BleedNRed
Member
Really, Shadas? You didn't waste any time starting the flaming. Unless I misinterpreted a lame attempt at sarcasm or I misinterpreted your post, then geographically it does not make sense for PSU to be tied into a "West" division.
Miller: Big Ten Divisional Alignment Prediction
- Thread starter JonDMiller
- Start date
Really, Shadas? You didn't waste any time starting the flaming. Unless I misinterpreted a lame attempt at sarcasm or I misinterpreted your post, then geographically it does not make sense for PSU to be tied into a "West" division.
ShadasRevenge
Well-Known Member
I believe I said that. I said it makes sense geographically for them to be in East, which was the question you asked.
EastLosRandy
Well-Known Member
Good points. Factor in different climates and unequal revenues, and the Big 12 had a feedback loop augmenting the north-south imbalance. An east/west Big Ten+2 split won't be 50-50, but the dynamics would be quite different.
Think of any highly-rated recruit from the state of Texas.
1. Texas can tell the kid: We ARE Texas. We play most of our games IN Texas. Your family will be able to drive to most of your games. The weather's nice here all year long. We compete for conference championships and BCS bowls every year. We're always on TV. E$PN talks about us all the time. You'll be a star from coast to coast.
2. Tech and aTm can tell the kid: We play Texas every year. We play most of our games IN Texas. Your family will be able to drive to most of your games. The weather's nice here all year long. We compete for bowl bids every year, and sometimes we compete for conference championships. We're on TV a lot. E$PN talks about us a lot. Your name will be known from coast to coast.
3. Oklahoma can tell the kid: We ARE Oklahoma. We play Texas every year in Dallas. We play IN Texas 2 or 3 times each year. We play most of our games in Norman, which is just as close to Dallas as Austin. Your family will be able to drive to most of your games. Our winters aren't very cold, either. Would you rather be freezing your nipples off in Lincoln? We compete for conference championships and BCS bowls every year. We're on TV all the time. E$PN talks about us all the time. You will be a star from coast to coast.
4. Okie State can tell the kid: We play Texas and at least three other schools FROM Texas every year. We play IN Texas at least twice a year. Your family can probably drive to most of your games. You won't freeze your nipples off in the winter...
5. Missouri can tell the kid: We play IN Texas once a year. If you stay here for four years, your family will be able to drive to four of your college games. They'd probably have to fly for the home games, though. Them Texas boys like to brag about the weather down there, but hey, have you ever made a snowman? It's like super fun, really! We don't have as much money in the program as they do in Texas. Greedy bastards won't share the revenues. Yeah, we're on TV some times. Last year we were ranked for a couple of weeks, and you could see a 60-second recap of our game on $port$center. Awesome, huh? Wait, where are you going? Well, if Texas doesn't want you (and let's be honest, you're kinda short son) you still have our number...
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
If Geography is a consideration, even at a distant 3rd, then there is NO way Penn State ends up in the west. If you split them up Geography the competitive balance is already in place as outside of Ohio State the "western" schools have done just as well as the "eastern" schools when you look at records, bowl games, and rankings. IMO, Nebraska is some what a equal to Ohio State if you look at the past 25 years and Iowa & Wisconsin is every bit as good as Penn State & Michigan. Throw in the fact that Illinois and Northwestern have both won the Big Ten recently and I say the "West" division appears to be more competitive top to bottom than the "East".
If the Big 10 is forced to stopped at 12 teams, then I think the PSU to the West might be necessary, unfortunately.
The key will be if the Big 10 can add Texas or Notre Dame, because then they can keep PSU in the East where they should be and balance it out with another marquee name in the West.
West
Iowa-Ohio State
Texas/ND-Penn State
Nebraska-Michigan
Wisconsin-Michigan State
Northwestern-Purdue
Minnesota-Indiana
Illinois-Rutgers/Maryland
In those head-to-head line-ups, I think you can say that only in Iowa/Ohio State or Illinois/Rutgers/Maryland do you have a clear advantage in the East.
The key will be if the Big 10 can add Texas or Notre Dame, because then they can keep PSU in the East where they should be and balance it out with another marquee name in the West.
West
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- Wisconsin
- Texas/Notre Dame
- Northwestern
- Minnesota
- Illinois
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Michigan State
- Penn State
- Indiana
- Purdue
- Rutgers/Maryland
Iowa-Ohio State
Texas/ND-Penn State
Nebraska-Michigan
Wisconsin-Michigan State
Northwestern-Purdue
Minnesota-Indiana
Illinois-Rutgers/Maryland
In those head-to-head line-ups, I think you can say that only in Iowa/Ohio State or Illinois/Rutgers/Maryland do you have a clear advantage in the East.
