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Bailey's
Take on Pirate Sports
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From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
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By Brian Bailey
Sports Anchor of WNCT-TV 9 |
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Tranghese sounds like “beaten
man”
©2003 Bonesville.net
The Big East meetings apparently did nothing to clear up the current
rumblings in college athletics.
Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese and the league’s athletic directors
have been meeting on Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The mood in the Big East is
of gloom.
Tranghese addressed the media Monday afternoon.
“This is a crisis and I don't hide from that fact," Tranghese said. "This
would be the most disastrous blow to athletics in my lifetime."
There was word on Monday from several media outlets that Miami might
accept the ACC’s invitation sometime during the day. That didn’t happen, so
the Big East fight continues.
Everybody has their own solution, their own “new” leagues, their own
dreams of what college athletics will look like in a couple of years. My
thoughts are simple, and probably never to be a factor.
I think the NCAA should step in and come up with some sort of system, by
which you either are a Division I football program, or you aren’t! I know
that this sounds too easy and makes too much sense. It is a pipe dream, but
at this point what else is there?
The NCAA should mandate that the “super-conferences” include everyone.
Each conference would then be free to make its own television deals for
revenue.
That being said and should the ACC expand, a Big East/Conference USA
combination could build a twelve-team league. As I stated, the NCAA would
make this a BCS league. The only difference between the ACC and our
“made-up” new league would be in television money.
The ACC would get more money, because at this time, their television
contract would warrant more income.
Give the Big East/C-USA some time, and with a BCS slot, that television
money will come.
We often compare East Carolina and Virginia Tech when discussing the
disparities between non-BCS and BCS leagues.
Look at how those two programs have faired in the 1990’s. Tech has played
for a national championship. They have recruited better athletes. They are a
national championship contender because they are in a BCS league.
That’s what scares the Hokies faithful so much. They have seen first hand
how the Big East has allowed their program to rise to a stature among the
nation’s best.
Or, compare East Carolina with North Carolina State. How many of you were
in attendance in 1999, when the Pirates were obviously the better program
when they thumped the Wolfpack in Greenville?
Kicking off the 2003 season, now it’s N.C. State that starts the year in
the Top 10.
Conference USA gave East Carolina a temporary home. This program has
known for years that the time to peak would be before the new negotiations
for the BCS kicked off, setting the agenda for 2006 and beyond.
Tranghese apparently doesn’t like my idea of letting everyone in.
"Look at the other leagues. You've got 12-12-11-10-9, and we have eight
teams," he said. "We've played in the championship game of the BCS three
times in the last four years, and should've been there in four in a row. As
for a championship game, ask the coaches in the Big 12 or the SEC if they
like having that championship game."
However, he also knows more then anyone how much money is driving the
process.
I don’t know if it’s prayer, or back room arm-twisting or a combination
of both. But East Carolina HAS to be proactive as this thing continues.
And it will continue. Heck, it’s only just begun!
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Brian Bailey.
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02/23/2007 01:26:34 AM |
