mention of the Jurich name.) Louisville has a top-shelf athletic program in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s soccer and women’s volleyball. That’s just to name a few. And football, once a shining light under Jurich jurisdiction, is fighting for a comeback.
You would think all of that would make Louisville enticing for a BCS conference with a slot to fill, or even for those in its current conference fixating on solid membership. Not the case, apparently. Pittsburgh and Syracuse have bailed on Louisville and the Big East for the ACC. Connecticut has all but begged to tag along. Now West Virginia is writing an exit fee check so it can join forces with the Big 12, a conference so combustible Missouri has decided it would rather swim in the shark waters of the SEC.
The Big 12 appeared to be a soft and sensible landing spot for Louisville. Sure, Rick Pitino is still clinging to his Big East dream. But sorry, Rick, the world has changed. Funny how Pitino, a coach once considered so cutting-edge, now sounds so out-of-touch, lashing out with poorly-chosen metaphors. He’s the grumpy guy railing against these newfangled ideas. (You kids get off my yard!) Pitino may not have wanted to spend his winter nights in Ames, Iowa, but Jurich no doubt swelled with excitement over the idea of casting his football lot with the Big 12.
That would have meant Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech — plus new member TCU — frequenting Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium on a regular basis. That would have meant sold-out stadiums and powerful paydays. That would have meant major relevance on the college football landscape, something the Louisville football program has long coveted.
But West Virginia apparently did a better job of lobbying the Big 12 decision-makers, pressing their state school status, their national-rep football program, their passionate couch-burning fan base. Louisville’s failure to attract many followers, or Nielsen viewers, outside the urban setting of Jefferson County apparently paled in comparison to the Neers’ rural reach. It didn’t help the Cardinal cause that West Virginia’s grid program currently has the upper hand.
So the Angry Birds are left surveying the remains of something of a conference tsunami. Connecticut, Rutgers, Cincinnati and U of L are the lone Big East football-playing members remaining, and UConn is the girl waiting for a better prom date. They’re the former best-sellers left on the remainders table. That’s not exactly what you want for your football program.
The possible fixs don’t sound too enticing. Does Boise State and Air Force accept Big East invitations, or do they bank on the stronger Mountain West wresting that BCS bid from the battered Big Least? Does a possible scavenger hunt for CUSA teams such as Houston, Central Florida and Memphis do much to excite Louisville’s heartbroken season-ticket holders?
Louisville and Memphis: Together again!
Oh, boy.
It’s a depressing state of affairs in River City. It’s a shame, too. Seriously. Tom Jurich has spent a lot of time and money building an impressive athletics program on the Ohio River, only to be outmaneuvered by Mountaineers. (West Virginia!). Now the Cards have no place to play – or no place where they really want to play. All dressed up with nowhere to go.
I didn’t know the conference’s re-shuffle was over. Who announced that?
So much for that “Miles Ahead” nonsense.
John, you published this at 9:30 this morning yet everyone knew late last night that the WVU move was on hold and UL was back in play.
even the blogs of print media are well behind the news.
I’m sorry, but I think it is hilarious!!! RP once tried to get UK to run to the Big East, of course UK stayed in the SEC… he left, and I think that was a part of it. RP has shown his penchent for throwing tantrums… remember his news conference melt down about Sypher? When he lost his temper with the reporters and said everything they heard was a lie, unless they heard it from him? He QUIT on Boston, when will he quit now that he isn’t getting his way with the BE conference? Plus the hypocrissy of it all. The Big East went out and raided conferences to get to 16 teams, and that was all about money, now they, their ex-comish, and rp on tv, are all complaining how unfair all this is and how unethical it is as it is all about money. Funny, it wasn’t unfair when it was them getting the “gold” and oops… you get it that way, you lose it that way.
I just can’t help but to laugh… LMAO!!!
Go CATS!!!!!!
If there is new information that says the West Virginia move is “on hold” and UL is “back in play” then I haven’t seen it on any of the national web sites (i.e. ESPN, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, The Sports Network).
All stories are saying basically the same thing, as soon as Missouri leaves and joins the SEC and their president two nights ago told a Missouri TV station that he “wished the Big-12 well and all that” (direct quote), WVU is headed to the Big-12 as the replacement.
If something has changed from that story can you pleasae post a link.
Thanks.
Mark Liptak
Posted at 1:08 p.m. http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7152071/west-virginia-mountaineers-move-big-12-hold-reports-say
My guess is that both WVU and U of L are leaking stuff to help their cause.
Mark,
It was all over twitter and some blogs last night. And Matt Jones had multiple sources telling him the WVU move was on hold and said so on his show this morning. UL meddled and its paying off. Rumors are Mitch McConnell got involved.
Funniest part of this comedy show? Rick Pitino losing his mind. Now lets figure this out: The Big East has 16 schools, so that is 16 Presidents, 16 AD’s, 16 mens basketball coaches, and 8 of them have football coaches. And out of that total of 56 people, Pitino has shot his mouth off and flapped his gums over the last 6 weeks about Big East conference moves/changes more than the other 55 combined. Last nights brilliant plan, bringing in Memphis & Temple – wow, the Big East’s AQ BSC slot is saved!
You would think after the Sypher embarrassment and the extortion trial where he dragged his employer through the mud alongside himself, he would be a little more reserved. And you would have thought his boss or his bosses boss at some point over the last 6 weeks would have pulled him aside and said “Hey Rick, quit talking about saving the Big East and worry about how to win an NCAA 1st round game this season.”. His behavior shows that he runs that universities athletic department, not Jurich, it is his words that represent UL’s position on conference changes, not Pres Ramsey. And he is motivated to protect himself and his sport, and more importantly road trips to the Northeast and long conference tourney weekends at MSG.
More than just rumors, apparently. Actually, if the Times/Thamel story is correct, David Boren might wield more power on U of L’s behalf. The other Big 12 presidents know and respect Boren, probably more than an outside politician trying to score points for his constituents.