Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 05/17  at  10:43 AM

Xue, while your model would maintain the balance of the Big East, there is no desire to go beyond 16 teams in basketball. So while I think there’s about a 1 percent chance of adding a football only member, I think there is a zero chance of the league expanding its basketball league. Remember, the league doesn’t want to expand just to add teams. The only way the league would expand is to improve the league - and the only legit candidate is Notre Dame. Now if Penn State wanted to leave the Big 10 (highly unlikely), the Big East would listen, but there simply won’t be any expansion in the Big East anytime soon.

Posted by  Xue Gou, Shanghai, China on 05/16  at  06:10 PM

Brett,

Please do a story on the idea of the Big East going to 18 with one football (UCF) and one hoops (St. Louis) addition. This keeps the Big East together and keeps the Public Football / Catholic Hoops balance.

4 NORTHEASTERN
UConn / Syracuse / Rutgers / Providence
4 MID-ATLANTIC
St. John’s / Seton Hall / Villanova / Georgetown
4 OHIO RIVER
Pitt / WVU / Cincinnati / Louisville
4 MIDWESTERN
Notre Dame / DePaul / Marquette / St. Louis
2 SUNSHINE
USF / UCF

It solves the football and basketball scheduling problems, gets each football team a game in Florida every year, and gives every team a primary rival.

SAMPLE USF HOOPS SCHEDULE
hosting - UCF, UConn, RU, SJU, GU, WVU, UL, NDU, DPU
away games - UCF, Cuse, PC, SHU, VU, Pitt, UC, SLU, MU

Posted by  Peter, Washington, DC on 05/16  at  01:05 PM

Who cares? They suck at football but could get better, ECU is even more of a joke. I really think UCF would be the best fit if they were thinking about expanding. I thought UCF should have been in over USF, but I was wrong.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 05/16  at  12:35 PM

Ryan, the East Carolina report, from a Hartford, Conn., newspaper was 1,000 times more legit than the Memphis TV report. The Hartford paper reported what ECU would do to join the league. It did not say that ECU was talking with the league, like the Memphis TV claimed Memphis had. I don’t read anything into them coming out the same week - just more a coincidence or a sign we’re entering the dog days of summer before college football season starts.

Posted by  ryan moore, jax on 05/16  at  11:20 AM

brett,

i don’t think the BE is actually talking to anyone either. the only thing that give this and the ecu newspaper story any attention is that they came out in quick succession. think there’s anything to that?

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 05/16  at  09:17 AM

"College Fan,” USF fans obviously have nothing to crow about concerning their basketball team. However, Big East commish Mike Tranghese has said repeatedly they are not interested in any new members (except Notre Dame). So it’s gotten comical every time there’s a report out of (fill in the blank school) city that (fill in the blank school) is in “serious” talks to join the Big East. It’s just not true.

Posted by  Greg Larson, Orlando on 05/16  at  08:17 AM

The Big East will do something in the future.  My guess is when the near 2010 when the BCS contact changes or in 2013 when the ESPN Big East Basketball contract changes.

The only wild card is the Big 10.  They have noted they are thinking about a 12th member.  If they add one you could see a chain reaction that could impact 2-4 conferences.

Memphis, ECU, UCF, and Notre Dame are not going anywhere in the near future, but 2010 and beyond .....maybe.

Posted by  David Campbell, St. Petersburg on 05/15  at  11:49 PM

Regarding UCF possibly joining the Big East.........NO THANKS!!

Posted by  College Fan, St. Petersburg, FL on 05/15  at  10:02 PM

I don’t get this blog.  I remember when USF was laughed at when wanting to join the Big East.  I remember fans from those seriously questioning the addition of unknown USF.  At least Memphis has a national presence in basketball...USF had nothing.  USF still hasn’t even come close in basketball and I believe Memphis could improve their football in a BCS conference just like UCONN and USF has. I still think the Big East will look to expand eventually.  UCF looks to make the most sense in tv market, facilities, fanbase and recruiting...their football and basketball are competitive, too.  ECU doesn’t make any other sense other than being geographically closer.

Posted by  Jay, Orlando on 05/15  at  06:26 PM

Memphis is a great town to travel to for the fans, and obviously their hoops program is top notch.  As a UCF fan I’d hate to loose them from C-USA, but I don’t see that happening because their football program is AWFUL.  We were up on them 49-0 at halftime last year, and they don’t seem to be recruiting well enough to get any better.

I don’t see this happening for just that reason.

Posted by  Chip, NC on 05/15  at  01:23 PM

Memphis brings nothing to the table but basketball.  I did not follow the Memphis link, but bringing in Memphis for football only over ECU is a joke.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 05/15  at  12:05 PM

Pete is right. If Memphis joined the Big East it would allow USF fans - and this beat writer - to enjoy Memphis’ world famous hot fudge pie. It’s actually really not pie, but a brownie with yellow vanilla ice cream (the key is yellow vanilla ice cream). But I digress. Memphis is not joining the Big East anytime soon and neither is East Carolina. The only school the Big East would add is Notre Dame and the Irish are happy being a football independent.

Posted by  Pete Menasses, Hattiesburgh, MS/Miami, FL on 05/15  at  11:53 AM

WOW, that would be great!!! MORE PIE!!!

Posted by  Brandon, NC on 05/15  at  11:35 AM

Memphis football if anything is in decline!  Ever since DeAngelo Williams left, they’re garbage.

Posted by  Mike Lakeland, Lakeland, FL on 05/15  at  10:36 AM

If this is true, I am 100% for it.  Basketball would be even more awesome, and their football program is definitely up-and-coming.